Orange County Home Improvement Specialists: April 2011

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Orange County Hardwood Flooring Types & Species

Deciding which type of wood flooring you're going to use in your home can be a difficult decision if for no other reason than the sheer number of different species of wood available is staggering. Moreover you've got to take into consideration not just the aesthetics of the wood but its durability, stability, and how easily that would can be sanded, cut etc.

The actual hardness of a specific type of wood will help determine just how well it stands up to wear and tear in your home. Each piece of wood used for flooring carries a hardness rating which is known and used by Orange County flooring contractors. A wood's "Janka" rating tells the contractor and the homeowner whether or not a specific type of wood will work as flooring in a home. Generally speaking softwood like conifers, and even Douglas firs as well as pines are much softer and are better suited for homes that don't see a lot of foot traffic. On the other hand more durable woods like oak and hickory can stand up to years of foot traffic and abuse before the need to either repair or replace it arises.

While an Orange County flooring contractor might recommend hardwood right off the bat for your project you'll want to keep in mind that soft woods are usually much more affordable than hardwoods so finding that middle ground is key. You don't want to give up too much beauty but you also don't want to give up to much stability or workability either.

Another issue Orange County flooring contractors will bring up when helping you to decide what type of wood flooring to purchase is the dimensional stability of the wood you've got your eye on. This issue is even more important for people who live in areas where humidity levels change dramatically from season to season. Mahogany, cherry, teak, and even walnut are examples of wood flooring with good dimensional stability. Also keep in mind that engineered wood floors offer great stability while solid wood floors generally don't just because of how they're constructed.

Here are a few types of woods that are commonly used for flooring. Feel free to refer to this section when you're trying to determine the durability, stability and aesthetics of wood flooring.

Red Oak: Red Oak has a reddish hue and is a hardwood with a course open grain. It has good durability as well as good workability. A very solid all-around good choice for floors.

White Oak: White Oak is actually a bit of a misnomer as the wood itself is a light brown hardwood also boasting an open grain as well as a durability and workability comparable to a Red Oak.

Maple: There's a white-ish to light reddish brown tint to this hardwood that makes it great for almost any home. Maple also has a closed but uniform grain but is difficult to saw due to its density and does not stain well either.

Brazilian Cherry: This exotic hardwood has a reddish tone, and interlocked grain, an excellent hardness.

White Ash: White Ash is typically a light to dark brown hardwood that's generally found with straight open grain and good workability.

Douglas Fir: Douglas for is a softwood with a predominately straight grain. Color wise it's light to yellowish brown and has good workability though it should never be over sanded. This type of wood flooring can also undergo dramatic color change if exposed to the sun.

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Orange County Flooring Tips: Resilient Flooring Buying Guide

When an individual is looking to redo the flooring in their home there is a wide variety of resilient flooring types available for purchase. The different types all have their pros and cons and it behooves an individual to speak with an Orange County flooring contractor before moving forward with any flooring purchase. This is because resilient flooring is made from vinyl, linoleum, Cork, polyurethane, rubber, and various asphalt composites and an individual will likely need help choosing one that's right for their home. Though all of these can be very resilient and durable vinyl is by far the most common and the most resilient of the group.

Though settling on the type of material to use in their new flooring can be difficult, individuals will be happy to know that all types of resilient flooring are available in a huge variety of colors, patterns, and even surface textures. Additionally many of these are come with a protective service layer that shines naturally negating the need for waxing.

Individuals looking to putting new flooring in their homes should first speak with an Orange County flooring contractor in order to get an idea of what they need and how to proceed. A flooring contractor once hired can apply all of these types of flooring to a wide variety of surfaces in the home. These surface include plywood and concrete and many others as long as the surface to which the flooring is being applied is flat and sound. Moreover many resilient types of flooring can be applied over wood or even old linoleum.

If an individual is looking at one of the aforementioned types of flooring they do need to understand that while durable these types of flooring do tend to show their age after a number of years. Generally speaking flooring contractors recommend that these types of flooring be replaced every 10 years or so.

Fixing a Discolored Vinyl or Resilient Floor
Although the aforementioned types of flooring have no need for floor wax many individuals still use floor care products which include wax to help brighten the shine of their vinyl, linoleum, or other type of resilient floor. The drawback to this however is that when wax builds up over time these types of flooring can become discolored. Individuals needn't worry however as the problem is easily remedied. A simple solution may from white vinegar and water will be strong enough to remove wax build up yet remain gentle enough to leave these types of floors undamaged.

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Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Orange County Hardwood Flooring: Wood Flooring Buying Guide

There are a lot of different types of wood flooring available for purchase. Knowing which one is best for your home and for your budget isn't always easy even with the help of an Orange County flooring contractor. There are a number of other things to consider as well before you purchase any wood flooring and this article will help shed some light on those things.

