Blog : flooringsupply | Flooring Supply Shop Blog - Part 28Flooring Supplies

Hardwood Inlays Enhances the Beauty of your Hardwood Floors

Hardwood is a popular flooring option, which provides a stunning and aesthetic look to your home. You can further beautify the look of the hardwood floor with the help of hardwood inlays, which are a work of art. These inlays are an array of stunning design patterns, using different finely-crafted hardwood veneers. Moreover, you can even get the designs customized by the artisans in accordance with the furniture and decor of the room. In addition, it proves to be a cost-effective option as these design patterns can be installed into the pre-existing hardwood floor. Hence, if you get bored of looking at the same hardwood flooring for years, you can choose hardwood inlays for giving it a whole new look.

The availability of a wide range of different types of hardwood floor inlays gives you ample choice to make your pick. These can be inlaid into any room in the house, whether it is the living room, kitchen or utility room. Hardwood inlays can be made from any kind of wood, providing different grain and color options for you.

Popular choices include, ‘Oak’ having a dark tight grain, ‘Fir’ possessing large patches of dark grain and ‘Birch’, which has more knotholes. You can also opt for ‘Pine’, ‘Light colored maple’ having less pronounced grain or ‘Ash’ which has a uniform texture and grain. In case your budget is not an issue, you can choose from specialty woods, such as Teak, Cherry and Walnut, which are expensive but beautiful.

Apart from the types of wood, you can also choose from an encompassing range of breathtaking designs, borders, styles and medallions, available in different sizes and types of wood. Among these the borders are quite popular where the carefully crafted hardwood veneers can be inlayed as borders, all around the room. It can border the fireplace, foyers or any other place like the room’s center piece, to enhance the overall beauty of the room. You can even install the hardwood veneer as borders on the stairs. In addition, there are various other possibilities where you can use a combination of flowing rope style, geometric shapes or other specific images that you like, in different hardwood and stains.

Furthermore, another popular option, increasingly being used in residential and corporate buildings, is the hardwood inlay medallions in a circular design, which is essentially used for foyers, landings and even as the center of living room or any other room. You can choose a geometric or any abstract design that you can imagine which a talented artisan can bring a reality. Moreover, with the advancement in the technology, like computer laser-cutting, has made inlay designs on hardwood floors a convenient flooring option.

Hardwood inlays are undeniably the most attractive and desirable flooring option, whether you are building, renovating or selling a property. Hence, depending upon your renovation plan and the look you want to give to your room, you can choose amongst the grain, color, design and different types of hardwood options available. It is worth all the effort as it completely transforms your room and gives it a whole new stunning look.

Different Siding Options for Your Home

Most homeowners feel that renovating a house means painting the house, updating landscape, or adding new features like windows. However, these are not the only ways to enhance the appearance of the exterior of one’s home. A convenient and not so tiresome option of improving the overall look of your house is to install new sidings. Sidings can dramatically change the appearance of the home’s exterior and there are many different types of sidings available in the market. Depending upon their preference and budget, they can easily choose among the numerous attractive options.

Amongst the various options available, vinyl sidings are probably the most widely used option. Available in a wide range of styles, colors and qualities, these prefinished sidings meet the expectations of many homeowners. The vinyl sidings have improved steadily over the past few years. The vinyl sidings look similar to horizontal wood sidings, but these do not require as much maintenance as latter. Though these can be applied over old sidings, it is much easier to apply these over solid sheathing.

Vinyl sidings are quite sturdy and do not rust or corrode, but as these get older, they tend to become brittle. These are available in a wide range of colors in different clapboard widths, textures, and horizontal & vertical styles. These resist humidity, sun, wind and rain, as well as do not attract termites. The vinyl sidings are also available in a wide range of decorative classic millwork, including shutters, dentil moldings, corner posts, as well as door and window surrounds.

