The Right Way to Care For Hardwood Flooring

When you decide to install hardwood flooring, you're making a decision that will bring your home beauty and warmth for decades, but only if you care for those floors properly. Traditional hard wooden floors are manufactured using wood from mature trees, and even though it is treated and finished, it is still wood and acts according. This means, for example, that water on the floor will cause it to swell and the material might become scratched if something is dragged across it.

Moisture

You should never allow standing water to pool on your hardwood floors. When water sits, even a small amount, the moisture can seep into the crevices between boards and cause the planks to swell. This can cause serious damage to the flooring, and even a small portion of water damage is highly noticeable. If you spill water or any other fluid, wipe it up immediately to protect the integrity of the wood.

Of course to clean your floors, the manufacturer might recommend damp mopping to remove smudges and dust. If this is the case, a damp cloth affixed to a mop can be used to wipe the floor, or you might use a special cleaner to polish and clean it. But be sure your mop is only damp, not fully wet as you don't want to leave drops or a puddle behind to damage the wood.

Scratch and Dents

Other common damages sustained by hard wood are scratches and dents from simply living on the material. For example, a woman in stiletto high heels can actually cause indentations in some types of wooden floors. Likewise, furniture legs can hurt over time by causing depressions.

You can protect your hardwood by using large area rugs under furniture and where individuals might be standing in the kinds of shoes dangerous to the floor. You should also use small pads under the legs of your furniture. This provides a layer of cushion and protection between the heavy pieces and your impressionable floor.

Some scratches and dings are inevitable, especially if you have a busy and full household. Most people with timber floors tend to feel these marks add character to the floors, and, in fact they do. Some even distress their hardwood flooring before installing it to give them a more unique look. But when you feel that there are too many blemishes on your floor, the best way to resolve the situation is to have it refinished.

Refinishing every five to ten years and being careful to protect the floors as much as possible will give you the best appearance possible. Rugs, pads and cushions and even things as simple as keeping your pet's toenails cut and avoiding moving any furniture, including office chairs, on the hardwood will keep it looking beautiful with very little trouble at all.

Find more tips and tricks on maintaining your hardwood flooring along with advice on purchasing oak hardwood floors by visiting hardwoodflooringco.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ralph_Hardington

Laminate Flooring How To - What Does a Laminate Floor Cost?

What can you expect to pay for a new laminate floor? Your expenses depend on a number of factors--are you installing it yourself, or hiring someone to lay it for you? What quality of laminate will you choose to act as the "fifth wall" of your home? Let's start by considering the price of laminate.

Laminate pricing

Installed laminate prices can run anywhere from $3.50 to $7.50 per square foot (material and labor) and the breadth of this range is mainly due to the varying quality of laminate on the market. Uninstalled pricing goes from.$0.92 up to over $6.00 per square foot.

With such a wide spectrum to choose from, here are a few tips to help with your selection. Choose a laminate that has:

• A strong core layer--8mm thickness is standard in today's market
• A 15 year warranty--this is a reliable standard
• A melamine backing for greater durability

It's rare for installers to show up at your door for less than $500, and that would be for a smaller room (roughly 150 sq. ft.), so the savings you can realize by doing it yourself are substantial. If you choose to have an installer, $2.50 to $3.50 per square foot is a reasonable fee.

Costs associated with doing it yourself

If you're planning to do-it-yourself, make sure that you factor in the hidden costs over and above the floor covering. Most of these will fall into the category of tools, time and space.

Do you have the tools available to do the job? You'll need the following items on hand:

• Broom
• Saw horse or work bench
• Skill saw, jig saw and hand saw
• Power drill
• Hammer, utility knife, pencil
• T-bar, pry bar, tapping block, spacers

Don't forget that you'll have to prepare the surface of the floor prior to installation and if this includes tearing out old carpet you'll also need access to a dumpster.

If you have the tools (and skill) required then think about the time it will take. Can you afford it? Two professional installers will install 600 sq. ft. of laminate in a couple of days--or do a 150 sq. ft. room in a morning. Do you have help or will you be working alone? Plan on extra time if you're working alone and to compensate for your level of experience.

Even if you're living alone, doing the job yourself will mean giving up some living space for the amount of time it will take to lay the floor. And if roommates or family share your home, their inconvenience needs to be considered and factored into your final decision. While there's nothing like the satisfaction of a job well done, there is something to be said for the expediency of a professional installation.

Finally, the one thing nobody can afford is a poor installation, so if you're going to do-it-yourself, do your homework--read up, talk to an expert, watch a video or buy a book. As the saying goes, a picture truly is worth a thousand words.

Marion Taylor is an experienced writer who has combined skills and resources with her husband--a flooring retail owner and operator--to create a series of how-to flooring videos. Their latest effort is a laminate flooring how to video.

