Tile floors are a popular choice for flooring in both domestic and commercial settings and it is easy to understand why.  There are various types of tiles available, both natural stone and slate as well as fabricated material such as common bathroom ceramic tiles.

If the tiles are professionally installed they offer an aspect of quality and an aesthetically pleasing finish as well as being durable and reasonably priced.  Many people also decide on tile floors on the basis that it is the easiest type of floor to clean, especially in areas such as wash rooms and kitchens where spillages are a possibility.

Maintenance is the key to keeping the floor looking good and all care should be taken to avoid any possibility of surface scratching caused by grit and dirt walked in on the soles of shoes.  Simple steps should be taken such as placing doormats at entrances and regular sweeping and vacuuming of the areas.  Cleaning can be done with soapy water.

It is possible, indeed probable, that over time the tile floor will develop a dull, uneven and unsatisfactory appearance that regular cleaning cannot change.  It is probable in this case that the grout has become stained or marked in some way.

Grout is a construction material, and you will find it used to join or seal the tiles along the edges.  It usually consists of a mixture of sand, cement and water and even if professionally applied is a highly porous substance meaning that it will stain quickly if exposed to water or other liquids.  Grout is not an easy substance to clean and although some bizarre sounding solutions like the use of shaving foam may aid you, you may find yourself needing to contact a hard floor cleaning company which deals with tile grout cleaning to restore it to its original state.

This leads on to the importance of having a good sealer.  A sealer will offer an extra layer of protection, aiding cleaning efforts and making the grout less permeable.  This is particularly important in the aforementioned areas where spillages are likely to take place. 

A company which specializes in tile grout cleaning will be able to recommend and apply an appropriate sealer which should last for a long time and aid future cleaning efforts.

Flooring must be tough and durable. Homeowners use many different wood, stone and tile materials to create floors that will stand up to traffic, furniture and time. One very hard, durable and beautiful material to create unique flooring is strand woven bamboo flooring. This flooring is actually even tougher than flooring celebrated for its durability such as hickory, cherry and oak wood flooring. Bamboo has the strength for many uses such as furniture, and becomes even harder and more durable when put through a special manufacturing process that creates strand woven bamboo. The process doubles the hardness and strength of the bamboo.

There are many species of bamboo. The specie that produces the right material to make planks for strand woven bamboo floors is called Moso. The process involves cutting the bamboo plant into strips. Next the plant is boiled, which removes any sugary plant substance that could attract termites, making the bamboo planks virtually termite-proof. The boiled-bamboo strands are allowed to dry and then put under high pressure. The pressure, combined with a special adhesive, flattens the strands and molds them together into planks.

The end product is a very dense plank that is perfect for use as flooring that must endure heavy traffic and the challenges of furniture, pets and children. The appearance is unique, creating a natura, lovely and unusual wood effect that comes in a fine variety of wood hues to coordinate with any decor. Bamboo flooring is a much more environmentally-responsible wood choice. Bamboo grows rapidly, unlike trees. Bamboo cultivation is common world-wide for its many uses and does not require any deforestation in order to create a wide variety of products from flooring to furniture.

Installation of strand-woven bamboo flooring is similar to other kinds of wood flooring. Installers can either apply it directly on an asphalt floor using glue, staples or nails. Another type of installation is “floating” which makes it feasible to install the bamboo planks anywhere regardless of the floor’s foundation or the floor’s structure. Strand woven bamboo floors are an excellent choice when remodeling a home because of the ease of installation as well as the beauty and durability that will provide years of service.

A strand woven bamboo is a excellent choice when remodeling a home because of the ease of installation as well as the beauty and durability. bamboo floors will also provide you years of service.

Ask any interior designer to name the first element to consider when finishing a room, and the answer will likely be flooring. Builders agree, it sets the mood.

Many more professionals these days are bypassing tile and carpeting, and going with wood. But what kind of wood should you go with? Solid hardwood? Engineered wood? Reclaimed antique wood? But making the right choice for your tastes and circumstances is not as hard as it appears. Here are some factors to consider, along with some useful advice from the experts.

