Q: We have installed carpet in our basement and had flood so we remove the carpet and needs to install the new flooring, but not carpet and ceramic tile. what is the best flooring for the basement with flooding problem? Please advise.
Thank You,
Raksha
A: If you’re encountering flooding issues do NOT install any new flooring of any kind. What ever is causing your flooding should be addressed before installing any new flooring. Until then I would honestly leave the concrete bare to help identify issues in the subfloor.
I had similar issues in my own home and have taken many measures to prevent flooding in my basement. Unfortunately money doesn’t grow on trees, (but what interesting flooring that would make!) so my basement is still bare concrete while we have tested to see which issues have been resolved and what issues we may have missed.
Until you finish ensuring flooding will not occur, which I would suggest going through the season where you experience flooding with the concrete bare. Identify what is causing the flooding and work to resolve these issues. Once they are resolved, leave the concrete bare for at least a full year and see if any flooding or excessive moisture occurs. If so, which is what happened in my case ruining some nice new rooms I had built because I had not waited long enough (assumptions can cause a world of headaches), continue working to resolve your flooding issues. If you experience no moisture issues then you can work to find a new floor. Until you have resolved your flooding issues, do NOT install a new floor (unless of course you want to put in a new floor every time it floods).
Good luck to you as I know this process can be a pain.
Monthly Archives: May 2007
Bamboo Flooring Over Tile
Q: When installing floating Bamboo flooring over uneven concrete (Old tile mortar and slightly uneven) What would be the best material to use underneath?
A: When installing a floating floor over old tile or just remaining mortar, it is always suggested to make this floor as flat as possible. Now, if you still have the tile laid down and your worried about grout lines, you should have little issue as long as you use a vapor barrier and a good underlayment. I would suggest using 6mm cork or 3mm cork at a minimum.
If you have removed the tile and have only the mortar remaining you must grind this down. Similar to the discussion on removing thinset, Try using an electric chipper or a grinder. This will be dusty, so wear eye protection and a dust mask. Remember with any floor, it is important to have the subfloor clean, dry and flat.
After you have prepared your subfloor, I would still suggest using a 3mm cork underlayment for your floor. Cork is dense, so it will provide a better feel under foot, and its natural sound dampening and insulation qualities will be great. Good luck!
Wood Flooring with Tile Insets
Q: I am trying to find where I can purchase wood flooring with insets of tile. A friend’s home at Marriott’s resort in Hemet, CA has this in her hallway and it’s gorgeous.
Thank you,
Glenna S.
Brea, CA 92821
A: Glenna this style of flooring has become popular in recent years as a great way to mix two forms of beautiful hard surface flooring. This is actually achieved through installation, and not through a pre-built product. I had a great conversation with Ryan W., our product specialist, about this in regards to some of the techniques used to accomplish this and to confirm my own suspicions that a product is not manufactured to get this great appearance. (If you find out about one please let me know!)
When your floor is to be installed, you will frame out, think like picture frames, the area where you will put in the tiles. This will be done first in order to map out how you wish the tile to appear on your floor. After laying out the frames using planks of the flooring, you will then lay the rest of your floor normally, making your cuts to account for the frames. Once the flooring is complete, user a bit of painters tape (or something similar) to mask off the edges of your frames to protect the flooring from grout or damage. Now just install the tile as you would normally. Once the tile is installed, remove the tape and let the grout cure and you now have a beautiful mix of tile and hardwood flooring. You can also insert other similar hard surface flooring items like mosaics or tempered glass for other really cool looks.
Ryan also mentioned that in many homes, inserting tile is a great way to protect a hardwood floor in something like a dining room, putting tile in the areas where the chairs are moved around or under the table instead of using an area rug. This not only can give your dining room a great look but protect the wood flooring as well by keeping heavy furniture off of the floor.
With the proper application of this technique and some product coordination you can achieve a truly phenomenal look.
