Blog : flooringsupply | Flooring Supply Shop Blog - Part 31Flooring Supplies

How to Install Glass Tiles

Among the numerous tiles available, homeowners are increasingly choosing glass tiles that add a unique look to their homes. Glass tiles are available in an assortment of colors, sizes, designs, shapes and styles that can easily blend with the decor of any room. In case you are thinking about installing glass tiles, you can choose amongst the various options, such as clear glass, frosted and bubble glass tile. Any of these glass tile options can easily spruce up any room in your home.

Choosing amongst these unique and beautiful tiling options is a daunting task, but once you have made the selection, it is time for installation. Installing glass tiles is not that difficult for experienced DIY enthusiasts; however, amateur DIY enthusiasts may need to be little careful while performing the task. If you are planning to install glass tiles, foremost, ensure that you have all the necessary tools and equipment needed to complete the task.

For installation, first, you need to prepare the substrate; ensure that the surface on which the tiles need to be installed is smooth, flat and without any cracks. The substrate should also be dry as well as perfectly clean so as to effectively apply the adhesive. Next, you need to apply is the thin-set; generally white, acrylic modified thin-set mortar is recommended by experts. It is usually available in pre-mix form, and is thus easy to use. Make sure not to use mastic adhesives, as these tend to become yellow with passing time.

For applying the thin-set, you can use the notched side of a 3/16″ V-notch trowel, which is easily available in the market. Hold the tool at an angle of 45° to the substrate for applying the adhesive. Make sure that the thin-set is thick enough to provide a strong grip, but not too thick as it may result in uneven surface, along with irregular spots and shrinkage. In case there are any ridges, you can smoother them with the long flat edge of the trowel, while taking precaution not to remove any thin-set.

Once the thin-set is appropriately applied, its time to install the glass tiles. You can cut the tiles into small pieces as these are easy to install. You can either use a mosaic glass cutter with blades shaped like small wheels or use a wet saw. After getting the desired size, ensure that the tile’s mesh side is clean, dry and free of any dust or debris. Be careful to install the tiles with its mesh side facing the contact surface. To ensure a tight, even bonding with the thin-set, use a wooden block held against the tile sheets and tap on it lightly. Make sure to remove any excess adhesive from the edges. Leave the tiles undisturbed during the curing time, as per the manufacturer’s recommendations.

After this, you can grout the joints with the help of rubber grout float, for increased performance and longevity of the glass tiles. It is advised to choose white colored un-sanded grout with a latex additive for fine finish; however, you may also choose other colors for added effect. Last but not the least, add an anti-microbial and mildew inhibitors that will protect the tiles against mold and mildew menace.

Following these simple steps, you can efficiently install the beautiful glass tiles in your home, adding to its aesthetic appeal.

Tips for effective floor buffing

well maintained hardwood flooring

Like other parts of the house, hardwood flooring also requires maintenance. Over the years, with constant wear & tear the floor starts losing its luster. Though, a lot of people resort to changing the flooring when it starts to wear down; this however is not an advisable option.

One of the most effective ways of dealing with worn out flooring is by buffing it. One can easily use buffing for refinishing the floor, so that it looks as good as new.

Instead of replacing the old hardwood flooring with a new one, most homeowners prefer buffing the flooring, which saves them time as well as money. Using harsh chemicals is not advisable as it will actually harm the floor by either staining it or affecting its natural sheen. Buffing on the other hand is safer and can help keep the fresh look of the floor, as if it was new. Moreover, buffing can be easily done on every type of flooring, whether it is marble or hardwood, with the help of a buffing machine. In case of carpet flooring, one can use the brush attachment instead of pads in the buffing machine; which effectively cleans and scrubs the carpet thoroughly.

