Repurposing old wine corks into furniture pads is a simple and stylish way to protect your hardwood floors while adding a personal touch to your home. Instead of throwing away those leftover corks, you can easily transform them into durable, cushioned pads that prevent your furniture from scratching or denting the floor. To start, gather enough corks to cover the legs of your furniture, then carefully slice each cork into thin, even discs using a sharp knife or box cutter. Sand the edges of the discs to ensure a smooth, polished look. Apply a small amount of strong adhesive to one side of each disc and press the discs firmly onto the bottom of your furniture legs, holding them in place for a few seconds to ensure they stick well. Allow the adhesive to dry completely before moving the furniture.
This DIY project not only reduces waste but also gives your furniture a unique, custom look. You can even get creative by painting the corks, using patterned cork sheets, or adding a layer of felt between the cork and the furniture leg for extra cushioning. Repurposing wine corks into furniture pads is a quick and easy way to protect your floors and infuse your home with a bit of personal flair. Plus, each time you glance at those corks, you’ll be reminded of the enjoyable moments spent with each bottle of wine, making this a functional and sentimental addition to your decor. It’s a fun, eco-friendly project that combines functionality with style, showcasing your creativity and commitment to sustainability.
For individuals or families dealing with allergies, selecting the right flooring is crucial for maintaining a healthy indoor environment. Hardwood flooring emerges as an ideal solution due to several key advantages that directly benefit allergy sufferers.
Non-Allergenic Surface: One of the primary advantages of hardwood floors is their non-allergenic nature. Unlike carpets that can trap dust mites, pet dander, pollen, and mold, hardwood surfaces remain smooth and do not harbor these allergens. This makes it easier to clean and prevents the accumulation of particles that can trigger allergic reactions.
Easy Maintenance: Keeping hardwood floors clean is straightforward and effective in managing allergens. Regular sweeping to remove dust and debris, along with occasional damp mopping, is usually sufficient. This minimal maintenance routine significantly reduces the presence of allergens compared to carpets, which require more intensive cleaning to maintain indoor air quality.
Improved Air Quality: Hardwood floors contribute positively to indoor air quality by minimizing the presence of airborne allergens. Unlike carpets that release particles into the air when disturbed, hardwood floors retain cleanliness and reduce the overall allergen load in the home environment. This characteristic is especially beneficial for allergy sufferers who are sensitive to airborne particles.
Durability: Another notable advantage of hardwood flooring is its durability. Once installed, hardwood floors can last for decades with proper care. This longevity not only provides a stable and allergen-free surface but also reduces the need for frequent floor replacements that may introduce new allergens into the home.
Comparison with Other Flooring Options
Carpet: Carpets have a high potential for harboring allergens such as dust mites, pet dander, and pollen within their fibers. Despite regular cleaning efforts, carpets can retain allergens, impacting indoor air quality and exacerbating allergy symptoms.
Laminate: Laminate flooring offers a hard surface that does not trap allergens, similar to hardwood. It requires simple maintenance and is a viable alternative for allergy sufferers looking for easy-to-clean flooring options.
Tile: Ceramic and porcelain tiles have non-porous surfaces that do not trap allergens, making them another excellent choice for allergy-friendly flooring. However, attention to grout lines is necessary as they can accumulate dust and require periodic cleaning.
Vinyl: Vinyl flooring is non-porous and easy to clean, making it a low-allergen option suitable for allergy sufferers. Choosing low-VOC products further enhances indoor air quality.
Cork: Naturally hypoallergenic, cork flooring resists mold and mildew, contributing to better indoor air quality. Regular cleaning is essential to maintain its allergy-friendly properties.
Hardwood flooring stands out as an excellent choice for allergy sufferers due to its non-allergenic surface, easy maintenance, and positive impact on indoor air quality. While other flooring options such as laminate, tile, vinyl, and cork also offer allergy-friendly benefits, hardwood’s durability and timeless appeal make it a top contender for creating a healthier home environment. When considering flooring options, prioritize those that minimize allergen accumulation and contribute to better indoor air quality, ultimately supporting a more comfortable living space for allergy-sensitive individuals.
Using hardwood for outdoor spaces such as decks, patios, and other outdoor living areas can create a warm, inviting atmosphere while blending seamlessly with natural surroundings. Here are some key points to consider when choosing hardwood for outdoor use, types of suitable wood, and maintenance tips.
