I have a hardwood floor with polyurethane protectant. I have the darndest time trying to get it clean when the kids drop juice or soda on it. I have used hardwood floor cleaner on it and that hasn't worked. Please help?
I will tell you that vinegar and warm water is the very best thing to clean hardwood with. I have cleaned homes with hardwood for years and this is the best. I have tried all products, new and old and nothing cleans like vinegar!
Just installed a flooting hardwood floor. How should clean and maintain. I have a sponge mope and pine sole cleaner?
Tryin 2 and Pipe 539 are both right…Good job!
Murphy’s has a great site for wood floor maintenance.
I’ve been using Murphy’s for 40+ years, never been disappointed.
Which is better, engineered or sold hardwood flooring. Engineered is less expensive and looks the same as solid hardwood floors. Is there any difference?
Engineered wood is cheap because its not wood. It is really a high density fiberboard or a pressed wood composite with a hard surface. Two different products. I had a laminate floor, it was easy to install and easy to clean. Wood is very costly but looks expensive vs. the laminate that looks cheap. Decide which is best for your living condition and budget. Laminate cost around $3 - 5.00 per sq. ft. Hard wood cost $8 - 20.00 per sq. ft.
I am installing bamboo hardwood floors in my kitchen, which currently has two layers of linoleum. Can install them over the linoleum or do I have to tear it out?
Although carpet and hardwood are two of the most popular choices when it comes to flooring, they are sometimes unsuited. Spaces like the kitchen, or garage, commonly require a greater degree of durability and resilience. Carpet absorbs stains and moisture too easily, producing a spotted looking surface that may also attract odors. Hardwood offers a great deal more durability than carpet, but it also suffers from problems with moisture. A damp hardwood gradually warps and cracks. After several seasons of expansion and contraction, moisture damage can become very apparent with a hardwood floor.
Places in which spills and accidents are frequent can result in scratching or gouging in the flooring as well. Hardwood laminate flooring is a great answer to all these problems and more. With a laminate floor, designers can have the classic appeal of hardwood if they so desire, while avoiding many of the normal pitfalls. Laminate flooring is very resilient when it comes to moisture issues and will not absorb water. Stains are not an issue, and with prompt clean up, should not leave a mark at all. Fortunately, laminate flooring is very well priced, and can be found in a great selection of shades, colors, and styles.
How to Install a Laminate Floor Installation of laminate flooring is also relatively simple. As soon as a set of tiles can be unwrapped, check each to ensure that each tile is intact. Once sure that all the tiles are in good condition, give the tiles a few days to acclimate to their new climate. There may be some contraction or expansion that occurs when the laminate flooring tiles arrive in a new setting.
Make certain to follow all manufacturer guidelines that are included with the tile product. Specific instructions on how to glue the tiles are critical, and can affect the overall aesthetic quality and durability of the end product. It is also important to give the tile a quarter inch between wall and flooring. Although a great deal of tools isn’t required for in home installation, you may need something to cut the tile around corners, fireplaces, stairs, etc. A wet tile saw would provide all the cutting power needed for laminate flooring.
Having a level surface for installation is also important. Be certain to fill any holes in the subflooring, or sand away any protruding areas that might stick up afterward.
IVC US Inc. was named Carpet One Partner of the Year at the recent Carpet One Floor & Home winter convention in Irving, Texas. The Dalton, Ga.-based company’s cushion backed sheet vinyl was chosen from a pool of vendor products by members for “its realistic natural look and ease of installation and removal,” according to IVC. Xavier Steyaert, IVC US’s president and CEO, accepted the award during a special presentation before the official opening of the show. (more…)
I thought of using flooring nails and recessing them and filling in over heads, but I really want something very permanent- maybe very thin screws?
If you can get to the floor from underneath, then driving screws from the bottom up would be preferable.
If not, then the simplest way is, as you said, drive nails from above. You can drive screws but the large head would require plugging the recessed hole with a wood dowel (to match your floor species), sanded down and finished to match the floor. You can use wood filler instead of a plug and get away with it, but it’s ugly.
We just had Robbins solid oak 3-1/4" hardwood prefinished flooring delivered today. Can it be installed immediately upon receipt or does it need to be "in the environment" for a specified period of time before being installed so it can acclimate to the environment to prevent warping, etc.?
Manufacture recommends waiting 24-72 hours before installation. Because, I don't know where it was stored before you got it and because it is a solid wood. I agree you should wait. It will make it easier to install and better end results. That being said, Really it will depend on the moisture levels between the wood and the home. We test the wood & the sub-floor that we install directly out of the box to assure that the moisture levels are close to the same, if they are not it is best to wait. If you don't have a tester, wait for 24-72 hours.
I just removed the carpet in my living room and there are beautiful hardwood floors underneath. I did this in my bedroom too, and stripped all the old adhesive with Jasco Adhesive Remover and put polyurethane back on the floor to protect it.
But that was such a huge undertaking and I'm just not wanting to spend that much time on this one, I have already bought a large area rug which will leave about 1 ft to 2 ft around the edge showing.
My question is this, what is the best soap/cleaner to use to get the leftover residue off the floor and what type of scrubbing device should I use to do it.
Thanks!
Get a Bona hardwood cleaning kit. Call a hardwood flooring distributor to get a kit.
Anyone know whether it is better to buy a stapler or cleat nailer to install 3/4" hardwood floors?
Also who makes the better one, Bostitch or Paslode? Anyone tried the cheap Rona one?
Thanks
Of all hardwood nailers Bostitch is by far the best. I have used both cleats and staples and both are good in their own way. Staples have a slightly greater tendency to split the tongue now and then but seem to hold tighter. Cleats do not split the board as badly but are more likely to jam and misfire, especially if the gun is getting low.
A cheap flooring nailer is a bad idea. They take a lot of abuse and a cheap one will be dead after a few jobs.