You have many choices in discount wood flooring. There is something for every room in your home and every style of interior design. You will find a wide selection of colors and textures to fit everything from a rustic Early American style home to an ultra modern contemporary and every style in between.

Although most laminate is made to resemble wood, you have many more options. Other options include ceramic tile, stone and marble tile laminate designs. You may choose ceramic tile in the kitchen, marble in the living room and wood in the family room. With today’s laminates, the possibilities are endless.

Finding the Best Price for Discount Laminate Flooring

Before you start shopping around for the best price, you need to know how much you need. Take accurate measurements for the area where the floor will be installed. Add an additional ten percent to the measurements of the room to allow for cutting and mistakes in the installation process. Add a bit more if you will be laying the planks in a distinctive pattern.

The internet is a great source for discount floor materials. Most sites offer good pictures to give you an idea of what you are ordering. Make sure all materials are from the same lot number when you order. The color variations can be significant and very noticeable once the floor is laid, if they are from different lot numbers. In addition, the finish and texture can vary.

When your flooring arrives, check it carefully for damage. Check the edges and corners for chipping or other damage. Small chips may not be noticed, but large ones will be seen when the floor is down. If the damage is bad, you may need to exchange it. If only a few pieces are damaged on the ends, you may be able to use these on as pieces that would need to be trimmed anyway.

Installing Flooring

Installing laminate flooring is fairly easy. It’s a good DIY project for the handy homeowner. There isn’t much preparation needed. It can be installed right over your existing vinyl or hardwood floor. You can install it over either a wood or concrete subfloor. It can be installed over concrete for basement flooring.

The pieces fit together easily in a tongue and groove fashion. The floor is not glued or nailed in place, as is done with hardwood floor installation. The tongue and groove slots are held together with a special adhesive that is made for laminate flooring. This type of floor is also known as a floating floor. The job can be easily done in a day or two for an average size room. If only doing one room, this is a good weekend job.

If you imagine that the half of the rainforest is cut down you will admit that there has to be a better way we construct our houses. There is a lot of choices but first thing coming to mind is the cost. Believe it or not you can get a sustainable hardwood floor such as bamboo that is less expensive than any other hardwood floor on the market. There are companies of bamboo floor in Hawaii and China and other Asian countries. Bamboo is actually a grass and grows extremely fast it can grow one meter per day. The process of making a floor board is a little bit longer then just cutting a regular three so you would think the cost will be higher as well. This is not true bamboo is very inexpensive floor.

You can call up a local hardwood floor contractor if you have questions or visit hardwood floor showroom to see how the floors look. Bamboo is hollow inside so the first companies that have started to produce bamboo flooring in Hawaii and China have cut the small strips and glued it together so it became a wide solid piece. First and most popular bamboo floors were just natural and carbonized, vertical and horizontal. Natural had a light color much like maple. Carbonized bamboo is the same product just exposed to a high temperature, this made the wood darker. Those were the first options since the staining of bamboo was very hard to do. Nowadays there is a wide range of bamboo flooring. You can choose from stained bamboo this will give you an option of different colors, you can choose from wide and narrow boards, you can find bamboo floor that can be installed over the concrete sub floor, wooden sub floor and even flooring heating system. You can find hand scraped bamboo flooring. The newest product is strand bamboo, which is extremely hard, it has a nice contemporary look it is very compact and this makes it very hard, it is widely used in the commercial flooring and can take very high traffic. The two big sources China and Hawaii remain the leaders in producing the environmental hardwood floor that is very easy to install, the floor boards are very often the same dimensions, as domestic oak floor or maple so your contractor can use exactly the same tools he uses for domestic flooring. Bamboo floor can be refinished, this a big plus, most bamboo floors are sold prefinished so you don’t have to deal with dust the first time you install it. If you looking for an unfinished floor, there are companies offering unfinished bamboo floors, I am sure your local hardwood floor contractor can help you with finding right bamboo floor. Just make sure you call licensed contractor so you will get the professional service.

Cork floor is another option if you looking for an eco friendly flooring product. Cork flooring is widely used in the kitchens, it is usually floating so it can be installed over any kind of sub floors, if comes in different colors, designs and patterns.

You can find a company that recycles old wood, demolishing old barns or just finds the old flooring on the construction sites, this is one of the most sustainable methods it is like using the same metal spoon over and over again without producing more plastic. Hardwood floors companies like this collect wood from the job sites and prepare it for the next installation. This is most of the time unfinished old floor that has to be installed by professional and skilled wood worker, sanded and finished, you have an option of staining the wood to any color you want. Make sure you are hiring skilled flooring contractor, if you are woodworker and would like to do it yourself make a research before making a final decision. This might be very fulfilling and satisfying project.

