Q. I have started my own flooring business. Installing laminante and hardwood. While I am experienced in laminante, I have not had the oppurtunity to install hardwood.
I will be installing prefinished tongue and groove haardwood.
I will be installing prefinished tongue and groove haardwood.
A. That depends on whether you are installing prefinished or unfinished flooring. On prefinished it is not that much more difficult than laminate except you use nails or glue to install it. There are flooring nailers and flooring staplers and you need to know when to use which one. With unfinished it is best to leave that to someone with experiance as the sanding and finishing stages are critical to having a good looking floor. If you are interested in doing quality work, you need to do a lot more research before taking on these floors.
What is the appropriate flooring that need to be in place beneath porcelain tiles?
Q. I am set to install porcelain tile flooring in a bathroom where the house currently has carpet. Provided it is in good condition (which I am assuming it is), is it OK to install the porcelain directly on the floor? Do I need to prepare the floor? If anyone has any pointers, I would appreciate it! Thanks!
A. First things first.. Is the floor concrete or wood?
If it is concrete: Take up the old carpet, pad and tackstrip. Scrape and clean the floor. Check the concrete for any cracks and prepare them with a good crack supression system ( I recommend Protecto Wrap ). After this you are ready to install the ceramic.
If the floor is wood: Follow the above with the added steps of a sturdy cement type backerboard, Wonderboard, HardiBacker or DurRock are just a few name brands. Wood floors need this in order to reduce the flex felt in a wood floor. I have known some installers to nail/screw this down without thinsetting ( tile morter) it down with good results. The correct way is to thinset the board down and then nail/screw it. The reason for this is to bond the board to the floor to reduce movement and thereby reducing cracks in the grout and tiles themselves.
I hope this helps, Good Luck.
If it is concrete: Take up the old carpet, pad and tackstrip. Scrape and clean the floor. Check the concrete for any cracks and prepare them with a good crack supression system ( I recommend Protecto Wrap ). After this you are ready to install the ceramic.
If the floor is wood: Follow the above with the added steps of a sturdy cement type backerboard, Wonderboard, HardiBacker or DurRock are just a few name brands. Wood floors need this in order to reduce the flex felt in a wood floor. I have known some installers to nail/screw this down without thinsetting ( tile morter) it down with good results. The correct way is to thinset the board down and then nail/screw it. The reason for this is to bond the board to the floor to reduce movement and thereby reducing cracks in the grout and tiles themselves.
I hope this helps, Good Luck.
What do you clean your laminate flooring with?
Q. I have been cleaning my laminate flooring with some cleaner just for laminate flooring and my floor keeps looking duller and duller with each cleaning. It is a new floor and I want it to look great not dull and old looking. Any suggestions?
A. Just a little Vinegar and Water
I recently had a Shaw laminate floor installed in my kitchen. I called their customer service representative to ask the best way to clean their flooring. She told me to use 1/4 cup of vinegar and put it in a 30 to 32 ounce empty spray bottle filled with plain water. I purchased a terry mop cover that has elastic all around it from Home Depot, which I dampen with water and place on a Swiffer dry mop head. I then spray the floor (a small area at a time) with the vinegar/water solution and then wipe it up with the damp terry mop. It does a good job. There is no streaking, and you are using very little water on the floor. One company has come out with wet cloths to attach to Swiffer mops that contain vinegar and water, which I also plan to purchase and try.
Make Cleaner at Home
To make laminate floor cleaner, mix 1/3 white vinegar, 1/3 rubbing alcohol, 1/3 water, and 3 drops dishwashing liquid for a quart total. For best results, wipe off quickly.
I recently had a Shaw laminate floor installed in my kitchen. I called their customer service representative to ask the best way to clean their flooring. She told me to use 1/4 cup of vinegar and put it in a 30 to 32 ounce empty spray bottle filled with plain water. I purchased a terry mop cover that has elastic all around it from Home Depot, which I dampen with water and place on a Swiffer dry mop head. I then spray the floor (a small area at a time) with the vinegar/water solution and then wipe it up with the damp terry mop. It does a good job. There is no streaking, and you are using very little water on the floor. One company has come out with wet cloths to attach to Swiffer mops that contain vinegar and water, which I also plan to purchase and try.
Make Cleaner at Home
To make laminate floor cleaner, mix 1/3 white vinegar, 1/3 rubbing alcohol, 1/3 water, and 3 drops dishwashing liquid for a quart total. For best results, wipe off quickly.
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