Blog : Flooring Supply Shop Blog | Flooring and Floor Heating Supply - Part 41Flooring Supplies

The basics of caulking

Caulking refers to the process of sealing the joints and seams where movement is expected by using a high quality sealant. Although it looks like an insignificant job, caulking holds a lot of significance as far as the durability of the tiles and the sub floor is concerned. Generally, a tiling job involves grouting the tiled surface area to holds it together and to make it watertight. Further, grouting is also done to enhance the aesthetics of the tiled area. However, a homeowner has to decide on whether caulking is the better option or grouting as far as the expansion joints are concerned.

One of the most commonly used caulking material is Silicone based, and has a clear texture with a flexible and rubbery finish. This caulking substance is available in a wide variety of colors to suit the particular color theme of a room. However, in case you are planning to use the caulk in high moisture areas such as the kitchen and the bathroom you should select a caulking substance specially created for such areas. This will ensure that the caulking substance is able to withstand mold growth as well as mildew growth.

Caulk is ideally used in areas where there is a joint between two surfaces, for example between the wall and the floor. Further, caulk could also be used where two walls meet, around sinks, faucets as well as around bath tubs. It is due to the high flexibility provided by caulk that it can withstand any structural movement without cracking.

Although caulking is an integral aspect of a home renovation job, it is important to apply it properly for maximum effectiveness. Most DIY enthusiasts usually fail to either estimate the correct size of the caulking area or to set a smooth layer. This is the reason why their caulking job does not lead to a watertight joint. In order to ensure maximum effectiveness out of your caulking job you should use a high quality caulking gun to set the material along the joint.

The trick to ensuring a proper caulking job is to cut the caulking tube at the right place and at the right angle. After applying a layer of caulk you should smoothen it either by using a damp cloth or your fingertip. This step is important since any opening in the caulked area will compromise its integrity. One trick to ensure that you do not leave any gap while caulking on a wooden area is to apply a layer of paint first. The paint will clearly highlight any gaps and nail heads in the wooden surface, thereby enabling you to caulk in effectively.

Thus, we can see that caulking is important, especially for expansion joints and for areas where two surfaces meet. Not only does an effective caulking job ensures waterproofing of the joint, but provides high stability and enhanced aesthetic appeal. However, you should either take the help of an expert of should use a high quality caulking gun to ensure an effective and precisely finished caulking job.

Maximizing your bathroom space

Bathroom is an integral part of every house and generally these are designed keeping functionality in mind, thereby most of the bathrooms are cramped and small. Sometimes, it is so cramped that there is not even enough space to move around. Most of the bathrooms are stuffed with tub, shower, sink, shelves and other necessary things in a small area. As a result, the place looks cluttered, probably the most disorganized room in the entire house.

In case, your bathroom is also small and cramped which you wish to renovate into a beautiful and functional bathroom, then there are several steps which can take, without having to incur heavy expenses. Foremost, for the walls of the room, choose light colors where stripes can do the trick as it help elongates the walls’ appearance and the space seem bigger. Moreover, you must choose an even lighter shade for the ceilings, as compared to the walls, as it will make surface recede from view and enlarge small space. You can use light colored tiles, paints or wallpapers with small prints as large, bold prints can make the place look cluttered. The most important factor is to keep it simple or otherwise it will impede all the efforts to maximize your bathroom space.

Another simple way to address the lack of space in your bathroom is maximize the storage around sink where you can add vanity or shelves under the sink for cosmetics, toiletries and other belongings. In case you already have a vanity, then you can increase its storage capacity through simple modifications. Add shelves or half shelves, wire racks on the inside of cabinet doors, built-in nooks and include pullout elements, similar to the kitchen cabinetry, such as towel rods, shelves and wastebasket.

Apart from vanity, another simple option is to use shelves for placing pretty much everything you need. You can either mount it on the wall or recess it into the walls, without taking up the limited floor area. Amongst the different shelf options available in the market today, corner shelves are your best bet, which can easily hold all the indispensable items. In case there is scope for some space, you can even opt for free-standing shelves as these can be easily moved around for your convenience.