Prevention is always best.

It is always easier to prevent serious damage to your floors than it is to mend it. These tips will help you prevent dirt from damaging your floors.

Use mats and area rugs at each entrance to capture dirt that might get tracked in. Tiny particles of dirt and sand will damage the finish on your hardwood floors, and those tiny scratches collect dirt so that your floor requires more frequent cleaning. Placing mats or area rugs at each entrance to the room will keep the dirt off your floors and keep them looking new longer.
Do not use rubber-backed or non-ventilated rugs. They can damage your floor. Instead, look for mats made specifically for hardwood floors.
Shake the mats out regularly so that dirt does not work its way through them to damage the floor beneath.
Mop up all spills promptly to avoid damage to the finish or the wood.
Avoid sun damage by using window treatments or awnings, and regularly rotate furniture and rugs so that the entire floor ages evenly.
Put floor protectors on furniture and table legs to avoid damage and wear from the weight of the furniture.
Never drag furniture across floors. Lift and carry to avoid scratches in the surface of the floor.
Avoid walking on your floors in stiletto heels and keep pet nails trimmed to avoid scratching and denting your hardwoods.

Regular Cleaning of Hardwood Floors

Invest in a good quality broom and sweep hardwood floors daily to pick up any loose grains of dirt and dust. You can use a vacuum cleaner without a beater bar to get at dirt between planks or in hard to reach places.

Once a week, damp mop your floors with a solution of ½ cup of white vinegar to a gallon of warm water. Be careful not to over-wet the floor, and dry with a soft towel as you go along to prevent water damage. Do not damp mop daily to avoid damaging the finish of your floor.

For tougher stains or deeper cleaning, use a professional wood-cleaning product according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Generally, that means spraying the product on and cleaning it off with a soft mop.

Hardwood Floor Do’s and Don’ts

DO clean stains on a hardwood floor with a cleaner specifically made for hardwood floors.
DO buff away scuff and heel marks with a soft, dry cloth. Use floor cleaner only if necessary.
DON’T was hardwood floors with a urethane finish, and choose cleaners that don’t leave behind a film or residue. Mop-and-shine products are not recommended.
DO clean sticky spots with a damp towel or sponge.
DON’T use ammonia cleaners or oil soaps on a wood floor. They will dull the finish and may make it difficult to re-coat your floor when you refinish in the future.
DON’T use excessive water in cleaning hardwood floors. Wood expands when wet, so large amounts of water may cause the floor to swell, leading to cracking and splintering of the wood.

Deep Cleaning And Refinishing

Is your floor looking dull and old? Are there stains that will not come up with gentle cleaning? Then you may need to take more drastic measures.

Revive your wood floor by screening and recoating. This process uses an abrasive screen on a floor polisher to abrade the current polyurethane finish on the floor so that you can apply a new coat of urethane. If you are generally handy around the house and do large-scale DIY projects, you can do this yourself. Otherwise, hire a professional.
Stains that have penetrated the finish into the wood below generally require sanding and refinishing. While the process sounds similar to screening, it is much more involved. It will completely remove the old finish and stain, taking the floor down to bare wood that can be re-stained and refinished for a like-new floor.

If you treat your hardwood floors well and keep them clean with regular cleaning, you should get decades of beautiful wear out of them. Regular maintenance and care is the key to beautiful floors that last and last.

Madera Floors provides professional quality wood flooring services including installation, sanding, refinishing, repairs, maintenance, and custom design. At Madera, we only use the highest quality materials/finishes and are always up to date on technological advancements in the wood floor industry. We target contractors, designers, corporate clients, and homeowners in the Northern VA, MD and D.C. areas. Madera’s goal is to meet our client’s budget and timeline while exceeding expectations, thus resulting in repeat business.

Madera Floors specializes in custom finishing, installations and material sourcing for all of your hardwood flooring needs. As flooring contractors, we are always abreast of new techniques and materials in the industry, which allows us to grow while remaining environmentally friendly. As a certified CMP installer we can also perform self-leveling concrete installations. Every project represents our organization; hence our great strides to achieve perfection on each individual project.

Hardwood floors are an investment that will last for a long time with the proper installation and care. There are different modes of installation for engineered wood strips, solid wood strips, and parquet. With all modes of installation moisture testing is imperative to ensure proper installation. Installation can be a painstaking process but we take pride in leaving your home or business looking as beautiful as we found it. Our expert technicians have seen every situation and are proficient in the three different types of installation for hardwood flooring.

Nail Down/Staple Installation In this method we nail down or staple solid or engineered wood strips to the sub-flooring (usually either plywood or plank wood). The floor is done with random length strips. A few strips are placed down and arranged prior to fastening to ensure proper placement and tautness.Glue Down Installation In this method we glue down engineered wood strips or parquet directly to the sub-floor. In these cases the subfloor is usually concrete, so we pay extra attention to moisture.

