Controlling Humidity Levels To Avoid Flooring Problems

Because it is a natural product, hardwood floors respond to temperatures and humidity levels in your home. For example, when the humidity level in your home is high, wood flooring expands. On the other hand, when humidity levels drop, the flooring in your residence will contract.

The reality is that this cycle of expanding and contracting can actually cause unnecessary and damaging wear and tear to your wood floors over time if the levels are extreme enough. There are tactics that you can and should consider employing to address the issue of rising and lowering humidity levels in your home as a means of prolonging the life and luster of your hardwood floors.

Install Humidity Controls Before Placing Hardwood Floors
If you are planning installing hardwood floors, you can be proactive when it comes to rising and lowering humidity levels. Before you have your hardwood floors installed in your residence, you can first have a humidity control system added to your home.

This type of system is the only real way in which you can garner continuous and reliable control over fluctuating humidity levels. Although there are some other strategies that can be employed to control humidity levels in your residence, an automated system is your best bet. Once it is programmed, it really does all the work for you.

Optimal humidity in a residence is between 40 and 60 percent. If it deviates beyond this zone, hardwood flooring can be impacted in a negative manner.

Controlling Humidity in Wintertime
In the wintertime, particularly when the heater is on in the residence. humidity levels drop. When humidity levels drop, wood contracts. This can result in gaps between the planks of a hardwood floor.

If the home lacks a humidity control system, a portable humidifier can be placed in the room or rooms that hard hardwood flooring. In the alternative, in the absence of an installed humidity control system, a humidifier can be added to the furnace.

Controlling Humidity in Summertime
In the summertime, humidity levels can rise significantly inside a home. Humidity levels can rise as high as 90 percent in some instances based upon your home’s location.

High humidity results in an expansion of wood. It can result in planking, as has been discussed. If this persists, the wood planks that make up a wood floor can lose their integrity and become damaged permanently.

In the absence of a humidity control system, a homeowner should look at installing a dehumidifier to control rising humidity levels.

Dealing with Floor Cupping
Cupping is the ultimate problem you may experience with hardwood floors when you have humidity issues in your home. Cupping occurs when hardwood floors bows up, usually rather slightly, but noticeably.

In addition to humidity being a potential cause of cupping, it can also be caused by a plumbing leak, usually in the basement under the floor. In most cases, cupping corrects itself when the source of the moisture, a leak or humidity issue, is corrected.

If cupping is more than minimal, some additional work may be need to be done on the floor in order to restore it to a normal condition. It may need to be sanded and refinished. Keep in mind, however, that the floor must be completely dry before the restorative processes are commenced.

Domestic Versus Exotic Wood Flooring
A homeowner needs to keep in mind that some of the more exotic types of wood flooring is more susceptible to cupping and other problems associated with variable humidity levels. Domestic woods tend to be heartier and less susceptible to significant issues associated with humidity fluctuations.

Contact a Flooring Specialist
If you find yourself having problems controlling your interior environment in your home, do not hesitate to consult a specialist. You invested a good deal of money in your hardwood floors. You do not want your floors to suffer permanent damage because of an issue like humidity levels that truly can be regulated and controlled.

Your Health and Humidity
There is a major side benefit to getting humidity levels under control beyond taking care of your hardwood floors. A constant humidity level is believed to improve the health of residents in a home. This includes lowering the incidence of lung related issues and other maladies like the cold and flu.

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Three key types of hardwood flooring

There are three key types of hardwood flooring: solid, longstrip, and engineered.

Solid wood floors are typically a single plank of wood, with “tongues” and “grooves” that allow the pieces to connect. Solid floors are extremely moisture sensitive, and generally nailed down to ward off humidity fluctuations. As we’ve discussed before, seasonal moisture shifts cause wood to contract and expand—cold weather causes wood to shrink, while more humid climates cause wood to expand. Because of this, expansion space should be considered when placing your planks.

Longstrip and engineered floors share a key trait: both are composed of multiple sheets (called “plies”) of wood pieced together to create a single plank. For longstrip flooring, the core of the piece is usually a more pliable, softer wood. The top layer, however, can be any number of hardwood species. Longstrip production creates an interesting effect—a board a few planks wide and many planks long. Each piece resembles a single preassembled chunk of the floor. One advantage of longstrip floors is that they’re easily replaced if they’ve suffered irreparable damage.

The layers which make up Engineered floors are arranged in opposing directions. This is often known as “cross-ply” construction. This method effectively guards the flooring against moisture-related problems. The planks’ arrangement causes the expansions and contractions to counter one another, limiting or reducing the amount of cupping and crowning a floor can exhibit when exposed to differing levels of humidity. Engineered floors are versatile, allowing them to be installed in any part of the home whether it be the basement or directly on slab. These floors can be stapled, glued, nailed, or even floated over existing subfloors.