Types of Hardwood and Treatments for Outdoor Use
1. Ipe (Brazilian Walnut): Ipe is an extremely hard, dense wood that is resistant to rot, insects, and weather. It has a rich, dark brown color. The natural oils within the wood offer protection, allowing it to be left untreated for a silver-grey patina or treated with UV protectant oils to maintain its original color.
2. Teak: Teak is naturally resistant to water, insects, and decay, with a golden-brown color. It is often used untreated, developing a silver patina over time, but can also be treated with teak oil to maintain its color.
3. Cumaru (Brazilian Teak): Cumaru is a very dense, durable wood that is resistant to rot and insects. It has a reddish-brown color and can be left to weather naturally or treated with UV protectant oils, similar to Ipe.
4. Garapa (Brazilian Ash): Garapa is a light-colored wood that is durable and resistant to decay and insects. It can be treated with sealers and UV protectants to maintain its color or left to weather to a silver-grey.
5. Mahogany: Mahogany is stable, durable, and resistant to decay and insects, with a reddish-brown hue. It requires regular maintenance with sealers or oils to maintain its color and protect it from weathering.
Treatments for Hardwood
1. Oil-Based Sealers: Oil-based sealers penetrate the wood and protect from within. They typically require reapplication every 1-2 years and enhance the natural wood grain and color.
2. Water-Based Sealers: Water-based sealers form a protective layer on the wood’s surface and usually need reapplication more frequently than oil-based sealers. They offer UV protection to prevent fading.
3. Stains with Sealers: These products provide color and protection in one application. They are available in a variety of colors to match aesthetic preferences.
4. UV Protectant Oils: Designed specifically to prevent fading from sun exposure, UV protectant oils typically need to be reapplied annually.
Maintenance Tips for Outdoor Hardwood Floors
1. Regular Cleaning: Regularly sweep to remove dirt and debris. Wash the wood with a mild soap solution and a soft brush or mop. Avoid using harsh chemicals or pressure washers, as they can damage the wood.
2. Reapplication of Treatments: Depending on the treatment used, reapply oils, sealers, or stains as recommended, usually annually or biannually. Always clean the surface thoroughly before reapplying treatments.
3. Inspect and Repair: Regularly inspect the wood for signs of wear, damage, or rot. Replace or repair damaged boards promptly to prevent further deterioration.
4. Furniture and Foot Traffic: Use pads or protective covers on furniture legs to prevent scratches. Consider using rugs or mats in high-traffic areas to reduce wear.
5. Protection from Elements: Use canopies, pergolas, or umbrellas to protect the wood from direct sunlight and rain. During extreme weather, cover the deck with protective tarps.
By selecting the right type of hardwood and maintaining it properly, you can enjoy the beauty and durability of hardwood floors in your outdoor spaces for many years.
Installing hardwood floors can transform your home, adding warmth and elegance. However, like any home improvement project, it can come with its challenges. Understanding common issues and knowing how to troubleshoot them can save you time, money, and frustration. Here’s a guide to help you navigate some of the most frequent problems you might encounter when laying hardwood floors.
Dealing with Gaps Gaps between floorboards are a common issue, often caused by seasonal changes, improper installation, or moisture fluctuations. During dry winter months, the wood can shrink, leading to visible gaps. Solutions:
Seasonal Changes: Accept that minor gaps might be temporary and will likely close up during more humid months.
Humidity Control: Use a humidifier in dry seasons to maintain consistent humidity levels in your home, which helps keep the wood stable.
Proper Installation: Ensure that boards are properly acclimated to the room’s environment before installation and that correct spacing is maintained during the process.
Buckling Buckling occurs when hardwood floors lift or warp, usually due to excessive moisture or improper installation techniques.
Solutions:
Moisture Prevention: Make sure a proper vapor barrier is installed and check for moisture issues in the subfloor before installation.
Proper Acclimation: Allow the hardwood to acclimate to the room’s humidity and temperature for at least 48-72 hours before installation.
Secure Fastening: Use the correct amount of adhesive and nails/staples to secure the boards firmly to the subfloor.
