Blog : Hard Surface Flooring | Flooring Supply Shop Blog - Part 6Flooring Supplies

How to Properly Budget and plan your Home Improvement Projects

Now that 2014 has started, many Los Angeles homeowners are getting their budgets together and making plans for the New Year. For many people the improved economy means that they can finally tackle some of the big home improvement projects they might have had to put off previously.

One of the biggest home improvements you can make which can reap surprisingly dramatic results is replacing your flooring. Try to imagine that old carpeting in the dining room replaced with beautiful, hardwood floors. The whole room could be completely transformed, and the value of your home will no doubt increase. It also helps that new technology and innovations have increased flooring options by the tenfold in the last few years. Just looking at Flooring Supply Shop’s options can show you just how many new options you have.

Another thing you may noticed while shopping around is the number of environmentally friendly options you have. It’s not news that there is a rapidly increasing focus on bringing sustainable materials into every facet of consumer lives, and flooring is no exception to the trend. Unlike a few years ago, there are a huge number of options today.

One option you have if you’re looking to replace some marble in your home, is to actually not replace it at all! If you haven’t heard about our Restoration Training and Cheetah Pads, just let the results speak for themselves. What could be more environmentally friendly than buffing your way to a completely new floor?

However, if you’re searching for a new look in your home that is also Eco-friendly, one of the biggest trends right now is concrete. Yes, you heard that correctly, concrete. This concrete isn’t the boring sidewalk slabs you’re imagining, since the innovations that have been made with concrete are astounding. It can be molded to fit any area, can be dyed or stained to any color, polished until it gives you a high shine look, and – barring any catastrophic events – would never need to be replaced.

While concrete is great, one of the newest, coolest, and most environmentally friendly options on the market right now is glass tiles. Eco-friendly glass tiles are made of recycled glass products (like beer bottles) which are then converted into beautiful tiles. It’s really incredible how a bunch of old wine bottles can be transformed into some truly unique flooring. On top of being an environmentally friendly flooring option, many people are using it on the walls of their home or as back-splashes in their kitchen thanks to its light reflecting properties. As an added bonus the tiles are easy to maintain and you won’t have to worry about staining as you would with many traditional types of tiles.

It seems counter intuitive to assume that hardwood floors are eco-friendly, right? Chopping down trees can’t be good for the environment. However, thanks to new advancements you can get hardwood floors without so much as knocking a leaf off of a tree due to engineered hardwood floors. In the past engineered hardwood got a bad rap thanks to it’s less than conventional look, but like every other flooring material out there a few years of time and testing has resulted in a more aesthetic appearance. In addition to being environmentally friendly, it’s usually significantly cheaper than traditional hardwood, sometimes as much as $3 a plank cheaper. They’re also much easier to install than their traditional counterparts.

When making plans for major home renovations it’s easy to get lost in the details and forget about the environmental impact your choices may have. However, it is our responsibility to do our best to use sustainable, eco-friendly products as often as we can, and that includes our flooring. Thanks to the incredible advancements in technology, Eco-friendly floor options are cost effective and very aesthetically pleasing, sometimes more so than non-green options. Just take a look around at some of Flooring Supply Shop’s environmentally friendly options and you can see just how far we’ve come in terms of green flooring options.

About the Author: Spencer Blohm is a freelance design, lifestyle, and entertainment blogger for Direct-ticket.net. His interests range from interior design to old Hollywood films and can often be found scavenging in vintage and antique stores for his next big find. He lives and works in Chicago.

Restoration of 100 year old Marble with Eco Friendly Pads

Restoration of 100 year old Marble

Before and After pictures of an almost 100 year old marble

This work was done by guys with no stone experience. We just walked them through the process.

If he can do it you can too

Deep scratches, gouges, burns, stains and etching everywhere. No two tiles were level with each other and to make it MUCH more complicated, there’s black granite inlayed at every intersection. It was beat up really bad.

AFTER Cheetah Pads steps 1-4 and a quick buff with 11,000 grit polishing pad. Absolutely crystal clear reflection.
The best the factory can do on this bad condition marble is 80-85 on the gloss meter. If we hit 90 we would’ve done a fantastic job, we hit 104.7. That kind of gloss and clarity isn’t even possible with any other system due to the huge differences in mineral composition in the marble and black granite. No problem for Cheetah Pads though.

