Warm-Water Heating Systems: A Few Essential Details

It is important to know that the warm-water heating systems come along with three main components that include a manifold, tubing, and thermostat, which starts the system when the temperature goes below a certain value. Most modern systems come along with advanced thermostatic and manifold controls, which allow homeowners to bring an excellent heating package into their homes.

• The Manifold and Its Characteristics: The manifold is a very important component that controls the temperature in every zone of the house. This component is made of some high quality materials, which are very reliable and durable. Additionally, this component is pre-assembled in the factory so that it effectively saves cost and time with the installation process. In order to achieve maximum performance, this component comes along with separate flow meters for each zone, which are able to balance the entire underfloor heating system in order to deliver the best possible outcomes. The homeowner can connect the manifold directly to a boiler or to any wood-burning stoves, geothermal or solar systems. Therefore, the manifold shows a truly impressive versatility.

• Tubing -A Few Important Considerations: It is essential to know that tubing shows a multi-layer material, which comes along with a thick diameter. This thing allows this system to provide heat for a long time, even after the homeowner turns everything off. Warm-water system’s tubing is vey strong, being able to withstand high temperatures, which may even reach 95 degrees Celsius. Additionally, the entire system is able to withstand high pressures of 10 bars for many years. Thanks to a new technology, the tubes come with no joints. This thing prevents any leaks from occurring.

• The Importance of Thermostats: Most warm-water systems come along with digital thermostats, which help homeowners to control their heating systems very easily. The thermostat is a great addition to any heating system especially because it reduces the unnecessary extra costs while ensuring a great level of comfort. The thermostats allow users to set up a specific time and temperature level, so that the system functions as per the set requirements.

Electric Heating Systems: Are They Better Than the Warm-Water Systems?

These days, many producers offer a variety of electric heating systems, which are suitable for under laminate, vinyl, wood, carpet, and tile flooring. It is important to know that prior to installing this type of system, you must check your type of insulation, construction characteristics, and many other aspects that might influence the outcomes that you can get from running an electric heating system. Based on the construction characteristics of your own living space, the specialists will recommend a specific type of electric heating system. Thus, in order to make a documented choice, you have to hire a specialist who can analyze various technical aspects and advise you with regard to the best underfloor heating system for your home.

Similar to the warm-water heating systems, the electric ones also come with digital thermostats, which allow end users to keep the running costs down while getting the best out of these systems. However, it is important to know that unlike the warm-water heating systems, the electric ones cannot be installed in any areas. Additionally, while the warm-water heating systems allow homeowners to install them by themselves, the electric ones require the services of professionals. In conclusion, you can easily observe that the electric underfloor heating systems are at most as good as the warm-water heating solutions.

Although people can observe some differences with regard to the costs of running these two types of systems, both alternatives show a higher efficiency when compared to the traditional heating solutions. The reason for this is that underfloor heating comes along with a higher efficiency, being able to heat up a room from the bottom to top. Thus, the cold air related issues are completely eliminated. This thing indicates the fact that the warm-water and electric underfloor heating systems are truly advantageous, presenting minimal variations in units and respective, in their efficiency.

1. Best Inexpensive Vacuum

The Dirt Devil Featherlite Bagless vacuum costs $50 and weighs in at 13 pounds. A perfect option for those who live in a small home or apartment without a lot of traffic, this Dirt Devil is great on carpet, floors and easy to carry up and down the stairs. The price can’t be beat and you save even more money by not having to purchase vacuum bags.

2. Best Canister Style Vacuum

At $300 the Kenmore Progressive provides you with a mid-range vacuum that works effectively on carpet and floors. Some people prefer a canister vacuum because they offer more cleaning options and are easier to maneuver. This is certainly the case if you have a lot of stairs to vacuum in your home. The Kenmore Progressive also makes it easy to clean upholstery and curtains.

3. Best Upright Style Vacuum

If you prefer an upright vacuum the Kenmore Intuition is a super vacuum at $260. When tested, the Kenmore Intuition performed well on carpet as well as bare floors. The suction on the hose extensions also makes it easy to clean upholstery and drapes. Built with the Kenmore reputation for durability, this upright is a great all-around option for vacuuming the entire house.

