A Look at Solid Hardwood Floors
Solid hardwood floors should neither be installed over a concrete slab nor below ground level because of high moisture sensitivity. Unsightly gaps appear when moisture dries and the floors contract in the winter heating months. The floors expand and gaps disappear during summers. The wood planks may buckle or cup because of excessive moisture. In view of these facts, enough space should be left for expansion and wood should be acclimated. Nail-down installations are most appropriate for these floors. The possibility of re-coating and refinishing increases the life and appearance of solid hardwood floors. Generally solid hardwood floors are made up of ash, maple, red oak and white oak. Solid wood floorings are divided into three sub categories: strip flooring, plank flooring and parquet flooring. Thickness of strip flooring varies between 5/16 inch and ¾ inch. Available widths are 1 ½ inch, 2 inch and 2 ¼ inch. Though plank flooring is sold in two thicknesses, width can range between 3 inches and 8 inches. Parquet flooring has geometrical patterns that are created with wood slats. Hand-scraped hardwood floors are hand crafted. Character markings on handscraped hardwood floors (hand sculptured floors) are a unique feature. These floors offer the best finishes for either the modern world look or the old reclaimed wood floor look. Both engineered and solid hand sculpted floors are sold. Beautiful handscraped hardwood floors are very expensive. Engineered handscraped hardwood floors are best suited for a structure erected on a concrete slab and in high humidity conditions. A few companies also market distressed hardwood flooring that has machine made markings unlike hand made markings in handscraped hardwood floor. Handscraped floor is costlier than distressed version, but both floorings offer a rich look. Hardwood floors should be cleaned with products recommended by the manufacturer. Regular use of a vacuum cleaner will clean dirt, mud, grit and small stones that may spoil the finish. Welcome mats at the entrance for wiping feet before walking on the floor are of great help in protecting the finish. When choosing furniture for you home, do not buy products with sharp metal or wooden legs to prevent denting and scratching. Use of furniture coasters or felt protectors for all legs will prevent scratching. Non-staining and wide rubber cups are a must for heavy items like piano. The use of a paste wax on the hardwood floor with a polyurethane finish damages the finish. Spills on hardwood floors need immediate attention. Clean them with a paper towel or damp white cloth and dry the area. Hard Wood Floors provides detailed information on installing, cleaning and refinishing various types of hardwood floors, including engineered, solid, long-strip, exotic, pre-finished, and cheap hardwood floors. Hard Wood Floors is the sister site of Bamboo Flooring Web.
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Home Decorating For Smaller Spaces
"Big Things Come In Small Packages" We're all familiar with this quote, it's normally associated with gifts not home decorating, but it should be.
Five Quick and Cheap Ways to Decorate for Fall
1. Utilize the "use what you have" theory! Go through your cupboards and drawers to find items that can be used as props in your fall display. Find pitchers to use to hold wildflowers and dried grasses, bring out warm throws to toss over your couch, layer fabrics on your tables. (Remember, pretty blankets and quilts can work well!)
The Demand for Massage Therapy Chairs
Massage therapists are in high demand. Consumers recognize the physical and mental health benefits of a good massage. Americans are overworked and overstressed. Massage is a way to decrease tension and relief from back and neck pain. Many companies have instituted on-site massage therapists for their employees, and those therapists typically shop for durable and lightweight massage therapy chairs to enhance customer satisfaction.
All About Closet Organizers
Most people like you love to keep everything in its place. They like also to clean up every room of the house often. However, it can take some hours to get everything in the correct place, specially if you don't have a kind of storage organization guide. Everyone knows that getting organized is either a small or a huge battle. It depends on how thoroughly you clean and organize your stuff. Closet organizers are definitely the storage space that will make your life easier. You can increase the current storage space as much as you want. There are many options to achieve either a double or triple space, depending on how organized you are and the available space to work with. Try to make the most of available dimensions and existing storage will not be a problem anymore.
About Pine Needle Baskets and How to Use Them in Your Home Decor
Have you ever had the pleasure of strolling through a forest covered with fragrant pine needles? Can you imagine those pine needles being crafted into a basket, tray, or sculpture? In this article, you will discover the brief history of pine needle baskets and how to use these beautiful and fragrant works of art in your home decor.
What a Five-year-old Taught Me About Decorating
My 5-year-old grandson is getting his own room. He's very excited at the prospect and quite determined to put his own personal stamp on the decorating process. I like to listen to him explain why certain things must be certain ways; it's an entertaining and charming view of the world through his eyes. I listened when he shared his decorating ideas, and this is what he taught me (my poor adult interpretations are in parentheses):
Futon Slip Covers Protect While Adding A Decorative Designers Touch!
