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Reasons Why Your Bamboo Flooring May Have Warped

December 13, 2014 by Leave a Comment

For many Colorado homes, nothing says home like wooden floors. And with so many options on the market today, many families are turning to bamboo in order to achieve the look, yet be eco-friendly in the process.

Bamboo mimics wooden floors in both aesthetics and behavior, but its important to remember that bamboo isn’t wood; it’s a renewable grass that gains similar properties to wood during the drying and production process. Therefore these floors are susceptible to warping if they are exposed to the wrong conditions.reasons why your bamboo flooring may have warped Reasons Why Your Bamboo Flooring May Have Warped

Insufficient acclimation process

Before bamboo planks can be installed in a room, they have to be acclimated and adjust to the humidity levels of the room prio to installation. Unfortunately many DIYers don’t understand this, and purchase and install the same day. Bamboo planks should have 3 to 6 days adjusting to the atmosphere before they are installed.

The subfloor wasn’t adequately prepared

All manufacturers will have guidelines for installation and the preparation of the subfloor beneath the bamboo planks. If the subfloor isn’t prepared properly, it can allow moisture to build, trap humidity, and allow the planks to warp. The subfloor is highly important, especially if you have a subfloor made of concrete that is more moisture-prone in the first place.

Improper use of adhesive

As a do-it-yourselfer, its easy to get confused by your options. While you care about the final look, in many cases it’s the installation process that will matter most for longevity. If you go with another adhesive because its lower in cost, you may pay the price down the road. Stick with all manufacturers guidelines when it comes to both selecting and installing bamboo planks with the correct line of adhesive.

Bamboo planks will expand

Just like wood planks, bamboo will need room to grow and breathe. The expansion gap is the space allowed between the planks and the edges of the rooms where it meets the wall or other vertical surfaces (such as a kitchen island). This extra space gives the bamboo planks room to settle in as it adjusts to the variables of your home, including seasons, temperatures, and varying humidity levels.

Spills and sitting water

Water damage can occur in many ways. It can occur when you leave wet boots by the front door. It can occur by a wet bath mat sitting for hours in front of the shower. It can occur by a knocked over cup of tea forgotten as you rush out for a busy day. The longer water has time to sit, the more damage it will do. Take preventative measures when you can – a rug in the entryway for wet boots. And if water damage does occur, call in an expert to help you repair your floors immediately.

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Floating Floors – How Reliable Are They?

November 29, 2014 by Leave a Comment

In years gone by, laying flooring was a long and tedious process. Floors had to be nailed down, glue and adhesives needed to be applied, mortar and cement were used to keep things in place.

While many of these same applications are still in use today (if something works, why change it?), there are many other options available as well. Like floating floors.floating floors how reliable are they Floating Floors – How Reliable Are They?

Floating floors don’t actually float; its simple a term used to refer to the installation process. Instead of having to nail or glue down each individual piece of tile or plank, they are attached to one another by means of gluing or snapping them together. Then once they are in place, they “float” above the subfloor or underlayment on to which they’ve been installed.

Think of it as a big jigsaw puzzle. The pieces are connected to one another, without being connected to what is underneath. The key is in the plastic trays used to connect one piece to another, giving it its support and stability.

While most people think of laminate flooring when they hear floating floors, in today’s world there are many options. Tiling also works well through interlocking structure, giving you a strong and sturdy flooring option anywhere in your home.

The main advantages of floating floors are:

  • They are easy and fast to install
  • They save you time and money
  • They make DIY projects easier

By using a floating method of installation, it allows your floor to expand and contract in response to changes in humidity levels. Which means you’ll rarely find a floating flooring system buckle under moist conditions. It will also never develop gaps in dry conditions.

That makes the floating flooring system the perfect choice in every room, including bathrooms and basements.

While floating floors are easier to install and can be a good DIY project, in order to get the job right the first time you may wish to use a professional. Stop by today to see our full selection of floating floor options, and let us install yours today.

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Reclaimed Wood Flooring

November 22, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Imagine hosting a party for your neighbors and friends and being able to say:

“My wood floors were once a part of an old homestead outside of town.”

