flooring
Healthy Flooring – The Commercial Environment Issues
“Sick Building Syndrome” is no myth. Some commercial floor coverings are health hazards in several ways. They retain materials which should be removed, and are unhygienic. Some materials can contain various elements that trigger allergic reactions. The materials may deteriorate over time, creating actual physical hazards for users.
Knowing when you need to look at healthy flooring
There are a few classic signs of problem flooring:
People getting repeated minor infections affecting respiration.
Dank or dusty smell in the building
Discolouration of carpeting
Sunlight shows a lot of dust in the air
Very dry, stale environment
Other problems include:
Chemical issues with degraded carpet glue and polymers
Fumes may be absorbed by carpets and released by heat
The natural process: Material gets tramped into the carpet over time. This very fine material is dust, often in surprisingly large quantities. It builds up, eventually getting released by pressure from walking on the carpet.
Chemical issues: Some carpets are synthetic polymers which adversely react to heat, in addition to the natural dust situation. They may release fumes of their own in response to excessive heat or exposure to sunlight.
Health and flooring issues
The dust is a potential source of infection and the fumes are chemical irritants. Microbes brought in on the dust, pollen grains, viruses, and other problems caused by the large amount of micro-particulates in the air can all create health problems. This dust can be a serious irritant, and may affect even people without allergies regularly.
The classic signs an individual is affected by a sick carpet are:
People regularly getting minor infections
Coughing
Dry throat
Sinus conditions
Irritated nose and throat symptoms
Old carpets, particularly heavy weave broadloom, absorb enormous amounts of material over time, and even repeated steam cleaning and shampoos won’t help much. (In some cases, these carpets literally produce mud when steam cleaned.)
Environmental considerations
Environmental considerations for carpet flooring are all practical responses to local conditions.
The issues are:
Durable flooring suitable for the space
Carpet cleaning
Modern design
Good product life
No problems with materials
Sustainable flooring.
One result of research into the issues of carpet health was to look at the life cycle of carpets, and produce sustainable flooring. Modern carpet tiles have individual structural backing, not depending on an underlay, for example. That means the dust can’t sink through the carpet and form increasing deposits underneath, making cleaning these carpets far more effective from the start. They also have much better seals which prevent accumulation of materials.
Choices and options for healthy flooring
You’ll find you can get good quality modern modular carpet tiles which can cover all these issues very effectively at reasonable cost. Modular tiles allow for replacement of carpet in high usage areas with minimum fuss, and prevents problems created by wear and tear. This is the optimum health result, straightforward, quick, efficient and reliable.…
Laminate Flooring: An Attractive Alternative To Hardwood Floor
Explore the maximum range of contemporary flooring solutions before you make up your mind to go for a type. For example, they may be wood flooring, hardwood flooring, bamboo flooring, and laminate flooring, among several other varieties. Choose the one that is a better fit and trendy at the same time.
Durability, suitability, adaptability, and, of course, affordability are the primary concerns for the persons who are planning to give their floors a modern and divine look. If they keep focusing on only hardwood flooring, or bamboo flooring, it is necessary for them to look into the worth of laminate flooring too that can precisely value their investment. This flooring variety has proven to be incredibly durable and bears similarity in terms of looks with hardwood. Most interestingly, making a difference between them from their apparent visibility is next to impossible.
Despite the fact that laminate looks like hardwood, this flooring product does not involve any wood component! It is manufactured by mixing several materials under high pressure. This production process gives them a durability and resilience that actual hardwood is simply devoid of. Most laminate floors have a moisture resistant layer too and this enhances the longevity of the floor. So, if durability is your primary concern, then you could find no better flooring option than that you find in laminate variety. Does it sound to be disbelieving? Then, try it for a smaller space first and check the difference!
Again, when it comes to the construction of the top layer, laminate type excels other types too. A resin-coated cellulose compound is applied over their photographic representations and that helps protect surface appearance. This makes cleaning much easier as opposed to the cleaning process required for the hardwood floors. To clean the latter type of flooring needs their owners to be aware of the cleaning process to the full. Otherwise, the chances of damaging floor finishes like getting scratches, or water moistness, are quite higher. Flooring experts, therefore, suggest buyers to go for the laminate flooring solutions when they intend to install such floors in a high traffic area or on the floor of a bathroom or of a kitchen. In such places, laminate flooring products would fit most suitably.
