In cooler climates carpet is favored for its warmth and is used widely for anywhere that requires bright color and pattern, combined with a luxuriant quality. Carpet once was a luxury only for the better off, but with the invention of synthetic materials, carpets nowadays can be one of the cheapest and most practical flooring materials available.

Although the thought of laying carpet yourself may seem time consuming and difficult, if you really are interested, I have taught myself that it is entirely do-able for the do-it-yourselfer. If possible, find a friend with at least some experience to help you the first time. Choose a room that is relatively simple in shape and not too big for your first attempt!

If you dare to try it yourself, read on. If not, it is still worth understanding what is involved so that you’re prepared when you hire a pro to install new carpeting in your home.

Determining What Type of Carpet to Install

Before you get to the procedure for laying your carpet, it is important to determine what type of carpet you are working with. You have the choice of either woven-backed carpet or rubber-backed carpet. They each not only produce different results but also require a difference in the method to lay them correctly.

Woven-backed carpets are laid over a rubber or felt underpad which helps to even out irregularities in the subfloor and also makes the carpet feel softer and more substantial. Rubber feels softer underfoot but felt is more resilient and thus a good choice for an uneven floor or a carpet that needs stitching together. The drawback of woven-backed carpet is that it needs to be stretched carefully over gripper strips to fit the room. This could be difficult for the amateur who has never laid a carpet before so it should only be attempted if you have laid carpet in your home before.

Rubber-backed carpet is a cheaper than woven-backed carpet. It has a rubber backing bonded to the carpet so does not require a second underpad. The main advantage of rubber-backed carpet is that it does not need to be stretched over gripper strips so even the amateur can use the opportunity to practice their skills.

What You’ll Need to Lay Carpet

Many of the materials you’ll need to lay your carpet you should find you already will have.  The remaining materials you should easily be able to rent from a hardware store.

• Gripper strips
• Sharp utility knife or carpet shears
• Measuring tape
• Knee kicker
• Carpet stretcher
• Seam cutter, iron and tape
• Double-sided tape or liquid adhesive

Preparing the Space for New Carpet

I am writing these steps assuming that you are working in a fresh and clean space. If you aren’t, I’ll quickly state the obvious when it comes to removing an old carpet.

1. Give the old carpet a good vacuum before removing it to lessen the dust that will lift from it. You can then use a sharp utility knife to cut the carpet into manageable strips to make it easier to remove. Throw it all out!
2. Sometimes people are tempted to keep existing underpad but in the majority of cases they are worn beyond redemption so it’s best to get a fresh start to save on unnecessary extra work later. Lastly, strip all the old gripper strips from the perimeter of the room. Give the floor a good sweep out and take the opportunity to fasten any loose, noisy floorboards.
3. With the space cleared you can begin with the important preparation steps:
4. If you are working with a woven-backed carpet you need to begin by nailing gripper strips around the perimeter of the room, using a spacer to set them slightly away from the skirting (baseboard).
5. Go on to install the underpad, trimmed to butt up against the gripper strips. Tape pieces together as necessary, then staple the underpad to the floor at intervals.
6. If you are working with foam-backed carpet, firstly you need to put down a paper or cloth underpad on the floor the keep the foam from sticking to the floor. Tape it at the joins and staple it in place.
7. Put double-sided adhesive tape all around the perimeter of the room.

Basic Steps to Laying Your Own Carpet

1. Laying the Carpet: First step is the carpet needs to be laid out. Unroll the carpet and position it so it laps up the room walls about 4 to 6 inches. You can trim the edges roughly with a sharp utility knife and make cuts at external corners so that tongues of carpet will fit around them. Think ahead about where you want seams to go before you start cutting your carpet. This is where having assistance from a friend who’s done carpet-laying before is a huge advantage!
2. Seaming the Carpet: If the room is large you may need another piece of carpet to fill it. Overlap the extra piece on the seam where the pieces will join. Cut through the pieces with your utility knife so the pieces will match exactly. Lay adhesive seaming tape where the pieces bond and then apply pressure from a wallpaper seam roller to ensure a good bond.
3. Attaching the Carpet: Next the carpet needs to be attached. With a foam-backed carpet you needs to butt the edge of the carpet up against the longest straight wall in the room. Peel the backing paper off the tape and bed the edge into place. With a woven-backed carpet, press one edge of the carpet  onto the gripper strips using the ‘knee-kick’ tool to ensure that the angled teeth grip the carpet backing securely. Take the ‘toothed’ end of the knee-kicker and position it about 3” from the wall.  Push the padded end of the tool forcefully with your knee to drive the carpet over the tacks on the gripper strips. Cut off the excess carpet along the edge by running a sharp utility knife along the angle between the gripper strip and the skirting.
4. Stretching the Carpet: Now the carpet needs to be unrolled across the room. With foam-backed carpet, work the carpet across the floor to the opposite wall to ensure it is lying flat then trim that edge against the skirting and tape it down too. With woven-backed carpet there is an extra but essential step. First use the blade of the bolster to tuck the trimmed edge of the carpet into the angle between the carpet strip and skirting. After the carpet is attached to the gripper strips of two adjacent walls, you need to begin the stretching process. A carpet stretching tool makes this job very easy.  One end of the carpet stretcher is laid against the wall that the carpet is already attached to, and the other is set approximately 6” from the opposite wall. Grip the carpet in the ‘teeth’ of the tool and push the activation lever which will stretch the carpet to the opposite wall. Continue trimming the edges with your utility knife, tucking the cut edges into the perimeter gaps of the walls.
5. Finishing Up: Make release cuts at the internal and external corners. At the door frame and similar obstacles, trim the carpet to follow the contours of the obstacle as closely as possible and press it onto the gripper strips of adhesive strip.