Or

“I’ve carried the wine theme in my cellar down to my floors; they were once a part of the inside of wine barrels.”reclaimed wood flooring 237x300 Reclaimed Wood Flooring

Not only can reclaimed wood flooring give new life to something that no longer has purpose; it can also give you a conversation piece right in your own home.

Reclaimed wood flooring is growing in popularity as a flooring option for many reasons. It can come for a variety of sources, including:

  • Fences
  • Old demolished buildings
  • Railroad cars
  • Wine barrels
  • Retired mills

If you travel back in time, trees hundreds of years old were hand crafted into beautiful boards, and were then used to create a lot of different structures used throughout our society. Our modern day forestry practices have set schedules for tree manufacturing, and therefore trees are harvested in a much quicker timeframe. As a result, the beauty and uniqueness you can find in reclaimed wood is like no other product on the market.

Using reclaimed wood has many advantages:

  • It keeps old wood out of the landfill
  • It prevents cutting down trees
  • It adds stability and durability to your flooring
  • It adds character to your home
  • It can provide a back story
  • It offers the option of using wider planks
  • It can be installed with radiant heating

And while the advantages are in abundance, keep in mind that there are a few disadvantages as well:

  • It can be expensive
  • It can come with false claims about the age and origin, so always go through a trusted dealer
  • It can come with metal pieces or nails, giving it a rough or marred appearance
  • It can have off-gassing from past chemical treatments

If reclaimed wood flooring sounds like the perfect option for your remodel, stop by today. Let’s talk about your alternatives, and help you narrow down the perfect choice for you.

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How To Get A Wood Look Without Installing Wood Flooring

November 15, 2014 by Leave a Comment

No matter what room you are redecorating, starting with a wood floor gives it style and pizzazz. Yet in some cases, the perfect choice for the flooring isn’t wood at all.

With today’s technology, you can get a wood look without installing wood flooring.

  • Think laminate
  • Think vinyl
  • Think tile

You can achieve a wood look with many different products on the market, all that will provide you with more flexibility, more durability, especially in rooms where you may need it most (like the bathroom for instance).how to get a wood look without installing wood flooring How To Get A Wood Look Without Installing Wood Flooring

A client recently came in looking for new flooring. She had a rental unit, and wanted to upgrade the look without breaking the bank. The old dingy carpet had to go, and she wanted to give her place a fresh updated look. Her rental was in a college area, so most likely her tenant would be someone in their young 20s. Wood would be a definite benefit, and could even boost her monthly fee. She selected a laminate, and couldn’t be happier with the results.

Laminates have the look and feel of real wood, but offer you the wood look on a budget. Laminates are made up of layers – a high resolution photo reproduction of wood on the top, two layers of core board to increase durability and moisture resistance, followed by a bottom layer of plastic that provides moisture protection from the sub-floor. All four layers are pressurized together to give you a functional flooring option. With its click together installation system, its easy to have installed, or the perfect choice for a DIYer wanting to take on the work themselves.

While laminate is a great option, its by no means the only option. Vinyl plank products offer a waterproof option that is great for places where water messes are likely – think kitchens and bathrooms. Vinyl comes in a wide variety of pricing structures, and likewise will offer many looks and feels. The more you put into it, the more luxurious it can become, the greater the impression of looking like real wood.

Tiling with a wood look is also an option. It comes in a variety of colors and styles – how about a weathered wood plank flooring look? Tiling is one of the most durable flooring products on the market, so if longevity is a bonus, tiling may be your answer.

If you are ready to install wood floors in your home, but aren’t convinced real wood is the answer, come in and look at the many flooring products that will give you the look, and increase functionality and durability in the process.

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Tips For Using Hardwood Flooring In Bathrooms

November 1, 2014 by Leave a Comment

When it comes to remodeling and installing new floors in your home, one of the most popular choices continues to be hardwoods. Hardwood flooring has a natural beauty that complements décor in every room in the house. Plus its easy to maintain too.