Cupping Cupping happens when the edges of a board are higher than the center, often due to moisture imbalance, with the underside of the board being more moist than the top. Solutions:
Moisture Testing: Test both the subfloor and hardwood for moisture levels before installation to ensure compatibility.
Vapor Barrier: Install a vapor barrier to prevent moisture from seeping into the hardwood.
Humidity Control: Use dehumidifiers to maintain consistent indoor humidity levels.
Crowning Crowning is the opposite of cupping, where the center of the board is higher than its edges. This can occur if a cupped floor is sanded before it has dried out. Solutions:
Proper Drying: Ensure the floor is fully dry and acclimated before sanding and finishing.
Moisture Control: Maintain consistent humidity levels to avoid moisture imbalances that can lead to crowning.
Squeaking Floors Squeaky floors can result from movement between the subfloor and hardwood or between the floorboards themselves. Solutions:
Secure Installation: Make sure the hardwood is securely fastened to the subfloor with nails or glue.
Lubrication: Apply a powdered lubricant, like talcum powder, between the boards to reduce friction.
Additional Fasteners: Drive additional nails or screws into the subfloor to secure any loose boards.
Scratches and Dents Hardwood floors can get scratched or dented due to heavy furniture, pet claws, or high foot traffic. Solutions:
Protective Pads: Use felt pads under furniture legs to prevent scratches.
Rugs and Runners: Place area rugs and runners in high-traffic areas to protect the floor.
Regular Maintenance: Regularly refinish the floors to maintain their appearance and protect against wear and tear.
Staining and Discoloration Spills and pet accidents can cause stains and discoloration if not cleaned promptly. Solutions:
Immediate Cleanup: Clean spills and accidents immediately to prevent stains.
Protective Finish: Apply a protective finish to the hardwood to guard against stains and spills.
Professional Cleaning: Use professional hardwood floor cleaners for deep cleaning and stain removal.
Popping Nails Nails can occasionally pop out of the hardwood, causing uneven flooring and potential hazards. Solutions:
Resecure Nails: Hammer down or replace any popped nails with new ones.
Use Screws: Replace problematic nails with screws to ensure they stay in place more securely.
Moisture Control Controlling moisture is critical to prevent many issues such as cupping, crowning, and buckling. Solutions:
Moisture Barriers: Use moisture barriers and proper underlayment during installation to prevent moisture issues.
Humidity Levels: Maintain indoor humidity levels between 30-50% using humidifiers or dehumidifiers as needed.
Ventilation: Ensure proper ventilation in rooms with hardwood flooring to avoid moisture buildup.
By understanding these common issues and how to address them, you can ensure that your hardwood floors remain beautiful and functional for years to come. Proper installation techniques, regular maintenance, and effective moisture control are essential for avoiding these problems and enjoying the timeless elegance of hardwood flooring.
Hardwood floors are a prized addition to any home, providing warmth, beauty, and value. Yet, to maintain their elegance over time, proper care is essential. In this guide, we’ll explore effective maintenance strategies to ensure your hardwood flooring remains pristine for years to come.
Regular maintenance is key to preserving hardwood floors. Sweep and dust regularly with a soft-bristled broom or microfiber mop to remove surface dust and debris, preventing scratches and preserving the smooth finish. Vacuum weekly using a hardwood-specific attachment to lift fine particles from crevices and between floorboards, maintaining cleanliness and preventing long-term damage.
Using appropriate cleaners is crucial to avoid damaging the finish. Choose products specifically formulated for hardwood, avoiding vinegar, ammonia, or excessive water. Promptly address spills and stains with manufacturer-recommended stain removers, maintaining the aesthetic appeal and durability of your hardwood flooring.
Protect your hardwood floors by attaching felt pads to furniture legs to prevent scratches and marks. Place rugs or mats in high-traffic areas and entrances to reduce dirt and debris contact with the floors. Encourage household members and guests to remove high heels and sports cleats before walking on the floors to prevent dents and damage.
Control sunlight exposure with curtains or blinds to prevent fading and discoloration of hardwood floors. Periodically rearrange furniture and rugs to distribute wear and light exposure evenly, preventing discolored patches and maintaining the floor’s appearance.
Maintain humidity levels between 30-50% to prevent warping or splitting of the wood. Use humidifiers or dehumidifiers as needed to stabilize humidity levels and protect your floors. Consider professional refinishing every 3-5 years to address deeper scratches and wear, revitalizing the floor’s original beauty and durability.