Budget is a big factor for interior decoration. Affording to an unforeseen budget can be an absurd idea for most of the people who desire to get their commercial or domestic places renovated or decorated with modern flooring products. To the great relief for all of them, laminate type might give them the solution to cut the bills without bringing any major changes over the overall appearance. Everyone must agree with that laminate is simply much less expensive than solid hardwood floors. Furthermore, such products do not require refinishing when other types do once in a while.
If you are a do-it-yourself (DIY) fan, you will be enthused to learn that laminate flooring is the easiest way to get it done. Such products snap easily together while providing you …
Reclaimed Pine Flooring: Go Green And Save Money!
Pine has been a very popular floor material because of its durability and easiness to work with. It can add a gorgeous vintage touch to any home, and can even be taken from an older structure and restored to beauty. This product is referred to as reclaimed pine flooring, which means that old wooden planks are recycled and new trees don’t have to be chopped down to provide wood. Hence, the wood is environmentally friendly and perfect for people who want to have beautiful homes while reducing their waste impact. The wooden planks that are used to make reclaimed flooring are acquired from sources such as old timber, destroyed buildings, old barns, tobacco warehouses, factories and mills.
If you desire a new floor for your home or office and you are on a budget, this material is a wonderful option for you because it is reasonably priced and many reclaimed flooring options are available. Often, vendors that offer this type of flooring do business online and save money on their expenses. They are then able to share the savings with their clients. Online vendors offer huge discounts because they do not need retail facilities and usually don’t hire many employees.
Finding this type of floor online is easy. All you have to do is use the search engines and pull up various reclaimed wood businesses. Placing an order is also easy and convenient, as many reliable vendors have toll-free phone numbers and the option to complete request forms online. Just make sure you purchase flooring with a good company. If you are not sure if a company is a legitimate, complete a background check by doing research online and visiting the Better Business Bureau website.
It is important to note that reclaimed pine flooring is made from genuine wood for a rich, warm tone. It’s perfect for people who want to update and modernize the look of their homes with an individual twist. The wood has distinctive characteristics which are unique and invaluable.
It is also worth noting that heating systems work well under this material. Solid wood is an excellent conductor and it distributes heat effectively.
There is no doubt that you will be very satisfied with your new floor. It is a smart investment that you will not regret. This type of flooring is available in many exquisite designs and it is made from quality materials, so it’s perfect for your home or office. It will make your property more elegant and add richness and beauty to your home decor. Plus, if you purchase this type of flooring for your home, you will be doing a service for the environment by not encouraging the wasteful production of new material. Finally, this type of flooring is also a cost-effective choice that can save you hundreds and thousands of dollars, especially if you purchase it online.…
Laminate Flooring As an Alternative to Other Types of Flooring
Whenever it comes to decorating a home, everyone wants to make their home look as good as possible. They also want their style and creativity to show through on the projects they undertake. Every part of their home should show a unique pizazz and flair that cannot be matched anywhere else. One of the most difficult decorative choices to make in a home is what types of floors should be used in which rooms. Nowadays hard wood and tile seem like they are the way to go. However, laminate flooring looks realistic and is able to offer several advantages that these floors cannot.
The first advantage is in the maintenance and upkeep department. Hard wood is extremely delicate. There are only certain products that can be used on it, and even then it can only tolerate a small amount of it. Even if these rules are followed perfectly, there is still no guarantee that they will not need to be restained or varnished at a later date. Tiled floors have grout in between them that always seems like it needs to be cleaned and no matter what gets done to it, it still never looks like it did whenever the tiles were first installed. However, laminate flooring is able to tolerate chemicals that hard wood cannot. And, whenever it comes to grout, there is no problem because there is not any. The grout that appears on the laminate is a realistic representation of grout and cleans just as easily as the rest of the floor.
Second is durability. It pretty much goes without saying that wood floors are not very durable. Everyone does their best to protect them from those chips, dents, and scratches that occur so easily. Special pads on the bottoms of furniture and not allowing any woman visitor to walk across in her high heels are just a couple of the preventatives so many have taken. Tiling is more durable than wood; however, if something heavy such as kitchen ware or furniture is dropped on it while moving, the tiles will crack. Laminate, however, is extremely durable. Unlike tile, it will not crack if something is dropped on it. While with extreme force it may be possible to scuff or tear it, it is still able to resist much more than wood flooring is able to resist.
