Archive for the ‘Floor’ Category
July 16th, 2010 | 
Author: There are many different flooring materials available today including one of the most beautiful and environmentally friendly, a bamboo floor. No, this isn’t taking round bamboo stalks and lashing them together to make a floor for your home. Bamboo flooring in one of the most durable and unique flooring materials you can get for your home today.
Many hardwood floors feature a nice grain and wood look that is very pretty especially in the various colors and patterns. Bamboo flooring however features a much more subtle graining pattern and because of the way it’s manufactured, features more of a pronounced ring like pattern. So you have a grain that suggests a direction and every so often a uniquely bamboo ring pattern. Bamboo can also be stained and finished just like regular hardwood flooring.
Bamboo is actually a grass like plant that grows quickly and is usually considered an aggressive plant. That is, it tends to grow rapidly, overwhelming many of the other plant life in it’s immediate area. This makes for a very sustainable resources as a full bamboo crop can be harvested in less than 7 years. This is a much better alternative to hardwood trees that can take upwards of over 20 plus years to mature.
Bamboo, traditionally thought of as an Asian but specifically Chinese plant has found a new home in products for the west. As bamboo has gained in popularity, many more people are protecting bamboo forest areas and are much more concerned about conservation. The growth of bamboo use for furniture, blinds, many home decor products, and bamboo flooring has created a robust economic incentive to grow natural products instead of clear cutting to make way for farming.
Bamboo flooring is comparable to hardwood floors in durability, looks, and installation. It has broad appeal and beauty that will not easily go out of style. Due to the interest in bamboo flooring, you can now find it in commercial buildings, hotels, restaurants, offices and many high traffic areas.
Another great benefit of bamboo flooring is price. Due to the rapid growth rate, the cost of fully stained and sealed bamboo floor material can be found for less than half the cost of planked hardwood. Bamboo floor can be installed using any of the usual hardwood flooring installation methods. These include a floating floor where the floor is simply glued together to form a single piece, straight gluing to the old floor material and a basic nailing method.
If you’re looking for a uniquely beautiful flooring material that will provide years of ambiance and warmth to your home, look no farther than a high quality bamboo floor.
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Many people are confused over the choice between Warmboard? and a staple up radiant heating system. This article should help to set you straight.
A Warmboard? system combines a structural subfloor with a complex radiant panel into one straightforward radiant heating system. It’s basically a strong, broad, weather-resistant, 4′ X 8′ sheet of plywood, with a series of channels cut into the top plane and a thick sheet of high-grade aluminum, which is permanently bonded to each panel. The aluminum is highly conductive. In fact, it’s about 30% more conductive than most common alloys, but it also cools down quickly.
Warmboard? replaces the normal structural subfloor. It can be cut, nailed or screwed directly to your floor joists just like any conventional subfloor.
Most Warmboard? systems function with water ranging in temperature between 90º and 110º, however if you are considering a wool carpet, or another high resistant floor covering, you can easily raise your water temperatures and still operate your heating system efficiently.
Warmboard? also have two important properties – they have high conductivity and low thermal mass, which means they will heat us quickly and retain heat quite well, but not quite as long as radiant systems imbedded in concrete.
In comparison, a staple up radiant heat system is the most unobtrusive radiant heat to install in an existing home. It will not add any additional floor height or disrupt your existing floor coverings as it is installed underneath the current subfloor between the floor joists.
This system is perfect when you want to add a radiant heat system without replacing your floors or floor coverings. For example, if your basement is unfinished you could easily staple up radiant heat tubing between your ceiling, or floor joists.
A staple-up system is not as responsive as the aluminum base method, but is more responsive than the thermal mass method - basically because under-floor radiant heat needs to heat up the wood subfloor and floor covering above. To radiate more heat into your home, you may want to consider installing heat transfer plates.
Heat transfer plates will ensure that your heat lasts much longer. They are a better heat conductor than wood, so your home would not only heat up more quickly, the heat would also last longer if transfer plates were used.