It is a process, which can easily be accomplished by DIY enthusiasts. Whatever may be the type of floor you wish to buff; it should first be dust mopped and cleaned thoroughly. Next, you need to install the buffing pad and set the speed of the machine at 1-2 ft. per second. Move the machine in a straight line, overlapping each pass by 2-4 inches. You need to buff the floor till the required gloss is achieved. Similarly, repeat the whole process in other areas of the floor as well. Check the pads, and change them in case they have become dirty or worn out. After buffing is complete, dust mop the floor and follow it by wet vacuuming. Make sure to clean all the equipment, before storage.

Although it is easy, there are certain things that one needs to take care of while buffing the hardwood floor. Replace worn out pads as it can cause scratches on the floor. You need to select the appropriate pad and solution for the type of floor to be buffed. It is advisable that you evenly spread the solution over the particular section of the floor, and buff the area two to three times for best results. While buffing the floor, you must ensure to start from the end of the room, moving backwards, so that you do not step on the cleaned floor.

You will need to apply three different solutions, namely stripping, wax and polish solution. Though using a floor buffing machine is not very difficult; it is advisable to exercise caution since the buffing machine is quite big in size.

Flooring is the most essential part of any house and hence, requires utmost care. By just following some of the simple measures mentioned above, you can have a clean, shiny and durable flooring.

Easy solutions for hardwood floor repair problem

Hardwood floor is increasingly becoming one of the most preferred flooring choices amongst homeowners; as it greatly enhances the appearance of the house. Along with adding to the aesthetic appeal of the house, it also increases the value of the property. Hardwood flooring is durable as well as easy to maintain and install. Moreover, this versatile flooring option easily blends with any kind of décor, whether traditional or modern. However, just like other flooring options, hardwood flooring comes with its own set of assets & setbacks. Some of these problems can easily be rectified by homeowners themselves, while others may require professional assistance.

Many hardwood floor surfaces develop cracks or splits after few years which make it unpleasant to look at. This can easily be repaired with the help of angled nails, which secures the two pieces together. In order to hide the blemishes, you can cover it with some wood putty. The DIY enthusiasts can accomplishes this task easily within no time. Another common damage caused to the hardwood floors is the development of gaps between the wooden planks. This is mainly because of the nature of wood, which tends to expand in case it gets wet and shrinks when it dries. Over a period of time, this expansion and contraction causes gaps. Generally, this process is seasonal, where the change in weather and humidity causes the opening and closing of gaps. However, in case the gap is much and does not close on its own, you can take help of a professional who can tighten up the hardwood floor and solve this problem completely.

Moisture can also lead to another problem, sagging or warped hardwood floor, which needs to be addressed immediately. Another problem which may bother several homeowners is the cupped floors, also known as wash-boarding. The edges of the planks rise up across the width of the wooden strip, while there is a depression at the center. This is also caused due to moisture imbalance and the center of the board sinks down if the humidity is more on the bottom of the wooden strip than on top. All these problems require you to solve the humidity problem and balance its level to help the surface return back to normal.

In addition, many homeowners face the problem of buckling, which happens when the hardwood floorboard warps and lifts up from the subfloor beneath. There are several reasons which may cause this; hence it is advisable that one calls a professional for opinion so that the actual cause can be identified and appropriate measures can be taken to fix the problem.

Hardwood flooring may also experience minor problems such as scratching, staining or loose planks. In case of scratching or staining, you can easily find a solution in several touch-up kits that are readily available in the market. In case of major scratching, which can spoil the appearance of the floor; it would require refinishing. In case of loose planks the problem can be rectified by nailing it to the subfloor, which is quite easy.

Hence, these simple measures along with regular sweeping and cleaning helps in easy maintenance of the hardwood flooring.

Square Ebbe Drains in New Bathroom Construction

Ebbe Square shower drains are slowly becoming more commonplace in new bathrooms. There are several advantages that homeowners and contractors alike are beginning to see. Ebbe drains are grate drains that will screw in to most standard drain fittings.

