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Installing A Laminate Floor
Would you like a nice light coloured floor covering your lounge or hallway, but always end up going for a dark coloured carpet to put up with the wear and tear of these high traffic areas? Well if this sounds like you then why not go and look at laminate flooring as an option instead?
You can now get laminate flooring in just about any colour you want, and in a variety of effects, varying from the traditional wooden strip flooring, to simulated bricks or stones.
The advantage it has is that even in a very light wood colour (Such as that comparable to a cream carpet), if it gets any dirt on it then you can simply mop it clean, or use a household scouring pad for tough stains.
Now whereas most of us would never entertain laying down a carpet at home on our own, as one wrong cut can end in a total right off, most of us with even limited DIY skills can be capable of laying down a laminate floor.
The tools and skills needed are now very simple.
Ten years ago it was a different matter as all laminate floors had to have the boards glued together along the edges, and then tapped home with a special guide block and a mallet. This meant that the floors were very securely fastened down, and damage to just one board could mean replacing the whole floor, as no one board could be taken up without damaging the surrounding boards. Once it was laid down, it was for good!
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These days all laminate flooring is of the “Clicklock” variety and no glue is needed, nor in the majority of instances is a guide block or a mallet. The laminated boards now simply click together.
This has revolutionised the fit out time, with a laminate floor being put down in just a few hours. The only other tools you need are a tape measure, pencil and a saw (Ideally an electric saw). Start off by cutting one board in half, paying careful attention to the instructions, as you will need to start in one corner of the room in particular due to the way the boards click together. Get this first board right at and your floor will fly down!
The first board down should be cut in half, then lay the rest of the row, then use a full board to start the next row, and then another half board to start the next row and so on. Doing this will stagger the boards like bricks in a wall, resulting in a good finish for your first laminate floor. Easy to lay, so try it today.
A collection of flooring retailers across the UK, Beautiful Flooring provides the ability to search through thousands of flooring ranges from the most reputable brands, as well as to quote and order online. Buy laminate flooring online, or find your local flooring retailer and visit us in-store.
More DIY Flooring Guides Articles
How to Install Marble Tile ? Marble Floor Installation
Marble is one of the most commonly used materials in any building. Be it a house, an office, or a public hall, marble adds elegance to a place and it is truly appealing to the eye. It looks very clean and it gives the feeling of security because marble is hard. Installing marble is no joke or a job for a novice DIY person. Actually, it requires experience and skill.
If a marble is not properly installed, it loses its beauty and impact for those people who behold it.
There are many guides for home owners that will teach you how to do DIY marble floor tiling.
Most homes use marble tiles either in 12 x 12 inches or 12 x 18 inches. Since marble is more expensive than ceramic or wood, you should be very careful when cutting marble tiles.
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Some excellent tools you should have include a tile nipper, a wet saw with a diamond blade since marble tiles tends to spilt along its natural fissures when cut, a notched trowel, squeegee to spread the cement onto cracks and a burlap rag to remove excess cement.
Marble Tile Installation
To install marble tiles, you first need to lay out your tiles to determine the correct position and which tiles need to be cut. It is usually around the corners or near your doorway.
After that, use a notched trowel to apply a layer of thin adhesive. Lay the tiles allowing for some tile separation and leave it to dry overnight. Once it is dry, you can use concrete to fill in the gaps. Use the squeegee to spread it and wipe the excess away. The last step is to wash the surface of the marble tiles after you are done.
If you want to learn how to install marble tiles, I recommend you check out online learning videos that can show you how to do it and it would be easier to watch how others install marble tiles.
Tiling: The Installation Handbook
Tiling: The Installation Handbook
Simple Ways to Clean Laminate Flooring Effectively
Laminate flooring look like natural flooring but are made of synthetic materials. Flooring like wood and marbles are easily simulated by laminate flooring. However, it is much stronger and durable than natural materials and costs much lesser than the real wood or marble. There are actually many designs and pattern that it can simulate, however, the most famous and widely used are those which resemble wood.
