How To Hire A Wood Floor Installer

How To Hire A Wood Floor Installer

By JessicaThomson

Wooden flooring are rapidly becoming popular to give your house a stylish look or even a rural look and experience, according to the kind of wood flooring you have used. Whether you select to have only wood in one room or all the rooms, you will surely find the ideal fit for your home. Wood floors are easy to care for and simple to install. It has longer life as compared to a carpet, offers less allergen in home and it is stylish and attractive.

Wood flooring is a popular choice. Whether you are installing fresh hardwood floors or getting older floors renovated, find an installer who can perform an excellent job. It's best to hire someone having specialized tools and knowledge to complete the job flawlessly.

Now let's see how to hire a wood floor installer?

1. Decide the areas where you want wood flooring to be refinished or installed.
2. If you are getting new floors installed, you should learn about the disparities in costs of material for different flooring products. Then you should decide about which type of flooring you wish to use.
3. Ask your relatives and friends for suggestions to assist in finding an installer, or have a glance in yellow pages under the title 'Floors'.
4. Ask installers to come at your home for measures and give you estimates. Acquire several price quotes from different installers.
5. Talk about the finishing or coating alternatives with the contractor.
6. Request to see his past job pictures if you are searching for a contractor to do specialty work like elaborate wooden floor or inlays.7. Find out whether each contractor is knowledgeable in the definite work you want him to do. For e.g. a contractor may successfully install superior quality standard oak floors but may not be adequately skilled to hold a complicated project with difficult cuts or inlays.
8. Ask the installers for references and verify them. You should find out from previous customers whether they were they happy with the work that was done?
9. Choose the contractor who offers the perfect combination of fulfilled references and price. 10. Arrangements should be made with the contractor for covering the damage occurring to painted trim and other items which are possible to get damaged while refinishing or inserting a floor.
11. Carry out a contract identifying price, work to be done, payment schedule, start date and projected completion date. Try to pay the smallest amount as a deposit, and organize a payment schedule that go with the completion of work and supply of materials to the site.

Thus, by following above steps you can hire a knowledgeable and skilled installer for your wood flooring.

How To Find A Good China Laminate Flooring Manufacturer?

How To Find A Good China Laminate Flooring Manufacturer?

By laminateexporter

1. You can visit their websites. Now internet is very popular in China. Almost all the manufacturers have set up their websites. And they value their websites very much. Thus you can find much useful information with their websites such as company history, location, products, contact information and quality introduction. Many of the websites are very coarse: A. It is very hard to open the pages. B. The product pictures are ugly or blurry. C. There are many spelling mistakes in the websites. D. Many manufacturers aggrandize their quality and product performance in their websites. E. Some pages can’t open. It is no good to consider business with these factories because you can see some information about their company idea, quality and service through their websites.

2. You can ask for advice from your friends. If you have a friend who is familiar with this field and he is a honest person, you can ask your friend for advice. It will be much better if your friends have purchased laminate flooring from China.

3. You can attend some shows to find such a good China laminate flooring manufacturer. Now there are many shows at which these manufacturers will attend. But most of these manufacturers only attend local shows such as Domotex Asia/China Floor and Canton Fair. To have a best selection, you can fly to China to attend these shows.

4. You can visit these manufacturers in China to make better selection. You don’t have to worry about your trip in China. Now the transport in most of Chinese seaside cities is very good. And the receptionists of China star rating hotel can speak English. You can hire a translator to travel with you if you still worry about it. And the sales people of factory will help. With what you own eyes, you can get further information from the factories. It is not necessary that the factory is very big. You just need to check the quality of laminate flooring and their service which are most important.

How To Check China Laminate Flooring?

How To Check China Laminate Flooring?

By laminateexporter

There is 6 ways to check China Laminate Flooring:

1. The bottom layer, balance back layer, should be flat, smooth. And there should be no obvious color difference on the layer.

2. The core. The particle of core should be fine. The particle of core should be not easy to drop when you use some hard and actuate things such as key to scratch it. For HDF supporting material, the density should be over 850g/cm3.

3. The decorative layer should be fine, clear and vivid. And there should be no big stain and leak on this layer.

4. The top layer: The top lay is wearing resistant layer. The relevant ratings are AC1, AC2, AC3, AC4 and AC5. Most China manufacturers can’t work on AC5 because the wearing resistant paper of AC5 rating is too hard And a white line is easy to appear at the connection part when two pcs of AC5 rating planks is clicked. There shouldn’t be big crack, stain, and blaze on this layer.

5. The planks should can be installed and taken apart easily. The locking system should still keep well after the planks are taken apart.

6. It will be better to buy from China famous manufacturers because the product qualities from these manufacturers are stable.

Garage Flooring - A Whole New Ball Game

Garage Flooring - A Whole New Ball Game

By Nathan Young

Now once upon a time in the world of garage flooring it used to be pretty simple, if you wanted to have something other than the bare concrete then you either got some clear coat protecting or you painted it. Today that is no longer the case, as with everything else in the world, people have found ways to "pimp out" their garage floors. Two of the most popular ways that have come around as of late are epoxy coating and garage flooring tiles. Within each category there are several styles and colors available and the install times can vary, but here is the breakdown of the pros and cons of each.