With glue down installations, it is important to consider any kind of allergies and sensitivities to smell. We use an acrylic based glue which is more mild than some of the other options. Glue down installations can be walked on the next day and furniture can also be moved in.

Floating Installation In this method we glue together the tongue and groove of every plank and the floor floats over a foam cushioned padding. If the flooring has a locking system we can lock the pieces together without glue. This can be used with either laminate or engineered wood floor, but either way the flooring is pre-finished. Not all engineered surfaces can be floated. Floating installation can also be placed over sub-flooring of questionable quality unlike the other two modes. Also, floating floors are a great option if you have multiple layers of flooring and do not want to remove them all. With floating installation the wear layer is important to consider as the thicker the layer the more times it can be refinished. Generally, laminate flooring gives a hollow feeling underfoot with this mode of installation. Remember that floating floors expand and contract as a unit because the pieces are fused together. Allow for as much expansion area as possible.

Refinishing and sanding your hardwood floors is necessary to preserve their quality and beauty. Any refinishing is done solely to enhance the woods natural color and protect it from the elements. The best time to sand and refinish your hardwood floors is when you move into a new house or apartment as all of the furniture, rugs, etc. need to be removed from the area during the process. Proper refinishing should last about 10 years. However, high traffic rooms will need to be done more often.

Pre-finished Hardwood Floors These are the new main stream products in hardwood flooring. They can be acrylic impregnated, engineered, or solid. They have a tough factory finish, which is the main reason for its popularity. They are also extremely easy to install and eliminate the need for messy sanding. Most pre-finished floors done within the last ten years are urethane finished. Test this by placing a couple drops of water on an obscure area. If the area turns white after 15 minutes, you have a waxed finish. Older floors are likely to have shellac or varnish finishes. Unfortunately these do not work well with the newer urethane finishes and must be completely removed if you want a urethane finish. There is also likely to be some amount of aluminum oxide in the newer prefinished floors.

 Unfinished Hardwood This type of flooring comes in solid and engineered, and both must be job site finished. They come in varying lengths and widths. Sanding and finishing can take anywhere from a few days to a week depending on size, stain, and number of top finish coats. Generally the finishes are oil or water based. Our first priority is to protect the beauty of your home so whether you have finished or unfinished floors, we section off other areas and furniture to prevent sanding dust from spreading throughout your home. Our expert technicians also use dust containment systems to limit the amount of dust in the air. And with refinishing, it is important to have as little air flow as possible in the area as airborne particles can become embedded into the newly applied finish. Something as simple as foot traffic or turning on the air conditioner/heating system can kick up dust. So it is better to allow more time to dry to avoid problem areas in your floors.

Many things can happen to a floor over the years. Termites, cable holes, leaky roofs, sink overflows, cats, dogs and reconfigured spaces can leave holes or very odd-looking stains in your hardwood. All is not lost!

Boards can be replaced in such a way that no one will be able to tell that new wood has been added to the floors. When replacing boards, we take care to lace the new boards in with the old ones, so there is not a square or rectangle shape where the boards have been replaced.Other precautions are taken to match up the wood as best as possible. As wood ages, it darkens. This is why we purchase reclaimed wood in various sizes and species. If aged wood is not available for your floor, we take care to stain the boards that we are replacing to match the color of your existing floor as close as possible.

Custom Wood Floors are a medium of specialty floor coverings that includes, but not limited to these Types of Custom Wood Floors: Accents, Borders, Domestic Species, Exotic Species, Feature Strip, Inlays, Marquetry, Mixed Media, Medallions & Crest, Painted or stenciled, Parquet, Parquetry, Plank, Reclaimed & Recovered,Distressed, Specialty Products, Stained-Tinted or Colors Developed during the middle ages in Europe, elaborate designs, borders, inlays & medallions were crafted for significant buildings such as castles, & monasteries. Today these wood flooring styles are reflected in the modern day manufacturing and can be enhanced with something as simple as a strip border around the perimeter of the room or as ornate as a coat of arms in a foyer or a great room. Using exotic woods from around the world, these custom designs & patterns can add to and become the center focal point of any room. Giving each room a Custom-one-of-a-kind wood floor. Custom designs can give a homeowner a “one-of-a-kind” floor and is a wonderful way to put your personality and individual character in a home. The choices of pattern, design, exotic woods sources and an artistic flare can provide a limitless number of possibilities.

Floors with oil and urethane-type finishes are extremely durable. With just minimal care your floor will look beautiful for years to come. The key to preserving your floor is protecting its finish. Hardwood floors require minimal care, but it is important that you provide regular care.