One of the biggest benefits of Ebbe drains is how easy they are to maintain. With the new square drains cleaning out any clogs is as easy as grabbing the drain puller, popping the head off, and cleaning the drain out. No more worrying about removing screws, and best of all no more clogged pipes. Another benefit of the square Ebbe drains is the many finishes they come in. There are more than eight different finishes of all different colors. No more having to worry about matching chrome to any design you come up with.

For a contractor the benefits of a square Ebbe drain are even more important. These drains are marketed specifically to any tile installers. The square drain makes installing tile much easier. Most of the time you won’t have to cut any of the tiles while installing them. Even if the tiles end up needing to be cut you will be working with straight edges. No more dealing with grinding down tiles for those rounded cuts. The square shape also means that the grout will be much easier to apply and that you are much more likely to have a nice looking product in the end.

Ebbe Square floor drains are considered to be a drain head upgrade which means that they will have to be put on as replacements to the round drain head that came with the shower. While an extra step might sound like a negative it really doesn’t add any work at all. You simply have to unscrew the original drain head and pop the new one in. You might as well be changing a light bulb. After your 30 seconds of additional work you will save a large amount of time that would have been spent cutting, especially with more difficult materials like glass.

These drains are a great investment that will last the lifetime of your shower. If at any time the styles change you can simply take out one square drain and replace it with another without a problem. Square Ebbe drains have a lot to offer to both contractors and the homeowners alike. Eventually they will be the standard in all new showers.

This allows you to know you’re in good hands when the time comes to take a shower in a unit that will stand up to performance. This also means an easier time cleaning the shower after you use it and throughout the years. You will be able to have all the right things when the time comes to get everything you need for a healthy, clean shower each and every time you want to take a great shower without having to worry about anything before or after you take one.

You can learn more when you visit www.flooringSupplyShop.com.

Furniture Cleaning with Natural Products

Cleaning your furniture with natural products is not only good for your furniture, but it also great for the family as well. This is because there are no harmful chemicals within the natural remedies. You will be able to get the maximum clean without having to use a large amount of chemicals in order to so. You will be able to remove stains and odors in no time when you use the natural solutions which is great when you want a clean look to your furniture rather than a rundown dingy look. This also helps with the odors that might be on the furniture.

Some of the remedies that are both natural and more than likely successful are vinegar, soapy water, and even a mild laundry detergent. These are all great solutions, and this is great since it removes the dirt and debris, as well as removes all of the stains and odors within the furniture. You can get everything you need from the solution that you put together. If you choose to use laundry detergent then make sure there is no bleach within the mixture. It can cause stains on your furniture that you will not be able to remove. Be creative, and think of new solutions to mix together.

There are so many natural products that you can use on the floors in your home. You just have to find out which ones work best for the type of flooring that you have, and which ones would be beneficial for you to use when the time comes depending on what you’re cleaning off the floors. This is something that should be done no matter what you have going on. The health of your flooring is important and should be upheld throughout the years to save you money without having to purchase new flooring each year.

You can use a number of solutions that are natural and will not ruin the floors. This includes lemon juice, baking soda or powder, vinegar, water, and of course mild soaps but they are not as natural as all of the rest of the choices. Depending on the stains and smells that need to be lifted, some might be better than others. This is something that is beneficial when the time comes to clean your floors without ruining the carpets or linoleum. You can choose to go with a number of options, the one you choose all depends on what you want when it comes to cleaning your carpets.

There are many reasons why you might need to call for help, and whether which one comes about it might be time to call a professional who can help with everything you need. Try not to go too far to ruin your furniture or floors. When it doubt, call someone who is familiar and knows what to do in these certain situations. For more information, you can visit www.flooringSupplyShop.com. They will provide you with all the floor, carpet, tile, and wood natural floor solutions to get your floors looking at their best without all the harmful chemicals.

Author: flooringsupply

How to Install Glass Tiles

Tips for effective floor buffing

Easy solutions for hardwood floor repair problem

Square Ebbe Drains in New Bathroom Construction

Furniture Cleaning with Natural Products

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