Renovation House

VOC Free Flooring

Laura

VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compounds. These are carbon based chemical compounds that vaporize under pressure. You may have seen or heard the words,” low VOC’s, or no “VOC’s describing different floor coverings, underlayments, and or adhesives. VOCs cannot be seen by the naked eye. They also aren’t detectable by odor as they don’t smell. But they are extremely hazardous to your health! Side effects are headaches, coughing, pneumonia, fatigue, asthma attacks, and have been linked to several others.
You may ask, “Where do VOCs come from?” Some options, like vinyl flooring, are made up of them. In wood flooring products like bamboo and laminate, VOC’s usually come from the adhesives or other additives. In such cases, it is possible to find VOC free products, so long as the manufacturer has not used VOC-emitting glues or finishes. With regard to plywood subfloors, there are alternative materials you can use, or you can investigate sealants to keep the gases from escaping into your living area… Wow, what a big risk it would be to have this in your home!
VOC’s are commonly found in most flooring materials, dry cleaning solvents, paint thinners and gasoline. Whether you know it, or not, VOCs pollute the air inside your home, causing poor air quality. If it seeps outdoors, it’s likely to damage groundwater and soil. These are very important factors to remember when you are shopping for flooring for your home. Make it a safe place for you and your family always read the labels for VOC free, or low VOC contents.
Carpet is a good example of high VOC exposure. Within the first few days of carpet installation it holds bacteria, and dust. A suggestion would be to keep your house well ventilated, open windows and doors during installation to lower the VOC’s.Other examples are Cork, Bamboo, and Vinyl flooring. All of them use some type of adhesive to install, it is a must to read your labels to check the VOC level, or use water based polyurethane. An alternative would be to use recycled hardwood flooring. This is actually a good “Green” way to go; otherwise they would be left to rot. Why waste wood that adds character to your home and is also VOC free?
Reclaimed wood flooring offers a truly distinctive choice when it comes to wood floors. Reclaimed and recycled wood reduces the demand for new wood and helps to conserve our forests and moderate the potential impacts of incremental logging upon the environment. Using recycled or salvaged wood is a socially and ecologically responsible decision. Hardwood flooring does not collect dust unlike carpet; this alone will cut down the VOC level. It is a quick fix with a dust mop, and you are dust free. This makes it a very healthy and logical choice for your flooring needs. The quality and life span of using solid wood out weighs carpet, or any laminated flooring option by a long shot. By sticking to low VOC, or VOC free flooring …

Basement Renovations

How to Clean Hardwood Floors

Laura

One of the best types of flooring is hardwood flooring that enhances the beauty of the interior of a house and adds style and attraction. It is one of the top used flooring systems because its material will lasts for many years and it is easy to clean. Using a vacuum cleaner is a most common way to clean the wooden floors but there are also some more good ways to clean hardwood floors. It is not at all a difficult task to clean hardwood floors but it is important to know the correct techniques in order to do it easily and quickly.
Following are some of the best ways of cleaning hardwood floors:
It is claimed by many experts that washing a hardwood floor with water is the simplest and easiest way and it usually does not cause damage to the wood. But you have to make sure that the floor should not be wet for a long time after cleaning. It should be dried out sooner rather than later. If there are holes or aberrations on the flooring, the water should not be allowed to go into these holes so it cannot start destroying the wood.
The floor ideally should not be made too wet or the water should not be splashed on the floor. In its place a mop could come to salvage. A wet mop would be a good option to have the dampening effect on the floor. It is important to remove the dust and debris before pulling the mop on the whole floor. Use a broom if it is manageable to clean off the dust or a use a vacuum cleaner.
Using a mixture of vinegar and water would also prove very helpful in cleaning hardwood floors. It is quite convenient and easy to do and it provides a great shine and cleanness to the floor.
Cleaning hardwood floor with wax also required at regular intervals to give shine to the lacquered floors. But some people tend to use it too many times, which is undesirable because it would mean spending a lot of wax to remove later.
There is also another effective way to clean a hardwood floor which is to boil some water and dip few black tea bags in it. Wait for the water to cool down and then dispense it in a cleaning bucket, take a mop, squeeze it and clean the floor.…