4. Best Vacuum for Pets and High-Traffic Areas

The commercial states there’s nothing like a Dyson and, in this case, it’s definitely true. The Dyson Animal comes with a heftier price tag at $600 but proves itself worthy by cleaning up messes that no other vacuums can clean. If you have a dog or cat, or both, with long hair, and spend loads of time trying to get all the pet hair out of your carpet and off your upholstery, then you know a vacuum that can achieve these tasks is worth its weight in gold. New technology on the Dyson Animal has provided a feature to make the vacuum adjust to varying carpet heights automatically.

4. Best Vacuum for Washing Carpets

Introducing the Vax 6131 Multifunction Canister Dry Vacuum and Carpet Washer if your carpets need washing this is a good low-mid range cleaner. It has quite a large capacity 8 litres dirty water plus 4 litre clean, coming equipped with a brush, crevice and upholstery tools. If your carpets are filthy after the big new years party and need a good clean but don’t want to pay for a professional to do the job, choose not only this model but any of the range of vax vacuum cleaners.

Which Tools to Use ?

photo by donotlick

There isn’t many tools required to sand your floor. You can rent a sanding machine (if you think you will be using it quite often you may want to buy one), an edger (a small sander you can use against walls). And finally a hand scraper for areas you can reach with the edger or the sanding machine. A nail set and a hammer will also be required to remove any exposed nails in the floor.

Belt Sanding

Before you start the sanding proces sink all the exposed nails in the floor. If you don’t do so they will damage the sanding machine.

Once you are ready you can start sanding, first use a 60-grit paper and sand with the grain on the floor. Doing it the other way round will cause important damage to your floor. Never let the sander still. You have to keep moving it around the room or it will sand ruts into the floor. This will be very hard to remove.
Once you have finish with the 60-grit you can use a 80-grit and finally move on to a 100-grit for a smooth finish.

Edger Sanding

Once you have finished with the belt sanding you’ll have to move on to the edger. It will help you sand the areas – especially next to the walls the sanding machine has missed. You have to keep the edger moving from back to front a bit like the sanding machine. First start with a 60-grit paper and then move on to 80-grit and after to 100-grit.

Hand Sanding

Corners are not accessible with large tools. That’s why you’ll have to use a hand scraper. This will enable you to reach tricky areas. Make sure the areas you’ve sanded with the edger and the hand scraper blend in nicely with the rest of the room.

If you are looking for good floor sanding machines or any other wood flooring tools visit woodfloors-online.co.uk

Hardwood Floors

A great advantage of hardwood flooring is that it is natural look it gives. The room will have a lot of  charm with hardwood floor. You can find hardwood in more and more species, colors, and the last considerably longer than what they used to. If you take care of it properly you hardwood floor can last for hundred years.

Photo by anselm

You can find two types of hardwood floors:

• Solid wood floors, which can be prefinished and unfinished
• Engineered wood floors, which are prefinished and some times unfinished

If choose unfinished hardwood floors you will then have to sand the floor to make sure it is smooth and remove any overwood.  You’ll be able to apply color you want but it might take a few days to be ready. Hardwood floor will give you room a unique look with different pattern on each board and it’ll be fully authentic.

Prefinished hardwood floors, on the other hand, are fairly quick and can be installed in a day and is much less messy. But you won’t be able to choose the color you want because it will be the manufacturer who decides the colors he wants to sell. Usually he will also add products to make it more resistant.

Hardwood has a few inconveniences. You can’t clean with water because water can dull the finish and damage your wood floor. The color of your wood floor can also be affected by sunlight over time. If you think your wood floor has been damage you can always use wood floor finishes to the restore the original color or to repair small scratches.

Laminate Floors

Firstly be aware that laminate floors are not real wood, therefore they are much more resistant to scratches, sunlight and stains (but they can be scratched by dragging heavy objects or animals).

