The beauty of a new hardwood floor is undeniable. This creates all the more reason to care for it in order to preserve its quality. Looking after your hardwood floor doesn’t need to be difficult. A few simple steps and some know-how and it’ll stay good as new.
Preventive
There are a few simple preventative measures that can be maintained throughout the life of your hardwood floor. The main goal of hardwood floor maintenance is to prevent damage and scratches. This can be done by placing felt stickers on the base of furniture legs and picking furniture up to move it, as opposed to dragging it across the floor. A well-placed mat at sinks in the kitchen and bathroom will prevent water damage and mats at the doors of the house will stop scratches from dirt. Furthermore, if you live in an area with humid summers or dry winters, you may notice bulging or spaces between the floorboards. This can be rectified by using a humidifier or dehumidifier if so desired.
Daily
There are also some daily, weekly, and monthly tasks that can go a long way in maintaining the wood. Daily dusting or sweeping will stop particles from scratching the surface. Dusting can be done with any microfiber cloth. Alternatively, sweeping with a soft bristle brush will keep your floors beautiful.
Weekly
Vacuuming can be done on occasion. Use a bare floor setting or the vacuum wand and avoid the beater bars. Vacuuming will also remove all those unsightly dust balls and make your stunning wood floors look even more appealing.
Monthly
In order to keep that sparkling clean appearance, washing your floors monthly is best. Make sure to use a wood floor cleaning product. Avoid oil, wax, detergent, vinegar, and bleach as these can harm the wood. It is very important to note that water tarnishes the flooring. Only use a damp mop and wipe up any spills as they occur.
There you have it, only a few simple steps and an occasional clean will allow you to easily maintain your hardwood floors.
How do you take care of your floors? Share your hardwood floor maintenance tips with us in the comments section below.
Stone flooring is sourced straight from the Earth so there is nothing more natural than that! But that is not the only reason we love natural stone flooring. Since it’s not artificially made, each piece of stone is unique and unlike any other. Stone flooring keeps your feet cool in the summer, and with the help of heated floors, it expertly transmits heat in the winter. Stone is also fire and water resistant, providing safety to you and your loved ones, and because of its texture, stone leaves no space for nasty dust or allergens to hide. And, did we mention how beautiful it looks?
Stone flooring is an environmentally conscious purchase
Current advances in stone quarrying have significantly reduced the negative environmental impacts of sourcing stones. Because stone is taken from the Earth, it doesn’t require other materials or chemicals to produce it. When it’s available locally, it reduces the need for further transportation and supports local businesses, and its incredible durability will see to it that it lasts for years to come. Some say their floors will outlive them! Stone is also reusable and recyclable so you needn’t fret about where it will end up.
Granite
Advantages: Granite is the hardest and most durable option. It can be polished smooth or left as is, depending on your preference. Furthermore, it is highly resistant to stains and scratches and absorbs very little water, not to mention that there are so many colors, textures, and patterns to choose from!
Disadvantages: It must be properly sealed or else it will wear quickly.
Slate
Advantages: Although not as hard as granite, slate remains very tough against breaks. Slate’s strength comes from its numerous layers that have been pressed together during its formation. Slate is available is a number of dark, rich colors giving it a very clean and crisp look when installed.
Disadvantages: It is possible to break slate; however, this remains unlikely because slate is often stronger than anything it encounters. As with granite, it too must be properly sealed.
Marble
Advantages: Often seen as the most luxurious of stone choices, marble provides homeowners with a sense of elegance due to the timeless beauty of the stone. It is available in unique colors with stunning patterns that often resemble graceful waves.
Disadvantages: Despite its beauty, marble is far softer than other options and can be prone to scratches. That being said, tiles can be replaced if needed.
Limestone
Advantages: Limestone is like a fine wine; it only gets better with age. When properly cared for using limestone-specific products, over the years limestone begins to take on a gorgeous antique appearance, setting your floors apart from the rest. Used for centuries to build timeless monuments, this stone will surely look ravishing in your home or business.
Disadvantages: Limestone is a relatively soft stone so it is not recommended for outdoor, kitchen, or bathroom use. Its tendency to scratch and stain makes it more delicate than other stones on the market.
Are you planning on using natural stone flooring for your renovation or new construction? Share your experience with stone flooring with us by commenting below!
Crucial Do It Yourself (DIY) Home Improvement Tips
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The Home Improvement industry is steadily booming in India. People are now willing to spend on improvising their households. They feel that their home is a reflection of themselves. According to stats, there has been a considerable rise of house renovations and improvements in the year 2016 and expected to rise in 2017. Almost 75% is spent on furniture and fixtures while 25% in home decor.
