Filling the Gaps to the Hardwood Flooring Installation

Filling the Gaps to the Hardwood Flooring Installation - Hardwood flooring in your house will make your house looks classy. Besides, it will give a clean impression since the wood will look shiny and glassy. However, the hardwood flooring installation can be hard sometimes. If it is not installed by the professionals, the floor will be horrible. The changing of the season will give an impact to hardwood floor. The wood floor can shrink or maybe expand itself. Of course it will cause a problem to you. The changing of the shape or the wrong hardwood flooring installation will make gaps on the wood floor. There will be gasps between wood planks here and there. The gaps later will full with dust and make the room looks disastrous. Furthermore, the gaps will also make a disturbing squeak sound. Eventually, those gaps surely will remove the impression of classy and clean floor.

Things you need to prepare before filling the gaps to hardwood flooring Installation

Before you filling the gaps on the hardwood floor, there are some things you need to prepare.

• Wood slivers. Wood slivers can be made by copping wood planks into smaller pieces. Make a fit size of wide slivers by measuring it with the gaps accurately. Do not make it smaller than the gaps because the wood will slip into the gaps. Make it perfectly the same with the size of the gaps.
• Hammer to make the wood slivers get into the gaps.
• A strong adhesive. Glue with D3/PVA is recommended to use because it will firmly stick to the wood floor. Do not use ordinary wood glue. It will not stick firmly. The residue will be hard to remove and will cause the squeak sound.
• Sanding machine.

 

It’s time to work!

Well the first thing you have to do is measuring the gaps with the wood slivers. Measuring is the most important thing in hardwood flooring installation. The size must be fit to each other. Then apply the adhesive on the wood sliver. After that, put it to the gaps. Make sure the wood slivers get into the gaps by hitting it with the hammer. Do the same steps until the gaps are completely filled with wood slivers. After that, the last thing you need to do is make the floor flat and firm with sanding machine. Sanding machine will make the floor flat so it can be cleaned easily and not making any sound.

Make Large Area Rugs Cheap

Make Large Area Rugs Cheap - Redecorate a large room surely gives you a lot of challenges. One of them is the extra budget for the furniture. Well, if you have a large room but have limited budget to re-decorate it, don’t worry. You can cut out the budget by making the furniture by yourself. Well maybe not all furniture, but some of them like your own home made large area rugs cheap will help you save more money.

What you have to buy to make large area rugs cheap

When you are about to make a large area rugs cheap, make sure you have all of these things. All of them are easily found in the furniture. And if you want to cut out 50% off your budget, you can buy second-hand stuffs. Here is the list of stuffs you need to make your own rugs:

• A fluffy carpet. Choose a fluffy carpet with light color. A light color will make it attractive and cute. If you want to save money, you can just buy second-hand rugs. Just be careful about the stain and the stinks. Make sure it is a good, clean rug.
• A dark colored rugs. Use it as a background. As a background, a dark color will help hiding the stain and dust. You can use a used rug, too, if you will.
• Tape or a carpet grabber to stick both of them. Buy a super tough tape or glue to make it firm.
• Pencil and cutter.

 Let’s do it!

Well, first of all, draw any pattern on a fluffy carpet (for less risk, you can try a zebra pattern. It is super easy and classy, too). Cut the stripes you have made on the fluffy carpet. Trace the stripes pattern out to the dark-colored rug. Cut the dark-colored rug according to the striped patterns that have been made before. Do it accurately. Then pierce two of the rugs together using a tape. Tape the stripped patterns with the dark rugs so the holes of the darker rug will be covered up. Just be careful when you do it.

A tape stain will make the rug rough and even leave a scar. Make sure that each edge of the dark-colored rug is pierced precisely and firmly with the edge of the zebra stripe pattern. If you do this precisely, you can make double rugs with the left-over rugs. By doing this, you make one or two large area rugs cheap within 5 hours, or less!

4 Variations of Concrete Floor Coatings

4 Variations of Concrete Floor Coatings - Flooring technology and method such floor paints have been more popular these days since dealing with concrete floor can boost one’s imagination and open up to various end results. Doing it yourself is easy and it does not require much skills. It does need some process of cleaning and drying the concrete base, applying basic or foundation color and patterned or stamped variations on the floor is quite simple to do. In order to protect the floor paint and create smooth, shiny effects that make it easier to maintain, applying concrete floor coatings is necessary. There are some variations of coatings that will be discussed below.

Penetrating Sealer

This type of coating gives a particular effect like transparent or invisible protection. This is very strong and useful for temperature and climate changes, thus, it is applicable for outdoor garage. Penetrating sealer concrete floor coatings are also very strong to protect the floor from chemical substances. Another benefit of this type is its clear and transparent color that won’t mix or change the floor paint. It does not matter what techniques you are using, stamping, fake wood, etc., it protects the surface from sun light, frozen temperature and spills of chemicals.