Copyright of this article: 2008, Marion Taylor. This article may be reprinted if the resource box and hyperlinks are left intact.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marion_Taylor

Caring For Your Hardwood Floor in Winter

Hardwood flooring has become very popular in recent years. Although many still consider it as an expensive option when building or renovating, its beauty and durability have made it a favorite by many and more than worth the cost. With proper care and maintenance, hardwood flooring can last a lifetime, making it one of the wisest investments you can make in your home. Unlike carpeting, which needs to be replaced when worn, hardwood flooring can continue to add beauty and value to your home. Although caring for your hardwood flooring may entail just routine mopping and waxing occasionally, the winter months may require more care to keep it looking good.

Taking Care of Humidity

Wood flooring can be very susceptible to expansion and contraction if the humidity in your home is not just right. Winter time can be very hard on your hardwood flooring because of the excess dryness in your home caused by central heating. This dryness can cause a lot of shrinkage with your flooring. When shrinking occurs, you may see unsightly spaces between your boards. At the same time, during the time of year where your home will experience excessive dampness, your hardwood floor may expand. Both of these conditions can be harmful to your flooring and affect its appearance and durability. A humidifier and dehumidifier are great tools to prevent both of these problems. Keeping your humidity level from 40% to 60% year round will be very beneficial to your hardwood flooring.

Eliminating the Elements of Winter

As harmful as improper humidity can be for your hardwood, there are few things that can do more damage to your hardwood flooring than water damage, specifically the water from rain, snow along with the dirt, salt and gravel that may be dragged into your home. As much as many people love winter and the snow that comes with it, keep it outside and not on your flooring. Although we love having salt on our sidewalks to prevent slipping, this salt and grit can cause scratching and nicks on the floor if it's brought in on your boots and shoes. Excessive water being dragged in on our shoes can also cause problems by causing the floors to warp, which can cause gaps to develop between the boards.

While you may not be able to keep all the snow, dirt, salt and water from coming into your home, you can protect it from getting on your hardwood flooring. Floor mats will do a lot towards protecting your floors from getting wet in the winter. Having your family members and guests remove their shoves when they enter your home will help as well. Most guests that see shoes sitting by the door when they enter your home will automatically take off their shoes as well. However, occasionally you're still going to have some guests that will not take off their shoes, which is where the rugs and mats will come in very handy so they can wipe their shoes. If you have pets in your home, train them to stay on the mat until you feel they're dry enough to be on your floors.

Cleaning Your Hardwood Floor in Winter

Even by taking the best possible care for your hardwood flooring, you're still going to find that it needs a little more care in the winter months. Mopping it a few times a week with a slightly damp mop will only take a few minutes but will ensure that your floor is clean and free from the nasty elements of winter. To ensure your flooring is getting the best protection, you may also want to put a protective coating on it to give it that natural shine you've come to love about hardwood flooring.

Copyright (c) 2009 Wes Fernley

K Custom Flooring provides professional hardwood floor installation and hardwood floor refinishing. Specializing in Wide Plank Flooring and Antique Wood Flooring.

We are dedicated to fulfilling our customers hopes and dreams for their floors. Whether that is through refinishing and restoring the beauty of a floor that has seen decades of use or installing a new floor that will add the change needed to make someone's house become a home.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wes_Fernley

Why Garage Floor Sealers Are Important To Avoid Putting In New Concrete

Homeowners with garages should make sure that this particular part of their house is well maintained. Many people ignore their garage but keep on improving and renovating other areas of their properties. This is actually bad practice. The garage is an official part your home. If you don't maintain it, you'll realize too late that your garage can actually pull down the market value of your house. The bottom line, make sure that you keep your garage as appealing as the rest of your house. At least use garage floor sealers to provide some level of protection to the floor.

Garage floor sealers are functional enough if you're not planning to use other types of floor covering for your garage. While it is possible to use floor tiles and mats on your garage applying the sealer, you won't be able to use latex or epoxy paint to it any longer. Garage floor sealers keep moisture and liquids from penetrating into the floor. As such, paints won't be able to stick to it at all. Even if you try, the paint would simply just peel off in a matter of days.

Garage floor sealers are used for bare concrete garage floors. Get the one that is especially created for horizontal surfaces. Sealers can be used on walls too. The ones created for floors are stronger as they can withstand traffic, weight, and impact better.

If you go to a hardware shop and buy garage floor sealer, you will find out that there are a lot of choices before you. There are some advertised to be fast-drying. Some are priced ridiculously while others are dirt cheap. There are also special floor sealers for special types of floors. If you are at a loss as to which sealer to get, check out the label of the product. Scan through its features and salient points. If you recognize a trustworthy brand, you can purchase that one.

Else, focus on the product's components or contents list. The best performance garage floor sealers are the ones made from synthetic epoxy resins. This substance can keep water and moisture away from the surface of the floor. Sealers out of epoxy resin can last for years. And that would give you peace of mind really - because you don't have to worry about leakage or spills for a long time.

Keep your garage looking new and in the best shape at all times. Use garage floor sealers to preserve its appeal. While it may not add anything to the attractiveness of the garage, it can add the necessary resilience to it for sure.