In Central Indiana, winter is quickly waning, spring sports will be starting up soon, and your entire family is chomping at the bit for the weather to warm up. You may be noticing areas in your home that need a little more TLC, or maybe you’ve made a 2-week plan to spring clean your home. Got your sights on your hardwood floors? We’ve put together a few tips and guidelines to spring clean your floors. Do your floors need some major work? The hardwood flooring experts at Floor Sand Crafting have extensive experience in refinishing, installing, and repairing hardwood floors. Request a quote today by calling (317) 759-2575.

 

Hardwood Floor Cleaning Schedule

In reality, most surfaces in your home need more than a once-a-year deep cleaning, and your floors are no different. So while it’s good to do a seasonal deep clean right now before spring starts in earnest, you can keep your floors looking their finest with more care on a regular basis. 

Every Day Maintenance

Mop up any water or spills as soon as they happen. Don’t allow water or other liquids to remain on your floors for long. 

Every Week Spruce-up

Sweep or vacuum with a hard floor attachment at least once a week. Use a little Bona floor cleaner to clean more stubborn soil marks. For sticky substances, use an ice cube to harden the spot and then lightly rub with a dull plastic scraper. The key is to not damage the finish of the floor. When you’re in spring cleaning mode, use Bona for the entire floor. 

Every 3-5 Years Power Cleaning

Hardwood floors are beautiful, but they’re not immune from regular wear and tear. To protect your investment, consider having your floors sanded and refinished every 3-5 years. This process will remove gouges and scratches, keeping it in great shape for the life of the house. 

For a job like this in Indianapolis, hire the experts at Floor Sand Crafting. With our experienced crew at your service, you can rest assured knowing everything will be done precisely and to your specifications. Request a quote today by calling (317) 759-2575.

The post Spring Clean Your Hardwood Floors appeared first on Floor Craft Sanding.

Now that you’ve finally installed the laminate, solid wood floor or engineered wood flooring of your dreams, you’ll want to look after it for as long as possible so that looks great for years.

There’s more involved in protecting your wooden floor than just taking your shoes off before you walk over it (although that does help!), so here is your full guide to protecting your wooden floor properly and making sure you guard this beautiful investment in your home.

Daily Wood and Laminate Floor Care

• Dirt and debris are quickly noticeable on a wooden floor, even more so than a carpet where the dirt gets engrained in the fibres, so it’s important to sweep or hoover every few days to lift the surface dirt. Make sure you’re using the right setting on your hoover so that the bristles aren’t too low to scratch or scrape your floor when you vacuum. A microfibre mop is also a wonderful investment

 

• Use a soft mop to wash the floors once a week with a diluted cleaning solution which won’t cause any discolouration or damage to your floors. Always check the manufacturer’s recommendations for diluting ratios, or make your own natural floor cleaner from everyday household ingredients.

 

• Try to remove shoes before you walk across your wooden floors and especially high heeled shoes which can leave marks and indentations in the floor. If you have small children playing in the room with your new floor, a rug or a playmat might be a good idea to protect your floor, and their knees.

 

• Heavy furniture should have felt pads attached to the feet so that you don’t accidentally scrape or scratch the floor when moving the furniture or cleaning. These are really cheap to pick up and take seconds to apply.

Different floor types have different maintenance and care practices to keep them in great condition, so make sure you’re following the right advice for your floor type. In addition to the general care points above, here are the essential tips for maintaining the type of wooden floor you might have at home.

Caring for Laminate Floor:

• Never use a buffer or polishing machine on a laminate floor – this will ruin it entirely.
• Dry your floors after you’ve washed them to ensure they retain their lustre and don’t show any ugly watermarks.
• It’s also really important to never leave liquids on your floor as they can stain, especially if your floor is a light colour. The liquid can also get into the floors click system and cause damage to your laminate flooring as well.

For all the information you’ll ever need to look after your laminate floor, check out this handy guide on our website.

 

Caring for Real Wood Floor:

• Never leave liquids on the surface of your solid wood floor, as this can cause the boards to swell and buckle.