For minor scratches, use matching wood markers or wax pencils to fill in imperfections seamlessly. For deeper scratches and gouges, use wood putty or professional touch-up kits to fill damaged areas, maintaining the floor’s structural integrity and aesthetic appeal. With these simple tips, you can ensure your hardwood floors remain stunning and durable for years to come, enhancing your home’s aesthetic and value.
It takes some hard work to refinish hardwood floors, but it is all worth it in the end. Whether you are looking to renovate your old home or update the current one, refinishing hardwood floors are a great way to make any space feel brand new. Are you ready to do this on your own? Follow these steps to refinish hardwood floors with professional results.
Prepare the room
Remove all furniture, curtains, and rugs. Make sure to cover all vents and electrical boxes are taped to prevent dust from getting into it. If you are refinishing one room, you should use plastic sheeting to seal doors. Then use a pry bar to gently remove base molding. You can then remove the small piece of quarter-round and leave the rest of the baseboards in place.
Patch and repair
For this step always check the floor for larger holes or cracks. And to repair this use wood filler and a spackle knife. If the rooms are heavily damaged, it is advised to use a trowel filler and a thinner wood filler, which can easily spread and cover large areas. However, if your floor is less damaged, it is best to use a wood patch filler on specific spots. After doing so let it dry completely before removing any debris with sand paper and buffing it.
Applying sealer or stain
In order to carry out this step, make sure your room and floor is completely clean because debris can affect the end result. If you want the stain to penetrate the wood evenly, use a method called ‘water popping’. Mix a solution of alcohol and water and spray the floor completely with a pump sprayer. Then use a mop to distribute the solution evenly. This causes the wood grains to rise and stain well. Lastly, let it dry for 30 minutes.
Seal the floor
After the stain is dry, we can finish by sealing the floor. This helps to prevent the floor from getting damaged by water and scratches, while also adding shine and luster to the floor. Polyurethane sealer is the most popular hardwood sealer on the market and is available in water-based or oil-based products.
Part of your house maintenance should include a yearly spring/summer inspection of your home’s structural quality. Think about everything that has happened this past year. How many pitter-patters of big feet, little feet and four-footed creatures have crossed your floors this past year? How many times has something spilled on your floor? Has your house had any temperature changes?
Daily living creates wear and tear on hardwood floors, whether we notice it or not. Sure, some nicks and scratches produce “character” in the wood, but over time structural damage can occur as well. You might imagine that those squeaks and creaks are only visits from the local friendly ghost, but there is a chance that your floor is telling you it’s time for some structural repairs. (If it is a ghost, at least it won’t do much damage to the floor.)
Squeaking, creaking floors indicate that there is likely a loose floorboard or two. To make sure everything is in place, look around the floor for any surface nails that aren’t flush to the floor. If nailing them to the surface doesn’t stop the squeaking, drive the nail slightly below the floor using a “nail set” to drive the nail in so you don’t add hammer marks to your floor’s character. (A nail set is simply a small nail shaped object that you place on top of the nail head to drive it in. The hammer bangs the nail set rather than the nail in the floor.) Alternatively, or if your hardwood floor doesn’t have surface nails, you can tighten the floorboard by driving in two nails, opposite each other, each at an angle that drives the nail towards the other and into the floor joist. If you can get under your floor, you can take the easy way out and simply put a wedge in between the loose board and the floor joist.
If you have gaps between your hardwood floor that are no larger than ½ inch, you can buy a wedge-shaped “fillet” of wood to insert in the gap, pound in and sand down. Unfortunately, if your floor is sagging, you’ll need to raise the floor with a metal column – or put in new floor joists. If your floors aren’t sagging – keep tabs on the moisture levels in your home and protect your wood with sealer.
There’s hardly any harm in a visit from a friendly ghost; but loose floorboards, gaps and sagging floors might not be so friendly to your feet. (Especially if you fall through to the basement floor.) A once a year maintenance check can keep your floors in shape and your family’s pitter-patters running safe without a squeaking, creaking sound.