Home Contractors

Benefits of Floor Tiles

Laura

Are you looking for an alternative to carpets or wooden flooring in your home or office? If so it is worth taking a look at floor tiles. Many people are now looking to buy floor tiles for their home instead of conventional flooring options such as carpet, as floor tiles are often much more durable and can make a wonderful change to the interior design of any room in your home instantly.
Not only will floor tiles give your room an instant re-vamp, but they are often more affordable to lay than other flooring methods, and very simple to lay also. In terms of appearance, when you choose a tiled floor the list of options is almost endless. This is because there are so many different styles, colours, patterns and sizes of available for you to choose from, therefore whether you are looking for something unique to make your home stand out, or just want something stylish you are sure to find it easily.
There are many reasons why homeowners, and those updating properties, are choosing to tile the floors in their home. Some of which include the fact that they are extremely durable. The reason for this is they are often made from hard-wearing materials such as ceramic or even luxury materials such as marble. These materials do not scratch as easily as other material can such as wood, and do not stain like carpet would if something was split onto it.
Floor tiles are also very comfortable. This is actually a common misconception, as many assume that tiles are too hard; however they are brilliant for ensuring your floor is level, and actually provide a relieving sense of sturdiness.
When you choose floor tiles, you will also find they are waterproof. This is a very convenient quality, as your tiles will not become damaged or marked when water hits them, unlike other flooring types such as carpet, which can become damaged when wet.
As floor tiles are waterproof it also makes them very easy to clean, which is another benefit of using floor tiles. You can quickly clean your floor tiles, either using a sweeping brush to get rid of dust or debris, or you can even choose to use a conventional vacuum cleaner for an even quicker clean. To further clean your tiles you can quickly mop your floor with warm water and floor detergent for an instant glisten.
Conclusion
There are many reasons why tiling a floor is becoming a popular option for those who want a different flooring option to wood or carpets. They not only come in many different styles and colours, but they are easy to clean and can often cost less to lay than traditional flooring options.…

Home Improvement Contractors

Different Kitchen Backsplash Options

Laura

The area between your countertops and the bottom of your cabinets draws a lot attention, and can be a focal point of your kitchen renovation. The backsplash is both functional and decorative and deserves a lot of consideration when you are designing your new kitchen.
The backsplash is designed to protect the walls from water, grease, and other cooking foodstuffs that can damage a bare drywall surface. The backsplash should be a minimum of 4 inches above your countertops, but for an elegant look, the entire area between the counter and cabinet should be covered by your backsplash material. The waterproof surface of the backsplash not only protects the wall surface from damage, but it also makes your kitchen more sanitary by limiting the growth of mold and mildew associated with waterlogged surfaces.
You have a wide variety of choices for your backsplash material when you remodel your kitchen. It is important that your backsplash choice complements both your countertops and cabinets to display a consistent theme to your kitchen. The backsplash should tie the design elements of your kitchen together, and if it doesn’t, the entire feel of the kitchen just won’t be there.
Using rough, natural stone tiles in earth tones will give your kitchen an ‘Old World’ feel. Combined with natural wood cabinets and slab granite countertops, your kitchen will have an elegant feel to it. For a more contemporary look a sleek, stainless stain backsplash coupled with clean, smooth faced cabinets and a Corian surface countertop will fit the bill. Hand painted tiles to create a pattern or mural on your backsplash will give your kitchen a country or Mediterranean feel. You can use the same material for your backsplash that you use for your countertop for a modern sophisticated look. Glass block, metal sheets, or even cork can be other options that you can use for your backsplash material. You can be as extravagant or simple as you want with your backsplash material and design. If you are on a tight budget, there are a couple of ideas that you should consider. A cheap way to provide the protection that a backsplash provides your walls is a waterproof, vinyl wallpaper backsplash application. If you want the look of any more traditional backsplash, you can install your backsplash on the wall behind your sink only, and not worry about the surface on the other wall of your kitchen, or add the backsplash to those walls as your budget allows.
With all the design choices available for your backsplash, you should consult with a kitchen designer, who will help you make the right choices for the feel you are trying to achieve with your kitchen remodel. They will be able to assist you with your choice of material and the installation through the contacts that they have established. While the installation of most types of backsplashes in relatively straightforward, and can be accomplished by most do-it-yourselfers, an experienced installer will ensure that you have a professional looking …