When it comes to garage floor epoxy coatings there are several options. Rustoleum is one of the better known manufacturers of this type of coating. If you are sitting on the edge as to which kind of garage flooring you should use, you should make note that one of the very first things that Rustoleum says on their Info page is that you should not do epoxy coating if you have Sealed Concrete, Poorly Bonded Previous Paint or Loose or Poorly Cured Concrete or Concrete Dust you can take yourself out of the running for this option right now. What you will see as you shop around for garage floor coverings is that epoxy coating is a good less expensive option for preferably newer homes with newer garages going in some of the downfalls of the epoxy coating are first, the almost toxic process of applying it to your garage floor, the majority of epoxy coatings require a multistage process with very strong smelling chemicals and sometimes acid etching is involved. Also, if you live in climates where your garage is going to be wet, epoxy coating doesn't offer that traction that other garage flooring materials do. My recommendation is that if you are looking to flip a house and looking for a quick way to make the garage look a lot better but you are not going to have to deal with the usability side of it then epoxy coating is the way to go.

My research and experience has shown that there is a better, cleaner, healthier alternative to epoxy coating when it comes to garage floor covering and that is garage floor tile. The best Garage floor tile that I have found in my searching is made by a company out of Salt Lake City, Utah called RaceDeck. Their flooring is designed so that really anyone can just snap them together, almost like the linkin logs of garage flooring. You can buy either 12"x12" or 18"x18" these can go down on any concrete surface just as long as it is flat so you don't have to worry about whether it is sealed or purely cured etc. Another nice thing about products like RaceDeck is the fact that there are no harmful chemicals that you have to work with and inhale; it’s just a matter of snapping the tiles together.

So if you are in the market for new garage flooring I would recommend something like RaceDeck flooring that is simple, clean and can just snap together within a matter of hours.

Flooring Reflects The Beauty Of Our Home

Flooring Reflects The Beauty Of Our Home

By Badeth V. Abonita

Our flooring complements the beauty of our home. An aesthetically crafted home must bear also extraordinary flooring. To achieve this desire, we must be able to put our great attention to the floor coatings like the care they do about the floori coatings in Columbus Ohio.

Much have been said and done. Most of us think that wiping and washing our house flooring is the right manner of cleaning our flooring. Don’t we know that with these, we are also wiping away its natural coating? In these cases, instead of making it better, we are just making the situation worse.

Worse as it is, because of improper knowledge, we need to save the case of our damaged flooring before it reach to its worst!

You can try some epoxy coatings in Ohio, and if you are not knowledgeable enough in the said service, don’t hesitate to seek advice to the experts in floor coatings in Ohio. This will lighten the workload. And will surely achieve great results than doing the transformation of your flooring alone.

And you might ask, “Is it wiser and cheaper to trust my flooring to these guys to do the floor coating?” and the immediate response? Of course yes. These guys are professionally trained and experienced enough to attend your varying flooring needs. Instead of doing the task yourself, with all the efforts of buying necessary materials, preparations, efforts, and time, it is still an intellectual decision to throw your worries away and let these folks do all the nitty-gritty of flooring coating. Even if you summed up all the cost, it is still a wise decision to depend on these guys. Asking why? You even save your time and energy. And that’s what it’s all about.

Go back to the flooring coating topic. Concrete epoxy flooring services also pave the way to a more presentable and even newer flooring look. It also provides strength and durability that prolongs the life span of your flooring. Hard and tough, that really lasts a long time.

Now, these flooring in Columbus Ohio can now achieve its better yet natural look. Thanks to the blessed hands of our folks in floor coatings. They have all the knowledge and skills in the said criterion. Even if your flooring needs some reformation like the treatment to unnecessary cracks, repair for unwanted holes and other things that falls under the same scenario, they can do it for you. So why suffer enough?

And now you are experiencing the feeling of living the dream. Way back before, you only desire to improve your flooring to complement to your fantastic abode. And here it is now. A dream come true- a hassle-free task with a more affordable offer at the first place.

This will surely make a difference to each and everyone of us. We should not sacrifice our flooring’s sake because in the long run, it will still be us that will benefit from the end project. And we even can’t deny the fact that you enjoy the process.

Floor School : All About Carpet

Floor School : All About Carpet

By Dave Dumoulin

All carpeting begins from the conversion of raw fiber that is (with a few exceptions) spun into yarn and then made into carpet by one of three methods - weaving, tufting, or bonding.

There are two sources of carpet fiber: natural (like wool, silk, and cotton) and man-made (like nylon, polyester and acrylic). Natural fibers provide soft, low luster colors, long term performance, and other aesthetic qualities. Synthetic fibers offer brilliant colors, easy maintenance, softness and outstanding value.

Color is introduced either at the raw fiber stage, or when the yarn is spun into the thickness, weight, and length used in the particular carpet. (An especially skilled job, yarn spinning has its own specialist companies.)

Today, most carpet is made of synthetic fiber. Nylon is the most popular, and offers the best performance and styling flexibility of all natural and synthetic carpet fibers. It accounts for over 65% of all carpets manufactured.

Carpet Care

Let's start by saying that the most important thing you can do to prolong the life of your new carpet or rug is to vacuum it. Regular vacuuming removes those nasty dirt particles that leave it looking dingy over time and abrade the fiber, which shortens its lifespan. Use a vacuum that has a rotating brush or beater bar, which stimulates the carpet tufts and loosens the dirt and soil. (Plus, schedule regular professional cleanings to remove soil accumulation that your regular vacuum can't reach.) If your area rug has a fringe, make sure it's sewn on well, and use the vacuum carefully.

If you have a thick carpet and want to remove any tracks the vacuum makes (it's called shading), you might try vacuuming in one direction, and then smoothing the carpet surface by hand.

You can help to reduce wear in your carpet by occasionally alternating your furniture placement to change the 'traffic lanes' and allow the carpet to wear more uniformly. Be sure to vacuum these specific areas more often to reduce dirt particles, which can lead to matting too.

Carpet First Aid

In case of spills on your beautiful carpet, the best way to remove any liquid stains is, generally, to first remove the excess liquid with several layers of clean, dry paper towels. Then apply a diluted hand washing detergent to a clean cloth and gently blot the stain until it's removed.

