02.24.2010 | 9:12 am | Flooring
Proper Performance of Wood flooring;
Moisture comes from a variety of sources-from the earth itself, from surface water (i.e., rain water runoff), as well as from the interior atmosphere. Let’s consider the various ways that moisture problems originate, and how they can be controlled and prevented.With the introduction of engineered flooring, hardwood floors can be used in virtually every room in the house, even in basements.Water on or near the building site cannot be ignored or neglected.
A room that is exposed to excessive moisture would be prone to trouble if solid wood flooring were installed in it.Most complaints concerning hardwood flooring are related to changes in the moisture content of flooring and surrounding wood products.The effects of moisture on flooring. When moisture changes are severe, the result can be gaps between strips, cupping, buckling, movement, and/or cracks/splits in the flooring.
Potential sources of moisture;
NEW CONSTRUCTION:
During the building of a new home, moisture can enter the house in a number of ways. When the frame is going up, the 2-by-4s and subfloor materials often get rained on. Because builders usually work on tight, demanding schedules, homes are sometimes built trapping moisture that needs time to evaporate. The amount of moisture introduced by framing lumber and the wet trades can be significant.
GROUND WATER: Sometimes the level of the water in the ground is raised above the bottom surface of the foundation due to:
Heavy or prolonged rains;
a spring that appears only during wet seasons and is not discovered when the house was built; water flowing along an impervious layer within the soil.Any of these may cause water to penetrate the foundation walls or rise through the ground surface into the foundation or crawl space.
SURFACE WATER: Rain water falling on the ground or from the roof can pass through or under the foundation walls. In some areas, heavy soils may retain surface drainage and cause water pressure against the foundation walls or slab. Surface drainage problems may also occur because the crawl space is below the finish grade outside the house.
Wood is a hygroscopic material. This means when wood is exposed to air; it will dry or pick up moisture until it is in equilibrium with the humidity and temperature of the air. Moisture absorption causes wood to swell. Shrinkage of wood begins at 25-30% moisture content, the fiber saturation point, and continues until wood reaches 0% moisture content, an oven dry state. Conversely, swelling occurs as wood increases in moisture content from 0% to 25-30% moisture content, the fiber saturation point. Above 25% – 30% wood is dimensionally stable.
RELATIVE HUMIDITY: When humidity increases, the effect on the wood floor can be damaging. This occurs most frequently in homes in which occupants are there for a short period of time, such as a weekend home or vacation cabin, or in rooms that are closed off (not heated) to save energy.
If air conditioning or heating is not used or is shut off, ventilation is a must even when the home is not occupied. Otherwise, the floor will expand in the high humidity, and cupping and buckling will occur. This “greenhouse effect” will be exaggerated even more when a plank floor has been installed, because wider boards react to moisture with more movement.
Moisture problems associated with basements and below-grade features.Concrete appears to the untrained eye to be a solid, impermeable foundation,yet it’s actually a source in itself for moisture.Concrete expands when it absorbs moisture in humid weather or by exposure to rain, and it contracts again when the moisture evaporates.
Minimum acclimation for solid wood flooring is one week.The acclimation period is required.True acclimation on real hard woods,not laminated will take many weeks.In the south east climate our humidity climate it could take two to for weeks.A solid wood floor is almost always installed with a moisture barrier between the subfloor and flooring to help control moisture.Wood flooringon the first floor will need longer to acclimate than flooring on a second floor level.
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02.22.2010 | 12:28 pm | Flooring
When you are considering the flooring for your new home there are many things to keep in mind. Most of us are working on a budget so we want something that looks good, will last a long time, and not require a lot of maintenance. One of the newer trends in flooring is using stained concrete. Here are a few tips on how to decide if using stained concrete is a realistic option for your home.
Not Just Shades of Grey Anymore
When most of us think of concrete we think of a dull grey surface that you use to see on basement floors. This is now longer the case. You can now get stained concrete floors in several colors. Here is how the coloring process actually works.
Acid Stained Concrete Floors
Coloring concrete this way is through a process called acid staining. The entire process of what is done is a little technical but here is how it works. You take your base concrete floor, it can be a new slab, an old floor, and it can already be painted or just plain. Then you apply a mixture of chemical stains, they refer to it as an acid stain, but the acid is not what actually colors the concrete. Stay with me, here is where it gets a little technical.
What actually stains the concrete to create the color is the reaction between a substance in the hardened concrete called hydrated lime and the water based acidic mixture that contains metallic salts. The very top layer of concrete becomes porous when the acidic mixture is applied. This opening lets the hydrated lime and the metallic salt to react. The water in the solution acts like a catalyst for the reaction and it can last up to one month.
