ConstructionDeal.com Update

If you're ready for a new look in your home, or you want something a bit more... exotic, then you might consider bamboo flooring.

I'm remodeling my home to make it more eco-friendly and "green." Green means that I want to use Earth-friendly products, materials that are good for the environment, and things that are more sustainable or even recycled. I want to lower my impact on our natural resources.

Using bamboo flooring is a great way to be more sustainable. Since it's a grass and not a hard wood from a tree, it can be replaced in just 4 to 6 years. The same amount of wood from a tree could take 20 to 40 years to grow.

How To Install Bamboo Floors - Step One
If you like bamboo and you're ready to install it, you need to do a little bit of preparation first.

After you remove the linoleum, vinyl flooring, or carpeting that was there before... you'll want to remove the carpet tacks, staples, or any dried glue that is left over on our subfloors. You want to install the bamboo planks on a smooth, even surface.

Next, you need to inspect your subfloors. If you've got wood or plywood subflooring, or if you have a concrete slab, you need to make sure it is level. If there are peaks or dips in the subfloor, it can put stress on the bamboo (or any material you use) flooring that will rest on top of it. If any of the subfloor is warped, cracked, or rotten then you need to replace or repair it.

If the floor is made of plywood, like mine is, then it was probably nailed down to the floor joists below it. More than likely you've got a squeaky floor and some of the nails might even be popping up. Get yourself some wood screws and screw them into the plywood. This will hold the subfloor down and give you a tight, firm base to put your new bamboo flooring on.

And it should stop most of your floor squeaks.

Next, remove the baseboards around the entire room. Most baseboards were installed lower than the height of the bamboo planks, probably to accommodate the carpeting or tile flooring. This is a great chance for you to also install more interesting baseboards! And perhaps some crown molding down the road.

Vaccuum up all the dust and debris from all your work.

If you're going to install the bamboo floors or if someone else will, it's important to make sure you pick up (or have delivered) the boxes of bamboo several days before you plan to do your work. And leave it in the room where it will be put in.

Letting the bamboo acclimate to your room temperature, humidity, and other conditions will allow it to adjust. Wood (and grass) tends to expand and contract based on weather conditions. To make sure your flooring doesn't want to move too much, after you install it, let it sit for 3 to 7 days first.

Next, I'll be installing the underlayment and the bamboo flooring planks.

Related Posts:
How to Install Bamboo Flooring
How to Install Baseboards

If you're interested in putting bamboo in your home, but don't want to try it yourself, you can always hire a professional to do the work for you. If you need to find a flooring installer, you can submit your request for free on ConstructionDeal.com. It's a fast, easy way to find contractors.

Fill out a simply form and get calls from a few local flooring professionals. There is no cost or obligation. And it will save you time - you won't have to call a bunch of companies at random from the phone book.

They will call you.

Labels: Bamboo Flooring, Flooring Options, Floors

Labels: Carpeting, Flooring Options, Floors

Some more tips on Acid Stained Concrete Flooring from Joe Welch at Stained By Design in Louisiana:

As you know, Stained Concrete Floors are growing in popularity. While once reserved for restaurants and stores, stained concrete is becoming more popular in the home. People like the beauty of the surface and the benefits of a surface that doesn’t hold dust.

However, there is one problem with transforming your dull Gray Concrete into an Acid Stained Floor... Once you make something pretty, you notice when it is dirty. Stained Concrete floors should be considered a "Low Maintenance" floor Not a "No Maintenance" floor. This information will give you the knowledge needed to keep your surface looking its best.

Your Custom Interior Floor will last a lifetime if properly maintained. Plastic glides, felt pads, or "Magic Movers" should be affixed to heavy furnishings or those which will move frequently. Use the same precautions you would use for a Hard Wood Floor. A doormat at the outside (Hemp or Rope style) and inside entrance (one with a solid backing that can be shook off outside) of a home will pick up over 85% of the dirt that would otherwise be tracked inside.

One important thing to mention about your walk-off mat is how to choose one. For the first month, an open-back mat such as a carpet remnant should be used while the sealer/finish cures. Plastic-backed products should NOT be used for your mats. An acrylic or plastic backed mat can cause discoloration under and around the mat. This phenomenon is called Plasticizer Migration. This is caused when a plasticizer in a floor mat or floor material transfers itself (migrates) into the floor finish or sealer. When you pull up the mat, you may be tearing up part of your sealer. If a solid backed mat is used, it should be a mat with a backing of 100% Rubber material.

ACID STAINED CONCRETE FLOORING CARE INSTRUCTIONS:

Daily Dust Mopping

Dusting removes the fine dust and grit which can grind away floor finish. It will help prevent major floor finish deterioration caused by normal foot traffic. The best results are obtained by using a Micro-Fiber Dust Mop. The following procedures should be followed:

1. Dust mop the floor in one continuous movement without lifting the mop off the floor. Overlap your stroke on each pass (you can also vacuum but without the brush turning.)

2. Clean the dust mop after each use by shaking it outdoors; clean it with a brush over a garbage can, or vacuuming it.

3. NEVER use a "Swiffer Wet-Jet" type of cleaning tool. The liquid in these devices contain trace amounts of solvent material. The solvent will not harm the sealer but will cause the wax to egg-shell. Also, you should not use ammonia, bleach or Pine Sol.

Damp Mopping

1. Damp mopping with cool water and a neutral PH cleaner extends the floor finish life. It will not dull the finish and will enhance the gloss retention.