Discover The Beauty Of Laminate Flooring

Discover The Beauty Of Laminate Flooring

By John Erickson

Laminate flooring has become a popular choice for home owners for good reason. An inexpensive choice compared to natural wood or stone, laminate floors are just as beautiful. In a variety of colors, shades, and choices, laminate floors are the perfect choice for almost every room in your home.

Laminate Flooring – Colors of Wood

Light, medium, or dark – there are many choices. Light “woods” in laminate floors are available in finishes that look like maple, walnut, natural pecan, beech wood, and bamboo. Medium tones of “wood” include finishes such as antique hickory, natural Brazilian cherry, chestnut, hickory, honey oak, and more. Dark tones of laminate “wood” floors include coconut, mahogany, teak and a variety of others. Laminate wood floors can even be purchased in finishes that look like expensive, exotic woods.

Laminate Flooring – Choices in Stone

Natural stone floors can be very pricey. The look of natural stone can add a touch of beauty to a variety of contemporary décor choices. Fortunately, with laminate stone you can still have the look and the beauty, but not the expensive price tag. Many manufactures of laminate floors offer choices in a natural stone look. Color choices are plenty in laminate stone. From light colors such as sand to dark colors which incorporate silvers and blacks, the possibilities are nearly endless.

Easy Maintenance and Durability

The low maintenance aspect of owning laminate floors is a thing of beauty all on its own. Built to last and extremely durable, laminate floors are so easy to care for that you will wonder why you did not get them sooner. You should follow the guidelines set forth from the manufacturer, but typically for care all that is needed is regular sweeping to remove dirt and dust and a damp mop using just warm water. Harsh chemicals, fumes, messy floor wax and oily solutions are a thing of the past when you invest in laminate floors. Laminate flooring is so much easier to clean than carpet and you never have to deal with scrubbing and sealing grout in the future.

Laminate floors are extremely durable and are a definite plus when you have children or pets. Children can run across the laminate floors and there is hardly a need to worry about scratching or damaging the surface. As long as shoes are wiped on a mat at the door, wearing shoes should not pose a problem for your laminate wood or laminate stone. These floors are usually backed by a manufacturer’s warranty for several years to come.

If you are upgrading your floor coverings to laminate floors in hopes of getting a better price on the sale of your home, you will not be disappointed. Potential home buyers will take notice of the beauty of the laminate floors you installed in your home. Good quality laminate floors can increase the value of your home, so for a fast and easy upgrade that is less expensive than natural wood or stone, laminate flooring is an excellent choice.

Designer commercial flooring adds grace to perfect ambience

Designer commercial flooring adds grace to perfect ambience

By Stephen Robins

Flooring is an important part of the interiors of any commercial complex. Be it your office, a restaurant or a discotheque, commercial flooring meant to adorn every place and inch of that area. If the commercial flooring is of your type, then nothing can be best than this. The basic idea of applying any form of commercial flooring is to lend a meaning to the ambience of a place. Apart from giving a basic meaning, it is meant to glorify the commercial area so that it becomes inviting to visitors. Many people visit a restaurant or any other commercial complex because of its interiors.

Everything has to be best for your commercial area, as more and more visitors to that place mean you will reap benefits. You would want that commercial flooring applied to your place should be of excellent quality, long lasting and looks beautiful with the other interiors of complex. It is quite natural that everyone wants to have the best and settling for the next is out of question in this case. As far as the commercial flooring is concerned, you are required to carefully select the type of flooring needed that can match up with the interiors. A variety of commercial flooring is available in the market. Hardwood, vinyl composite tiles, carpeted, linoleum, luxury solid vinyl, ceramic tile, granite, marble and solid vinyl are some of them.

Selection of the commercial flooring is all the more important. You are required to do a market search for best commercial flooring manufacturer and a commercial flooring contractor. These two people will be responsible for transforming the looks of your commercial complex. Commercial flooring manufacturer would have a variety of commercial flooring and in different colors. You can choose the color according to your preferences, so that it can give a wholesome feeling. Grey, cocoa, brown shades, green, pistachio, blue, cherry, black and golden oak are some of the colors that can fit your preferred choice.

Whatever type of commercial flooring is selected, all it matters is the effect that you get after applying the flooring. Perfection is what is needed in the matters of interiors of a commercial complex. It is because interiors will indirectly get you more and more customers. Just think of this case that fits in the matter of a restaurant. If the combination of ambience and food is perfect, then you would be a hit in among the crowds. Moreover, commercial flooring applied to the commercial complex reflects your taste. It shows that how concerned and particular you are in the matter of choosing best commercial flooring.

Nothing can be best than the thing that you get the best commercial flooring at a budgeted rate. It is not just you, but most of the people likes that their work should be done in less money. You will be a lucky chap, if you get designer commercial flooring within your allocated amount. Variety of commercial flooring manufacturers is present in the market, who offers designer commercial flooring at affordable rates. You just have to take care that the commercial flooring should be designer, classy and elegant at the same time.

Consult-interior-designer-for-flooring

Consult-interior-designer-for-flooring

By James Hunt

When you’ve bought a new home or are having one made, you are going to have to decide what type of flooring you want in it. You will choose from wood, ceramic tile or hardwood and you will also choose the color and style. If you know the colors you want your house painted in and the style you want it decorated in, it will be best to match your flooring accordingly. But, if you aren’t sure yet, choose neutral flooring that will accommodate any style and color.

Choosing your flooring is a big decision because it can make or break your house. If you’re afraid of making this decision on your own, hire a professional. An interior designer will gladly help you decide what is right for you and your home by finding out your individual likes and dislikes.

You can find an interior designer for your flooring needs in just about any city world wide. If you don’t know of one on your own, then ask for a recommendation from someone you know or look for one in the phone book. You will be able to tell if the interior designer has the same vision that you do or not.

