Wood Flooring Articles

Few flooring products are as gorgeous as wood laminate flooring. The fine striations of grain match so well with the interesting patterns of the thin pieces themselves and yield a somewhat complex but straightforward pattern of finely-meshed and superbly-crafted boards. This pattern is bound to warm a room up while providing a gorgeous hard surface.

The ironic thing about how "complex" things seem, however, is that it is not what it appears. It turns out almost anyone can install this attractive flooring, providing they adhere to the initial rules without varying. I have given some tips based on my experiences which can at worst give a few insights into the typical discomforts, both physically and aesthetically in the installation of laminate flooring.

These are just a few of the major encumbrances I have discovered, to my pain, in work I have done. There is much more one could advise, but these little tips can save you a ton of pain, later. Bear them in mind during your installations. I am positive you can add to these as time goes by and you enjoy your hard labors.

Those rules are:

Make sure the measurements of length are correct

There is nothing worse than finding out the molding which will hide the ends of your laminate boards is not wide enough to cover their ends. Make certain by laying each out before every install that the set up is totally appropriate.

While it may be time-consuming, nothing will detract from the overall effect of your finished floor as bad as having some strange germ-collecting gap before the molding.

This will also insure you have not somehow picked up the wrong pre-cut board, which of course would be doubly bad in that the one you opted for means it will not be used where it was intended either.

Get some knee pads

This might seem funny and unnecessary, but an $8 investment in knee pads will make your work go faster and much more reliably. Physical discomfort has ruined many a project. Your knees sitting naked on a floor, and especially a hardwood floor, are not engineered to take the constancy of bearing your shifting weight as you manipulate your body to position and install laminate flooring. Take it from one who knows. Work comfortably and safely and your project will not only be more fun to do, but will benefit from the attention not deflected away by physical pain.

Make sure the fits are snug

Laminate tongue and groove flooring is designed to interlock by virtue of the grooved edges painstakingly installed at the manufacturing level. However, this is not always done perfectly. It is the nature of wood to swell as it dries or to become somewhat deformed in shipping just owing to its natural qualities.

Some of your grooves will not fit as snugly as others, it is just a given. However, not fitting snugly had some nasty implications that can seriously affect some negative events later on. Make sure you pound the board in snugly with whatever soft-headed hammering device you use. If the fit is not immediately satisfying, take the time to analyze where and why. If need be, pull it out and use a sander or chisel away at the offending edge. Bear in mind, this part will not be visible later. The bottom line here is to make sure the fit is snug. There can be no compromises here.

Assess your work at intervals

Take a minute during the process at various times to analyze your progress so far and plan for the future of the installation. Simply grabbing boards and slapping them in might mean you are missing some flaw which will be a grave price to pay later, when you suddenly realize you'll have to remove 50 boards to correct it.

It can be something as small as some object you left under the boards you installed which now pushes up and make a bulge in the overall surface. Any number of things can affect the overall look. Other typical problems are some place where your trailing leg or foot may have caused some separation between the boards. Analyze it all.

Take a "finisher's'" perspective of seeing what you have done as a completed task. Does it meet professional criteria? Is it all "golden"? If it is, by all means congratulate yourself. Feeling good never hurt the productivity level of anyone I ever knew. So, make sure you feel good about your hard labors. It's what built the countries, towns and homes we all live in.

There are several features that you can only find in DuPont laminate flooring and nowhere else. Its newest innovation is the Multi-Direction Design that is available in its Tuscan Stone product. Upon inspection, you will see that the stone pattern continues across seams, appearing as though your floor is entirely made of stone instead of laminate planks. Its wood laminate planks also has the InterPlank Design which looks continuous and unbroken across seams, reducing the time it takes for you to install the flooring and prevents repeated patterns. Another unique feature for DuPont laminate is the attachment of underlayment under its products, which when combined with a premium underlayer, provides better acoustic and thermal insulation, as well as better stability to your flooring.

DuPont Designs

With its special technology, DuPont laminate flooring has textures and appearances closely resembling hardwood or ceramic, providing a viable option for you if you wish for these looks though does not have the budget or the inclination to install one. The laminate products of DuPont are available in two collections, the Real Touch Classic and the Real Touch Elite that provides numerous choices for your flooring. If you want wood laminate flooring with realistic looking wood grain, try selecting products included in the Real Touch Classic collection. There are two subcategories in the Real Touch Elite collection, the In-Stock and the Custom Order designs. The former is available in most Home Depot stores while the latter is available only to cater to your more discriminating style and taste.

Points to Remember When Installing

Keep in mind that DuPont laminate flooring can be installed on several types of subfloors, be it wooden or concrete, as long as it is clean, dry and level. As in most laminate flooring, you must store unopened packages indoors two days or more prior to installation. Though there is no hard and fast rule regarding the orientation of laminate flooring, try installing them parallel to the light coming in from the outside, so as to maximize their appearance. Never forget to leave expansion spaces between walls and its adjacent rows of laminate flooring. You would also get better and more beautiful results if you use moldings and accessories also from DuPont. As the floating technique for installation is recommended, it is both easy for you to install and disengage laminate planks or tiles whenever you wish to replace damaged ones.

Installing in Bathroom

Gone were the days when you can only install laminate flooring in select areas of the house. Nowadays, it is even possible to install DuPont laminate flooring in high humidity areas such as bathrooms. The manufacturer recommends using silicone sealant when installing laminate flooring in bathroom, even on the expansion gaps between planks and walls.

