Flooring For Beginners

Flooring forms one of the more important aspects of any interior design and decoration project. It conveys the taste of the householder. Modern trends of decoration heavily rely on flooring. The flooring is expected to go a long way to accommodate wide-ranging colors and styles of furniture.

There are hundreds of natural, synthetic or hybrid types of flooring materials available. Each material finds an application at some place or the other. Different circumstances at different buildings like houses, hospitals and gymnasium etc. necessitate the use of different flooring materials. Even the same building may have different flooring materials in its different rooms. While choosing your flooring materials you should have some requisites in mind.

Maple flooring is an amazing material that gives quality surfaces. Maple flooring has many good qualities. It is a very hard and long lasting material that is easy to clean. Of course it adds value to your home. Its unusual patterns and design in natural colors allows it to easily jell with most of the interior designing from old traditional to modern ones. Northern maple may be used because it is inexhaustible, and can be reclaimed and recycled. The maple used for the northern flooring is produced taking care to ensure that the quality of maple is maintained. The producers guarantee that the flooring will conform to the exact quality as promised.

As there are many grades available it is very important to choose the right variety of maple. Northern maple comes in three grades. First grade is naturally the best with highest possible quality. This grade ensures minimum variations of natural quality. The second grade down the line is most often used for flooring. It shows more variations than the first grade. Third grade has exactly the same structural wholeness and more variation than the first two grades.

Environmental factors play a crucial role in selection of maple floors. Manufacturers recommend its installation in homes where air temperature is between 55-75 degrees and humidity level is from 35 to 50 percent. It’s very typical of maple to absorb moisture making it swell, but at the same time lack of moisture causes it to shrink. So, one has to be careful about temperature and humidity before installing maple floors. They respond to periodic climatic changes and find it difficult to provide the expected service. The only way to prolong the life of a maple floor is to have a control over humidity and temperature.

There certainly is a steady increase in the number of people who are patronizing bamboo flooring in preference to hardwood flooring. Increasing awareness of the benefits of using bamboo is contributing to its popularity. China is the home for most of this flooring material. Though, it is also there in the U.S. and parts of Europe.

As more and more people get conscious of environments they want to contribute in their own way towards maintaining healthier environments and opting for bamboo flooring is a step in the right direction. Bamboo is classified as a grass and compared to other trees it regenerates itself very quickly. Carefully harvested bamboo has little impact on environments.

Bamboo is a kind of wood with characteristics that are somewhat different to hardwood. For one, bamboo flooring is known to be more durable than hardwood flooring. Another advantage is that it’s not so easily damaged by water and moisture, unlike hardwood flooring that tends to buckle or develops cracks on being wet. This kind of flooring derives its durability from the lamination process it’s subjected to. The adhesive used for its making and the pressure at which it is applied govern its durability.

Further, it has better scratch resisting properties than hardwood flooring. And last but no the least, bamboo flooring is economical than hardwood flooring, which is a motivating factor for its users.

Having said about the beneficial characteristics of this material for flooring, let’s come to installation. It offers very simple installation that you may do yourself. Like most of the other floorings, this also uses the tongue and groove kind of design for being installed. Though, you have to take the precaution of giving it time to get acclimated to its place of installation. That means, before you really get down to its installation, you have to leave it flat on your floor for three to four days enabling it get used to its new environments. Such acclimatization helps avoiding warping of the material.

And, finally let’s look at its maintenance. It’s not much of an effort to clean a bamboo floor. It should be swept regularly and once in a while you may use a damp mop for the purpose. That prevents the floor from acquiring dull looks. As with any other floor, you may make use of rugs that protect the floor by collecting all the dirt and dust and reduce wear and tear. Though resistant to scratches, this flooring may yet develop scratches over prolonged use. So, again like any other flooring, bamboo flooring too needs your attention if you want to keep it shining and good looking.

Though there are many materials available for flooring, each has some limitation or the other. Some get damaged easily, others are difficult to maintain while another category may offer very limited designs and styles. Marble flooring is perhaps the only kind that is devoid of most of the negative features already mentioned. Here are some of the benefits and limitations of using this attractive material for flooring.