Visit us online at: www.maderafloors.com

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Thanks

Madera Floors. Fairfax, VA.

A laminate hardwood floor installation rips out all the high-maintenance management and warping woes that accompany real wood flooring projects. Flooring frustrations are replaced with easy-care, authentic wood looks and textures that are a snap to install. What are the seven main reasons behind the phenomenal growth in do-it-yourself laminate hardwood floor installations?

Reason 1. Laminate Hardwood Flooring Installations Happy Over Any Sub-Floor

There is no need for an expensive and time-consuming tearing up of the sub-floor. Glueless laminate hardwood floor installations can be done with confidence and success over virtually any existing type of flooring. This includes vinyl, tile, concrete and real wood strips. The only exceptions to the rule are carpeting and real hardwood on concrete.

Proper preparation of the sub-floor is vital, however. The surface needs to be absolutely smooth and even. Sand down all peaked joints and other bumps. Use a filler material for any holes or uneven areas. Make sure that the floor is spotless. Any bit of gravel trapped under your new floor, will eventually become an eyesore.

Reason 2. Laminate Hardwood Floor Installations A Long-Term Investment

With today’s technology, the core and wear layers of laminate flooring are of a superb quality. Floors are treated to be highly moisture resistant. The aluminum oxide finish of the wear layer ensures maximum protection against scratches, fading, scuff marks, and stains. Many manufacturers include warranties of between 15 and 30 years. By choosing a quality decorating and interior design product for your floors, and following installation and maintenance instructions carefully, you will be ensured of stylish, elegant looks for years to come.

Reason 3. Care-Free, Calamity-Free Flooring For Your Family Home

No overloaded parent has time for finicky floor care day in and day out. With a laminate hardwood floor installation, you will lighten the cleaning load significantly. A mop and brushless vacuum take care of most chores. When necessary, a damp mop is used for a quick wipe. Flooring manufacturers supply dedicated cleaners for tougher spots. If there is a mishap with lipstick or paint, acetone nail polish remover should take care of it instantly. Always check with your flooring supplier to make sure that any cleaning process or solution complies with your warranty conditions. If you deviate from the guidelines, you may void your warranty.

Reason 4. Banish Allergies And Asthma With Laminate Flooring

If your kids suffer from dust-related allergies, new floors may offer the solution you are searching for. No matter how diligent you are with cleaning, carpeting remains a dust-trap. By replacing the flooring surfaces of your home with laminate hardwood floor installations, you will minimize your family’s exposure to the offending, irritating particles. The hard, smooth surface is easy to keep spotless. There are no fibres that are reluctant to give up their share of dirt. A quick wipe with a damp mop takes care of the dust problem in a jiffy.

Reason 5. Easy-To-Install Project For Home Remodeling Rookies

Laminate hardwood floor installations are a snap with the latest click-’n-go engineering. No more sticky, messy, frustrating and apprehensive adhesive struggles. Even the most ‘unhandy’ amateur handyman can tackle these glueless flooring projects with confidence. There is no need to call in the services of a professional hardwood flooring contractor. You can successfully install a new, ready-to-use floor within about a day. As long as you make sure that you don’t have problems with moisture in the sub-floor, and are able to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines closely, you should be able to complete the installation on your own.

Reason 6. Tempting Authentic Real Hardwood Grains And Textures

From Pergo Flooring, to Armstrong Flooring and Bruce Hardwood Flooring now include every real wood grain under the sun. Shadings vary from light and airy to the rich, warm hues of the darker woods. Textures are as close to the real thing as possible. Planks are now even beveled to give the appearance of real wood planks. A laminate hardwood floor installation can now come with rustic, weathered looks.

Recently the ranges have been expanded to include a variety of realistic ceramic tile and stone tile finishes, complete with grout lines. Every type of decorating or interior design project is catered for, from old-world to contemporary. The flooring planks can be matte or may present a gleaming, shiny face to the world. Thanks to innovative technology, the days of plastic and fake-looking laminates are long gone.

Reason 7. Much To Do About Mishaps On Laminates

If you have kids and pets you will fall in love with laminates. No only will you have far fewer worries about crayon stains, puddles, and other potential flooring fiasco’s, you will know that in the event of a major accident, a section of flooring can replaced with ease. As long as you keep an unopened box or two of flooring planks in storage, you will be equipped to re-do an area of flooring in no time. Whereas a damaged carpet has to be replaced completely, a laminate hardwood floor installation allows you to handle the inevitable family mishap with a smile.

Have a bit of decorating and interior design face-lift fun by joining the laminate hardwood floor installation crowd!

Laminate floors has been gaining in popularity. One major reason that people are fond of choosing laminate flooring is for the reason that it resembles hardwood flooring.