Whenever it comes to decorating a home, everyone wants to pick out things that look decent and are affordable. Laminate flooring fits both of these. It provides the appeal that hard wood and tile provide, yet is cheap enough to not break the budget. This allows a homeowner to also spend time and energy into perfecting other parts of the home while still being able to be proud of the work they have put into their new floors. The many different patterns and styles allow homeowner to express their creativity in a room and create something that is truly unique and different.…
Flooring Company: Choose It Intelligently
While arriving at a conclusion about the best flooring company that meets your preferences, it would be a better approach if you can find answers to few simple and crucial questions. For instance, does the company have sufficient number of references? Can they send samples to you? Does the company follow a policy of providing eco-friendly products? How many different colors/ styles/ materials is it offering presently? Do they have a facility of providing applicable accessories as well?
Answers to most of these queries can often help you come to conclusion. When you do this simple homework, it can benefit you in long run because you don’t have to encounter an embarrassing situation. For instance, you might repent for having made a wrong choice and this might have also resulted in loss of huge part of your hard earned money. After all, flooring is considered to be an integral element in home decoration. Factors such as the color of your unique furniture, various types and make of your home d?�cor items, materials to be used in many home d?�cor items, etc. would depend to a great extent on selection of a particular type of flooring.
If you desire to see a proper execution of your plan to install a good brand of flooring, you will need to keep a couple of things in mind. The areas which would warrant satisfactory amount of attention from your end would generally include, budgeting, selecting, choosing, accurately installing, cleaning, finishing, to name a few. A major part of these decisions would revolve around the kind of look you want to give to your home. There are many preferences which keep changing from person to person. So, you may like to have a classy look or a trendy look and your monetary expenditure will keep fluctuating depending upon which option you choose.
It has been observed, many believe since they are going to build their house once in their lifetime, they should not comprise on quality. This is one circumstance, when taking help of these companies might work wonders for you. They are the people who have requisite expertise in handling such issues and can the best suggestion keeping your capacity to expend and your requirements. In most cases, it has been found they are of tremendous help during the process of deciding to choose correct kind of finishing that would be ideal for your floors.
When it comes to safety of flooring, flooring contractors are the best in the industry who can guide you correctly. They possess experience in abundance that will help you to install your preferred floors without any fuss. Many homemakers find it a daunting task during installation. So, when they take help of these professional minded people, their task is often reduced to proper selection of flooring space. Taking help of these contractors will also help you to avoid paying hefty compensation amount in a lawsuit filed against you by an injured victim.…
Bamboo Flooring Prices – A Guide On How To Determine The Prices For Solid Bamboo Flooring
Solid bamboo flooring is one of the most environmental choices that is becoming popular these days. Before you decide to make an investment on this new flooring, consider what may affect their prices.
Finished or Unfinished Wood?
When choosing the material for your bamboo floors, you may find the unfinished type of wood cheaper at first glance, because they normally run for only about $1.50 per sq. ft. However, check how much extra labor would you have to hire in order to improve the floor finish. This may cause the price to skyrocket, making unfinished wood not an economical choice. If you do decide to do the finishing and installation yourself, there will still be some additional costs that you have to consider, such as the tools you may need to smoothen the wood, stain and coat it.
You can instead consider buying standard finished bamboo flooring which may range between $1.99 to $4.99 per sq. ft. Prices vary on the length of the warranty, the quality of the finish and whether the boards are snap types or simple plank boards.
Coating
Another thing that can make bamboo flooring prices go higher is the coating. For instance, if the boards use Klumpp coating, the price will be higher, because it has lower formaldehyde, which is considered a toxic substance. This type of coating, however is more expensive to manufacture, thus the price is higher.
Installation Type
If you choose the floorings with snap lock joints, they will for sure cost more than ordinary boards planks. The easier it is to install the floorings, the higher the price will be. You will, however, save some money from labor cost, because snap on floors take a shorter time to install.
Warranties
Warranties differ, ranging from none to lifetime guarantees. You may choose to buy boards with extended guarantees, in order to protect your investment. When making your choice, check if you are still saving money even after paying lifetime guarantees.