Laminate floors come in three different types:

• Installer (not very common anymore)
• Glueless floating laminate floors (which is the most common laminate floor)
• Factory glued floating laminate floors (isn’t much used any more)

Most laminate floors use the floating installation method. This method consists of laminate floors resting on the subfloor. The subfloor  must be leveled in order to properly lock the planks easily. A great advantage of laminate floors is that you don’t need to polish or to wax it.  Plus if you choose glueless laminate floors you’ll be able to do it on your own instead of having someone to come over and do it.

Unfortunately laminate floors are not as unique as hardwood floors. The pattern is usually the same for each plank and the color are usually limited. Don’t try to refinish or resurface your laminate floors. Doing so will ruin you floor because laminate flooring is composed of a thin surface that reproduces the look of hardwood.

It is hard to make  a full comparison of hardwood flooring and laminate flooring  because hardwood flooring come in many species, finishes and construction type. Therefore it is very hard to comapre each of them. Your local flooring store should be able to help you and give good information because he will know each product he sells.

Woodfloors-online is a hardwood flooring distributor and contractor. Find all your laminate flooring and laminate flooring underlay  on woodfloors-online.

Caring for Bare Floors

Bare floors have no protection from walking traffic, busy children, crawling babies, pets, etc. They also have no protection from the discerning eye of guests and clients. To impress clients, keep guests comfortable and children safe, bare floors should be clean, shiny and free from dangerous imperfections, such as splinters and cracks. Regular washing, buffing and polishing will make bare floors look good, be safe and protect them from floor destroyers, such as spills, heels and rolling chairs. A good floor buffer can do all of the cleaning, polishing and protecting any bare floor needs.

Keeping a Clean Carpet

Carpets, while protecting bare floors and small children, are easily damaged by traffic and spills. Furthermore, failing to deep clean a carpet can leave it stained over time. A dirty carpet inside a business looks sloppy. Businesses want to present themselves as competent. A dirty carpet says the opposite. Inside the home, a dirty carpet can be unhealthy for children and pets. It can trap dirt, allergens and even parasites, like fleas. That is why it is important to vacuum carpets frequently and use a carpet cleaning machine whenever a carpet starts to look a little dingy. This will stop usage stains from setting in.

Clean Countertops for Good Health

Countertops are typically the place where people put their food, their hands, their personal belongings, such as keys and purses. If these surfaces are not cleaned regularly, they can transfer bacteria and other illnesses between people when food or hands touch them. Countertops are also typically below eye level and draw attention. If a business or home has dirty countertops, people will notice. Care for countertops by using disinfectant cleaners and keeping grout clean and complete. For example, if the grout is coming up, fix it, or the problem will only get worse.

Don’t Forget Walls and Doorframes

Walls are often neglected when people care for surfaces in their homes and businesses. People focus on the surfaces where we place items or on floors, which become obviously dirty. Walls should have the same kind of care, but typically

<p><a href="http://www.freedigitalphotos.net/images/view_photog.php?photogid=1556">Image: nuttakit / FreeDigitalPhotos.net</a>

do not require it as often. As any parent with young children can testify, people lean on walls and touch walls with their hands. They may leave behind greasy, dirty fingerprints and germs. Neither a home nor a business looks good with dirty walls. Care for walls by keeping the paint fresh and using paint that is easy to clean. From there, it is a simple matter of using a mild spray cleaner and soft rag to wipe down the walls.

Doorframes are another largely neglected surface of homes and businesses. Like walls, people often lean on them and touch them. Items brush up against them as people pass through as well. Keeping up with doorframes is the same as keeping up with walls. Make sure the paint looks fresh and is easy to clean. The use of a mild spray cleaner or a bucket of soap and water to wipe them down are all that is needed when they need cleaning.

Keeping surfaces clean is not difficult. Caring for them is simply a matter of maintenance and sufficient washing or vacuuming with the right products. This can help eliminate odours and bacteria/allergens in homes and businesses. It can also make the room in question look more presentable, homely or professional, and ensure people enjoy their stay and want to come back.

Revamping your floor isn’t particularly difficult – as long as you know how to do it.