Here are a couple of videos you may want to watch if you are considering trying to install carpet yourself:

Are you an expert carpet installer or do-it-yourselfer with experience? If so, please add your comments and advice for others to read!

Unglazed and softer than other types of tile, terracotta is made from extruded or hand-formed clay. It comes available in a number of shapes and sizes, from small hexagons to large squares.

The colors range from dusky ochres to oranges through to reds. Part of the charm of terracotta is precisely this color variation, within each tile and from tile to tile, as well as the textural variations of the surface.

Adhesive for Terracotta Tiles

Larger and heavier than ceramic tiles, terracotta tiles need a thicker adhesive bed, especially if the tiles are handmade and vary in thickness, or if they have bowed during manufacture. The method described here can be used for other types of tile such as quarry or slate, the thick adhesive bed being used to absorb any difference in tile thickness.

Although a sand-and-cement mix can be used for many heavy tiles, it is not really suitable for terracotta tiles. Because they are very porous, they may react with the cement to cause efflorescence – when the soluble salts come to the surface as a white stain.

Use a thick-bed adhesive, which can be applied at any thickness from 5mm to 2.3cm (¼ to 1in). Thick-bed adhesive can be happily used on an uneven floor base and dries very quickly, in some cases enabling tiling and grouting to be carried out on the same day.

Laying Terracotta Tiles

1. Start in the furthest corner, having located the center point and adjusted it, and having marked up a grid which will help to keep you straight.
2. Mix up the tile adhesive according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Some types of thick-bed adhesive are simply poured onto the floor and spread out to an even level with an appropriate type of spreader, and then the tiles are laid straight onto it. Other types of adhesive require the back of the tile to be buttered with adhesive as well. Handmade tiles may vary slightly in size and thickness, so apply more adhesive to the backs of thinner tiles and allow a wide gap, approximately 12mm (½in), between the tiles. Any variations in size will be taken up within the joints.
3. Use a spirit level, check regularly that the tiles you have laid are level, and certainly after each grid block.
4. Once the central area of the floor is finished, fill the border.

Cutting Terracotta Tiles

1. The easiest way to cut terracotta tiles is with an angle grinder fitted with a stone-cutting wheel.
2. Cut a groove into the tile to two thirds of the tile’s depth and then snap it in two.
3. The cutter will, if required, cut or grind through the whole thickness of the tile – useful for cutting awkward shapes out of a tile to go round pipes and other obstructions.

Sealing Terracotta Tiles

1. Terracotta and quarry tiles are very porous and must be sealed before you add grouting in order to provide a hard-wearing and easy-to-clean surface.
2. Ensure the surfaces of the tiles are free from dust and any traces of tile adhesive.
3. Brush one coat of boiled linseed oil over the tiles with a brush or short-haired paint roller. It is important to apply an even coat to avoid the risk of streaking. The oil will soak into the tile, the surface losing its gloss 2-10 minutes after application. If it appears more matt in less time than that, apply the oil more liberally.
4. Allow the sealer to dry and then grout. A second coat of sealer should be applied after grouting.

Grouting Terracotta Tiles

1. Grout terracotta tiles with a grout that is suitable for wide joints; porous tiles are grouted using a pointing method rather than by simply spreading the grout over the surface as you would for ceramic tiles.
2. Fill the joints using a pointing trowel, and avoid spilling any of the grout onto the surface of the tiles.
3. Finish the grout by making it slightly concave; bend a round metal pipe into a convenient shape and use that.
4. Some times of handmade tiles benefit from ‘slurry grouting’ – a technique which fills in all the pits and dents to create an antiqued appearance.
5. Mix up the grout to a creamy consistency and grout as you would with ceramic tiles, ensuring that the grout fills all the crevices.
6. Clean the excess grout off the surface with a damp sponge.