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How To Clean Granite Countertops

Cleaning Granite Countertops: A Step By Step Guide

So you have your beautiful new granite kitchen countertops, but how can you keep them looking new and shiny for years to come? Even some of the strongest materials around need care from time to time, and granite kitchen countertops are no exception. In this post we look at some of the most common and suggested practices for cleaning and maintaining your granite countertops.

Prolonging your countertops:

Careful and regular cleaning will prolong the life and shine of your granite worktops. To avoid discolouration, prepare all meals on a chopping board and use trivets for hot pans. Using coasters under all glasses and cups will also help to prevent stains on your granite worktops. Whilst granite is a very durable and scratch resistant stone, if it does scratch, it is best to have it repaired by a professional.

Dos:

• Make sure your granite worktops have been sealed thoroughly in order to avoid oils, spills or stains soaking into the work surfaces. To check whether your granite worktop has been sealed, leave a few drops of water on the surface. If the water soaks into the granite after a few minutes then it may be time to reseal the stone.
• Wipe up any spills as soon as they are noticed, particularly if they are alcoholic, acidic or hot oily liquids.
• When cleaning your worktops use warm water, a mild dishwashing liquid and a microfibre cloth.

Don’ts:

• Don’t use harsh or abrasive cloths. Whilst granite is a highly durable material it is still possible to scratch the surface if you are not careful.
• Avoid using acidic cleaning products such as vinegar or chemical products such as bleach and ammonia as these can damage the colour of your stone.
• Avoid leaving fresh fruit or alcohol based products on your worktops for long periods of time as this can etch and dull the stone.

The cleaning process:

In high traffic areas such as the kitchen, wiping down your granite worktops on a daily basis can help prevent stubborn stains, and maintain the natural beauty and shine of the stone. Cleaning your worktops is easy, simply follow these steps:

• Fill your sink with warm water and add a few drops of mild dishwashing liquid, then thoroughly wet a clean dish cloth
• Wipe down your worktops thoroughly.
• Using a microfibre cloth or soft towel, dry and buff your granite worktops in order to avoid streaking.
• Shine and disinfect your worktops with a water and isopropyl alcohol solution. Mix together a 50:50 solution of water and 91% isopropyl alcohol into a spray bottle. Spray onto the granite surface and allow to sit for 5 minutes, then rinse with water and wipe down with a clean microfibre cloth. This will remove excess soapy water and periodically disinfect your granite worktops, restoring their natural shine.
• Enjoy the look of your lovely, clean worktops

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How to protect hardwood floors from rolling office chairs?

Are you concerned about the appearance of your hardwood floors becoming ruined by office chairs? This is a legitimate concern for many hardwood floor owners who enjoy sporting hardwood floors in their office, either at work or even at home.

Rolling office chairs undoubtedly overtime will leave marks on your hardwood floors unless you take proactive steps in an effort to prevent this issue from occurring. Scuff marks are the number one issue, which occur from wear and tear moving back and forth, especially if your chair has hard casters on it.

Follow our advice below to prevent shredding your hardwood floor from rolling office chairs.

1. Check Your Chair’s Casters/Wheels

Check out your chair’s casters, or wheels, and see if they feel hard or not. Chances are they will be hard as most are made from hard plastic or hard nylon.Replacing them with a softer alternative is what we recommend. Softer alternatives include rubber, urethane, and neoprene options. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully in order to replace your casters.If this is too daunting of a task, then we have an easier approach you could try. Place a layer of duct tape around the caster’s circumference and this will lesson the impact on the floor.

2. Utilizing Area Rugs or Chair Mats

Look in to purchasing a chair mat for your rolling office chair. This will keep the wheels on the mat and off of your hardwood floors. If you find yourself moving your chair around often and in wide space, then consider purchasing a larger area rug instead. Rugs of woven material are recommended.

3. Maintenance

Maintenance goes a long way. By consistently keeping your floors clean from debris, as well as your chair’s rollers or casters, very little damage will happen to your floors. Combine this with the other 2 options we suggested above and your office floors will shine for many years!

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DIY Mosaic Tile Backsplash

Creating a beautiful mosaic tile backsplash is one of the quickest ways to give your kitchen an attention-grabbing upgrade.This easy DIY mosaic tile backsplash is gorgeous, easy to maintain, and simple to DIY. Plus, it can be a big help in protecting walls from spills and water damage.

Here’s the step-by-step tutorial to create your own easy DIY mosaic tile backsplash.