Home Repair

Kitchen Cabinet Ideas – Affordable Ways to Give Your Kitchen a New Look

Laura

Every spring, most families find it the right time to also help their kitchen turn a new leaf. Hence, they try to think of a lot of kitchen cabinet ideas that would not be so expensive but still be able to implement some change to the overall look of the kitchen.
It is not kept from anyone that the cheapest way to do this is by just painting your old cabinets new. You must expect that through time, your cabinets may have built up enough amount of grease and grime that it would definitely need some thorough cleaning.
So one of the most effective kitchen cabinet ideas is to clean them first with an all purpose cleaner and give it some good amount of scrubbing. Then allow it to totally dry up. Before you start with the painting job, cover first all the other parts of the kitchen like the flooring, the countertops and other appliances for stain protection.
You can also settle for just giving your kitchen cabinets a brand new finish. Remember that refacing is a much convenient way to give your kitchen cabinet a fresh look. You can settle for the oak or maple finish if you want a traditional look since pine is a successful tool in bringing in a country feel to your home.
To change your kitchen cabinet hardware is also one of the most effective kitchen cabinet ideas that you can consider doing. The hardware in the kitchen can be found tarnished, damaged or outdated through time. This cannot usually be helped.
So if you would try to change the hardware, it can already have a new appeal. Just make sure that what you will get would still match and complement the original design of the cabinets and the kitchen. As a golden rule, remember always that dark toned hardware goes well with the light touches and finishes.
Another possible kitchen cabinet ideas is the replacement of kitchen countertops. If you still want to do this task yourself, then you can just simply resurface it with the use of some plastic laminate. This would even protect your countertop from the cuts that the kitchen knife can do each time chopping is done over it.
But if you have the budget, then do not hesitate to get someone to really replace the entire countertop for this would surely add aesthetic value not just to your kitchen but to your home.…

Basement Renovations

How to Effectively Insulate Drafty Windows

Laura

Sometimes if you’re on a budget, or maybe not be the home owner, you might pay little attention to the poor insulation that you have to live with, disregarding the discomfort and higher utility bills. You might feel that you cannot afford to do anything, or do not need to do anything as you are just renting, but you really need to pay attention to the power bill, which you alone are paying for.
If you have a real problem with air leaks, you must insulate drafty Windows or you will be paying through the nose for the pleasure of conditioning the outside air. If you live in an older home with inefficient windows, over a period of time they will warp ever so slightly due to the outside temperature and the action of the sun and will not fit the space they were intended for. Often, you will not be able to see any issue with the naked eye, but understand that unless you insulate drafty windows, the issue will be ongoing.
Don’t hold your breath if you are asking your landlord to replace windows in your property, no matter how good a relationship you might have. You can insulates drafty windows yourself and you do not have to spend all your budget doing so.
If you buy a selection of purpose made draft stoppers, you can fix the issue of window drafts quite simply. These flexible products are designed to fit any opening, are made to last a long time and are filled with ground corn cob, so are great insulators. These draft stoppers will pay for themselves time and again.
You can fit plastic to insulate drafty windows, if you don’t mind taking on a fairly significant project and dealing with the end results. Don’t forget, that you might not be able to open these windows after you finish and this might be an issue when that beautiful spring weather comes around.
Clean your windows before you think about putting plastic kits in places or you won’t be able to reach them to clean afterward. As you put the kit in place, carefully and slowly remove the paper backing and try to avoid any wrinkles. A hair dryer will heat the plastic and cause it to shrink into place, providing you with the tight fit that you are looking for.
Professional double glazing panel work is very expensive and can be as, or more expensive than actually replacing the windows themselves. If you are very ambitious you can remove the old window frames and put sealant in place before replacing, but this is not for the average person to take on.
You can insulate drafty windows the old-fashioned way and be far more effective, especially if you have limited funds available to you. Window and door draft stoppers are just perfect at keeping the draft at bay and maintaining the correct internal air temperature.…