Wood Flooring Construction
The first thing individuals will need to know is that wood flooring comes in two basic types. These types are solid and engineered construction. Solid wood flooring feature strips or wide planks that are composed of just one type of wood. Traditional parquet flooring tiles are an example of just one type of solid wood flooring.

In contrast to solid wood flooring, engineered wood flooring strips and planks have a surface covering multiple layers of plywood and sometimes dashboard or particle board. While solid wood flooring can be sanded down and refinished multiple times, engineered wood flooring is far less susceptible to temperature changes as well as the effects of moisture which makes for a much easier installation.

As your Orange County flooring contractor will likely tell you, is a type of subfloor that you have that will play a part in dictating whether or not you should buy solid wood or engineered wood flooring. The plywood subfloor allows for multiple installation methods. These methods include nail down, staple down, glue down, and floating. Concrete subflooring is on the other hand requires that engineered wood products be applied via glue down or floating installation methods only. When you're dealing with a concrete subfloor and these two installation methods you definitely want to consult and work with a Orange County flooring contractor.

Wood Species & Grade
When it comes to wood species and quality it's important to remember that there are differences not just in appearance, like the human grain of a wood, but it's stability, hardness, and ruggedness. You also need to be aware of how the wood you are interested in will respond to things like standing, kneeling, and even finishing, again not all species of wood are the same and some are more workable and durable than others.

Another thing individuals need to remember when looking at wood flooring is the actual grade of the wood they're looking at. Generally speaking would grade refers to the amount of manufactured and natural marks in the wood. In order to get a grasp on this you can speak with an Orange County flooring contractor who can show you a wood grade rating scale.

The majority of wood flooring these days, be it solid or engineered, comes with some type of protective finish that reduces wear and tear. Though unfinished wood flooring is still a viable option these days, prefinished wood flooring saves individuals a great deal of time and effort as they will not need to sand, stain or finish the wood themselves. Unfinished wood flooring however carries a certain charm and workability that prefinished wood flooring does not.

Perhaps best of all, at least as far as individuals are concerned, wood flooring is available in myriad of varied designs. Individuals however should strive not to get too carried away and pick only that wood flooring which helps bring out the natural feeling of their home. There are some types of flooring that bring an old world feel to a home while others have a stained look to them or sport vibrant colors. Again, if you're having difficulty in choosing one that does your home justice, be sure to consult with an Orange County flooring contractor.

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Orange County Home Improvement Tips: Linoleum Flooring

More often than not linoleum floors are mistaken for vinyl flooring and sometimes vice versa. What many a layperson does not realize however is that linoleum is a vastly different when compared to vinyl. While vinyl flooring is made from polyvinyl chloride which is a type of plastic that's derived from oil, linoleum is made from linseed oil, pine residues, wood flour, granulated cork and patterned limestone. All of these ingredients are compressed into a layer of jute which gives linoleum its look and durability. These natural ingredients also make linoleum an environmentally friendly choice. It is for these reasons that many Orange County flooring contractors recommend linoleum to those who not only want to save money but want to make smart choices well.

In addition to the natural ingredients in linoleum, the flooring has a natural resistance to bacteria as well. This trait alone makes it an excellent choice for high-traffic areas or areas where moisture can build up rather quickly. This is why you often find linoleum in children's rooms, kitchens, and quite often bathrooms. One of the distinct downsides to linoleum flooring however is that it is a hard type of flooring meaning it reflects sound rather than absorbing it.

Another big plus that you get with linoleum is its wide variety of colors and patterns. Moreover linoleum is sold in both 6 and 12 foot wide rolls as well as 12 inch square tiles. More often than not it is priced by the square yard rather than the square foot and install costs range anywhere from $6-$40 per yard.
Another reason Orange County flooring contractors often recommend linoleum to homeowners is because the color in the material easily shines through even the thickest dirt and grime and it makes it easy to clean and repair as well. For a scratched or damaged tile the application of some simple wood glue with shavings from a scrap piece of linoleum can fix the problem. It's for this reason alone that many foreign contractors recommend homeowners have a few extra pieces of linoleum on hand.

Another big bonus with linoleum is the fact that sub floors don't need to be that strong though they must be smooth. Installing linoleum is very similar to installing vinyl sheet flooring but there is a special adhesive used for linoleum floors. During installation of linoleum floors they will need to be covered with coats of acrylic sealer and once dried will suffer no ill effects from water.

