Known Facts About Wood floors

Expectations are extremely important with large purchase items like flooring. This is especially true with hardwood floors. There is no question that a new hardwood floor will add a dimension of beauty and warmth to your home. Many consumers don't know that wood flooring has some unique characteristics that make it not the perfect choice for everyone. This article is by no means meant to discourage you from buying a hardwood floor, but you do need to take into consideration these four little known facts about hardwood floors before making a purchase:

1) Wood Floors are Guaranteed to Scratch

There are various finishes that manufacturers put on wood flooring to make them more scratch resistant. The most popular finish these days is Aluminum Oxide. Wood flooring also typically comes with a wear warranty from 5 to 50 years in length. Wear warranties, however, usually only guarantee that a wood's veneer won't wear completely through. There are no anti-scratch warranties in the wood flooring business. All wood floors, no matter the finish treatment or quality of the wood, will be susceptible to surface scratching. With that being said, make sure you prepare your home for a wood floor before the installation. It's a good idea to use furniture protectors, floor mats, and area rugs to guard your wood floors from scratches. Also, you might want to consider installing tile in your entry ways, since it's the area where the heaviest traffic usually occurs. If there are large pets or children in the house, you may want to consider looking at a laminate floor, which is much more resistant to scratches.

2) Wood Floors are Guaranteed to Indent

Wood floors are by no means a soft product, but they may be susceptible to denting from heavy use or drops. No wood flooring is dent-proof, but different species of wood do have different degrees of hardness. The Janka Test is used to measure the hardness of a species of wood. Using this test, wood species are given a score based upon the force required to embed a steel ball into the wood. It is said that the higher the score, the better the species of wood is at withstanding denting and wear. Northern Red Oak, the most common species of wood used in flooring, is the standard to which all other species are measured against. It has a score of 1290. There are species of wood that score over 3000 on this test, and while they may wear better with everyday use, they still will probably dent if something heavy like a hammer or can of food is dropped on the wood. If you are really concerned with your floors ability to withstand indentations, you do have other options. There are "wood-look" high-pressure laminate and porcelain products that are much more resistant to pressure and wear. In addition, a distressed or hand scraped wood floor will do a better job at hiding dents and other wear on your floor.

3) Wood Floors are Guaranteed to Age

Aging with most floor coverings typically relates to how a floor loses its luster over time due to wear and tear on the floor. If I were to say, "Your carpet has aged", you would think it was time to get new carpet. However, one of most unique attributes of wood flooring is its ability to actually look better with age. Wood floors already come with a lot of natural character and beauty. With proper maintenance, normal use and traffic should just increase the beautiful character of your wood floor. A real wood floor can also be refinished to restore its original luster and shine. This is something that can't be done on wood-look products like laminate, vinyl and porcelain.
These are all nice attributes, but what I really want to touch on in this section is the photo-sensitivity of wood flooring. Wood tends to change color over time when exposed to sunlight. In fact, some wood floors can take up to a year and a half to mature into full color. Other floor coverings, on the other hand, might be vulnerable to fading or discoloring when exposed to prolonged sunlight. So while sunlight makes other floor coverings look older overtime, it beautifies wood floors, allowing them to reach their true color. This is an important attribute for consumers to know, because a freshly-laid wood floor might not always look like the sample you saw in the showroom, which has been allowed to reach its full color.

Consumers also must be conscientious about moving their area rugs and furniture periodically to avoid discolorations. Exotic hardwoods and hardwoods with a natural finish on them tend to be the most photosensitive. Most hardwoods darken and become bolder over time, but some woods like Santos Mahogany actually get lighter from sunlight. If you are really concerned about sunlight's affect on your floor, purchase a hardwood that has been colored with a darker stain or purchase a species like Northern Red Oak which is a less photosensitive species.

4) Wood Floors are Guaranteed to be Affected by Moisture

Wood floors are extremely sensitive to moisture. That includes changes in surface moisture, subfloor moisture, and humidity. Damages from moisture related problems can result in wood planks cracking, cupping, or buckling. It is important to hire an expert installation team that is familiar with wood and its reaction to moisture. Proper maintenance by the consumer is equally important. Standing water should be wiped up immediately, and the wood floor should be kept in a climate-controlled environment.

One way to combat the effects of moisture on your floor is to choose an engineered wood floor. Engineered wood flooring is a much better choice over a solid, because its construction adds dimensional stability to the planks. The layers of plywood under the veneer are laid cross-ways, reducing the wood's ability to expand and contract along the grains when there is a change in moisture levels.