Home improvement cannot be done haphazardly, it requires proper planning. Everything needs to be organized which would include even the worst case scenarios and their solutions. Some of the basic crucial steps for home improvement tools are:
1. Plan
Planning is a crucial and most important step for home improvement. One needs to have an idea regarding the areas that require improvement. Log all the details in a dairy, including measurements, your preferred layout and what you visualize for your space. Also, understanding your space is essential. Your ideas and layouts should be feasible to the measurements. Researching on ideas is vital.
2. Budgeting
The second important step is budgeting. Every improvement or restoration will require an estimated expense. Planning the budget would help one understand which areas require more resources and your money can be managed more effectively. Always try and keep a buffer of 15-20% for unexpected expenses.
3. Prioritizing
After the crucial step of planning, you should have a list of areas that would require improvements. Certain areas may require immediate attention to prevent damage. Hence, prioritizing comes into the picture. Immediate restorations can decrease the level of severity and cost at that instance. If certain restorations are avoided now, they could increase the overhead cost next time. Prioritizing will help in effectively managing time and budget. For prioritizing, the POSEC method can be used.
POSEC Method stands for Prioritizing by Organizing, Streamlining, Economizing and Contributing. It works as:
• Prioritizing responsibilities according to priority and available time.
• Organizing according to priorities
• Streamline tasks that need to be done (even if you don’t like them)
• Economize tasks that are not as important
• Contribute to help the contractors, if hired.
4. Pinterest and YouTube is your friend
Researching your projects will help you dodge certain mistakes. Pinterest and YouTube are the places where one can find many Do-It-Yourself (DIY) guides. Also, try reading certain books and magazines related to home improvement. On Pinterest, you can browse through numerous images to get practical ideas for your household.
5. Find the right contractor
One needs to find a reliable Contractor Directory for handling their household projects. For hiring a contractor, one needs to do research and also perform background checks.
Certain steps for hiring a contractor could be:
• Asking for peer feedbacks
• Research on the contractor
• Ask for references
• Get quotes from various contractors and tally
6. Save Money
Saving money on certain improvement projects would help one to invest in other minor home improvement projects. Spending it wisely is the key. More should be spent on replacing items that are hard to replace by yourself. Splurge on items that are beneficial to you and the household.
A good idea is to go and scout for your own furniture. This would help you get bargains and select your choice. Another option is checking for discounts and order over the internet. One can also save money by doing certain tasks by themselves by watching YouTube videos.
7. Match your home décor with furniture
Choosing the colour for your wall or furniture is up to you. Nowadays, people don’t always prefer matching colour. They like to add a splash of colour even at home. So, the colour choice is basically decided by you. Also, another option would be to mix designs and provide the house with an elegant look.
8. Plan for future upgrades
Through planning, you would know exactly where future improvements can take place. This would help you to analyse and save along the way. These future upgrades should be integrated with minimalistic changes to the current design.
9. Consultation
Home improvements need to be perfect as you invest a lot of money. In certain instances, feel free to consult licensed tradespeople. Any work related to plumbing, electrical or structural changes should be consulted with a professional before undertaking. You can even hire an architect or designer for the initial layout sketch.
10. Follow the instructions
While doing any Do-It-Yourself (DIY) project, keep all the right information handy. Follow all the instructions carefully to get the right outcome in the end. Also, ensure that you have the correct tools present with you. Ensure that you have complied with the appropriate safety measures.
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Author’s Bio
Akshay works as an Interior Designer with Lalco Interiors and he is in love with his job. Thinking up interesting home décor ideas and helping clients implement them is what makes him tick. You can catch up with Akshay and his team and indulge in one of their beautiful home décor pieces for your home at Lalco Interior.
Flooring usually goes by some rules but when it comes to basement flooring, most of those rules are thrown out of the windows. The reason for this is that basements usually are subject to completely new environmental threats. Even in spaces were weather isn’t an enemy, at least not in the usually way, basements can produce a rather moist environment where certain floors don’t prosper.
So what should be done in this situation? That’s what we’re here to help you with, as we will go over the fundamentals of basement flooring so that you have a better idea of what you should use for your own instance for example. Of course, each individual might have unique circumstances which would make the entire operation more complex for them. For example if you have a basement heating oil tank, you might have to consider other flooring options simply because of the potential leaking and whatnot. Although the best course of action in such a scenario would be to call some oil tank experts and maybe tway lifting to help you get it out so you can enjoy your basement properly.
What is the grade and what does it mean to be below or above it?
You might be confused if you talk to a constructor and they start talking about below grade or above grade materials. They are not referring to material quality and they aren’t suggestion that you should invest in cheaper or more expensive supplies. They are simply stating whether or not the material in question is designed for below or above ground level.
The former category isn’t safe from water vapors and similar threats whereas the latter, above ground level category can withstand such dangers.
