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12 10th, 2008| 
Popularity: 100% [?]
Dec
9
A Complete Guide To Real Wood Flooring
1. HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR WOOD FLOOR
There are a number of points to check when choosing a new wood floor and some of these will depend on the type of floor available to you:
1.What is your Sub Floor (existing floor)
2.Do you have under floor heating?
3.Is the room a south facing conservatory or basement (below ground level)?
4.Are you fitting in a bathroom or kitchen?
SUBFLOOR
Your subfloor is very important as this will need to be flat, dry and suitable for laying a wood floor on.
For existing timber floors, you must ensure that your floor is flat and that it is free from any type of woodworm or rot.
For existing joists, you need to check that these are also free from woodworm or rot and that they are level enough to lay boards onto.
For concrete floors, you need to ensure that the floor is flat and is dry (check using a moisture metre) and that there is a damp proof already in the concrete.
For asphalt floors, these need to be dry and flat.
If the subfloor is not suitable, then consider laying ply throughout the area to level it off (18mm ply is needed when the floor is very uneven, although a thinner ply can be used) or lay the floor as a floating floor using underlay.
If a concrete floor is uneven, consider using a self levelling compound or a screed to level off, alternatively you can ply out the area as above or lay the floor as a floating floor using underlay.
If you need to apply a damp proof course this can be done either by a dpm sheeting or by using a DPM epoxy resin spread over the floor.
If your subfloor has tiles laid, these cannot be glued down onto or nailed into – therefore it would be best to either ply out the area or take up the subfloor (or lay the floor as a floating floor using underlay.)
Please note, for existing timber floors, the new boards must be laid at 90 degrees from the existing floor – if you want to lay the boards in the same direction then you must ply out the area first.
UNDER FLOOR HEATING
If you have, or are going to have under floor heating you are recommended to use an engineered board rather than a solid. This is due to the stability in the engineered boards. As the boards are made up of cross ply backing it stops the oak from moving with the fluctuating temperatures and humidity.
If a solid board is to be used, the width of the board should not be more than 5 times the thickness of the board.
The reason for this is due to the movement from solid boards which can affect the floor, causing cupping and warping of the boards.
SOUTH FACING CONSERVATORIES AND BASEMENTS
As with under floor heating, there is a great level of difference with the temperature and humidity in conservatories and basements, therefore an engineered board is recommended for these areas.
BATHROOMS AND KITCHENS
Wood floors can be put in bathrooms and kitchens but please note the following advice:
For kitchens, the best floor to use is an unfinished floor which can be sealed once laid – this will ensure that the joints are protected better from spills and splashes – for kitchens in regular use or with little ventilation an engineered floor is recommended.
For Bathrooms, an engineered floor is recommended and it is also best to lay an unfinished floor which can be sealed once laid – this will ensure that the joints are protected better from spills and splashes. Wood floor is not recommended for use in bathrooms where there are small children (where there is a higher tendency for splashes) and it must be noted that the life of the floor is not as great in bathrooms due to the moisture. Bamboo floors are better suited for bathrooms as they do not expand or contract with moisture.
2. WOOD FLOORS – BOARD TYPES AND FINISHES
ENGINEERED AND SOLID BOARDS
One of the most commonly asked question is ‘which boards should I get, engineered or solid?’ Generally the answer depends on the type of room you have – see section 1 for specific details.
Engineered boards have come a long way in the last few years so it is now impossible to tell whether it is a solid floor or engineered floor once laid. Gone are the days when the engineered boards are all three strip boards – there is now more choice than ever before in the sizes and finishes of the boards.
Solid boards are suitable for most situations with the exception of under floor heating, south facing conservatories, below ground rooms (ie cellars) and bathrooms. In all of these circumstances, engineered boards are recommended.
The engineered boards are more sturdy and are less prone to movement due to the structure of the board. They are made up of a layer of real wood glued down onto a cross ply backing – usually between 10 – 15mm thick. The layers of real wood vary from 1mm – 8mm (the usual size is 4 – 6mm)
The cross ply backing is stable and does not move with differing humidity or temperatures. With the thinner layer of real wood on the top, the ply stops the real wood from moving, therefore preventing it from cupping or warping.
The thicker (21mm thick) engineered boards can also be nailed directly onto joists making them just as adaptable as the solid wood.
The boards are available in planked wood, two strip or three strip. They come unfinished, oiled or lacquered.
