Home Improvement Guide 101

Somerset Hardwood Flooring is one of the best brands of floor surface products out there, as it features the latest in flooring technology. For its finish, it uses an advanced formula containing polyutherane and aluminum oxide. Because of this, Somerset hardwood floors are exceptionally durable, more scratch resistant and they retain their gloss longer than most brands.

With minimal effort your Somerset hardwood floor can always look new. However, in order to maximize its lifespan, you need to follow certain guidelines in routine and preventative care. Here are 7 tips that you might find handy.

1. Clean up water spills immediately. Never let water stand on your hardwood floor for a very long time. Avoid pouring water on your floor either. Water can damage the structure of your wood flooring and its finish.

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Bamboo is now becoming a very popular choice for flooring among homeowners and builders. Before it gained popularity in North America, cheap bamboo flooring has been used in Asia and other Pacific countries for decades. It wasn’t until recently that people saw its true economic, environmental and architectural potential.

Without further adieu here are five reasons why bamboo is an awesome choice for flooring materials.

Bamboo is stronger than many hardwoods

Quite interestingly, bamboo flooring is extremely harder and stronger than most hardwoods. Certain species of bamboo rate higher than maple and some almost rank twice as high as red oak, which is commonly used in households.

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If you are looking for a decent laminate flooring option, then Witex flooring is one of your many choices. While most laminate floors are very similar in terms of quality, it’s always good to familiarize yourself with each brands different offerings before you decide which one to go with. When it comes to Witex laminate flooring you will have a few different options, and we will outline briefly those options today.

Generic Features of a Witex Floor

Witex floors have some general features that you should get to know. Not all of their 6 sub-brands/levles of flooring have each option, so make sure you check before you make your purchase.

1. Textures – Witex has basically 3 different types of textures: smooth grain, True-to-Grain, and a high-gloss finish texture.  In order to get the True-to-Grain you will need to get their Artison line, and to get the high-gloss you will need to purchase the Witex Gandeur Collection.
2. Edging – You can choose between a smooth edge or a beveled edge (the beveled edge is available in the Town and Country line of laminate.
3. Plus! Sitlent Comfort Backing – This is the companies cushioning and noise reduction technology.  Like most companies, they claim that it reduces noise and makes the floor feel more ’solid’ than other laminate floors.  One nice thing about the Witex comfort backing is that it does come attached already to their floors, making it easier to install.
4. Surface Armor (r) – this is an aluminum oxide protection that is applied to every one of their floors.  It’s purpose is to prevent scratches and bumps/indentions.  Again, most laminate companies offer some type of similar protection.
5. LocTec (r) – one very nice advantage of witex laminate floors is that they do come with a good locking mechanism that does not require any type of glue, even in high-moisture areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. 
6. Aqua Protect (r) – This is a protection layer (not available on all of their labels) that, much like it’s name suggests, protects against water damage.  This is probably a decent and smart option for water prone areas, but remember no matter what the warranty is on your laminate floor, you should not allow water to sit on the floor for extended periods of time.  The Aqua Protect (r) will help, but will not solve the problem. 

Summary

There are some nice features that you can find with Witex flooring.  Remember that you are still dealing with laminate (there is no such thing as Witex wood flooring, they only offer laminate products), and as such don’t expect a full wood replacement.  However, you should get a decent, solid laminate floor that can be a good option for your home.

Other Articles On Flooring You Should Read:

-Hickory Flooring
-White Oak Flooring
-Black Walnut Flooring
-Harmonica Laminate Flooring
-Cheap Bamboo Flooring

When it comes to finding good, cheap bamboo flooring there are a specific issues that you will want to pay attention to. Bamboo flooring can be great – it can be an economical, earth-friendly, and great looking option for people looking for new flooring. However, there are some potential issues that you need to be aware of if you are looking for the best cheap bamboo flooring available.

First of all, one way to get a cheap bamboo floor is to compromise on the hardness level. All floors are measured by the ‘Jank Hardness’ scale (where the hardest wood floor, the Brazilian Walnut, has a rating of 3684 pounds), so this is how you tell how hard your bamboo floor will be. This is very important if you want your floor to last a long time and if you want it to look good for more than a few years. As such, this is the first thing you should check when you go to buy bamboo flooring. Normal hardness levels can range anywhere from 1180 to 3000 lbs, with the harder the floor equating to a higher number and typically a higher price as well. The question really is: do you need a floor with a Jank Hardness ranking of 3000 pounds? In most cases, probably not. However, if you are looking to throw a lot of high-end parties (where women will wear high heels), having kids running around and banging things on the floor, or just are hard on floors in general then you may want to consider spending a little more money and get the harder floor – that may end up being the better deal in the long run.