Step One: Ascertain the Damage

First things first, you need to inspect your floor like you’ve never done before. Get a mop and gently wipe down the

photo by donotlick

surface to remove any dirt which may be lying on the face of the wood. Once you have given it a brusque clean, you will need to assess the general state of the floor. If it is a little dry in patches you might be able to get away with re-oiling the surface.

However if you’re struggling to look on the optimistic side, you may need to sand the current varnish off your floor. Now now, don’t be too scared it really isn’t as bad as it sounds, and the best bit is? You can do it yourself – if you want to.

Step Two: Preparation

When sanding down your floor you will need to empty the entire room. This always takes longer than you expect so give yourself plenty of time, and try not to reminisce over sentimental objects. The quicker you clear your room, the quicker you can start having fun!

The next step to make sure your floor is ready to be refreshed with a quick blast of the sander, is to knock any protruding nails back into the floor. For this you should probably get a small hammer and a pair of gloves – it’s surprising how you can cut yourself. This may sound laborious but if you don’t do it, you could damage the sander and the overall finish of your floor.

Step Three: Start the Sanding

Photo by matt hutchinson

So, hopefully by now you’ve hired a sander (look around for a good deal) which is capable of doing the job to a good standard. If you’re not too sure on the type of sander you will need, the local hardware shop or hire store should be able to offer you some advice.

Top Tip: the trick to sanding is to keep a slow and even pace. Don’t stay too long in one place or you will end up with an uneven and crooked looking floor. Before placing the sander directly on the floor, it is best to start it up and then gradually lower it in a smooth motion. If you plonk it on the floor, you might end up with some unsightly gouges that are worse to look at then the current starches and dents which you have at the moment.

Step Four: Varnish

Okay, so the hard work is over and done with – kind of. Now all you

Photo by anselm

need to do is choose a varnish you like and apply it to your floor. Top tip? Brush up and down more than once to remove any bubbles in the varnish.

Now you’ve got all the basics, you can go off and restore your wood flooring to its former glory.  You’ll be amazed at the final product, and after doing all the hard work yourself you will always have a special attachment to it. Good luck!

Written by Gayle Brown on behalf of Prestige Woods; suppliers of a variety of beautiful wood flooring.

Wood Floors Can Be Refinished Many Times

One of the greatest things about them is the fact they can be refinished. A wood floor has multiple inches of thickness.  Engineered wood flooring is only real wood in the top layer for a thickness a few millimeters up to a centimeter.  100% authentic wood flooring has plenty of opportunity to refinish the floors over the years.

Avoid Damage from Water and Foot Traffic

When you have thick, authentic wood floors you can refinish and reseal them many times.  Care for them correctly to get the most use you can form them, naturally.  Put rugs in high traffic areas to keep them from wearing out in those areas before the rest of the floor.  Don’t wear high heels on wood floors.  Do that correctly and you’re floors can last almost forever!

Moisture is the main enemy of wood floors.  Have rugs in front of the sink, dishwasher, and in front of entrances to the home.  If water spills from a pet water bowl or spill from the fridge it can wreak havoc on a floor.  It only takes a few hours for the boards to warp so keep the wood dry!

Regular Maintenance

If you can avoid water damage, pet urine, and deep gauges, in addition to covering high traffic areas then your floors will have serious staying power.  Then, pay for the cost of a professional wood floor refinisher come in every five years to give a light buff and recoat.  A light sanding will take virtually no wood off the thickness.  It’s the severe damage that will force you to have the floor sanded down fractions of inches.  That’s what you want to avoid.

So spend the money on the 100% authentic woods floors over the engineered.  It’s worth the cost of authentic hardwood floors if it’s a property you will own for years and you know the floors will be taken care of well.  Take care of them and they will last a long time for you.

James Rollins is a writer for hardwood flooring publications and newsletters.

Some of those benefits include ease of installation for the growing number of do-it-yourself enthusiasts, the ability to mix and match to create custom designs, less waste and lower cost over traditional broadloom carpet installation, they can be readily cut to fit around objects and into awkward locations, are less likely to stretch and become damaged, and enable spot repairs of burns, tears, or stains with removable and replacement tiles.