Once you’ve decided on the flooring, you can keep the interior designer around or you can do the rest on your own. You will know right away if you still need the help of a professional or not by how hard it is for you. Those without an eye for design should consult an interior designer if they want their house to look beautifully decorated. Some people do have a natural talent for decorating and won’t need any help at all. It all depends on your personality and what you’re good at. So, if you know what type of flooring, drapes, colors and furniture go best together, you should save yourself the money and do it all on your own!

Commercial flooring gives your office a professional look

Commercial flooring gives your office a professional look

By Stephen Robins

Flooring defines the output that you are getting from your business or company. The look of your entire commercial outlet is important if you want your business to do really well. In today’s hugely competitive world, it is very important to be successful. To succeed one must do all that he can possible do from his end and doing up the office, company or other commercial outlet properly and putting the right type of flooring is a good way of going about doing this. So if you have your business, company or commercial outlet in NY or any other place, you need to use good commercial flooring in NY to make your office presentable.

There are different types of flooring that you can use for your commercial place. The types of flooring can range from tiles, carpets, laminated floorings and area rugs. Depending on the kind of business or commercial outlet that you have, you can make a choice of the type of commercial flooring that you want to put in your office or commercial premises. It is very important that you make your office look very professional if you are serious about your business and want to be successful in it.

Suppose your business deals with such a thing for which you and your employees need immense concentration, then going for carpets for the flooring of your office will be a very good option. Your business needs immense attention and concentration, so even the slightest of sound can cause disturbance. Thus choosing carpet for your commercial place will be just perfect for you.

Carpets for commercial flooring come in a wide variety of color, make and design. Make a wise choice of the color, do not end up choosing a color that will make your office look dull and shabby. Carpets that you will use for your office have the capacity for masking the sounds of footsteps which can disturb your concentration and work.

Another choice that you can make for the commercials flooring of your commercial place is laminated flooring. If the commercial outlet that you own is a restaurant this is the best type of commercial flooring that you can use. Using laminated flooring will give your restaurant a stylish and sophisticated look. You can find the commercial flooring of your choice from many stores in NY. You simply have to find the kind of commercial flooring that you want from the collection at the store of dealers who sell commercial flooring.

Most dealers of commercial flooring have professionals working with them, who can help you in taking proper estimates. You can make a choice of the type of commercial flooring that you want and the professionals can help you out by making estimates. Through this you will be able to work out properly and know beforehand the exact amount of money that you will have to spend for putting commercial flooring in your office or business and commercial outlet. Make sure that your take proper care of your commercial flooring if you want this to last for a long time.

Best commercial flooring defines class

Best commercial flooring defines class

By Stephen Robins

The interior of a firm defines the taste of the company and flooring plays an important role in giving an aesthetic look to the place. The moment you step in a company, it is the flooring that catches your sight. Just imagine the mesmerizing look of the flooring that takes your breath away. You would opt for best commercial flooring designs to lend a classy touch to the interiors as well periphery of your office. Best commercial flooring helps you in using the latest designs and this can express the theme of the office.

It is always better to select the flooring designs according to the colors of the walls and ceiling. The matching colors of the flooring or a slight contrast will lend a smart look to the entire office. Everybody gets amazed at the interiors and outer looks of the company. It is the best commercial flooring that unleashes the beauty in designs. Best commercial flooring includes the latest and trendy deigns that takes care of the sophistication to be maintained in the company, in terms of interiors and outer looks.

In selecting the best commercial flooring, you should take care of the designs that match with the idea of the office. There are a variety of designs and styles available in the market. You can select from a wide range of hardwood, linoleum, luxury solid vinyl, vinyl composite tiles, carpeted, ceramic tile, granite, marble, solid vinyl and many more. The basic thing is to give a designer look to the office. Best commercial flooring is meant to give your office a stylish look.

Best commercial flooring has cutting edges that are smoothly finished to give a desired effect. These floorings are installed with the help of adhesives, wall base, weld rods and other fixing materials. Well, the best commercial flooring is fixed with such perfection that it looks wonderful. The flooring of the company has to match the entire ambience of the company. In this way, the interiors of the company will get a wholesome effect. It is the décor of a place that gives meaning to the company. Best commercial flooring designs can earn you lots of praises.

Everyone wishes to buy the best commercial flooring within the allotted budget, so that they can give an elegant touch to the ambience. A variety of designer best commercial flooring is available within the range to give you an affordable and aesthetic feel. Moreover, it is the era of designer floorings that catches attention and calls for appreciation. Architects and interior designers need to have a good taste that can be applied to your office. They have to be abreast of the latest trends and styles in the market and work efficiently to give a stylish touch to your office.

Flooring is an integral part of a company or any business outlet and it has to be elegant in style. Best commercial flooring is meant to upgrade the standard of your office. Installing the best commercial flooring is not only necessary, but its proper maintenance is also mandatory for preserving the shine and grace of the flooring. Best commercial flooring unfolds most excellent designs that can work wonder for your office.

Bamboo Flooring Vs Laminate Flooring

Bamboo Flooring Vs Laminate Flooring

By laminateexporter

Laminate flooring (LF) and bamboo flooring (BF) are both of wood flooring. But they have their own features.

1. Abrasion resistance
LF is strong abrasion resistant. AC4 and AC5 rating LF can be used for heavy commercial purpose. It can be used in many high traffic indoor places such as gymnasium and supermart. Bamboo flooring is not strong abrasion resistant. It can’ be used in high traffic place.

2. Price
LF is much cheaper. The price of bamboo is usually 3-4 times higher than that of BF.

3. Moisture resistance both of the products are strong moisture resistant. But BF is much better. BF even can be used in kitchen. The swelling rate of BF is very low.