House Improvements

Cut Costs Through Refacing Your Cabinets

Laura

If you’ve ever endeavored on a home improvement you know that the most important part is to have the right materials, the time, and plan to make an effective project. When you’re dealing with your home you don’t want to use the cheapest materials and cheat on time when you’re trying to increase the value of your home or just trying to improve the look of your home for you and your family. As you look into redoing your kitchen you want to make sure you have the best of all of these things. But most of us don’t have the money to pay a professional to come into our kitchen and tear it all out and put in brand new appliances, countertops, and cabinets.
Don’t worry if you can’t afford this because like the majority of us you can change the look of your kitchen just by refacing your cabinets and drawers. But again as you embark on the refacing project make sure you don’t go too cheap on your materials.
To determine if refacing is all your kitchen and maybe bathrooms need go through all the cabinets and drawers and do a thorough check. Check to see if the outsides are in good conditions without any chips or dents in the surfaces. Then you need to determine if you like the general layout of your cabinets. If you hate the setup of all your cabinets than you might have to think about investing into tearing down your current cabinets and reinstalling new ones into the arrangement that you prefer. But as long as you like the current arrangement then resurfacing your cabinets may be the better and cheaper way for you.
Go check out products and prices at your local paint store. They will be the experts dealing with paint and will be able to let you know exactly what you need and the best prices to do it. You may run a risk if you go to your large home improvement store because who’s to say the paint guy there isn’t from the home and garden department covering for someone who called in sick. You want to get the best advice from the most knowledgeable source and that’s normally at the paint store.
Refacing your cabinets through a new paint job is a project that you can do on your own. Get the supplies that the professional at the store recommends and get home and get to work. It may take a lot of sanding and primer to get the base going but by the end of your project your kitchen can look as good as new just by adding some paint to the surface of your cabinets and drawers, and it didn’t even hurt the bank too much.…

Bathroom Renovations

Installing Hickory Hardwood: Considering Hand-Scraped Flooring

Laura

Its attractive appearance of reddish heartwood and cream-colored sapwood captures your eye and grabs your attention. Yet, beneath that beautiful appearance, hickory hardwood is durable – one of the most durable domestic species, in fact. With a Janka scale rating of 1820, hickory offers excellent density, but its strength can be a detriment. Why? Coupled with closed, rough grain, hickory hardwood is difficult to machine, sand, and finish. For adding this product, what options do you have?
Prefinished is extremely practical across all species. When it comes to adding a full floor of hardwood, the planks just need to be added without finishing. In a day, you can place all of your furniture back into the space. On the other hand, prefinished products, hickory and other species, come with a limited set of stains, and if you have a particular look in mind, the existing options may not reflect your vision. Additionally, adding a stain or finish tends to make newer flooring blend in better with existing materials.
Unfinished with an alternative approach. If you have a specific look in mind, you’re willing to go through the rigors and unconventional techniques to installing hickory. What does this entail? For sanding, go with a belt sander. As you sand with the grain of the wood, change from an 80-grit belt to 120-grit for smoothing out the surface and 220-grit for any finishing touches.
For staining, the pores must be opened or closed. In its natural state, hickory produces a blotchy patina. A wood conditioner fully closes off the grain, after which a stain can be added on top, while water-popping opens it, making the wood more receptive.
Hand-scraped flooring. A textured surface of natural character marks and manual distressing makes hand-scraped flooring the perfect choice for a rustic look. Added to this, the texture camouflages any blotching resulting from an applied finish. This way, hand-scraped hickory flooring allows you to add the distinct red and white look and include a stain of your choosing.
Yet, keep in mind that not all hand-scraped flooring is identical. Products tend to be divided between classic and rustic hardwoods. Classic is considerably smoother, with texture carved into the surface. Rustic, as the name implies, is characterized by knots, mineral streaks, and graining. Beyond these two basic classifications, hand-scraped hardwood is distressed through a combination of scraping, aging, or a darker stain. Floors, after an unfinished hardwood is added, can even be custom distressed before a finish is applied.…