A very welcoming feature of marble is that it maintains its cool. Marble floors bring to mind the images of cool and white Spanish style houses with small smooth courtyards and sunny terraces. Imagine the pleasures of a long cool drink on a warm sunny day in the company of loved ones around a low table in the middle of a big and airy room that has white marble beneath your feet. Or imagine the joy of walking barefoot on a smooth marble floor while it’s hot outside. That’s one exceptional characteristic of this beautiful material. It continues to remain cool in summers and offers a soothing smooth feel.

Marble floors find a wide patronage in countries with warmer climates. Technology has facilitated getting a very high degree of finish and shine to marble. As it’s a natural material it comes with infinite number of natural colors and fascinating designs. No other flooring medium would offer such vast a variety of designs. That’s one reason why marble never seems to go out of style.

Another positive feature that contributes to popularity of marble as a flooring material is its durability. Once it is laid, it is treated with stain resistant sealant that would protect the floor for nearly ten years, after which it is recommended to be resealed. It doesn’t get stained so easily by any of the normal household spills. Though few strong acids may result to stains, they can be removed by suitable treatments. Marble floors are almost maintenance-free.

Marble floors are the easiest to be cleaned. Just mop them with hot water and they begin to look new and shiny. Some patented cleaning agents may be added to water for cleaning such floors. Make sure that the cleaning agent is mild, bleach-free, non-caustic and pH neutral. Many brands are available for the purpose but insist on buying only those, which are marked “suitable for marble floors”.

There are hardly any disadvantages of marble flooring. Once they have been laid professionally, they remain in perfect shape and state for a lifetime. That’s very unlike ceramic tiles that get lifted up from their original point because of the moisture that seeps through fractured grouting. Unless cleaned immediately, they may develop stains as a result of spillage of strong acids or alkalis, but that is a very common phenomenon with any flooring material. Its very helpful characteristic of staying cool works to your disadvantage during winters. But, that can easily be taken care of by covering the floor with rugs that have Hessian cloth beneath.

Keeping the above in mind you may agree that marble is a good choice for a new home, especially if that’s in warm climate. Marble flooring is cool, has beautiful designs in many natural colors, is highly durable and easy to maintain and clean. There’s no serious limitation or disadvantage of marble flooring and ultimately it’s an excellent choice for a new home.

Most of us don’t think of cork being used beyond making of bottle stoppers, but it’s increasingly being used as a building material.

It may not be noticeable, but cork is being used as a flooring material, especially for more frequently visited public buildings like churches, hospitals, hotels, libraries and schools. It has inherent characteristic to buffer noise and being resilient in nature it provides comfort when walked over.

Cork is a derivative of the outer bark of the cork oak tree, Quercus suber, which is usually cultivated in the Mediterranean. Portugal produces fifty percent of the world’s requirements of cork. The other contributing countries are: Algeria, Spain, France, Italy Morocco, and Tunisia. The trees are treated as valued possessions by the cork producing countries. That’s because cork is a major export material and therefore availability of vast expanses of these trees provides employment to local populace while earning foreign exchange for the country.

It takes nine to ten years for the bark of a cork tree to be ready for harvesting. The harvest is cleaned and boiled to get rid of the outer bark. The best quality produce is reserved for making cork bottle stoppers.

Modern manufacturing processes and techniques enable total utilization of the raw material and no part of it goes as a waste. Whatever is left after making of stoppers for bottles is grounded to make small granules. These are then mixed with suitable binding agents to get large molded blocks. Finally the blocks are baked to get natural cork material that finds its way to construction industry. Also, the cork floor tiles are a great option for saving material.

Cork finds many applications and is often used in flooring, walls and ceilings. It can be molded to give different shapes. As it has the properties to resist moisture, mold and rot-resistant properties it is a preferred medium for floors of more frequently visited buildings and residences. Many modern houses make use of this material.

Why is cork such a favorite in the construction of modern buildings?

Its application as a flooring underlay reduces noise by up to fifty decibels. So, it helps to reduce noise levels to a good extent. Apart from that, it enjoys a wide patronage for the following factors:

* Durable. Cork has natural resistant properties and pulls thru compression to regain its natural shape. If provided with a protective finish, this feature further improves.