The Benefits of Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring has a ton of benefits making it one of the main choices for flooring in many homes. This type of material is inexpensive, being made of synthetic fibers, making it less costly than other types of natural flooring on the market. There are many styles, colors, and designs to match the decor in your home too.

To make it easy to install, you can find laminate flooring that snap together with planks that have tongues and grooves. The design of the plank gives you the ability to install it in no time and with little effort. Depending on your room size, most people can have an entire room done within a day, sometimes even faster. When you are installing laminates, always read the instructions thoroughly before installing a single plank.

Because laminate flooring has a laminate base, it adds additional strength to the floor, meaning it can withstand years of wear and tear. Hardwood does not have the same durability as laminates do making this kind of flooring in high demand. If you have heavy traffic in a room, laminate floors are a great option to lie down. It wipes clean without hard scrubbing, and the condition of the surface will stay looking good year after year. Therefore, you will have floors that look new for many years.

When choosing laminates, you will notice all the different styles that are available on the market. First, there are many light and dark finishes to choose from. Plus, laminates also look like real wood in appearance and even has the feel of real hardwood floors with the raised grain finish. It is not always easy to pick out a style of laminates with all the selections available. Another great thing about this flooring is that it comes in all price ranges to fit any budget.

To install laminate floors you will need to purchase a backing already attached to the plank or lay down padding prior to installation. This helps make the flooring last longer and will insulate your floors. Some people even choose to install a below ground, radiant heating system under their laminate flooring to have warm floors even in the coldest times of the year. Laminates have many advantages that would make you want to purchase this type of flooring over any other. Cost, durability, long lasting, and beauty are just a few of the reasons to purchase this type of flooring.

A Vinyl Floor is Very Easy To Maintain

 Composition
A vinyl floor is a resilient plastic flooring consists of several layers: the base, a protective layer of fiberglass, the design and finish.
The durability of vinyl depends on the thickness of the layer and the strength of the substrate.
An additional coating increases the scratch and wear resistance.

Aesthetic possibilities
Vinyl is avaiable in countless colors and designs, and can imitate other floor coverings (eg tiles, hardwood...) and original fantasy designs. Even designs that seamlessly merge figures are possible.

Maintenance
A vinyl floor is very easy to maintain. Weekly vacuuming and regular washing with a detergent that is designed for vinyl floors is sufficient.
Placement It can be placed almost anywhere in your house,even in wet areas ( provided the adhesive is non water soluble) and still look like a million bucks.

Thickness
The vinyl is available in thicknesses ranging from 1 to 3.5 mm and in widths of 2, 3 and 4 meters wide. Remember that a heavily loaded floors require stronger and thicker quality than less heavily loaded floors.
Advantages of vinyl flooring

*Broadest Range of Colors and Designs
If you want to mimic the look and texture of natural materials such as wood, stone or pottery, or if you prefer a design that is only possible with modern printing technology, vinyl flooring offer the widest range of designs and colors in any story category.
* An Excellent Buy
If you are a dealer then the price-earnings ratio of the vinyl sheet is one of the best deals on apartments in comparison to other floor coverings.
* Accommodation and Resistance Under Foot
Compared with other hard surface flooring, it is easier to stand on the vinyl for long periods.. Its resiliency is more forgiving with vessels or objects that fall to the ground. The comfortable vinyl structure suitable for children and more flexible joints of the elderly.
* Low Maintenance
Vinyl requires minimal maintenance, much less than any other category of flats.
*Water Proof
The sheet vinyl does not absorb liquids, making it ideal for any room in the house, especially bathrooms and kitchens. It also has fewer joints than vinyl tile, so there are fewer places for water accumulation and dirty.
* Be installed anywhere
The vinyl can be used below, at or above ground level on most subfloors (except carpet).
* The vinyl sheet is 6 'or 12' feet (1.8 m or 3.6 m) wide, which creates an installation with more uniform appearance.
* Sound absorbing effect
* Never feels cold

Disadvantages of vinyl flooring 

* Less durable than some other floor coverings (eg tiles, linoleum,...)
* Large differences in quality, make sure that the quality of the floor are adapted to use
* Not Increase the Value of Housing
The sheet vinyl is less likely than natural flooring products to improve the monetary value of your home.
* More easily scratched or Open
The finest vinyl is more susceptible to open and other sustainability issues.. For high use areas vinyl is best to install thicker and of better quality.
* It's not as Friendly to Other flooring (laminate vinyl tile without adhesive)
For working people, the vinyl sheet is not very complicated to install, but it requires precision and preparation. The subsoil must be prepared to make it smooth, flat and dry before putting on the floor. After placing the floor, seal the joints can be difficult.. When a board is required, installation is best left to a professional.