Carpet squares can be used to create more living space affordably by converting a cold basement or a dusty attic into a warm and welcoming carpeted bedroom, den, or play area. And with contrasting colors, retro styles, and patterns ranging from plaid to striped being all the rave, any room can be rejuvenated by alternating different colors and types of versatile carpet tiles to make fun and unique designs and borders on floors, furniture, and on walls where they can also serve as insulation and sound barriers.

For the environmentally and health conscious, carpeting tiles are also available in a broad range of contemporary natural, recycled, and renewable materials, while themed carpeted squares can be purchased with sports emblems, logos, or characters for use in day care centers, game rooms, restaurants, and many other settings.

Instead of having to wait for your special order to come in, you can get your new floor done quicker by simply being able to walk into any home improvement store and instantly purchase off-the-shelf carpet tiles that are ready to be installed and, with comparatively little investment, significantly improve the value and appearance of your home or business, get your house ready to sell in a tough economy, and even redecorate a rental apartment or condo, as many carpeting squares now are adhesive-free so they aren’t difficult to remove if you relocate or want to change some of the tiles for a new look at some point in the future.

With the significant difference in price – carpet tiles are typically 30 to 50 percent cheaper than traditional carpeting – and a wide array of practical and innovative uses, when it comes to interior design projects and remodeling, it is no wonder that carpet squares have become a trendy alternative flooring choice that is rapidly growing in popularity.

1. Try Doormats

By using doormats at the entrances to your home, you can help keep dirt and debris off your carpet. Put these doormats at the front of your home, as you walk in from the garage, and at your patio door. These high-volume traffic areas see a lot of dirt, so hopefully your doormats will catch most of the grime, not your carpet.

2. Take Your Shoes Off

Remove your shoes when you enter your home so you don’t track dirt onto your carpet. If you get in the habit of not wearing your shoes on the carpet, then you’ll prolong the life of the carpet and it won’t appear dirty as quickly. This is especially helpful if your shoes are wet or muddy.

Image: winnond / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

3. Keep Your Feet Covered

If you don’t mind wearing slippers or socks around the house, this can also help keep your carpet in better shape. The oil and sweat from the bottom of your feet get into the carpet fibers. This helps contribute to the dirtiness of your carpet.

4. Use Furniture Protectors

Put furniture protectors under the legs of any heavy furniture pieces you own. This will help keep your furniture from hurting the carpet fibers. You might not notice the damage until you decide to rearrange the furniture or move, but you don’t want any surprises when that time comes. These inexpensive protectors help distribute the weight of your furniture to minimize carpet damage.

5. Vacuum, Vacuum, Vacuum!

Be sure to vacuum your carpet regularly. This will prolong the life of your carpet and keep it looking new. Vacuum attachments can help clean hard to reach spots, like under couches and along baseboards. Slowly moving your vacuum along the carpet will pick up more dirt than a quick sweeping motion. The shorter your intervals between vacuuming your home, the cleaner you will be able to keep your carpet.

6. Use Specialized Cleaners

If you have pets, make sure to use a special pet cleaner and deodorizer on the carpet. Many of these cleaners are a mixture of baking soda and other deodorizing agents. Sprinkle the cleaner over your carpets before vacuuming, let them sit for about fifteen minutes, and watch as your carpet smells fresher and looks newer after you vacuum. Be sure to read the instructions on the particular type of pet carpet cleaner you purchase, since the instructions may vary.

7. Steam Cleaners Can Be Effective

Steam cleaning may be necessary if you have not vacuumed in a very long time. It is also a good idea to steam clean carpets every so often even if you do vacuum, since steam cleaners will pick up dirt and grime that a regular vacuum misses. If you keep up with cleaning your floor regularly, most homes will only need a steam cleaning once every 12 to 18 months. You can rent a steam cleaner or hire a professional cleaning service for your carpet. A mixture of hot water and detergent is used to pull up dirt that is embedded deeply in the carpet fibers and then vacuumed out. If you are steam cleaning your carpets yourself, make sure to vacuum your carpets with your regular vacuum cleaner first.

