Higdons

Maintaining A Wooden Floor

Solid wood floors are in general very hard wearing and they do not mark easily, however you still do need to take care of them to avoid unnecessary damage.

Firstly a wooden floor is best suited to a room that does not get very hot or it may expand and begin to buckle and push up against itself, resulting in ridges arising in the floor, which can result in the floor having to be taken up and re-laid. To prevent this happening you can use cork expansion strips around the edge of the floor and a thin strip in between boards (Approximately every 4-5 metres) for large areas.

If your flooring is going to be placed in a high traffic area then it is a very good idea to apply at least one more coat of varnish or oil than the manufacturer recommends to give it that little bit more protection.

Place a dirt barrier mat down inside your front door to stop people walking grit on to the wooden floor. Little bits of grit and stone are one of the major causes of damage as they scratch the flooring badly. Ideally get people to take their shoes off. This last point most definitely applies to high heels, as high heels and wooden floors do not mix, as they can cause irreparable damage to the flooring.

If you are going to place plants on the floor then ensure that they have a suitable tray underneath them to collect any excess water that might seep through when they are watered, as if not over a period of time you will get watermarks appearing that will be very hard to even sand out of the wood.

If you have dogs or cats ensure that their nails are kept short, as pets scratching at the floor by a doorway are one of the other main causes of damage.

Weekly maintenance should consist of vacuuming the floor, followed by a light mop over with water, avoiding using excess water otherwise this will result in smears showing up on the floor.

Whilst your wooden flooring will not need sanding down and re-varnishing for many years, you may occasionally need to put another layer of varnish down, however you will not always need to sand the floor. To check if it needs varnish, drip water on the floor, if it stays as beads then it does not need varnishing. If it soaks in slowly it may need varnishing, but not sanding, but if it soaks straight in then it will need sanding and varnishing.…

Tips on Floor Decoration Cleaning Options

One of the largest expenditures while furnishing your home is opting for the right decorating floor covering. It is not at all a difficult task getting the type you want and your home needs. Protecting your big investment makes sense, whether you use floor coverings with smooth surfaces, carpets or rugs. To get longer wear from the floor covering there are a few tips which you can follow.

Cleanliness is important:

Ensure to vacuum clean the carpets and rugs twice in week at least (if you choose to flaunt them), the reason being, the fibers start breaking once the grit and dirt settle into the backing and the pile. Danger of moth breeding can be eliminated by regular vacuuming. Life to the carpets and rugs can be added by cleaning them professionally, every two years at least. When laundered and vacuum cleaned regularly, shag cotton and good grade rugs do not shrink. Following the manufacturer’s direction will enable you to clean the smooth surface floor covering better. When you have flooring installed, ensure to ask for instructions.

Begin right:

You cannot stop caring once decorating the flooring is complete. Many things have to be kept in mind to keep it lasting. The tackles method is the best method to install the new carpet you have purchased. Tack depressions that seem unattractive. Dirt-catching can be done away with this method. Seams can be made invisible if you use the right seaming method.

Cutouts:

Decorating the flooring can be done in interesting ways; for example flooring of a hard surface can be combined with proper carpeting. Spillage is very often seen under the dining table. To define areas and walls, you can use carpeting in an open plan home. Cut outs need not be wasted and can be used anywhere, under the dining table or in the upstairs lobby if required. Between the living room and the entrance way (if it is slate floored) you will see how a curve made, makes a transition.

A combination with flooring of hard surfaces like linoleum, brick, tile, slate etc. can be achieved with the use of carpets and rugs to save wear for optimum decorating floor covering. As part of grouping or decorating the flooring, you can use your rug in free form style. This enables in cutting down the carpet quantity needed, giving texture and embellishment. For emergencies it is a good idea to keep a spot cleaning kit ready at hand to clean both soft and hard surfaces, of accidental, unavoidable spots immediately.…

Steps for Hardwood Floor Refinishing

Hardwood floor is subjected to impacts, reactions from edibles, moisture on daily basis. So hardwood floors needs refinishing with certain intervals. Refinishing makes you go to the days of the first home entry. It returns the memories. It refinishes the floor with previous shine. It maintains your floor for long durability to the woods. An unfinished floor hampers your prestige in society. Refinishing is required with certain interval to have a change in the home d?�cor. It avoids the boredom after seeing same floor again & again.

