Renovation House

10 Questions to Ask Your Hardwood Flooring Supplier

10 Questions to Ask Your Hardwood Flooring Supplier Before Purchasing
1. If there are any problems, who do I call?
Most flooring stores will be buying the flooring they are selling to you from a distributor who purchases the flooring from the manufacturer. Sometime, especially with products coming from overseas there is more than one distributor involved. In many cases if you have an issue with your flooring and complain to the retailer they will call the distributor and let them know there is a complaint, the distributor will tell the manufacturer there has been a complaint. In most cases the manufacturer will deny the complaint and if you are lucky they will even send a representative to deny your claim in person. Most retailers would correct a manufacturing problem to make their customers happy because they are the ones dealing with the customers face to face but in reality they do not have the final say unless they want to replace the flooring out of their own pocket. The manufacturer is so far removed from the actual client that they know it is better for their bottom line to deny the claims and assume they will never have to deal with the issue because they are so protected by their warranties. Picture a person at a desk with a pile of hardwood flooring claims on their desk with a big stamp that says “denied”.
2. How durable is the finish?
Durability is probably the most important things to consider when purchasing a prefinished hardwood floor. The finish is what you are actually walking on and must be very durable to have a beautiful lasting floor for years to come. Many imported prefinished floors have very little durability and the finish can be taken off with a few swipes of 150 grit sandpaper. When buying hardwood there are a few ways to test the finish: one would be to take 150 grit sandpaper and rub the finish to see if the finish will come off and two would be to firmly press the edge of a coin against the finish, a quality finish will dent but not come off. Quality manufacturers will have aluminum oxide or better yet titanium oxide hardeners in the finish. Many offshore manufactured products will say they have aluminum oxide in them but actually do not. To test if a hardwood floor has aluminum oxide in the finish simply put the sample in your microwave and if it sparks, it does indeed have aluminum oxide in the finish. I know that may seem a little strange but it’s something worth checking because hardwood flooring is a big investment and you want to know the durability of the finish.
3. What is the structural and surface warranty?
This is a very important part of choosing a hardwood floor. Anyone can put a 25, 30, or 40 year warranty on the finish of their product but the real question is; will they stand behind their warranty. Many large …

Renovation House

Planning Is Important With Any Home Improvement Project

Home improvement projects will help you make your home look different and increase the value. You will learn that it is very simple to do some improvements that will ensure a great look and value.

When planning a major home renovation project, hire a professional architect or designer to create your plans. Except in cases where you or someone you know personally who is advising you has professional experience in design and construction, you may not be satisfied with the DIY results. Someone who professionally designs will do it the right way and you will avoid any disaster.

If you’re revamping the room, use light or white tile or other material. This lighter color deflects the sun’s rays rather than absorbing them, and this reduces heat in your attic. This alone can make a big difference in your bills.

If you use motion sensor lights instead of regular porch lights, you will lower your electric costs. Depending on the brand you choose, you may be able to decide on the sensitivity and lighting time frames.

If you use mud for drywall you can put texture on your walls and hide problems. It is easy to texture walls. You only need to apply the drywall mud to the wall and then press to add an interesting texture with a sponge, brush or crumpled up paper bag.

A decent drill is a critical tool that you’ll need for almost any sort of home improvement work. It lets you make the holes you need for driving screws and other fasteners. You should have a cordless, 9-volt power drill that come with a variety of drill bits and bits for Phillips and flat-head screws.

If you want to keep the toilet bowl clean, just add bleach from time to time. The bleach may stink for a bit, but germs will be killed and you will know that everything is as clean as can be. Reduce the unpleasant odor by selecting a scented bleach.

Even beginning home improvers can find benefit in fixing a leaky faucet. If you are able to find and repair these items quickly, it will minimize the amount of water that is wasted in your home each day. As such, the savings will end up in your pocket, not the water comapnies’ pockets.

Use hot glue in order to stick small items such as screws, bolts, and nuts to their containers. When you are trying to find just that one piece of hardware even the best of organized shop can present a problem. Written labels do not provide the instant visual cue that this method does.

Stop bugs from entering your home by sealing cracks. Caulk the baseboards, areas around windows and any other areas that require it. After your caulk is dry, the bugs will not be able to get in as easy, and your air will stay in better.