* Provides thermal and moisture insulation. Cork cells have flexible cellular walls and are held together in a honeycomb manner that makes it airtight and very resistant to moisture and temperature changes.

* Provides underfoot comfort. Because of its characteristic nature to regain its shape from compression, it provides a cushioning affect to feet when walked over.

* It’s Easy to clean and maintain. Cork flooring is the easiest to clean. Flooring with wax finish can be cleaned in a jiffy by using a dry or moist mop. Periodic application of wax keeps its shine. However, better cleaning can be achieved by employing an electric buffing with 00 steel wool discs. Subsequently, lamb’s wool pads may be used.

Use of dry or damp mop can solve the purpose of routine cleaning for polyurethane finished cork flooring. Refinishing is achieved by using power floor machine with 00 wool disc followed by the application of polyurethane as per prescribed directions.

The manufacturing process of cork hardly causes any ill effects on the environments.
Countries producing cork impose strict laws for its harvesting and manufacturing. The trees are so harvested that they survive the process and manufacturing processes are so adopted that cause zero waste.

By and large vinyl flooring is the most common form of resilient flooring material in the U.S. Often the two terms, vinyl floor or resilient flooring are synonymous.

Vinyl flooring is available in varying prices. The low-end vinyl flooring is the cheapest. The price of high-end flooring is comparable to more expensive kind of flooring like hardwood and has equally good appearance too.

Let’s understand the composition of vinyl flooring. Vinyl flooring materials constitute different amounts of vinyl. These may have solid or composite vinyl. Solid vinyl implies pieces of vinyl set in vinyl base whereas composite vinyl comprises of pieces set in non-vinyl fillers. Solid vinyl is costlier but more durable. The higher the amount of vinyl components, the better is the quality of flooring. Vinyl floorings are provided with protective coating that may be in the form of urethane that is clear without a coating of wax or it’s all in vinyl, the latter offering better resistance to scratches and stains. However, it may lose its shine more easily than the urethane protective covering. But, then glossy floors tend to be slippery, more so if used in places like bathrooms or kitchens. Both the protective coatings will wear down with time and lose the shine unless these are waxed periodically.

All vinyl floors are provided with a cushion backing, the thickness of which varies with the manufacturer and the quality. Depending upon its place of installation, thickness may play an important role. For instance, kitchen floor should ideally have more cushioning effect to prevent breakage of items that one often drops there. But, as you might guess, a thicker cushion backing would make the floor prone to dents. The limitation may be overcome by using textured vinyl surfaces that don’t make the dents so prominent.

Vinyl flooring is available in the form of tiles or sheets. If you intend installing the floor yourself, you should opt for vinyl tiles as they offer easier and quicker installation. These tiles have an adhesive backing that you just peel off, position the tile on the floor and stick it down with a slight force. Understandably, the surface where the tile is going to be positioned has to be clean and leveled enabling perfect fitment of the tile. Another variety of vinyl tiles is provided with felt backing and would require glue for sticking it onto the surface of the floor. Once glued, their removal poses problems. Another kind, known as vinyl-backed type needs glue on its edges only and can easily be removed if replacement is needed at any time.

Per square foot cost of sheet vinyl is more than tiles. Their installation also needs more time and is not as convenient, thus making it a difficult DIY kind of a project for a normal householder.

AS is always the case, it helps to buy quality product that lasts longer and saves you from frequent replacements, often needed for cheaper variety. And, mind you in this case it’s not only the cost of the material but also the labor and expense incurred for its installation.

Floors made of slate tiles present a style that is very different from man-made materials. Comprising of quartz, mica, chlorite, & calcite, slate as a flooring material offers utmost durability that’s hardwearing too. Such features make it one of the most desirable flooring materials. It may be a bit difficult to maintain as compared to a porcelain or tile floor, but people love its natural appeal and uniqueness.

A very characteristic feature of slate that encourages its application as a flooring material is its ability to offer extreme resistant to damage, irrespective of its being installed indoors or outdoors. But, it needs to be installed on a foundation of solid substrate, and that’s very important. Whether you install the floor yourself or hire the services of someone to do it, you must ensure that the foundation on which tiles are to be installed has to be solid substrate. Though this flooring can be installed on exterior grade plywood, it is desirable to have a solid substrate to avoid any complications at a future date.

