Installing
a new floor is a great way to liven up your house. Before you change your
floor, however, you need to decide what type of flooring is best suited to your
budget and lifestyle. Hardwood floors are a classic choice, while many
homeowners prefer the ease of tile or the affordability of laminate flooring.
While some floors can be installed by an inexperienced homeowner, other floor
types require the services of a professional or an experienced handyman.
Hardwood
Flooring
Hardwood
floors have always been a popular choice. Beautiful, traditional wood floors
can last a lifetime if properly maintained and, because hardwood floors are
more hygienic than carpet, they are a good choice for people with allergies.
The National
Wood Flooring Association, points out that wood is:
Low-maintenance
Renewable
Recyclable
Varied
Enduring
Hardwood
floor types can be new or salvaged and might be smooth, distressed, or hand-scraped
for an antique look. Stains give you a variety of color choices, even allowing
oak to masquerade as rare exotic lumber. Research all your options before
investing in a hardwood floor, as each of the many choices offers advantages of
its own.
Maintaining
Hardwood Floors
Prefinished
hardwood flooring can be expensive, but it is easy to maintain. To keep your
hardwood floor looking its best, you should put down area rugs in places that
get a lot of foot traffic. You should also damp mop your floor frequently to
remove dust and dirt. If your hardwood floors get a few minor scratches, you
can repair them with a touch-up stick. Solid hardwood floors can be refinished
if they have a lot of scuffmarks, which is one advantage over other products
like laminate flooring.
Installing
Hardwood Flooring
If you
have never installed any type of flooring, you might want to hire a
professional to lay your hardwood floors. Get an estimate, ask for references
and never pay for the entire job upfront. If you do decide to do it yourself,
do your homework because installing flooring can be tricky. The following tools
are needed for installing hardwood floors:
Circular
saw
Measuring
tape
Nail
gun or hammer
Table
saw
T-square
Floor
sealant
Nails
Safety
glasses
According
to Steve Seabaugh, director of technical education for the NWFA, installers of
wood floors must take care to:
Check
the subfloor for flatness.
Avoid
laying over particleboard, which does not hold nails well.
Acclimatize
wood to the space in which it will be installed.
Laying
hardwood floors takes time, and this last step adds several days to your
project calendar. The flooring should sit in your home for at least 48 hours
before installation in order to expose it to the room's environment. This
allows it to expand or contract according to the temperature and humidity of
the room. If this takes place after the floor is laid, you'll wind up with
shifting boards and uneven flooring. In addition to this brief period of
acclimatization, plan to spend at least a few full days installing hardwood
floors, depending on the size of your home.
Quick-Growing
Alternatives to Hardwoods
Some
homeowners choose cork or bamboo floors as an alternative to hardwood. These
faster-growing products can be "green" in more ways than one - gentle
on the planet and on your wallet. Prefinished bamboo is made from a grass and
performs much like hardwood when it's used as flooring. Cork is a wood-bark
product that can also make an attractive floor. According to BuildGreen's
independently publishedEnvironmental
Building News, the most eco-friendly bamboo floors are those with Forest
Stewardship Council (FSC) certification.
Tile
Flooring
Tile is
another beautiful choice and a great option for DIY flooring. The price of tile
varies greatly because there are so many choices, from ceramics and terra-cotta
to marble and slate. Regardless of the price, tile is extremely durable and
will last for decades with proper care.
Before installing new floors, you should first learn as much as you can about
how to tile. Many hardware stores and home centers offer classes in tiling. You
can also hire a professional to install your tile floor, but this will greatly
increase the price of your total flooring expenses.
When
you do undertake a tiling job, be sure you already understand the process.
You'll need to be sure your subfloor is suitable and then create a level bed of
mortar. Tiles will be set according to a careful plan, with room left between
for grout. After the mortar has set, you'll fill the gaps with grout, carefully
wiping the surface of the tiles as you go. Finally, a week or more later,
you'll seal the grout to protect it from stains.
Tile-Laying
Supplies
The
basic supplies for laying tile include:
Grout
floats
Mortar
trowels
Sponges
Tile
cutters
Tile
grout, mortar, and sealant
Tile
saw
Tape
measure
Pencil
Level
Rags
and a sponge
Installing
tile flooring will take time, as grout and mortar take several days to dry. You
should expect to get your hands dirty during this process, but the end result
will be one of the most easily maintained flooring options out there.
Laminate
Flooring
Laminate
flooring is made from a synthetic material that looks like hardwood or tile. Laminate
flooring is a great choice for anyone who wants the look of hardwood or tile
but doesn't have a big budget to work with. Laminate flooring is usually less
than half the cost of hardwood floors.
Another advantage of laminate flooring is that almost anyone can install it.
For most types of laminate flooring, the manufacturer's instructions are easy
to follow and the pieces snap into place for "lock and click"
installation. According to the North American Laminate Flooring Association, glue
and fasteners are usually not required. Durability and affordability are listed
by NALFA alongside ease of installation as reasons to consider a
laminate floor.
Eco-friendly
Laminates
Environmental
concerns can sway consumers towards laminates, too. A product with NALFA's
green seal will have the following features, according to the association's
website:
Natural
ingredients such as wood chips
Recyclability
Low
emissions
Recycled
content
No
VOC-producing installation adhesives
Easy to
Buy, Install and Maintain
Caring
for and maintaining laminate floors is very easy - simply sweep or wet-mop
regularly. With excellent care, laminate floors can last up to 20 years. The
time and skill required to install a laminate floor are relatively low, making
this a popular choice for first-time DIY floor installations.
A Floor
for Every Lifestyle
Whether
you choose easy laminates, classic hardwoods, or beautiful tile, your floor
will help define your home's personality. By matching your budget, taste, and
skill to the best product for you, you can find a DIY flooring solution that
will make your home more comfortable, beautiful, and valuable.
Information and service provided by Katie Oakes with The Champagne Realty Group at Keller Williams Premiere Properties in Glen Ellyn, IL. Contact Katie Oakes for more information about buying or selling your home in the Wheaton/Winfield area or simply visit Wheaton Homes For Sale online to start your search now!