Yet while people love hardwood flooring throughout the main levels of their home, there’s something that makes them shy away from including hardwoods in the bathroom. The old mantra of “wood and water don’t mix” comes to mind, and people take it seriously.tips for using hardwood flooring in bathrooms Tips For Using Hardwood Flooring In Bathrooms

With bathrooms, there are unavoidable spills, splashes, and daily humidity, all of which can add into the chance of warping. And once warped, wood can become hazardous to walk on, and can even harm your health as mold sets in.

All good reasons to avoid hardwoods in bathrooms. Yet technology prevails in this case. Manufacturers understand that people love hardwood, so new finishes have been designed that make wood floors in bathrooms a feasible option.

To begin, choose a proper wood to install. Soft woods are more prone to absorb moisture from its surrounding areas. Choose a hard wood, such as oak, maple, cherry, walnut or hickory, to give your flooring more durability to withstand the daily abuse a bathroom can take.

Then make sure you use a good polyurethane finish to protect the wood under normal bathroom conditions. This finish incorporates a synthetic resin over the wood that creates a watertight seal that will protect without peeling.

If you do use wood in the bathroom, make sure to wipe up spills and puddles quickly. The longer water sits on wood, the greater chance it has of damage. While this is true for any flooring, its more of a problem with wood.

Also be conscious with your décor. Many bathroom rugs come with rubber bottoms to prevent slippage as you move around the bathroom. While this may be important for vinyl and tile floor, the same is not true on hardwoods. A rubber backed rug can actually help retain moisture, meaning your floor is more at risk.

Hardwood flooring creates an area of warmth and style you won’t find with other materials. If it fits with your design, don’t shy away from it. Instead, be smart about your final wood choice, maintain it, and enjoy.

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Tips After Your Hardwood Flooring Installation Process

October 29, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Now that your hardwood flooring has been installed, there are a few tips to keep in mind to keep them beautiful for years to come.

If you haven’t already read:

Tips Before Your Hardwood Flooring Installation Process

Tips During Your Hardwood Flooring Installation Process

Start there. Then read on to discover a few important details you can start putting into action today.

tips after your hardwood flooring installation process Tips After Your Hardwood Flooring Installation ProcessAfter installation:

Nothing can damage hardwoods quicker than a deep, set in scratch. Before you place any furniture down, place a felt pad underneath for protection. You can find felt pads in any size and color; cut them to size to ensure a perfect fit.

For even more protection against scratches, dirt, and moisture, consider placing area rugs throughout your home. The key is using them where traffic is at its highest. You can use them in entryways, hallways, or in rooms where people spend a lot of time. Area rugs are perfect under dining room tables or along couches and chairs where feet are more likely to shuffle against the floor.

Clean and maintain your floors on a regular basis. In many ways hardwoods are easier to keep clean than other choices. A simple sweep can remove the dust and other small particles that have impact on your floors over time. Make sure you don’t use too much water, or allow water to puddle as this can ruin them quickly. Also be careful about using floor cleaners and waxes; check with the manufacturer or contractor for ideas on the perfect products to use.

Dents are also a common occurrence in hardwoods. The easiest way to avoid dents is to trim pet nails on a regular basis, and take off high heels when walking and standing on the floor. Dents can be a very costly thing to fix, so its important to take precautionary measures from the beginning.

Make sure the temperature of your home is a constant. Extreme changes in temperature can cause hardwood to expand or buckle, contract or create gaps between the planks. Because hardwoods are a natural product, it will react to new and changing conditions, including humidity changes. The more of a constant you can make your home, the more settled your hardwood flooring will be.

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Tips During Your Hardwood Flooring Installation Process

October 25, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Nothing can be as exciting or change a room faster than installing new flooring. And when you’ve made the decision to install hardwood flooring, you know you’ll be investing in a look and feel that will not only look good for years to come, it will also add value to your home overall.

Start by reading our Tips Before Your Hardwood Flooring Installation Process. Then continue here and discover some important facts to take into consideration as the process begins.

During installation:tips during your hardwood flooring installation process Tips During Your Hardwood Flooring Installation Process

Make sure your installer is aware of where hardwoods will be laid in your home, and what other flooring it will ultimately bump up against. Different types of transitions will be used depending on your other flooring. Its also important to use the right transition for each situation. For example, a T-molding is used when transitioning from one flooring area to another flooring area at the same height level. A reducer transition is required if your hardwood floors are slightly higher or lower than another hard surface, such as vinyl or tile. This will ensure anyone in your home can easily move between flooring without risk of tripping or injury.

