Posted by admin | Flooring | Posted on January 25th, 2012
Laminate flooring is on lower side of costing for maintenance but provides the look of hardwood or stone flooring. It is made from high-density fiber or wood particles that are designed to look like wood or stone. There are many manufacturers like Pergo, Dupont, Mannington, Armstrong. You can say Laminate flooring is a hybrid. It has the looks of hardwood but it’s not. Neither its vinyl tiling and nor engineered flooring.
But it is a mixture of all those. It is durable as it has clear, hard layer on top. You can select from glue down laminate flooring or snap on interlocking plank system. The “snap-together” type is easier to install but not as structurally sound as the “glue-together” type. And the reason to select “glue-together” type is that it resists moisture better. Laminate flooring can be placed on top of any existing flooring. Many people are using laminate flooring as they are durable like many manufacturer offers at least 10 years warranty.
Unlike wood, which can dent, laminate flooring is almost impervious to dents and scratches. Laminate flooring has what’s called in the industry a “wear layer” that protects the photographic layer underneath. Other reasons to use laminate flooring are that it is less costly, easy to install than hardwood flooring, scratch resistant, easy to clean. You can just use a dust mop or mop dampened with water to clean it up. No floor waxing is needed. It also resists Stains and if you do get a stain, it’s easy to clean off.
The way real hardwood, which may have many imperfect pieces that need to be thrown out or re-engineered, there are no defects in laminate flooring. Laminate flooring gives wood look for less and it is also environment friendly as it uses less wood in construction. It has its own disadvantage as well like laminate flooring does not absorb sound well and can have a hollow sound when you walk on it, particularly in high heels. This can be reduced up to some extent by using an acoustic underlay. There is less design options for laminate flooring as the look of the flooring is set by the manufacturer. And laminate also lacks the visual warmth like hardwood. The materials in laminate flooring are moisture resistant, but the floors can warp in high-moisture areas.
Though you can install kitchens and bathrooms or other rooms that are exposed topical moisture, you cannot use them where there is heavy water or steam. The biggest disadvantage is that if it is heavily worn, deep scratched, or grooved, it cannot be sanded or refinished like solid hardwood: it must be replaced. It really feels hard under foot. Foam underlayment helps dampen this feeling, but it’s still there. It also has slippery feeling, low resale value as compared to good hardwood or engineered wood gives better value when selling your house. We have various plans with virtual tours on www.houseplancentral.com to choose from where you can view kitchen with laminate flooring to get an idea.
Posted by admin | Flooring | Posted on November 21st, 2011
Laminate flooring is a versatile option for a wide variety of situations. Many homes have laminate flooring as an alternative to real wood flooring, as it is easier to maintain and lay. Carpets and linoleum soon become faded and lose their fresh appearance, especially in areas where there is a high volume of traffic such as the kitchen or living area. Families may find that spills and mess from children and any pets in the home cause carpets to become tired looking and may even hold odours.
Laminate flooring is easy to clean and care for, with no requirement for specialist care other than a few simple rules. Avoid sliding furniture across the floor, as this will scratch the laminate. When you clean laminate floor, use a damp cloth and don’t apply liquid directly to the floor. Spills won’t damage the floor as long as they are cleaned up as soon as possible.
With regular sweeping and a wipe over, laminate flooring will keep its fresh appearance for many years.
Laminate flooring is also a cost effective option as it will stay looking new for much longer than carpets, and is much harder wearing than real wood. You can fit laminate flooring yourself as you don’t require any specialist skills. It is advisable to obtain advice from a reputable supplier before commencing this DIY project to ensure that you purchase the most appropriate laminate flooring for its intended location and lay it correctly. Here at Wickes, we stock everything you require to lay a laminate floor, including accessories such as skirting trim to cover the gap around the edges of the wall. You can also purchase pipe trim which covers the gaps left around pipes, leaving a professional and neat finish.
You can use laminate flooring in any room, although there are different types for varying levels of use. For instance, if you want laminate flooring in the living area and entrance hall, use laminate which is intended for heavy domestic use. You should always lay laminate on a floor which is even and free from clutter to ensure a level surface, as this could cause problems with your floor at a later date. For concrete floors you will require a damp proof membrane which will protect your laminate from any damp, causing distortion and expansion of the boards.
Underlay is required for soundproofing. This is especially required for upstairs rooms such as bedrooms. You can purchase different types of underlay according to the room type and your requirements. For many simple rooms such as the bedroom, laying a laminate floor may be completed within a few hours. For a room with a concrete floor or a larger area, you may need a little more time, but you can generally complete a room within the day.
Take the time to do some research before laying your laminate floor and making sure you have the tools and accessories required to help you achieve a professional and neat finish. Spending more time in the planning stages will ensure you enjoy many years of a perfect laminate floor.
Posted by admin | Flooring | Posted on November 11th, 2011
Are you looking to give your living area that extra something that gives off the correct ambience youre looking for? Many people would go about creating this atmosphere by buying some flowers, or maybe purchasing a new portrait to put up on their wall, but we have found a cheaper, more effective solution in floor lights. Lighting is often a factor that is overlooked when trying to create the desired theme in a household, but it is regularly the most effective way about creating a comforting feel within your home, and more people are starting to realise the benefits that come with the correct lighting in your household.
In this article I am going to concentrate on floor lighting, and inform you of the benefits that floor lights will have on your house. Firstly, these lights are portable so if you want to give a room a makeover or if you start to feel that your floor lights would look better elsewhere, then you can just move them around and see for yourself. Also, as these are not fitted lights, you do not have to worry about the expense and hassle that hiring an electrician will bring, you can simply plug them in and their up and running (although you will need to change the bulbs from time to time, so sorry their not completely hassle free!).
Floor lights also have the ability to offer a variety of styles and functions that help to make them practical in a variety of rooms. An example of this is the M&C floor lamp from Sparks Direct, which is a halogen floor standing up lighter, which comes with glass diffusers, double dimmers and an adjustable arm to help give you as much flexibility as possible when creating that desired mood. This small and slick design has a great contemporary look to help it fit in to a range of rooms, and can also be used outdoors for things such as evening garden parties. Or you could opt for the Flos Glo-Ball F1 Floor Lamp which boasts an externally acid-etched diffuser and a hand blown flashed opaline glass. It also offers a 0-100% light adjustment which is provided by a dimmer fitted on grey fabric-upholstered polarized power cord.
So why choose these new, highly fashionable lights over other traditional lighting? Firstly, table lamps take up room on your table, and stop you from displaying things such as centre-pieces or pictures. Also, as said earlier, floor lamps have the power to be portable and be used for a variety of occasions such as dinner parties or garden parties. You can buy them in a variety of heights and designs, so you have the option of an up lighter which will give your living room a healthy glow, or you could have a giraffe/ark or saddler shape which can help give the same effect as fitted ceiling lights. We also offer lamps in a huge range of colour schemes, helping you to ensure that you find the correct floor lamp for your household.
So go out and have a look for yourself and make sure you take advantage of some great deals for these beautiful floor lamps and give your household the correct atmosphere it deserves.