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Sunday, April 24, 2011

Orange County Flooring: Laminate Flooring Buying Guide

Laminate flooring, which originated in Europe, is extremely effective at imitating wood, tile, stone as well as several other materials. This is because the surface of laminate flooring is an extremely detailed photographic image overlaid with a transparent and very durable plastic laminate. So good at imitating these other materials is laminate that only a professional Orange County flooring contractor will be able to find imperfections when they touch grout joints or scan it for imperfections.

The construction of laminate flooring is actually fairly simple. The material is made from a melamine/aluminum oxide/fiberboard composite product usually with medium density. Once this is all mixed together a backing layer is added to prevent moisture seepage which in time can damage floor planks.

Although some Orange County flooring materials are less expensive than others no other material can compete with laminate flooring in terms of affordability. Most laminate flooring costs anywhere from $3-$6 per square foot installed which makes laminate flooring less than half the costs of all of the materials.

Homeowners and Orange County flooring contractors whom select laminate flooring as their preferred choice of material will not only get a great price but will have a number of different popular brands to choose from. These include Pergo, Wilsonart, Formica, Shaw, Armstrong and of course Mohawk.

Orange County flooring contractors regularly buy laminate flooring in 15 x 15" and 24 x 24" square tiles. They're also purchased in thin 8 x 47" tongue and groove plank like strips that are about 3/8 of an inch thick. Almost all types of laminate flooring are designed to be used with an adhesive or are made to snap together along interlocking edges. Most are also made to install over a thin foam pad, the pad acting as a moisture barrier and minor cushion.

In order to use laminate flooring effectively the room in which it is to be installed needs to have a flat smooth base such as vinyl, plywood, tile, or hardwood flooring. As you might have guessed laminate flooring cannot be installed over carpeting and it's wise to apply a vapor barrier before placing laminate flooring on the slab.
Regardless of which brand of laminate flooring you or your Orange County flooring contractor might purchase, they will all come with complete installation instructions. The layperson or average homeowner must follow these directions implicitly if they are to take on the reflooring task themselves though it is recommended that they hire professional for help with the project. Laminate flooring, before being laid onto a slab, needs to sit in a room for 2 to3 days so as to give it time to acclimate to the rooms environment.

Laminate flooring should be cut using only a power saw and strong light glancing across the surface should be avoided in order to minimize the visibility of seams between plank style flooring. This can be done by running your laminate flooring perpendicular to doors and windows.

For homeowners or Orange County flooring contractors who plan on installing laminate flooring in a bathroom, particular care must be taken to joint seal the edges of planks according to the instructions that come with the material. Doing so will prevent moisture from seeping in between or below to the floor planks.
When dealing with laminate flooring homeowners need to remember that over the course of time ground in dirt can cause small scratches in the material so it's wise to keep laminate floors as clean as possible and cleaned as often as possible. Regularly going over it with a dust mop or vacuum can prevent a lot of damage while a damp mop or damp towel does the job even better though water needs to be removed from the flooring promptly as to avoid saturation. Never use abrasive or scouring powders or waxes on a laminate floor as this can cause deep scratching and the need for expensive repairs or replacement.

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Friday, April 22, 2011

Orange County Flooring Materials & Floor Coverings

Though there are many fine carpets available for both existing homes as well as those currently being constructed, carpet is no longer the preferred material when flooring is considered by both homeowners and Orange County flooring experts. Carpeting the home remained extremely popular up until the 1970s when other materials such as hardwood flooring, ceramic tiles, and stone tiles became the preferred flooring materials. These materials are still the preferred choices for anyone who's adding a new floor to their home.

With new materials having been made available for flooring, homeowners have also seen some materials become commercially available that were once only used in office buildings, lobbies, and banks. Materials like granite and marble with their more formal look and feel can bring to life to any room or entryway to which they're applied. By the same token homeowners have also seen more rustic stone materials once used only for decorating vacation cabins and backyard patios become more commercially available. With so many different materials now available many homeowners and Orange County flooring experts often utilize a combination of different materials to add a sense of contrast to and give rooms a vivacious look.

For a great number of years hardwood flooring meant that strips of oak or maple would be installed in a traditional labor-intensive process. This process included the sanding and applying of multiple coats of highly protective finishes but that's no longer necessary as engineered wood removes much of the cumbersome inconveniences of installing wood flooring. In fact many woods now come stained and finished and are easily maintainable.

With so many different types of materials available for your floor it can be difficult to decide which one to go with. Of course if you're working with an Orange County flooring expert or contractor he/she can help you determine what works best for your budget as well as for your home. Things to consider are a materials durability, comfort, ease of installation, and its ease of upkeep or maintenance. It's also advisable to take your time when considering which material to use. Visiting a home improvement store with your Orange County flooring contractor will help you get a better idea of what works best for you. He/she will also be able to show you which materials are most resistant to stains, moisture, heat, and foot traffic. You'll want to make a decision based on not only what will look great in your home and what you can afford but what will last the longest and serve your home best.