Which Wood-Flooring Type Should You Choose?
Solid Hardwood: This wood expands and contracts and sometimes creaks, but its natural beauty add value to your home. That value will endure, because it can be re-sanded and refinished.

Engineered Wood Floors: These floors are constructed of thin sheets of wood glued together and finished at the factory. The resulting product resists buckling and warping, make it more staple than solid wood. Engineered wood floors were developed to be glued over concrete, but they can also be nailed or floated, whereas solid wood can only be nailed to a subfloor.

Reclaimed Antique Wood: For customers with a unique vision, this is the best flooring option. Reclaimed antique wood is custom made one plank at a time according to customer specifications. It is especially stable because it can cut from the center section of a beam.

Finished vs. Unfinished
One of the benefits of solid hardwood flooring is that it’s available finished or unfinished. Go with an unfinished option if you want to match an adjacent floor. Then it can be custom stained to blend. You will be pleased with the uniform color and finish you can achieve in your floor by finishing it on site. An unfinished wood floor, however, may take several days to install, stain, and finish.

Whether solid or engineered, finished wood is factory sanded, stained and finished, so it’s easier and faster to install, not to mention much less messy because there’s no on-site sanding or finishing. Finished wood is durable and is therefore a great option for high-traffic areas. And don’t forget that it’s less expensive than unfinished wood.

Important Things to Consider
One feature that’s becoming more common is radiant heating, where the heat source is under the floor. When this is the case, then engineered wood is preferable over solid hardwood because of its durability. Durability is also a central factor in the National Wood Flooring Association’s recommendation of quarter-sawn or rift-sawn wood in this circumstance. According to the NWFA, strip flooring is preferable over plank flooring, since narrow boards expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity less than wide ones.

If you live near the beach, Stoddard recommends an engineered wood. Not only is it scratch-resistant and less likely to be damaged by sand tracked in from the beach, it requires less maintenance. For any interior that’s not environmentally controlled—such as a cottage or summer home or below-grade installation—engineered hardwood flooring remains the best option.

Some Simple Design Tips
Pay attention to the understated details when personalizing a room. A great look is to use a lighter wood overall and then either add a dark border or drop in a maple medallion that looks like an area run.

More and more people are mixing woods from room to room. Choose darker woods, like walnut or cherry, for a den or a bedroom. Kitchens, on the other hand, need lighter, brighter woods such as maple or birch.

If you are going for a formal, traditional, or historic look, then darker wood is the way to go. Country, casual, and contemporary homes are better suited to lighter woods. Pay attention to your fabrics, furnishings, and accessories when choosing your flooring.

Current Trends in Wood Flooring
The latest options in the flooring market include hand-scraped wood and “exotics” from far-off lands. For delightful grains and colors, look at options such as Brazilian cherry, Santos mahogany, and Amendoim. Conveniently, all are available in solid hardwood or engineered wood.

Owners of historic homes on the Eastern seaboard are increasingly going for the old look and simplicity of woods such as Old Groove Eastern White Pine. For owners of historic homes on the Eastern seaboard, woods such as Old Groove Eastern White Pine are prized for their old look and simplicity. Walnut has fast grown in popularity as dark woods become more and more “in.”

DIY & Maintaining Your Wood Floor
Almost 30 percent of homeowners install wood flooring themselves. Anyone who can operate a nail gun and a saw can do it. Many resources are available to help you with this project, including instruction books and information online.

A great benefit of wood flooring is that it’s extremely low maintenance. Keep a step-off mat at any doorway, and then all you need is a regular schedule of sweeping and vacuuming. Clean up any standing water immediately; it should never be left on a wood floor. It’s advisable to keep an extra box of wood in case you need to replace a strip.

Natural hardwoods stand up to many household mishaps much better than any laminate or synthetic flooring, since the grain and pattern of solid hardwoods go all the way through. Even nasty scuffs and burns that would permanently damage a synthetic surface can be easily repaired.

