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Flooring
Floors can be a challenge to install, maintain and change. Questions regarding the installation, maintenance and repair of carpets, tile, wood and other materials go here.
6,242 Questions
Is laminate flooring good for use on stairs?
Laminate flooring used on floors can be slippery. Better to use hardwood stained to match your laminate elsewhere or replace the carpet runner.
What is the average cost per square foot to build a house in Louisiana?
The average new construction cost for building a house in St. Louis is around 120 dollars per square foot. Depending on the building materials used and the size of the house, this amount will vary.
Do you need a waterproof membraine if installing floor boards directly onto concrete?
If you understand that concrete is a porous material that absorbs and has moisture in it, you then should also understand that this moisture will move toward the top surface of a concrete floor. This moisture will promote mold growth and will also destroy the bond of of most adhesives.
Membrane coatings are prone to failure when this moisture carries alkali in concrete to the surface. You are much better off using a penetrating sealer such as "StableCrete" to waterproof the concrete. This product penetrates to form a solid in the capillary/gel-pore system of a concrete. This stops moisture migration and provides for a superior bond to the concrete.
Is there a 13th floor in the Mayo Clinic?
I believe the Mayo building and the Gonda have ten floors.
I went to Physical Therapy school at Mayo in the '80's. I can't remember for sure how many floors the Mayo Clinic has but it is at least 15 or 16. When you get in the elevator there is not a button for the 13th floor. We were told that was where maintenance was and other mechanical stuff. There supposedly was a top floor that you could not access with the public elevator either. That floor was supposedly a suite for dignitaries that were staying at Mayo for treatment.
The puddles stay on the floor because the floor tile?
when no more solids will dissolve into the watre a what is [produced
A preparation containing wax and used to polish and preserve the finish of floors. Any of various substances of either mineral origin or plant or animal origin. They are solid at normal temperatures and insoluble in water. The treatment needed for different types of floors is very different. For safety it is most important to ensure the floor is not left even slightly wet after cleaning or mopping up.Sawdust is used on some floors to absorb any liquids that fall rather than trying to prevent them being spilt. The sawdust is swept up and replaced each day. This was common in the past in pubs and is still used in some butchers and fishmongers. It used to be common to use tea leaves to collect dirt from carpets and remove odours. Nowadays it is sill quite common to use diatomaceous earth, or in fact any cat litter type material, to remove infestations from floors.There are also a wide variety of floor cleaning machines available today such as floor buffers,automatic floor scrubbers and sweepers, and carpetextractors that can deep clean almost any type of hard floor or carpeted flooring surface in much less time than it would take using a traditional cleaning method. When it comes to choosing the right floor wax for your home, there are many different factors that need to be considered. It is always reliable to follow refinish tools and tips and to know the tips in maintain polished concrete floors. First of all, you have to look at how much floor wax your floors actually need. Floor wax is one of the most important inventions ever, if only for the fact that it gives people a quick and easy way to maintain the pristine appearance of any home's flooring no matter the weather. As you may already know, floor wax works to keep the shine on any floor surface whenever it is applied. In addition, for most people, how shiny and clean their floor looks plays a huge role in making the interior of the home appear a whole lot better. One thing you need to know aboutindustrial floorwax is that there are many different types and uses for it. For one thing, floor wax can be used to not only keep a home's floors looking clean and pristine, but also to protect the wooden floor surface from undesirables that might cause damage in the long run. If left untreated, these can even turn into irreversible damages. As you can imagine, no home owner would want that to happen especially to some nice looking hard floors inside of the home. This is why knowing the right kind of floor wax that you need to use is very important.
How often should tile floors need to be replaced?
If properly installed tile flooring can last a lifetime. Many of the current materials available today are a porcelain bodied tile that is very high on the hardness scale. The only reason to replace would be if the look of the tile is no longer in style but this is only on an aesthetic basis.
How do you walk on a wet floor?
u walk slowly and steadily.
and if you are wearing a slippers take it off. You can walk bare footed
and also have a support while walking,something like wall or a stand or whatever there is..:) be safe
What is the trim moulding placed at the junction of the floor and wall called?
It can be called either baseboard or baseshoe depending on where you're from. If you're installing vinyl flooring the trim piece is called quarter round and it attaches to the bottom edge of cabinets where you wouldn't have a baseboard installed.
Are concrete floors bad to do aerobics on?
Yes, concrete floors are not recommended for aerobic activity. You should have a floor with cushioning, such as laminate floor or a sports floor which is specific for high impact activities to minimize injuries.
Can you lay ceramic tiles over wooden floor?
Most ceramic tiles are laid over a wooden subfloor, except for those on the ground floor of a house with a slab foundation.
