About Flooring

• [Flooring clamp] (tool)
• Floor construction:
• [Floating floor]
• [Raised floor]
• [Sprung floor]
• [Floor covering]
• [Storey#Numbering]
• [Thirteenth floor]

• Floor materials (* = floor-specific):
• [Bamboo floor]*
• [Carpet]
• [Concrete]
• [Cork (material)]
• [Earthen floor]*
• [Glass floor]*

• [Gym floor cover]*
• [Linoleum]
• [Marble]
• [Mosaic]
• [Terrazzo]
• [Tile]

Flooring

Questions and Answers

Roof truss upgrade for flooring loft, to allow for storage.?

Q) I am planning to floor my loft, however just now they trusses are out of 4x2s. the span is 8m with a supporting wall in the centre. all internal walls are of brick construction and the presumption that the central wall is supporting is that the roof trusses are joined on top of it. due to the lack of interest in planning permission and building regulations I am unable to check the suitability of the current structure for flooring. so can someone tell me what i would require to do to floor the loft safely, I only intend to use the central 4m of the roof as the outer edges are too low. the floored area will be 5.5m x 4m. i think i need to upgrade to 6x2s however 12@ 8m will be expensive and heavy so is this required or can i possibly get the same results in a different manner, using less materials. i also plan to board the underside of the roof to create a little clean work place. adding insulation as well, as it is cold up there in the winter. thanks in advance maybe trusses is throwing people off, my roof is not made from factory constructed trusses, they have been put together on site, also there is a join in the centre of the building that would act as a hinge if it weren't supported by the internal wall, so the internal wall is definitly structural. i have no intention of cutting or removing anything as there is already plenty of space in the centre. all i am trying to do is to beef up the current structure to take the load of a floor a work desk a seat and storage etc.

A) The storage aspect isn't really a problem, unless you are going to lug really heavy items up there. Chipboard loft flooring (available at all DIY places) will spread the load across the joists (but be careful about access to the cables for the bedroom lights). It would be better to store things round the edges (nearer to the walls supporting the joists) than in the middle of the joist span. But your mini-office is a problem. In regulatory terms, it amounts to a "habitable room", which brings in the Building Regulations and all that they involve by way of headroom, access by staircase rather than loft ladder, means of escape in case of fire, window area and, of course, beefing up the joists. However, if you aren't bothered about the Building Regs, you could just lay two or three layers of chipboard across the central structural wall, to form a load-spreading raft for you and the desk or whatever you are putting in your workspace. But keep an eye open for cracks in your bedroom ceiling below the edges of the raft, caused by your banging around up there. And remember that the regulations aren't there just as a lot of bureaucratic hoops for you to jump through; they do set standards to reduce the risk to your life and limbs.

Is laminated flooring aloud in upstairs flats?

Q) Hi we live in cardboard wall houses, honestly the walls are terrible you can hear everything! to top it all of they have laminated flooring and they forget at times that their floor is our ceiling, are there anything that could sound proof between us? is laminated flooring acceptable in an upstairs flat? its doing my head in i cant even sit and watch tv when their banging down, their only renting and i have bought my home please HELP!

A) buy them slippers for xmas.......nice padded soles

laminate flooring?

Q) I was varnishing a door and some of the varnish must have spilled onto the laminate flooring. I walked through it and over the floor. How can i get this off?

A) Too bad you didn't act on it as soon as you noticed it. Paint thinner would have cleaned it right off. I assume it is dry by now but there is still hope. The varnish is still not fully cured as the finish on your flooring. Now this will take finess and patience but get a paint remover (not thinner) and lacquor thinner. Start with 4 parts lacquor thinner to 1 part paint remover and wet it lightly onto a clean cotton cloth. Rub lightly over the varnish and see if any come off. If not leave a thin film of the solution on the varnish and let it set for 5 minutes then try rubbing again. If it doesn't do anything, decrease the ratio, 3 to 1 next and try again. Good luck.

what flooring should i go for?