Solid hardwood has been around since the first broad-leafed tree sprouted from the earth – but laminate flooring has only been sold in the consumer flooring market since the 1980s. Laminate countertops and cabinets entered the market well before laminate flooring. However, it took engineers some time to figure out how to make laminate strong enough for floors. Eventually, an increase in heat and pressure during production, and the addition of reinforced layers did the trick. Easy click-and-lock tongue-and-groove floor laminates were born.
Laminate flooring is made up of layers. Most flooring choices labeled laminate flooring come finished with a protective seal and are ready for the weight of walking soon after installation. Marketers and manufacturers like to divide laminate flooring into two categories: wood laminates and plastic laminates. However, flooring industry associations prefer to categorize a wood-on-wood layered floor as an engineered floor, and the melamine on fiberboard product as laminate. If you are considering installing a laminate floor, make sure you research the product’s layers and warranties before you make any purchasing decision.
Products classified as “wood laminates” could be wood veneer (a thin sheet of wood about .06 millimeters thick) on top of plywood, or wood veneer on fiberboard. They’re usually sold in 3-ply or 5-ply strips or planks. Flooring sold as wood laminate flooring almost always comes with a tough polyurethane or acrylic finish and in easy-to-install tongue and groove pieces that can be glued or nailed down.
“Plastic laminates” differ because they come with a printed layer that mimics solid hardwood, rather than a layer of wood veneer. They are called plastic laminates because the top layer is infused with amminoplastic thermosetting resins – usually melamine. Plastic laminates have a top protective coating sealed over the décor paper. This can give you the look of exotic wood without the price. Those two layers are placed over a supportive baseboard, (typically fiberboard, but can be engineered hardwood), that has the edging for the “click and lock.” Under the supporting board is a stabilizing layer. This stabilizes the wood so it doesn’t slip and slide, and it protects your laminated floor from subfloor moisture.
Fiberboard, (technically, cellulosic fiber), can be made with natural wood chips blended with other man-made materials, or it can be a complete blend of synthetic materials. Fiberboard is sometimes made from cane. Engineered hardwood floors don’t have the fiber structure that fiberboard does. Fiberboard’s identifying feature is that it uses a “felting” process to bond the fibers. Engineered wood floors go through a layering process. But fiberboard, engineered hardwood, and laminate flooring all use heat and pressure during the fabrication process. Heat and pressure treatments have a direct influence on the quality of the flooring product. Therefore, it’s beneficial to take notice of a floor’s pressure treatment before making your final flooring choice.
High density fiberboard (HDF) and medium density fiberboard (MDF) are used in laminate flooring. Medium density fiberboard goes through a less extreme heating and pressure treatment than high density fiberboard, but the manufacturing process is the same. Because high density fiberboard goes through a more extreme heating and pressure treatment, it is a higher quality fiberboard and recommended for laminate flooring.
Pressure treatment is also given to the surface layer and stabilizing layer of laminate flooring. The surface and stabilizing layers can be HPL (High Pressure Laminate), CPL (Continuous Pressure Laminate), or DPL (Direct Pressed Laminate). High pressure and continuous pressure bonds the surface layer and/or the stabilizing layer on to its surface, but a direct pressed surface layer and/or stabilizing layer is pressed on to its surface. Laminate flooring fabricated with the direct-pressed method on the surface layer and stabilizing layer of the laminate flooring will produce a more stable floor that isn’t prone to bowing under pressure.
If you don’t want to bow under the pressure of having to choose a new laminate floor, choose your laminate wood flooring armed with information, and your buying decision will be no pressure at all.
Basically, parquet flooring is made up of many small pieces of wood joined all together to create interesting and exciting geometric shapes. All these miniature pieces of wood are laid out on top of soft wood to maintain the even surface. After the process of joining the pieces, the final image will create a unique design on the floor, which adds to the beauty of the room. Due the huge variety of interesting designs you can create with these small pieces, many home owners are beginning to realize the beauty of parquet flooring.
Wood parquet flooring is much more artistic than other types of flooring installation. The very process is an artwork all in its own. The process of putting together the pieces can be done manually, or with the use of a machine for a quicker result. The process is somewhat similar to the of putting together tile flooring. The only difference is that soft wood is used in parquet installation. Installation is easy if you know what you’re doing. But if your not particularly skilled at the art of carpentry, it might be smarter to hire a contractor to do the job for you; in the end you’ll be saving time and money.