 

• Sunlight can bleach your floors causing them to discolour and look shabby. Tilt the blinds in your room to avoid these shafts of light causing noticeable colour differences, and if you plan to put a rug down on your floor, try and move it around regularly so that the colour differences are more evenly spread across the floor.

 

• Solid and Engineered wood floors naturally require more care and maintenance than laminate flooring – they will need to be sanded, oiled or lacquered consistently over their lifetime to retain the same gleam they had when they were first installed. However, they also can last for generations when looked after properly, so a little bit of extra attention on your part is definitely worth it.

For everything, you need to know about the long term upkeep of a solid wooden floor, see our comprehensive guide on the website.

This post appeared first on https://www.discountflooringdepot.co.uk

Keeping up with interior design trends can be difficult. If you plan on making upgrades to your home, there are a number of key decisions to make. Do you want to create a modern living space, or take a more traditional approach? Luckily, herringbone flooring covers the full spectrum when it comes to beautiful interiors.

When it comes to home renovations, your own style needs to be prominent throughout. After all, you’re the one who will be living in it. If you’re not comfortable or in love with your own home, then how can you expect others to be?

Herringbone flooring comes in many different colours and variations. Whilst some lend themselves to contemporary interiors, others will look just as at home in older interiors – just as they did when herringbone wood flooring first made its way into homes in the late 16^th Century.

A form of parquet flooring, herringbone arranges wooden blocks in a zig-zag pattern to produce beautiful results. This is how parquet flooring is defined – using wooden blocks to create geometric patterns.

We’ve collated our six favourite home interiors that use herringbone flooring in different ways. Hopefully, this can give you some inspiration if you’re considering herringbone for your home!

Grey Herringbone Flooring

If you’re looking to combine two of the hottest interior trends, then grey wood flooring in a herringbone pattern is a perfect choice. Beautiful, eye-catching, hard-wearing, versatile – grey herringbone ticks all of those boxes and more.

Featured above is our Marylebone Apollo Grey Oak. It’s an engineered wood, so it boasts an authentic wood look and feel. It’s also a flooring that’s suitable for use with underfloor heating.

Herringbone on Herringbone

If you can’t get enough of the herringbone design, why not double-up? We love how this dining room uses herringbone parquet on both the floors and the table! If you like this style and fancy taking it on, one of our customers made a great DIY herringbone table. If not, you can buy handmade tables in a range of sizes and styles, whilst supporting small businesses, on Etsy.

Combine with Velvet Upholstery

Herringbone is a dynamic design choice when it comes to wood flooring. Meaning, it can be combined with a varied range of styles to suit your personal taste. We love how this home uses velvet-upholstered furniture to complement the natural tones of this parquet.

Herringbone Parquet in Your Kitchen

It’s now a common occurrence to see the herringbone pattern in kitchens. A match for both traditional and modern kitchen units and appliances, it oozes class regardless of its setting.

If you do plan on using herringbone parquet in your kitchen, we advise you use an engineered wood. Because of its composition, it’s less susceptible to damage from fluctuating temperatures or moisture. You could even substitute the real wood for herringbone luxury vinyl tiles, which are even more suited to life in a busy family kitchen.

Experiment with Different Colours

Herringbone doesn’t always need to play the leading role in your home’s interior design. It can be a subtle element that simply complements bright colours and varied textures. This room features a gallery wall, memorabilia and different coloured furniture

A Luxurious Living Room

We’ve seen it in kitchens, but herringbone wood flooring also works perfectly in living rooms and lounge areas. A lightly-coloured wood will make the most of natural light and can make a room look bigger. It’s also better-equipped for accidental spills – ideal if you have young children or a significantly clumsy other half.

Herringbone wood flooring can make a huge difference to your home improvement project. With its popularity showing no signs of slowing, there’s no doubt this is a design choice that will stand the test of time.

If you’d like to order free herringbone samples, you can do so online. For advice on styles and what would work best in your home, our friendly expert team are on-hand to help. Call 03308 088777 or email [email protected] today.

The post Herringbone Flooring in Your Home: 6 Styles appeared first on Direct Wood Flooring Blog.