Unlike real, natural wood, it is less vulnerable to scratches like those from pets and high heels. This type of flooring is perfect for rooms in the house which have a heavier traffic. It means that a room which always has a lot of people needs strong, durable and attractive flooring. High-traffic areas of the house are the kitchen, living room, and dining area. These are the common places where the family spends time together and the floor needs to support multiple varying weights at one time. The added benefit of having it is that it can set the ambiance or the theme of a room. Thanks to its many different designs, we now have a great variety on what to use in our flooring.
It is in itself very easy to install. We do not even need to hire a professional to install in our home. We can easily find instruction guides and materials on the internet which can give us an idea on how to go about it the easiest way possible. Maintaining it is as easy as installing them. Maintaining it usually involves keeping it from getting scratches and sitting water but most of all, it means having a clean laminate flooring.
There are only a few things to remember to clean laminate flooring. This is because it is low-maintenance. We actually don’t require any special tools or cleaning products. The reason for this is because we can use the things we usually use for cleaning to clean laminate flooring. A mop or a vacuum would be good to clean it. However, dry mops are more advisable to clean laminate flooring because too much moist and water can cause a swelling or warp on the laminate flooring. This will definitely happen to laminate flooring which are not water-resistant. So it is important to know beforehand if the laminate flooring we have is a water-resistant or not.
All dirt and water spills need to cleaned immediately to avoid staining the floor and swelling. The basic rule is to remember that although laminate flooring are strong and durable, it doesn’t give us an excuse to test its durability by using abrasive products and strong detergents in cleaning it. To clean laminate flooring effectively is to use the simplest cleaning tools and products.
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Leave a commentTypes of Garage Floors for the Bay Area
There are a number of different types of garage floors for the Bay Area. Choosing the right one will depend on factors such as planned use, desired maintenance and even budget. The staff at Bay Area Custom Garages, Inc. will guide you through the process so that you get a floor that will allow you to make the most of your garage space.
Garage Floors for the Bay Area
Basic floor paint – Most people choose to change the look of a garage by simply painting the floors. A fresh coat of paint can help improve the look of the space. Choose a paint that is specifically designed to handle the heavy traffic of a garage floor. Painting the floor will also add a layer of protection over the existing concrete floor and serve to extend its life.
Floor mats – These polyvinyl mats protect the concrete from being damaged by spills in the garage. These tiles are set into place without the assistance of any adhesives. You can remove them to do a deep clean of the garage floor or you can take the mats with you when you change locations. These mats can add a layer of cushion to the hard surface of the garage and will also provide some sound insulation.
Floor tiles – Garage floors can be covered with self-adhesive tiles that will provide a custom look to the space. The tiles will interlock adding to the protection that they provide to the concrete floor.
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All of the floorings that are available for your garage space will help to clean up the look and feel of the area. They are safe to drive on and will help extend the life of the concrete base of the garage. Choosing the right garage flooring will add value to your home and make it easier to keep the space clean at the same time.
Create a plan for the space to help you decide which garage flooring will work best for your needs. Keep in mind that all of the flooring can be done as a DIY project but that the time and experience of a company like Bay Area Custom Garages, Inc. can help ensure the job is done in a timely fashion and to your top standards.
Review the different types of garage floors for the Bay Area and then create a plan that will make the most of that space for your storage and living needs.
Advantages of buying paint sprayer
Paint zoom is one which is very much useful for the technology and for the users in many ways. A paint sprayer is widely used in many applications like home, furniture, kitchen, constructions; interior designing etc. buying a paint sprayer is very advantageous for the users in many ways because a paint sprayer is one of the latest tools in the field of paint market industry.
There are many advantages in buying a paint zoom tools they are as follows:
A paint sprayer is very much useful in the following areas.
- Constructions
- Kitchens
- Interior designing
- Furniture
Constructions: A paint zoom tool plays a vital role in constructions, because to do all paintings in constructions a lot of man power (painters) requires for completing the total paintings of that building. So in order to reduce the man power and to get good appearance a paint sprayer is used. Using a paint sprayer enables to complete the works within deadline.
Kitchens: A paint zoom tool is useful in kitchen, because some of the house wife’s want to décor their kitchens as they required.
Interior Designing: A paint zoom tool is very useful in interior designing of a home, because for designing various paints are used.