Because hardwood flooring will expand and contract during its life, its important to leave space for this natural occurrence. Expansion gaps must be used when your floors meet the walls to ensure space for normal expansion and contracting. This includes walls, door stops, transitions, poles, or any other area where there is a distinct transition.

With real hardwood flooring, its important to mix up the planks from different boxes. Individual boxes of hardwood usually will have planks with a similar look and feel. By mixing up the boxes and applying the planks in different areas of your room, you will avoid having slight variations as the wood transitions from one side to another. Mixing the planks is an important part of installation for hardwoods, less for laminate flooring. Laminate flooring has a more uniform look, so the variations won’t be as noticeable.

Determine the direction of the planks. For hardwood planks, they must be installed perpendicular to the joints supporting your subflooring underneath. This will make your floors stronger and last longer over time. For laminate flooring, you can choose the direction the planks will be installed. For example, running your laminate flooring long ways across the project area will be easier to install, give you long, clean lines, and provide you with fewer seams to contend with over time. Or try following the flow of light. If sunlight streams through a panel of windows, allow the grain of the wood to flow along those lines. It will help you create a warm look and feel to your room.

Be sure to continue with Tips After Your Hardwood Flooring Installation Process

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Tips Before Your Hardwood Flooring Installation Process

October 22, 2014 by Leave a Comment

Hardwood flooring is one of the most popular choices on the market today. And its not just for your main living space. You can use hardwood to create a warm, inviting look in any room in your home.

But hardwood flooring does need special attention. If you follow these few steps, you’ll enjoy your floors for years to come.

Before you install:tips before your hardwood flooring installation process Tips Before Your Hardwood Flooring Installation Process

Finding the right installer just might be the most important step in your installation process. If wood is installed correctly, it will provide you with years of enjoyment trouble-free. Make sure you talk with several contractors as you begin the process. The more educated you become about hardwoods, the easier it will be to choose the right flooring – and the right installer – for you.

Once you’ve made your final selection, the wood or laminate flooring you choose should be acclimated to the temperature and conditions of your home. Hardwood or laminate flooring will expand and contract over time due to the conditions of your home. In order to reduce this movement to a minimum, bringing the wood into your home and giving it time to breathe will keep the movement to a minimum after installation.

Make sure your home is in livable condition, and that the air conditioning or heating system has been operating at least two weeks before installation. Wood products must be acclimated in livable temperatures, which is why its important for your home to be at a steady temperature in order to provide you with the best results.

Make sure the area is fully prepped before installation. This can include removing furniture, removing old carpeting, fixing any squeaks or loose boards in the underlayment, fixing leaks that could damage the new floor, or leveling out the subfloor.

Be sure to continue with:

Tips During Your Hardwood Flooring Installation Process

Tips After Your Hardwood Flooring Installation Process

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What You Really Should Know About Choosing Hardwood Floors

October 18, 2014 by Leave a Comment

So you’ve decided its time to replace the flooring in your home. And if you are like many Colorado homeowners, hardwood flooring is probably at the top of your list. It’s a wonderful choice throughout your main living areas, and can provide years of enjoyment and durability no matter what rooms you choose to have it installed.

Yet if you’ve decided on installing hardwood flooring in your home, there is more to think about then color and style.

what you really should know about choosing hardwood floors What You Really Should Know About Choosing Hardwood FloorsEnvironmentally friendly flooring means being aware and proactive of the woods you choose to have installed in your home. In order for a hardwood product to meet legal requirements right here in the US, it must be produced from responsibly managed forests and legally logged trees. If forests are responsibly managed, they are one of the most sustainable resources we have.

Back in 1900, the Lacey Act was put into law that prohibits the trade of wildlife, fish or plants that have been illegally taken, possessed, transported or sold. A 2008 amendment included a protected a wider variety of prohibited plants, which made it illegal to create products from illegally loggged woods.

