Archive for December, 2011

Floating Cork Flooring: No Glue Required!

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011

If you’re a homeowner you may or might not be aware of satisfaction of getting through a do it yourself project by yourself. It’s strange, but as a homeowner myself I take great pride when I am able to tackle any repairs or improvements to my home; and also you might too if you haven’t tried it yet. This information is designed to help educate you on a simple do it yourself flooring work for your home using floating cork flooring. Not just is cork an eco-friendly material, however the idea of a floating floor means it is simple to handle this project with virtually no experience. Let’s dive in to the wonderful world of cork floating floors!

Before we obtain into all of the mumbo jumbo of home improvement let’s take a moment to review cork and learn why it’s an eco-friendly choice as a flooring solution. Cork is actually the bark from the cork oak tree; cork is commercially harvested by removing a small layer of the bark of the cork oak tree. This method is 100% safe and harm the cork oak tree by any means, shape or form. Actually, a cork oak tree can produce cork material for over Two centuries. So, should you choose choose the route of the floating cork floor you can be assured that you can brag about its eco-friendly properties along side its beauty.

Now, I know that which you must be thinking “Sounds like a great product, and sounds expensive!” I’ll agree that cork flooring isn’t cheapest wood flooring product available on the market, but it’s probably the most beautiful and sturdy. The big cost in any kind of do it yourself or home repair project may be the labor. Look at a past bill or simply a neighbor’s past bill and you will see that no less than 60% of the bill was labor. It can save you a lot of money if you simply attempt to tackle the project yourself.

Yes, regardless what thought ran using your mind after reading the above mentioned last sentence you CAN tackle a project like this yourself. One of the primary benefits of a floating cork floor system is the very fact it’s simple to install. You may also use a floating cork floor right over a current floor as long as it’s not too badly beat-up and level. There is inter-locking system that snaps the floating cork planks together, which means you don’t even need any glue! The manufacturer will provide simple to follow instructions regarding how to install it yourself.

How to Stop Hardwood flooring From Splitting

Thursday, December 22nd, 2011

The last thing you need to happen as a homeowner would be to have your hardwood floors split. It’s not only quite bothersome and difficult to repair, it is also very costly! With time hardwood floors can break up if not tended to, or if there is water issues. However, important and simple steps and tips could be come to prevent this from happening.

Hardwood floor care is really important for successful owning a home. Flooring is easily the most fundamental facet of a home. It is what covers the foundation and what everything else is made upon. It needs special care and focus on be kept in the best shape. The initial step in this maintenance is keeping the floors clean and free of any debris. All the rooms during my home has hardwood flooring by having an exception from the bathroom and kitchen. One thing I find to be really useful when you are keeping the floors neat and free of dust is my trusty Swiffer Sweeper Vacuum and Mop. These help me keep your floors sparkling and new looking even though they are almost a hundred years old! Swiffer also constitutes a wonderful type of hardwood floor care items that are perfect for treating and looking after the dear wood.

Another important aspect to keeping floors looking nice, would be to keep them free of water damage. Spills which are left unattended can be quite harsh to flooring and lead to splitting of the boards. When my husband and I were looking to buy our first home we looked at several homes with bad hardwood flooring that had not been looked after. Most of the homes had stains from where pet messes were not cleaned up. Not just were they stained they also had splitting and creaky boards. Even something as simple as laying a wet towel on the floor could be damaging if left for too long.

Another important tip would be to keep all crawl spaces clean of debris leaving. Leave build up can lead to harm to hardwood floors as it traps moisture. Many crawl spaces are damp in general due to the dark, moist soil, therefore extra attention is required for homes with crawl spaces.

A final tip is to keep floors shiny and new with oil treatments and polishing. If wood becomes too dry and lackluster it may split and crack. One floors split it can be quite expensive and time-consuming attempting to fix them or replace the flooring.