When pricing the cost of installing laminate flooring, sometimes you can be in for an unexpected surprise. The cost of the actual work of installing the floor can actually rival the price of the floor itself.

Crazy, right?

Laminate flooring can be picked up for as low as less than £6.50 per square meter, but a standard installation could cost anywhere between £8 to £12 per metre squared. Most fitters will charge per metre squared, while others will charge a daily rate – generally around £150.

Most fitters or installation companies offer a free, no obligation estimation service so it is advised that you get a few quotes to compare prices before making your decision. There is also a multiple of different fitting systems for laminate floors, so ensure that your floor fitter is familiar with these before proceeding. You will be able to find the type of fitting system 

If you’re looking for a fitter, try having a look at MyBuilder, where local tradesmen can quote you prices and compete for your business, ensuring you get the best deal with well reviewed and legitimate floorers.

Choosing the best fitter to install your laminate floor

The fitter will usually expect the room to be cleared of furniture, so they can get easy access to the floor. Don’t expect them to clear the room for you. Your old floor will then be torn up and disposed of, and the cost of the removal and disposal may be passed onto you. For this reason, it might be a good idea to pull up the floor and dispose of it yourself beforehand, to save some precious pennies. The fitter will ensure your subfloor is sound before installing underlay and then fitting your laminate and accessories.

What’s underlay? We can help with that too. Check out our guide as to Why Should You Underlay Your Floor? We also take you through what underlay goes best with each floor type and subfloor type.

Fitters will put a mark-up on the accessories required to fit the floor such as underlay, scotia and door bars, For this reason, you’re better off buying everything beforehand and having it good to go. It’ll also save any costs if the fitter has to hang around longer or has to order accessories and come back on a different day. We’ve got great prices on everything you’ll need right here at Discount Flooring Depot, so why not order with us?

If you’re not sure what accessories you need, give us a call and speak to a member of our experienced customer service team who knows enough about floors that it’s kind of depressing. They’re happy to help wherever possible, and love to chat about flooring more than anything else in the world.

Okay, maybe not. But they really know their stuff. You can also use our call back request to save your minutes, and we’ll call you as soon as we can.

Advances in laminate flooring technology and the introduction of ‘click fit’ installation systems has lead to laminate becoming a popular DIY product. More and more, average Joes and Janes who aren’t superhero fitters are saving bags of cash by installing the flooring themselves. A laminate installation kit works wonders here, as does following step by step installation guides.

Need More Help? Talk To Us!

Check out our guide, Why Should You Underlay Your Floor? For advice on why underlay is vital and choosing the right one for the right floor and subfloor.

Have a look at one of our step by step installation guides.

Email us: [email protected]

Call us on 0844 8118 292 or Whatsapp us on  07789 596773

Or request a call back!

 

This post appeared first on https://www.discountflooringdepot.co.uk

There are many benefits to laminate flooring options over solid and engineered wood flooring. One of the main benefits is that it is a cheaper flooring option. Our oak laminate flooring starts from as little as £7.99 per square meter (don’t worry we can also work in square feet).

Laminate floors are more resistant to scratches, moisture and general wear and tear. This also makes it easier to clean as well. While real wood Oak flooring is desired for its character and texture of deep knots and elaborate grain. The technology in creating oak laminate flooring has advanced dramatically in recent years.

This has lead to the laminate flooring having a similar texture and appearance to real wood flooring. So our oak laminate flooring emulates the effect of real oak floors without the cost, installation difficulties, or maintenance issues of real wood floors.

We have a huge range of quality Oak laminate flooring options. From the ever-popular grey oak to natural oak parquet, we have quality laminate flooring that will make any house a home. These laminate floors are also suited for underfloor heating and are fitted with an easy click system.

Our most popular Oak Laminate Floors

Our Signature Collection of laminate flooring in a Natural Oak and Light Oak Parquet effect is ideally suited for a reserved living area. This is one of our most popular floors thanks to its herringbone finish. This gives you the look of a parquet floor without the hassle.

Grey Oak effect laminate flooring is an extremely popular flooring design. This laminate floor has an extremely realistic appearance of aged hardwood flooring. With its rich smoked tones and natural grain appearance, this laminate floor is perfect for your hallway, dining or living room.

