The Floor Guide

One thing that annoys me about hardwood floors is when the trim and transition pieces do not match the floor. For example, my mother spent $4000 on a wood floor by Bruce Hardwood and the trim pieces are all different colors. Yes, that’s right not only do they not match the floor but they do not match each other. The reason is simple. The retailer buys the trim from Bruce, who pre-stains the wood to fit a wide color range so they do have to stock several different colors of trim. In the end, the floor looks wrong.

The solution is to demand that the retailer use unfinished trim and transition pieces. Then have the installer stain that on the job site so you can ensure they match. This practice is common place so do not be afraid to ask, like my mom. Remember trim pieces are installed to cover gaps between the baseboards and the floor. They should not detract from the beautiful of your floor.

Can you guess what project I am working on this weekend? It will be worth it. After all I have not had my mom’s lasagna in a while.

To continue the current series, I would like to discuss one of the hottest flooring trends; exotic hardwood. Designers and consumer agree that exotic hardwoods offer a unique and beautiful finish without sacrificing functionality. These woods, like Brazilian Cherry or Patagonian Rosewood, are imported from South America, Asia, Africa, and Australia.

The drive behind the popularity of this category is clearly the desire of the consumer to posses a floor that makes a statement. Exotic hardwoods provide the consumer more diversity of color and grain. By comparison, traditional hardwood floors have become somewhat passé. After all, how many more homes can be built with gunstock oak? Boring!

If you want your floor to make a statement, exotic hardwood flooring is a beautiful option.

Area Rugs – Art for your floor

The trend toward hardwood floors is holding strong in these early months of 2009. So, I thought it appropriate to discuss area rugs. With the vast array of area rugs in the market, you will be able to find one to suit your taste. Designers I have talked to recommend that homeowners should think of area rugs as art for their floor. They recommend that you be bold and choose area rugs with passionate colors that make a statement.

I recommend wool area rugs. They are both beautiful and durable. You can expand your choices by looking at wool carpets and having one bound to make an area rug. My insiders tip is to look at a company called Tai Ping. They are fantastic. You can find their wool carpets in places like Buckingham Palace, Ritz Carlton’s, and the Casino de Monte-Carlo and in fine homes around the world. Now, you might think that it is out of your price range. Well compared to Persian Rugs and the expected life of the rug, the price of Tai Ping is a bargain. Karastan is another brand that has a great line of area rugs or carpets that can be made into an area rug.

Be bold, make your floor a work of art.

With the holiday’s season upon us, I thought it would be appropriate to pass along tips for keeping your floor clean after all the spills and muddy boots. In this report, I am focusing on Carpet and Hardwood since these surfaces require extra maintenance when cleaning holiday spill and stains like gum or crayon. With tile and vinyl, the cleaning procedures generally remain the same.

To be prepared for all stains your carpet could endure this holiday season, you should have the following:

White cloths or white paper towels so you can see the stain transfer

A detergent solution mix of mild liquid detergent with water; no more than 1/4 teaspoon of detergent to 32 ounces of water is recommended. For the detergent, a clear, non-bleach liquid dishwashing detergent is the proper choice. Clear detergents rinse clean from the carpet fibers.

Non-oily nail polish remover

Chewing gum remover (freeze or solid type)

Spot Remover: Use spot removers designed specifically for grease, oil, or tar.

Now that we have our stain and soil fighting weapons in place, let’s look at how to apply them.

Soda, Beer, Wine, Egg Nog, etc…

You will want to absorb as much as possible with white towels. Then blot the stained area with white towels dampened with cool water until there is no more transfer of the stain onto the towels. If any of the stain remains, use the detergent solution. Apply lightly onto the spot and blot repeatedly with white towels. Rinse thoroughly by spraying with clean water, and then blot or extract. Do not use too much detergent because the residue will contribute to rapid re-soiling.

Gum, Candle Wax, etc…

Freeze things or stains, such as chewing gum and candle wax, with ice or a commercially available product in an aerosol can. Shatter with a blunt object and vacuum before the chips soften.

Then proceed with the following: Blot as much as possible with white paper towels. Apply the special oil and grease spot remover to a paper towel and repeat blotting. Do not pour or spray the spot remover directly on the carpet pile, as damage to the backing or adhesive underneath could result; use the towels to transport the solvent to the carpet. Repeat as often as necessary.
Also use the detergent solution. Then, rinse with clean water and then blot.

Crayons

Blot as much as possible with white paper towels. Apply the special oil and grease spot remover to a paper towel and repeat blotting. Do not pour or spray directly on the carpet pile, as damage to the backing or adhesive underneath could result; use the towels to transport the solvent to the carpet. Repeat as often as necessary. Then use the detergent solution. Finally, rinse thoroughly by spraying with clean water, and then blot or extract.

Hardwood

For cleaning, make sure you…
Use a damp cloth to blot spills and spots as soon as they happen. For tough spots, such as oil, paint, markers, lipstick, ink, tar, or cigarette marks, use acetone/nail polish remover on a clean white cloth, then wipe with a damp cloth. Always avoid allowing liquids to stand on your floor.

Candle wax

When candle wax drips on your hard floor, it can seem impossible to get every last bit. However, it really isn’t that difficult. If the wax is still wet, use an ice cube to cool and harden it. Then use a plastic spatula, or dull knife to remove the wax. Finally, spread at least a dozen layers of paper towel over the affected area and run a warm iron over the towels. The wax will soften and seep into the towels. If the paper towels saturate through, be sure to change them to prevent damage to your iron.

I was reading an article on green flooring and wanted to discuss the options in hardwood.  Hardwood is increasing in popularity with great environmentally friendly options.  The three main options are bamboo, cork and lyptus. 

Bamboo: Bamboo is actually a grass product harvested in China and Southeast Asia. It grows extremely fast- regenerating without need for replanting or fertilizers!

Cork: Harvested predominantly in the Mediterranean region of the world, cork flooring is made from the compressed bark of the cork tree. No trees are cut down at all! Cork is only harvested every 9-12 years without any harm to the tree.

Lyptus: a flooring product that is a hybrid of two species of eucalyptus trees. The trees grow to full size in less than 25 years and are being used extensively in replanting the rain forests of South America. 

If you are looking for a great “green” wood floor, these species will provide you with the beauty of hardwood and will help reduce the environmental impact. 

You can also find the traditional hardwood looks such as oak, maple, hickory, etc in certain laminates and engineered products.  In Shaw’s Epic Line, for example, there are beautiful traditional wood products that have wonderful eco-friendly properties.  

The timeless, graceful look of hardwood is perfect for your dining room, kitchen, living room and almost any other room in your home; your options are limited only by your imagination.  There are also great eco-friendly options that make your choice green as well as beautiful.  The two main considerations are grain and hardwood construction. 

The grain is the style of the wood.  From dramatic to sparse, grain variations give wood its look and feel.  The grain combined with the color gives you an incredible range of stylish options. 

Choosing the correct construction will make your floor last by placing the right floor in the right place.  Solid wood floors are made from a single piece of wood and can be placed at or above grade.  Engineered wood is made from several layers of wood.  Engineered wood is humidity resistant and can be placed on any level. 

From a design standpoint, explore the different widths of the boards to create a beautiful floor that has character.  When shopping, have the retailer pull out different widths and lengths of the wood you like so you can get an impression of what your design will look like.  Do not rely solely on the sample on the rack.