Very few, if any, homeowners plan on changing the flooring in their homes every few years. If you are considering a home improvement that involves replacing the flooring or floor coverings in your home, it is important that you consider all the possible alternatives and weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each type, material and style.
Also see the flooring section of our Quick Tips
.
There are seven basic choices of materials for residential flooring:
- Man-made clay tiles such as ceramic and porcelain,
- Natural stone tiles such as marble and granite,
- Wood including Bamboo and engineered hardwoods,
- Laminate,
- Vinyl in sheets and tiles,
- Carpeting including area rugs,
- Cork.
If you only had to pick between seven choices in might not be that difficult a decision. However, each of those materials has hundreds of variations in color, size, texture, pattern, durability, life, and price.
The following list will guide you to additional information on each aspect of choosing and installing the right flooring material for each room of your home. As well, this section covers floor support, sub-floors, squeaks, sagging and other structural aspects of floors.
The following directory will guide you to additional information on flooring materials, styles, installation and maintenance.
Acclimatizing Wood, Laminate & Bamboo Flooring Before Installation
One of the biggest mistakes made by home handymen and professional installers alike is not allowing wood flooring products including, hardwoods, laminates, engineered hardwood, cork and bamboo materials to acclimate or acclimatize themselves to the room where they are to be installed.
Area Rugs 1
Area Rugs 2
Just like a carpet, an area rug may be flat-woven or exhibit a soft, plushy pile surface.
Bridging Floor Joists
Floor joist bridging is critical to the structural strength of a floor. Proper bridging distributes the load on the floor to other joists and over time prevents floors from sagging and squeaking do to floor joists twisting and warping.
Cantera Stone
Cantera stone is a natural occurring mineral that has been formed by millions of years of compression of volcanic ash and lava. It has been used for centuries as a primary construction and ornamental raw material.
Carpet
Carpet Fiber
Carpet Pile
Under Pad
Removing Staples
Carpeting can be a major purchase for your home. You want it to have a long life, look good, and be comfortable to walk on. Before you choose your carpet, it is important to understand the different types of carpet piles, fibers and under pads that are available and their advantages and disadvantages.
Ceramic Tile
Replacing Cracked Tiles
Painting Ceramic Tiles
Patterns
Not all ceramic tiles are produced in the same manner nor do they have the same wear qualities. It is important that you understand why some ceramic tiles are 50 cents a piece and others are $10.
Combining Flooring Materials
If you want that truly unique floor you can consider the combining of flooring materials. The most common flooring materials to be combined are hardwoods and natural stones such as marble and granite, although the combining of hardwoods with ceramic and porcelain tiles is not uncommon.
Comparison Flooring Materials:
Hardwood/Ceramic Tile,
Hardwood/Vinyl Sheet,
Hardwood/Laminate,
Hardwood/Engineered Hardwood
Vinyl Sheet/Linoleum
Vinyl Sheet/Vinyl Tile
Laminate/Engineered Hardwood
Cork Flooring Basics
Acclimatizing
Luxurious Cork Flooring
Cork flooring is beautiful, durability and its additional benefits, as explained in this section cork is an ideal flooring choice for residential where it has been used for centuries.
Crowns - Boards & Lumber
Most individuals who perform home improvements or remodeling have come across the term the crown of the board or lumber
. Many do not understand the importance of identifying the edge of the board that has the crown.
Designs, Patterns, Layouts For Floor & Wall Tile
One of the design advantages of wall or floor ceramic, porcelain, marble, limestone and granite tiles is the ability to install them in a wide range of patterns or layouts.
Engineered Wood Versus Engineered Hardwood Flooring
One of the many confusing items in the home improvement industry is the difference between engineered wood and engineered hardwood flooring. A quick assumption would indicate that they are basically the same thing.
Floating Floors
A floating floor is a floor that is not attached to the sub-floor directly below it. In other words it floats
on the sub-floor and hence contracts and expands independent of the sub-floor.
Floor Joist Bridging
Bridging Modification
Bridging Repair
Deck Bridging
The floor joists are one of the most important structural elements in any home. Over time, they can deteriorate, sag, twist and warp.
Floor Systems
Flooring generates some of the most common complaints that builders receive. Squeaking, discoloration, lumps, bumps, and vibrations are but a few of the problems home-owners endure because of material shrinkage or poorly constructed floor systems.