Q) i've just painted my room 'violet white' which is basically just white with a little bit of light purple for colour. now for the floor! i'd prefer carpet as it's warmer than wooden flooring, but what colour would go well with the walls? bold or neutral? suggestions please!

A) wood flooring always looks stylish and a big area rug with hints of purple in it would look darling but if your heart is set on carpet maybe a really lightish cream burber? You can get remnants really cheap some places if your room is relativley small. Hope this helps!

laminate flooring?

Q) i want to put my laminate flooring down, but not a 100% sure on what tools i need and where to get them from and how to put the flooring down, is there a web site that can give me step by step instructions on how to do it?

A) If you are putting it down on a concrete floor, you will need a waterproof pvc liner - then flooring boards (b&Q do square green cardboard ones - a bit like an underlay for a carpet - to keep the surface level and insulated. At DIY stores you can also buy a block with grooves in it - to fit over the laminate edges - which helps you to gently tap each board into place next to each other. Some boards slide together, others "click" - the click ones can be more troublesome as you have to align three sides at once, but even though technically you are not supposed to need a block with the click types, i find it useful to get everything in place. Be careful in going around corners - measure them carefully - you can get a tool which looks a bit like a comb - but a comb where the teeth move in and out - so you can put it around, for example, a door corner, and it will make a perfect imprint of that corner for you to transfer to the laminate plank and cut out - to minimise bad cuts. Take your time and you;ll find it quite straightforward - good luck!

laminate flooring?

Q) can i lay laminate flooring on the second floor? i don't like carpet, want to get rid of them and replace it.

A) yes you can. Istrongly suggest putting down the wheather/sound barrier underneath. I know someone who didn't and it is extremely loud downstairs when there is any activity upstairs.

How can i change my laminate flooring to a white kind of floor?

Q) my living room is has laminate flooring but i would like to change it to white flooring permenantly. what is the best way to do this? i saw this item in ikea called floor lining would that work?

A) The lining actually goes under the laminate - so it wouldn't work. You would need to either paint the laminate with a primer then white floor paint - which is actually not a bad look - but you can't really use the floor until the paint cures - which is a few weeks, plus you will need to repaint every few years.

Laying Wooden Flooring?

Q) Is it easy to lay wooden flooring through my flat. All the rooms are pretty square ish - do i need to use a jigsaw or would a normal saw do? Oh - and where can i get the cheapest wooden flooring? But that still looks good? Cheers

A) Did mine with a normal saw and got my flooring from IKEA. 2 rooms (smallest 6 square meters) including underlay and beading for £200 (and i didnt pick the cheapest flooring either). Start from the longest wall to make it look straight. To enlarge a room start on a wall that runs away from the window or door To shrink a room start on the window wall Use a laminate that is strong enough to last (if its a hallway then get hard waring, bedrooms can be cheaper laminate) Real wood is VERY expensive, laminates can work just as well at a fraction of the price.

Carpet underlay for wood flooring?

Q) Hi! I'm changing my floor from carpet to wood flooring. Can my old carpet underlay be used for wood flooring too? (The underlay is still in good condition) Thanks in advance! Ed

A) yes i used mine and it actually gives the new floor a spongy effect and helps to keep it warm. Good luck and hope you dont swear as many times as i did

Solid oak flooring?

Q) We are going to replace our current old wood floor boards and we like stained oak planks. Does anyone have this type of solid wood oak flooring - I want to know just how well it wears - will it mark easily (stilettos etc;) it will be laid in our lounge and dining room and a small hallway so fairly heavy traffic areas.

A) A perfect choice. Oak is a very strong wood. Just make sure your contractor will supply you with the best, with a fairly uniform grain pattern. Ask for a moisture test on the wood. As for a installation warranty as well. Maintenance is low even on high traffic areas. Used 4 inches x 8 feet x 1 inch thick (finished) planks on my floor 12 years ago. No polyU coating. No stain applied but asked the contractor to apply sanding sealer and had two coats of bees wax rubbed, the second coat done after 6 months. The wax seals the wood grain for good and has kept the floor glossy but not slippery.