This stunning Premier Select 8mm Oak Laminate flooring is perfect in its modern grey colour tones. This shade of grey is perfect for creating a modern look to your space and is a quality flooring option for those who favour a contemporary look.

All of these cheap floorings are available for free samples.

What Laminate Oak Flooring is right for my home?

With such a huge range of oak laminate flooring available it can be difficult to know what will be best for your home. The two most popular options, however, are Grey Oak Laminate and Natural Oak Laminate flooring.

Grey Oak Laminate Flooring

Grey oak laminate flooring is available in light and dark shades. The light grey flooring is a wonderful way to let some light into your home. The light shade helps to reflect natural light and can help make a smaller space look much bigger and brighter.

The darker a floor the more difficult it is to keep clean as they show up dirt very easily. That is why we would recommend a mid to dark grey rather than a black laminate floor. Dark grey floors can create a modern and contemporary look in your home. They pair well with both light and dark coloured furniture.

Natural Oak Laminate Flooring

If your room has a little less square meterage than you would like a light coloured floor can create the illusion of space. The lighter laminate flooring also masks dirt and damage better as well. Lighter wood floors are better suited for homes with a more traditional design.

How do I clean my laminate floor?

You’ve got yourself a gorgeous new laminate, freshly installed and looking the part in your home. Everything is fine and dandy until someone (who shall remain nameless) spills a glass of wine or a cup tea on the floor.

Especially when they do it at least once a week. At that point, how do you keep your shiny new laminate looking in tip-top shape? Even more importantly, how can you protect it from scrapes and scratches that’ll inevitably appear in a busy house, especially when its full of kids and pets?

Make sure to check out our guide here and have a look at our flooring products that will help keep your laminate looking good!

This post appeared first on https://www.discountflooringdepot.co.uk

If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well. That’s exactly why we’re proud to share this stunning transformation, thanks to Karen from popular interiors blog, The White Approach. We spoke to Karen about her ideas for her landing renovation, and the difference it has made to her home.

Where did you draw inspiration from when looking for ideas for your landing makeover?

“Inspiration for my hallway makeover comes from my love of interiors and my existing home style.  As a homes and interiors blogger I watch trends and incorporate aspects I feel will suit my home style.  Plants are currently a big trend and I recently discovered I could keep them without killing them off! So decided to include them in the hallway makeover.”

What made you decide to renovate?

“I decided to renovate the hallway because living in a home with four men, there is an awful lot of footfall.  We had a carpet down which was looking very sorry for itself despite my attempts to keep it clean. The wooden flooring I chose from Direct Wood Flooring was not only beautiful, but very hard-wearing.”

Did you fit the flooring yourself?

“My amazing husband fitted the flooring. He is inspirational in his ability to turn his hand to all of the jobs around the house I ask him to do.”

What made you choose engineered wood for your flooring?

“I chose engineered wood flooring because it was both beautiful and hard-wearing. It is also amazing value for money for the quality.”

How did you find the floor to fit?

“From where I was standing it looked pretty straightforward to fit the flooring. My husband is a perfectionist, but I know the fact that there were FIVE doorways to fit into might test the patience of a saint!”

See also: How to glue down engineered wood flooring

Are you pleased with the end result?

“I am over the moon with the end result. I am hoping we can lay the engineered wood flooring in our bedroom and the twins’ room in the near future. It is a real pleasure to go up the stairs these days. It’s so easy to keep clean, has not marked despite the constant people traffic and is beautiful to look at.”

Would you recommend this flooring and a DIY installation to your friends?

“I would absolutely recommend this flooring and Direct Wood Flooring to my friends and yes, DIY installation saves an absolute fortune.  I am very lucky I have such a talented husband, although the engineered wood click floorboards are very straightforward to lay.”

There are many benefits to engineered wood flooring that make it so popular in high-traffic areas such as Karen’s landing. High durability, plus the ability to sand and re-finish if required, means it has outstanding longevity. Meaning Karen’s landing stays looking beautiful for longer!