Installing Hardwood on Stairs
Q: Hello. I am ordering hardwood from iFloor that I intend to install myself, as I have some hardwood flooring experience. To obtain a finished look in the entrance area, I would like to replace the carpeting on our stairs with matching hardwood. There’s nothing “special” or unique about our stairs, but this is something I have never done. Regardless, I am confident that I can do this with the right know how. That’s where you come in. If this works for you, I’ll tell you what I know and maybe you can fill in some gaps, point out possible pitfalls, and give me any pointers that you feel will help the job come out well.
I’ll be removing the carpet, pulling off the tack strips and pulling out any rogue staples or fasteners. Next, I understand that I’ll need to cut the existing “nose” overhang of each tread back flush with the risers. My stairs already have stringers in place, so that’s an addition that I won’t need to make. I know that cuts need to be made with great precision on the ends, as no molding is to be placed on the stairs to cover any imperfections. Now, do you advise felt paper beneath the hardwood in this application? Also, should I start with the nose installed and work back toward the riser, or start installing wood against the riser first and install the nose last? We are planning to go with white painted risers for a dramatic look. I am assuming that I’ll need to install a paint-grade poplar face on the riser to hide the revealed thickness of the old cut tread where it meets the riser below (assuming that the hardwood nose won’t cover this totally). Also, there is the potential for the existing riser to be sub-quality lumber that we wouldn’t want to paint. Should this facing be installed BEFORE the hardwood goes in, or AFTER in order to cover any imperfect edges of the hardwood where it meets the riser? Anything else that I should know in order to give the appearance of knowing what I’m doing?
Thanks so much for your help!
Tim
Cambridge, NY
A: Tim there is very little I’ll need to help you on because you are already well informed. I’ll admit I am a big fan of the white riser look to accent the treads on a set of hardwood stairs. After getting all of the carpet removed and cutting your stairs to be flush. You will need to be very precise with your cuts for the wood for the tread, so take your time.
I will admit, I prefer using solid stair treads over flooring and nosing (the links I am using are bamboo, but they serve as great visual examples); however, if you can’t get solid treads don’t be surprised if there is a slight difference in color between the nosing and the floor. This will be much like trim pieces where they will match as close as possible, but the wood used for trim tends to come from different portions of the tree than flooring, which will have a slight difference in appearance. Using a paint-grade poplar is a great idea and I would suggest going that route.
When installing the stairs, you should be using glue to install your treads and then nailing the along the scribe line at the back of the tread. A scribe line is a line used to mark the extent that the riser will cover the tread. This answers your other question, always install tread, then riser. This gives a clean professional look.
You will want to take time to rack out each stair, cutting the last plank in the tread that will go under the riser. This will allow you to easily install. After doing your cuts, lay out each tread and make sure they fit well. You’ll then be ready to get to the install. Use a urethane based mastic adhesive to glue the treads in place. Spread the adhesive per the instructions from the manufacturer across the base of the stair then lay the tread into place. Start from the back riser and put each piece in place up to the nosing. Take extra caution not to get any adhesive on your fingers, this stuff will be messy and you don’t want this to be on your treads. Once everything is in place, you must make sure the nose is snug and use a pull bar to ensure the boards are pulled tightly together. Remember to allow plenty of time for each tread to cure.
You will be gluing the riser in place as well and using a spread across the back of the riser. Remember to paint before hand, I know its obvious, but getting paint on those nice new treads would be terrible. I think this should cover all of your needs for putting in your stairs, but just as some extra help I have a picture that John R., one of our content designers, found to show a similar stair style to what you are going for. Notice in the image you can tell the tread goes beyond the riser, indicating that the riser was installed after the tread. Did I mention I really like this look?
Reply: I am very grateful for your detailed reply. That was a big help to me, and underscores the major reason why I placed my order with iFloor. It always eases my mind before going into the unknown to know that I know something about what’s unknown. Or at least to know someone who does. You know?
And please thank John R. for digging out that picture, too. It was very helpful although humbling as well, since the plans for my stairs are much more simple and blasé.
A follow-up question for you: How thick should the paint-grade poplar be? I assume fairly thin (less than 1 inch)? And am I right in assuming that I will use the same adhesive for the riser as I use on the tread (spreading it on the back of the riser before install)? Also, how long must the tread cure before it can be stepped on? (This is my only way out of the house). Oh, and a question on cutting – I am ordering a 3/8” engineered hardwood for the first time. Is there anything I should know about making good clean cuts on an engineered hardwood product?
