Showing posts with label Laminate flooring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Laminate flooring. Show all posts

Wednesday, 23 October 2013

Laminate Floor Covering Needs To Be Cleaned With Care

You would be surprised at how many different kinds of substances manage to find their way on to the floor and can often leave a stain. This means that each different stain needs to be handled in a separate manner and this will depend on the nature of the flooring you have installed. Laminate floor covering is a popular option and in particular laminate flooring in bathroom areas but this means that you need to be careful when cleaning the laminate flooring bathroom or otherwise. 

Some common stains and their solutions are;

  • Blood: Spray stain with window cleaner and wipe with a damp cloth.
  • Liquor: Dampen a cloth with warm water and detergent and rub spot. If that fails, try using a cloth dampened with denatured alcohol.
  • Grease: Apply an ice pack (a package of frozen vegetables will do in a pinch) until grease hardens, then gently scrape with plastic spoon or butter knife. Remaining residue should wipe away with a couple of squirts of window cleaner.
  • Crayon marks: Rub with a soft cloth dampened with mineral spirits. If that doesn’t work, apply toothpaste and rub with a dry cloth.
  • Nail polish: Use a small amount of scouring powder, warm water, and a plastic mesh pad. Work the scouring powder into a paste and apply, be careful not to rub too aggressively as it may scratch the finish.
  • Ink: Wet a rag with warm water and detergent and rub. If that doesn’t work, try a commercial ink remover.
  • Heel Marks and Scuffs: Rub the marks with a pencil eraser.
  • Chewing gum: Remove excess gum with plastic knife and rub residue with a soft cloth dampened with mineral spirits.
With the popularity of laminate flooring, commercial cleaners can be found at most of the larger grocery stores, supercentres or home improvement stores. However, if you are “thinking green” you can find environmentally friendly versions online. For a less expensive and environmentally safe alternative, try mixing 1/2 cup of distilled white vinegar with 1 gallon of water. This mixture should cut through most dirt and grime and leave your floors looking clean and streak-free.

Laminate flooring is a relatively new invention which has taken the world of floor surface covering by storm. Versatile, easy to maintain, and reasonably priced, some people consider this a “super material.” However there are a number of drawbacks when it comes to laminate flooring. It is important to understand the good, the bad, and the ugly, before making a final decision about whether to use this material in your home, or commercial properties.

The laminate floor installation of a laminate click together floor is one of the easiest do it yourself flooring projects you can undertake.. You just roll down a sheet of underlayment material, and then snap the planks or tiles of the floor into one another. An entire room can usually be finished in just a day or two. Laminate flooring for bathrooms is a popular option due to the fact that regular cleaning is easy to do.

Friday, 22 February 2013

Laminate Flooring is a Very Popular Alternative to the Traditional Carpets



There are those people who love the soft feel of a carpet underfoot and have grown up equating carpets with luxury. However, these days there are many people who are eschewing the traditional carpets in favour of laminate flooring due to the easier maintenance and for health reasons. This is because a carpet is bad news for those who suffer from allergies, especially dust allergies. 

Laminate flooring is a multi-layer synthetic flooring product fused together with a lamination process. Laminate flooring simulates wood stone with a photographic applique layer under a clear protective layer. The inner core layer is usually composed of melamine resin and fibre board materials. Many people think that it may be easier to install and maintain than more traditional surfaces such as hardwood flooring. It may also have the advantages of costing less and requiring less skill to install than alternative flooring materials. It is reasonably durable, hygienic and relatively easy to maintain. This last is why people use laminate flooring for bathrooms, since a carpet would start to smell when wet.

Another reason for the rising popularity of this flooring is the way that you can easily install it yourself and save a lot of money. There are just a few things that you will need to remember if you take on the task yourself, amongst which you need to keep in mind that:

·         Step 1: Stack the Laminate Flooring before Installation
·         Step 2: Clean the Subfloor, Remove Base Moulding
·         Step 3: Install the Vapour Barrier
·         Step 4: Trim the Door Jambs
·         Step 5: Install the First Row
·         Step 6: Install the Flooring    
·         Step 7: Install the Last Plank
·         Step 8: Install Thresholds and Base moulding

Temperature and humidity can affect flooring planks. Acclimate the flooring in the house for 48 hours before installation. Stack the laminate flooring being used flat on the floor. Remove any plastic wrapping from the boxes and leave air space around each box to allow air to freely circulate around them. Have about 10 per cent more flooring than the square feet of area of the room since you'll waste just a little when cutting some pieces.

It is important to keep laminate clean, as dust, dirt and sand particles may scratch the surface over time in high-traffic areas. It is also important to keep laminate relatively dry, since sitting water/moisture can cause the planks to swell, warp, etc., though some brands are equipped with water-resistant coatings, and these are ideal for laminate flooring in bathroom areas. Water spills aren't a problem if they're wiped up quickly, and not allowed to sit for a prolonged period of time.Adhesive felt pads are often placed on the feet of furniture on laminate floors to prevent scratching. When it comes to laminate flooring bathroom areas need to be kept dry to prevent warping. This is why it will pay for you to invest in good quality bathroom laminate flooring which will last a long time and still look pleasing to the eye.