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Flooring Bits and Pieces
By Steve Maxwell
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Choosing a flooring option for your home or cottage is serious business because so much rides on the decision. Flooring is costly, both in terms of money or the labour required for less-expensive DIY options. And different materials vary widely in their durability, too. Here’s a look at three popular flooring choices.
Ceramic Tiles
These are a durable and beautiful option, with a heritage that few other options can match. All ceramic tile installations rely on a rigid base, without which tiles will crack and come loose with disappointing speed. Years ago a solid base could be created in only one way -- by laying a 1 to 1 1/2-inch thick layer of steel-reinforced mortar onto a tarred wooden subfloor. Nowadays there’s an easier and equally good modern alternative. It involves beefing up an existing subfloor with a second layer of plywood or cement-based backer board. Both the original subfloor and the added layer must be screwed to the underlying floor joists so they don’t move. Tiles can then be fastened directly to the plywood with thinset adhesive before grouting. The best book I’ve read on ceramic tile installation is Setting Ceramic Tiles by Michael Byrne.
Pros:
- Very durable if installed properly.
- Classic good looks.
Cons:
- Requires a solid base.
- Sometimes cold under foot.
Laminate Flooring
Laminates are named after their layered construction, based on a core of ultra-fine wood fibres bonded into a high-density sheet. The texture of the fibres is so smooth that the core doesn’t resemble wood at all. The material is also quite dimensionally stable, so it doesn’t change size much with fluctuating humidity levels. The top surface of laminate flooring --the part you see -- is where the real action is. It includes a layer of colours and patterns that realistically mimics wood, marble or cork. Solid colours and interesting visual textures are available too. While this visible layer is tough on its own, it’s further protected by a clear surface coating that ensures years of durability. Some brands even offer a 15-year warranty against scratching and fading.
Laminate flooring is free floating, meaning that individual tiles or planks are not fastened to the underlying floor at all. Where other flooring options require backbreaking battles to remove old coverings first, laminates can simply be installed right over anything that’s reasonably flat, smooth and solid. All you do is make sure the old floor is well anchored, then roll out a layer of thin foam underlay, as specified by the manufacturer. This underlay is slightly compressible, so it smooths over minor imperfections, preventing the laminate from squeaking against the old floor.
Pros:
- Good grades are highly durable.
- A wood-look product that can be safely installed in dry basements.
Cons:
- Visible wood grain patterns interrupted by short plank length.
- Can’t be refinished.
Real Wood
It used to be that installing authentic wood floors meant putting up with sanding dust and finishing fumes. And although the traditional hardwood plank floor that demands these discomforts is still a beautiful option, prefinished hardwood is capturing more and more attention for two reasons. First of all, it’s convenient. You can install it without ever sneezing or opening a paint can. This makes it a noteworthy DIY option, allowing convenient installation to occur over several weekends, without household disruption. Another plus is durability. The factory applied finish is thicker and tougher than anything that can be site-applied. Most brands come with a warranty on the finish, something that’s rarely available with traditional, site-applied finishes.
Pros:
- Rich look that’s warm underfoot.
- Wide appeal that boosts resale value.
Cons:
- Develops scratches and dents.
- Refinishing requires major household disruptions.
Want to make your wood or laminate floor warmer while you renovate? An excellent approach is to add insulation on top of the sub-floor, before your new flooring goes down. And for this job, extruded polystyrene foam board --usually blue or pink -- is the product of choice. The beauty of this material is that it’s dense enough to support a new plywood subfloor, without the need for wooden support strips resting on the old floor below. Just lay down 1 or 1 1/2-inches of foam, place 3/4-inch plywood on top, then anchor everything with screws driven into the underlying floor joists. Fast, easy and warm, it’s a great base for your new floor.
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Flooring Bits and Pieces
By Steve Maxwell
|
|
|
Choosing a flooring option for your home or cottage is serious business because so much rides on the decision. Flooring is costly, both in terms of money or the labour required for less-expensive DIY options. And different materials vary widely in their durability, too. Here’s a look at three popular flooring choices.
Ceramic Tiles
These are a durable and beautiful option, with a heritage that few other options can match. All ceramic tile installations rely on a rigid base, without which tiles will crack and come loose with disappointing speed. Years ago a solid base could be created in only one way -- by laying a 1 to 1 1/2-inch thick layer of steel-reinforced mortar onto a tarred wooden subfloor. Nowadays there’s an easier and equally good modern alternative. It involves beefing up an existing subfloor with a second layer of plywood or cement-based backer board. Both the original subfloor and the added layer must be screwed to the underlying floor joists so they don’t move. Tiles can then be fastened directly to the plywood with thinset adhesive before grouting. The best book I’ve read on ceramic tile installation is Setting Ceramic Tiles by Michael Byrne.
Pros:
- Very durable if installed properly.
- Classic good looks.
Cons:
- Requires a solid base.
- Sometimes cold under foot.
Laminate Flooring
Laminates are named after their layered construction, based on a core of ultra-fine wood fibres bonded into a high-density sheet. The texture of the fibres is so smooth that the core doesn’t resemble wood at all. The material is also quite dimensionally stable, so it doesn’t change size much with fluctuating humidity levels. The top surface of laminate flooring --the part you see -- is where the real action is. It includes a layer of colours and patterns that realistically mimics wood, marble or cork. Solid colours and interesting visual textures are available too. While this visible layer is tough on its own, it’s further protected by a clear surface coating that ensures years of durability. Some brands even offer a 15-year warranty against scratching and fading.
Laminate flooring is free floating, meaning that individual tiles or planks are not fastened to the underlying floor at all. Where other flooring options require backbreaking battles to remove old coverings first, laminates can simply be installed right over anything that’s reasonably flat, smooth and solid. All you do is make sure the old floor is well anchored, then roll out a layer of thin foam underlay, as specified by the manufacturer. This underlay is slightly compressible, so it smooths over minor imperfections, preventing the laminate from squeaking against the old floor.
Pros:
- Good grades are highly durable.
- A wood-look product that can be safely installed in dry basements.
Cons:
- Visible wood grain patterns interrupted by short plank length.
- Can’t be refinished.
Real Wood
It used to be that installing authentic wood floors meant putting up with sanding dust and finishing fumes. And although the traditional hardwood plank floor that demands these discomforts is still a beautiful option, prefinished hardwood is capturing more and more attention for two reasons. First of all, it’s convenient. You can install it without ever sneezing or opening a paint can. This makes it a noteworthy DIY option, allowing convenient installation to occur over several weekends, without household disruption. Another plus is durability. The factory applied finish is thicker and tougher than anything that can be site-applied. Most brands come with a warranty on the finish, something that’s rarely available with traditional, site-applied finishes.
Pros:
- Rich look that’s warm underfoot.
- Wide appeal that boosts resale value.
Cons:
- Develops scratches and dents.
- Refinishing requires major household disruptions.
Want to make your wood or laminate floor warmer while you renovate? An excellent approach is to add insulation on top of the sub-floor, before your new flooring goes down. And for this job, extruded polystyrene foam board --usually blue or pink -- is the product of choice. The beauty of this material is that it’s dense enough to support a new plywood subfloor, without the need for wooden support strips resting on the old floor below. Just lay down 1 or 1 1/2-inches of foam, place 3/4-inch plywood on top, then anchor everything with screws driven into the underlying floor joists. Fast, easy and warm, it’s a great base for your new floor. |
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