In addition, you can even use a lot of mirror in your bathroom as it easily creates an illusion of space. To further camouflage the lack of space in the small bathroom, you can use two mirrors placed opposite to each other as it creates an illusion of a never-ending room. Further, instead of shower curtains which clutter the view, you can use clear glass shower doors as it does not obstruct the space or its view. Moreover, keep the doors, trims and accessories in soft colors, such as pastels which reflect light or better yet, of the same color as that of walls so as to make the space appear wider.

Hence, these simple steps can help you maximize your bathroom space, without having to compromise on utility or aesthetic value.

Wooden Flooring Nature trail

Remember the joy of climbing those verdant oak trees in your childhood? Well, now you can bring in the same innocence in your life and relive those wonderful moments with the help of wooden flooring! It will bring all the blessings of nature right inside your home and also add tones of elegance to your interiors. Wooden floors come as a welcome break from the traditional flooring materials available in the market and lend a discernible allure to the interiors.

Wood is one of the most precious gifts from nature and has a unique appearance owing to the presence of natural grains and colors. It is perfect as a flooring material due to its sturdy nature and poetic appearance. However, it is a care intensive product and requires a proper maintenance both before and after installation. Proper care will protract the longevity of wooden floors and ensure that it keeps on shining for a longer duration giving you a shining floor that looks as if it was installed yesterday.

One of the most popular variants of wooden flooring is the engineered wood which can be customized as per your requirements. To get the most out of a wooden floor it is important to pay attention to the installation of these floors. An inspection of the floor is the first step in installation which will ensure that the entire installation process can be carried out smoothly. If there are any problems with the acceptability of the material then you should look for proper substitution. In case there are any doubts do not hesitate to take the advice of a professional installer.

It is also equally important to ensure the condition of the sub floor before installing the hardwood floor. The sub floor should be able to meet all the requirements which a typical flooring site demands. The use of filler and putty stick is the normal procedure while installing wooden floors and hence should be accepted. Care should also be taken to ensure that an extra waste factor should be added to the square footage amount depending on the layout.

Installation of hardwood flooring will vary according to the environment and surface and hence should be carried out in the proper way. For instance, in a new construction the hardwood floor should always be the last item to be installed. Similarly while installing hardwood floor over radiant heated floors take care that the hardwood material is Oak, Hickory or Walnut etc to ensure complete safety of the heated floors.

Following the proper installation guidelines will ensure that your hardwood floor is ready to handle all the challenges of the modern house. Proper care and maintenance of the floor will ensure that it has a long life. Caring for wooden floors is no rocket science and all you have to do is follow the basics. Keeping the floors free from spills as much a possible will maintain its natural glow. You can use a damp cloth to clean the spills as soon as they happen. Even if the stains are tough like paint, ink etc make sure to use only a soft material like a nail polish removal which won’t leave behind any residues. Clean the floor periodically with certified cleaners will also protract the life of the interior wooden floors.

A few external factors like relative humidity etc also determine the performance of ma wooden floor and ensuring proper conditions will ensure that your floor have a longer life. A relative humidity level between 45 and 65% throughout the year will minimize the natural contraction and expansion of the wood and take proper care of the floor. A shining wooden floor will blend in perfectly with your furniture and create a simply outstanding effect!

Options for warm flooring

You might have installed effective heating systems in your house to tackle the winter chills, but the problem of cold floor will still remain. Stepping on the cold floor can be quite uncomfortable, irrespective of the heated air in the house. It is for this reason that you should look at ways of ensuring that your floor remains warm and comfortable during the winter seasons.

One of the most popular ways of ensuring a warm floor is using a radiant floor heating system. Other ways include insulating the basement ceiling and using rugs on the floor. Your choice of a floor heating option will depend on various factors such as your budget, the size of your rooms and the construction of your house. Apart from keeping your feet warm, a heated floor will also save on your energy costs by minimizing the use of your main heating system.

One of the main reasons for a cold floor is the chill air in the basement. It is for this reason that you should look at insulating your basement ceiling to ensure that the floor above remains warm. However, insulating the basement ceiling will make that area even cooler; therefore, you should insulate the basement ceiling only if you do not spend much time there. In case you spend a considerable amount of time in the basemen then you should look at insulating the basement walls instead. This will warm the floor above along with keeping the basement warm as well.