Finishing and Care of Your Terracotta Tile Floor

1. Apply a second coat of seal once the grout has thoroughly dried, using oil more sparingly than before as the tiles will be less porous. Any excess oil that does not soak in after 20 minutes should be cleaned from the surface of the tile.
2. After the oil has had time to soak into the tiles fully, which usually takes a few hours or overnight, the tiles can be waxed.
3. Use a propriety floor wax and wax the floor twice. The new floor should then be waxed once a week for the following month in order to build up a smooth and hard-wearing surface, yet mellow surface.

Ceramic floor tiles are made from a dust-pressed clay that is fired at high temperatures. Fully vitrified ceramic tiles are the most waterproof of all tiles, making them perfect for the wettest areas such as bathrooms. Ceramic floor tiles are not glazed; glazed tiles are normally too slippery unless the glaze has a roughened surface.

They may have decorative patterns or little studs on the surface for textural variation and slip resistance. Oxides, added during the manufacturing process, give these tiles the widest range of colors of any unglazed tile. including plain white.

Ceramic tiles are thinner than quarry or terracotta tile and their uniform thickness enables trouble-free installation. They can, if you prefer, be polished to give a more glamorous look.

What You’ll Need

• For any ceramic tiling job, large or small, the materials you require are the same:
• A notched adhesive spreader
• Tile spacers
• Grout plus a flexible spreader
• Tape measure
• Tile cutter, saw, and file
• Pencil or felt tip pen
• Sponges or cloths for wiping

Laying Ceramic Floor Tiles

1. Before you begin, it is essential you set out the tiles in the room to check you won’t have any problems. Then you can begin laying:
2. Mix up the tile adhesive according to the manufacturer’s instructions. You can add any special additives for greater flexibility if you are covering a wood floor. Tile adhesive has a limited pot life, about 20 minutes, so do not mix up more than you will realistically be able to use in your time available.
3. Lay your first tile in the corner furthest from the door. In order accurately to position this tile, dry-lay a line of tiles from the centre line, and then draw a line at right angles to the centre line along the far edge of the whole tile at right angles to your guideline. Providing this line is parallel to the centre line the last tile you dry-laid is your ‘first tile’.
4. Only spread the adhesive over an area of approximately 1sq m (1sq yd) at a time. Using the recommended side of a notched spreader or trowel, apply the adhesive to the correct depth, normally approximately 3mm (⅛in). Depending on the adhesive being used, it may be necessary to butter the back of the tile with adhesive as well.
5. Press the tile into position with a slight twisting motion. It is important to bed the tile into the adhesive without any air gaps. For neat and even joints, usually 6-12mm (¼-½in.), use plastic spaces between the tiles.
6. Continue laying the tiles in the first marked square, checking the tiles are level with a spirit level and straight edge. You need to work fast, as you have a very limited amount of time to reposition any tiles that are incorrectly laid. If any adhesive gets on the surface of a tile clean it off immediately with a damp cloth; ensure too that the joints are adhesive-free.
7. When the first grid box has been laid, apply adhesive to the second and continue laying tiles along the far wall. Then complete the second row of squares and continue laying the tiles in rows of boxes, working towards the door. Allow the tile adhesive to dry thoroughly before walking on the tiles. Conventional adhesives usually need at least 24 hours although fast-setting adhesives can take only a few hours.

It will probably be necessary to cut tiles around the edges of the room to fit; if you lay the tiles on the diagonal, you will need to cut at least one in every two tiles. Ceramic tiles can be cut using a tile-cutting jig.

To determine where to cut a border tile:

1. Place a whole tile over the last laid whole tile.
2. To allow for a grout, place a tile on its side between this tile and the wall and place another tile up against it.
3. Mark the middle tile with a soft pencil where the tile above it ends.
4. Place the tile in the jig and cut along the marked line.
5. Butter the back of the cut tile and press into position. Continue until all the border tiles have been laid, leaving the four corners until last in order to cut them accurately.

Grouting Ceramic Tile

When all the tiles have been laid and the adhesive is dry, fill the tile joints with a tile grout suitable for floors. Conventional grout is a powder mixed with water according to the manufacturer’s instructions. It is available in colors ranging from off-white to dark grey. For tiles laid over wood floors, remember to mix in a flexible additive.

