Aquariums Are Causes of Wood Laminate Floor Damage If Not Taken Care of Properly

Fish aquariums have been a fast growing hobby for the last few years. Many manufacturers now make beautiful stands and tanks that will match the decor of your home and even the color of your laminate floor. However when not treated properly they can also be a cause of laminate floor damage. And the worst part is that most of the damage will remain unseen until you move the tank.

Water damage from aquariums normally happens during routine cleaning of your aquarium. At this time water can accidentally be spilled around the tank. Even though you can wipe the water up off your floor some spilled water can may actually make it underneath you tank stand where clean up is next to impossible. This standing water will take a long time to evaporate and will have more time to seep into the floor joints.

The results of water exposure over time can be peeling flooring or worse buckling or warping of the planks. If you have a saltwater tank the floor can also begin to get discolored from the salt build up. The salt can also slowly eat away at your floors finish if you fail to clean it up.

To combat this cause of laminate floor damage you need to be very careful when cleaning your aquarium and lay towels down to seal the edges of the aquarium stand to catch any falling water. This little bit of extra care will ensure your wood flooring stays beautiful for a long time.

Learn more Cleaning and Care Tips For Wood laminate flooring

5 Universal Design Tips For Choosing the Right Flooring

Most people don't give a second thought to the practicality of the flooring that they use in a renovation. Most of the thought goes into the look of the surface.Falls are one of the most common forms of accidents around the home. Falls contribute to more people being prematurely sent to care facilities than any other incident around the home.

With a little bit of planning in the design phase of any renovation the likelihood of falls can be significantly reduced. The floor is the interface between the human body and the building. This is why floor construction is the biggest contributing factor to reducing falls in the home.

Here are five tips to consider when you are designing your floor during a renovation.

1. The single most important thing to consider is the interface between different flooring materials between rooms or the inside and outside of the home. Your design needs to minimize any changes in level. Wherever possible make the interfaces even, no steps. Thresholds internally should be ¼ inch and externally ½ inch with bevels on either side at a maximum.
2. Carefully consider if you need carpet. Maneuvering a wheel chair on carpet is extremely difficult and will lead to excessive wear. If you do elect to use carpet consider a tight weave low pile, this is easier to wheel over. Make sure that your subfloor to the carpet is of such a quality that if you elect to remove the carpet in the future your subfloor can be used as a finished surface.
3. Consider using timber floors wherever possible. Not only are timber floors easy to wheel over they are easy maintenance. Spills can be mopped up with ease. There are a number of new finishes that can be used on timber floors that not only enhance the look of the floor but render it non-slip.
4. In wet areas of the house steer away from ceramic tiles. Instead consider using some of the new vinyl products that are available. Today there are a number of safety vinyl floors that can not only be laid in the bathrooms but can extend all of the way into the shower cubicles as well.
5. We are all spending more time outdoors these days, so the deck has become an integral part of modern housing. When constructing a deck consider using a secret nailing construction technique. Using a secret nailing deck fixing system will lead to fewer instances of decking boards cupping and twisting over time. The results here are less probability of falls due to uneven surfaces.

A little bit of thought put into the design of your floor construction in your next renovation could literally save you from having to prematurely move to a care facility in later life.Alex Cochran Making life more accessible through Universal Design.For more pratical ideas on renovating using universal design principals visit:Universal Design Renovations http://www.universaldesignrenovations.com/wordpress/

Characteristics of Engineered Wood Flooring

Manufacturers of wooden products have started using a scientific approach to produce flooring solutions that are durable and yet economical, engineered wood flooring is one such example. Once installed properly engineered wood flooring can last for a very long time. Thus, durability and higher quality of engineered wood flooring has helped it become very popular within a very short period of time.