Due to the stability the widths of the boards can be wider than the solid wood – currently we have available up to 260mm widths in the engineered board which can be laid with the safety that they will not have movement over time.
Solid wood boards are the original boards and can be sanded down time after time. They can give a more rustic look (especially unfilled boards) as the knots can go right through the boards. The solid boards can also be adapted to make steps and other accessories without the worry of the ply showing at the edges. The solid wood floors move more than engineered boards so you will find that when the central heating is on in the house and the humidity is lower, you will see gaps appearing between the boards. However once the heating is turned off and the humidity is normal, these gaps will disappear.
UNFINISHED, OILED OR LACQUERED?
The finish of the board is purely a matter of choice and does not depend on the room type.
All the finishes available are hard wearing and durable, it is only the final look that changes:
PreLacquered Floors
Boards which come pre-lacquered have been factory finished with around 5 coats of lacquer to give a hard wearing and perfectly smooth finish. Most of the lacquers are a satin finish however there are some matt lacquers now available. No maintenance needs to be done on these floors – only the usual cleaning.
Oiled Floors
The oiled floors have a much more natural appearance. The oil soaks into the floor leaving the grainage showing through so the boards feel like natural wood. The oiled floors need maintaining around once per year. One bonus of oiled floors is that if there is a particularly nasty stain in the floor, you can spot sand it out and re-oil which is not possible with pre-lacquered boards.
Unfinished Floors
When you purchase the floor unfinished it gives you the widest choice of finish – you can sand it down once it is in place, then choose to stain it, oil or lacquer. The beauty of having the seal of your choice also means that when you need to spot sand an area and refinish, you will be able to match the finish perfectly as you have the original seal.
Stained Floors
A lot of the stains can be oiled or lacquered over the top, however the trip trap oils are an oil and colour in one, meaning that when the stain is on, the boards are finished. There is a large choice of stains to use on the floor boards from white washed finished to a very dark antique look finish. Purchasing an unfinished floor gives you the option of staining the boards once the floor is laid so you can check that the colour is correct for the environment.
Aged Flooring
These boards have been aged by using distressed boards – usually with dents, chips and a generaly "used" look to them. They are not perfect but look as if they have been in the house for a long time. These boards are normally oiled rather than lacquered as this gives a more natural and original look.
Smoked or fumed Oak floor boards give a darker look with lighter streaks – generally giving a darker, older look which can be used with "distressed" boards or just on its own. These also give the appearance of the original floorboards – originally found in barns where the cattle had been – the ammonia from the animals urine turned the oak a darker colour which gave it the original look. These days a more modern "fumed with ammonia" process is used to smoke the boards!
Brushed and Burnt oak is made by literally burning the top of the board, giving an antique look and darker colour to the boards.
FITTING METHODS AND THE TOOLS YOU WILL NEED
Handling and Storage
It is essential that you unload your wooden flooring in dry weather – never unload in the rain as the moisture could cause the planks to warp. Your wood flooring should be stored n a dry place at room temperature and if possible should be raised off the ground. You should store your wood flooring in the room that it will be laid for a minimum of 72 hours (preferably a week) so that it has time to acclimatise to the humidity and temperature of the room.
Preparing to lay your flooring
The most dangerous enemy of a hardwood floor is moisture. You must ensure that the sub floor is dry. This is especially true when laying a hard wood floor in a new build property where concrete floors will still contain a high level of moisture. Your solid wood flooring should have been allowed sufficient time to acclimatise to the conditions of the room in advance of installation.
Any timber – existing flooring, joinery or battens – should have a moisture content of no more than ư% above the moisture content of the new floor. It is advisable when laying onto existing timber that you ensure it is treated against fungal or insect attack. Concrete or screed should contain a damp proof membrane and have a moisture content of no more than 5%. This is in practice almost impossible to achieve and so additional precautions should be taken to prevent moisture reaching the new floor.
Concrete or screed will take approximately 1 day per mm thickness to dry or 1month per 25mm of thickness to dry naturally to a moisture content of 5%. The deeper the concrete slab the longer the period – for example a 150mm slab will probably take around 6 – 8 months to dry back to a safe moisture level.
The ambient conditions in the room should be around 40 – 50% humidity and a temperature of 15 – 25 degrees at the time of laying the floor. Never store the floor in a room that is wet, outside or in a garage where it could pick up moisture.
