Blog : Hard Surface Flooring | Flooring Supply Shop Blog - Part 13Flooring Supplies

Finding the right flooring option for different rooms

Flooring is probably the most important part of a home since it can significantly affect the aesthetics of the house. Furthermore, flooring serves a number of practical uses as well; therefore it is important to carefully select the flooring for a room for maximum effectiveness. Different flooring types have their own pros and cons, and you should weigh these pros and cons according to your requirements before making the final decision.

Some of the different types of flooring options include laminate, hardwood, ceramic, stone and carpet. These flooring types generally differ on points such as their aesthetics, durability, ease of installation and cost. There is no fixed rule on which type of flooring should be installed in a particular room. Generally, a few specific features of a flooring type make it ideal for a particular room in the house.

A bathroom is a high moisture area that requires durable and water resistant flooring. It is for this reason that ceramic and stone are considered as ideal flooring options for the bathroom. Ceramic and stone are not only durable and water resistant, but are available in a wide range of colors and designs as well. Linoleum is another option that can offer similar durability and aesthetics as stone or ceramic, at a lower cost.

The kitchen area in the house is also affected by moisture, therefore ceramic or stone flooring can be installed in the kitchen as well. In case you are contemplating on installing hardwood flooring in the kitchen you should select a highly durable wood. Laminate flooring would be the ideal choice for you, if you want the look of a hardwood floor, with added durability. However, irrespective of the flooring option selected by you it is essential to ensure proper insulation for maximum durability.

Since your bedroom is your personal space, you should select a flooring option that would feel good under your feet. Plush carpet flooring would be ideal to make your bedroom more comfortable and cozy. In case you do not want to install ‘wall-to-wall’ carpeting, a carpet tile would be an ideal option. Carpet tiles will offer the same comfort as a wall-to-wall carpet, and offer ease of installation as well.

Basement is one area of the house that causes the most worry amongst homeowners regarding the flooring to install. One of the reasons for this stress is that since this area is not used on a daily basis, people refrain from spending a lot on its flooring. However, one of the cheapest and the most effective options for the basement is concrete. Not only is concrete staining easy to install, but is highly durable and moisture resistant as well.

Although there is a plethora of flooring options available in the market, specific features of some make them ideal for a particular room in the house. You should carefully consider these features, as well as your budget and requirements to ensure that you select the right flooring option for different rooms.

Bamboo as an effective flooring option

Bamboo flooring is fast gaining popularity as a flooring option due to the various advantages offered by it over other flooring material. Although bamboo flooring is a variety of grass and not wood it still displays characteristics similar to hardwood. Some of the factors that account for the popularity of bamboo flooring are its strength, moisture resistance, durability and environment friendly nature.

Floors made out of bamboo are generally considered to be stronger than hardwood due to their high fiber rating. Properly cured bamboo floors have very high tensile strength and offer high durability. Along with high durability and high tensile strength bamboo also offers high moisture resistance thereby enabling you to maintain your flooring without any maintenance worries.

Bamboo flooring can generally be installed more easily as compared to other flooring options. One of the easiest ways of installing bamboo flooring is by using the floating floor method. This method involves fitting the bamboo planks together like a puzzle without the use of any adhesives. This not only ensures that the flooring is installed quickly, but conveniently as well. Thus, homeowners can finish their bamboo flooring job themselves without the help of a professional contractor.

Bamboo flooring is also ahead of a number of other flooring options, on count of its style and finish. From light colors to different grain sizes, bamboo flooring can match almost any interior décor. Although bamboo is generally found in light colors, dark bamboo flooring can also be found easily. Furthermore, bamboo flooring is found in high gloss finish, matte finish as well as semi gloss finish. Such a wide range of options to choose from ensures that different rooms can be decorated with different types of bamboo flooring.

Another benefit of bamboo flooring is that it is a green flooring material. As compared to hardwood, which takes 15-20 years to mature, bamboo matures in less than 3 years. This makes bamboo a readily sustainable flooring material. Furthermore, the entire bamboo plantation does not need to be uprooted to create flooring material. Only part of the entire structure is taken, thereby making it environment friendly.