Sorry, I realize that was more than one question. Does this bother you? Darn! Another question! Whoops.
I will definitely be photographing the project as I go. I’ll also be installing about 800 sq ft of hardwood flooring that I’ve ordered from iFloor, so there should be photos of this process as well. Perhaps when this is over, I can put “Flooring Novice” in my e-mail signature.
Thanks again, and take care,
-Tim
A: I’m glad we could help you so far Tim and that’s why we’re here, to help people make informed decisions in regards to flooring. Our CEO, Steve Simonson, is huge on education (as you well know if you read Steve’s blog), so I am proud to be helping you out. Now, let’s get back to the help part:
For the poplar I would say this is really based on how you want your stairs to look. My honest suggestion would be to measure the space between where you will add your risers and how the stair nosing will sit to get an idea of what you need. Honestly this will be fairly thin, but get a width that in the end will give you the look you want.
You will be using the same adhesive and will be applying to the back of the riser then install the riser. How long you need to wait is based on the adhesive you use. I would say always observe the instructions given by a manufacturer, especially with adhesives, but this is normally around 8 to 12 hours. Basically put, over night your stairs should cure enough to walk on without worry, but make sure to consult your adhesive’s manufacturer’s suggestions.
In regards to cutting, I have a few tips from Sean H., who used to work with custom molding before joining the team here at iFLOOR. If your using a circular saw, make sure to use a blade designed for ripping with a lot of teeth. The more the better. The same philosophy applies for a jig saw. Now, when cutting, you want the impact of the blade occurs on the back side of the flooring. So if your using a circular or miter saw have the face of the floor up, for jig or table saw, have the floor face down. Another great tip from Sean, is to use some tape along where you are going to cut (pretty sure masking tape will be a great bet) to reduce the amount of blow out you get when making your cuts.
I really looking forward to hearing back from you on your project Tim and good luck!
Removing Thinset
Q: What is the best way to remove the thinset?
T&B Flemming
A: There are several methods to removing thinset. You can use a grinder to grind the thinset down, use a hammer and wide chisel to chisel this away or get a machine chisel. Go with the automatic chisel to remove your thinset. This will be a strenuous process, but its the fastest and easiest way of the three.
Go to a local tool rental place and rent an electric chipper with a 4-inch (or wider) chisel tip. A good example is the Hilti TE505 and these on average can be rented for around $40 per day. These devices resemble a jack hammer, but the advantage is they will not destroy your concrete subfloor.
Keep in mind, these things are big, heavy and loud. This being said, wear eye and ear protection and take breaks to give your hands and back a rest, cause you may regret it otherwise. Also, be prepared to stop and vacuum up debris and dust because this will be somewhat messy.
Start by holding the chipper at about 30 degrees off of the vertical (hold at a 60 degree angle) and let the machine shake the chisel against the thinset. This will break up larger chunks. You will want to do one pass like this to remove a good portion of the thinset. Then go back across the remaining thinset holding the machine at a slightly shallower angle and press down hard on the forward handle (usually your left hand) and use your opposite leg (usually your right) to hold the machine steady. This will smooth out the surface and remove the remainder of the thinset. Remember this will be tough and can be somewhat hard to control at first, so be prepared.
Floating Floors and Carpet
Q: Can you put a laminate floor over carpet?
Abohanna
A: This is a pretty common question. The answer is “no,” but lets get into a deeper explanation of why. Although laminate is installed using the floating method, which allows the floor to be installed over the top of a subfloor without anchoring to the subfloor, carpet is not a suitable substrate. I have frequently had the question of “will carpet padding work as underlayment?” with customers who have called in to our call center here at iFLOOR. This is again an answer of “no.” Due to how carpet and carpet padding are made, they are too soft to work as a suitable underlayment for floating floors. Simply put, they are not dense enough to fit floating installation specs.
End result, to install a beautiful new laminate floor into your home, you will need to remove the carpet, carpet padding and tack strip in order to get a clean subfloor, then you can install your underlayment (I’m a big fan of 3mm cork) and then install your laminate.