Futon slip covers do two things. Number one and most importantly, they protect your futon mattress from wear and tear. Number two is the slip cover can give your room a personal touch by matching with your room's color scheme and adding a decorative touch giving it some character. If your room already has enough character, then maybe a simpler, more neutral futon slip cover would suffice.
How to Decorate Spaces for People
When it comes to decorating your home, forget about the empty, lifeless rooms you see in interior design magazines and books. Instead, you should concentrate on designing all of the rooms in your home as backdrops for the people who will be living in those spaces. Here are a few simple techniques for designing dynamic spaces:
The Benefits of Goose Down Comforters
It's a safe bet that you've never heard a goose complaining about the cold! Geese are equipped with down, thick fluff that grows on their undersides. This keeps them warm and protected, even in the coldest water. Goose down is incredibly insulating, while still lightweight and breathable. That is why bedding made from goose down is such a popular choice.
Getting a Grandfather Clock at a Discount
Whether it is a basic bong-bong-bong or a thrilling symphony, the sound of a grandfather clock faithfully chiming the hour is music to the ears for many people. However, the high price tag makes the clock strikes flat for the majority. Most people are simply unable or unwilling to spend thousands of dollars for a clock, no matter how beautiful or rich-sounding. However, these people do have alternatives.
7 Tips for Decorating Your Childs Room
If you're not sure where to start or how best to tackle updating
your child's bedroom, you're not alone. In a lot of families, the
baby nursery takes a lot of planning and decorating time but
there's often less thought and energy put into decorating the
same child's room as they grow older.
A Hidden Jewel In Home Decorating, The Powder Room
Typically a small space consisting of just a sink and toilet, you most likely know them by a more common term "half-bath" or "guest bath.
Oriental Area Rugs - Know Before You Buy an Oriental Rug
Did you know that you can usually tell the country from which an Oriental rug originated from its design and style? While we often think of 'Oriental rugs' as having an overall defining style, the truth is that there are many styles of Oriental rugs, most of them growing from traditional patterns and materials common to the country or area in which they originated. Experts in Oriental rugs spend years learning the variations of patterns, materials, colors and weave that are characteristic of the different areas of the Orient.
Wood Baker?s Rack - Add Style to Your Kitchen
Is your kitchen or dining area missing that little bit of extra something to make it truly unique and a place that you are proud to show off? Are you looking for that one special design element to bring it all together and capture the feeling of warmth and hominess that you have been trying to create? If so, you should think about incorporating the use of a wood baker's rack into your décor.
An Introduction to Adjustable Beds
Adjustable beds, also known as Semi-Fowler beds, can be adjusted in position to suit the requirements of the user. Those who have medical conditions that require them to sleep in certain positions generally use adjustable beds. They may be also used by those who are temporarily or permanently bed-ridden to make them sleep more comfortably. Sometimes, even those without medical needs can use adjustable beds just to have a comfortable sleep.
The Benefits of Bamboo Roman Shades
Roman shades are inexpensive and elegant window treatment to block the sun or prying eyes of nosy neighbors. Roman shades can be purchased or made cheaply and relatively simply by the do-it-youselfer.
Discount Mini Blinds
As with other discount items you want to buy, discount mini blinds are available, but sometimes come with a tradeoff between quality and price.
Vintage Hearth Accessories Heat Up Your Fireplace
Curling up near a cozy fire is a wonderful winter pastime but you'll need the right tools to tend your fire. Vintage fireplace accessories can add just the right atmosphere to your décor. Here's what you'll need to keep your fire aglow.
An Introduction to Wood Stoves
Wood stoves are like small fireplaces. They are inexpensive and can be built into a home or added later. Wood-burning stoves are great for either decoration or for home heating. These small cast-iron stoves have been used around the world for hundreds of years, providing aesthetic beauty and practical warmth wherever they are used. There are a number of advantages to wood stoves. They look great, are safe, can effectively heat an entire house, and are ecologically responsible.
How to Buy Discount Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo flooring is a relatively new alternative to standard hardwood floors. It offers similar and perhaps superior qualities of strength, hardness, and appearance. Using bamboo (which is actually a grass, not a tree), and modern processing, beautiful hardwood floors can be made that offer the added bonus of saving many of the exotic trees and forests that are cut down for standard hardwood floors. Typical bamboo flooring can cost around $6.25 per square foot, plus installation and preparation charges. The range is usually between $4 and $8 per square foot but there are wholesale bamboo flooring companies offering it as low as $2 or less per square foot.
|