If you do not wish to insulate your basement then covering your floor with rugs would be effective. This is a cost effective solution that is ideal for small sized floors. In case you wish to warm your entire house, or a large floor area of the house then you should consider a radiant floor heating system.

A typical radiant floor heating system consists of electric resistance elements that are installed beneath the flooring of a room. These radiant floor heating systems use radiated heat to warm the floors, thereby resulting in maximum effectiveness. Furthermore, one of the biggest advantages of a radiant floor heating system is that it not only warms the floor, but also warms the entire room. This results in an increase in the temperature of the house, thereby allowing you to turn down your main thermostat by a few degrees. The heat emitted by these systems does not dry your skin, as the heat of a blow air heating system does. It is due to such advantages that installing a radiant floor heating system has become the preferred choice of numerous homeowners.

There are numerous ways by which you could ensure warm floors even during the cold winter seasons. Out of all the methods, installing a radiant floor heating system is probably the most effective one. These systems are generally quite easy to install, and consume minimal electricity. One of the biggest advantages of these floor heating systems is that they can be installed beneath different types of flooring, be it stone, ceramic or hardwood.

Choosing the right home improvement contractor

Home improvement is a task that involves many technicalities. You need to analyze, decide and cross check a number of factors. So, it is very important that the person who is entrusted with these responsibilities must be capable enough to handle them. You should always keep few things in mind before you decide to choose your home improvement contractor. Let’s have a look at them in detail.

Idea Organization: This is something very important. Home improvement is a vast area of knowledge. As a house owner you should keep a track on the areas at which your home needs a makeover. Make a crystal clear vision on your ideas. This will help you zero in on the most relevant areas of improvement. Once you have an idea of the requirement, it becomes a touch easier in choosing the contractor.

Meet Contractors: Exercising the options is very important. Once you have a brief overview of the task, you can always meet a few contractors. Meeting and sharing your thoughts and getting their reviews helps in judging the experience level of the contractor. It also helps you get an idea on the current market trends and pricing of a particular project. You can always take the corporate brochures and handouts of the contractor to study the credentials of the contractor.

Decide on the Budget: Once you have met a few contractors, you get a brief idea of the market bids and pricing of home improvement projects. So, you can decide on your budget. You must review each quote and bid given by the contractor very thoroughly. Try and analyze the strengths and weak links of each quote with the price and your budget. You should make sure that the proposed quote justifies the services offered by the contractor.

Take References: Experience, exposure and performance plays a vital role in home improvement projects. When you make up your mind on a particular contractor take some client references from him. This will help you get an idea of his previous projects and client satisfactory levels of the contractor.

Execute a written contract: Most often, the Contractor will provide their own Contract for you to sign. Be sure to read it carefully and do not hesitate to ask any questions for language that may need explanation or clarification. Ask the Contractor how the payment schedule will be put together. Never give a Contractor more than 50% of the contract amount up front. If the Contractor has to purchase a large amount of materials prior to starting work, a payment or draw for the materials is understandable. You should always check out for certain things that must be mentioned in the contract. Clauses like scope of work, Design selection, net and gross fees, construction schedule, detailed Explanation of the Contractor’s Warranty should be clearly stated in the contract.

Level of automation: This is again a very important point. The level of automation is a great indicator of the experience of the home improvement expert. You should always check the amount of automation a contractor can bring to your home. A good automation system may include Pro melt snow mats, floor heating systems etc. These automation systems help you lead a comfortable life by bringing down manual labor to some extent.

Quality of Material: Last but not the least is the quality a contractor brings to your home, and as they say “Quality speaks volumes without saying a word”. You should always keep a track on the quality that your contractor will offer. In order to check the details of material, it is important you do a bit of research. Browsing the internet is a good idea. You can always read some books and study materials on home improvement. This will help you keep up to date with the modern trends in home improvement.

I hope if you keep the above mentioned points in mind you will be able to strike a perfect deal.

The basics of caulking

Maximizing your bathroom space

Wooden Flooring Nature trail

Options for warm flooring

Choosing the right home improvement contractor

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