Even though bamboo flooring is hard and durable it is more comfortable to walk on as compared to hardwood. This feature makes bamboo flooring ideal for areas such as the kitchen where you are required to stand for a long duration of time.

Along with other numerous benefits, bamboo also acts as a highly adaptable and flexible flooring material. Bamboo can be laid over a wide variety of sub floors, thereby removing the hassles of preparing the sub floor prior to the installation.

Although bamboo offers a number of benefits most homeowners refrain from using this option due to its high cost. However, bamboo flooring is available in a wide range and in different price range, thereby making it easier for you to choose from. Furthermore, the option of self installation makes this flooring option much affordable and cost effective as compared to other options that require the services of a professional contractor.

Creating custom bathroom designs using standard tiles

Tiles are one of the most widely used home décor materials. Tiles are renowned for their high durability, and the aesthetic appeal provided by them to a room. It is due to these reasons that tiles are ideal for different areas of the house, such as the kitchen and the bathroom. Tiles can ideally be used as tabletops, flooring or a simple wall design. Although tiles can be used on different area, they are generally used to enhance the décor and the effectiveness of the bathroom.

You can easily find tiles made up of different materials; however, ceramic and porcelain are ideal for bathrooms. This is so, since ceramic and porcelain generally do not absorb water, thereby minimizing the chances of dirt settlement and mold. Furthermore, these tiles are easy to maintain and do not require regular cleaning.

Apart from the durability and maintenance aspect, the other major reason for the popularity of tiles is the wide range of colors and designs available. While selecting tiles for your bathroom you should decide on the size of the tiles, as well as the décor that you want. However, if you want a solid colored bathroom then size would not play such a major role.

In case you plan to tile a small bathroom area then it is important to select light colored tiles. Light colors will reflect the available light in the bathroom, thereby making it look larger than it actually is. Furthermore, light colors will also give your bathroom an airy look, thereby making it a lot more comfortable. Along with the colors you should keep in mind that the designs on the tiles should not be too large. Tiles with extensive designs generally do not suit small bathroom areas.

In case you are looking for appealing shades in your bathroom then a mosaic tile design would be an ideal option. For example, you can use a mix of blue and white tiles, with blue tiles forming the lower portion of the walls and the white ones covering the rest. There are various complex mosaic designs available in the market for you to select from, as per your preference.

As far as the floor of the bathroom is considered you can either use the same designs as that on the walls, or you can opt for a completely new pattern. Generally, different designs on the wall and the floor help in balancing the colors of fixtures, in case they are different in color. If you are planning to install radiant heating system beneath the flooring you can go in for warm colored tiles. This will create a comfortable environment inside the bathroom, especially during the winters.

Tiles can be selected on the basis of their color, size, designs as well as material that they are made up of. In order to custom design your bathroom you can either use your imagination, or can take the help of a professional decorator. Whichever option you opt for, you can be sure that tiles are going to last for a long duration and will enhance the visuals of your bathroom.

Installing an environment friendly stone flooring

Stone flooring is not a new concept and has been extensively used in buildings and structures around the globe. Stone flooring is renowned for its rich visual appeal as well as high durability and sustainability. Along with these benefits, stone flooring is also moisture resistant and does not release harmful by-products. It is the combination of these benefits and the green preposition offered by stone flooring that it is widely being used in households.

Stone flooring is a naturally green option that can significantly change the atmosphere inside your house. However, a number of households refrain from installing stone flooring due to the relatively high cost of stone as compared to other options. Even with its high cost stone flooring can easily become a part of your green home remodeling plan.

As far as the high cost of stone flooring is concerned it is the main factor that deters households from option for this option. However, experts are of the opinion that the cost of installing stone flooring is not more than that of installing tiles. Furthermore, benefits such as low maintenance, high durability and a healthier home cover for the comparatively high price of stone flooring.