Solid Wood Floors
The best fitting methods for solid floors are to either nail down to the subfloor (secret nailing through the tongues) or glue the floor down directly to the subfloor.
For nailing down directly the flooring nailers are best used as these will automatically fire the nails at the correct angle (nailing is not suitable for chipboard floors – these should be glued down instead)
For gluing the boards down direct a special heavy duty adhesive needs to be used – this is applied with a trowel over the whole floor.
Floating the floor is not recommended for solid wood in normal circumstances.
Engineered Wood Floors
The most common fitting method for engineered floors is the floating method – this is done using and underlay laid over the existing floor and then gluing the tongue and groove of the engineered floor together. This way the whole new floor is ‘floating’ from the original floor. The underlay is used to cushion the floor and to stop any echo noise that occurs when there is a space between the two floors.
The adhesive used for floating the floor is a basic PVA wood adhesive.
The underlays available vary depending on the thickness and quality required.
The basic 3mm foam underlay is fine for general floors, as it absorbs the extra noise and cushions the new floor.
Fibre boards are not recommended for real wood floor as there is too much movement.
The sound insulation underlays such as the silent floor gold and the timbermate excel are very dense and act as sound insulation as well as a cushion for the floor. These are especially good for flats etc where minimal noise is essential.
The Envoy multi adhesive underlay has a sticky side which sticks the new floor together – you peel back the backing as you go and it instantly holds the floors in place. It is also recommended to glue the edges when using the adhesive underlay. This underlay is very popular with DIYers.
When floating floors you will notice a small amount of movement or ‘bounce’ in the floor – this is normal for floating floors as they have not been stuck down to the sub floor.
Engineered boards can also be glued down directly to the sub floor or nailed over an existing timber floor. The thicker engineered boards (18 – 22mm thick) can be nailed down directly to joists as they are structural boards.
Tools
For nailing floors you will need a flooring nailer (or similar). You do not need an underlay or glue with this method.
For Gluing floors down directly to the sub floor you will need the adhesive and a trowel. The tongues and grooves do not need to be glued and no underlay is used.
For floating the floors you will need an underlay and PVA wood glue for the tongue and grooves.
FITTING ACCESSORIES
An expansion gap of 10 – 15mm must always be used to allow for expansion of the boards. This expansion gap can either be covered with skirting (when the skirting has been taken off before installation or the existing wood floor has been removed leaving just the joists), beading or edge profile.
The skirting should be either glued, or screwed and plugged (using solid oak plugs to blend with oak skirting). The beading can be nailed or glued using the 2 part instant bonding adhesive. The edge profile can be either nailed or glued using standard PVA wood adhesive.
The fitting kit ( push block and pull bar) is useful when fitting, the floor fitting tension strap is also useful when floating the floor as it keeps the boards together.
It is always useful to have a filler to fill any small gaps or nail holes in the floor – it helps to finish the floor off. The filler is available either pre-coloured to match your floor or ready to mix with sawdust from your floor. This is also used when some boards need to be surfaced nailed – countersink the nails and fill the holes with the filler.
The radiator pipe rosettes are perfect for covering the holes where the radiator pipes go – the holes need to be larger than the pipe as this pipe will change temperature frequently.
Thresholds and reducer ramps are perfect for filling in between different floors and varying floor levels – these come in solid wood or aluminium depending on your choice.
The fitting accessories are the items that finish your floor off so please make sure you have all the necessary items to give your floor the ‘professionally fitted’ look.
By: Real_Oak_Floors
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
www.realoakfloors.co.uk for full information including images
Popularity: 98% [?]
Dec
9
More info on More about wooden Floor Installation:
Wooden Floor Installation And Renovation
We specialise in floor sanding, wood floor restoration and wooden floor installation, we are not just an ‘add on’ service.Our dedicated team of experienced floor fitters carry out high quality wooden floor installation from sub floor preparation, installation and finishing.
Our wooden floor installation processes can replicate many classic floor or boarding construction styles.
We are now able to offer a total flooring solutions package being able to fit all types of commercial flooring including ceramic tiles, vinyl’s and carpets as well as our wooden floor installation, floor sanding and sealing and court marking.
Whether you need a home improvement, house or flat refurbishment in London, new bathroom, a replacement kitchen, wooden floor installation or renovation, extension or loft conversion, internal or external complete refurbishment, then our name is for you!