Types of Slate Flooring

Primarily there are two types of slates only, the Indian variety and the Chinese variety.
Slate being a natural material can’t be made to conform to very strict dimensions and slight variations in the width, height and thickness or depth are expected and acceptable also. In any case, the variation is very small, confined to a few millimeters only. Slate tiles should be installed using wide grout joints. It is not desirable to use tile spacers due slight variation of size in each tile. Depending on the size of tile, sanded or Saltillo grout needs to be used.

Preparing the Floor for Installation

Apart from variation in size and color, there is a slight variation in the top surface of tiles. Some come with a natural cleft surface that reduces chances of slipping over it, but others may be very smooth, which need to be sanded and honed to offer better resistance for walking. So, it’s important to decide which kind of surface would best suit the area to be covered with tiles.

For making a nearly accurate assessment of the required number of tiles, it’s good to have a sketch of the floor plan. And, do take into account the thickness of grout you intend having while making this assessment. Having thus calculated your requirements, add a few extra tiles for any eventuality, and then order the estimated quantity.

Before proceeding with the installation, examine each tile and segregate them as per varying thickness and shade. The variation of shade helps you to form a pattern on the floor. You should also examine the tiles for any broken edges and nicks. For good results you should lay the tiles out and try possible combinations, without using the grout, and then finalize your pattern. A helpful way of doing it is by drawing a large X on the floor, making sure the cross section comes in the middle of the floor plan. By doing so you’ll realize that certain edge tiles do not fit properly. That means you need to adjust those tiles in the middle to have an even side on each edge and then cut those tiles accordingly. It’s good to start with the thicker tiles and gradually go down to the thinner ones.

Steps For Installing Slate Tile Flooring

Having taken the above steps, you are ready to install your floor. First you put down a thin layer of mortar mixed with acrylic. Lifting only a few tiles at a time and making use of a towel first apply the mortar and acrylic mix and then the slate adhesive. Lay the tile back to its original position and press it down firmly on all sides till it is secured. To ensure that thinner tiles come to the level of thicker ones, use a thicker layer of mortar mix on them. Keep continuing the same way, taking care to place tiles spacers that will ultimately be replaced with the grout.

Having finished the complete floor let it set for a minimum of 24 hours before putting the sand grout in place of tile spacers. For grouting of tiles, take about a pint of grout and apply onto a tile, taking help of a float sponge to push the grout into the spaces. Fill up the entire space evenly and then remove excess of grout with a damp sponge. Repeat the same procedure for every tile. Having thus grouted all the tiles use a dowel to manually push the grout into place for each space.

To prevent the tiles from getting stained, you may add a sealant to the finished floor, but you must wait for 30 days enabling the tiles to set in place. Use the sealant on the grout to prevent discoloration.

Re-tiling a floor may be intimidating and needs patience and use of correct tools for its installation. For getting natural colors, slate tiles present a very good medium that improves the decor of any house.

The use of bamboo as an option for ‘green’ flooring is already much talked about. But, we do have other options too. Reclaimed hardwood flooring is another equally good, if not a better, ‘ green’ alternative for flooring. Reclaimed flooring achieves the same goal of preserving the environments as is realized by recycling of old paper, plastic and metals.

Reclaimed flooring means flooring that has been prepared from wood salvaged from old buildings, factories and warehouses etc. For long the buildings have been razed to ground and leveled to make way for new structures and the materials used for construction of old buildings were sent to landfills. And, one of these materials has been wood. Agreed, that the circumstances demand demolishing old buildings but why not salvage materials, particularly natural material like wood and reuse the same. Reclaimed flooring just does the same, enabling use of wood, so salvaged from old buildings, as an excellent flooring material for the present day new buildings.

