Archive for 'Flooring'
Bamboo Flooring vs. Traditional Hardwoods
Posted on 03. Apr, 2009 by Mark Coleman.
Bamboo flooring provides another avenue for those looking for something other than hardwood. Growing in popularity as an alternative, bamboo flooring has many attractive features that make it a viable option for modern homeowners. Although harvested mostly in China, bamboo flooring can now be found easily in both European and North American markets. Many early adopters of bamboo flooring point out its environmental friendliness. The bamboo plant regrows within a few seasons and can be harvested repeatedly without permanent damage. In fact, the bamboo plant is considered a grass, as it grows much quicker than any tree. When done responsibly, bamboo plant harvesting can be done without causing any permanent damage.
How does bamboo flooring compare with traditional hardwoods? High quality bamboo flooring provides a tougher surface than even the rarest and most expensive hardwoods. Moisture is also less of a problem for bamboo flooring. Where traditional hardwood may buckle and crack because of water exposure, bamboo flooring will keep out water without a problem. Bamboo flooring is processed as a laminate and treated under extremely high pressure with a high quality glue. This makes bamboo flooring extremely hardy and resistant to abrasion, where a hardwood floor would end up showing scratches. Bamboo flooring has become significantly more affordable in the past few years as well.
Best of all, bamboo flooring is easy enough to lay down without any professional help. Like many of the newer hardwoods, bamboo flooring is produced with a tongue and groove construction, making them considerably easier to install. Prior to laying down a bamboo floor, allow the planks to adjust to their new environment for no less than 72 hours. Although bamboo flooring is very resistant to moisture, they do need some time to adjust to their new climate before installation.
What should be done to maintain a bamboo floor? Maintenance requirements are fairly simple for bamboo flooring. Make certain to sweep and mop the floor after it is laid down. Regular dusting and sweeping should be done after installation. This will prevent dust and dirt from collecting on the finish. A mat should be placed at the entrance to prevent dust and dirt from coming into the room. Dirt and small rocks can easily scratch the finish, and a mat can do a great deal to prevent this problem.
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Pergo Flooring: the Best of the Best
Posted on 30. Mar, 2009 by Mark Coleman.
Pergo flooring provides a broad selection of laminate flooring, with a focus on providing the warm feel of hardwood. With Pergo flooring, homeowners can have a great looking floor that won’t suffer from water damage or abrasions. Laminate flooring takes very little upkeep, and will stay looking great for many years. The latest Pergo flooring replicates all the familiar quirks of a hardwood floor. Visitors will have a hard time recognizing the floor as anything but hardwood.
In addition to its wonderful appeal and enduring aesthetics, laminate flooring is incredibly simple to lay down. With its interlocking tiles, Pergo flooring can be installed without professional help. The tiles are manufactured with a tongue and groove system that allows the tiles to interlock without glue or other industrial adhesives. Provided a home installer has a tile cutting tool, installation should take very little effort. Interlocking Pergo flooring is also friendlier to the environment, as it requires no toxic adhesives, without any of the harmful chemical adhesives that other floors possess.
Home installation is simple enough for anyone at least a little handy to accomplish, and can save a great deal of money in professional work fees. Pergo flooring is safer and healthier without any of the chemicals seen in other flooring. Once a Pergo floor is installed, it should last for several years. Worn out and damaged tiles can be easily replaced. Laminate flooring is very resistant to water damage and abrasion. A hardwood will crack and buckle when exposed to moisture over time. Cupping and crowning results from prolonged moisture exposure. This moisture can come potentially from spills and from water wicking up from the subfloor.
Pergo flooring is a better choice than carpet as well, offering both comfort and reliability that the former cannot. Carpet can end up absorbing water and food stains, making it difficult to keep clean. Over time, carpet can also take on unpleasant odors that are hard to eliminate. Laminate flooring will not absorb any of these same smells, remaining in perfect condition for years. Carpet, by contrast, will gradually wear down and become frayed and torn. A torn or frayed carpet must inevitably be replaced entirely, whereas laminate tiles can be individually fixed.
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When Rubber (Yes, Rubber) Flooring Makes Sense
Posted on 25. Mar, 2009 by Mark Coleman.
There are many situations where traditional flooring solutions simply will not work. In cases like this, an added degree of durability or safety may be required. Hardwood floors are prone to scratches from abrasion, and may also be too slick in some cases. Carpet frequently does not provide the steady traction or shock absorbing properties needed under some circumstances. Sports facilities such as gyms, ice rinks, and tracks commonly require a greater level of safety and durability. Rubber flooring is a very simple answer to this problem, as it provides everything a sports facility needs with affordability.
Rubber flooring is durable and flexible, providing the tough reactive surface that is needed. A rubber floor can absorb the shock of a falling weight, while also staying level while supporting a heavy weight machine. A high quality rubber floor will not strain and rip under pressure. Rubber flooring is very simple to lay down, as it is usually sold as a set of tiles that fit together neatly. These interlocking tiles are very easy to snap together, and do not require any high strength toxic glues. This makes rubber flooring an environmentally friendly option, especially when recycled rubber is used in its construction.