For food-preparation areas an epoxy grout is a good idea because it is extremely hard and easily cleaned. Epoxy grout consists of two components that are mixed together, and then a powder filler is added to bulk it out.

1. Pour the grout onto the surface and spread it into the joints with the aid of a rubber squeegee, working on small areas at a time.
2. After 15 minutes, clean any excess grout off the surface with a damp cloth.
3. Once the grout has hardened sufficiently, polish the tiles with a clean, dry cloth.

Of all the hard-surface flooring materials available, tile, whether ceramic or natural stone, is one of the most popular in the modern home.

Tile is most commonly used in kitchens and bathrooms, where ease of cleaning is at a premium, but you could also use tile in the entry and, especially in warmer climates, tile may be used throughout the home.

Due to a range of manufacturing processes floor tiles offer a wide range of practical hard-wearing products suitable for domestic situations.

The ranges of colors and textures available, ease of cleaning as well as the ease of which the do-it-yourselfer can install them with, tiles are a very practical option when considering a hard-flooring material for your home décor design.

While many people would not consider trying to install their own tile flooring, the steps are actually quite easy to learn and aside from a tile cutter or wet saw to cut tiles, even the tools needed are fairly minimal. As with any home project it is essential to spend a little time and care on setting things out before you start to tile your floor if you are to prevent problems.

Measuring the Floor Space to be Tiled

Ordering the right amount of material is vital to ensure that there is sufficient to finish the job neatly as well as to compensate for inevitable wastage from mistakes and breakages. Take your time; double-check measurements and sums; and you will probably save both time and money.

It is always worth taking an accurate plan of your room to your supplier, who will know the best way to save material – particularly in awkwardly shaped rooms. However, rooms with square or rectangular walls without any interruptions along them are easy to measure. To calculate the area, simply measure the width and depth of the room and multiply one figure by the other; this is the number of square feet or meters to be covered.

Most areas have various obstacles: built-in cupboards, chimney breasts and alcoves. In order to include these in your estimate:

1. First measure the width and depth of the unobstructed rectangle forming the room’s central part, and calculate that area.
2. Then measure the width and depth of every recess and add these together to calculate the total area occupied by these recesses.
3. Finally add this first figure to calculate the actual area of floor space to be covered in square feet or meters.

Estimating Tile Flooring Materials

Estimate how many of your tiles are required per square foot or meter and multiply that number by the number of square feet or meters in the room. Remember that you will have to cut tiles to fit at the edges. Estimate the number of extra tiles you will need by allowing enough to tile one additional strip along half the walls and then add a few more in case of breakages.

With larger, more expensive tiles it may be worth calculating if off-cuts can be used to prevent waste. Your final figure will have to be rounded up; tiles are supplied in boxes so you will probably have tiles left over.

Ask your supplier if unused materials can be returned for a refund; typically you will want to over-estimate so that you don’t have to order additional materials or make multiple trips to the home improvement center or supplier. On the other hand, you don’t want to end up with too much material left over other than a few tiles you might want to keep on hand in case repairs are needed down the road.

Planning Your Floor Tile Layout

It is essential to spend time on carefully laying things out before you start to tile the floor if you are to prevent problems. Tiles must not be allowed to go out of square, otherwise they will simply not fit together, and you must avoid ending up with an annoying little thin strip of tiles against the last wall.

The process for setting out your tiles is slightly different depending on the shape and style of the room. We will set it out in three sections: A regular room, an irregular room and how to set tiles with a border.

Laying out Tile for in a Regular-Shaped Room

1. Measure along the two opposite shortest walls to find the midpoint of each and join these two marks together with a chalk line. Measure and mark 1 yard (36”) or 1 meter (39”) along this center line on each side of the middle point. Measure 1 yard (36”) or 1 meter (39”) from the center point at an estimated 90-degree angle. Measure the two diagonal lines between the marks on either side of the middle point and the 90-degree marks top and bottom, and adjust the latter’s position until these two diagonals both measure 1.415m (55¾ in).
2. You now have an angle of 90 degrees at the top and bottom. A straight line from these points to the middle of the center line will meet the center line at 90 degrees. The diagonals can serve as guidelines for laying tiles diagonally at 45 degrees to the walls.
3. Use the chalk line to join the midpoint of the center line with the 90-degree mark and extend this line across the full width of the room to mark the shorter center line.
4. From these two lines, dry-lay a line of tiles up to each edge of the room to check that you will not be left with a thin strip of tiles at any point. If this happens, adjust the center lines by half a tile’s width to leave a decent border of tiles.
5. To ensure that all the tiles are laid without going out of square, it is best to divide up the entire floor into a series of boxes of approx 1 sq m (1 sq yd), starting from the two center lines. The exact size of the ‘boxes’ will obviously be determined by the size of your chosen tiles.
6. When laying ceramic or quarry tiles remember to allow for the grout: about 6mm (¼in) for the smaller tiles and up to 10mm (⅜in) for larger tiles.