Old buildings of the 188’s or 1900’s not only have exceptional architecture, but also employed amazing materials for their construction. It’s difficult to imagine using heavy heart pine beams of 12″ thickness and 16″ or more width and many feet long because we don’t get to see such trees these days, simply because we don’t give the needed time of about a hundred years for wood to mature. The earlier generations had virgin forests do depend upon for that kind and size of wood. Even floors were made from that quality of wood. It’s not difficult to imagine the strength of such wood that could support so heavy structures without failing for hundreds of years. This wood has had very fine grain structure. Different varieties of wood were used for construction proposes of that time. One often comes across the use of oak, both, red and white, heart pine hickory and now almost extinct chestnut in those buildings. Can we let go such wood to landfills or just burn it? It must be reused and fortunately means are available for doing the needful.

Here, let’s have a look at the process of reclaiming wood from the condemned material that would have otherwise been sent or landfill or burning. The used material is sent for remanufacturing. As a first step, it is examined for removal of nails, nuts and bolts or other such material that might have been used years ago at the time of construction of the building. The heavy big beams are then re-sawn into boards needed for making of floors. Just imagine that an old 20 feet long beam 12 inches thick and s16” inches wide gives flooring material worth over 400 square feet! Once the beam has been re-sawn into planks, it may be ripped to have a reduced width. For example a beam of 12”X16” can be cut to get 16 boards, each 12” wide and 7/8” thick. Each board of 12” is then cut into two to get 32 boards, each 6” wide. As wood has some natural element of water in it, the boards are treated in a kiln to get rid of moisture, which causes wood to bend or warp, thus making it unfit for use. The process is known as kiln drying. In simple words in involves heating of wood in controlled atmosphere so that all the retained water is evaporated without causing any harm to wood. Finally, the treated boards are taken to special purpose machine called matcher where it is given tongue-and-grove arrangement that enables two planks to fit into each other.

Having gone thru all the processes described above, the wood that was intended for destruction is shaped for being installed as a fresh and new flooring material. This flooring has exceptionally good quality. These days it may not be possible to get wood in such color and characteristics. You get excellent wood without causing any harm to environments. While you help to keep the world “green”, you get unique wood, one of its kinds that are not available anywhere in the rest of the world. There is another interesting part. It is not uncommon for the sellers of such wood to tell you some history of the wood you are buying. You may know the exact building from where this wood was removed for reprocessing and if you are among the lucky ones, you may get a photograph of the old building. So, you are buying a part of history, not just flooring!

It’s about time that we all started giving second thoughts to killing tress for making our floors. If you insist on using wood as a flooring material, explore the possibility of using reclaimed wood.

If you are looking to giving a new look for your residence or office, consider resilient tile flooring. Apart from being aesthetic, it is very cost effective and safe. It may be made of bio-degradable or petroleum based materials like: rubber, cork, linoleum and polyvinyl chloride. It makes a durable flooring that is stylish, yet easy to maintain. Because of these features it is already getting popular in places like hospitals, schools, spas, libraries, kitchens, computer rooms, restaurants, and laboratories.

Types of resilient tile flooring

Sheet flooring – This comes in the form of 12-feet wide sheets. These may be laid loosely like rugs or these may be fixed, using adhesives. It’s especially suitable for areas that get wet: kitchens, bathrooms and laundry rooms, as water can’t seep thru it.

Tile flooring – Tiles come in standard size of 12-inch squares. You can fix with adhesive or buy the variety that is self-sticking. They make durable flooring that is convenient to clean.

Advantages of resilient tile flooring

Because they don’t attract dust and mites, it’s healthier using them as they reduce the chances of getting allergies. It’s painless to clean and maintain them. Their installation is quite easy and economical. That makes them a very economical option for flooring. They have an inherent shining later on the surface that needs no waxing.

This is a very choice for homes with pets and children. It’s water resistant; flexible and can resist stains to a large extent. It’s quite comfortable to walk on such flooring that absorbs noise also.

It is available in surprisingly large variety in a number of colors, designs and patterns. That makes their selection easy to match the décor of any room. It offers a staggering variety when it comes to styles and designs. You can afford to be creative with such flooring encouraging you to try different styles and give an exclusive look to your room. It’s quite characteristic of resilient tile flooring to bounce back, meaning it has a better chance of surviving if it accidentally slips out of hand.