Picture 1 – before

Picture 2 – After

Picture – After

Picture 4 – After

Not bad for a 100 year old floor huh?

Restoration Training class is available come and learns how to turn those “Before” to “After”

FOR MORE INFO CALL
877 880 8453 or 323 731 8453

Buy Now

Dealing With Cracked Grouts

Dealing with cracked grouts is a common problem being faced by almost every homeowner these days. Cracked grout is a common issue associated with all kind of tiles, which gives a very bad look to the floor and walls.

Reasons for Grout Cracking

There are many reasons for grout to crack and most of these are because of poor installation methods. One of the reasons of this can be excessive use of water or polymer additive in the grout mixture. Another reason can be excessive evaporation of water content in the grout mixture which leaves behind pinholes that lead to grout cracking.

Grout cracking can also occur if thinset is not used sufficiently during the installation of tiles. This is because, if the layer is not thick enough, it will pull away from the tile, leaving behind gaps of air under the tile, which subsequently leads to the breakage of tiles.

Repairing Cracked Grouts

Problem of grout cracking is an issue that can occur even in properly installed walls and tile floors. You can take up several measures to repair the cracked grouts, one of which is using grout caulk. Caulk is a substance that matches the color of the grout exactly and is available in the form of tube. One can squeeze the tube and apply it to the cracks to fill the gap. This method usually works on the cracks which are small in size, however, it is one of the easiest ways to get rid of the cracks.

Another option that one can opt for is to find the matching grout for the floor. It will be an easier option if one has some grout left over from the original installation. But, if this is not possible, then one should look for the same brand and color as the original installation.

Next step is to mix the grout and apply it on the cracked area. For this, water and grout are mixed together in a bucket in proper proportion. An important thing to be kept in mind while preparing the mixture is that right quantity of water should be used in order to obtain the perfect consistency. After applying this to the crack, wipe off the excess grout present outside the grout line and leave it for drying.

In case, the grout doesn’t stick to the surface, then one should take a saw and remove the grout present between the tiles. While doing this, one should keep in mind that pressure should not be applied to the tile, else it will break. When the grout is removed, the mixture is applied to the cracked area using a sponge, which provides a uniform and clean look.

Replacing the cracked grout can be another way of curing the cracks. It is the best way to overcome the problem of cracked grouts. Though it is an expensive procedure as compared to repairing the cracked grouts, but it ensures that the tiles will continue to serve well for a longer period of time. As a matter of fact, replacing grout will save you from the problem of re-tiling the floor and walls again.

Wrapping Up.

Depending upon your requirements, you can choose to either repair the cracked grouts or replace them to solve your problem. This would definitely add beauty to the interiors and would provide a clean look.

Flooring Options for which you dont need an expert

A common practice seen nowadays is that most of the homeowners have started doing repair, renovation and up-gradation of their homes on their own. Homeowners are less dependent on the experts for these jobs as the market is flooded with products that are easy to use, irrespective of the skill set they possess. A common task which has gained immense popularity among DIY enthusiasts is floor installation. Proper floor installation is vital to enhance the aesthetics and render a completely new look to the abode.

There are several flooring options available in the market, amongst which there are few that are easier for homeowners to install. The flooring options that most of the homeowners opt for while doing installation on their own are laminate, engineered wood, cork and vinyl.

Laminate flooring is generally chosen by DIYers as it is quite simple to install. Most importantly, it does not require removal of the old flooring, which is quite time-consuming. Laminate flooring is popularly known as floating floor as it floats above the floor and is not permanently attached to it. These are available in a wide range of choices that suit the budget and preference of almost every homeowner. Besides, laminate flooring can be engineered to resemble wood or stone flooring that are quite time-consuming to install as well as expensive in comparison to the floating flooring.

Another flooring option that homeowners often choose for their homes while doing the installation themselves is the engineered wood flooring. These come as tongue and groove installation system that is extremely easy to install and does not demand any expert guidance. Homeowners have to install this flooring over an underlayment that is mostly rubber-foam. This type of hardwood flooring is considered durable and comprises three layers. The wooden cross-band is sandwiched between the veneer bottom layer and pre-finished hardwood exterior layer.