Apart from vinyl sidings, one may even opt for metal sidings that are robust, sturdy, and durable. Mostly available as aluminum and steel sidings, these offer better energy efficiency that translates into lower heating and cooling costs. Another great siding option is the wood siding which is available in different patterns that can be applied horizontally as well as vertically. These sidings are generally applied over solid sheathing and building paper layer. The wood sidings are available in a wide range of lengths, widths, thicknesses, and patterns. One may choose amongst tongue and groove siding, wooden lap board, and split log siding, which are quite popular. Availability of so many different options help in adding uniqueness to the home’s exterior and can last for many years, with proper maintenance. One needs to take proper care of wood sidings to prevent damages caused due to pest infestation or mold growth.

Homeowners also have the option to choose stucco siding that is fabricated using Portland cement, lime, sand, and water. These sidings are long lasting, easy to maintain, and fire resistant. The stucco sidings are applied over a lath base in three coats, which ensure durable, strong, and seamless exterior. One may even install these over mesh, having an expansive acrylic-polymer finish, that contract and expand with the changing weather. This flexibility helps in minimizing cracks, thereby ensuring longevity. Besides these, there are many other siding options that homeowners can choose.

With so many different types of sidings available, it is easy for homeowners to create an attractive exterior of their home, as per their choice and budget.

Pictures provides by CertainTeed Corporation

Paint Your Tile Floor for a New Look

Many homeowners choose tile flooring for their home as these are durable, attractive and available in an assortment of colors. However, over the years, tiles look dull and dated; hence, you need to change them. Instead of tearing them apart, an inexpensive and fast way of changing the look is to paint the tiles.

There are different types of tile paints available in the market, though the most commonly used ones are enamel and latex paints. Latex is a water soluble paint which is comparatively less dangerous than enamel. Enamel paint is soluble in thinner or alcohol which air dries to a hard and glossy finish. Though this paint lasts longer, one needs to be careful while using it because of its fume content.

An important factor to keep into perspective while choosing the paint is the area where the tile is installed. The wear and tear as well as the exposure to moisture the area is subjected to, plays a significant role is assessing whether a certain type of paint is right for a particular room or not. You cannot use latex-based paint in rooms which have high foot traffic because it tends to chip with the slightest impact. The tiles in such areas should be refinished, which not only make it long lasting but also enhances the look.

You also need to choose the right color which complements the decor of the room. The right color contrast can drastically change the look of the place, making it more appealing. You can even use two or more different colors to make beautiful patterns and designs. Only caution while doing this to have a proper layout and work accordingly. This requires certain amount of skill, hence do not do it on your own if you lack the artistic bent of mind. Instead take help of professionals to get beautiful floor designs and add uniqueness to your home.

Painting is not a daunting task and you can easily do it on your own. Before you start painting you need to thoroughly clean the tiles and grout, to remove the dirt and other buildup. You can use bleach or hydrogen peroxide for removing the molds and mildews on the grout. Once done, thoroughly rinse it with water. After cleansing, the next step involves sanding the tiles so that, the paint sticks to it. You can either use fine grit sandpaper or an electric sander. After sanding, remove all the dust.

Next apply primer on the tiles, use the one that is recommended for glossy surface. It is advisable to apply two coats and after it has dried sand it again. After this, clean the whole surface and once done, you can paint the tiles. Painting can be done by brush or spray paint. The spray paint offers better and faster results, in comparison to painting done by brush. Moreover, spray paint tends to dry quickly. Give enough time for the paint to dry before you step on the floor. Once painting and drying is over, your home will have a whole new look.

Does Your Home Have A Sinking Foundation

One of the most structurally significant aspects of your house is the foundation that supports the whole building. In order to maintain its integrity and keep it standing for decades, the foundation needs to be solid, firm and strong. In case the house is not set on a solid foundation, it may give rise to a host of problems. If the foundation is set improperly or over an unstable soil, it may lead to sinking foundation, which needs to be addressed at the earliest. This will not only prevent further damage to the house, but will also save you repair costs, if the situation got worse.

Foremost, you need to ascertain whether or not your house stands on a sinking foundation. In case you observe that your home is gradually slanting to one side, you definitely have some foundation problem that needs to be resolved immediately. Besides this, there are various other symptoms, which can indicate that your home has a sinking foundation. Presence of jammed or misaligned windows and doors indicate that there is a sinking foundation problem. You can even lookout for cracks in the slabs, basements and on walls of your home. Formation of water puddles near the base of your house may also imply that there is some problem with the foundation. Foundation problem is also indicated by the occurrence of upheaval of the floors or if the floors tend to become sloped. Areas that have unstable soil may have increased risk of sinking foundation and homeowners living in such areas must watch out for any such occurrences.