You will want to be sure that the flooring you select is compatible with the style and decor of your home so that there are no sharp contrasts which can be difficult on the eyes. A good example of this is hardwood floors. Hardwood floors are very suitable in something like an old-fashioned kitchen while laminate strip flooring generally works well with a more contemporary family room. Foyers can be made to look stunning by having Slate laid down and if your home has a southwestern look it might be wise to choose a flooring material like terra-cotta tiles.

When it comes to large-scale Orange County flooring, it's best applied to large rooms while small rooms often call for more delicate approach. For example, large tiles can appear to overwhelm and consume a small room whereas small mosaic tiles will look much too busy in a large room. Before you purchase any materials in bulk for your project be sure to purchase a few samples of the material you're interested in and lay them on the floor to gauge their effect. Sometimes things look better in our minds and on paper than they do in action.

As mentioned previously a contrast in textures sometimes added interest or as part to room that was otherwise dull. When working with tile an experienced Orange County flooring contractor, textures can be expressed through different styles and finishes while stones can be honed, tumbled or even polished to create a myriad of appealing looks. Carpets on the other hand offer the widest assortment of textural choices and should always be considered as a possible choice for your new floor.

All types of Orange County flooring material come with their own set of design accoutrements. Some common ones are borders, medallions and even inlays for wood and tile. In some cases the grout between tiles can also be used as a design element as a way to bring out the vibrancy of a room. An Orange County flooring expert might even recommend using accent pieces to break up a large expanse or highlight/define an important area within a room.

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Thursday, April 21, 2011

Orange County Flooring: Carpeting Basics

Although many remodeling projects can be gratifying, very few if any offer the type of gratification and satisfaction than does carpeting a room. There's something very rewarding about carpeting as its rolled out, stretched into place, and then set. New wall-to-wall carpet can turn an otherwise dull and listless room into a room that's vibrant, warm and cozy.

The Carpet And Rug Institute has stated that 6 out of10 American homeowners actually prefer wall-to-wall carpeting over any other type of flooring. With such a high demand for carpet nearly two billion square yards of carpet are produced each year which is enough to run a 12 foot wide swath around the Earth's equator 12 times!

The popularity of carpet as any Orange County flooring expert will tell you can be attributed to its comfort, sound deadening properties, its affordability, it easy installation, and its thousands of colors and styles. All these things make it easy to find carpet that fits in any individual's home.

If we look closer at carpet we will discover that it is essentially a heavy fabric made from face yarns and backings. Don't expect however to see carpet being made by hand as most carpets today are constructed on huge machines that spin face yarn onto a synthetic backing. This is done with hundreds of high-speed needles all working together in unison. Once stitched is completed a new carpet is then given a backing coated with a latex and sometimes further reinforced with a second backing of jute, polypropylene, urethane foam, and sometimes rubber. There are different types of face yarn finishing as well and different styles include looping carpet, a cut pile, cut loop, or tip sheared.

As far as face yarns are concerned they can be made from synthetic fibers as well as wool. Though wool is generally preferred by homeowners and considered to be the ultimate carpet fiber by Orange County flooring experts, it costs 2 to 3 times the price of its synthetic cousins so homeowners looking to lay new carpet down might want to consider the synthetic route if their budget is small. Even synthetic carpets offer a natural feel and are extremely durable.

Anyone interested in synthetic carpet might find it interesting that synthetic carpets are actually made from several materials. In most cases synthetic carpet is made from nylon, olefin, polyester, and sometimes acrylic. Though all of these synthetic carpets are widely available through any retailer an Orange County flooring expert will usually recommend nylon as it is the most durable of the synthetic carpets. For those homeowners who need to lay carpet down outdoors, in a basement or attic, olefin will be the synthetic carpet of choice as it's a low maintenance type of carpet. Polyester carpets while offering a more realistic wool feel, are a lot less durable than its counterparts and while acrylics resemble wool carpets more than any other synthetic fiber they often fades easily and are quite expensive.

When it comes to the installation of new carpet it's wise to consult with an Orange County flooring expert or even hire them to do the job as this will save any homeowner time and money. When either you or an Orange County flooring expert lays new carpet down it will usually need to be applied over some type of padding in order to prolong the carpets life as well as cushion the floor. Even before that part of the process is undertaken however tactless strippings are nailed around the perimeter of the floor and one edge of the carpet is hooked on the protruding points of the stripping which allows carpet to be stretched tightly so as to remove excess carpet from the job. Seaming tape or thermoplastic tape, when needed will be applied with a special iron.

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