How to Prepare for Flooring Installation

 

Flooring Installation Tips

Flooring Installation

If you’re considering replacing your flooring, you’ll want to be prepared for the process. There are a number of factors to consider when choosing a floor material, including performance, traffic, and room type. You also want to choose a floor that complements your furnishings, decor, and walls. Here are some tips to help you select the perfect floor.

Time to Install Flooring

The amount of time required to install flooring depends on the type of flooring and its size. A small room can be laid in two to three hours, but larger rooms can take several days. The time taken to cut and fit the flooring around obstacles will add to the time. If you’re planning to install hardwood flooring, you’ll have to plan for at least a day for the project.

After the flooring has been installed, you’ll have to install new baseboards. You can save money on this step by going with shoe molding instead of quarter-round molding. It’s also best to remove the base molding to allow wood planks to be installed as close as possible to the wall.

Materials needed for flooring installation

There are several materials needed to install a new floor. First, you need a drill. It is important to use a 12-, 18-, or 20-volt drill with a spade bit for cutting clean, large holes. Also, you will need scrap lumber to support the underside of the floor.

Subfloor materials will depend on the type of floor you’re installing. OSB or plywood sheets are common choices for subfloors. You can also use a combination of OSB and plywood.

Common problems with new floors

Installing a new floor is a time-consuming, back-breaking process. It can be tempting to skip steps and cut corners, but this can lead to a whole host of problems. Improper installation can cause your flooring to become loose and move, or even create gaps between boards. You should also avoid using too many fasteners, as this can make the floor rigid. These are just a few of the common problems homeowners face when installing new floors.

Poor floor preparation is a major cause of many problems. If the surface is improperly prepared, a new floor will look uneven and will not last as long as it could. It can also damage the floor, especially hardwood floors, which are sensitive to the subfloor. If you reside in Honolulu, Oahu, we suggest contacting a few Honolulu flooring companies to get cost estimates before you make a decision.

Renovating Your Bathroom on a Budget

 

Having that beautiful spa like bathroom with a sunken whirlpool tub and separate shower stall along with his and her sinks may sound like a dream, but for many of us that is just not feasible.  That doesn’t mean that you can’t have a beautiful bathroom without spending a ton of money.  Many homeowners are hesitant to take on a bathroom renovation because they are worried about not be able to use the bathroom or having to take on plumbing issues.  Don’t be afraid with the right contractor you can have a new bathroom quickly and for less than you expect.

Renovating Your Bathroom on a Budget

Plumbing

The first concern homeowners have is with the plumbing and whether they will have to spend a fortune replacing bathroom plumbing.  That doesn’t have to be a worry, if you replace your sinks make sure that they line up with the current one.  This eliminates the worry of having to change the plumbing.  Rearranging how your bathroom is laid out is what makes the job far more complex.

Replacing your vanity and sink and connecting the water to the new sink only takes a couple of minutes.  A contractor can get this job done in less than an hour, check with a few contractors to get an estimate on what you want done and your options.

Replacing your bathtub or shower and redoing the plumbing can be a little pricey.  However, instead of replacing these bulky fixtures, you can simply refinish it.  Bathtub refinishing is a cost effective way to pretty up your tub, shower and/or tile surround without having to endure a messy, time consuming, and costly “gut” job.

Shelving and Storage

The bathroom is the smallest room in your house yet it is still one of the most frequently used.  On top of being a small room there are plenty of things that need to be stored in there for day to day use, that means you need to get creative on how you use the space.  There are tons of options available to you for sinks and vanities.  When it comes to the bathroom you need to look more at vertical shelving it will maximize the space you have to work with.

There are apps available from Lowes or Home Depot that you can use on your tablet where you put in the measurements of your bathroom and it can give you a three dimensional look at what your bathroom can look like after the renovations.  It makes it far easier to pick out new fittings and fixtures for your bathroom. Here is how that software works.

The Budget

It’s the budget that often determines the end result, but you can get the best bang for your buck.  You can shop around for the best prices, but don’t settle for low quality products.  Your bathroom is the most frequently used rooms in the house you need cabinetry and fixtures that will last.  Contractors are often able to negotiate discounts on materials so speak with your contractor to get the best looking bathroom possible.

Renovate Your Kitchen with Custom Cabinets

 

 

Ask any realtor and they will tell you that it is bathrooms and kitchens that sell houses, these are the two rooms a potential buyer will go over with a fine toothed comb.  What if you’re not selling your home?  Kitchens and bathrooms are still where you spend a lot of time in your home and you want those spaces to work for you.  You also want them to look good.  These are the most common home renovations that any contractor will do.  One of the things you can do to make your kitchen look spectacular is to renovate your kitchen with custom cabinets.

Renovate Your Kitchen with Custom Cabinets

Why Custom Cabinets

Your cabinets are the focal point of the kitchen.  They are critical to the space, it’s where your best dishes are stored and where your coffee maker sits.  This is where you prepare food for your family your counters and cabinets are the most important part of your kitchen.  You might think you can head down to the local home improvement stores and grab some new cabinets and boom…you’re done.  Except, it doesn’t always work that way.  Prefab cabinets don’t always fit into your kitchen especially if you have an older home or oddly shaped kitchen. With custom cabinets you don’t have to worry about any of this.

Custom Cabinets

Custom cabinets are exactly that, customized for the exact dimensions of your kitchen.  Not only that, you can choose the materials that they are made from, you don’t have to settle for inferior materials like plywood or particle board.  If you ever shopped for kitchen cabinets before you have probably found a style of cabinets that you like but in a material or color that you hated.  You don’t need to go through that with custom cabinets.  You can also get pretty creative with storage solutions for smaller kitchens.  Prefabricated cabinets may also not have the dimensions that you need for cabinets either, rather you can get something that fits your space.

The Look

Custom cabinets have that fitted look that you just won’t get with prefab cabinets.  Instead of looking like every other kitchen you have something unique, it looks like it was meant to be there.  Say good bye to that generic kitchen that everyone in the neighborhood has, you now have something that fits your needs.  The cabinets are the biggest part of your kitchen, why not have something that you love.