There are lots of advantages to this type of flooring, the first of which is in regard to installation. Higher qualities of this type of flooring in reality only need to be sliced, and pieced together. This procedure will take only a few days to accomplish if done by expert floor installers. Another advantage to laminate floor is its hygiene factor. This type of floor can be effortlessly cleaned with just some water and soap. Moreover, this sort of flooring is a good substitute for people who are sensitive to carpets.

Laminate flooring installation could be very enjoyable if you understand what you are doing so prior to you going into laminate flooring installation, you should foremost learn the imperative things about laminate flooring installation. If you try to install it yourself without first educating yourself, your laminate floor may go to waste.

Some History Of Laminate Flooring Installation

Last time, there was only one way to fix laminates on the floor, which is to make use of glue. Laminate flooring installation in the late 90′s would need the binding of the tongue and grooves of the laminate together to reach the preferred results. If you are using small laminates or if you would like to make some complicated designs, it might take you a while to finish gluing things together. Depending on your pace, you may possibly spend some days gluing things together and creating a bit of a mess in the region of your floor too.

As the technology of laminate flooring installation gets better, there is currently the so-called glueless laminate floor installation. The superior thing concerning the glueless laminate floor installation is that it is certainly easier than installing your laminates with the use of glue. The glue less technology would allow you to fit your laminates in half the time necessary if you were to utilize glue. What is more exciting about the glueless installation is that it is less untidy and the end products would seem more professional.

If you are in actual fact determined to fit your laminates by yourself, you should ask the manufactures to provide you those types of laminates that would not need glue to install. Make certain that your laminate floor installation training comes with diagrams or video which you can watch prior to installing your floor.

How to Install Laminate Floor

Be aware that the technique you used in installing laminate floor will very much control the life and performance of your floors. There are three types of procedure in installing laminate floor – glue laminates, glueless laminates and pre-glued laminates.

Installing laminate floors using glue method is straightforward even for beginners. The glue is by hand applied to the tongue or the groove of each squares or planks during fixing. Conversely, installing laminate floor using glue-less technique utilize a type of locking system that snaps, clicks or hooks to the tongue and groove for the laminate floor to fasten tightly into the floor.

A benefit of glue-less method is that the locking systems give the users with a easy and simple procedure of installing laminate floors. Not only do the users take pleasure in installing without the messy glue, they are also capable to use the floors right away after installation. Pre-glued laminates combine the two installing method of laminate flooring.

Checklist before Installing Laminate Floors

Before installing laminate floors, it is imperative that you follow several steps to make sure your installation would be completed effectively.

1) Make sure that you eliminate all “breakables” where you will fit the floors.

2) If required, get rid of all appliances, furniture and sub-floor. It is also significant that you disconnect gas appliances to keep away from possible fire accidents. When you want to alter the height of your floors, make the essential adjustments to your doors for them to open and close correctly.

3) Check your items in closets and other storage areas and take out everything that will obstruct with installing your laminate floors.

4) Double-check if the temperature within your home is suitable for laminate installation.

Although installing laminate floors can be provided by a variety of companies, you could save hundreds of dollars by doing the installation on your own. Be aware that the higher end your laminate floors are, the lesser it would need refinishing and recoating.

The right kitchen flooring can not only make your life easier, but it has the ability to set the mood for the entire room. The three main factors to consider when deciding on the type of flooring for your kitchen are durability, use, and style. We’ll start by taking a closer look at some of the most popular choices in kitchen flooring.

With its warmth and inviting tone, hardwood flooring creates a traditional feeling in any kitchen. Hardwood floors are known for their beauty and prestige and are sturdy surfaces that are easy to clean. One of the most popular types of hardwood floors is oak which is neutral in color and very durable. Other popular types of wood used for flooring are ash, cherry and walnut.

Hardwood floors come in two types: solid and engineered. Solid flooring is cut from single pieces of wood and worked into desired shapes. Solid hardwood floors come in strip flooring which are nailed to sub-flooring, plank flooring which has wider boards, and parquet flooring which comes in squares or geometric shapes to create different patterns.

Engineered flooring is created by laminating thin sheets of wood together in a crisscross pattern for strength. They are then topped with a veneer of hardwood to add strength. Engineered flooring holds up better than solid flooring when exposed to changes in moisture and humidity. This makes it a good choice for below-ground floors. Engineered hardwood floors come in strips and planks.

When purchasing hardwood floors for your kitchen, you want to make sure that it has already been finished. Pre-finished hardwood is your best bet for several reasons. First of all, pre-finished wood flooring is less prone to damage and easier to maintain than its unfinished counterpart. Secondly, it is more durable and will in most cases come with long-term manufacturer warranties. Lastly, pre-finished hardwood floors are offered in a wide variety of stain colors and can be easily re-stained to match future remodeling projects.