Here are the main wooden floor types: Hardwood floors.
Hardwood flooring is available in both unfinished and pre-finished form. They are made up of geometrical patterns, composed of individual wooden slates held together by a mechanical fastening or adhesive. We sand and restore all wooden floors from floorboards to parquet floors, from a small domestic hall way to full size commercial sports halls, schools. We fit all wooden floors specialising in solid oak plank flooring / parquet flooring / re-claimed pine boards / new pine boards / block flooring / hardwood flooring / repairs / sanding in new floors / new to old.
Installing solid wood flooring. Before installing any wood floor you must first make sure the sub-floor is free of loose materials. Before you begin installing a floor, you should give careful consideration to the type of floor you want. Basically when it comes to how to install bamboo flooring, the installing procedure is pretty much the same as with conventional hardwood flooring. Make sure you read all installing instructions from the bamboo flooring manufacturer carefully, because humidity can backfire if it comes to any wooden floor installation.
Parquet flooring this has a very different look from typical hardwoods. All our floor fitters are experienced in all types of wood floor fitting such as: solid wood, laminate, engineered, reclaimed timber, pre finished, unfinished and all types of parquet. We can fit overlay, solid wood, engineered boards and the more specialized herringbone parquet blocks.
It is our particular expertise in Sanding and Refinishing floors, especially in the staining process, which gives us the edge to create individual and exquisite floors for you.
Our wooden floor installation processes can replicate many classic floor or boarding construction styles. Quality of subfloor installation Subfloor is one of the main elements of the wooden floor construction. A suitable floor installation construction should be used. For this reason, all wet construction works in the premises must be completed prior to installing wooden floor on heated or unheated subfloor. Additional factors influencing the use of heated wooden floor Use of wooden floor is influenced by the following additional factors: timber species; method of wood cutting; and wooden floor construction
By: Ovidiu Diaconu
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Our high levels of repeat business and referrals are down to the fact that we are London builders who really do care. Please contact us, and we will be more than happy to help !
Popularity: 97% [?]
Dec
8
Not my article but thought I’d include it here for your comments:
Tips For Great Roofing Installation
If you are setting out to install your own roof then there are a few things that you have to bear in mind. For starters, you have to make sure that the roof construction is complete and you have all of the gutters installed as well as anything that is going to protrude through the roof such as vent pipes installed.
Next you have to make sure that the type of roofing that you have chosen matches the pitch of the roof. For instance, composition roofing can only be installed on a roof that has a minimum pitch of no less than 3/12. Still one more thing that you need to consider is that if the roof pitch is over 6/12 that you have the right equipment to insure that you don’t fall off.
If you don’t have an adequate ladder then you should go and rent one before you start, because you will need one. Assuming that you are fully prepared and the construction is complete, fully load your roofing material as close to the ridge of the roof as possible because you are going to work from the bottom up.
The trick is to install your roof without walking on the finished roof as much as possible, which may seem a lot easier than it is. This means that roofing installation is better done with more than one man.
Roll out and staple or nail down all of your asphalt felt after you have installed all of your valley metal and do a good job of nailing or stapling it down. If the weather is hot then you would be wise to wake up early and get started just as the sun is coming up and bring plenty of water to drink.
If you have never done construction work in hot weather then you will find that luke warm water works better then ice water, because ice water will shock your body and make you sweat profusely immediately after you drink it.
By: Chuck Sarte
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Written by Chuck Sarte. Find the latest information on Roofing Installation
Popularity: 93% [?]
Dec
4
More uses for a loft conversion
Home Office In A Box
If you decide to start your own business or move your business to your home there are quite a few things to take into consideration:
1. Space for your office
2. Equipment needed
3. Communications
Taking each item in turn:
1. Space for your office
We have all had them, our own little space in the home for our own use, haven’t we. Well not all of us have houses the size of a castle and it can be very hard to find that little space you need to run a busy office from.
There are a few ways around it that involves construction (or serious DIY):
Garage conversion, simply clear out the garage and turn it into an office. Simple to say but the pit falls and how to avoid them are;
Warmth, without a decent insulator for the walls, floor and roof you’ll find that the room will become very hot during the summers and very cold during the winters. The cold can be taken care of with a simple heater but then the cost will be higher, when its hot, however, you will need either a portable air-condition unit or be able to sit and work in shorts.