I will add to the answer above by saying that you will need to use a polymer-modified thinset morter when installing ceramic tiles over wood. Most tile-setting morters available today are "modified", but check to be sure, because regular morters are designed to be used over concrete and will not adhere properly to wood.
Also, if the floor area is large and there is more than a tiny bit of flex in the floor, you might end up with cracked tiles, especially if you or your family or guests are heavy. To avoid this, it might be necessary to build up the thickness of the floor by adding another layer of 3/4" plywood, or by using the older method of wire mesh and concrete over the existing wood (in which case you would not need a modified morter).
Floor consideration is a measure by the full House can be a simple operation. This measure is ready for consideration by the full House after it has been reported by a committee. The consideration of a measure may be governed by a rule. A rule is a simple decision, which must be passed by the House, which sets out the particulars of debate for a specific bill how much time will allow for debate, whether amendments can be offered, and other matters. After a measure passes in the House, it goes to the Senate for consideration. A bill must pass both bodies in the same form before it can be presented to the President for signature into law. If the Senate changes the language of the measure, it must return to the House for additional changes.
Could tile be installed over gypsum board?
That depends upon location. Tiles can be installed on a gypsum board wall or ceiling. (But make sure that the tiles are well grouted; if moisure gets past the tile into the gypsum board, it will be damaged.) Floors require greater strength - but then, you wouldn't normally have a gypsum board floor, with or without tile.
You find a resident on the floor what do you do?
press the emergence bell cal to some othe staff member
What is better engineered wood or bamboo for floating floor?
"Wood" is a general term. Many different types of wood are made in engineered flooring.
Bamboo is generally considered to be soft. People express problems with scratching. Although this can be true with some types of wood as well.
Assuming the engineered wood and bamboo flooring are the same quality as far as their construction, the next thing you need to do is refer to is the Janka Hardness scale. See how the species of wood rates in comparison to bamboo.
Many sales people have been misinformed about the property of bamboo. It is a great looking floor, but has its disadvantages too.
How many 13 tiles do you need for a 12' X 13' room?
If you mean 13 inch square tiles:
12 ft x 12 in = 144 inches = 11.08 tiles wide
13 ft x 12 in = 156 inches = 12.00 tiles long
Roughly 11 x 12 tiles = 132 tiles,
but remember the .08 of a tile, which must be repeated 12 times,
which equals .96 of a tile.
So if you are installing them IN CONTACT with each other, then, in theory,
you should be able to do it with 133 tiles,
IF you can successfully cut one tile 12 times accurately without breaking it,
which in practice just wont happen.
If you are going to have a wide grout line between tiles then
132 tiles should do just fine.
HOWEVER it is good practice to get between 5 and 10 percent extra tiles,
in case of breakage or other mess-up.
So i would suggest getting around 140 tiles.
What is the difference between laminate wood and engineered wood floors?
Laminate Vs Vinyl
LAMINATE: is a relatively new creation, introduced about 30 years ago by Perstorp in Sweden. It is basically a Formica type Melamine surface laminated (Glued) to a very dimensionally stable and harder than hardwood; fiberboard substrate.
Usually shipped in + or- 25 sq ft boxes of planks about 8"X49" depending on the vendor.
Today the edges are finely micro milled to fit/click together without glue or nails. The floor is pieced together at the jobsite much like Tongue & groove hardwood has been for centuries. But the laminate needs no nails & just lays in place held down by Gravity & the edge trim like quarter round.
The surface is actually a photograph of whatever you want the floor to look like. Walnut, tile, oak or butterflies if it would sell.
The surface is covered with an extremely hard gel coat, which usually includes minerals such as Aluminum oxide to make it very hard.
The term Floating floor is often used to explain the way Laminate is installed..
VINYL: is a next generation product that replaced Linoleum back in the 60s
the Vinyl process is very simple by today's tech standards. It starts as a high-density paper and it then goes through a 4 color printing process just like a magazine. any pattern & any number of colors.
Most of today's US production is 12' wide rolls by whatever length they want to inventory. In Europe they produce mostly 4 meters wide (13'2 or about). (some very limited production up to 15' is available.
After the print process a PVC coating is applied to the printed-paper to protect and make the product tough & easy to care for.
Laminate is much harder than vinyl or even real hardwood, easier to install, easier to maintain, tougher to take abuse and easier to repair. Vinyl is seamless up to 12', comes in more patterns and is price competitive with Laminate.
o Hardwood: Long considered the "gold standard" in fine homes, a hardwood floor is one of the few floors that really adds to the appraised value of a home as well as the beauty. There are a lot of "species" of wood used and today there are both solid wood floors and great engineered multi-ply wood floors. Not all "hardwood is" truly "hardwood." Pine is a soft wood and Bamboo is technically a "grass." Oak and walnut, cherry and maple are all traditionally used hardwoods. So here's a primmer on the terms used in hardwood.