Laying out Tile for in an Irregular-Shaped Room

The principle for setting out an irregular room is the same as for a regular room except that you work from the longest and straightest wall. Adjust the position of the center line so that a series of whole tiles can run from it to the longest wall. If the room is very out of square the final line of tiles (opposite the long, straight wall) will be cut at an angle and will vary considerably in their final size, but visually this is acceptable.

If the room is only slightly out of square you may find that you end up with a thin sliver of tiles that gradually diminish as the room narrows. If this is the case, you should adjust the center line by half a tile, so that you are basically working with half-tiles at the edge.

In rooms that are very irregular and have no obvious long wall, where to start to tile is really a matter of personal judgement. It is important to identify a feature in the room (a door, for instance) and align the tiles so that they run parallel to it.

If the room has a dominant feature, such as a range of kitchen units that are set out in a U-shape, run the center line through the ‘U’ to bisect it. Provided the center lines are at 90-degrees to each other, the tiles will always be square.

Laying Out Flooring Tiles with a Border

It is necessary to measure from the walls to establish the grid, but adjust the final position of the grid so that there is space for a border all the way around the room.

Either adjust the grid so that there are whole tiles laying against the border on two of the walls, or center the grid right in the middle of the room and cut all the tiles against the border all the way around the room, provided the cut tiles do not end up being too narrow.

Tile the center area first and finish by tiling the border. Tiles that are laid diagonally should be finished with a border that runs parallel to the walls.

No matter what, always dry-lay your tiles out first to check that your layout is going to work and that your cuts are on the mark where needed to fit odd shapes and spaces as needed.

Long regarded as a relatively inexpensive option, vinyl flooring has evolved over the decades to provide attractive design options, colors, patterns and improved finishes.

Despite retaining the stigma that it is simply a cheap and tasteless material used to cover floors in mobile homes, commercial buildings and low cost apartment buildings, vinyl flooring deserves a little closer consideration and is quite well suited to flooring at least some rooms in any home!

Vinyl Flooring Composition and Manufacturing

Highly resilient, vinyl flooring is recognized for its ability to return to its original shape after being compacted; a very good characteristic in flooring, also provided by other flooring materials such as rubber and cork, which are not as durable as vinyl however.

Vinyl flooring is made using polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Various compounds are typically added to the PVC in order to achieve desired characteristics such as sheen, color, hardness and flexibility. While there are plenty of finishes, colors and patterns from which to select, vinyl flooring comes in two basic types; sheet and tile.

Vinyl sheet flooring comes in rolls that are usually either 6 or 12 feet in width and manufactured using one of three basic manufacturing processes and compositions; homogeneous, inlaid and layered composite.

Vinyl flooring tiles are available in 6, 9 or 12 inch squares and manufactured using one of two basic manufacturing processes and compositions; solid vinyl and vinyl composition.

To produce homogenous vinyl sheet flooring, manufacturers start with a basic vinyl sheet, which is suspended in a liquid to produce a mixture that can be rolled into a thin layer. This plastic coating (plastisol) is then dried by applying hot air to fuse the material into durable sheets, which can then be cut into tiles. The name homogenous vinyl derives from the fact that the material and decorations are the same from the top to the bottom.

Vinyl Composition tiles (VCT) are a variation on solid vinyl tiles, produced by mixing together vinyl resins, plasticizer, fillers, pigment and other additives to achieve a finish that is an integral part of the material and does not wear off with use! This is not the case with less expensive printed vinyl flooring materials, which are produced by printing colored ink on the sheets; similar to the printing processes used on paper and other substrates.

These manufacturing and composition processes obviously affect the cost and durability of various vinyl flooring materials available. The higher quality vinyl flooring products will have an enhanced urethane finish to give it more sheen and protect your floor from scratches and scuff marks. The better quality vinyl flooring provides a thicker finish, less maintenance and a wider range of design patterns and styles.

Advantages of Vinyl Flooring Materials

Vinyl flooring is durable and stands up well to heavy foot traffic. It is comfortable under foot and reduces noise, which can be important for owners with kids or pets. It is also less expensive than many other flooring options and is easy to install and maintain. Vinyl flooring comes in a broad range of colors and patterns to match every décor, including a variety of lifelike wood grains.