4. Durability
Regarding durability, BF is better than LF. LF can’t be repaired if the top layer, abrasion resistance, is broken as there is no layer to protect the decorative layer and support material. BF still can be used if its surface is broken because there is still bamboo under the surface.

5. The content of formaldehyde
BF is mainly made up of glued bamboo planks, while the support material of LF consists of glued wooden fiber. So the content of formaldehyde in LF is times of that in bamboo. But LF is also safe as long as it meet the standard of formaldehyde release.

6. Colors available
Almost all the colors can be available to LF: pine, oak, birch, beech, cherry, oak, teak, walnut, ceramic tile, granite, marble and even including bamboo. But the colors for bamboo flooring (BF) are just natural color, carbonized color and several other colors.

7. Appearance
BF gives a natural, elegant and comfortable feel. It makes your house more valuable. Common LF can’t offer such feel. But now there is some type of LF with hardwood like appearance such as V groove type and hand scraped surface.

8. Noise.
LF is of a floating type. There is some noise when people step, while there is only a little noise from BF as its installation method is quite different from LF. It is not a floating type. But attached underlayment on the back of LF can reduce most of the noise.

4 Ways On How To Keep The Luster Of Solid Hardwood Oak Flooring Brushed Matt Lacquer Finish

4 Ways On How To Keep The Luster Of Solid Hardwood Oak Flooring Brushed Matt Lacquer Finish

By AlexT

You may ask, “Why do you need to take care of hardwood?” This is pretty understandable. After all, hardwood floors are saleable because of their durability and maintenance. The solid hardwood oak flooring brushed matt lacquer finish, for instance, does not need a lot of cleaning. You can keep its natural look for a very long time. In fact, it’s much easier to maintain than those that are oiled.

Nevertheless, just like any other material in the world, the solid hardwood oak flooring brushed matt lacquer finish can still be prone to wear and tear. Though they may last for a very long time, you can speed up its deterioration if you don’t know the proper ways to clean or maintain it.

To help you become a much better home owner, here are some floor care tips for you:

1. Make sure that you don’t get the floor scratched. When the solid hardwood oak flooring brushed matt lacquer finish are scratched, they may be a little bit harder to remove. Besides, they don’t look good on your shiny floor. Thus, as much as possible, you must avoid having any object that can cause scratches near it. These include those dust and dirt. Their fine grains are more like sandpapers that are rubbing the surface floor. It’s recommended that you cover the part of solid hardwood oak flooring brushed matt lacquer finish with huge traffic with a carpet or a floor mat.

2. Don’t use any hard cleaners or chemicals. As mentioned, the solid hardwood oak flooring brushed matt lacquer finish is easy to maintain. Thus, there’s no need for you to use any special chemicals or floor cleaning agents. In fact, it’s not advisable, since a lot of them could be strong and may just strip the floor with its natural finish. You can simply get a dry mop, broom, or vacuum to get rid of dirty particles that are on the floor.

3. Ensure that you don’t spill anything into the floor. If you have been clumsy and you’ve spilled anything liquid into the solid hardwood oak flooring brushed matt lacquer finish, make sure that you can wipe them off immediately.

If they stay too long, they can leave stains into the floors, destroying their unblemished matted look.

4. Add curtains all over your home. Sunlight could be good, as they add more life and radiance into your home. However, if you have solid hardwood oak flooring brushed matt lacquer finish, which would not be a very inviting idea. The sun’s rays can actually destroy the finish of the floor, causing them discoloration, which, unfortunately, you cannot counteract. Just to avoid this from happening, add some draperies into your home. When the sunlight gets too strong, close them immediately. Besides, wouldn’t a home look neater and daintier with some floral curtains around?

When you know how to take care of your solid hardwood oak flooring brushed matt lacquer finish, you’re sure that your floor will be you for ages.

Hardwood Floors: Beautiful, But A Pain To Keep Clean

Hardwood Floors: Beautiful, But A Pain To Keep Clean

By Allen Shaw

Hardwood Floors are beautiful to look at and expensive to install. But keeping them clean is not necessarily the easiest thing to do. Growing up in a house with hardwood floors, I know how hard it was for my Mom to keep the floors shiny, especially with four kids. With two boys and two girls constantly running in and out of the house with various forms of the “outside world” caked to our shoes, I believe my Mom finally just gave up. If she had followed even the basic rules for keeping a hardwood floor clean with the four of us tracking Mother Nature in on a daily basis, she wouldn’t have had time for anything else.

Dirt and dust is your hardwood floor’s worst enemy. Though microscopic in size, the minute granules scratch your hardwood floor’s finish and over time transforms your mirror-finished floor into a floor more reminiscent of the floors of the log cabins inhabited long ago by our ancestors. Following are some tips to keep your investment shiny and new for years to come.

Though there are many manufacturers of hardwood floors to choose from, and they all have their own rules for keeping your floor clean and grit-free, there are some basic rules you can follow to keep your floors looking good.

For surface finishes:

Always use the manufacturer’s recommended cleaning products. If the manufacturer is not known, use a generic cleaning hardwood floor cleaner.

When little Junior spills his soda on a daily basis, wipe it up immediately with a damp cloth.

For stubborn stains, lightly dampen a cloth with the manufacturer’s recommended cleaner and apply directly to the stain. Do not use petroleum-based cleaners on water-based finishes.

And when the floor loses its luster and shine, it’s time to recoat. Unless you yourself are a professional floor cleaner, hire someone.

For wax finishes:

Dry mop regularly with an untreated dust mop. Vacuum, sweep or dust mop regularly to remove grit from the floor.