Flooring???

Q) I am still remodeling my home from Hurricane Katrina. My front front room flooring is tile, but whoever put it down GLUED it down. I have tried using a floor scraper, to no avail. The easiest way is to get down on the floor with a hammer, and a hand scraper, and beat it half to death until it gives.....which where's me out quickly. So, if ANYONE knows how I can get this floor up in an easier fasion please contact me. Thank you , Starr

A) it`s put down with floor adhesive and you need to get adhesive remover you put in on and use a floor scraper and scrap in off or you can do it, another way take a torch and heat the tiles and scrape them up .. any thing that takes the tile up ,is going to be hard work... you can also try paint remover ,leave it on 2-3 hours and scrape and see if it works. good luck.

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Sub Flooring...?

Q) We have a connecting floor from the kitchen into the living room only seprated by the archway & floor saddle. I want to put a new kitchen floor down & was told to throw 1/2 inch plywood on top of exsisting floor and then cover the plywood w the armstrong vinal flooring. It all makes sense, but im worried about where the living room & kitchen floors meet, the kitchen floor will be half inch higher. I really dont want a little 'step' when entring one room from another. Is there a special saddle for this half inch difference? Is half inch plywood to thick? If so, what should I use instead?. I hope i explained my problem & delema correctly. thank you all in advance ...Doug

A) you can use 1/4 in plywood and not have as high a step up

Can prefinished hardwood flooring be installed over self-stick vinyl floor tiles (for a 3rd floor bedroom)?

Q) Third floor remodel; currently exists a subfloor. Due to cost we're thinking about installing self-stick vinyl floor tiles first, and maybe in about two years install prefinished hardwood floors. We're wondering if we could save the step of pulling up the vinyl floor tiles when we're ready to install the prefinished hardwood flooring.

A) its a not attached to anything, so i don't see why not...

flooring adhesive removal?

Q) I lost the product name of the best low odor adhesive removal I ever used. Some years ago I worked with a friend to lay a tile floor. The adhesive was like rock under the old flooring. This stuff turned it mush with very little effort. It comes in gallon plastic jug. white with red writting. brush on thin coat then cover with plastic and the flooring adhesive turns to gell in a hour or two. These days I lay maybe 6 tile floors a year and as of yet have never found any thing as easy to use as this stuff was. if you can help that would be great.

A) Hope this is it I looked and looked! Klean-Strip Floor, Porch & Deck Stripper Project StepsFile Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML long-handled sidewalk scraper or floor hoe to scrape loosened adhesive. Any stripper that is still liquid can be pushed into the next 9 sq. ft. area and ... www.kleanstrip.com/Removing%20Adhesive%20with%20Klean-Strip%20Adhesive Im pretty sure this is it--it says "cover the stuff with a plastic drop cloth".Happy stripping!

Wood Flooring?

Q) I am planning on installing wood flooring onto a floor that is a concrete slab. One installer says to put engineered flooring on the floor in a floating method and/or glued. The other says to use 3/4 solid flooring nailed down. Any help?

A) Flooring obviously cannot be nailed over concrete without building a screed or wooden subfloor on top of it. You're going to want to glue down or float. Now, 5/16", 3/8", and 1/2" solid and engineered hardwood can be glued or floated. However solid wood is not recommended for any below grade application and will not be covered by warranty if the slab is a basement. Of the two methods, I much prefer glue down hardwood over floating. The floor has a more solid feel and will not flex when you walk on it. Engineered hardwood is different than solid in that it is made of 3, 5, or 7 layers of real wood, instead of one. This does not mean that the floor cannot be refinished but it does limit sanding to one time only.

Laminate Flooring Underlayment?

Q) Is this a necessity? Will laminate flooring become damaged over time if an underlayment isn't used? The previous owner of this home installed a wood floor in the living room without an underlayment so if I want to use a flat transition between this floor and the floor I'm going to put in the next room I'll have to leave it out to keep the floors level. If I chose a cheap foam underlayment how thick will it be? Thanks.