Hopefully, in reading this article, you have seen that you can in fact do this. If you take the advice …

Renovation House

Tips For Affordable Home Improvement Projects

It can be stressful to do home repair. It can be twice as stressful if you lack the ability to obtain a contractor. Since time is a major factor, it may be hard for you to do these improvements yourself. This is false, however. Your home repairs may not take that much time after all. Follow the advice in this article for no-nonsense tips and tricks on home improvement projects you can tackle yourself.

Stay as creative as possible when renovating your home. You could for instance create a wine cellar, a library or a shelving. When selling, people will be impressed by the luxury that was added to the home.

A thing to consider before stating a home project is the style and character of your neighborhood. A Victorian house is going to stand out blaringly on a block that only has saltbox cottages. A home that blends into the neighborhood will be easier to sell if you should decide to move.

Purchasing a full set of metal fixtures is one way to quickly uplift a bathroom’s look. You can buy bathroom fixtures such as towel racks and cabinet knobs in all kinds of different styles. Your local home improvement retailer will frequently offer a coordinated set of bathroom fixtures as a package deal that is very easy to install.

Add some protection to all of your floors before painting. If you don’t, you will have quite a mess on your wood floors or carpeting. A cheap way that this can be done is to employ the use of newspapers. You can use a plastic sheet or paint cloth to block your floor if paint splashes.

The kitchen is a great place to start a new home improvement project. First, mix TSP and water half and half and scrub the walls. This solution will help you get rid of stains and remove the paint. Re-paint in beige colors; you are going to be surprised at how different the room looks when you are finished.

Have a decent lighting fixture installed in all of the commonly accessed room; the new view can create a huge impact on how you view the walls and furniture. Having a room that’s well-lit with plenty of light can give a warm and inviting feeling. An additional lighting installation can brighten the room, but won’t always improve the appearance. Consider your decorations and choose accordingly. Adding light in dark spaces can make your home seem significantly more inviting.

If you are going for a serene atmosphere in your home, the color scheme should focus on light colors, including lighter shades of blue, purple, and green. Use cotton materials and linen in place of dark brocades and heavy patterns. Add some potpourri or scented candles in order to build an inviting, peaceful atmosphere.

It comes down to being stress-free and knowing that home improvement is well within your reach. It does not require a great deal of time to improve your home if you have the …

Renovation House

Home Improvement: Increase The Value Of Your Home

Accept that at some point, you may need to call in the help of a professional. This article will help you make an informed decision on what jobs you shouldn’t attempt on your own and which jobs are easily handled as a do-it-yourself project.

It’s expensive to refurnish a home. Add some spice to your home by buying vintage furniture. There may be hidden treasure among the used wares. They may need some refurbishing, but with a bit of elbow grease, can be a marvelous addition to your home furnishings.

New floor covering is a great way to update the look and feel of any room in your house. You have a choice of coverings to chose from these days with carpet, hardwood and tile all being viable options. Have a chat with a well-known flooring firm to ascertain what would work best for you.

Replacing a door’s hinge may be the best idea if it squeaks. Most hardware stores sell them. Remove the current hinge and replace it with the new one that you purchased. Make sure the hinges line up and slip in the pins.

If you’d like to maintain the appearance of your toilets, put a bit of bleach into the bowl. The bleach may have an unpleasant smell, but it will reduce the spread of germs and your risk of getting sick, in addition to giving you a clean and shiny toilet. Scented bleaches can help limit the smell.

Enjoying the project is important to any successful home improvement project. Although the project should be carefully and seriously undertaken, there is still room for having fun as you complete it. You may mess up if you aren’t enjoying yourself. Under these circumstances, it is probably best to consider hiring an actual professional.

A good thing to consider is to ask a professional’s opinion before you start out on your venture. The small cost of an initial consultation will seem nominal when compared to the costs of having a preventable mishap repaired. Always consult a professional when you are renovating your home for the best advice.

When you are planing to paint your house, either a wall, or the entire thing, it is important to first figure out how much paint you need. Don’t just glance at what you need to do and make a guess, you may end up spending too much money. Invest a few extra minutes and get the measurements correct so you know what to buy.

If you are working with brick, always get a few more than you need. Whenever you need to make a repair or add-on to the brick work, it may be hard to locate bricks that match up with the bricks you already have. Brick styles can change over time. Prevent difficulties in the future by purchasing extra brick with your original purchase.

Stick to the projects you can safely handle and hire professionals to do those that are beyond your skill level. With the right information and …