Laminate is a cost-effective choice for kitchen flooring that is both long-lasting and easy to maintain. Although not considered to be on the same level as wood and marble flooring, laminate can be created to imitate such looks. It is made of several layers and can be installed over existing floors.

Laminate flooring has an impressive life span. In the lifespan of one laminate floor, carpet would need to be replaced 2 to 4 times, solid hardwoods would need 3 to 5 refinishing treatments, and vinyl flooring would need to be replaced 3 times. Most laminate flooring comes with a manufacturer’s warranty of 25 years or longer.

Laminate flooring is extremely durable, which makes it a great choice for families with busy kitchens. It will resist damage from traffic, spills, and scrapes and it makes cleaning and maintenance very simple. Laminate flooring will not lose color over time, while flooring such as hardwood tends to fade. It is offered in many different styles and patterns, and can imitate other types of flooring such as wood, rock, gravel, and concrete.

Vinyl flooring is an affordable and aesthetically pleasing choice for kitchen flooring. Because of its durability and moisture resistance it is primarily used in busy areas of the home such as kitchens and bathrooms. Another reason for its popularity is that it can, much like laminate, be made to imitate other flooring materials such as stone, marble, and wood. Vinyl flooring is often referred to by the popular manufacturers’ trade names Linoleum® and Congoleum®.

Vinyl is made of plastic, or more specifically polyvinyl chloride – abbreviated PVC – to which other compounds are added. It can consist of either multiple layers of material or just one layer.

It is manufactured using one of two processes: inlay or rotovinyl. With inlay vinyl, color and pattern are imbedded into the vinyl layers, while with

rotovinyl only a single layer of vinyl is printed with color and pattern. Both manufacturing processes require a protective coating overlay in order to boost durability.

Inlay vinyl flooring, which is only available in tile form, offers great wear resistance since the colors and patterns go all the way through the flooring material. Rotovinyl comes in both sheet and tile form. Resistance to wear is dependent on the type of protective coating used during the manufacturing process.

Vinyl floors are very easy to maintain. Sweeping or using a dust mop is often all that is needed.

Marble flooring is known for its natural beauty and unbeatable durability. Marble is a type of metamorphic rock that is formed beneath the earth’s crust. Although the preferred choice for some, marble flooring is not the optimal choice for kitchen flooring as it is porous and prone to staining.

Marble flooring comes in many styles and always adds a unique look to a room because no two slabs of marble are identical. It comes in a variety of colors such as pure white, deep green, brown, grey and blue. It is ranked in grades A through D, A being the strongest with the least natural imperfections and D being the softest with most faults. Although grade A marble is the most expensive, it is the recommended choice for kitchens because it is the most durable.

When choosing marble for your kitchen floor, there are a few things to keep in mind. Since marble surfaces can become very slippery when wet, you should choose finishes to help create traction for your floor; these include tumbled and honed finishes. Marble flooring also requires regular maintenance to last a long time. Because it is porous, marble is susceptible to stains from common household liquids so it is important to apply a sealant to protect it.

Ceramic tile flooring is a very popular type of kitchen flooring in the United States – it is one of the oldest and longest-lasting flooring materials known. Ceramic tile is

especially well suited for areas with high traffic and exposure to water and dirt, such as entryways, bathrooms, kitchensand hallways.

There are four basic decisions to make when choosing ceramic tile for your floor: size, shape, color, and finish. Ceramic tile ranges in size from 1/4″ square to 12″ x 12″ squares and even larger. Shapes include square, rectangular, diamond, hexagon, octagon, triangular, round etc. – depending on your budget, you can get ceramic tile in any shape you can possibly imagine. Color choices are endless, from black and white to everything in-between, and as far as finish is concerned most people opt for the glazed finish. Glazed tile is simply more water resistant and easier to clean than any other finish. It does tend to be more slippery when wet, but you can easily get tiles that are glazed with a non-slip material, which should take care of that problem.

Ceramic tiles are very strong, durable, cost-effective, and require little maintenance – making it an attractive alternative to many other flooring materials.

Stone tile flooring has a natural look and is strong and durable. It comes in several textures and colors and no two pieces are the same. Stone tiles can look traditional and rustic or contemporary and elegant. Although this flooring option can be expensive, stone tiles have the potential to last a lifetime.

Stone tile floors are generally easy to maintain, usually requiring only a mop for cleaning. For extra durability, stone should be periodically sealed. Since kitchens can become busy and messy places, you should choose stone tiles that are resistant to moisture damage and staining.

Granite tile flooring is one of the better options for kitchen flooring because it is denser and more durable than other stone options. Granite is still susceptible to stains so it should be sealed and periodically resealed for regular maintenance.