A) by laminate i assume you mean an interlocking pre- finished wood or wood composite flooring. underlayment ( vapor barrier) is nearly always used when applying the flooring over a concrete slab surface. not so much as when it is applied on an elevated floor ( raised foundation) The purpose of the underlayment (which is usually plastic or foam) is to keep moisture (from Below) from permeating the flooring causing warpage and damage over time. any good floor installer will use an underlayment regardless. if your problem is with underlayment thickness at the very least you should lay down heavy gauge plastic as your vapor barrier. the foam underlayment is also effective , but was primarily designed for a quieter walking surface. hope this helps

Bathroom floors: Tiles or vinyl flooring, which is safest? More slippery? Leak less?

Q) We have a large bathroom which also serves as a clothes washing room--washer and dryer, bathtub-shower combination, and a toilet. Which is safer/better for the FLOOR: vinyl or tiles? Right now we have vinyl flooring. It is somewhat slippery when wet. What about tiles, are they more slippery? We are on the 3rd floor. Do tiles leak? I'm thinking the cement stuff will eventually leak, especially if the wash machine over flows or something. We never had leaking with the large vinyl floor we now have. Cost is not a concern--lots of sales going on right now! Thanks for any input! The vinyl flooring is two huge sheets of vinyl, not vinyl tiles, connected with one long glued strip.

A) water proofing is done on the concrete flooring. so dont worry if which is not to leak. make sure you have a good waterproofing in your bathroom before installing tiles. ceramic tiles are more suitable for the job as it may prevent water from sipping in your concrete. there are wall and floor tiles so better ask for help in your local DIY salesperson and also, there are floor tiles that are made for bathrooms the one that is not slippery. ceramic tiles are also easy to clean and would last long compared to vinyl tiles which is not suitable to wet areas as it would tend to separate from your concrete flooring when wet

standard bamboo flooring versus strand woven bamboo flooring? Any opinons?

Q) I have been reading alot about the downsides of bamboo flooring...besides their purported strength people are finding out they dent easily and stratch easier yet. But them I found out some information about Strand Woven Bamboo flooring and seems twice everything that standard bamboo flooring purports to be...anyone have experience with strand woven bamboo flooring (any brand?)????

A) Hi, I am a commercial interior designer and we have had a lot of interest in Bamboo floors within the past two years. There is one major difference between bamboo planks and bamboo woven planks and that is the environment. All wood dents and scratches easily but it depends on how it is sealed. If you seal Bamboo correctly with a UV and aluminum oxide coating it will perform just like a regular sealed hardwood. Bamboo woven planks are actual strips of bamboo that are glued together to form planks. The glue factor totally takes away from the environmental aspect of bamboo. Also, the bamboo strand plank uses the same sealant as regular bamboo planks. When you really compare both products the difference between the two comes down to the appearance of both materials. Here are two websites that will explain in more detail: Bamboo Planks: http://www.teragren.com/why_teragren_flooring.aspx Bamboo Woven Planks: http://www.bamboomountain.com/flooring_fuse.htm

standard bamboo flooring versus strand woven bamboo flooring????

Q) I have been reading alot about the downsides of bamboo flooring...besides their purported strength people are finding out they dent easily and stratch easier yet. But them I found out some information about Strand Woven Bamboo flooring and seems twice everything that standard bamboo flooring purports to be...anyone have experience with strand woven bamboo flooring (any brand?)????

A) Hi, as we know if you use bamboo as strucutre material, it is indeed very strong, like steel, but if you use it as decorating material, it just likes medium wood, such as oak, maple etc.. So, bamboo will be dented and scratched like medium wood. As we know all bamboo floor now on market is made by "Moso", one species of bamboo, its scientific name is Phyllostachys pubescens, the density of it is about 0.68, but with a different way to use Moso creates strand woven board, the density is about 1.2, so as we see such "heavy" material of course has better property than common bamboo, higher rigidity on surface, more stable in dimension, bigger strength...