Furniture: Some of them use a paint zoom tool to paint their furniture’s as they needed. A paint zoom tool is one of the finest one to paint the furniture items.
Tips For Installing Brazilian Hardwood Flooring
Article by Shawn Smith
Nothing can compare to the exquisite beauty and elegance of Brazilian hardwood flooring. The way in which the flooring is installed is vital to its esthetics and ideally, a well-recommended professional should do the installation. In general, hardwood retailers recommend their favorite professionals to customers. However, if you are one of those DIY persons who like to do things on their own and are keen on home improvement techniques, you will find that hardwood floors are not that hard to lay out. Although the task might seem daunting at the outset, once you start with it, albeit with a proper guide and in adherence to proper procedure, you will find that things literally fall into place.
You shall have to first arrange for the complete set of tools and equipment that you will require for the job – instead of buying every single tool (a highly expensive line of action in itself) you can borrow them. Be prepared to spend around 0 on this point. Once you have the tools in your hand you can start your work, but make sure you have an installation guide, or someone in person, to walk you through the entire project. Although not the most complex of all jobs, mistakes are easy to make while installing a hardwood floor and these can result in drastically inferior results – something that you don’t want.
Without going into the ground details of the installation process, here are a few checkpoints that you have to go keep in mind:
:: You have to first lay out the underlayment, over which the actual Brazilian hardwood flooring has to be installed.
:: The actual installation is relatively simple and greatly satisfying as it gives you a sense of achievement and progress in this long and tedious project.
:: The final part of giving a finishing to the floor is in fact the toughest part – as it involves sanding, staining and clear coating. Be prepared for back breaking work in this part of the project.
Some tips that you should make a note of while going through the entire process are:
:: The hardwood boards that the manufacture delivers to you shall contain short pieces that will not seem to go well in any area. These pieces are best kept for less visible areas such as recesses, closets, etc.
:: Make sure that you are satisfied with the layout of the pieces while racking out the floor itself, and make adjustments then and there – as it is going to be difficult making changes later on.
:: Take care none of the tools have sharp ends in contact with the floor.
Laying out a Brazilian hardwood floor is long and drawn out process, particularly if you want to lay out a floor with a border. Be prepared to spend at least one entire weekend if you do not want a border, and a series of weekends for a floor with a border. In addition, take into account a few more days of sanding and polishing up the floor.
However, at the end of it all, you shall have superb Brazilian hardwood flooring in place in your house and a sense of fulfillment in your heart – nothing on this earth can beat that.
Materials: A Sourcebook for Walls and Floors
Materials: A Sourcebook for Walls and Floors
There are hundreds of ways to decorate the walls and floors of your home, and choosing the right materials can be challenging for even the most creative thinkers. What you need is someone to take you by the hand and lead you through all the options, as if you were in a design showroom together. Enter Materials, a handy guidebook that’s the next best thing to having an interior designer at your side.
This informative book covers the full range of decorative possibilities for walls and floors, whether the effect you’re seeking is traditional or contemporary, subtle or eye-catching, luxurious or down-to-earth. Chapters devoted to wood, stone, tile, metal, plaster, concrete, paint, wallpaper, linoleum, and carpets provide everything you need to know to select, buy, and install each type of material, including pros and cons, relative cost, and durability.
Hundreds of beautiful color photographs present clever ideas to help you conceal design flaws, modernize or spruce up a room, or entirely transform the look of your homeand to express your personal sensibility while you’re at it. Overflowing with advice and inspiration, Materials is an invitation to use color, texture, and pattern to create the living space that suits you best.
Installing A New Laminate Floor
Article by Ash Martins
Would you like a nice light coloured floor covering your lounge or hallway, but always end up going for a dark coloured carpet to put up with the wear and tear of these high traffic areas? Well if this sounds like you then why not go and look at laminate flooring as an option instead?
You can now get laminate flooring in just about any colour you want, and in a variety of effects, varying from the traditional wooden strip flooring, to simulated bricks or stones.
The advantage it has is that even in a very light wood colour (Such as that comparable to a cream carpet), if it gets any dirt on it then you can simply mop it clean, or use a household scouring pad for tough stains.