Acrylic Sealer

Another variation of concrete floor coatings is called acrylic sealer. This type works a bit different compared to penetrating sealer since it produces a kind of film layer in protecting the concrete floor. The main benefit of acrylic is to avoid damage on the concrete surface. It can work well for outdoor and indoor, both for garage and for basement. There two options of acrylic coating, i.e. based on oil and water. Once applied, it dries up quickly. The price is considerably economical, and you can choose two effects, matte or glossy. So, if you are not in favor of anything shiny, this is suitable for you.

Polyurethane Concrete Floor Coatings

There is one of the concrete floor coatings that have long endurance and considerably thicker than the previous two, that is called polyurethane. It can be ordered based on water or oil formula and very suitable for the space in and out of the house that have relatively higher traffic. It is transparent and before applying this coating on the concrete floor, a coat of primer is normally required.

 

Epoxy Coatings

This coating type has two benefits that are considered different than the other three above. As most coatings are transparent, epoxy gives touch of colors and it is designed to protect concrete floor from scratches. It does suit garage floor. Due to its color effect, it can also be applied in combination with floor paint. Make sure that the effects desired meet what you imagine. This type sometimes is also offered with colored chips or sands to highlight the effects on the floor.

Creative Ideas Using Concrete Floor Paint

Creative Ideas Using Concrete Floor Paint - As flooring technique and technology get more advanced, options are wide open for home owners to decide which types and techniques are more suitable for their homes. Concrete floor paint is one of the kinds that improve a lot in variations as well as prices. The good news are not only functional rooms in the house like living and dining room, kitchen and bathroom or even a bedroom that can be set in new looks but also boring basement can be polished and turned into a nice, bright looking space. Basement area can potentially be made over into a more productive room instead of only functioning as storage.

Types of Concrete Floor Paint

Concrete floor paint may not be as popular as vinyl, tile, or wooden floors as it was initially a plain grey paint that did not offer creativity at all. The latest technology allows floor paint to appear brighter, more modern and creative in terms of decoration patterns. Here are some types of concrete paints for flooring:

 

• Stamps: this paint creates decorations on the floor by combining two colors as the base or foundation and another color that is applied using stamping patterns from sponge
• Faux tile: this paint can create a visual effect as if the floor is installed with tiles.
• Wooden effect: if you wish to have a flooring effect such as applied with wooden vinyl planks, floor paints can do it for you. It does need some techniques and several process but DIY is still possible
• Epoxy: this paint is very suitable for outdoor usage such as outdoor garage or paths since it is strong in moisture resistant quality

DIY Techniques

Most of concrete floor paint is easy to apply independently. But, it does need some steps and preparations. If you do have the time and patience to do it, it is always fun to get creative and explorative. Besides, some easy procedures can be done on your own like the following :

• in creating fake wood effect, you can apply the basic color first and leave it dry. After that, what you need to do is creating effects of wood grain. Mix four parts of glaze and one part of dark brown paint then using wood graining tool, apply it on the foundation. The finishing part will be covering the floor with polyurethane to provide last finishing touch and protection
• stamping is also perhaps one of DIY techniques that can be explorative in terms of patterns. The procedure is pretty much similar as the wood effect, but here, after applying the foundation color, what you need to do is applying the pattern through stamping some sponge on top of the foundation color
• remember to clean up the concrete floor and dry it first before applying any concrete floor paint, and give finishing touch as protection.

Tile Floor Patterns Inspirations from Recent Collections

Tile Floor Patterns Inspirations from Recent Collections - Flooring from tiles offer lots of options. The price is ranging, from friendly to pricey. The patterns also vary from simple, modern, and classic. Tiles are also suitable for various rooms. Maintenance is easy and creating cool effects on any rooms in the house and office cannot be that hard. However, there is one aspect that you need to consider well, i.e. choosing the right tile floor patterns. Small room can look dense with wrong choice of patterns, whereas hallways and terrace may look sloppy with inappropriate tiles installation. The following discussion will expose several tile floor patterns that suit both private and common rooms.

Outdoor and Hallway Alternatives

Hallway and terrace are the space in between the rooms. Some houses have large terrace and hallways but some only have small ones. This area is perhaps one of the busiest in and around the house. Children run around and adults move from one room to another using this connecting element. Terrace can also function as an informal sitting room. Tile floor patterns that suit these areas include diagonal patterns or diagonal with spots or dots. These will make the space more accentuated and less uniform.

Living & Dining Room Tile Floor Patterns

How about these two rooms: dining and living rooms? These areas are also quite densely used since everyday all members of the family do have dinner in the dining room and perhaps do some reading or welcome friends and other guests in the living room. Proper tile floor patterns that you should consider of installing are basket weave and running bond. The first type is very suitable for living room as it looks neat but not strict. Running bond looks great for dining room as it combines gradation of colors and make the atmosphere more alive.

