Ten Things you Must Know About Hardwood Flooring

1. Unfinished or Pre-Finished? Installing pre-finished is less labor intensive and time consuming. You pick out the pre-stained and finished product and install it. There is something to be said about the beauty of a sanded and finished floor, however. So are you an instant gratification person or are you a “labor of love” artisan? Or better yet, what is you time frame for completion? Both questions should be answered when you are deciding on the type of wood to install.

2. A solid base equals a solid installation. If your subfloor is not perfectly flat, your finished floor will be noticeably wavy and squeaky. Start out right with a flat subfloor, constructing a base with ½” to ¾” plywood.

3. If you are nailing down your floor, take a tip from the pros and create a sound barrier layer with some Rosin paper.

4. For those of you who prefer to nail down your flooring instead of using adhesive, here’s another tip from the pros that will save you time and some back pain: Use a pneumatic blind nailer. (Wood flooring requires that a special nail (a blind nail) be embedded in the tongue of the bed. Using a pneumatic nailer saves you the extra effort of swinging a hammer with precise aim.)

5. The first board laid is the most important board. If you are slightly off on the first board, your error only increases as you lay more boards. Take you time on the first board and continue to check the remaining boards to make sure they are square as move across the room.

6. You will need to purchase extra stock. Professionals always buy overage and if you are a novice do-it-yourselfer it is even more important to have enough to cove potential mistakes. Remember, flooring comes in a variety of lengths. If fail to purchase extra, you could be wasting a lot of time trying to piece together an impossible puzzle. Plan on purchasing at least 30% more flooring than you need.

7. Practice before you put down any adhesive or start pounding in nails. Lay out your flooring first. This will allow you figure in your pattern, plan where to use the longer pieces and hopefully avoid any costly mistakes.

8. If you plan on finishing your own floor, practice first. You will need several large pieces of equipment, which you can rent. You will also need to put in a great deal of hard work to make sure that you are using the correct touch in making the floor look correct. If this is your first time finishing a floor, don’t use your newly installed floor as a practice run.

9. Take note of your door jambs. Installing new flooring can raise the height of the existing floor, causing issues near door jambs. Use a tool called a Japanese pull saw to fix these issues. The saw cuts on the pull stroke, which allows you to get closer to the floor and remove a small portion of your door jamb.

10. Don’t for get to let the wood acclimate. Wood expands and contracts when the environment changes. Changes due to humidity and temperature can cause the wood to alter from the condition in which it was purchased. Letting the wood rest and acclimate in your installation area will prevent it from buckling or gapping, which would likely happen if you left it acclimate on the floor after installation.

Bonus tip:

If you have hopes of one day using the same wood in an adjacent area of the home, purchase all the necessary wood at the same time. You will be more likely to get an even finish and avoid any major changes in coloration when purchasing from the same lot or batch of flooring.

Choosing Tile

Tile is a fantastic product to bring color and depth to your home. Finding the right tile for you is dependent on several factors. The first thing you should consider is the type and use of the room/area you will be tiling. If the area is a formal dining area, formal living area or grand foyer, marble or limestone are traditional choices. However, if your lifestyle and home are more on the casual side, look toward ceramic, travertine, slate or terra cotta, flooring options that tend to be a bit more warm and forgiving.

Don’t forget the importance of proper sealing!  Porous natural stone products must be sealed properly to prevent staining from water stains, spilled spaghetti sauce, pets, crayons, and any other potential culprits.

When finalizing your choice, take into consideration what flooring materials are used in the rooms that will border your newly tiled area. This factor will affect the color and pattern choice and determine the necessary transitional pieces for your project.

Using tile in your home can elegance, warmth, beauty and style. Choose the tile that fits best with your lifestyle and reap the rewards.

Update Your Bathroom with a Decorative Vanity Light:

Is your bathroom still stuck in the 80’s (or prior – EEK!)? 

An easy do it yourself fix to this dilemma is a decorative vanity light.

To complete this project you will need:

	Safety goggles
	Flat & Philips-head screwdrivers
	Circuit tester
	Needle-nose pliers for bending & shaping wires
	Wire nuts
	Dry-wall mounted junction box
	Toggle bolts or wood screws to secure new light fixture or Decorative vanity light

How it’s done:
	Turn off the power to the bathroom circuit at the breaker box.
	Remove the cover(s) and bulb(s) from the current fixture and detach the base of the fixture. Use the circuit tester to MAKE SURE the power is OFF! After testing this you are ready to disconnect the wires from the fixture and remove it from the wall. Note: If your original light was mounted without a junction box, you will have to install one to be in compliance with building codes.
	Next, you will attach a mounting bracket to the junction box for the new fixture.
	Connect the wires for the new fixture, attaching black to black and white to white, and secure the connections with wire nuts.
	Press the wires back inside the box and attach the new fixture to the mounting plate.
	Insert the bulbs and attach any shades or covers on the newly installed fixture.
	Now you are ready to turn the power back on at the breaker box.
Enjoy your newly updated bathroom!