After examination, if you feel that your house does have a sinking foundation, you must address this issue without any delay. Foremost, you need to get your house inspected by a professional. To detect foundation problems, it is generally advised to hire a structural engineer, who will not only examine your house but will also suggest what needs to be done to rectify the problem. Structural engineers only give suggestion, they do not perform the repair work on their own; this is the job of general contractor or a foundation specialist. Since the structural engineers do not have any vested interest or concerns about monetary incentives, they give an accurate and unbiased review of the situation.

Once you are aware of the exact problems, the next step is to hire foundation specialist or general contractor. The sinking foundation repair can incur heavy expenses and be tricky; hence, you will have to make a wise decision about hiring the right professional. You will have to get several quotes as well as look at the overall profile and credentials of the professional, you plan to hire. Before you hire anyone, check references to ensure that the professional has successfully accomplished a similar task, without any hassle.

There are various techniques used for repairing sinking foundation, depending upon the actual problem. Commonly used, the high-pressure grouting improves integrity by injecting grout into the soil. Additionally, this is also effective in lifting up the structure of the house. A permanent and affordable solution for sinking foundation is the introduction of load-bearing piers that lift and stabilize the foundation. In case of presence of fill material or high water table, helical piers are used.

Addressing the sinking foundation is important and adequate steps must be taken to ensure that the foundation is strong enough to firmly hold up the house over the long haul.

Why Should you Choose Brand Name Flooring

living room with hardwood flooring

One of major decisions that every homeowner needs to make is to choose the right flooring material for their home. The wide variety of flooring options, make the decision all the more daunting. However, choosing brand name flooring material, over generic flooring options, proves beneficial for homeowners in several ways. Although, homeowners may have to pay little more for these branded products but it is worth spending the extra money as brand name flooring products are durable and cost effective. Once installed, homeowners can enjoy the benefit of good durable flooring, for years to come.

Branded products are beneficial in every way, as it offers better quality, guarantee and material which is durable. The leading brand names offer customers a wide range of options, including different materials such as marble, hardwood, tiles and laminate flooring. These are available in wide choices of colors, patterns and styles, which make it easier for the buyer to choose from. Moreover, the brand names ensure quality. Whatever branded flooring material you buy, would come with assured quality, which is worth all the investment. In addition, one of the biggest advantages of branded products is that all these flooring options are durable. With proper maintenance and care, the branded flooring options are long lasting which increase the overall value of the house. A company becomes a brand only when it offers quality and durable products, which eventually earns them a broad clientele. Hence, if you choose a brand name, you can be rest assured that the product is of high quality which will be long lasting.

The leading brands in the field constantly carry out research & development, in order to produce new and innovative products. The options available to the customers increase manifold with the introduction of new & useful products. Companies also offer customized solutions to incorporate the specific requirements of their customers. Moreover, with the increasing competition, companies strive to offer better quality products at lower rates, which eventually saves customers significant amount of money.

In addition, branded products last longer, and the flooring does not demand frequent repairs. Good quality branded products makes the flooring strong & durable to withstand greater foot traffic without fading and staining. With the use of branded products the maintenance cost for flooring decreases, which add on to the savings for the customers. An important reason why customers should opt for branded products is because these products come with a warranty. For the sake of their reputation, big brands of the industry ensure to provide quality products that prove beneficial to the customer.

Owing to all this certain companies have become household names and leading brands, whose products can be bought by customers with surety of quality and durability. Hence, in case you are contemplating with the idea of purchasing flooring for your home, consider buying brand name products. Though you may have to pay a little more for these branded products; it will save you time, effort and money as these lasts longer and offer value for your money.

Author: flooringsupply

Hardwood Inlays Enhances the Beauty of your Hardwood Floors

Different Siding Options for Your Home

Paint Your Tile Floor for a New Look

Does Your Home Have A Sinking Foundation

Why Should you Choose Brand Name Flooring

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