Unfinished or prefinished hardwood floors?

It is not easy task to  decide what kind of hardwood floors install in your house. There is a lot of different kinds of floors, there are domestic floors like oak, cheery, maple, walnut and exotic such as Brazilian cheery, bamboo, teak and much more. You can see samples of hardwood floors in the showrooms or order one online and compare the look. Make sure you take in consideration the hardness of the wood.
Here is the list, the higher the number the harder the wood:

Ipe / Brazilian Walnut /  Lapacho                        3684
Cumaru / Brazilian Teak                                   3540
Ebony                                                                       3220
2900
Red Mahogany, Turpentine                                   2697
Brazilian Cherry  / Jatoba                                   2350
Santos Mahogany, Bocote, Cabreuva           2200                                                       
Cameron                                                           1940
Rosewood                                                           1780
Kempas                                                           1710
Wenge, Red Pine                                                   1630
Zebrawood                                                            1575
Hard Maple / Sugar Maple                                   1450
Natural Bamboo (represents one species)            1380
White Oak                                                           1360
Ash (White)                                                           1320
American Beech                                               1300
Red Oak (Northern)                                              1290
Carbonized Bamboo  (represents one species)      1180
Cocobolo                                                           1136
Teak                                                                       1000
Douglas Fir                                                           660
Larch                                                                       590
Chestnut                                                           540
Eastern White Pine                                               380

After you have chosen which species you like you have to decide from unfinished or prefinished hardwood floors.

Unfinished floors are very much like prefinished the only difference is that the actual wood is sanded and finished after install at your home. If you decide for prefinished, the floor boards will be finished at the factory so after installation you don’t need to deal with sanding, dust and long wait.
If you remodel your home and don’t live in it, sanding is not a problem, you might consider unfinished wood. Unfinished hardwood floors are considered the top quality product on the flooring market. Unfinished wood can be installed with all kinds of design; boards can run in different directions, unfinished floors can have borders. You can have the medallion installed when you decide for unfinished floors. You can choose from different shines of the finish: satin, which nowadays is very popular and gives contemporary look to your house semi-gloss or high-gloss. You can choose water based finish which is environmentally friendly and creates better air quality in you home ,oiled based finishes are widely used for hardwood floors and are considered little harder then water based. After the process of installation, sanding and finishing the floor will be smooth, the seams between the boards will be tight and most importantly there is not going to be a bevel of any kind on the seams. This is an important difference between unfinished and prefinished floors. Unfinished floors will not have a bevel so there is no place for debris to collect. If the unfinished floors are incorrectly installed or wood is exposed to extremely big difference of moisture and temperature, floor boards will shrink and expand this will create a gap between boards. This is why it is important to hire experienced ,licensed hardwood floor contractor.
Prefinished floors are fast to install and your floor contractor will not sand it at your house so if you live in the house while during the project. You can get eco friendly prefinished floor such as bamboo or cork. Remember you will be limited to linear design and there will be a bevel between the boards so if you get light wood you might have dirt collecting inside the bevels of the floor boards.
Prefinished hardwood floors have finish already on the boards, make sure you are getting the floor that has hard finish, aluminum oxide it very commonly used and is in most cases harder then the regular finish that your floor contractor will apply at home. Prefinished floors are usually more affordable and the selection is very wide, there are exotic species, boards come with the variety of colors and width, can be smooth or hand scraped.
Both unfinished and prefinished floors can be refinished in the future, make sure to  ask your hardwood floor installer how many times you can refinish the floor he is suggesting. Solid unfinished floors can be refinished in general 5 times. Prefinished floors come in a different thickness, some prefinished floors are very thin and there is not enough material to refinish. This is an important factor when you decide because it is always good to be able to refinish hardwood floor. You might think it is expensive to go with unfinished floor but think that you can refinish it 5 times this gives you at least 20 years, so if you save a little bit and go with prefinished floors you might end up replacing it in 5 years and if the floor you have chosen can not be refinished you will have to pay again for a new floor. Refinishing is of course more affordable then new floor.

Many solid and engineered floors can be laid using wood flooring adhesive. . There are two main techniques for installing using adhesive, which will both be explained. Please remember that solid floors should always be glued down, not using the floating method.

Floating Floor Method

Gluing the tongues and grooves of the floor together does the floating floor method of fixing the wooden floor. This creates a new floor, which is “floating” over the original floor. Engineered floors can be floated over any solid sub floor and it is the preferred method for laying engineered floors.

It is a good option when the sub floor moisture content is unknown, because a damp proof membrane can be used between the floor and sub-floor to prevent moisture rising into the new flooring. When floating a floor, an underlay must be used to cancel the effect of any echo and also provide a leveling effect to the sub-floor.