Junior can spill his soda on waxed floor as easily as he can on a surface finish. Follow the same instructions.

To remove water spots, use a fine steel wool and a small amount of mineral spirits.

Floors should be cleaned, stripped and rewaxed once or twice a year depending on traffic.

Preventative maintenance for all finishes:

Floor protective pads on the bottoms of furniture. Scatter rugs at entrances will help trap the grit from shoes that is your hardwood floor’s worst enemy. Sweep, vacuum or dust mop both the floor and rugs on a regular basis.

To put it simply, cleaning hardwood floors is not rocket science. It just requires a little effort on the consumer’s part. Dirt, grime and dust, though small and almost naked to the human eye in most cases, are your hardwood floor’s worst enemy. Keep these enemies of your floor cleaned on a regular basis and you will enjoy a lustrous, shiny floor for years to come.

Comparison between Laminate Flooring and Tile Flooring

Comparison between Laminate Flooring and Tile Flooring

By John Erickson

There are literally hundreds of choices available when it comes to choosing a floor covering for different areas of your home. From carpet, tile, hardwood floors, vinyl floors and laminate flooring, it can be a difficult selection to make. For durability, two of the best choices are laminate flooring and tile flooring. The type of flooring that you choose will depend on your specific needs and style preferences. Below is a comparison between laminate flooring and tile flooring to help you make the right decision for your home.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is extremely durable. It resembles the rich, beautiful look of hardwood floors but it is available for a much less expensive investment. Laminate flooring is made from a variety of materials including paper, resin, and wood. Laminate floors are easier to install, and it does not require gluing and nailing. Recommended for heavy traffic areas, laminate floors can withstand a lot of wear and tear while still looking great. Laminate floors are easy to care for just by sweeping, vacuuming, and damp mopping with warm water.

Laminate floors come in many different colors and styles. You can choose a light colored laminate floor to give a room a bright, airy feel and to make a space appear larger than it is. If you prefer a warm, cozy feel in a large room, you can opt for a darker color laminate floor. With so many colors and shades available, you can choose one that is just right for your décor preferences. Additionally, laminate floors are neutral regardless of which color or shade you choose. This means that you can change your décor whenever you want, but you won’t have to change your laminate floors.

Tile Flooring

Tile flooring is also very versatile and durable. Tile is not as easy to install as laminate floors, but the flooring category offers more color and pattern varieties. With tile you can choose something very neutral to hide dirt or you can go for bold colors like black and white, red, blue, or just about any other color you can imagine. When choosing tile, it is important to pick one that is “rated” for the type of use you expect for a particular room. There are “light traffic” and “heavy traffic” choices, so be sure to get the one that suits your lifestyle.

Tile floors are also very easy to clean by just sweeping and mopping them. With tile you have the choice of using various cleaning solutions to sanitize the area, and you really don’t need to worry about the chemicals damaging the floor. Unfortunately over time, the grout in between the tile can start to look dirty and dingy, so you will need to have it professionally cleaned and resealed after a couple of years to keep it looking new.

Guide to have the best commercial flooring

Guide to have the best commercial flooring

By Stephen Robins

So you want to put up new flooring in your commercial outlet or your workplace. The first step towards putting up the best commercial flooring for your place is to know all about the different aspects of commercial flooring. Well how do you expect to have the best commercial flooring for your place if in the first place you do not even have an idea about what this is all about? There are several resources that you can make use of for finding out all the information related to commercial flooring. A commercial flooring contractor in your city is a very good option for you to find out all about commercial flooring.

Now that you know exactly the sources through which you can gather all information about commercial flooring, earnestly set about finding out as much information as you can. Whether you want flooring for your house, your office or your commercial outlet make sure that you find out the best flooring for your place. You have to make a wise choice for your place. If you feel that you are not in a position to do this properly hiring the services of a commercial flooring contractor is an option that you can try out.

The commercial flooring contractor will be able to guide you in buying the best flooring for your office or commercial outlet. The décor and interiors of any commercial outlet goes a long way in attracting customers and making them come again and again to your place to buy goods. Just imagine the scenario where you are visiting you favorite restaurant and you find that the flooring is in very bad condition, will you ever feel like going back there again. Well with so much of other and better options available why would anyone come to a place that does not have the proper flooring? This is a huge turn off for any customer. So find out the best you can for your commercial outlet.

There are certain things that you must avoid doing if you want your commercial flooring to last longer in proper condition. The commercial flooring contractor is also a good option for you to get tips for keeping your commercial flooring in good condition for a long time. If you your commercial flooring is made up of hardwood flooring make sure to use wax based cleaners to clean the floor. Never walk on your hardwood flooring on shoes that have spikes and very high pointed heels. Never leave a damp rag on your flooring for a long time. Besides there being the danger of someone skidding and falling down there is also the danger of your flooring being damaged due to the presence of the wet rug.

Choosing a proper color for your flooring is very important. Well if you do not choose the right colors you will not be able to make the proper impact that you want to make out to your customers. The internet is a great source for you to know more about all you want to know about taking proper care of your commercial flooring. At any time there crops out any doubt in your mind about your commercial flooring immediately seek advice form your commercial flooring contactor.

How To Care For Epoxy Resin Flooring

How To Care For Epoxy Resin Flooring

By JessicaThomson

When new flooring is laid, our endeavor is to make such kind of flooring which would last for quite a number of years. Floors with Epoxy Resin coating could be a solution for making such floors.

Before we talk about epoxy flooring let us understand first about epoxy resins. Epoxy coatings consist of two main components: resins and hardeners. Resins are lighter in color and mostly odorless. But, the hardeners have a smell similar to ammonia and have a dark color.Epoxy floors are used in areas which are subject to high abrasion. They are used in areas where there is lot of human traffic. Epoxy resins are also used to protect already existing surfaces from wear and tear.