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Harmonics laminate flooring is one option you should consider for your floors if you want to get a good floor at a great price. No, it’s not real hardwood or hickory flooring, but as far as laminate goes, it’s pretty darn good. In this post we will take a quick look at the basics of Harmonic laminate flooring.

Products Available

There are several great types/styles of Harmonics laminate floor. Your options include the following:

• Hickory Oak
• Warm Hazelnut
• Golden Aspen
• Antique Hickory
• Skyline Maple
• Brazilian Cherry

Personally, I prefer a darker wood/laminate look and like the Antique Hickory and Brazilian Cherry the best (same reason why I like black walnut flooring) However, each one has its own look and feel and they all look great.

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When decorating or remodeling it is important to choose flooring that you will enjoy and that will last. To help you make a decision of what type of flooring to choose, strand woven bamboo flooring is it. Flooring is everywhere and is a major aspect of what makes your home look beautiful or old and worn down. If your carpet is stained or hardwood is in desperate need of refinishing, the rest of the house no longer looks like it is new or in good condition. Here are some reasons why strand woven bamboo floors are a smart option.

First, one may wonder what exactly a stand woven bamboo floor is. This is created when strands of bamboo are woven together and then treated with an adhesive to create planks. After the material is applied with the adhesive it is then compressed. Then it is cut into whatever size planks or boards necessary. Many wonder if this is as good as other hardwood flooring options. And the answer is yes! There are also added benefits with bamboo than any other wood flooring option.

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Travertine pavers are beautiful options for many home improvement projects that require a flooring option. Travertine is a limestone that is used in flooring, building and many other projects and has the ability to withstand the test of time. Travertine pavers come in three finishes, and each one has its preferred use.

The first finishing option is a honed/chiseled finish and is ideal for outdoor and landscaping work. It comes in different thicknesses and in many different sizes, which provides for flexible project work. The second finish is the tumbled finish and is also best used in outdoors and landscaping areas. They come in a variety of sizes, thicknesses and dimensions which make it suitable for most projects. The last finish is the antique finish, also called the cushioned or pillow edged finish. These pavers imitate ancient Roman flooding. This flooring was composed of different sized pieces that were used together and aged over time. Today these pavers are individually hand crafted to achieve a worn look.

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Hand scraped wood floors are a beautiful addition to any home remodel. However, first it is important to decide which type of flooring you are going to use in your home; what type will meet your needs. If you determine it is best to go with a hardwood option than it is in your best interest to look into hand scraped wood flooring. This type of flooring is very expensive, however, so that could be a deterrent for some home owners. A hand scraped wood floor adds a lot of texture and style to a home that cannot be achieved in any other way.

The look of a hand scraped wood floor is achieved through the use of wood tools by hand. This type of wood is very pricey because it is done by hand and it is very time consuming to achieve the desired look. Basically this type of flooring is going for a unique distressed look. It is possible to get distressed wood for a cheaper price than hand scraped, but it is a different look.

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Hickory flooring is one of the many types of hardwood flooring available to someone looking to re-do flooring in their home. As with any type of product there are distinct advantages and disadvantages to this type of flooring. Hickory hardwood flooring is the second hardest flooring option in the United States, second only to mesquite wood. This provides many advantages as to the durability of the wood, especially in high traffic and well used areas. If you use this wood in the kitchen it will stand up well to the spill and things that can get dropped on it, that on a softer wood would cause dents, scratches and stains damaging the wood.

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Choosing to remodel your home black walnut flooring is a beautiful option. It is an attractive wood, that has a tight grain and polishes to a smooth finish. Is a very decorative hardwood whose beauty increases with age. It comes in a variety of colors from dark brown to dark purplish black. Depending on how the wood is processed it ends up with a different color. When the wood is kiln dried it has a dull brown color. Conversely, when it is air dried the wood takes on a rich purplish brown color. The grain of this wood is generally straight, but has some curls in it as well. Black walnut hardwood flooring is a medium density wood, that allows bending, and has a low stiffness. These qualities make the wood easy to work with. It also stains easily and dries slowly. A black walnut floor also darkens with age, adding a new rich quality to the wood through the years.

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When remodeling your home there are many flooring options to consider. It is important to take your time and consider the many options available to you, however if you do decide to go with a wood flooring then white oak flooring is a good, reliable option. White oak hardwood flooring could add a new level of elegance and beauty to your home. White oak hardwood flooring has a strength and durability that is superior to many of the other types of wood, even other hardwoods. White oak is generally a straight grained wood that is a medium to course texture. This type of wood can generate many patterns from the different ways to saw or slice the tree. When this floor is installed in your home it is generally stained and sealed to enable it ability to stay looking nice for a long time.

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