As a side note, there are a few hard surfaces you can install over using floating installations. Pre-existing hardwood floors, tile, vinyl and linoleum all can act as suitable substrates as long as you use a good underlayment (Sound 6 or cork being the preference here). In the case of tile, its suggested to level out the grout lines with the tile itself as best you can to ensure your floor will lie nice and flat and reduce possibility of issue.
Screening/Re-screening Floors
Q: What is meant when someone says “re-screen a floor?”
A: This goes back somewhat to our question from Lucy about her cork flooring. Re-screening a floor is a way to refinish a floor without actually sanding off any of the wood surface. This is typically used with bamboo or cork flooring to refresh the finish on a floor, removing the appearance of scratches or scuffs.
To screen a floor, you must keep in mind a few things. First this will more than likely void any warranty you have on your floor’s finish, so always consult your floor’s manufacturer before doing a re-screen. Secondly, I highly suggest consulting a professional floor re-finisher as this is a tedious task and it requires very exacting methods to ensure no issues occur with the new finish (such as bubbling, flaking or blotchy spots).
You will start by ensuring the floor is clean, then using a buffer or sanding block and a high grit screen/sand paper (usually 200 to 400 grit) or you can use a maroon pad (320 grit equivalent), you will lightly rough up or buff the surface of the floor. The key here is light buffing to prevent the appearance of swirl marks. If you are going to use a machine to buff, ensure this is a polisher built to remove less finish. If this is done by hand, the block you are using (typically a mop head and pole configuration similar to the ones used to clean floors) the weight of the block alone should be enough to buff the surface so there is no need to apply additional pressure. This will allow a new layer of finish to properly adhere to the floor.
Then, using a proper finish that suits your desires and your floor, apply the finish. The rule here is to keep the coats thin to allow for even distribution. It is better to use many thin coats rather than thicker coats. Always ensure to follow the instructions provided by the finish manufacturer. Normally you will want to apply 2 – 3 coats when doing a full re-screen, but make sure to buff before laying each new coat of finish. Always allow proper time to dry and ensure the temperature in your home is not too high. When finish layers dry too quickly, they will cause fish eye shaped bubbles or begin to flake off because they do not adhere properly.
Remember, always consult your floor’s manufacturer first for recommendations and exclusions and follow all instructions to apply new layers of finish.
I am off to a cruise…
Well I will be gone for about a week on a cruise. I may log in from time to time, but I wanted to just let everyone know that I would be less likely to post in the next 8 days.
The ship’s webcam (above) is updated often so for those reading this you can see where I am at the moment.
Crawlspaces and Wood Floors
Q: We are planning on a new solid hardwood floor. In order to eliminate a height difference between rooms the new hardwood will be installed over a new sub floor (13/16″) on top of the existing plywood. We “live on the water”, in southwestern Ontario. There is a heated/AC crawl space under this floor. During the winter the house is empty, with the heat set at approx:55 degrees.
We wanted to use 5″ boards but were cautioned about cupping, warping, by a supplier. Should this be a true concern? Recommendations?
Jack
A: First of all I suggest using an engineered product. Engineered products are naturally far more stable, and the more plies the better. Stability is key when trying to combat movement in your floor. Wood being a natural product will expand and contract due to temperature and moisture which can cause nasty things like buckling, gapping or warping when proper expansion room and installation procedure is not observed. Bellefloor is an excellent example of a great engineered product that would be great for your project and will still look and feel great. Also, engineered floors are more common in wide plank appearance.
Movement will occur because of the air flow with your crawl space, but more importantly because of the temperature you leave your home at during the winter. This is an issues referred to as “Empty House Syndrome” (don’t get this confused with Empty Nest Syndrome, Empty House Syndrome is a flooring term), but basically when people leave a home for a specific season, and leave the home at lower temperature to save on bills, this temperature change causes the floor to contract and buckle. Your best protective measure will be to keep you home around 62 to 64 degrees Fahrenheit. In regards to the crawl space the Wood Flooring Manufacturer’s Association states:
NOFMA recommends that a crawlspace be kept dry. Water, mud or excessively damp earth should not be present. A good ground cover (6-mil poly or equivalent) over 100% of the crawlspace earth should be installed as an effective moisture barrier, and good cross ventilation should be present.