 Bedroom & Walk-in Closet

Bedroom and walk-in closet can be connected with similar or contrasting floor patterns. Straight lay can be used for bedroom provided that the accents and colors are in strong character. The strength of this pattern is not the creative installation but its original accent. Walk-in closet will look fabulous with contrasting pattern, using pinwheel or hopscotch patterns. It brings a foundation of darker color with random patterns of smaller tiles, like hopscotch.

Bathroom & Kitchen Inspiration

Modular and herringbone are two tile floor patterns that suit bathroom and kitchen. Modular patterns will fit in spacious bathroom, but if you have smaller bathroom, install straight or diagonal since these patterns will make small rooms look larger. Herringbone creates sophistication and match for both small and large kitchen. The texture is the strength of herringbone creating cool, modern, yet sophisticated atmosphere.

Vinyl Flooring Planks: Types and Technical Matters

Vinyl Flooring Planks Types and Technical Matters - For the past couple of years, there has been an increasing interest and demands of vinyl flooring planks. The trend happens in both household and office use. Apparently, the look of this flooring has attracted various housing and interior concepts. Plank wood flooring matches small and spacious rooms, can go easily with many types and gradation of wall paints. But, overall, there are two reasons why consumers prefer this flooring, i.e. for its cool and energizing look and manufactured flooring brings the essence of vinyl flooring. Moreover, installation and cleaning process do not take too complicated efforts. It is suitable for working parents and offices, of course.

Natural versus Manufactured Types

Thinking of getting one for your house or office? There are two basic types of vinyl flooring planks from wood. The first type is it comes from natural wood that being processed and cut like vinyl flooring; and the second type is manufactured vinyl flooring with accents of woods. The first type looks a lot fresher and stronger in patterns, as for the second one feels more comfortable and easy to maintain. For both options, you may purchase each for particular room usage or combine it especially if indoor and outdoor spaces want to be treated in similar tone. Why do demands on wooden vinyl flooring increase? It is because solid wood is hard and heavy to install. It gives an alternative to this heavy task.

Boards of Vinyl Flooring Planks’ Types

As for the size and patter, there are two variations of wooden vinyl flooring planks boards. The first type is single board, and the second one is the multiple board vinyl flooring. What is the difference? Single board exposes a wide plank so it looks like made from one single board. The size is usually around six inches times thirty six inches. It does replicate the look of wood that looks like a log with exactly similar dimensions as described. Multiple boards, on the other hand, replicate the look of smaller boards of wood on the vinyl plank. So, gives a visual effect that it consists of various boards that are assembled into one. The size of multiple broads vinyl plank is usually around six inches times thirty six inches with smaller wooden board looks of about three inches wide combined with many length variations.

Installation and Treatment

Since vinyl planks are easier to install compared to solid woods or tiles, it can be attached as new flooring using adhesive or glue. However, it is noted that glue-down plank does not look as easy as it is. Know well how it should be installed before deciding whether to apply it on your own or getting some helps. As for the maintenance, any types of cleaning possible. Dusting, vacuuming and moping are possible to make the floor fresh, clean and always look ‘new’.

Real Wood Tiles vs. Tiles That Look Like Wood

Real Wood Tiles vs. Tiles That Look Like Wood - Nowadays there are so many kinds of tiles. Some of them are natural, while some other is artificial. Both of them have the same function to beautify your house and protect the floor from scratching. But like any other things in the world, the real wood tiles and tile flooring looks like wood have some advantages and disadvantages.

Plus and minus of hardwood floor

Though hardwood has a good appearance compared to tile flooring that looks like wood. There are some considerations you need to think about before choosing hardwood floor as a floor for your house.

• It is eco-friendly. When you finish wearing it, it can be renewable. So, it will decrease the number of the waste.
• It fits with any color. As the real wood has natural color, it matches the furniture of the room. You don’t need to waste much time to think about what furniture are good for the room, what color makes it beautiful, and what size of the furniture that will fit the floor.
• It is good for your health. Some of the hardwood tiles are antimicrobial, hypoallergenic, and insect resistant. It will keep the germs away, so you don’t need to worry about moping it with disinfectant cleaner.
• The price is affordable.
• Although wood is natural, wood is easy to scratch. Especially when you have a cat or a dog that will stick its claws on the floor. It will make the beauty of the floor decrease.
• The installation cannot be done in every place in your house. You have to consider about sunlight that will shine on the floor. Ultraviolet rays will make the floor dull and less shiny.
• It keeps the house cool in the summer but make the house colder in the winter.

 Important things about artificial hardwood tiles

• It is scratch resistant. When you have guests who wear high heels, you dont have to worry about the floor that will be scratched.
• The shape and the size will never change. While the hardwood will crack or expand in particular environment, the tiles flooring that looks like wood will stay the same.
• You can place the artificial hardwood floor everywhere without thingking about the sunlight because sunlight will be friendly to this kind of tile.
• It is easier to clean. Wet or damp mop will do it good.
• Based on the study in Arizona, it will keep the floor cool in the summer and warm in the winter.