It has built in characteristics of resisting scratches and abrasions. So, movement of heavy furniture is not a cause of worry. The new designs and styles of resilient tile flooring offer a great opportunity of providing an element of grace and style to the décor of your room. Having the right combination of patterns, colors and textures is a sure way of earning the appreciation of visitors.

There are many options for flooring materials these days and each gives a distinct look to the place where it’s installed. Some of the common options are tiles, wood or stone flooring. Amongst the natural materials wood is a favorite of many but it has certain limitations in the sense that it gets spoiled and begins to rot in humid conditions. Wood also has a natural tendency of being attacked by termites and insects. However, we can have natural looking wood for floors by using synthetic substitutes and one such material is laminate flooring.

Laminate flooring comes in many designs to suit the tastes of consumers. Quality laminate flooring is easy to install, durable and can be made water-resistant. Water resistant laminates are ideal for using in the kitchen and bathroom. The advantage of having laminate flooring is that it requires little maintenance as compared to wood or stone flooring. You just have to keep it free of dirt, as it’s dirt that makes scratches on its surface. It needs no waxing or oiling for marinating its looks. It is a very popular option for many homeowners because it is cost effective.

Laminate flooring is easy to install. It needs no binding material like glue or staples and nails. It just floats over the floor and the two stick with each other. The absence of any adhesive material makes such floors prone to separation. So, one has to ensure that there is no separation and as soon as you find any gap, take steps to bring it back to its original state, for the gaps on being left unattended allow dirt and water to seep thru. If it so happens, it may be very difficult to close back the planks after dirt or moisture has crept in.

While looking for means to decorate your house and planning flooring, it will be good to consider synthetic laminates for the advantages it offers. It looks like natural wood, though very economical and requires little maintenance and the simplest of installation.

Hardwood flooring is being increasingly used by homeowners foe the advantages it offers. Here’s a durable and easy to clean material. Though its installation is somewhat difficult, the final results are very satisfying and worth the effort.

Hardwood floors are amongst the most durable and are know to have lasted for generations. You can still come across more than hundred-year-old buildings with hardwood floors intact. A properly maintained, easy to clean hardwood floor can last for years in your home, and, yet continue to maintain its impressive looks.

Hardwood floors have unparalleled beauty and the ambiance they bring in to the décor of any home is difficult to be achieved with any other kind of flooring. Though installation of hardwood floors is a skilled job, it is not too difficult a project for a small square or rectangular room. For making a hardwood floor that wouldn’t buckle, squeak, crack or shrink and retains its alignment for years to come, you need to know a few tricks of the trade acquire skills for doing the needful.

A very common mistake that people make while installing hardwood floor is that they do not give it sufficient time to acclimatize itself with the temperature and humidity of the room where it is to be fixed. As a result, its shape and size undergo a change after installation, as hardwood characteristically attracts moisture from the atmosphere.

So, one of the prerequisites for installing a hardwood floor is that it must be exposed for sometime to the prevalent conditions of the room where you intend installing it. This can be achieved simply by leaving the flooring material in the room to be provided with flooring. Let it remain there for about ten days and acclimatize itself with the conditions prevailing therein.

With the availability of modern refinishing machines, the troublesome job of refinishing hard floors has become less taxing. No more you’ll get clouds of dust caused by sanding of floorboards and if you take proper care of your floor it won’t require sanding anytime later.

Application of many layers of urethane to hardwood floor further strengthens it. Invariably we forget that we are not really walking on the wood, but on these layers of urethane. So, you need to ensure that the layers of urethane are not wiped off. If you can ensure that you won’t be required to sand the wood. As high traffic areas are prone wearing faster, keep watch over there, and on noticing any signs of its wearing, add a new layer of urethane. You may not require it before it is three to five years old. Take care to lightly sand the old urethane layer before applying a fresh one.

One of the most often used varieties of wood for hardwood floors is oak. It’s durable and available in abundance that makes economical too. Another popular variety is maple that has much lighter grain than oak, but is durable. Be it cherry hardwood, ash, poplar or red birch, each wood has its unique appeal. Go for the one that most appeals to you and enjoy its beauty on the floors of your home.