Flooring

Archive for the ‘Flooring’ Category

Second only to the walls in terms of surface area, the flooring in your home offers a real opportunity to make a large scale style statement. Unlike walls however, flooring has the added task of standing up to a lot of wear and tear. Finding a good balance is crucial to successful flooring.

Carpeting is currently making a huge comeback. A decade of laminate flooring has left us all yearning for a little comfort and warmth underfoot. Most people ditched their carpet in an effort to toe the minimal line, but today this really is unnecessary as a modern clutter free finish can still be achieved with carpets. The trick is to opt for the pattern free variety. A biscuit or oatmeal coloured carpet will really blend well into a minimal setting whilst creating a warm ambience. Do not be afraid of warm colours when trying to achieve a contemporary look, clinical is not what you are looking for. Generally speaking, it is best to avoid cream or off-white carpets as no matter how careful you are, they will show up any mark- you want to be comfortable not tip toeing all over the sitting room. If you must have a really light carpet, restrict its use to the bedrooms where you are usually barefoot anyway and can also be sure guests won’t be traipsing in and out. If you have children or a dog, you can still enjoy the comfort of carpeting whilst retaining a modern look, simply choice a darker shade. Plum, aubergine, slate, burgundy or even black are all really up-to-the-minute shades that will allow for a few mishaps.

Wooden flooring is probably the favourite of British homeowners at the minute, and not without reason. A wooden floor really does add something indefinable to a space. It natural and comforting and brings a real sense of history and timelessness. Yet at the same time is still amongst the most contemporary and urban chic flooring opting on the market. Available in so many variations it is extremely versatile- a dark oak or mahogany floor will help create some classic British stateliness, whereas walnut or Bamboo creates a real youthful vibrancy. And it is not only the huge array of styles that makes a wooden floor so usable, it is also the unique blend of comfort and durability that means wood is possibly the only flooring material that can be used all over the house. Equally as at home in a light shade in the kitchen when paired up with simple trimmings like a cheap roller blind and chrome bar stools, as it is in a dark stain sitting under the ornate bay window curtains of a Georgian town house, wood really can do it all.

The final flooring must have for the home is tiling. Once restricted to the kitchen and the bathroom, the massive increase in tile variations over the last few years has meant they have began to pop up in less conventional places. This can only be a good thing as a lot of tiles on the market are far too beautiful to be hidden under the bathroom sink. A dark slate floor would provide the ultimate base to a chic minimal living room, and with it being a natural material, it actually won’t appear cold if paired with a big fluffy rug. Mosaic tiles are also a wonderful way to spice up a room. They are available in so many finishes and colours and create an amazing speckled effect on whatever surface they cover. A hallway is a really great place to experiment with tiling. Being the main thorough-fair in the home, it needs to have hard wearing flooring. It is also not a room you spend a lot of time in, so you can afford to add a little more colour than you might in the sitting room.

Terry Henman
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/Flooring-fundamentals-698478.html

I’m thinking of moving and turning my home into a rental. The wall to wall carpet needs to be replaced. The house is built on a concrete slab. What is the best type of Flooring to use in a rental home? Carpet, Laminate, Composite Wood Flooring? I can’t afford hardwood even though it would last a long time. Perhaps a combination would be best? Carpet the bedrooms but not the rest of the house? Should the kitchen and second bathroom be tile or laminate?

I would suggest carpet in the bedrooms and living room, laminate wood flooring in the dining room and kitchen, and tile laminate in the other areas (mud room, laundry room, etc.). I highly recommend laminate wood flooring; it is inexpensive, looks very nice, and is difficult to scratch or dent (although it is possible).

What could be more exciting than garage flooring? I mean, is there anything else? The plethora of color and texture options just takes the breath away. Not! Okay, seriously though, I’m pretty sure that garage flooring isn’t really even meant to be exciting. It’s meant to be more in the functional category. I know most people think of the garage floor as the drab gray concrete that it usually is, but I’m here to tinker with that perception.

It turns out that there is a whole industry built on the idea that garage flooring doesn’t have to be lame, bla, or ugly. In fact, manufacturers have gone out of their way to come up with products that not only enhance the way the floor looks, but also add to it’s functionality and safety. You can get large rolled flooring, peel and stick tiles, interlocking tiles, anti-fatigue mats and more. Let me explain.

One of the garage flooring products that I personally like is a 12 in. x 12 in. peel and stick tile that can be laid down on top of cracked and stained concrete. This is an inexpensive option that works well to dramatically improve the appearance of garages, shops, and other work areas. It can be custom fit to nearly any space and reduces noise, while at the same time cuts down on the amount of dirt that is tracked indoors. It comes in a variety of colors: black, white, and gray. You can also find it with different tread patterns: diamond and levant.

If you would rather have an interlocking tile that requires no adhesive, that is available as well. Gladiator makes a heavy duty interlocking tile that is perfect for those who need garage flooring that can handle heavy vehicle weights. It is rated up to 250 lbs. per square inch.

Another really durable and convenient garage flooring product that works great is called G-Floor. It comes as a rolled stock product that is simply laid down. Since there is no need for adhesives, it makes installation a breeze. You can find this product in different patterns (ribbed, clear, coin, tread, and levant) and sizes. Common sizes include 7.5 ft. wide x 17 ft. long (covers about 127.5 sq. ft.), 7.5’ x 20’ (covers about 150 sq. ft.), or 9’ x 20’ (covers about 180 sq. ft.). G-Floor is easy to move when cleaning is needed, can be custom fit, is ultra durable, and prevents concrete, soil, and water contamination. Creative use of different color tiles can also make garage flooring fun. I’m thinking checkerboard here.

So now that you know a bit more about garage flooring, are you excited about what you could do with that drab old nasty stained concrete? It makes sense to do something with it. After all, the garage is one of the biggest rooms in the house. Go on, live on the edge. Do something for yourself. Get some new garage Flooring and see what a difference it makes. You’ll be glad you did.

MJ Marks
http://www.articlesbase.com/diy-articles/garage-flooring-not-just-fuddyduddy-hohum-anymore-746603.html