If you are looking for Vinyl Flooring in Singapore or other cities you can go to Jotterwood.

Why Choose Vinyl Flooring For Kitchen ?

Vinyl kitchen flooring is a very popular choice by homeowners.Vinyl kitchen flooring offers many benefits to the homeowner who has children, pets, or lives an active lifestyle. These floors are very durables, scratch and dent resistant. In fact Vinyl kitchen flooring is the best choice for many homeowners due to the fact of its extreme durability and strength.

Vinyl kitchen flooring will not rip. How many times has a homeowner dragged their chair across the floor only to cause the floor to rip and tear? This is a huge mistake that happens with many homeowners. Or say, how many times have children neglected to take their inline skates off before entering the kitchen and have gouged the floor with their skates? These are just some of the many reasons why people prefer Vinyl Kitchen flooring. This floor is durable and will not rip or tear.

Caring for Vinyl Kitchen Flooring

It is easy to care and maintain Vinyl Kitchen flooring as well. You can't cause it to permanently indent by resting tables or chairs on it and it doesn't wear out over a period of time. You can even purchase stain resistant Vinyl kitchen flooring that will repel stains. It does not require waxing to maintain its lustrous shine and will not stain from many common ingredients. You can easily keep your Vinyl kitchen flooring in its best condition by sweeping and mopping it with a gentle soap solution.

Vinyl Kitchen Flooring and Kids

Vinyl Kitchen flooring is the perfect solution for kids. By choosing Vinyl flooring you can have durable and beautiful floors for every room in the house. You will even discover that it is very simple to install Vinyl floors, and if you are a handy person, you may enjoy installing them yourself, if not you can hire a contractor who will install the floors for you. By choosing Vinyl flooring you will save money in the long run, because the floors are so durable, they will not have to be replaced as often. Vinyl kitchen flooring is durable, economical, practical, and beautiful.

If you are also planning to get Vinyl flooring in Singapore or Laminate flooring then Jotterwood is the best flooring Contractor For your Kitchen Flooring.

Know About Laying vinyl flooring over vinyl flooring

This week we took on a small two day job. We spent the day laying vinyl flooring over vinyl flooring. Which can be tricky to get right but with the right information and procedures, any do-it-yourself-er and home owner can take on a job like this with confidence. As always I will list all tools and materials you will need to lay vinyl flooring over vinyl flooring.

Materials:

Your new vinyl flooring  8u
Vinyl flooring adhesive (we used a releasable pressure sensitive adhesive from Chap-co)
Skim coat
Finish nails
caulking(try and match the color of your flooring)
Blue painters tape
If not reusing old baseboard and thresholds your will need to purchase new

Tools:

Razor blade (hook blade and standard blade)
Hammer & flat bar
Masonry Trowel
Vacuum
Finish nail gun(hammer and nail set will also work)
Miter Saw(not necessary if reusing old moulding)
Paint brush & roller(if using releasable pressure sensitive adhesive, with some adhesives you will need a 1/8 notched tile trowel to spread your glue, always make sure to read and follow the manufacturers instructions on container)
Caulking gun
2x4 wrapped in carpet or a towel

Being a homeowner you will most likely own these tools. If not, you can pick them up at your local hardware store and not have to worry as you will be able to use any of these listed tools time and time again.

1. Firstly and most obviously you will need to clear out the area. If its your kitchen it is always best to remove your refrigerator and stove to run the flooring under them.

2. Using your hammer and flat bar, it's time to remove any base board moulding or quarter round trim from around the edges of your floor. If you are going to simply reuse your old moulding make sure not to break any of your pieces as your removing them. Seeing as your going with a brand new floor I would suggest replacing all the moulding. It depends how beat up the old moulding is and your budget.

3. Inspect your floor. Look for bubbles and loose areas. Using your razor blade, w/ a standard blade, cut out and remove these bad areas.