The instant benefit you get when you install laminate flooring on stairs is the enhanced look of your whole house, especially if the rest of the room has laminate flooring, too. This is because same patterns and styles are used all throughout, adding visual cohesion and integrity. Furthermore, this makes the whole room appear bigger. And because it is available in numerous styles, colors, and hues, you have wider options when selecting flooring that will go well with the rest of your interior decoration scheme.

Insist on Quality

Because this part of your house bears a lot of traffic during your day to day living, make sure that the laminate flooring on stairs is of good quality that will resist constant wear and tear. If you are not familiar with the different brands of laminated flooring available in the area, do some research and ask flooring professionals, if you happen to know one. Solicit feedback from some of your friends who have installed laminated flooring in their houses and ask which brand gets easily scratched and replaced often. This is one instance when you need to forego searching for cheaper engineered flooring and invest on good ones instead that will not need to be replaced after only a short time.

How to Install

There is not much difference in installing engineered flooring on stairs from installing the flooring elsewhere. In fact, it can even be a suitable DIY project for you that can be done on a single weekend. You need to glue it down to the subfloor tightly to make sure it doesn't wobble after being subjected to daily traffic. You may also choose to brad nail the flooring in its edges to hide the holes with a trim later on. You do not need to place any underlayer beneath the laminate flooring nor provide expansion spaces because the entire flooring is glued down. You can now install quarter round trim on the edge of the tread and over the uppermost part of the riser.

Selection of Adhesive

Do not underestimate the importance of the adhesive you use when installing laminate on stairs. Determine which brand is recommended by the laminate manufacturer, as their preferences might vary. Purchase the complete installation kit and follow the installation instructions faithfully to get the best results possible. Of course, you can avoid this particular hassle if you choose to hire a professional installer though the project is quite easy and fast to do. Make sure to wipe any excess glue that seep out with a clean, dry cloth to prevent any unsightly stains.

Safety Issues

One consideration that must not be ignored when installing laminate flooring on stairs is safety. Some engineered flooring boards or tiles may be too glossy and slippery for children and elderly persons to walk on. It would be prudent for you to shop around and look for a flooring with slightly matte finish. You can also install handrails on your stairs as added safety precaution.

About a decade ago carpeting was the floor covering of choice, today solid hard woods and wood laminates have become the floor coverings many home owners and builders are using. While carpeting was very popular a decade ago it is seldom used except in bedrooms two day. The ease of cleaning hard woods and laminate along with the fact they do not collect allergens are making them the floor covering of today's homes and businesses.

If you are thinking about changing the flooring in your home you should take a serious look at hard woods and laminates. Updating your flooring is one of the smartest investments the home owner can make today. Not only will you enjoy the benefits of the ease of maintenance, and a decrease in the amount of allergens in you living space you will also increase the value of your home.

If you are concerned about hard wood flooring not being as warm as carpet you can always install a heated floor blanket under such laminates as Pergo and similar styles.

Today's laminates and hard woods can be found in a variety of shade and pattern so they will give your rooms a very personal and dramatic affect enhancing your room design. You will be able to match shades have contrasting shade and patterns to further enhance your designs.

Weather you do the installation yourself or have it done by professional installers today's hard woods and laminates are reasonable price and you will see an increase in your home value to more then cover the cost.

So weather you are looking at changing your flooring, building a new home, or wanting to make a dramatic change to your room design. It will serve you well to take a serious look at today's hard wood and laminate flooring options. I am confident that you will enjoy the new look and feel you achieve with this choice and that your design will look great for years to come.

Learning about hard wood lumber can help you know which is the best selection of hard wood when you want to put down a new floor anywhere in your home. Hard wood is a beautiful addition to your home and it will add value and elegance, no matter what your individual style. Different hardwood lumber has different unique properties. Learn about them to make your home more beautiful.

Hardwood comes from trees that grow nuts. These trees have broad leaves and commonly hickory, walnut, maple, cherry, or oak is used in the US and Canada. This is because the weather is perfect for growing this selection of trees. Since the wood that is made from these trees is very durable, they get the nick name "hard wood."

Some hard wood is different from others. The industry is working on making classifications for quality and consistency so you know which is stronger and of higher quality. This can help you to know which type of wood is right for the job you have at hand.

Hard wood is classified by how many pounds of pressure it would take to damage the floor. So the lightest weight of the hard wood, Aspen, takes about 350 pounds of weight on the surface to cause damages. On the other end of the spectrum there is pecan and hickory which takes about 1,800 pounds of pressure before damage is caused. Maple and oak are mid-range in strength, cherry is mid-range, but slightly less than these other two. The harder woods are great for building flooring, while something lighter weight might be perfect for creating furniture.

Hard wood will react to the environment depending on the humidity in the air and the relative temperature. It can expand or contract and this can change the floor. If the wood goes into a kiln to be dried this can minimize the process and help keep the wood closer to its original form.

Many companies will note how the wood may change and adapt this to what it will be used for and how the design will unfold. Some wood is used as sub-flooring and others are used as wall paneling. Different brands do different things with their wood. If you look online you can get an idea of what sort of hard wood floor selection you can find.

Make sure you take into account many different things when you are purchasing your wood. You will want choose based on strength, price, and type of wood. You can choose also based on the style that you want and the color as well. You should pick what suits your home and your personal style. If you go with hardwood flooring, you will not be disappointed.