§ Strip vs. Plank: A board wider than 3' is called a plank, and boards under that are called strip. Wide boards give a casual homey look and strip gives a more formal look.
§ Solid: Refers to wood that is just that one piece of wood from top to bottom. Usually 5/8" to 1 ¼" with a tongue & groove arrangement to fit the pieces together.
§ Engineered: Is basically high tech plywood cut into strips or planks with the top layer of high quality hardwood veneer. Engineered "hardwood" is very moisture tolerant and easier to install. It also will save you a lot of money over solid hardwood. If you are environmentally concerned, engineered flooring uses much less wood and much less of the slow growth trees.
§ Pre-Finished: Putting a finish on a hardwood floor was an art in days gone by. Multiple sandings and filling the voids in the wood, then applying the stain and varnish could take weeks. Today the manufacturer applies high tech urethane finishes in a clean room environment worthy of a computer assembly facility. The tint and clear finish are carefully matched to each batch of wood and the finished product is tough as nails, uniform, and ready for installation.
§ Grading: Be very careful to check the boxes you get when the wood. Most dealers will price you and deliver "SELECT" flooring others will offer better prices but then delivers a lower grade product.
The grading terms may change a bit from manufacturer to manufacturer. Here are the grades in descending order SELECT is the best! Then BETTER, COMMON#1, COMMON #2, CABIN GRADE, and TAVERN GRADE at the low end of the quality scale. The grade is usually stamped right on box so be sure you get what you paid for!
§ Don's helpful hint: Pre-finished, engineered is great hardwood and much easier to install and live with than solid flooring. Some consumers think thicker solid hardwood will wear longer but a hardwood floor will likely outlive all of us so I wouldn't be too concerned about how many times it can be sanded & refinished, let the grandkids worry about that. Common & even tavern grade can be great values, if you are a value shopper look into the difference in price, it might be worth a few "knots or a mineral streak" they add to the character of a floor. Just for the record every flooring dealer I know uses common or cabin grade in their own home!
o Getting it installed: Carpet is the least expensive product to get professionally installed and ceramic is the most expensive. The cost of installation is money well spent on most flooring unless you are a very handy do it your selfer. The tools for flooring are unique and as every "honey-do project engineer" knows it is all about the right tools for the job. Be sure to look at the whole project when you are comparison shopping. Ask one dealer what the labor rate is and they will give you an all inclusive, ask another and the may quote just the minimum service and nickel and dime you to death with add-ons. Most reputable dealers will provide a written estimate, (YOU WANT A WRITTEN ESTIMATE!!), and an on site measurement at no cost. For small jobs or extra trips expect a minimum or trip charge of about $100.
o Here's what you should expect to pay for installation and normal extra charge items:
§ Carpet: about $.50-.60 cents per sq foot.
· Extras for removal of the old flooring, steps, and furniture moving.
§ Vinyl: About $.65-$.80 cents per sq foot.
· Extras for removal of the old, sub floor prep, sub floor materials such as luan, and furniture moving.
§ Laminate: About $2-$2.50 per sq foot.
· Extras include trims, transition molding, and quarter round.
§ Ceramic: About$3.50-$4.00 per square foot.
· Extras for base molding, floor prep, grout, trip charges for the extra trip to grout, patterns, installing cement board underlay, and furniture moving.
§ Hardwood: About $2.00-$3.00 per foot for pre-finished floors.
· Extras include floor prep, custom patterns, transitions, glue, trim moldings, and steps.
Flooring installers are specialists these days. Don't assume that they will unhook plumbing or do carpentry work, like cutting off doors. Most will move furniture and appliances for a fee, they won't unhook electronics or move pool tables or waterbeds make sure your installer knows what you think was agreed to & get it in writing. No one likes a costly surprise. Most installation contractors will do just that they install floors.
What is the difference between sanded and non-sanded grout?
The obvious answer is sanded grout has sand. But the in depth answer has many differences.
Sanded grout which is the most common, can be used in a grout joint from 1/8" to 1/2" (and larger but check the grout). Sanded grout scratches many tile like glass.
Non sanded grout can only be used on joints 1/8" or less. Non sanded grout is typically seen on marble and granite tile, many wall tile, and all glass tile.
How can you restain an acid washed concrete floor that has been sealed?
Probably wont take color evenly, will not look right
With everything added together is DIY carpet installation truly more cost effective?
Generally speaking no. Most big box retailers offer installation for $100 or less as long as you buy carpet and pad. Unless you already have all the tools and the knowledge to install it, you are not looking at a more cost effective installation.
Nearly all carpet manufactures require a carpet to be power stretched this days. This is something a DYI would most likely not be able to do. Knee kickers do not get the carpet onto the tack board well enough and tends to wrinkle.