2. Follow the recommended dilution rates on label directions.

3. The mop should be wrung out tightly so that it is just damp. Do not allow the cleaning solution to puddle.

4. NEVER use a "Swiffer" type of cleaning tool (I know this is a repeat from above but I must state this again.)

Waxing

Wax is the sacrificial coating to protect the sealer and bear the brunt of the scuff and scratches. Your floor should be finished with 4 coats of wax on top of the sealer for additional protection. When this is done, the wax coats bear the brunt of the traffic load and preserve the concrete and sealer. It is much easier to apply a refresher coat of wax than it is to reseal a floor. Use a commercial-quality floor finish of at least 20% solids material as the final coatings. Never use Mop-n-Glo or similar wax products. These quickie products do not have the durability to last for very long.

1. How often you need to re-wax depends on the abuse you, your children or pets put on the floor. It varies by owner and may be anywhere from every 6 months to every year.

2. Use a looped-end Rayon mop -- synthetics release material cotton absorbs.

3. Pour a dinner-plate sized puddle on the floor and spread it evenly and thinly. Spread the material across the surface and let it dry for 1 hour. You are now ready for foot traffic again.


If you need to find an Acid Stained Concrete Contractor, submit your request to ConstructionDeal.com - we've got a network of qualified concrete experts. You can get 4 quotes fast - sometimes in a matter of minutes.

At no cost.

Simply fill out a small form online. We send your request to several pros and it will save you time and money. Concrete contractors call you and you get to pick the best quote.

RELATED ARTICLES:
Decorative Concrete Overlays
Acid Stained Concrete Flooring 101
Acid Stained Concrete - Exterior Care

Labels: Acid Stained Concrete, Decorative Concrete, Floors

Acid stained concrete floors are growing in popularity. Many people are looking to stained floors as an alternative to carpet, tile and wood. In addition to the marbled beauty of the surface, acid stained floors are low maintenance and don't retain dust which may affect some peoples' allergies. Architect Frank Lloyd Wright was one of the first people to use acid stain on floors in the 1920's.

Acid Stains are not paints. They are a coloring process involving a chemical reaction on a cementitious material. Acid Stains are a mixture of hydrochloric acid, water, and inorganic salts. The acid is not the ingredient that creates the color. The acid opens the pores of the concrete (this is referred to as etch). Once the pores are open, the metallic salts in the mixture react with the hydrated lime (calcium hydroxide) in the hardened concrete. When this solution is placed on concrete it colors the concrete by chemically combining the metallic ions with the particles in the concrete to form oxides. It is this reaction - at the ion level - that creates color. The stain mixture needs to react with the concrete for 4 - 6 hours. Many stain artists leave the stain on the slab overnight.

There are many manufactures of Acid Stain and most produce stain in 8 colors that are variations of three basic color groups: black, brown, and blue-green. The basic 8 colors are: Black, Brown, Umber, Red, Tan, Gold, Green and Blue. Some stain manufactures may use adjectives such as Vintage or Antique to describe their color version.

Acid Stain gives concrete a mottled, variegated, marble-like look. An acid stained floor will not look like a paint swatch - it will look like multiple swatches in a basic color range. Never expect Acid Stain to be uniform or have an even tone, you will get different reactions from slab to slab, and even on the same job you may see different coloration patterns. Variations of colors and mottling are to be expected and enjoyed. It is the random mix of tones and shades that gives an acid stained floor its unique beauty.

Some factors that affect the outcome of the finished stain project include:

• Cement properties and mix design
• Admixtures
• Type of aggregate
• Concrete finishing methods
• Concrete age and moisture content when stain is applied
• Weather conditions when concrete is poured and stain is applied
• Efflorescence

In general, cements that produce larger amounts of calcium hydroxide during hydration will show more stain color, and higher cement contents produce more intense colors. A smooth surface may require a stronger stain mixture while a "garage floor" finish will stain at a weaker concentration. If they are near the surface, calcium-based aggregates, such as lime-stone, take stain readily and deepen the color of the concrete above them. Solid aggregates, such as gravel, don’t react with the stain.

Acid stains, unlike paints, are not opaque - they are translucent. Some areas will be darker than others, similar to marble, granite or other natural stone. Along with the naturally occurring variegation and marbling - any blemishes and imperfections in your concrete simply add character and charm. Even cracks can add to the look.

However, each slab is different and there may be problem areas that need to be Faux Finished. This is most often caused by things that may have already reacted with the concrete or things that were spilled/dropped on the concrete. These may include Plumber's Flux, Construction Adhesives, paints and other such items. When talking to your stain contractor, question them on what they do for these areas. If their response is "You can’t control the stain", "Acid does what it does" or "You get what you get"; get a second opinion. A reliable stain contractor will know how to treat these areas and should not charge extra to do so.

Good luck on your staining project!

Joe Welch
joe (at) stainedbydesign (dot) com


For additional information on how Concrete Acid Stains Works and more sample pictures, click the link above and it will take you to Joe's site "Stained By Design" - his decorative concrete overlay business in Louisiana!

If you'd like to find an acid-staining concrete installer in your neighborhood, submit your request today to ConstructionDeal.com! It's free to find local Decorative Concrete Pros in your area.

RELATED ARTICLES:
Decorative Concrete Overlays
Acid Stained Concrete Flooring 101
Acid Stained Concrete - Exterior Care

Labels: Acid Stained Concrete, Decorative Concrete, Flooring Options, Floors