Now if using a solid product is your only choice, I would suggest that you use a hand scrapped to hide the movement that will occur. Mullican makes some great solid hand scrapped products which could fit this project. You can also consider Somerset’s Hand Scrapped Collection. My best suggestion to help avoid cupping or warping would be to follow a few precautions.
Initially, give the wood plenty of time to acclimate. Normally acclimation is done for 3 days to a week, but in this case, make sure the wood is in the room and is allowed to acclimate for upwards of a month. Sounds like a long time I know, but it will help to ensure the wood is accustomed to the area it will be installed. Keep your indoor temperature controlled for the same temperature all year long (low to mid 60s Fahrenheit being your best bet). Ensure your crawlspace has proper moisture protection and ventilation. Going ahead with the installation use 15 lb roofing felt instead of resin paper. Specs call out for gluing and nailing 5″ and wider boards, Large tubes of construction mastic, just a lazy “S” down the board or on the subfloor then set and nail, I would use 2″ cleats when nailing down the solid.
Cork Flooring and Adding Additional Finish
Q: We have installed Westhollow cork floor in the kitchen(Monticello) and would like to add a top coat to help seal the seams and for make it more durable. What should we use? Also, can you recommend a cleaner to use on cork when necessary.
Thanks.
Lucy
A: Lucy I’ll be honest when I say that I have gone to several people here at iFLOOR.com to gather up as much information for you as I can to confirm my own thoughts on this subject. When deciding to undertake any project such as this, please keep in mind it is best to consult the product’s manufacturer regarding the effect it will have on your warranty and any suggestions they may have for you.
Now the easy information for you is in regards to cleaner. Bona (BonaKemi) hardwood cleaner is your best bet. This is a spray cleaner which you will want to use with a microfiber mop and it should help keep your cork looking great.
Now, when it comes to adding a coat of seal, here’s where the difficulties come into play.
First I spoke with our purchaser, Ryan W., who mentioned that should you add another layer of sealant to the Westhollow Cork, the process required to add that coat would void the warranty that you have on the product. Adding a coat does not seal it, the edges are still open if there was a flood from the dish washer, so adding a coat does nothing. Ryan mentioned this analogy to me: “I would not add another coat to the finish that’s like buying a new car and repainting it.”
Should you still wish to add another coat of finish to your cork I can NOT stress this enough this will void your cork floor’s warranty. I would also highly suggest consulting a professional before doing this on your own as adding finish is tedious.
One precaution before we proceed here. If this cork was installed as a floating floor, applying a site finish can cause an issue where cracking or peeling of the finish will occur because of how the cork will flex at the joints from being floating. Glued down cork is a better candidate for a site finish, but as I mentioned, applying a site finish will void your warranty from Westhollow.
To apply a site finish or “sealer,” you must first screen (rough up or buff) the existing finish. This is what voids your warranty because you augment the product beyond its manufactured state. This is required in order to make the new layer of finish adhere to the floor’s current finish. This can be done with a buffer, it can be done with a sanding block as well. The sanding block is similar to the BonaKemi mop pole, just with and abrasive surface, the weight of that block is enough to etch the surface lightly, and would not need any additional pressure. It is suggested to do this using the sanding block rather than an electric buffer. You should use a high grit screen anywhere from 200 grit to 400 grit to ensure you do not remove too much finish and just lightly rough the surface. This is similar to sanding a car or piece of furniture before painting. Remember, once this is done your warranty is void. (Like I said, can’t stress this point enough)
In regards to suggested finishes, the one that came with the highest praise is BonaKemi’s Traffic Finish. This is a great finish, but it will leave your floor with a high gloss appearance. If you wish to avoid the high gloss look, try using Glitsa’s Infinity II which is a oil modified one part water based polyurethane finish and can be purchased in semi-gloss or matte gloss levels. Regardless of which product you chose to use, should you add a site finish you will want to add two coats and ensure you screen the floor before each coat.
Flooring Blog 