Another reason of popularity of epoxy resin as a flooring compound is because of its flexibility. These floorings could be used in industry as well as in homes after making suitable modifications in each case.

One more advantage of having epoxy flooring it could protect floors from skid marks as well as from different kinds of chemical solvents. But, for proper application of these resins for flooring purpose, a few things are to be kept in mind.

Firstly, these resins should not be mixed too fast. That would create air bubbles which do not get dissolved within the resin. For avoiding air bubble formation, the resin should not be applied on the floor using a roller.

Secondly, some of the resins require some setting time. After applying the resin, it should not get disturbed. Otherwise, the coating would not provide the required protection to the floor.Lastly, the resin is somewhat sticky while drying and it is quite important to ensure that the floor does not get disturbed until the resin gets fully dried, which might take a few days.If all the above precautions are carried out while making Epoxy Resin Flooring, you will get aesthetically beautiful floor which is well protected and would last for many years. For laying epoxy flooring you may have to make an extra effort, but in the long run it would be worth it. Some of the advantages of using Epoxy Floor are given below:

1 Seamless and Impervious Membrane: Dirt and bacteria cannot penetrate or settle in the floor.
2 Cleanable: The more coats you apply the smoother the surface gets.
3 Skid Resistant: By applying quartz aggregate in different sizes you can obtain varying textures of the flooring.
4 Chemically Resistant: Floors can withstand chemical attack from water, sugars, acids, solvents and caustics.
5 Durable and Impact Resistant: Epoxy flooring is tough whether you apply a flexible coating or thick poured floor.
6 Decorative: Floors are decorative -utilizing colored pigmented resin or colored quartz aggregates.

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Laminate Flooring

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Laminate Flooring

By John Erickson

Laminate flooring is a popular choice among homeowners today. As with any type of flooring, there are definite advantages and disadvantages to owning laminate flooring in your home. Before you make your purchase, find out as much as you can about laminate floors from the variety of manufacturers available. In this article, you can compare the advantages and disadvantages of having laminate flooring and decide whether or not it is right for your home.
Advantages of Laminate Flooring

In the case of laminate flooring, there are several advantages. Laminate flooring is durable and strong. The flooring is also designed to withstand heavy traffic without being damaged or scratched easily. Laminate flooring is also easy to clean and maintain. Sweeping or vacuuming, then damp mopping with warm water will keep your laminate floors looking as new as possible. It is versatile and available in a variety of colors, shades, and styles.

No matter what type of décor is in your home, laminate flooring is available to match it. Laminate flooring is less expensive than hardwood flooring, but it gives the same beautiful look. These floors are also a healthy choice for those who suffer from allergies. Dirt and dust cannot be trapped in laminate flooring as it can with carpeting, so allergy sufferers do not have symptoms as much or as often as those in homes with carpet in bedrooms and common areas.

Disadvantages of Laminate Flooring

These floors do have a few disadvantages. Laminate flooring is not the most environmentally friendly product available today. With rising concerns about the environment, global warming and energy conservation, there are “greener” choices on the market than laminate floors. The least expensive laminate floors will probably only last between 10 and 15 years, which is sometimes less than the life of a typical homeowner’s mortgage. On the contrary, hardwood floors can last around 40 years or longer if they are properly maintained.

In addition, if laminate floors are installed in wet areas such as bathrooms, many manufacturers will not honor the warranty if something goes wrong with the flooring. Laminate floors cannot be sanded and refinished if they are damaged. They must be replaced altogether when the flooring wears down. The last disadvantage is that if the proper sub-floor is not installed underneath laminate floors, the sound of walking on laminate flooring can become loud and hollow. This can cause a particular irritation to some people.

The Bottom Line about Laminate Flooring

Overall, laminate floors are a very good choice if you want the look of wood but cannot afford to make the initial investment. You can keep it looking great by taking good care of it according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

China Laminate Flooring Review

China Laminate Flooring Review

By laminateexporter

The industry of China laminate flooring has developed for 13 years. The process can be divided into 4 periods:

1. Import period (1995-1997)

2. Homemade period (1997-2000)

3. Domestic brand setup period (2000-2002)

4. Domestic brand reinforcement period (2002-2008)

1. Import period (1995-1997)

In 1995, the first lot of imported laminate flooring appeared in China market. The price was over RMB300/sqm at that time! The price made this product luxurious! Only a few Chinese could buy this product. There was almost no domestic production capacity for this product between 1995 and 1997. Most of the products were imported from Germany, USA and Belgium. The specifications, especially the dimensions and deigns are not completely in accordance with Chinese house structure and taste.

2. Homemade period (1997-2000)

Some China sales companies found the large profit share from the sale of imported laminate flooring. Attracted by the huge profit of localization, they began to import German equipment, technology and even raw materials to research and try to manufacture this product. In 1997, the first plank of homemade product was produced successfully. The relevant material and labor are cheaper in China. And now the homemade equipment is also cheaper. There is no ocean freight needed to pay for homemade products. The price of imported laminate flooring also went down. Chinese accepted and became to like this kind of homemade product due to its features such as strong wear resistance, various colors to choose and environmental protection. And the most important thing is that the homemade product is much cheaper than the imported products. Chinese earning and purchase ability rise continuously between 1995 and 2008. All these factors make this product popular little by little in China. And this industry grows up rapidly accordingly. The relevant suppliers of materials such as manufactures of HDF board, decorative paper, abrasion resistant layer also develops rapidly. Some manufacturers began to produce homemade accessories such as T-moulding, reducer, stairnose, underlayment, etc in this period.