Renovation Costs

Home Renovation For Low Budgets

Laura

If you are thinking of home renovation but are concerned about the budget, then do not worry. As now you can have all the luxuries you want while remodeling your house even within a limited budget. Whether you are thinking about renovating your kitchen, basement, and bathroom or are thinking about an addition, here are some things that you can use. These will not only help you save money but will also give that luxurious look to your house.
Affordable Luxuries for Kitchen, Bathrooms or Basement
Granite Countertops – Instead of using solid pieces of natural stone, use countertops in pieces. These are as good as the solid pieces. They not only look attractive but also last longer than solid pieces. They add elegance and style to the kitchen. You can use countertops of granite, soapstone and marble.
Making it more affordable – Granite stones are cut into smaller pieces and cost half the price of the solid stones. After cutting them into several square pieces, they can be applied to the walls and floors like ceramic tiles with the grout. Even if they get damaged, the individual squares can be replaced instead of the whole floor. You can also consider the option of adding a granite overlay on the top of your current countertop.
Stone Tile Backsplash – Whether you have a countertop made from granite or marble, the natural stone is expensive. And when you have a natural stone countertop, you will also want to give it a finishing of stone tile backsplash as it helps in providing that extra protection to the walls. However, this will be expensive.
Making it affordable – Instead of adding these backsplash horizontally, you can turn these tiles sideways like in the shape of a diamond. This will not only help you in saving money but will also give a unique look to the walls.
Custom cabinets – There are unending options for finishing, trims and configuration of the cabinets which are specifically designed to suit your kitchen. And these can also be customized to fit into your kitchen perfectly.
Making it affordable- If you want to save money yet still want the look of a customized cabinet, getting it semi-customized will cost you much less. Simple changes like change in height, width and depth can lend a more finished look to your kitchen.
Wood Flooring – It is definitely a good option and the house looks absolutely gorgeous with it, but may prove to be very expensive.
Making it more affordable- Instead of going for wood flooring, consider getting it laminated. Use pergo which is not that expensive. They are available in a variety of grain patterns. And the average eye will not be able to differentiate between true wood flooring and lamination.
Ornate crown moldings- This is definitely an awesome way of making an ordinary room more interesting. But these will definitely be much higher in cost.
Making it more affordable- Using smaller moldings instead of large ones will cost …

Home Maintenance

Why Is Kitchen Remodeling So Expensive?

Laura

A major renovation could set you back over $100,000 and even a minor remodeling job in the kitchen can quickly add up to $20,000. There are major expenses related to new cabinetry and counter tops as well as appliances and flooring. That is just the materials and does not even begin to include the labor costs of installing the materials and the prep work that may be needed to get the job started.
One of the big factors in determining how expensive the remodeling job is going to be is the age of the home. Retrofitting old homes with new materials can be very time consuming and therefore, costly. Most contractors want to come in and gut the old kitchen and start over. This means ripping out the cabinets and flooring to make it easier to do the electrical work and plumbing that goes with a project of this magnitude. The trouble with starting over though is that some of the potential problems are not discovered until you get all of the old stuff out.
If you have ever gone to replace an old bathroom sink, then you probably have discovered that once you replace one piece of pipe a leak develops in an old piece somewhere else. It is always best to replace all of the pieces at once. The same holds true for kitchen remodeling jobs, all new plumbing fixtures need to be installed. The same goes for electrical connections. When you have the kitchen gutted, is the time to put in new outlets to serve the major appliances. In an older home it is best to install a whole new circuit to serve the kitchen and avoid overloading an existing one. Odds are you are going to want more outlets on the counter as well plus this is the time to run the wires for lighting that can be installed under the cabinets.
If you have been in your home for any period of time there are probably a number of annoying things that you have thought about changing in your kitchen, like the lighting and outlets. It might be that you just don’t like the flow of the room and want to change the location of the appliances. This is achieved much easier when the room is gutted. Perhaps you have always wanted a center island or a breakfast counter for coffee, now is the time to add it. Yes, all of these things will add to the cost of the project but remember what you spend fixing up your kitchen is going to add to the overall value of your home.
It does not make sense to scrimp when you are remodeling the kitchen because it is a project that you do not want to repeat any time soon. If necessary, take another six months or a year to save to be able to afford to get the kitchen just the way you want it. Yes, kitchen remodeling projects can be very expensive but in …