Easy to install and maintain, vinyl flooring provides many benefits over other types of floors:

• Still a preferred flooring option in high moisture areas such as kitchens, laundry rooms and bathrooms, where durability, resiliency and stain resistance are most important
• Easier to keep clean than most other flooring materials; if you have kids around the house you can live without fear of liquid spills and stains
• Wider range of design options, colors, patterns, styles and textures than any other flooring material
• Higher resilience reduces noise and cushions feet and fallen objects … including children for better flooring safety at home
• Still comparatively cheap as a flooring material, with a wide range of price points available

There are also a few disadvantages to consider:

• Heavy loads and sharp objects can damage your vinyl floor
• Colors may fade when exposed to direct sunlight for long periods, however the more expensive products with enhanced coatings do hold up better
• Extreme cold and heat cause fading and brittle vinyl
• Given these characteristics, vinyl is not a viable option for indoor/outdoor flooring
• If you do not choose the right texture, vinyl can be slick when wet

Home Applications for Vinyl Flooring

• Use vinyl flooring in a second bath, basement bathroom, laundry room, closets, mud rooms, utility rooms, etc. where design is less important than function; you’ll be quite glad you did when it comes time to clean up
• Especially if you have kids and/or pets, consider using vinyl in the kitchen; when the kids leave the house you can always redo the floor, knowing you got the most of your investment in a vinyl floor
• Use vinyl in a multi-purpose room used for exercise and fitness, game room and entertainment room for the kids, etc.
• Use area rugs to soften your vinyl floor, keep the noise level down and enhance your room decor

Vinyl Flooring Installation Tips

• Installing a vinyl floor is within the grasp of do-it-yourself homeowners with a moderate skill level; the process is not difficult skills-wise, but varies greatly depending upon the type of material being used
• The real key to installing vinyl flooring is what’s below the floor; you want a perfectly smooth subfloor made of a material such as plywood and sanded nice and smooth so that no bumpiness or imperfections show through
• Don’t try installing vinyl over the top of an existing vinyl floor; this is a sure recipe for vinyl disaster in which you may end up seeing the old pattern show through the new layer on top and may also void your warranty
• Plan your layout and cuts wisely to avoid waste and poor placement of flooring seams; this is an art and science you should study closer which is outside the scope of this article if you plan to install vinyl flooring yourself
• Most vinyl flooring requires the use of special adhesives; be sure to read your manufacturer’s directions
• Some vinyl tile products come with self-adhesive tape; these can be convenient in closets and other small spaces where things get tight

Vinyl Floor Cleaning Tips

• The wear layer of your vinyl floor is critical so keeping it clean greatly extends its useful life
• Put rugs or mats in front of doorways and in heavily traffic areas to reduce dirt, noise and wear
• Have people take off their shoes when entering your home; who knows where those dirty shoes have been?
• Vacuum or dust vinyl floors well before you mop them
• Use a damp towel to clean up liquid spills as soon as they occur
• Unless your manufacturer recommends otherwise, the best solution to use when mopping vinyl floors is plain old warm water; detergents leave a sticky residue that is tough to remove; use a tiny amount of mild liquid dish soap if needed to clean stubborn dirt and grimy areas
• To clean grooved vinyl flooring use a nylon bristle brush to get dirt out of the grooves
• WD40 can be used to remove shoe sole and other scuff marks; spray a little on a towel and rub them away lightly, rinsing well with sudsy warm water to prevent anyone from slipping on an oil slick!
• Most vinyl flooring products sold these days is “no wax”, meaning the coating applied by the manufacturer does not require floor waxing; always be sure you understand the manufacturer’s directions before applying wax to your vinyl floor
   

The crystals in a chandelier crystal will be either hand cut, machine cut or molded.

The quality of crystal you choose, and the detail, finish, overall size and design quality of the lighting fixture will all impact its cost. The type of chandelier shades you choose will also have an impact on budget and can give the lighting fixture a much different appearance.

Chandeliers are available in both incandescent and energy fluorescent light sources. Styles can be eclectic, contemporary, art deco, or very the traditional crystal chandeliers. If you really want to splurge, find a vintage antique chandelier and have it rewired for a unique conversation piece.

You can choose from single-tier, multi-tier chandeliers and bound-glass chandelier types. Some available chandelier finishes include antique silver, brass, white or pearl finished, weathered iron, and aged bronze.

Chandelier Lighting Sets the Tone

Adding a crystal chandelier to the room is a great way of setting a tone and focal point for a particular room. The chandelier typically serves as a decorative room element that enhances the charm of the room and accents other furnishings.