8. Clean Up Quickly

Treat stains on your carpet immediately. Blot the excess liquid up, making sure not to rub the stain in further. If you have a carpet stain spray, then spray the area and let it sit according to your stain remover’s instructions. If you do not have a special stain remover, use shaving cream for most food stains and club soda for red wine stains. Pet stains may need something more powerful not only to remove the stain, but to also get rid of any odor. Most pet stores have special pet stain removers for such emergencies. The most important thing to remember about getting up a stain is that the sooner you treat the stain, the more likely you will be able to get your carpet back to its original color.

Working for an online retailer of hoover bags allows George Baker to try out things like Bosch hoover bags and write about them online.

The Reputation of Carpet Tiles

The reason why people perceive them to be at the lower end of the carpet market, is that we commonly think of them as being the dark gray colored tiles often seen in offices. Since they don’t show dirt in high traffic areas, and they also do not show up the inevitable stain that occurs when someone drops a cup of coffee on the floor. Although gray is popular, carpet tiles can actually be bought in a wide variety of colors, and can be just as comfortable and durable as a regular carpet.

A Long and Useful History

They were originally designed for use in office buildings in the 1960’s. The reason is not because they were cheap to make – they were primarily designed for use in offices. Since they give a good coverage per tile with either 30cm or 50cm being the most common sizes to lay down, the main reason they are actually used in offices is for how easily and quickly they can be replaced.

Think of a modern open plan office, where you have rows of desks with a larger gap between them forming a virtual corridor. However as a result, the carpet in the virtual corridor wears out far faster, due to the much higher traffic compared to the tiles that are under people’s desks. The problem offices used to have before carpet tiles, is that the carpet used to be laid wall to wall. This presented a major problem that if the carpet that formed the so-called ‘virtual corridor’, that area would wear out far faster than that under the desks. If it then became a serious problem with the carpet totally worn out, the whole carpet would need to be replaced rather than just the worn out area.

As you can image in a large plan office covered in desks replacing the whole carpet wall to wall would be a challenge to say the least, as well as a great expense to the business.

Carpet Tiles Offer an Alternative

Hence carpet tiles came along to save the day. You can easily replace corridor carpet tiles that are worn out without having to move any desks. The same applies in the event of a major spillage of white paint as an example; to replace the damage you just replace the carpet tiles rather than the whole carpet. This is why with their great time and money saving characteristics, carpet tiles are so often seen in the workplace.

If your home is of a similar style to an office, with areas getting much more wear than others, or having much more risk of having a spillage, then carpet tiles could be for you. Say for example in the kitchen, carpet tiles could save you a great deal of money if you ever have a mishap with a glass of wine or other stain – instead of having to replace the whole of the floor, you simply need to replace the affected carpet tiles. In fact often, when buying a tiled floor, you’ll end up with a few tiles left over – so a simple swap is just seconds away!

Consider the Professionals

As a general rule, hardwood floors should be installed by a professional. Installation can be complicated, especially with floors that are unfinished, and must be sanded and finished on the job site. Laminate flooring, on the other hand, is manufactured with a unique click lock system that makes it easy for do-it-yourselfers. Those who want to take on the task on their own and save the cost of flooring installation should be sure to take some necessary precautions.

Compare Quotes

Before deciding on self-installation for flooring, remember that some skill is needed, along with time and necessary preparation. The way the floor is laid will affect its wear for years to come. If you don’t have the necessary skills, time, or inclination to do the job right, it may be a good idea to hire a professional installer for either hardwood flooring or laminate. After receiving quotes from a few installers, they should be compared based on their price quotes and their reputations. Scrimping on a good installer may not be wise in the long run, because fixing your floor if it was not done right may rack up high bills.

