Use Hardwood Flooring

Archive for the ‘Care and Maintenance’ Category

They have always been a very popular flooring material. Hardwood flooring can also be customized with patterns such as borders, medallions, motifs, hand distressing, painting, and stains. In addition, hardwood flooring can also be used with other medias such as natural stone, ceramic tiles, and marble for a unique look. In the past few years, oak has become a very popular wood with cherry, white oak, birch, and maple following very close behind in popularity and even though Bamboo is actually is a grass, it too has become very popular in the past few years.

Lets face it; wood floors give any room a warm feel to them. In addition, many of the hardwood floorings being produced today have coatings on them that make them practically self-cleaning. Okay, maybe not self-cleaning, but hardwood floors are relatively simple to maintain, requiring only sweeping and occasional damp mopping. To maintain most factory finishes, do not use waxes on these finishes. In addition, always use doormats, and runners to prevent dirt from being tracked across the floor. Never, over wet them as this can cause the boards to cup. By properly maintaining hardwood floors, will help to maintain the beautiful finish and bring you years of enjoyment.

In the tough housing market that you have, installing real hardwood flooring could add significant value to your home. This is true for two reasons, first, it is a high quality flooring material, and second, it is timeless, and never goes out of style. In addition, real hardwood flooring has the ability to suit most any dcor. However, once you have invest the time and money having beautiful hardwood floors installed, you have to extend some effort in protect your investment. This includes setting ground rules and making a few adjustments.

The first thing you have to understand is that there are several things that can damage it, with the first being UV rays from the sun. Sunlight can fade wood. Therefore, you want to protect your floors from the direct sunlight. The next thing that will destroy hardwood floors is water, and wet spills including drinks and pet stains. These must be cleaned up immediately. Lastly, overzealous cleaners that contain harsh chemicals will ruin the finish. Do not use any cleaner on your hardwood floors that is not especially formulated for hardwood floors.

The following is a brief list of what you should do and not do in order to protect your floors.

Place felt or pads on the bottoms of chairs, tables, and other furniture so that they will not dent or scratch your hardwood flooring especially when they are moved around. Never drag, push, or shove furniture over your floors. Always lift furniture. Avoid having toys with large or small, with hard plastic wheels pushed over your hardwood floors as these wheels can scratch your flooring. Sweep or vacuuming, using the brush attachment, to remove dirt and grim from your floors regularly. Place doormats at all doorways leading into your home as well as into the rooms where hardwood flooring is, to help keep down the amount of dirt and grim that is tracked into the room. Using only the cleaning agents recommended by your flooring consultant. Consider having your windows tinted to reduce the risk of fading your flooring. Clean up all spills immediately Avoid wearing athletic spikes and high heels, especially stiletto-spiked heels when walking across your hardwood floors. Keep pet nails trimmed to avoid scratching the floor.

While the previous list may seem too much, especially if you have small children and pets, it will be worth it when your hardwood floors remain beautiful for years to come.

The advantages of engineered flooring are many, however because it can be installed over many types of subfloors as well as above or belowground, I would have to say that installation is possible its greatest advantage. This is especially true if you are a do-it-yourselfer. Many brands do not require that you nail or glue the boards to the subfloor which means that you can install them over a concrete slab subfloor and that the engineered hardwood-flooring can either be floated.

When installing engineered flooring, the main issue is to have a subfloor that is clean, level, and dry. If you are installing the flooring as a floating floor, you must use a reliable vapor barrier between the subfloor and the engineered flooring. Cork underlayment is an excellent vapor barrier. However, it is recommended that you only use the products that are suggested by your manufacturer.

The majority features the tongue and groove locking system, which is designed to be free of unsightly gaps between the boards. Many of these systems allow you to take up the boards at a later date when necessary, such as if you need to repair or replace a damaged board. However, this option is only open if youve chosen to install the flooring as a floating floor.

Many homes that are being built today have radiant heat, which can be effected by the type of flooring chosen. Therefore, it is important to understand the both the long-term as well as the short-term effects radiant heating may have on your type of flooring. For example, with solid hardwood radiant heat can brutally dry out the hardwood causing the boards to warp and cup. However, engineered hardwood flooring is designed to counteract this effect making is suitable for homes with radiant heating.

The following is a list of things you should consider when purchasing, installing, and maintaining engineered hardwood floor:

Carefully consider the in which you plan to install your engineered hardwood flooring. Do not install in areas where there will be high levels of moisture.

When ordering your engineered hardwood flooring, allow for a certain percentage of waste per square foot. This will depend on your level of experience in installing flooring. The average percent of wastage is between 7 and 10% for non-professional installers.

Carefully read all installation instructions and warranty information before you begin your installation.

If you have a radiant heating system, ensure that you read any information about your particular system in order to learn and understand the best method of using it under an engineered hardwood floor.

Carefully inspect each case for defects before you start installation.