Hardwood floor refinishing is a tedious task. It is time consuming. It is costly affair. You need to vacate the room you choose for refinishing. All the furniture needs to be removed from its place to the nearby room & to outside in case all the room are refinished at a time.

Before Hardwood floor refinishing you need to take certain decisions.

1. Do you have Time for it?

2. Do you have space to relocate the furniture?

3. Do you have money to spend?

4. Do you have manpower to supervise?

5. Is your family prepared for this?

6. Last but not the least is you really going for it?

Whether you say no or yes keep in mind that today or tomorrow you have to take the decision.

Hardwood floor refinishing involves few steps, they are as follows.

Sanding the Floor

• Remove all furniture from the room to a side by room.

• Check the floor carefully for any nails. If present then hammer it below the level.

• Run sander rented or purchased from market with rough sand paper fixed on it. Lower the machine if the machine is in running state. Run the sander only in push or pull mode along the grain orientation.

• Vacuuming the surface is done using machine.

• Again run sander rented or purchased from market with medium sand paper fixed on it.

• Re vacuuming the surface is done using machine.

• Again run sander rented or purchased from market with smooth sand paper fixed on it.

• Re vacuuming the surface is done using machine. Clean the surface properly.

• Edging machine shall be used for edges of floor.

Staining the Floor

• Decide if you want to stain the floor for different from its natural or if you would prefer to leave the floor natural in tone.

• Clean the floor using one broom stick.

• You can also use vacuum cleaner for better result.

• Open the windows to ventilate the area.…

Updating your bathroom is a fun and valuable project. On average, it can add an estimated 5.7% value to your home. Besides this financial boost, upgrading this space can create a sanctuary for you at home. Before starting your next project, follow this guide for three upgrades you won’t want to skip.

Heated Additions

Picture this, you step into your bathroom, and rather than face the cool floor, it is a warm welcome. There are many heated bathroom features you can add to your bathroom to give it a high-end upgrade. When doing your bathroom updates, adding warming details such as the floor, towel rack or anti-fog mirrors can give your space a spa-like feel. These details are on you don’t want to skip when doing your bathroom remodel.

Bathroom Features

As you update the features of your bathroom, take the time to look into the latest tech for an upgrade in your bathing experiences. Whether you want a sink that is flexible to a variety of uses or water-saving tech when you shower, take the time to consider what your faucets do and not just how they look. These details will help elevate your design and lower your budget as you go through your bathroom remodel.

Water Systems

On the subject of water, the water in your house is something you usually accept without questioning. Stop settling and look into a water conditioning system Maryland. This simple update can provide you with huge benefits for your skin and hair. With a great system in place, you can enjoy top-quality water that will ensure you have the best quality water for your bath. No matter the current status of your water, putting in an upgrade will make your new bathroom a truly luxurious experience.

By updating to heated features, better faucets and an improved water system, your bathroom will become your at-home sanctuary.…

Sealing Your Garage Floor Against Water

A tricky problem to diagnose and resolve is the ongoing appearance of moisture on your garage floor. Don’t just start trying out solutions. Embarking on costly repairs might just be throwing money at your problem without solving it, until you have ascertained the exact cause of the water problem you will probably not solve it. The first step is to analyze the moisture problem–is there any pattern in the appearance of moisture that you can connect to weather, humidity, or any activities going on around your house? If there is an obvious connection there are solutions but the solution will vary according to whatever is the source of moisture. Another important clue to what may be happening is the condition of the floor–if there are any cracks water may be seeping up through them. Find out what your area’s water table levels are. If they are high, or fluctuate, you might be able to diagnose that as the source of your problem. Epoxy formulas are available to seal the crack and eliminate the problem. You need to understand the pitfalls of using epoxy–it must be applied at the time of year when water table levels fall so that the floor is totally dry. The crack must be free of dirt and debris also or you will not get a good seal.