Overall both systems have their advantages. As far as labor goes, a Warmboard? panel system would save you time and labor ? they are much easier to install, but depending on where you plan to install your radiant heat system, both Warmboard? and under-floor radiant heat systems are a clean and cost effective way to go.
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Posted in Floor | 
Tags: radiant heat, radiant heating, radiant underfloor heating, underfloor heating, underfloor heating system, warmboard | 
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Although concrete may seem pretty tough, it actually is vulnerable to many environmental factors. People often overlook the fact that concrete is porous. And as with porous surfaces, moisture, stains, molds, and other environmental hazards can seep in, wrecking havoc on your beautiful concrete surfaces.
Your concrete is always vulnerable to water. These porous surfaces will allow moisture to loosen your vinyl tiles or ruin your carpet.
How does water get in my concrete, (and how do I stop it)?
Water can enter concrete in two ways: from the top side or from the ground. Water entering from the top is called positive moisture. It comes from rain and other liquids that spill on the concrete surface. Ground moisture is called negative moisture. It comes from the natural moisture of the ground over which the concrete is laid.
Concrete surfaces act like sponges when exposed to water. It will draw water until it is saturated, or if there is no more water available. It will then disperse the water until it reaches equilibrium state.
What does water do to my concrete?
Water may cause many processes that can lead to noticeable damage. Water causes the rebar to rust. This in turn weakens the concrete.
Water also activates alkali disintegration. During the curing process of concrete, the alkali in the concrete becomes dormant. As water seeps into the concrete the alkali begins to react again with the concrete around it. This destroys the concrete from within.
Water is also causes mold, mildew and algae to grow. Mold has been known to influence severe health problems. Algae, on the other hand, cause the concrete to become slick and discolored while mildew often give off a bad odor and stains organic materials.
Up to 60% of homes have basements that suffer from this sort of problem. This could seriously affect the resell value of your home and make your home a health hazard to its occupants.
The moisture must be stopped to stop the damage.
To protect your concrete walls or floors, you need to have them protected with a concrete sealer. Concrete sealers protect concrete from deterioration brought about by road salt, stains, oil, moisture, and molds. It also provides a layer of protection that allows for easier sweeping and cleaning.
You will most likely need only one application of concrete sealant to keep your concrete surfaces protected.
Needed Equipment
First of all, you need to assemble the needed equipment. First of all, you must wear protective clothing since you are about to work with potential irritants. Gather a stiff brush and a water bucket. You will also need some rubber gloves, goggles and small-particle filter to protect you against chemical agents. You will also need some paintbrushes and a paint roller. Make sure there is proper ventilation at the place you are to work with the concrete sealer.
How to Apply
1. Clean the Floor. Your surface must be free of dirt, grime, grease, and oil. The stiff scrub brush will help remove stubborn stains. Use a commercial cleaner to help remove the dirt. Stubborn stains might need some soaking in a detergent solution before they can be removed. Rinse thoroughly with clear water. A second application may be required.
2. Apply Sealer: Before painting the floor, make sure you test the sealer on a small patch of floor. This will tell you if the floor is clean enough or if there are still imperfections that should be remedied. Uneven density in the concrete may result in a blotchy appearance that may be undesirable. Apply the sealer using a paint roller with an extension handle. Use the brush to cut in when working the perimeter. Start in a rear corner and work your way out of the area you are working on. Work the sealer into the surface. Spread it in a way that all the puddles are eliminated and apply a relatively thin uniform coat. You will probably only need one coating. Allow the sealer to dry. This will take a few hours.
3. Clean Up: Don’t forget to wash up with soap and warm water immediately afterwards. Remember you had just dealt with a potentially hazardous chemical. Always keep safety in mind as you work on your area. Also, dispose of the roller and the brushes you used for the job. Concrete sealers may require that you use these equipments just once.