Cork flooring has also gained immense importance as a preferred DIY flooring option as it is not only easy to install but offers various advantages as well. It is soft, long-lasting and natural insulator, along with being resistant to irritants like mold and mildew. Besides, homeowners can render a unique look to their flooring with the help of numerous stains and finishes. Many homeowners think twice before using this flooring option as it is one of the most expensive flooring options. However, it is one of the flooring options that actually add value to the house and is thus considered as a profitable investment.

With the coming of vinyl flooring in the floating floor format, vinyl sheet flooring has become one of the preferred choices of DIYers. Homeowners just have to lay the dimensionally correct sheets and install shoe molding at the meeting point of the wall and sheets. This is so simple that every homeowner can install vinyl flooring over the old flooring without any hassle.

Thus, homeowners who wish to change the look of their house, but do not want to spend money on seeking professional help can do this easily by installing floor on their own.

Slate A Great Flooring Option

Flooring is an integral part of the house, which can significantly affect its appearance. Hence, it is vital to select the right flooring option for your home, which can make it look more attractive and appealing. Among the various flooring options available, more and more people are opting for slate, for residential as well as commercial buildings. Owing to its versatility and aesthetic appeal, it is increasingly being used in interiors as well as exteriors. Not only is it a feasible flooring option, but is also a great option for the walls, ceilings and roofs.

Slate adds elegance and sophistication to an interior, which other flooring options cannot. This sturdy natural-stone flooring option is formed when minute particles of silt and clay bind under high pressure and temperature. Owing to this process, slate gets its monolithic and ultra-fine texture. It is generally gray in color, but can also have shades of blue or green on it. However, it is also available in other colors like purple, brown and white pink, among others. You can make use of slate’s different shades of color for creating unique designs for your flooring. Along with its diversity in colors, slate tiles are also found in varied shapes, thicknesses and finishes. You can combine these variable attributes to your advantage and come up with different flooring ideas for house.

In comparison to various other flooring options, slate is a more durable and long lasting material. Once installed, it can last for many years and you may not have to replace it with any other flooring; thus, proving cost advantage. Additionally, it also has low maintenance requirements, unlike some other flooring options such as hardwood flooring. Slate is also resistant to dirt, and requires regular mopping with mild detergent cleaning.

The fine molecular structure of slate renders several advantages over other flooring options. Along with being tough, it is also resistant to moisture, which guarantees firm footing and avoids slipping or gliding. Owing to this, slate is a great flooring option for high traffic areas, or areas that are exposed to water, like hallways, porches, kitchen and bathrooms. In addition, this anti-stain flooring option is also bacteria and allergen resistant, thereby reducing the risk of diseases. To top it all, slate is quite affordable as compared to most of the other available flooring options, like marble and granite.

Due to the various advantages offered by it, slate proves to be a great flooring option that can enhance the appearance of any décor. However, an important thing which one should always keep in consideration is that the installation must be done in the right manner. If the installation is not done properly, flooring may be susceptible to breakage.

Since slate is a heavy natural stone, it needs to be installed correctly on a strong, solid subfloor instead of a flexible subfloor. Once properly installed, it will last for several years, without much maintenance requirements. Hence, if you are planning to install new flooring, you should opt for slate, which has become a preferred flooring choice of many people.

To seal use Slate Sealer by Glaze n Seal that offers unsurpassed low gloss protection for slate, quarry, tile, and other dense tile. This easy to apply, fast drying, non-yellowing acrylic provides a barrier against oil, water, based stains, acids, and efflorescence indoors and outdoors. With excellent UV and abrasion resistance.

Category: Hard Surface Flooring

How to Properly Budget and plan your Home Improvement Projects

How to Properly Budget and plan your Home Improvement Projects

Restoration of 100 year old Marble with Eco Friendly Pads

Restoration of 100 year old Marble

Picture 1 – before

Picture 2 – After

Picture – After

Picture 4 – After

Dealing With Cracked Grouts

Reasons for Grout Cracking

Repairing Cracked Grouts

Wrapping Up.

Flooring Options for which you dont need an expert

Slate A Great Flooring Option

About Us

Contact Us

Quick Links

Newsletter Subscription