Basement Wood Flooring and Options
Homeowners often work on renovations from the center outward, leaving basements for the final project. But because basements sit below the house level, choosing flooring for them can present an interesting question. Being below grade, moisture is always most likely to accumulate in basements first. Many people choose more moisture-resistant concrete, tile, vinyl or carpet for flooring, even if it isn’t their first choice. But did you know that with some planning, wood flooring could be used in basements, too? You can do so if the conditions are right. Wood can make a perfect flooring to tie together a cozy [...]
To Mix or Match in the Kitchen?
When you look through interior design magazines for remodeling ideas, there are a lot of different approaches to update your kitchen. Some of them completely contradict one another — on one page, everything will match, while on the next, there are contrasting colors and styles everywhere. With so many opinions, it can be hard to decide on a design theme for your home. It’s an important choice, too, as renovating will not only be an investment but will affect the place where you will live and shape your memories. Different designers and professionals can offer advice on what is trending, [...]
Screening and Recoating
As the old saying goes, a home is never totally finished. Every piece of a home requires some maintenance to keep its good looks — including hardwood floors. Though they’re durable and beautiful, they get a lot of use and will be damaged over time. Refinishing is often the most recommended maintenance, but it can be fairly expensive and inconvenient. There’s a middle ground available: screening and recoating. Though it’s not possible in cases of serious or deep damage, many homeowners can save time, inconvenience and money by going with recoating instead of a full sanding and refinishing job. A [...]
Replacing Carpeting on Stairs with Hardwood
You’ve finally had it with your stairs. The carpet on them is old, dirty, worn down and slippery. Ideally, you’d love to replace that old carpet with hardwood that will match the rest of your house. But how much work will that take? Many homeowners dream about this kind of project — updating stairs from carpet to wood can result in a huge transformation for the look of a home. Stairwells are one of the highest-traffic areas of your home and can be a feature item with a distinct look. However, this is not an easy project that you can [...]
Hardwood floors, carpets and allergies
Spring is around the corner, promising flowering trees, warm sun and flaring seasonal allergies. Anyone who sneezes at the sight of flowering daisies knows the aggravation of being unable to escape allergens. Nearly one in five Americans suffers from allergies or asthma, according to the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America. These can range from reactions to food like peanuts to hay fever, which leads to sneezing when pollen is present. Some allergies are more common than others — about 8.2 percent of adult Americans and 8.4 percent of American children were diagnosed with hay fever as of 2015, according [...]
Dust, Refinishing and What to do About it
No matter what kind of hardwood floors you have, eventually, it will have to be refinished — scrapes, scratches, dents, water and even time can leave your floors damaged. The good news is that you can refinish most floors and have them looking good as new rather than replacing them entirely. The bad news? That involves sanding, which can mean a lot of mess and disruption. Sanding can be a big hang-up for homeowners who want to refinish their floors. Floating particulates can ruin furniture, aggravate breathing problems and make for a cleaning nightmare. Dust will always be part of [...]