Now whereas most of us would never entertain laying down a carpet at home on our own, as one wrong cut can end in a total right off, most of us with even limited DIY skills can be capable of laying down a laminate floor.
The tools and skills needed are now very simple.
Ten years ago it was a different matter as all laminate floors had to have the boards glued together along the edges, and then tapped home with a special guide block and a mallet. This meant that the floors were very securely fastened down, and damage to just one board could mean replacing the whole floor, as no one board could be taken up without damaging the surrounding boards. Once it was laid down, it was for good!
These days all laminate flooring is of the “Clicklock” variety and no glue is needed, nor in the majority of instances is a guide block or a mallet. The laminated boards now simply click together.
This has revolutionised the fit out time, with a laminate floor being put down in just a few hours. The only other tools you need are a tape measure, pencil and a saw (Ideally an electric saw). Start off by cutting one board in half, paying careful attention to the instructions, as you will need to start in one corner of the room in particular due to the way the boards click together. Get this first board right at and your floor will fly down!
The first board down should be cut in half, then lay the rest of the row, then use a full board to start the next row, and then another half board to start the next row and so on. Doing this will stagger the boards like bricks in a wall, resulting in a good finish for your first laminate floor. Easy to lay, so try it today.
NALFA, the North American Laminate Flooring Association, helps guide you through the necessary steps for a do-it-yourself floor installation.
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A Guide On How To Seal Your Garage Floor
Got a garage with a cement floor? Then it’s best to seal it, because sealing a garage floor eliminates concrete dust, protects it against road salt and prevents stains. And if you’re planning on painting the floor, it serves as a great primer. This will hopefully serve as a step by step guide for you to get the job done, if you’re doing it yourself.
Step 1:
If you’ve just started on your garage, and you’ve yet to put in the floor, that’s the first thing you have to do. Freshly-poured concrete needs to cure for a period of some 4-6 weeks before being stained and sealed. If you don’t do that adequately, it may result in the failure of the sealing system.
Step 2:
But if you already have a floor and it’s already used, and there things like stains on the concrete, they should first be removed using an oil stain remover. Furthermore, if the garage floor has any signs of dirt, grime or even construction residue, it has to be etched first using an acid cleaner. For floors that need to be cleaned, you have to acid etch the surface, following all the product’s instructions. Once your floor is cleaned, you have to completely rinse the surface to remove all of the acid before proceeding to the next step. But if you have a new concrete surface on your floor that does not have to be acid etched because it is completely clean, then skip this step.
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Step 3:
For floors like that, simply etch the surface using a no-rinse concrete etch product. You need etching because it is critical to achieving adequate adhesion of the sealer, and if you use a no-rinse product, you don’t have to rinse the floor and you can etch and seal on the same day.
Step 4:
If you’ve cleaned your floor using the masonry cleaner is Stage 2, then you have to let the surface dry for a minimum of 3 days. If you apply a sealer on a damp surface, it can result in what they call a “blushing” effect, where the sealer takes on a cloudy appearance because the moisture gets trapped inside of the sealant. But if you’ve done Step 3, which is only the etching part without the cleaning, then you only have to allow 1-2 hours of drying time before you proceed to seal the floor. That’s if you used the no-rinse formula, of course.
Step 5:
The next step is to apply two coats of the concrete sealer. The sealer can be applied using a brush or a roller, or you can spray the sealer on using pump-up type sprayer. You have to be careful not to get a puddling or ponding effect when you apply the product. You need to apply the sealer evenly and consistently, then wait 1-2 hours to apply the next coat once the first coat is dry. Allow a minimum of four days before you subject the floor to foot traffic, while full cure is achieved in five days for most products. You should avoid parking vehicles on the surface until full cure is achieved to avoid the “hot tire” release of the sealer.
Step 6:
Then the final step is just to maintain your sealing, with a single application of sealer needed when the surface begins to exhibit a dull or uneven look. When you apply the maintenance coat, clean the surface first using a mild detergent and water and wait for it to dry completely before you apply. Get your equipment and materials from a trusted by building materials supplier so that you can sleep tight after you’ve done your job.