Luxury Flooring
If you choose to buy high end designer’s bamboo floors, they will for sure be more expensive. There are boards that are hand finished and demand higher bamboo flooring prices than the mass produced ones. Such specially designed planks may cost more than $12 per sq. ft.
Prices for solid bamboo flooring will vary, but it still boils down to durability, which can only be achieved with proper care and maintenance.…
Guide to Buying Exotic Hardwood Flooring
Buying hardwood flooring is very easy to do. All you need is someone to tell you how. There are many methods in researching for guides such as in books or online. For one thing, in this era today everything is easy as a clip and a flip.
Choose the Location First
Before considering buying any hardwood flooring, decide which floor of your house you are going to make into hardwood flooring. Every level of your house has different ways and methods of building the floors when the actual construction starts. It will be easy when you talk to the workers once you know where you will have installed or what you want installed.
Choose the Subfloor and Type of Hardwood Flooring Construction
The subfloor can either be plywood or concrete depending upon what type of hardwood flooring construction you want. The first type is the A� inch thick solid wood flooring, it is very strong which means it would take centuries to wear if properly maintained and choosing good quality wood. Solid wood floor can be removed and be refinished again to make it look new. The problem only with solid wood is you cannot install it over concrete and cannot be used below ground level which means the basement of your house. There are also other sizes such as 5/16, 3/8 or 1/2 inch thick which are almost the same with the A� only thinner, still cannot be installed below ground level and of course bathrooms where there is water. The second type is engineered woods, which do not need to be sanded since they are already ready to be installed. This are like instant noodles or instant coffee, just pour hot water and they’re ready. The engineered woods are the opposite of the solid wood since they don’t have a problem with moisture, so it can be installed below ground levels. It doesn’t last as long as solid wood but fifty to sixty years is enough. You can also make it look exotic by printing or staining it, it’ll then look expensive.
Hire a Professional
Many people choose DIY (Do-It-Yourself) when doing their hardwood flooring since if you are to choose some engineered flooring styles their very easy to do even for first timers because of the locking system. But, it is still preferable to choose someone with real knowledge in installing hardwood flooring. If you want it to be really beautiful then this is the best choice for it. And professionals will help you to choose the best exotic wood to use.
How to Choose the Best Exotic Wood to Use
Today, exotic woods are the most preferable choice in hardwood flooring. They are generally thicker and have a longer life span. In choosing the exotic wood, carefully ask people around what is usually bought currently in the market. Ask also about how thick the wood should be do some research online as well since there are tons of facts about wood types, buying and reading books …
High Quality Discount Hardwood Flooring
Whether you are planning a remodel of your existing home or you are building a new home, saving money is a top priority. There are now available many styles, grains and colors of beautiful discount hardwood flooring. If you have chosen to forgo the option of having laminate hardwood flooring in your home and instead, choose the real feel of hardwood, you know that it can be quite costly. You can save money by installing discount hardwood engineered flooring. This beautiful choice will leave your home warm and welcoming, while keeping you within your budget. Whether you are matching or complimenting existing cabinets, or your new flooring is driving the rest of your home design, you will certainly be able to find a style that meets your needs.
The discount hardwood flooring on the market today comes in a variety of tones, grains and styles. If you have existing cabinets you need to work with, you can either choose to match your new flooring or choose a different color that compliments. Some individuals like a consistent look throughout their home, which creates continuity. Others prefer to have dark cabinets and light floors or light cabinets and dark floors. Typically they keep the grain styles similar, which will bring the different woods together. This design trick is often used for cabinets, mill work and flooring. Whatever your particular style, you can create it easily with the use of engineered hardwood flooring purchased at discount prices.
Laminate hardwood flooring comes in a variety of color tones, as well as different grains. Before making your purchase, it is important to ask yourself a few questions. Do you have indoor animals which will scratch your floors? Do you prefer the look of hardwood or is it important to you to have the real thing in your home? If you have animals that will scratch your floors, you may want to go with a laminate style flooring. If you prefer real hardwood, you will want to purchase the original flooring. Either way, you can find what you are looking for in the discount hardwood flooring available options. You are sure to be satisfied while keeping your budget on track.…
How to Choose Kitchen Flooring
The kitchen is a dirty place. Food and water spills on the floor can make it a death trap for many. Once food reaches the floor, bacteria can grow in between the tiles or the small spaces that the flooring does not quite meet up with the cabinets. Dirt from vendors and employees coming in and out of the kitchen can also cause slips and falls making the kitchen flooring one of the most important items in your kitchen, even more so than the mixers, sinks and ovens. When it comes to choosing your commercial kitchen flooring, few things are more important than your flooring being slip resistant. Here are some considerations when looking into purchasing commercial kitchen flooring for your restaurant.