Another benefit of stone flooring is its high thermal mass, which makes it ideal for a green heating and cooling scheme. During winter days stone absorbs the solar heat to ensure that the floor remains warm for a long period of time. Similarly, during summers, stone flooring does not get excessively warm and uncomfortable. Along with these benefits, the high thermal mass of stone flooring makes it ideal to be used along with a radiant floor heating system. A radiant floor heating system beneath a stone floor will be more effective and will consume less electricity.

You can make your stone flooring even more Eco-friendly by installing it in a proper manner. Using recycled stone flooring can be beneficial since it would be available at a lower price and would offer similar aesthetics as a new one. It is also advisable to purchase stone from a local quarry to minimize the labor and fuel costs associated with transportation.

While installing the stone flooring you can take several steps to ensure a completely green installation. Using a low toxic sealer and applying seal grout in high moisture areas are some of the ways to get maximum benefit from your stone flooring. Traditional sealers give off, toxic Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) and contribute to a number of health issues. Using a green sealant will eliminate all such issues. Similarly, grout can be a potential breeding ground for mold and mildew. Applying sealer can ensure that your stone flooring remains free from such problems for a long duration of time.

It is evident that stone flooring has a number of distinct advantages, and is a green option as well. The green benefits of stone flooring can further be extended if proper care is taken during the installation process. These benefits will ensure that you get maximum value for your investment in stone flooring.

Proper insulation under your wooden flooring

Wooden flooring can greatly enhance the visual appeal of a house, and can add a lot of value to the house as compared to other flooring materials. Not only is wooden flooring more affordable as compared to marble and stone flooring, but is highly durable and long lasting as well. Further, flooring that has been made from wood grown in sustainable forests is environment friendly as well.

Apart from the above mentioned benefits another benefit of wooden flooring is that it is a good insulator, and prevents heat from escaping. However, irrespective of the fact that wooden flooring is a good insulator of heat, it would still get quite cold and uncomfortable to walk on during the winters. It is for this reason that it is a good idea to install proper insulation beneath the wooden flooring to ensure that heat does not escape. Further, proper insulation beneath the wooden floor will also prevent the infiltration of moisture.

It is quite simple to insulate a wooden floor if the building is still in the construction phase; however, a number of homeowners consider insulation only after they have a bad experience during a harsh winter. In such a scenario insulation will have to be placed through the available crawlspace beneath the floor.

The most commonly used material for insulating a wooden floor is unfaced batts. These batts are traditionally made using fiberglass, and ensure effective insulation of the floor. It is quite easy to cut these unfaced batts according to the size of the floor and to place them underneath. Not only do these unfaced batts provide effective insulation, but also provide moisture resistance and acoustic insulation.

In case you are searching for something more effective you can go in for a radiant floor heating system. A radiant floor heating system uses radiant heat to warm the floor, thereby ensuring complete comfort even during harsh winters. Apart from the obvious benefit of heating up the floor, radiant floor heating systems also enable significant savings in the energy consumption. This is possible due to the radiant heat emitted by this system, which not only raises the floor temperature, but also the temperature of the entire room. This effective heating will enable you to turn down the main thermostat by a few degrees, thereby resulting in significant savings in energy consumption.

In case you are a DIY enthusiast you can install the unfaced batts beneath the wooden flooring yourself; however, it is always a good idea to hire a professional contractor to complete the insulation job. Further, in case you decide to install an electric floor heating system you would have to take the help of a professional.

Thus, it is evident that although, wooden flooring is aesthetically appealing it is important to have proper insulation for maximum effectiveness. A properly insulated wooden floor will enhance its utility especially during harsh winter seasons. Further, proper insulation will also save you on your enormous electricity bills, thereby offering high utility and benefits.

Category: Hard Surface Flooring

Finding the right flooring option for different rooms

Bamboo as an effective flooring option

Creating custom bathroom designs using standard tiles

Installing an environment friendly stone flooring

Proper insulation under your wooden flooring

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