Step 1: Measure Your Wall
To determine the amount of tile you’ll need, calculate your wall square footage by measuring the space and multiplying the width by the height.

Next, add an additional 10 percent to the total to cover small gaps and possible mistakes.

Step 2: Clear Your Workspace
Remove all appliances and cookware from your countertop. Depending on your design, you may need to disconnect your stove and move it away from the wall. Follow your manufacturer’s instructions for proper handling. Next, shut off the power to all electrical outlets or light switches in your workspace and remove the faceplates.

Place a layer of cardboard over your countertop to protect it from debris, and use painter’s tape to cover the edges of your countertop, the underside of your cabinet, and any other surfaces you want to keep clean.

Step 3: Prep the Wall
To prevent hidden damage from showing up later, it’s important that you inspect and repair your kitchen walls before installing your backsplash.

To clean your walls, fill a large bucket with mild soap and water for rinsing. Painted walls can be wiped down with trisodium phosphate and sanded gently, while glossy surfaces are typically sanded. Make sure to check the wall behind the stove for any oil or grease stains. These should be cleaned with degreaser or primer for extra tough stains. Allow all surfaces to dry completely before continuing on to the next step.

Step 4:Tile Setting Mat

Tile Setting Mat is a peel-and-stick material that replaces mortar or adhesive when applying tile to a wall. It’s easier to use and much less messy than troweling on mortar.You’ll roll the Mat out on the wall, then trim the material with scissors or a utility knife and then press it on the wall. Make sure to flatten out any air bubbles and creases.

Step 5: Lay the Tile
First, clean the back of the Mosaic Tile with a damp sponge and then let it dry completely before setting. Remove clear plastic from Mat and lightly set tile into place using tile spacers. Adjust tiles as needed to ensure it’s level and press firmly into place.

If the space between the top row of tiles and the cabinetry is greater than an inch, use the tile cutter to cut extra tile pieces to fit the space.

Step 6: Grout the Tile
Make sure to grout within 24 hours of setting the tile over tile setting mat. Put on your gloves and apply grout with float and spread evenly at a 45-degree angle. After 2-4 minutes use a grout sponge to lightly shape and smooth the grout joints.

Step 7: Clean the Backsplash
Wipe residue first with a wet sponge and then with a damp microfiber cloth to remove any excess residue.

Wait 24 hours before using the surface.

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How to Protect Your Floors/Furniture from Exposure to Sunlight

If you’ve ever had an upholstered sofa or a decorative rug in front of a window and noticed it fading more and more each year, you know what direct sunlight can do to your furniture and belongings. You might not realize that it can actually even change the color of your wood floors and bleach your artwork and family portraits. Sun damage isn’t only unsightly, though. It is also costly and will likely force you to replace your rugs and other home furnishings more often. While you might not be able to slather a layer of sunscreen on your sofa, there are a number of preventive measures you can take to ward off sun damage. Use these tips to protect your belongings and save yourself a little money while you’re at it.
What Is the Best Form of Protection?

Obviously, some measures of protection are relatively common sense, such as keeping your curtains closed and blinds drawn. However, if you’re like most of us and don’t want to feel like you’re living in a dungeon, you may want to consider other options.

Windows – One of your first lines of defense is your windows themselves. If you are in the process of building a new home or upgrading your windows in your existing home, a great option for your windows is laminated or low-e coated glass. Some manufacturers claim their products made with this type of glass can filter as much as 99 percent of harmful UV radiation. Keep in mind, though, that this option may cost more than traditional windows.

Window Film – Window film is another option to consider if you’re not in the market for replacing all of your windows. Not only does this film filter UV light, but it also makes windows resistant to breaking and facilitates less heat loss. If your main concern is sun damage, then focus on UV protection when you are selecting films. You can purchase window film from a local home improvement center and install it yourself, or have a professional complete the install.

Floor Protection – Sun exposure lightens certain types of wood and darkens other. Be sure to move furniture around regularly so as to create more even sun exposure throughout the room. Likewise, consider applying a sun-resistant sealant on your wood floors. Depending on the type of floors you have and the look you’d like to achieve, you can use varnish, lacquer, polyurethane, or shellac. There are also several wax and oil finishes that will protect your wood floors.

Carpet and Rug Maintenance – Rugs and carpets are also highly susceptible to sun damage. You may want to consider applying a spray-on protector, though their efficacy has come under debate in recent years. Likewise, rotating your rugs and moving furniture around periodically can help equalize fading.

While you may not be able to completely eliminate sun damage to your floors and furniture, you can prevent and reduce a great deal of it. Follow these tips to minimize damage and keep your floors and furniture as pristine as possible for as long as you can.

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