Articles & Books From Floors

Step by Step / Updated 03-27-2016
Before refinishing a hardwood floor, you need to know how to get the floors ready for sanding. The way you get floors ready for sanding affects the final finish, so prepare carefully. The sanding process also creates fine sawdust that can permeate the house if you’re not painstaking in your preparations.Thoroughly clean the hardwood floor.
Step by Step / Updated 03-27-2016
Knowing how to stain and seal a hardwood floor properly pays off in having a beautiful finish and enduring protection. Staining and sealing hardwood floors the right way — whether you’re refinishing, refurbishing, or stripping the wood floor — results in years of enjoyment.Clean the surface of the floor.Carefully vacuum up dust and grit from the sanding process, and then wipe down the floor with a tack cloth to pick up any remaining dust.
Article / Updated 04-20-2022
Planning the layout of your tile floor is an essential step in guaranteeing the success of your project. Ever wonder how a professional tile layer always seems to get those tiles at a perfect 90- or 45-degree angle to the wall? You can do it, too, and here’s how. ©Andrey Gonchar / Adobe StockInstall ceramic tile over a subfloor that’s no less than 1 1/8 inches thick.
Article / Updated 04-20-2022
Buying ceramic tile for floors requires measuring and math. Estimate how many ceramic tiles to buy by calculating the total floor area you plan to cover and dividing that number by the size of one tile. Ceramic floor tiles typically come in 4-, 6-, 9-, 12-, and 18-inch squares. First, determine the square footage of the room (don’t forget the closets!
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Does your home improvement project involve a new vinyl floor? To figure out how many vinyl floor tiles, or sheet vinyl, you need, follow these simple formulas: Vinyl floor tile calculator To figure out how many vinyl floor tiles you need to buy, calculate the floor area you want to cover and divide that number by the size of one tile: Floor Area: [Length of Floor] × [Width of Floor] = Floor Area Tiles to Order: For 9" Tiles: Floor Area ÷ 0.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
If your home improvement plan involves a new ceramic tile floor, how do you determine the amount of ceramic tiles you need? Simply calculate the area you plan to cover and divide that number by the size of one ceramic tile. Total Area (Floor, Wall, Countertop): Length (ft.) × Width (ft.) = Total Area (sq. ft.) Tile to Order: For 4" Tiles: Total Area ÷ 0.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
If your home improvement project involves new carpeting, determining how much carpeting to buy is easy. Calculate the square footage of floor you want to cover, divide that number by 9, and you have the number of square yards of carpeting you need. Floor Area: [Length of Floor (ft.)] x [Width of Floor (ft.)] = Floor Area (sq.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
Deciding whether to sand a hardwood floor by yourself or to hire a pro requires honesty about your abilities. Hire a professional to sand floors if you have any doubts about tackling the job yourself. The required drum sander can be hard to control — sanding a wood floor can restore it to beauty or destroy it in one afternoon.
Article / Updated 07-17-2017
To refinish a hardwood floor, the first thing you need to do is sand off the old finish. You need a walk-behind floor sander, which you can rent. You also want to rent a handheld power edge sander for sanding tight against walls and in corners and doorways. Both units have a vacuum and dust bag system to minimize the amount of sanding dust left behind.
Article / Updated 03-26-2016
If your hardwood floor is in generally fine shape, with only a damaged spot or two, it is easy and economical to make small repairs by replacing a strip or plank of flooring. You can also fix buckled areas of flooring and avoid having to completely refinish your floors. Most floors use a tongue-and-groove design for connecting adjacent strips.