You can read more about the renovation on Karen’s blog, The White Approach. The project was covered in two posts: laying the engineered flooring, and the final results.

We offer up to four free samples if you’d like to shop our range of engineered wood flooring. Simply order online, call 03308 088777 or email [email protected].

The post Landing Renovation: Karen from The White Approach appeared first on Direct Wood Flooring Blog.

Fitting your new carpet? Why we recommend using a certified expert 

 

Upgrading your carpet is a big step- it can cost a lot and make a difference to the feel, appearance, and even price, of your home. Getting your carpet fitted by an accredited expert can easily feel like an unnecessary additional expense- and the temptation is always to attempt to fit your own, cutting down on the hefty price of the carpet itself. Perhaps you’re keen to buy the best looking, highest quality carpet possible and to absorb the additional expense you’re hoping to dust off your DIY handbook and tools and fit it yourself. Perhaps a friend or relative, or someone in your area, is a bit of an odd jobs man or woman, and has offered to do the job for less. It’s natural to want to save money, so why not explore the options available?

This is an understandable train of thought, and one shared by many homeowners- including all the ones who end up regretting their cost-cutting decisions. Some experienced DIY-ers can fit a carpet in a few days with the right experience, instructions, tools and equipment. But botch jobs are common and with something as expensive as a new household carpet, a single mistake could be a really, really expensive one. Fitting underlay adds a second more complex dimension to the process, and can easily be done sloppily- which will affect the feel of the flooring that will sit on top. The presence of air bubbles or creases, laying the wrong way up or poor fitting and inaccurate measurements and cuts.

The reason we always recommend using an accredited carpet fitter is that this uncertainty outweighs the extra cost. A mistake while fitting can cost a lot to undo, and it’s not one you’ll want to risk twice. By using an accredited carpet fitter you can trust that your carpet fitting will be completed quickly, efficiently and to the high standard we all want in our homes. Using professionals might sometimes feel like an extra expense- but the cost is worth it.

For more information on our carpet fitting services, or help finding your dream flooring, contact our team or drop into our extensive Sheffield showroom. We help all our customers find the carpet, LVT or other surface that they love, to ensure maximum satisfaction and the best possible experience with us.

The post Why use an accredited carpet fitter? appeared first on Pyramid Carpets – News.

Rustic interiors strike the perfect balance between comfort and ruggedness. The beauty in rustic design is how natural elements complement the clever use of a space’s unrefined charm. So where should you start when it comes to creating your own rustic interior?

Colour Palette

You guessed it, natural colours are the preference when it comes to rustic interiors. Greys, browns and greens are common colours that are rife within a rustic home, and help to create warmth.

With other interior design concepts, a colour palette is ordinarily designed from flat colours to match textured elements such as upholstery. In rustic interiors, the colour palette usually takes inspiration from natural materials; think wood, leather, or stone when forming the basis of your palette.

Furniture

When looking at furniture, simple works best. The design and shape take a backseat, allowing the natural materials to shine through. Whilst modern interiors favour minimalist furniture (often meaning tiny sofas and even smaller tables), rustic interiors favour the oversized look. It’s more inviting, and instantly appears more comfortable.

To achieve the desired look through your furniture, it’s worth considering an upcycling approach. A connection to the past is what gives many rustic interiors their charm, and used furniture can give exactly that. Rather than buying new, shop around for pieces with character and enquire about having them restored. An old dressing table can become your new favourite showpiece with a sand and lick of paint!

Flooring

If you’re committed to achieving a rustic look with your interior design, a change in flooring may play a big part. It should follow the same natural theme as the rest of the space, meaning stone, tile or wood are all good options.

Solid or engineered wood flooring are the most efficient when it comes to the authentic wooden look and feel. Choose something that will add a warm feel to your décor, carefully choosing a colour that suits your preference. The grains and twisting knots will add to a room’s character, with brushed wood flooring being the preferred choice to make these more accentuated.

If a wooden floor is out of budget, there are alternatives such as laminate flooring that give you the same feel at a fraction of the price. Certain ranges, such as our Chalet range, devote themselves to rustic interiors, meaning you’re spoiled for choice. Luckily, Direct Wood Flooring offer up to four free wood samples!