Preparing for Self-Installation

Before installing hardwood flooring, be careful to check that the subfloor is suitable for installation, and is clean, dry, and flat. The flooring should be brought into the area where it will be laid a few days in advance so that it has a chance to acclimate to its environment. Different tools may also be needed for installation of hardwood flooring based on the type of wood. Consult with a flooring retailer, the manufacturer, online articles, or a DIY book before installation. Prepare yourself with a timetable and clear goals, the necessary tools, and enough assistance.

Laminate flooring is produced with lock and groove edges that make installation clean and relatively easy. As with hardwood, the floor tiles or planks should be brought into the area where it is being laid a few days before installation so that the floor will be acclimated to the room’s temperature and level of humidity. This will help avoid buckling, and ensure that the flooring pieces fit together snugly. A manufacturer’s guide should also be followed. Many manufacturers even provide video tutorials or manuals. The actual process of installation should not be difficult, as laminate flooring comes prefinished. It is installed as a floating floor; it is not adhered to the subfloor. This eliminates the need for messy glue or nails.

The installation of discount flooring is equally, or almost as important as the flooring choice itself. Take the time to explore your options, and your floor will thank you for years to come.

Tom Foley is a flooring consultant and home improvement expert for Affordafloors. Affordafloors offers a wide selection of discount flooring, with options of hardwood, laminate flooring, and other flooring from brand names. They also offer excellent customer service, with free advice and help with everything from décor to installation from their home improvement experts.

In spring 2011, indoor and outdoor home décor is stepping up to the plate and hitting a grand slam in the field of design, fashion, quality and home decor.

Don’t want to be left behind? Here are the top trends and must haves in home décor and renovation:

Goodbye Carpet, Hello New Flooring

Yes, that’s right. That shag, berber or all white show every stain carpet said goodbye in 2010, and flooring trends are  taking the home decorating scene by storm. Start by considering your everyday lifestyle if you are debating which type of flooring to choose. You want floors that compliment you. For areas of your home that are high traffic, hard wearing floors are the best choice. Areas like your bedroom, however, should remain nice and cozy on your feet. Area rugs are quickly becoming the hottest accessory in home décor. Area rugs are replacing carpet because hardwood and tile flooring is the new luxury in home design. Area rugs give you the warm and comfortable feel of a room without the use of wall to wall carpet.

Today, hardwood floors are taking on a new edge. It is no longer the dark and light oak in exact same size panels. The new trend of hardwood flooring is moving towards exotic woods, wide widths and distressed, vintage and old world finishes.

Hardwood flooring has many benefits besides its timeless beauty and luxury feel. It is easy to maintain, it comes in a variety of finishes, it adds value to your home and it promotes healthy indoor air quality because it doesn’t trap dust and dirt. Hardwood floors are shaking up the world of interior design by adding ambiance and luxury to make homes look elegant and trendy.

Go From One to Several

Do you have one large room in your home that does not fit your needs just right? Maybe you want a guest bedroom and an office in one? Maybe you have two children, but only one room? Maybe you want an office in your living area. Whatever the case, there are ways to divide a large room into multiple spaces without spending a fortune.

Curtains and shutters are a great solution for this problem! If you opt for curtain, all you need is a spring rod, a fabric or curtain that accents the room and curtain rings. Make sure you measure from floor to ceiling so you know how long the fabric needs to be. You also want to pick a color that adds to the room. If you have neutral walls, drapes and curtains can be a beautiful accessory, plus they divide your room into sections. Drapes Curtains N More is a great web site that allows you to customize your fabrics so you can get the perfect match for your space.

If you want to use shutters, make sure you purchase enough panels to separate the room into two parts. Panels usually do not go from floor to ceiling; however, they do add a very contemporary feel to the room. Shutter room dividers come in a variety of colors so you can match the divider with your wall color or use it to accessorize as well.

Fashion Leads Home Design

If you love fashion, use your wardrobe to merge into your home! The same zebra or leopard print on your Dolce & Gabbana purse makes a dynamic chair in your sitting room and on the area rug in your living room. Stripes are a hit this season too! Stripes are making their way from runway to entry way. The nautical feel with bold navys, reds and purples are the must-haves against a neutral stripe, and black and white will never die. The stripes are the focal points of the outfit as well as the focal point of the room. Try throw pillows with dramatic stripes in the living room and a window seat or a chair cushion in the kitchen or sitting area. In your outfit and in your home, stripes are all about drawing attention.