Understanding the necessities of basement flooring
When you’re talking about below grade materials for your basement you have to abide by a different rule set if you’re going to get a long lasting job done. It’s important to keep these things in mind when proceeding with the flooring of your basement or otherwise you will most likely have to revisit it in the not so distant future.
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Look for the hardest materials
The hardest materials prosper best in environments such as the basement. Tile will always outperform carpeting for the basement, but there are also other options out there such as concrete. It also depends on what your design or style plan may suggest, so that it’s not just efficient but also in tune with everything else in the basement.
What happens when there’s a flood?
Flooding is one of the permanent concerns that you will face regarding your basement, regardless of your flooring option. Yes, flooring helps one way or another but it won’t stop actual flooding from happening in the eventuality of there being one. When it comes to flooring, ceramics are great because they dry out in the eventuality of a flood.
You can also go for a laminate or wood approach but this implies a while other cause and effect. It is possible to install laminate flooring in the basement with the help of a foam underlayment, so if you really aren’t a fan of tiles or plain concrete, you can do that too.
Flooring your basement remains a tricky job simply because of how many things you have to keep in mind at the same time. However, it is far from impossible to pull off. It is however very important that you do it right the first time so you don’t have to come back and revisit the project every so often.
Myths you Should Stop Believing in Concerning Tile
Are you coming up to a Home Improvement project soon where you will be replacing your flooring but are weary of choosing tile? Maybe it’s because you have heard some things about it that sound horrifying, you are now against the very idea of even considering it. Maybe you don’t hate tile that much, but today we will go through the 6 most common myths about tile and show you the truth. This way you can make an educated, well thought out decision. Here are the myths, and why they aren’t true.
Myth: Tile is boring
Reality: Nowadays with the multitude of different flooring options available tile seems boring and difficult to customize. Hardwood is available in so many different grains, styles, & colors. Carpet has been expanding to include a wider variety of texture than ever before and vinyl now can be created to mimic any natural material out there. What many don’t realize is that in the last decade imaging technology has greatly improved, now tile can be customized to mimic hardwood, natural stone, or a completely custom pattern. Today you have more opportunity for tile customization than even your choice of hardwood.
Myth: Tile flooring is cold
Reality: This myth is true in some sense but not entirely. It is portrayed much worse than it is in reality. Tile is a conductor of temperature and holds a certain temperature for a very long time (kind of like stone). Taking this into account, during the winter if you live in a cold area tile that is exposed to the cold will retain the temperature and remain cool for long periods of time without warming up. Not always though, there is such a thing as radiant heat mats that can be installed directly underneath the tile. These can be controlled by a thermostat and will often actually help you save money on your heating bill (although they are pricey to install in the beginning). Another factor to pay attention to: the location where the tile is being installed and the material underneath. Above a well insulated area that is not directly perpendicular to the outdoors the tile will not have as a great a source of cold temperature as tile installed directly over concrete.
Myth: Wood alike tile looks fake
Reality: Maybe at first, but today wood look alike tile often times looks better than the real thing. With advanced imaging technology wood textures are printed directly onto the travertine creating not only a beautiful look but an authentic feel. If you are worried about the grout lines that will give it away, don’t. You can purchase tile that is finely cut to match the surrounding pieces requiring little grout and almost no transition.
Myth: Tile flooring is expensive
Reality: Every valuable investment is made with hope that it was worth it. Although tile is significantly more expensive to purchase and install than vinyl or carpet it can last for much longer. The most durable vinyl won’t last longer than 20 years. Carpet, you’ll be lucky if it lasts 10-15 years. Tile on the other hand will last a lifetime, if not longer. There’s a reason it has been the go to flooring material for thousands of years. Spending double what you would spend on carpet or vinyl will pay off in the long run. Even if you aren’t planning on selling your house in the short term: if done right, tile will increase the monetary and visual value of your home.
Myth: Tile breaks easily
Reality: Tile; porcelain, ceramic, & travertine are much more durable than you imagined. Yes it is possible to chip or crack tile, but much less so than majority of other flooring materials. Tile is the only material that water will not damage, as well as the only material that you can be sure will not face scratching or denting from a pets claws. If one tile is damaged it can easily be taken out and replaced by a new one. Vinyl on the other hand requires repairing the whole section.
Myth: Tile requires little or no maintenance or care
Reality: Although tile is plenty more durable than most other flooring materials, it still requires upkeep and maintenance. A properly sealed tile floor requires much less maintenance as it will not be affected as much by daily wear and tear. You must periodically reseal the floor to ensure that it is protected as well as picking up stains and moisture as soon as it happens. Although ceramic and porcelain are considered strong materials the grout in between them will give way to acid and erosion, thus should be avoided.
Credit Visit our company blog at www.divinehns.com/news for more flooring industry news.