1. Design
It is not necessary to have a beautiful floor in the kitchen; it really should be reserved for the dining area of the restaurant. Safety should be the first priority, and a dirty kitchen is a health hazard for everyone. Tiles in a kitchen can be easily broken from the heavy materials sitting on them and constantly being moved around. This is breeding grounds for bacteria and fungus to grow, which can make everyone sick. It is very important to choose flooring that has minimal cracks or seams that food particles and other nasty germs can live.
2. Slip Resistance-
In a full service kitchen, the hustle and bustle of things can cause a myriad of dangerous situations, grease spills, water sloshing onto the floor from the sink, food or mats sliding around on the flooring and many other hazardous events. With slip resistant floors, or floors covered in epoxy, vinyl floors or Silikal Resurfacing Concrete Floors you can have commercial kitchen floors installed that don’t have to be hideous but are more sanitary and safe than other flooring available like slippery tiles and linoleum floors.
3. Easily Manageable-
The last thing that anyone wants to do at the end of a long day is have to stay longer to clean the kitchen floors. Easily manageable floors such as these epoxy covered floors or floors covered with a slip resistant material are easier to manage. There is no such need to be on your hands and knees picking food pieces out of the cracks of tiles or peeling chips of things off the floor to ensure that mopping does not slide things around. The simpler the floors are to manage, the better they will be taken care of.
4. Durability-
Nobody wants to have a kitchen floor installed so that it can be repaired or replaced a few years later. When you are looking at installing a commercial kitchen floor, you want something that is going to withstand the weight of your heavy cooking equipment. Having to replace the flooring slows the production in the kitchen, possibly stopping production all together if the flooring has to be replaced. The longer the commercial grade kitchen floor lasts, the more money can be put into upgrading or purchasing …
Versatile Performance Flooring
A wooden dance floor is the choice of most dance studios, and for good reason. Seasons of durability and great looks are what keep these types of floors installed for dance purposes. In order to offer as many different types of dance classes at your studio and to increase revenue, you will need to think about how the performance flooring affects the type of dance being performed on it, and how certain types of flooring can enhance or hinder the dance.
All wood dance styles should be of the sprung dance floor type. What this means is that above the bottom sub floor rests a cushioning layer of product. It might be foam core, or other soft materials. Above this is placed the top wooden dance. This makes it possible to dance in a room that might not have sub flooring suitable for dance, such as concrete or other hard surfaces. A sprung wood dance floor provides the resilience that a dancer’s body needs when jumps are performed, as well as when percussive movements of the feet and legs upon the floor are performed. This type of sprung wooden dance helps to prevent tiny stress fractures and other stress injuries to the legs and joints from happening, making for a healthier dancer over time.
The type of wood used can also have an impact on the type of dance performed. For a good tap dance floor, you want a very live floor that offers a lot of sound naturally, without the dancers having to pound their feet hard on the floor to get any sound out of it. This is why hard woods such as maple are an excellent choice for a tap dance floor. Just the opposite is true for a ballet dance floor, where you would want the sound dampened rather than enhanced, so a softer wood would be preferable in this instance.
A ballet floor or a tap dance will often be finished with urethane, which is a coating used to protect the wood’s surface from damage. The top finish coating plays a role in speed, or slipperiness, of the floor’s surface. A tap dance will need a medium speed urethane finish. This helps the dancers to execute tap moves more easily, without the likelihood of twisting ankles due to too much traction on the floor’s surface. You can also use slow to medium urethane finishes for a ballet dance floor, but adjustments to the dance shoes will need to be made. You typically do not want a very slippery floor surface for a ballet dance floor, due to the lifts and jumping involved, which would be quite dangerous on a slick floor. The dancers would need to use rosin on the medium speed ballet dance, but could eliminate the rosin when working on pointe on the slow speed floor.
More information is available about ballet and tap dance floor choices from a manufacturer of sprung wood floors.…