Granite Tiles
Replacing Cracked Tile
Patterns
Granite is the hardest of all building stones with a very dense grain, making it virtually impervious and uniquely applicable for any interior use. If polished, its high-gloss finish will endure even in harsh environments. These characteristics are ideal for flooring, making granite a reliable stone for this applications.
Hardwood Flooring Basics
No other flooring product offers the features and benefits of hardwood. Each floor, each board, each plank is unique in its appearance, coloration and tones.
How to Choose Wood Flooring
Wood has been used as a flooring material for centuries. It is durable, relatively easy to care for, can be refinished and few materials have the elegance that a wood flooring provides.
Kitchen Flooring
Kitchen Flooring Patterns
When considering kitchen flooring material there are three major considerations; safety, comfort and the material's ability to stand-up to water and general wear and tear.
Laminate Flooring
Laminate Flooring Installation
Manufacturing Process
Underlayment
Acclimatizing Laminate Flooring
Shopping for laminate flooring can be a difficult task. It can be very confusing as most salespeople know very little about what they’re selling.
Leather Floor & Wall Tiles
Leather floor and wall tiles are a relatively new innovation for the decorator looking for a material and product that is somewhat unique.
Limestone Tiles
Replacing Cracked Tile
Patterns
Limestone is a beautiful stone, generally available in light browns, beiges and yellow shades. Limestone tile is usually provided with a matte finish, which makes it safer to walk on if there is any liquid spilled.
Marble Tiles
Replacing Cracked Tile
Patterns
Marble tiles offer a superb natural alternative for many applications, with a wide variety of types to choose from.
Noise Control - Flooring
Eighteen styles of residential wood frame floor construction related to noise transmission levels.
Parquet Flooring
Acclimatizing Parquet Flooring
For many years hardwood parquet flooring has been considered to be the inexpensive hardwood flooring. The basic pattern of 12 inch by 12 inch squares was seen in high-rise apartment buildings throughout North America. This is no longer the situation.
Pebble Tiles
Pebble tiles for walls, floors and shower stalls are one of the latest products to hit the market in home remodeling. They are no more difficult to install than any ceramic, porcelain or glass mosaic tile and are installed in the same manner.
Porcelain Tiles
Replacing Cracked Tile
Painting Porcelain Tiles
Patterns
Porcelain tile is a type of ceramic tile, it is manufactured using a series of unique clay minerals. Porcelain is a very resistant and durable product, it has a very hard surface and a solid structure.
Sleek Types Of Flooring For Your Home You Can DIY
Have you ever walked into an empty home and regretted having to install furniture? Some types of flooring are so gorgeous that it is almost a pity that they cannot be the sole focal point.
Sloping / Sagging Floors
Before you attempt to jack-up a sagging or sloping floor it is important to understand why the floor is sagging in the first place. Steps to take to remediate a sagging or sloping floor.
Squeaky Floor Repair
Very few items in a home are more annoying than squeaky floors. Squeaky floors are a result of one or more of five possible problems. This article describes the five causes and the methods that can be undertaken to correct the problems.
How To Level A Subfloor
Many home handymen rush the completion of the subfloor and/or do not pay enough attention to providing a sound and flat base for the finish material. They believe that the finish material will hide and or correct any discrepancies and misalignments with the subfloor and this couldn’t be farther from the truth.
Travertine / Onyx
Travertine, as it is known in North America or Onyx as it is known in Europe, is a natural stone that has been used as a material for construction for centuries. The Roman Coliseum is constructed using Travertine.
Underlayment
A few years ago the choice of underlayment for use with laminate or engineered hardwood flooring was a simple question with a simple answer. However, manufacturers and their technologies do not stand still. Newly created underlayment have benefits which previously were not available, making the choice of the proper underlayment, for your situation, a much more complex decision.
Vinyl Plank Flooring Installation
How To Cut Vinyl Flooring In 5 Simple Steps
One of the newest flooring products to enter the market is vinyl plank flooring. Unlike other vinyl flooring materials this product is designed to be a floating floor.
Vinyl Sheet Installation
Installing sheet vinyl flooring can be a challenge even for the most competent handymen. There are some basic techniques that will save you time, effort and frustration.