For the past 25 years Avo Barsoumian has helped home owners with their home flooring and interior decorating needs. He owns and operates a carpet installation company in Southern California. They have a huge selection of elegant hardwood flooring, beautiful laminate flooring and plush carpeting. It doesn’t matter whether your searching for discount laminate flooring for your new home or carpet barn to makeover your older home then Carpet Wagon has exactly what you’re looking for.

The choice of your laminate flooring underlay will depend entirely on the conditions of the floor. The more you are aware of the conditions that the floor will be affected with the better you can prepare for its life. The floors get pressure from both the top and the bottom. Therefore, you need to provide good protection and conditions on both sides.

By following the right maintenance techniques, you can manage the top very easily. However, the bottom is another story. Once the flooring has been installed, you can’t really work with the bottom side very easily. For this reason, it is essential to choose the best laminate flooring underlay.

Steps to choose the right laminate flooring underlay

When you decide on laying the floor, check the sub floors. You need to know if the material utilized is timber or concrete slabs. When you know about the material underneath, you will have to study it for damage or effects from moisture. When you’re aware of the moisture level underneath and on top of the floor, the right laminate flooring underlay will protect the flooring.

Another important consideration is that the right laminate flooring will work effectively if you have a smooth sub floor. If it’s very clean and has a smooth level then the laminate floor underlay will adhere better and not be prone to cracks. Therefore, for a concrete floor you must fill in any gaps and smooth out the surface completely. On a timber sub floor, you will simply have to nail down all the boards very nicely. To create the smoothest surface you might have to top it off with plywood sheets. The trickiest situation comes when you have a high level of moisture in the region and the sub floor is solid. These are made out of stone, concrete or bricks.

In this case, you will have to use the filler compound which is damp proof. Any of the gaps should be filled in and you should let it dry out completely before you start using the laminate floor underlay.

Now you need to work out the budget to choose the laminate floor underlay. You can have a combination or solid form between different materials. These generally include plywood, cork or foam. You can also build in more layers of sound proofing materials. However, these are slightly expensive so you can work out the additional elements based on your budget.

For more information on laminate floor underlay, visit http://www.laminateflooringunderlay.com

Floor installation is one of the important aspects of such purchase. Choosing the right installer is an important task. This is because a proper installation is critical to create the look you want. A professional installer helps you to install this properly and creates the look you want and helps to stay the same way in the future years.

Before choosing the right fixture you need to consider three things. These include budget, style, and usage. For this you have to make an estimate of the budget first. Secondly, make sure that the flooring you have chosen is suitable for the area where it is to be installed. Next comes the usage and the style of the chosen flooring.

There are various types of flooring available such as carpet, tile, hardwood, laminate, and tile. Besides, you can also opt for stone, marble and terrazzo floor. All of these types range from the traditional to contemporary cutting-edge designs. Stop by the flooring retail shops and choose from among the varied options.

Some tips on floor installation Austin

The retail floor shops offer professional installers for safe and smooth installation. However, the following are some tips that will help you with the process.

• Seams should be installed in less visible areas
  
• The room should have adequate supply of fresh air during the installation
  
• Dispose the existing flooring
  
• You should determine who will be responsible for moving the furniture

Some of the important tools used in installing are tape measure, coping saw, rubber mallet, and a laminate flooring pull bar.

Essential qualities of a professional installer

The professional installer should possess certain important qualities. They should be trained and certified to install the fixture safely and smoothly. In order to get a certification he should pass the exams in this field. Professional installers should possess detailed product knowledge and information on the types of floors. This will help them to provide thorough instructions on every floor type and do the right job.

How to choose proper flooring?

Consider three things before choosing your floor. Budget, style, and usage are the three things on which you must pay attention while buying flooring. Choose according to your budget and room decor. Things like allergy, pets and children should also be kept in mind while shopping for your floor. For this you can opt for alternative floor covering.

Take the help of a professional installer in order to get the look you want to have for your sweet home.

Floor Installation Austin – Floor King offers all types of flooring installation services at discount prices.