Once the wood parquet flooring is installed properly, inspect it thoroughly and ensure that there are no gaps in any of the surface. Gaps can cause warping in the future. It is also important that you must learn how to take care of your investment to prevent it from any damage. Just like on any wood flooring, avoid liquids spilling. If there are any spills, immediately wipe the liquid to avoid any permanent damage. Be careful to not scratch up the floor with heavy objects or furniture for it will leave irreparable scratch marks.
Cleaning is fairly easy with floor polisher and a piece of thick cotton. Make sure that the solutions you’re using are made for wood flooring. Using random cleaning solutions not meant for wood flooring might cause stains and damage due to unforeseen chemical reactions. By cleaning the dust off the parquet regularly, it will give it a shiny new look.
Be careful to not overuse the vacuum cleaner, for it will eventually wear out the finish and take away that shine from your floor. Should you indeed manage to put scratches on the floor, you will be able to remove them using a wax touch up marker. Use a knife to remove any excess from the crevice, and then buff it. You can also use markers that have wood stain already within them, which will add shine to the damaged part. These markers are used to cure scratches on any part of your wood, often times with mixed results depending on the severity of the scratch.
A newly axed tree won’t gush out a flood of water when it hits the ground, but about 200% of that tree’s current weight is due to moisture. By the time that tree turns into a hardwood plank finding its way to your living room subfloor, that moisture content is only around 6%. Moisture affects wood from the time it is first run through the sharp rough edges of a saw and all the way through the fine-tuning milling and machining process. Moisture plays a part in storage, delivery and even installation. Once your hardwood floor is completely installed in your home, that tree will still be hanging on to a percentage of its moisture content – and as long as there is moisture in the air it isn’t going to let it go.
Moisture isn’t a bad thing, and obviously we need air and water to survive. But when it comes to hardwood floors, there is such a thing as “too much of a good thing” – and that good thing is moisture. It might be good for garden, but it’s not good for your indoor hardwood floor. Moisture causes hardwood floors to expand and contract – which is seasonally acceptable – but too much moisture, and your hardwood floors will have noticeable gaps, crowns, irregularities and even buckling that will affect the floors appearance and structural integrity. Excessive moisture can lead to floor rot, particularly if the floor is not properly finished and protected.
Household hardwood floors should have a moisture content between 6% and 9%, but the percentage will be affected by the type of wood, the weight of the wood, and many other factors. Some woods naturally have more extreme moisture contents, ranging from 4% to 18%, but oak floors are generally in the 6% to 9% range. The percentage of moisture content is simply determined by comparing how much moisture is in solid wood compared to the same weight of oven-dried wood. Before the wood is installed in your home, its moisture content should be tested with a moisture meter to make sure it is within an acceptable range.
Controlling the temperature of your home is the best way to prevent unwanted gaping and floor movement throughout the seasons. Keeping the indoor humidity levels at a range between 30% and 50%, and a room temperature between 60 degrees and 80 degrees Fahrenheit is an easy way for you keep your floor’s moisture level at a healthy, stable level. But there are also measures the manufacturers, delivery companies, and installers can take to keep your hardwood floors from acting moody from their moisture content changes.
To begin with, quartersawn wood will be more stable than plainsawn wood. Quality manufacturers will record moisture levels before the wood even leaves their facility, and will include their moisture-level findings on packaging material. They will also have temperature-controlled storage to maintain a consistent moisture content.
The delivery company should take care not to subject the wood to any extreme temperature changes. Once the wood arrives at the place of installation, the wood should be left out to adjust to the room temperature for at least a couple days before the actual installation. A moisture reading should be taken just prior to installation to make sure that the moisture content of the hardwood is within standards proposed by national flooring associations.
Moisture is a fact of life, and your floor will move – although you might not even notice it. Wide planks move more than smaller wood strips, and you might notice a gap between two wide 5” planks, but hardly the millimeter changes between two 2 ¼ “ hardwood strips. By making sure your hardwood flooring reaches an acceptable moisture level before installation, and by keeping your home at a consistent temperature and humidity level, the natural movement of your hardwood floor will be minimized.
Despite receiving the ax and going through an extreme weight loss, your hardwood floor is still living. It needs to be kept comfortable. By keeping its moisture content stable from beginning to end, you’ll have a strong, solid hardwood floor to support you for the lifetime of your home.