The answer is to use insulation which also bring about the possibility of redecorating the walls, floor and ceiling, and maybe even a new lighting system!
You should use at least 200mm soft insulation in the roof, this will not meet build regulations for a house (250mm minimum) but will be adequate for an office need. We would recommend 300mm but that’s because we are concerned about the environment!
Floor needs to be insulated to a depth of at least 100mm of polystyrene, the choice of a hard insulator is simple, you can lay your chipboard flooring straight on it (remember to glue those joints) and have a ‘floating floor’. The chipboard covering should be cut back about 25mm from the walls so that no part of the flooring touches the walls (with reduce the chances of a warping floor to practically nil).
The walls needs at least 75mm of polystyrene this interwoven with a lattice of 2′ by 3′ stud work set at 600mm centre. As long as the main studs are at 600mm then you will have no trouble with plasterboards (1200mm) to be sent and fastened straight onto the studs.
This new room should be very cosy and should serve you for years ahead.
Attic Conversion or Loft conversion.
This option has proven to be very attractive to a lot of people, as a matter of fact, I think that this might represent a large portion of work to our friendly polish work force that’s here now!
This is to hard for you to undertake without specialist input, you will need a good architect to draw it up, an engineer to verify the structural aspect of the build and you home and then you’ll need to find a good builder.
The real advantage that this gives is that it does, if carried out properly, add real value to your home!
Mini office or Log Cabin in your Garden (serious DIY)
A lot of our members have taken this option after they did the loft conversion! It can be a real pleasure of getting out of the house in the mornings, beside you can hardly hear the family from out there (with the exception of summer holidays).
A office in the garden requires you to have enough space for it, this should be blatantly obvious to moist of us BUT saying that the main issue is that its better to go for a larger unit instead of a smaller one. I’m saying this because if your office grows your space in this office will be sorely missed if you haven got it and you know that you could have had it!
2. Equipment Needed
Vital equipment:
1. Computer
2. Photo Copier
3. Telephone
4. Fax (don’t integrate the computer with one!)
5. security
List of Recommended small office home office equipment:
3. Communications
It is, also, vital to get your communications right. You will have to:
A Change your number (unless you can keep your existing one)
B GET A NEW TELEPHONE LINE – forget trying to share it with your family it just doesn’t work, no really, don’t!
C GET A NEW FAX LINE – forget sharing, why doesn’t anyone listen to me
D Don’t forget to put up a message on your old telephone line informing clients that you have this new one!
To own your own business or to start your own business go to www.forsoho.co.uk!
By: tommy 4 soho
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Tom Smith a writer with so much to say, so read it… You can read more of his fantastic ideas on www.forsoho.co.uk.
Popularity: 91% [?]
Dec
3
More about custom countertops:
New Concepts In Custom Countertops
Never before has there been more choices in custom countertops as there is now. Also, as more choices in types ands styles have come available, so too has the overall prices come down as well. This means that more and more home owners are looking to upgrade their homes with new affordable custom countertops.
Amazingly Real Looking
Cultured or ‘man made’ custom countertops are all the rage now. While many people in the past tended to shy away from these types of products in favor of natural stone, its the new ‘realism’ that is drawing them back for a second look.
Made From Real Stone
The truth, is that todays cultured stone materials are in fact, made from real stone and that accounts for their amazing realism and durability. They are made by mixing crushed stone such as quarts or marble with a high tech polymer and then milling the finished product after it has set and cured.
Mottled Textures and Glass like Polished Surfaces
These new cultured stone custom countertops contain all of the same features that you would find in a natural stone product including glistening mottled ‘textures’ and glass like polished surfaces. In fact many of them are almost virtually indistinguishable form the genuine article.
A Tougher and More Durable Product
What they don’t have though is vulnerability to chips and stains that so many natural stone custom counter tops have. Also, the joinery where two pieces are connected is completely invisible, lending the effect of one solid piece. Of course these new types of cultured stone custom countertops are far more affordable as well.
Match Your Custom Countertop to Your Home
However; for those who choose to go with natural stone custom counter tops, there are more choices than ever before. This means that far more choices in all types of exotic marbles can new be easily found. Either way, no matter what type of custom countertop you choose for your home, make sure to choose one that matches the overall value of your home.
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Written by Victor Kristophersten. Now you can learn top info on Custom Countertops and even Stone Countertops.
Popularity: 92% [?]