The type of flooring known as laminate flooring is constructed by putting together particle board and a layer of thin material that gives the floor its distinctive look. You can get this type of flooring to look like many different textures, including fine hardwood, ceramic, bamboo, stone and more. In some cases the flooring is of such good quality that only the installer can tell it is made from laminate material and not the real thing. The first company to release this innovation to the public was Pergo, a Scandinavian company. They are not the only manufacturer offering laminate floor choices these days.

One thing that many consumers appreciate about this type of floor is the easy installation. Rather than needing to deal with glue or nails, the majority of laminate floors have a click lock type design that you simply fit together like puzzle pieces. There is no mess, and no time wasted waiting for glue to dry. It is so easy that most people can accomplish the job on their own or with a helper. Not only is laminate easy to install, it is easy to clean. It does not require buffing, waxing or refinishing as it is designed to retain its beauty with only a periodic sweep and damp mop as needed.

If you are concerned about the environment, look for products made from recycled material. There are companies who care about the environment as much as you do and are releasing laminate flooring choices that are more environmentally friendly than those available in the past. For the most part, the only downside to this type of flooring is that it only looks like a certain material and is not the actual material. However with wood being prone to dents and scuffs it may be even better.

You can buy laminate flooring from a variety of manufacturers. There is something out there for every home and every style. Some of the floors are made for high moisture areas like the kitchen and bathroom. Others are better suited to main living areas and bedrooms. With a little comparison shopping you can find the ideal laminate floor for you.

Graeme Fenderman is an expert on laminate flooring and operates a site that tells you everything you need to know about the different kinds of laminate flooring choices available and where to buy them.

Did you know that cork is not just for corkboards anymore? It is a great environmentally friendly flooring that feels great under your feet and looks great too. Cork flooring in a kitchen will instantly update your kitchen and make it feel warm and inviting. Cork flooring has many other benefits also.

Why would you put cork flooring in the kitchen? If you are concerned about the environment, cork flooring is an excellent choice for you. Cork is a renewable resource, which means that the trees are not cut down to make the cork, as it comes from the bark of the tree and the bark is regrown within nine years. This is a great benefit over hardwood flooring since the trees are cut down to be used for flooring, and it typically takes 30 years–sometimes much longer–for a tree to be large enough to be used for flooring again.

Cork flooring is also wonderful for homes with family members with allergies. It is hypoallergenic and does not absorb dust or mites, letting you mop the floor clean to remove the allergens. This makes it an ideal flooring for people with allergies, as the dust will not cause them problems.

Is cork flooring in a kitchen a good idea? Yes! Cork flooring is resilient, which means that it has some cushion when you walk and stand on it. This is great for the kitchen where you stand for long periods of time preparing and cooking food. Cork flooring is also very durable, which is a big benefit in the kitchen as it is probably the most traveled room in the entire house. Being water resistant and easy to clean are also great benefits in the kitchen where spills and messes are very common. It also has the added benefits of being an insulator, which is great for noise and temperature control.

The beauty of cork flooring is unparalleled. Cork comes in many different colors from different shades of tan to red to black so you can mix and match colors to create a custom floor all your own. And because of it’s patterning with light and dark swirls, it hides dirt and blemishes well. Of course that can be a bit of a problem if you drop something you want to retrieve or clean; but you’ll get over that in no time. It is neutral enough to go with any design style, yet makes a statement of beauty and warmth that other floorings cannot even come close to matching.

It comes in two basic styles; tiles and floating planks. Cork tiles are glued directly to the subfloor while floating cork flooring is clicked together and sit on top of the subfloor. Some cork comes prefinished with a UV-cured finish; be careful with this because it may not be as durable as a polyurethane (water-based being environmentally the best choice).

One of cork’s unsung benefits is that it is “self healing”. It’s more resilient to compression from furniture than carpeting or vinyl and linoleum. When you drop a knife or other sharp object on it, the wound heals up so you don’t see it. It’s an incredible flooring material.