Chandeliers enhance the beauty of the living room or the dining area. When it is lit and light is dim, a glowing atmosphere like that of candlelight is created. It is simply mesmerizing. Adding a dimmer gives you the ability to change the level and effect of light and glimmer in your room.

Chandeliers add sparkle to the dining area while giving general light. Chandeliers can be used in bedrooms, living room, or foyers. Some chandeliers are also designed in a style having downlights that are suitable for table games or for homework or for any other table settings.

Installing Your Chandelier

Chandeliers are much heavier and complex than other ceiling fittings. Most chandeliers are attached to ceiling-mounted electrical junction box. They are typically fitted to the electric box with special reinforcing. You can select the chandelier shades and glasses to customize and personalize your configuration.

Handy homeowners can follow the manufacturer’s instructions and do the installation, but unless you are sure of your electrical and mechanical skills, hiring a contractor or handy man may be the best option.

In order to have a right impact of the chandelier lights, it is necessary to position the chandelier light properly. A crystal chandelier if hung in the dining room should be placed just above the dining table and should not hang too low or it will crowd the table. When installing in the dining room or kitchen, your crystal chandelier should hang at least thirty inches over the table.

Crystal lighting fixtures should be about twelve inches less in diameter than the width of the dining table. Follow these tips so that your chandelier complements the ambiance and does not overpower your room furnishings.

The chandelier should be in proper proportion and scale to the dining table. The chandelier should be hung with at least 48 inches clearance from any walls. Light from the chandelier to close above a person will feel uncomfortable and cause excessive heat.

Install a quality wall dimmer in order to control the intensity of the light and set it as per one’s mood.

Foyer and Entryway Chandeliers

To give separation between interior spaces of the house and the exterior, placing chandeliers in a foyer or home entryway is also a great application for a decorative chandelier.

When hanging chandelier in a foyer, hang it at a height so that the light illuminates the entire space. These chandeliers should be longer and more vertically oriented than those used in the dining room.

Maintaining your wood flooring is a little more than simple sweeping and vacuuming. You should however make sure your wood flooring does not sit wet for a long period, as the exposure to water can warp the wood!

Also, childrens toys and pet nails can cause scratching! Using area rugs, floor protectors (on ALL furniture on your hardwood floors), and routine maintenance with proper hardwood floor cleaner should always be used.

Unlike most floor coverings, wood floors come from a natural resource that is sustainable. Long gone are the days when timber was cut down with little thought for the long term consequences on the nation’s forests. Today most timber is cut from forests that are carefully managed to ensure continued resources in the future.

In fact, according to U.S. Forest Service statistics, almost twice as much hardwood timber is added every year through new growth as is harvested. Additionally, there is more standing hardwood timber today than there was 50 years ago.

The EPA has said that indoor air quality is one of our top health threats. Installed in the home, wood floors help contribute to a healthy living environment. Hard surface flooring such as hardwood floors does not harbor dust mites or molds. That creates better air quality for all inhabitants, but especially for those who suffer from allergies.

The hard surface of wood floors also helps avoid artificial substances such as pesticides that can accumulate on some floor coverings.

With today’s technologically advanced manufacturing, stains and finishes, hardwood floors come in many sizes, styles, colors, finishes and species. These many choices can compliment any home or office with style and a beautiful product that last a lifetime.

Instructional video on installing wood flooring:

Slate is a natural quarried stone consisting mainly of quartz and muscovite particles.

Some of the secondary ingredients may include chlorite, graphite and magnetite. The process of slate formation begins when layers and layers of clay and volcanic ash have been foliated together over a long period of time. This foliation then forms the clay and ash into a finely grained sedimentary rock.

Slate tile and pavers come in many amazing and varied colors, ranging from the dark blacks and browns, to purples and greens, to blue-grays and also reds and rusts. The aesthetic appeal of slate tile or pavers is that no two tiles are the same, not only in color but also in texture! The use of slate gives a natural yet elegant appeal!

Slate Paving Stones will give you the look of traditional slate with the strength and durability of concrete.

Slate Paving Stones are available with straight edges, straight sides, a variety of sizes and consistent thicknesses. These features make Slate Paving Stones so easy to work with when installing them. It also means that they are extremely versatile when it comes to laying out various patterns and designs.

Slate Paving Stones are flexible and have high compressive strength, with an absorption rate of less than 5%. This makes Slate Pavers a great flooring alternative for your patio, decking and walkways.

Laminate flooring must acclimatize to your home. This is done by placing the boxes in the room where you are going to install the laminate for a minimum period of 48 to 72 hours. Failure to do this will cause floors to buckle. This is the number one mistake made by most people including contractors.