This echo is caused by the two hard surfaces together which have a space between them. The noise echoes in this void. The purpose of underlay is to prevent any echo, as the two hard surfaces will not be adjacent with each other. The choice of underlay is huge for use when floating the floor all of which are adequate.

A good quality underlay is advised, as this ensures there is less sound echo from foot traffic. Generally the denser an underlay the less noise!

To float the floor:

Lay out the damp screen ensuring that the edges of the membrane continue up the side of the skirting. And overlap the seams by 100mm Lay out the underlay ensuring all areas of the floor are covered. Any areas left uncovered with the underlay will cause a bounce in the new floor and will be noisier.

A D3 rated PVA wood adhesive is used to glue the boards together.

Fit the floor by placing two beads of adhesive along the upper and lower sides of the “groove” joint. (It is a common mistake to think that the boards need to be glued along the “tongue” – this will simply push the adhesive too far into the joint and not create a firm bond between the boards.). Glue the complete length of the board| all the way down the planks as this prevents the board from creaking.

Leave the joints and glue to dry before walking on the floor. Any PVA glue, which has spilled or oozed onto the boards can easily be wiped off a lacquered or oiled board, or sanded off an unfinished floor. It must be noted that thermo treated solid oak has less density therefore water based pva will not adhere to the timber as well as normal oak.

The Glue Down Method

The glue down method of fitting a floor consists of using a specified adhesive applied directly to the sub-floor such as F Ball B92 enabling the new floor to stick directly to the original floor. This is a very stable method, which is the recommended option for most solid wood and parquet floors.

To install wood flooring using an adhesive, you must first ensure that the sub-floor is dry, level and structurally sound.

When laying onto concrete it is best to prime the area first using a PVA based primer to ensure a good bond to the floor. Old concrete should be checked for moisture and or contamination before the boards are laid. Both engineered flooring and solid flooring can be laid using the glue down method.

Installing:

The first thing to do is ensure the sub-floor is completely flat, free from dust and dirt and if necessary has been primed. | in a satisfactory condition (see above) Working in an area just large enough to complete within 30 minutes, apply the adhesive to the sub-floor using a trowel with the specified notch size ensuring the whole sub-floor surface has an even amount of glue.

Install the new floorboards ensuring all boards have been pulled tight and have not been moved out of place as other boards have been fitted. It may be advisable to clamp up any slightly bent boards at this stage.
Leave the adhesive to cure for 12 hours and do not walk on the floor until it is fully set.

Unlike PVA adhesive, flooring adhesive is very difficult to remove from the surface of the boards. Ensure that any spills on the boards are wiped off immediately before the boards have dried.

Other Adhesive based fitting methods:

The are other adhesive based fitting options used to fit flooring:

Adhesive backed underlay. The underlay has a sticky side covered in a plastic film, which is peeled back as the floor is laid. Envoy multi, Elastilon and Acoustalay adhesive 300/1000 are all types of adhesive backed underlay.
Precautions

It is imperative that wood is given adequate chance to acclimatize before being bonded to the sub-floor. Allow at least two weeks for a solid wood floor and 48 hours for an engineered wood floor.

Take a thorough moisture check of the sub- floor for latent or rising damp. If in any doubt an application of an epoxy resin damp screen is advised

Suppliers of floor coatings to businesses and do-it-yourself home owners are deploying real-time technical phone support in order to solve the problem of improper installation.

The trick to creating a quality floor coating is getting the coating to adhere to the substrate surface with out chipping, peeling, or lifting. The key is preparation of the floor surface. But good surface preparation is a direct function of the experience and training of the applicator. Technical help lines now provide the business maintenance crews and homeowner the necessary on-the-job training and factory direct experience by phone. This kind of personal support greatly enhances the custom-built kits that suppliers are providing to homeowners.

Highly chemical- and wear-resistant, epoxy coatings have been used on concrete floors for decades in the industrial arena. These coated floors are easy to maintain with enhanced beauty and reduced wear. Unfortunately, these industrial grade coatings are generally not placed on the shelves of hardware stores and big box retailers due to liability concerns. In addition, store clerks are usually unable to provide the needed guidance for proper application of these industrial grade products.

One epoxy coating manufacture that is leading the way on this type of support is Durall Industrial Flooring of Minneapolis, MN. Durall enables individuals and project managers to obtain free, job-specific quotes on materials as well as nationwide turnkey installations by completing a simple questionnaire at www.concrete-floor-coatings.com.

For photo examples and more detail, visit www.concrete-floor-coatings.com

For more information, contact Harvey Chichester at harvey@concrete-floor-coatings.com

Phone: 1-800-466-8910 or 952-888-1488 (24/7)