Let’s talk about shoes. Wooden shoes are coming back and so is wooden furniture and flooring. Next time you are in a department store, stop by the shoe department and notice how much wood you see. Do the same when you watch HGTV. Notice a trend?

The skin-tight-barely-there clothing is out and silk, loose billowy blouses and dresses are in (phew, isn’t that great news ladies?) The same goes for your home. Oversized furniture, floor to ceiling drapery and silk textures in solid colors are what’s hot.

The spring 2011 fashion and home design season is all about simple drama. Wood bottoms on a solid pump, a bright stripe on a neutral color or a flowy fabric in a solid color. Fashion has met its match in home design!

Go Green

People everywhere are taking interest in the “eco-friendly” movement and looking for that “green” label before making a purchase. If the item is tagged all-natural, organic, recyclable or environmentally friendly, there is a pretty good chance that will make it into the shopping cart over the competition. As we progress to a natural way of life, there are many things you can do to heal our planet and green your home.

There are several types of organic bedding made from all-natural fibers such as bamboo, soy silk, hemp, cotton and more. These sets are made with all- natural dyes and are biodegradable. Conventional cotton is made with toxic chemicals and harsh dyes that hurt our environment. These chemicals surround our children and families daily. However, there is a healthy alternative available: organic cotton! It has softer and higher quality fabric plus it saves energy and reduces the amount of pollution in the environment. Fabrics such as Sunbrella and BioComfort are mindful of chemical waste and provide an eco-friendly organic option in beautiful colors, patterns and designs to customize the perfect cushions, drapes and pillows for your home.

Another way to dress up your home with eco-friendly styles is with plants. Plants not only provide beauty to your home, but they also clean the air. Plants have the power to absorb harmful chemicals and make your living space a pleasant experience. Gerbera daisies, peace lilies, english ivy and bamboo all fall into the eco-friendly category.

Finally, blackout curtains not only block all of the light coming in and out of the room, but they also save energy! Thirty-three percent of home heating and cooling energy loss comes via windows. Not only are you sleeping longer and saving money, but you are helping the environment.

Outdoor Space Brings Property Value

In today’s economy, people are reconsidering their mansion dream home and making changes and updates accordingly. Make the most of what you can afford. The best way to do this is to create a higher property value in your home. This is not just indoors, but outdoors as well. Researching products that are high quality and last a life time is what people want to purchase. Yes, you will have to spend some money, but having beautiful furniture and curb appeal increases your property value and makes your outdoor space beautiful. It is a great investment if you think about it!

Enhancing your outdoor setting makes your indoor setting look that much better. Today’s latest outdoor furniture is nothing like grandma’s outdoor wicker chair. High end brands such as teak are crafted to hold up against the outdoor elements and last a lifetime. Teak is not only beautiful, but it requires no maintenance. It does not split or require paint every spring, and it is made from all natural wood.

The same is true for outdoor fabrics; fabrics from brands such as Sunbrella will not fade from the sun or mildew from the rain. These fabrics come in a variety of textures and patterns and can be used for your indoor and outdoor living space. Sunbrella drapes hanging over your teak furniture set holding bright Sunbrella cushions makes your own “Better Homes and Gardens,” right in your very own backyard.

Whitney Hicks is the marketing coordinator at My Home Furnishings and Drapes Curtains N More. She enjoys writing feature articles and engaging in social media and blogging in areas such as home decor, design and home improvements. Whitney is a public relations graduate from Auburn University.

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.

Carpet Care Tips

1. Vacuum your carpets twice a week.
2. Clean up spills as soon as possible by blotting with paper or terry cloth towels.
3. If you use detergent to remove spots, be sure to blot the area with a wet towel to remove the detergent.
4. Have your carpets cleaned every 18 months by a professional service like Carpet Cleaning Portland.

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
   

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.