The flooring must be room temperature before it can be set in place!
You must be a gap between walls and any other obstacle, (columns, stair risers, heat vents, etc.) of between 5/16" and 1/2" depending on the manufacturer. This allows for the expansion of the floor. If a gap is not left, the floor will buckle.

If the laminate flooring is going to be installed on a concrete slab floor where there is earth below the concrete, you must place a vapor barrier between the concrete and the laminate. The seams should be taped with a moisture resistant tape. Laminate flooring should not be installed on any floor that has a drain.

Some manufacturers will allow the installation of laminate flooring on carpet. The carpet should be a hard twist (Berber), or a very low pile (commercial carpet). If the under floor is spongy, the laminate flooring will separate when walked on.
The smallest piece of flooring should never be less than 8 inches long and the width should never be less than 2 inches.

Measure your room before you start the installation as it may be necessary to cut the first board in length and the first row of boards in width to avoid having small pieces.
If installing base board or quarter round on top of the laminate, do not nail through the laminate. A laminate floor must be allowed to expand and contract.

Repair any and all squeaks and soft spots in the sub-floor before installing the laminate. Laminate flooring will not correct squeak or soft spot problems.

Always start the installation of the laminate flooring with the groove side and end towards the walls.

Always use a tapping block to help tighten joints, but do not over hammer or you will damage the surface of the laminate at the joints.

If you follow these tips along with the manufacturer’s instructions, you will have a beautiful floor that will last for years!

Carpet tiles are also easier to transport and handle than 12’ rolls of traditional carpeting.

Carpet tiles are produced in primary colors, custom colors and custom prints and patterns. Although the 18” carpet square is a standard size, carpet tiles are also available in other sizes.

Carpet tiles provide under the foot comfort and noise abatement, as most are pre-cushioned with an attached backing or padding. Carpet tiles and carpet squares are great for high traffic areas.

Modular carpet tiles can be easily removed, cleaned and replaced individually. If a carpet tile wears out or sustains a stain that cannot be cleaned, the individual tile can be removed and replaced without having to replace the entire carpeted surface.

Carpet tiles are easier to maneuver than traditional rolls of carpet. Carpet tile squares are packaged in boxes requiring less floor space for storage and standard containers for transport. Additionally, carpet tiles can be moved and loaded into elevators or even carried up stairwells without special height or accessibility requirements.

Most carpet tiles are cut from rolled carpet they are crafted by the same quality manufacturers such as Milliken, Mannington, Shaw, Mohawk, J & J Industries, Bentley and Interface Flooring.

Carpet tiles are used in for many applications. Commercial carpet tiles are widely used in office buildings, schools, churches, casinos, recreation and sporting facilities and civic institutions.

Residential carpet tiles have become more popular in the home for entry ways, hallways, living rooms and almost any room in the house. Just as with rolled carpet, outdoor carpet squares have applications such as porches and decks.

Because bamboo is a grass rather than a tree, its finished appearance is very distinctive. Most distinctive is the eye-catching pattern of slightly darker bands produced by its nodes – a feature that clearly sets it apart from wood. Bamboo’s other aesthetic features include the tightness of its grain and the uniformity of its color.

Bamboo flooring is generally sold pre-finished, and is available in its light, natural color or in darker shades produced by carbonization. Carbonization is a manufacturing process that subjects the bamboo to steam and pressure. This causes a darkening of the sugar content in its fibers resulting in a honey-brown color. The shade of the color is dependent upon the length of the process.

Appearance of the finished product is further enhanced by the various plank constructions. Choices include vertical or horizontal solid construction, engineered construction, and woven stranded construction.

Bamboo flooring is actually stronger than most hardwoods. Some species of bamboo have obtained Janka hardness ratings higher than maple and nearly double that of red oak – the benchmark of hardwoods. Besides its hardness quality, bamboo is also very resilient and can take a greater impact than most hardwoods without denting.

Other outstanding properties of bamboo are its dimensional stability and moisture resistance. Because bamboo flooring is a laminated product, the likeliness of gapping, cupping, or warping is greatly reduced. Since bamboo grows in tropical regions, it is naturally moisture resistant. This makes it suitable for use in areas like bathrooms and kitchens where hardwood flooring is usually not recommended.

In an age of ever-growing concern over depletion of natural resources, especially of hardwood forests, the trend toward bamboo flooring could not be timelier.

Bamboo is extremely fast growing compared to hardwoods. On average, bamboo is capable of reaching maturity, at heights well over 50 feet, and is ready to harvest in five years. Additionally, since it is a grass, it is harvested again and again from the same plant. Compare that to an individual hardwood tree taking anywhere from three decades to more than a hundred years to mature, depending on the species.