Rubber sold as gym flooring commonly has a great traction surface that prevents any dangerous tendency to slip. The antislip surface is usually double sided, ensuring that the flooring will not move suddenly, or allow someone on it to fall. This is essential in a sports facility, where safety is of great concern. Rubber flooring will absorb the shock and noise of a falling weight, where concrete and hardwood would shatter and splinter under this kind of impact.
Commercial Mats and Rubber is a well known name in rubber flooring, specifically engineered for use in sports facilities. Their Diamond Mega Tiles are suited for sports facilities, and provide great protection against falling weights, as well as a high traction surface on both sides. Diamond Tiles are made with an interlocking design, making them very simple to install without any professional assistance. The Diamond Tiles are sold in a variety of colors and shades. The tiles are produced with high strength rubber that remains intact under great pressure, but remain firmly in place as they must.
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Using Laminate Flooring in your Home
Posted on 22. Mar, 2009 by Mark Coleman.
Although carpet and hardwood are two of the most popular choices when it comes to flooring, they are sometimes inadequate. Spaces like the kitchen, or garage, commonly require a higher degree of durability and resilience. Carpet absorbs stains and moisture too easily, producing a dingy looking surface that may also attract odors. Hardwood offers a great deal more durability than carpet, but it also falls prey to moisture. A damp hardwood gradually warps and cracks. After several years of expansion and contraction, moisture damage can become very apparent with a hardwood floor.
Places in which water damage and accidents occur can result in scratching or gouging in the flooring as well. Laminate flooring is a wonderful solution for water damage and durability issues. With a laminate floor, designers can have the classic appeal of hardwood if they so desire, while avoiding many of the usual pitfalls. Laminate flooring is very resilient when it comes to moisture problems and will not absorb water. Stains are not an issue, and with prompt clean up, should not leave a mark at all.
Fortunately, laminate flooring is very well priced, and can be found in a great selection of shades, colors, and styles.
Installation of laminate flooring is also relatively simple. When first purchasing a set of laminate flooring tiles, check each to ensure that each tile is intact. Once certain that all the tiles are in good condition, give the tiles a few days to acclimate to their new climate. There may be some contraction or expansion that occurs when the laminate flooring tiles arrive in a new setting.
Be sure to follow all manufacturer guidelines that are included with the tile packaging. Specific instructions on how to glue the tiles are crucial, and can affect the overall performance of the tile. It is also important to ensure that the tiles are placed with a quarter of an inch space between the wall and the flooring. Although a great deal of tools isn’t required for in home installation, you may have to cut the tiles to fit around corners, fireplaces, stairs, etc. A wet tile saw would provide all the cutting power needed for laminate flooring.
Having a level surface for installation is also crucial. Be sure to fill any holes in the subflooring, or sand away any protruding areas that might stick up afterward.
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Armstrong Provides an Impressive Array of Products
Posted on 20. Mar, 2009 by Mark Coleman.
As one of the largest flooring manufacturers in the world, Armstrong provides an incredible range of flooring for every design need. Armstrong is known as a quality producer of linoleum, hardwood, tile, sheet, and laminate flooring. Employing over 12,000 workers, Armstrong has the biggest selection in the entire flooring business. With such a huge selection of products, Armstrong has something for every home flooring project.
When it comes to hardwoods, Armstrong offers a line of several very distinct products. The Bruce brand hardwoods are known as a diverse lineup of several shades and textures, as well as high quality finishes. With the revolutionary Armstrong “Lock & Fold” technology, the flooring can be installed in a simple and safe fashion without the need for any glue. This allows hardwood flooring to be installed on a “do it yourself” basis. This can potentially save consumers several thousand dollars in professional installation fees. Armstrong hardwoods can be purchased in a broad range of textures, species, and grains.
Armstrong is also known as a producer of high quality laminate flooring.
Laminate flooring can act as a great substitute for hardwood in situations where hardwood may suffer from excess moisture or wear and tear. Laminate flooring is also printed with hi-def technology that produces realistic patterns, offering both resiliency and aesthetic appeal. This is a great alternative to hardwood, offering another way to add value to the home. Armstrong laminate flooring is engineered with the Armstrong G3 Layer, protecting against stains and fading. The laminate flooring is produced with the Armstrong Hi-Definition Print Technology, producing laminate flooring that is indistinguishable from the real deal.
Tile is another viable alternative manufactured by Armstrong. Where a great deal of foot traffic is experienced, tile can be a great alternative to wood flooring. Tile will not show scratching and abrasions as badly as a wood floor might. Tile is both cheap and resists water damage, making it a very attractive choice in the kitchen or patio.
Armstrong offers a wide variety of vinyl flooring products, each with a unique pattern or shade. Armstrong vinyl products are tough, while also delivering an attractive aesthetic appeal. Vinyl requires next to no maintenance and is not subject to water damage. Furthermore, vinyl flooring can be found in just about any texture, allowing designers to tailor their flooring to exactly their needs. Armstrong flooring offers both durability and aesthetics for an affordable price.