A more serious problem would be if you discover there is an artesian spring under or near your garage floor. This necessitates a more extensive solution. The hydraulic pressure that such a spring can create is probably impossible to overcome, and the only way to solve the problem is to give the water somewhere else to flow. You may need to dig a trench around the perimeter of the concrete slab, and create a way for the water to drain with drain rock and pipes. Generally you will not need to excavate underneath the garage itself, provided there is a drain route of rock layers surrounding the slab. Another possible reason for moisture to keep accumulating on your garage floor is the quality and thickness of the concrete. If they are sub-par, the water may be able to seep through the concrete and accumulate in surprising amounts. The solution is to move away material near the exterior wall and then use a concrete sealer. There are garage floor coatings you can use that create a water barrier. You apply them to the floor and the inside walls. If possible, however, the preferred solution is to prevent the water from getting to the concrete or getting into it. The last possible source of unexplained moisture is the point where the garage floor connects to the stem wall. The two structural points are not poured at the same time, and may not be waterproof where they connect; or any bond between them may have become compromised. The solution is to remove any fill material and use a sealant.…

Wood Floor Polish: Choose One That Is Guaranteed Both Safe and Effective

In this world where products for similar purposes sprout like mushrooms, you may be confused on which product is the best. Wood floor polish is not an exemption. Maybe you will immediately believe those advertisements on the multi-media: TV, Radio, Newspapers and magazines, and internet. More often than not, the advertisement only shows that the product is highly effective and worth the cost. Sometimes, these are true, and sometimes they are quite deceiving. It is better for you, as a consumer, to be wise in choosing a polish for your wooden floor.

One of the most important things to consider when you are choosing wood floor polish are the reviews of other consumers. They are perhaps the most reliable source of information about the efficacy of the product. One avenue is to look for the recommendations and words of the consumers are in the internet. More reliable is the recommendation of your friends and relatives.

All manufacturers included on the package the proper application of the product. Simply follow it. If you do not follow the directions given, there is a possibility that the result wont be the one you desire. What is important is, you as a consumer has to decide of what product brand to buy and use.

Choose the wood floor polish that has good quality. You will not be satisfied with the look of your floor with low quality polish and you will regret the effort you put into the process of its application. The price is not the best gauge in choosing quality products. It is a wrong notion that the higher the cost, the better quality. Shop carefully and do not be deceived by the best packaging. Consider durability, cost, ease of use, smell and eco-friendliness.

Again, consult a friend or anyone from the family who has wood flooring. Ask what brand of floor polish they are using and how satisfied they are. This will ease the process of searching the right product for your home.

Sometimes, a sales consultant is a good source of information about the efficacy of a certain polish brand. Consult with them how well each brand works. Hardware employees are knowledgeable when it comes to home care and maintenance. Ask them what brand or item they recommend. There are various considerations before making the right pick. If you are not particular on pre-purchase consultation, you will be lead to trial and error experimentation on the efficacy of wood polishes.…

When you are moving there are already so many things to keep track of. Make things easier for yourself by taking advantage of storage facilities.

Types of Facilities

A storage facility can be an excellent way to transport and store your belongings when you are moving between places. A self-storage facility is easy to use and typically offers lower rates than full-service facilities. If you are unsure about moving your belongings on your own and keeping track of everything you put in or take out of the facility yourself, you might want to take advantage of a full-service storage facility. Full-service facilities will schedule a pickup for you to transport your belongings and some may even take photos to document everything being kept there. Regardless of whether you choose to use a self-service or full-service facility, make sure you are being provided with clean and well maintained facility storage.

Size Options

Once you find the right storage facility, you may be presented with different options as to how large your unit will be. Determine which size storage unit will fit your belongings appropriately. These facilities can be used to store large items for a long amount of time, or miscellaneous items in between your move. Typically, storage facility units come in a range of sizes that can store a few pieces of furniture or a regular size car. The price of your storage unit will be affected by the size, so make sure to consider your costs and needs.

Security

Once you have your location and unit picked out, there are a few more things to consider before making any concrete decisions. A good storage facility should be well equipped with safety measures like security guards, video monitoring, and unique locks. When you are looking for the ideal storage facility, consider additional amenities like climate control and accessibility. Can you access your stuff late at night or early in the morning, or is the facility only open during regular business hours?

Using a storage facility can be a great way to help store and transport your belongings. Make sure your storage facility has everything needed to keep your items secure and accessible.…