4. Vacuum the floor of all dirt and debris to keep it out of your skim coat.

5. Now it's time to skim coat the floor. We used a Henry 547 Universal Patch & Skim Coat. This skim coat simply gets mixed with water. Follow the instructions on the package of whatever skim coat you choose to use. If you are filling in areas where it will be thicker you will want to fill those areas with a thicker mix. Using your masonry trowel, spread the skim coat across the entire floor. This will fill in the areas you needed to remove as well as any texture in the existing vinyl. Even if you don't need to cut any areas out, your new vinyl will suck up tight to the old flooring so much that you will see the texture of the old floor come through to your new floor. This is a necessary step and is what makes laying vinyl flooring over vinyl flooring possible.

6. Wrap it up, you're done for about 14-18 hours depending on how long your skim coat product needs to set and dry.

7. Now that your skim coat has dried. Inspect the surface. Using your trowel scrape off any drips or any lines you left. The key to the skim coat is to get it perfectly flat as possible.

8. Vacuum the entire floor very thoroughly. Any debris you leave on your floor will be seen through the new vinyl.

9. Now it is time to cut out your new vinyl flooring. There are a couple ways you might want to tackle this. You can simply take measurements and draw a diagram for yourself to follow. Another way is to get a roll of construction paper, lay it out and cut yourself a pattern. Either way you choose to do this you need to make sure to leave a good 2 inches all the way around. The hook blade works great for cutting out your new floor. If you are using a felt backed vinyl you will need to make relief cuts in the inside corners of your new flooring. You will also need to tape these corners with blue painters tape to reinforce them. Felt backed vinyl is brittle. It will crack and tear on you especially in those corners. If you are using a sheet vinyl product you will not have to worry about this.

10. Carry your new flooring into the area and carefully spread it and lay it down where it goes. Using your standard blade push the excess you left into the corners and cut off the excess around the entire floor. If you are using a floor that has straight lines running through it you will want to make sure you have those lines lined up how you want them before you cut your floor. You may need to shift it over and if you have already cut it you might not be big enough to fit up to the wall.

11. Once you have your floor all cut out and ready to go, it's time for glue. with the releasable 

pressure sensitive adhesive you will be able to simply paint it on the floor. Other glues may require a notched trowel. Read and follow the directions on the glue you are using. The releasable adhesive is recommended, by the manufacturer, for sheet vinyl product. Fold back one side of your flooring about halfway back. Spread your glue. If you want a permanent bond with the releasable adhesive you won't want to let it dry completely. Once the glue is ready, carefully lay your vinyl back where it was on the floor. Using a length of 2x4 covered in carpet(or wrapped in a towel) press and slide out the flooring towards the outside edges. This is going to force out bubbles and wrinkles, ensuring a tight bond. Repeat this for the other side of your floor.

12. Now you can replace your old moulding and thresholds. If you choose to replace your moulding, make sure your measurements are correct and angles are correct. If you try using the old pieces as templates they will all run slightly larger and won't fit in their places. If you weren't able to get your floor perfect and there are some areas that aren't completely covered, either by the base board or new flooring (i.e. around doorways and their trim), you can use caulking to fill in these areas.

13. Some glues require waiting a while to dry, before moving any furniture or appliances on top of it. A good rule of thumb would be to wait a couple hours before moving things back, but just see what the product your using recommends and follow that.

It is a fairly simple process for any homeowner or do-it-yourself-er. The key is your skim coat. This is what makes laying vinyl flooring over vinyl flooring possible. The texture of your old floor WILL show through on your new vinyl if you do not skim coat it.

I mentioned felt back/paper back vinyl and whats called sheet vinyl. Vinyl itself is a very inexpensive material for a great looking brand new floor. The price range between your cheaper(felt backed, cracks and tears VERY easily) and your higher quality(sheet vinyl, won't crack, tear or crease) vinyls isn't a big difference. Sheet vinyl is so much easier to work with and lay. The difference in price will be well worth the frustration of installing it. Not to mention if you buy the cheaper vinyl and it tears, your going to need to either purchase a vinyl seam bonding product or go out and buy another piece of vinyl. We highly recommend using a sheet vinyl product with a releasable pressure sensitive adhesive for best results.

Laying vinyl flooring over vinyl flooring is a great weekend project that will leave you with a beautiful new floor as well as increase the value of your home. Good luck on your next home improvement project, and make sure to check back with us for new and updated information on DIY and home improvements.

 It is a great weekend project that will leave you with a beautiful new floor as well as increase the value of your home. Good luck on your next home improvement project, and make sure to check back with us for new and updated information on DIY and home improvements.