The Basics of Engineered Wood Flooring

The introduction of engineered wood in flooring has come as a boon to wooden floor lovers. Installing authentic hardwood flooring has always been a very expensive and risky affair. Although, hardwood flooring looks very elegant, it easily gets damaged when it comes in contact with water or moisture, so maintaining it has always been a very difficult and expensive task. Technology has made it possible to manufacture flooring that is extremely durable and has the elegance of natural wood. One can now easily install engineered wood flooring in the place of their choice without worrying about the location and atmosphere.

One has to consider certain factors before installing wooden flooring in their homes, temperature, being one of the important factors. Changing temperature has adverse effects on the material used in your wood flooring. Wood responds to changing temperature by expanding and contracting, this develops cracks and reduces its strength, which can easily damage the flooring. One the other hand engineered wood can with stand any type of temperature or climatic condition due to its manufacturing process. The process of compressing many layers together to form one board provides that extra strength and resistance, which helps your engineered wood flooring, last for a longer period.

It's a known fact that when exposed to heat, wood tends to dry out and shrink, this leads to cracks being developed which results in the damage of wooden articles. This is the reason why wooden floorings are not recommended in warm areas of your home, like the kitchen. However, the use of engineered wood for flooring has changed this forever. The technology and the process used to manufacture engineered wood makes it much more tough and heat resistant and hence is suitable for any rooms, no matter what the temperature of environment of the room is.

If you live in a region that has high humidity, like areas near to the sea, you need to think twice before deciding to install hardwood flooring for your home. Humidity tends to damage the wood easily, as moisture in the air seeps in through the joints and causes the wood to expand and contract and thus results in cracks and ultimately decay of wood. But engineered wood is resistant to all kinds of weather and temperature; its manufacturing process leaves very little chance for moisture to enter, thus protecting it from decay. This quality of engineered wood, along with its beauty and low cost makes it the ultimate choice for flooring products.

Engineered Hardwood Flooring- A Problem Free Hardwood Alternative

Simply because of their dimensions, your room’s walls and floor are its most noticeable features. And one of the quickest ways to rejuvenate a tired room is to change its floor. While carpeting or area rugs are a great way to introduce color and textural interest to your floor, engineered hardwood flooring is another.




You may have been an admirer of the appearance of hardwood flooring, but steered away from it after hearing tales of the way it expands and shrinks in warm and cold weather, and how it may warp in damp climates. Relax, because the construction of engineered hardwood flooring immunizes it against such shortcomings.

What Is Engineered Hardwood Flooring?

Engineered hardwood flooring is composed of a hardwood “wear layer”, from 1/16” to 3/16” thick, laminated or glued to plywood. The plywood backing is assembled in a crossing pattern, usually of 3 or 5 plys.

This construction gives the engineered hardwood flooring both additional stability and resistance to climactic changes. It also allows engineered hardwood flooring to be used on a below-grade or concrete sub flooring, because it is the plywood and not the hardwood which is in contact with the sub-floor. That concrete basement floor can finally get a bit of class!

Just like solid hardwood flooring, engineered hardwood flooring cam be sanded and stained or varnished. It is available in the same widths and thicknesses as regular hardwood, in wither plank or strip style floorboards. Some engineered hardwood flooring is even designed with a snap tongue and groove to simplify its installation.

Installing Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Engineered hardwood flooring can either be floated, meaning it is not actually glued to the sub-floor; it can also be stapled, nailed, or glued. Its price per square foot is similar to that of regular hardwood, but its installation costs are significantly less, averaging about $1.75 per square foot. The lower installation cost is a result of the flatness, and excellent grain and color match of engineered hardwood flooring boards.

If you’re still having a hard time picturing how engineered hardwood flooring looks, you can do an online search for flooring retailers in your area who carry it. The site at http://www.penningtonhardwoods.com will give you plenty of information about engineered flooring. You can also use its online directory to find suppliers near you who can help you put together everything you need to get your engineered hardwood flooring installed.

If you love the look of hardwood, but hate the idea of floors that shrink, expand, and even warp, engineered hardwood flooring can be the perfect solution!