Care for your kitchen floor is simple and easy. It just needs regular sweeping and damp mopping to get rid of dirt and debris. Once a year or when your floors start looking dull, you can refinish the cork flooring, according to your manufacturer’s directions.

If you are looking for an environmentally friendly way to cover your floors, you want to consider cork flooring for your kitchen. Kitchen floors are very important as the kitchen is a very important room in your home. Cork flooring will help your room feel warm and inviting for you, your family, and your friends so that you will all want to gather and enjoy your kitchen even more.

* Sage Blossom Consulting *
Sustainable Hospitality Is Our Business
Kit Cassingham

Kit Cassingham, Founder and Chief Sustainability Officer of Sage Blossom Consulting, is a hospitality consultant to the B&B and hotel industries. Her focus includes market niche, and sustainable and green operations.

Luxury vinyl plank flooring is considered by many to be the perfect blend of style and functionality. Current styles by major manufacturers have never look better and more realistic. Luxury vinyl planks also offer in many cases a more durable and tougher floor than other options such as hardwood and laminate, especially when it comes to handling scratches and water issues. If you are one of the many consumers considering luxury vinyl wood looking planks, there are several things you will need to know when choosing your floor.

Not all luxury vinyl flooring planks are created equal. There are quite a few differences between construction styles among the major manufacturers. Backing systems can vary between brands. Some luxury wood vinyl plank floors have residential warranties and others have a commercial warranty as well. Other differences include is the vinyl plank water proof or water resistant? Is the plank UV stabilized to prevent fading? Does the luxury wood vinyl plank you are looking at have a built in mold and mildew inhibitor? Also, some major manufacturers even certify their luxury vinyl to be hypo-allergenic. You can also compare thickness as a relative concept for durability. The basic, entry level products start at around 2 mil thickness progressing up to 6 mils. The key thing here is that not all luxury vinyl planks are built the same.

Price can vary extremely among styles and brands. Prices can range from $.99 per square foot to $5.00 a square foot. If your budget is limited and you need to go with a cheaper, entry level luxury vinyl that’s fine. Just make sure that the price point you are paying matches the thickness and wear layer of the product you are looking at. You will see 2 mil products discounted in the lower range and work up from there. The important note to remember here is to make sure that you are comparing apples to apples while shopping a specific price range.

Luxury vinyl planks have two basic installation methods. The predominate method is using a full spread adhesive. This is the most common type of application and is not recommended as a do it yourself project. The other installation type is a self adhering type. Do not confuse this with peel and stick. Peel and stick are a lower grade of vinyl and will almost always come up and usually have to be replaced within 3 years. The peel and stick types stick directly to the floor. The true luxury vinyl planks that are self adhering, stick to each other, not the floor. These luxury vinyl planks usually have a lip on two edges and a recessed lip on the other two edges that have a factory applied glue. You use the lips to glue the tiles together and not the floor. Currently Konnecto, Armstrong Luxe, and some styles by Amtico are the only valid offerings with this type of self adhering, do it yourself installation system.

There are several finishes available in luxury wood looking vinyl planks. A smooth finish is what most consumers are familiar with. However, you can get a more realistic floor by using a plank that has a ribbed, hand scraped (simulated) or finish with registered embossing. These finishes give the plank a more wood look and style by adding texture to go along with the color and wood species. If you haven’t seen a sample of a luxury flooring vinyl plank with registered embossing, make sure you check one out before you make a final purchase, it’s pretty impressive.

The large home improvement stores have a very limited offering of luxury flooring vinyl planks and very often promote inferior peel and stick as luxury vinyl. If you want to truly find the right plank to match your décor and price budget, you will need to shop locally at independent retailers and also online with larger flooring wholesalers. A perfect place to start your online search for luxury vinyl plank is BecklersCarpet.com in Dalton, Ga. Beckler’s has been a large, independent, national flooring wholesaler since 1949.

Eric Dyer is a writer who covers flooring topics and products.

For more information on luxury vinyl such as Earthwerks vinyl, Karndean, Konnecto and others, please call BecklersCarpet.com at 1-800-232-5537.