A rustic interior is all about making the most of natural elements, whilst still creating a homely, comforting space. It’s a broad term, one which encompasses many different design elements. You can incorporate modern features in moderation, whereas you can also include rustic elements in the relatively contemporary interior you already have. It’s all about striking a balance.

Charming and authentic, rustic is difficult to pin down as one exact style. Find an interior that works for you, while you stay true to a natural and unrefined look.

If you’d like some advice on flooring for your rustic interior, get in touch with our team by calling 03308 088777 or email [email protected].

The post Guide to Rustic Interiors appeared first on Direct Wood Flooring Blog.

 

Mediterranean tiles

Colourful motifs and abstract patterns…

Inspired by traditional Moroccan tiles our laminate Mediterranean collection makes a practical flooring option.

The influence of Morocco’s position in North Africa, boarding the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, is prevalent through its local art and design. With cobalt and saffron being reminiscent of the of the oceans and sweeping deserts. While the epic mountain ranges and ancient medinas have inspired travellers for centuries.

Originating in Morocco in the 10th century the original tiles were in subdued hues of white and grey. The pattern features geometric triangles, diamonds and delicate fauna. This is due to the representation of living beings being increasingly prohibited in Islamic tradition from the 9th century. As the style developed rich colours soon became the most popular option. There was an emphasis on cobalt and saffron being used as kitchen and bathroom walls.

The patchwork appearance of the traditional hand laid tiles is replicated in our flooring through the misaligned pattern and grout. This will also ensure that your floor will be unique to your home once laid. Each laminate piece is finished with a smooth surface to give a sleek look, reminiscent of natural stone tiling.

At the centre point between east and west, north and south Morocco’s architecture and interior design are influenced by its European and African neighbours. This results in amazingly vivid prints and patterns, with a strong focus on feature walls and mosaic tiles.

Moroccan decor is perfect for adding bohemian flair to your decor. The bright and carefree style is perfect for homes in the United Kingdom as it adds much-needed colour during winter. The use of lively colours, intricate details and texture can be found throughout walls and floors in Moroccan interior design. This is perhaps one of the easiest ways to introduce Moroccan style elements to your home. Think mosaic patterns, lantern-style lamps and textured throw pillows.

View our full Meditteranean collection now

 

 

This post appeared first on https://www.discountflooringdepot.co.uk

Planning to have your hardwood floors refinished? Refinishing hardwood floors is one of the best things you can do to make your home look and feel more beautiful and complete. It also will increase the value of your home and last for years, if you take care of it. At Floor Craft Sanding, we have years of experience in refinishing and installing hardwood floors. Need a quote? Give us a call at (317) 759-2575 or contact us online.

1. Save the floor for last. 

Planning other renovation projects? Whether you also plan to paint, replace any drywall or baseboards, redo the bathroom, etc., save the floor for last. It’ll save wear and tear on your new floor. 

2. Dry weather is best. 

Try to avoid refinishing floors during wet weather or during high humidity. (Although, let’s face it, this can be hard to plan for in Indiana!) Wood is a porous material, and when the old finish is stripped away, the wood surface will absorb moisture. If the weather is wet or especially humid, the finish could take longer to dry or may not be as even. 

3. Protect against dust. 

We’ll take measures to control dust, but some may seep out of the room we’re working in. Our advanced dust containment system, which utilizes the most cutting-edge equipment, captures 95 – 98% of all airborne dust.  Still, you may want to cover other nearby furniture. For wall hangings or pictures in the room, remove or cover them. 

4. Make arrangements for pets.

Unless you are able to keep your pets outside, contained in another room, or crated during the day we’ll be working, we suggest all pets be kept away from the house. Our finishes are indoor air quality certified, so fumes aren’t a health concern; however, your pet’s nails, hair, and footprints can be very damaging (and costly) to your new floor.

More questions about prepping your Indianapolis home for refinishing your hardwood floors? Check out our FAQ page! Give our expert team a call at (317) 759-2575 or contact us online. 

The post How to Prep before Your Hardwood Floors Are Refinished appeared first on Floor Craft Sanding.