There are a lot of different factors that will affect the actual coloring. Most companies that do this process offer shades of black, brown and a blue green coloring. The way your floors will actually take the color depends on the level of lime in the concrete. The more lime, the more rich your color will be.
The Pros of Stained Concrete Floors
Having stained concrete floors has many benefits. If you are building a new home and begin the process as the slab is being poured it will cost you approximately the half the amount as putting in hardwood flooring. But it is important to make the decision to do it before the slab is poured.
The maintenance need for keeping the floors clean is very simple. You only need to sweep them occasional and wash them regularly with just plain water. You will need to periodically wax them so they maintain their look. It is a great feature and helps with the rest of house’s cleanliness especially if you live where it snows a lot or if you live where the conditions are very sandy.
This is a very environmentally friendly flooring option. You are saving trees by not using any hardwood flooring, and you are cutting out the manufacturing pollution that is generated while making carpet. It will also help with your energy bills. Concrete maintains its temperature very well and does not heat up to quickly and it does not cool down to fast.
If you are an allergy sufferer then having stained concrete floors is an ideal situation. It keeps allergens to a minimum. There is no way for the allergens like dust and pollen to get trapped like with carpeting.
The Cons of Stained Concrete Floors
There are not that many cons to having concrete floors. One of the only cons is that if you decide to do this after the slab is poured it becomes very expensive because the concrete now has an entirely different process to go through to get ready to accept the acid stain.
This is also a project that will be quite hard for the average person to do it themselves. It is not like painting a wall where if you don’t like the effect you just go buy some more paint and redo it. If you take this on yourself and make a mistake it will be costly. So make sure that you first seek a professional for advice on how to do it correctly.
Even though you can have several types of designed scored in the floor and different types of finishes stained concrete floors are limited in their color choices. They can use the colors to mix and give you different effects, but they will only be within 3 color tones.
Getting Them Done
If you decided that you want to have stained concrete floors in your home seek the help of a profession concrete contractor. This project is labor intensive so if you are going to try it yourself make sure that you take all the necessary precautions and do your homework.
This article is sponsored by My Dream Home Registry, the gift registry for everything home. Visit them on the web at www.mydreamhomeregistry.com
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02.13.2010 | 1:58 am | Flooring
The weather is getting warmer and the flowers are blooming, but your home may still look and feel as though it is stuck in the winter holiday season. Most homeowners dread spring cleaning and the expensive home improvement projects that may accompany it, but freshening up your home this season should only account for a fraction of your time and budget.
These home improvement tips will help you create a comfortable living environment that will not only improve your home’s value, but welcome the quickly approaching spring and summer seasons.
Hardwood Flooring
After the ambush of holiday visitors, your carpet probably looks like it has seen better days. Instead of trying to save your dingy carpets, opt to install hardwood flooring.
Hardwood flooring has maintained its popularity for many years due to the high resale value it adds to a home, its durability, its ease of repair and its luxurious look. Hardwood flooring’s flexibility allows homeowners to refinish and stain their floors in a variety of dramatic colors. In order to create a fresh spring look, stick to the lighter hardwood flooring stains. A lighter shade of flooring will bounce light throughout the house, while a darker floor tends to absorb light.
Rugs
Rugs are great for camouflaging stained or worn flooring, yet they often times act as an overbearing touch to a cluttered room. Stash your dark and ornate oriental rugs and instead choose bright floor coverings. A few strategically placed area rugs in light, colorful shades will help hide stains, while incorporating a clean, spring look for your home.
Removing area rugs completely is another option that will create a streamline look throughout your home. This small, subtle change will not only help save the wear and tear of your rugs, but will also help create a simple, fresh look.
Lighting
During spring, days are longer and the sun seems brighter, creating the opportunity to use natural light. Take advantage of this opportunity and install window treatments that will allow the maximum amount of light into your home. One way to utilize natural light is to install plantation shutters, which are a popular window treatment trend this season. Plantation shutters’ versatility makes them appropriate for both traditional and contemporary home styles. This window treatment style provides a sophisticated beach feel to your home while adding to your home’s value, insulation and light regulation.
Visit www.westcoastflooring.com to learn more about plantation shutters and other spring window treatments for your home.
Whether you decide to spiff up your entire home this spring, or just remodel a few select rooms, it is important to improve features that enhance not only the look, but the value of your home.
This article is provided by West Coast Flooring Center, one of the largest flooring stores in Southern California, offering flooring services with a wide variety of quality flooring options and other home improvement services.
West Coast Flooring is currently offering weekly, limited-time specials to represent a different home improvement product or service that would work best in the kitchen, family room, bathroom and foyer. Find the latest West Coast Flooring offers for your spring home improvement projects today.
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