Illegally logging of trees includes a variety of things:

  • Using corrupt means to gain access to the forest
  • Removing trees without permission from protected forests
  • Cutting down protected species
  • Harvested and imported with illegal means

While it seems logical that all wood flooring products on the market today would fall into this category and follow the codes, its still a buyer beware process. The Lacey Act is a “fact based” stature rather than a document based statute, which means the private sector complies as it sees fit without a set of documentation in place to monitor it.

As a consumer, it does in some cases put the burden on you.

If sustainability is important in your final choice, do your homework before making a selection. There are good, domestic FSC-certified hardwoods available, created from companies that help protect forests and feel confident these forests are being managed to the highest of standards.

You can also look for companies that use the SFI Standard Program as a tool to demonstrate their care for forested land. They measure according to the variety of amenities a forest offers – water, air, recreation, aesthetics, wildlife, jobs – and ensures forest management have continued incentives to keep the forest in top condition to ensure sustainability for years to come.

Sometimes shopping online for price alone will not give you, the consumer, the information you need to make a well informed decision on the status of your final hardwood selection. And in some cases, depending on the source, they may even be breaking the law.

To ensure you have a top quality, hardwood floor for final use in your home, talk with your flooring consultant first to make a well-informed decision. Not only will it impact the quality of your home, it will also ensure our lifestyles for years to come.

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The Different Types Of Bamboo Flooring

September 20, 2014 by Leave a Comment

So you’ve decided to install a greener, more sustainable product on the floors within your home. Good choice. Not only can it be a beautiful addition to any room in the home, the sustainability part will make it better for the environment overall.

Bamboo flooring is an excellent choice. But deciding on bamboo is only your first choice. There are actually many different grains, installation types, and color and texture types for you to choose from as well.

Grainsthe different types of bamboo flooring The Different Types Of Bamboo Flooring

When it comes to the different grains of bamboo, there are three main choices: horizontal, vertical and strand woven.

Horizontal bamboo refers to the planks that are placed next to one another in a horizontal direction. They are attached this way before being pressurized and finished, randomly showcasing the knuckles, or growth rings of the stalk.

Vertical bamboo refers to the planks that are placed next to one another in a vertical direction. They are attached this way before being pressurized and finished, creating a smooth uniform look.

Strand woven bamboo refers to planks that are made from the remaining strands of the stalk trimmed away from the long bamboo fillets. They are compressed together with an adhesive before the pressurized and finishing treatments. Strand woven bamboo is twice as hard as horizontal or vertical bamboo, making it the best choice for high traffic areas of your home.

Installation Process

There are three different installation processes, each with their own benefits. Deciding on the installation process before you choose the type will help you know how much time is needed for installation, and how much material you’ll need to account for mistakes and imperfections.

Nail or glue installation is a process similar to installing hardwood flooring. Bamboo is very hard, making it nearly impossible to nail down with a standard hammer. Therefore special tools are needed, such as an electric hammer, to ensure the success of completing the job correctly. If using this method, there are special subfloor requirements for bamboo to be installed over; talk with your flooring consultant if this is a DIY project.

Bamboo can be laid with a floating system, either with a glue seam or a glueless click process. For the glue process, its best to lay out the complete floor design and go back and install in sections as the adhesive dries quickly. With the glueless click process, the planks simply click together and fall into place.

Color and Texture

When it comes to color types, bamboo has several options.

Natural bamboo contains no colorants or stains, and will have a very light, blonde color to it.

Carbonized bamboo allows the sugars in the plant to caramelize as the bamboo is boiled for a longer period of time. The caramelization process adds color to the bamboo, depending on the length of time it is boiled. Carbonized bamboo is softer than other types of bamboo.

Tiger bamboo uses both natural and carbonized strips, creating a tiger pattern.

Stained bamboo is treated with wood stain, and can come in a variety of colors and shades.

Bamboo’s surface texture comes with three options, each with their own look and feel.

Smooth bamboo flooring is created with a machine, coated with several layers of sealant. Its smooth surface makes it easy to clean and maintain.

Hand scraped gives a floor and aged, antique look. It does require more manual labor during processing, so it is more expensive than its smooth counterpart.

Hand sculpted is similar to hand scraped, but provides a less distressed look.

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