Prior to installation, ensure that your subfloor is clean, dry, and level. If not, then consult the manufacturers instruction on how to level your subfloor.

Regularly clean by dry or damp mopping, sweeping, and vacuuming as this will prevent dirt and grim from scratching the finish.

Place rugs and runners at high traffic areas and endurances to reduce the amount of dirt and moisture tracked into the home. This will minimize the amount of sweeping and mopping that will be required to maintain your flooring.

Do not use wax-based cleaners, harsh detergents, abrasives, or steel wool when cleaning.

Do not apply any finish, which already has a factory finish.

Never soak or over wet engineered hardwood when cleaning as excessive water will damage the flooring, just as it would with solid hardwood

Never walk across while wearing high heels or athletic spikes.

It can be refinished, however because the top layer is thin, it is not recommended to sand them more than once.

What to Do:

Consider the area first that you plan to install the bamboo flooring. Even though bamboo is moisture resistant, excessive moisture will damage your bamboo flooring, as it damage any wood flooring, including solid hardwoods, cork, engineered, and even laminated flooring.

Carefully read and understand the terms and conditions of the warranty that comes with your bamboo flooring, including all manufacturers information, and installation instructions.

When installing your flooring, use only the products recommended by the manufacturer, other wise your warranty may be voided.

Prior to installing your bamboo, ensure that all of your subfloors are clean, dry, and level. If they are not level, consult the manufacturers instructions on how to level your subfloors before installing your bamboo flooring

Prior to starting, carefully inspect all of your boxes of bamboo flooring for any damaged planks.

Allow a minimal of 72 hours for your bamboo to acclimate in each room where it will be installed. To do this, open all boxes and remove the bamboo from the box. This will allow the bamboo to expand or contract according to the moisture in the room.

Always use a tapping block and rubber mallet to help minimize fracturing during installation.

Depending on the level of experience you have in installing flooring, you can expect approximately 7 to 9% wastage, which needs to be taken into consideration when placing your order for bamboo flooring.

As with any wood floor, use a dry of damp mop, or vacuum and sweep regularly to keep your floors clean. Dirt and grit will scratch the finish on any wood flooring.

Using doormats and runners will keep dirt and moisture at a minimal. They will also reduce the amount of time you have to spend sweeping and mopping your floors. Always clean up spills when they happen.

What Not to Do:

Never over wetting your bamboo floors as this will cause permanent damage.

Never use a detergent, steel wool, or other abrasives when cleaning your bamboo flooring.

Do not install bamboo flooring in a bathroom, sauna, or enclosed veranda, as these areas are prone to high levels of moisture. Installation in these areas may void your warranty.

Never install bamboo flooring in areas where it will be exposed to direct or intense sunlight. As with all wood flooring, despite any UV protective coating, wood flooring including bamboo flooring is subject to fading when exposed to sunlight.

Do not wear athletic spikes or high heels when walking across bamboo flooring.

Do not drag or push heavy furniture over bamboo flooring as it can permanently mar the surface.

Bamboo forms an extremely hard wood, especially when it has been seasoned. Bamboo has been used in the construction of many things including homes, fences, bridges, walking sticks, canoes, furniture, and it has been substitute for steel reinforcing rods in concrete construction.

If you own laminate flooring then you know, that it is a material, which has been made by combining two or more layers of the same or different materials together. Laminates can be manufactured from synthetic materials or a combination of synthetic and natural materials. Any hard, flat, and smooth surface including plywood, concrete slabs, or hardwood flooring can be laminated. Many manufacturers of laminate flooring offer warranties against staining, fading or wearing of the laminate. In recent years, laminate floorings have increased in popularity because they are easy to clean and maintain, durable, stain resistant, and can be installed over concrete slabs.

To clean laminate flooring, simply use a vacuum, or sweeper to remove loose dirt or dust. You can also use a damp cloth or mop to clean the surface, make sure that you frequently change the water so that you do not mop your floors with dirty water. Do not use any wax or polish on the laminate flooring unless it is recommended by the manufacturer to do so. Never use any scouring powder or steel wool on a laminate surface as these products can damage the surface of the laminate and may void your warranty.

Immediately clean up all liquid spills on the surface. To remove any oil, permanent marker, or paint stains, you can use a neutral cleaner or nail polish remover that does not contain acetone. To clean beer, wine, juice, blood, or tomato sauce stains you can use warm water, if the stains are stubborn, then use a neutral cleaner. Other stubborn spots such as wax or chewing gums, can be removed by first hardened then with ice, and then carefully rubbing them off, do not try to scrape them off of the laminate flooring as you may cause damage, once you have removed the wax, or gun you can clean the area with warm water. Immediately clean up all pet stains, as pet urine can permanently damage laminate flooring.

If you do accidentally scratch your laminate flooring, many manufactures have touch up pens, which will camouflage any imperfections. However, if the scratch is major, then it is advisable to seek professional help in repairing your laminate flooring.