3. Domestic brand setup period (2000-2002)

Due to the increasing demand for the product, more and more manufacturers of other industries began to produce this product. Till the end of 2002, there were more than 3000 China factories producing this product. The competition became very drastically. China laminate flooring is almost with the same appearance: same surfaces, same colors and same dimensions. Many manufacturers began to value and execute brand strategy. They didn’t compete with others entirely with the prices. They realized that brand can add to the value of their products. Many domestic famous brands were set up in this period. Their products are a bit more expensive than unknown China manufacturers in domestic market.

4. Domestic brand reinforcement period (2002-2008)

Market competition has become glowingly since 2002 because too much manufacturers participate in the production. Quality and service have become the focus for brand strategy. The manufacturers try every way to improve the quality and offer considerate service. They also try many ways to push sales. For example, many manufacturers engage China famous stars to make ads. And China government values the management of this industry very much. Relevant quality requirements and inspection systems have been set up one by one from the beginning of the industry. And the quality and management have been improved a great deal. Many new technologies have been created such as square shape laminate.

Most manufacturers explore and expand international market due to the perfervid competition in this period. And the export volume grows up rapidly. Now almost all the countries import this product from China. Even this product with some world famous brands is produced in China. The biggest market is USA, Russia, Turkey, Canada, Brazil and Ukraine. The color manufacturers became to produce colors which are terms of the taste of foreign countries. The export volume of this product from China ranks top one internationally now. The sales volume of 2003 and 2006 is 45million and 200 million separately. It is of 60% of wood flooring sales volume of China in 2006. The sales volume increases by the speed of 30%. Now the export volume has become a big portion of the total market share. The orders from domestic market are often with small quantity and many colors, while the orders from oversea market are often with large quantity but a few colors. So the production is easier for export order. The manufacturers attend B2B platform, relevant show and fly overseas to visit customers. Some of the manufacturers are going to set up sales office abroad.

Hardwood Floor Vacuum

Hardwood Floor Vacuum

By Jennifer Eccles

Hardwood Floors

First off, it’s useful to know that hardwood types of floors are unique sorts of floors which can be used for years in a residence and still look rich and also beautiful; you will not have to keep changing your residence floors again and again and wasting too much capital. Because of exposure to the sun and even heavy traffic, your hardwood product cannot help but alter color, nevertheless such situations can be solved if the manufacturer’s upkeep instructions are complied with.

Carpets have the problem of mold as well as dust mites. Surely, this can be terrible for persons having the problem of allergies, nonetheless, if your residence has hardwood floors, you do not have to go through this. Here lies just one more advantage of making use of hardwood floors.

Your hardwood kinds of floors can get dented by tiny dirt granules; so to stop such ruin, you can surely assign a certain area of your residence to be used for keeping shoes coming in the house. Engineered wood floors don’t compress or enlarge like normal hardwood does simply because of high temperature or humidity; this just means that this floor can be used to cover a lot of the sorts of floors already in use these days.

Your very best bet as regards flooring product’s warranty is one which covers at least 15 years; this way you’ll be convinced that you have surely invested smartly.

Solid wood is an especially excellent kind of hardwood flooring which is got from just one stiff piece of wood but its disadvantage is that it is more susceptible to moisture; more so it expands and even contracts a lot more than engineered sort of wood does. If hardwood type of flooring comes with a wear layer of good quality then the residence owner can easily refinish the floors as regularly as he wants but when flooring’s wear layer is of exceptionally mediocre quality then it will not effectively endure a refinishing.

On a final thought, by having a hardwood flooring which is of more proficient quality, you can effectively create a pretty setting for a good residence which will certainly be a comfort to you.

Antique Wood Flooring

Antique Wood Flooring

By Lara Newcomb

Antique wood flooring gives you style, class, and ambience. It is comfortable, smooth, and radiates a unique energy of royalty and class. Not many dealers offer antique wood flooring and the dealers who do provide you with the best service in the form of guidance and installation assistance.

Antique wood flooring gives your rooms the charm of royalty and class. Wood, cork, bamboo, vinyl flooring, and natural stones like granite, slate, marble, and flagstone all have their own advantages, but antique wood flooring is unique. People looking for antique wood flooring choose it because of the style, warmth, and comfort it provides.

Antique wood flooring dealers give you a choice of colors and quality. From yellow to dark brown and deep red, the color choices of antique wood flooring are varied. Be it for your home or for your office, antique wood flooring is a good choice. All you have to do is make sure you are dealing with the right people.

Antique wood flooring dealers can suggest the right colors and style according to your specific requirements. Different manufacturers now offer antique wood flooring. It is essential that you get a good comparison of all of the products out there before choosing one to meet your specific requirements. You can get good choices and selections at a reliable dealer.

Antique wood flooring can be imported from Europe or from all different parts of the United States. A distributor with the best product knowledge can guide you to finding the best choice in antique wood flooring. You will also receive the right kind of customer support, in the form of assistance in the selection of material and the service of experts in flooring installation.

Excellent product knowledge, especially of antique wood flooring, by the dealer is exceptionally helpful to the customers looking for great flooring solutions. Such dealers can suggest the right kind of materials, colors, and patterns that fit the rooms and the personality of the person or the business. They can also suggest the right kind of wood, which guarantees durability and stability for many years to come.

Pricing is another factor. Not every flooring materials dealer is excited by small profits and more sales. A few others think it is better to provide the best services and materials at the lowest possible prices while only taking a small profit. Whenever you purchase antique wood flooring, make sure you get good materials and good service.

People consider antique wood flooring as the easy way to ensure style, class, and comfort at an affordable price. The flooring is comfortable to step on without shoes and stays smooth and tough for many years to come. It is also one way to give out the impression that you love the finer things in life.

Antique wood flooring is the choice of those who want antique beauty and uniqueness that will express individuality and style for a lifetime.