Solid Bridging

Solid bridging are the pieces that are put in between the floor joists so that they don’t twist and warp. Installing solid bridging is easy, and it’s a project that won’t take very long. Before you begin, make sure you have all of the materials you need to complete it.

• Step 1: Measure out the distance from one floor joist to another. You will also have to measure how tall the floor joists are.
• Step 2: Use your measurements to cut out squares of wood about 1” thick.
• Step 3: Nail in the solid bridging at regular intervals into the floor joists so that they make a narrow bridge from one joist to another.
• Step 4: Nail in the rest of the solid bridging to make adjacent parallel lines across the floor joists.

Spacing out Solid Bridging

Use a measuring tape to make sure you are placing the solid bridging in the right places. Sometimes people crisscross the bridging so that it is easier to install and a little more stable. Just make sure you put the piece an inch over from the other, and the piece following that should go an inch in the other direction. This way, even though they are not in the exact same spot, the solid bridging stays in a line.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Floor Joists

Floor joists are an important part of any floor. They help support the foundation and make the floor solid. Learning how to install floor joists properly is very important for your home.

• When choosing boards to be the floor joists it’s important to use a high quality grade of wood as well as making sure that it is free from defects such as knots. This will ensure that the wood’s strength is at its full potential. Also when picking the wood you want to stick to 2x6, 2x8, or 2x10. Anything lower then that will not offer enough support.
• When installing the floor joists you should lay them out every 16” which will be their spacing length.
• Make sure that when you install the floor joists that they are against a bearing wall to help support them as time wears on them.

Important Facts for Installing Floor Joists

• When installing the floor joists you have to make sure they are level and straight at all costs. If they are not they will fail.
• If you install the joists with joist hangers double check to make sure that they are installed properly.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Removing 14 Years of Sealer Build-up From Slate Floor Tiles

This is a 25m2 Slate tiled floor installed in a grade 2 listed coach house in the village of Hemingford Grey on the banks of the river Ouse. It was originally called the six bells and the original coach house sign is still hanging from its original ironwork in the entrance lobby. The slate floor was laid through the kitchen and hallway in 2000 and since then it had just been mopped and extra coats of polishes/waxes had been applied leading to a build-up.

Cleaning the Slate Tiled Floor

Before starting work I protected the kitchen units and Aga cooker in plastic film to protect against splashing and mopped onto the tiles a dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go which is a coatings remover. Remove and Go I should mention is not only an effective cleaning product but as its name suggests is ideal for removing sealers from floors. To get the floor completely clean you need to strip it back to bare tile and because of the layers of sealer we let the Remove and Go soak into the Slate tile for some time before being worked in using a rotary machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. Then rather than wash the product away we blanketed the floor in a polythene sheet and left for two hours.


The polythene sheet prevents the floor from drying out and allows the chemical process of breaking down the layers of sealant to take place. After removing the sheet we scrubbed the floor again before removing the residue with our high powered internal pressure washing tool.


The floor was now bare and all the natural colours in the slate became far more evident. The tiles do need to be bone dry before sealing however so we left it to dry out for a day and left a number of special air blowers setup around the floor to assist with the drying.

Sealing the Slate Tiled Floor

When we returned the third day the floor was dry so we sealed it using five coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which is a water based sealer (so no smell) that add good stain protection as well as adding a nice subtle sheen to the tile which really enhanced the colours in the slate.


The customer was ecstatic with the result, so much so that before we left she gave us a thank you card in an envelope. On returning to our unit we opened the card and out dropped £50, well I was amazed, even though we explain all the processes to our clients and take the upmost care at their homes we really didn`t expect that level of generosity. This is how the card read:

  “To Mick, Thank you to you and Tom for your high quality in Service, Integrity and Value x Excellent craftsmanship. Much appreciated. So pleased with your work. Kind regards. M. Evans”

It was a pleasure to work for such a nice lady and we look forward to returning in the New Year to restore some more stone and terracotta flooring for her.


Source: Expert Slate tile restoration tips and information

How to Install Steel Floor Joists

Commercial buildings, and larger homes, use steel floor joists in order to handle the load of the structure. These steel floor joists are especially important for the ground floor of the structure as they have the most load upon them. Many homeowners are finding that they can eliminate sagging and bouncing floor problems by replacing their wood joists with steel floor joists. Even though this might seem like a large project, it is easily done with the right instruction, the right tools, plenty of help, and taking your time. 

What You'll Need

• Steel floor joists
• Hydraulic jack
• Joist brackets
• Level
• Drill
• Bolts

Step 1 - Measure Joists for Length

Making sure you have the right size floor joists is the most important part of the installation. Steel floor joists are thick steel and are not easily cut without specialized equipment. Before ordering the steel floor joists make sure you take accurate measurements. It is highly recommended that you take several measurements along the floor area to ensure accurate lengths of the steel floor joists. 

Step 2 - Purchase Correct Steel Floor Joists

There are different grades to steel floor joists that give the amount of load they can handle. When ordering the floor joists, make sure that you purchase the joists that are strong enough for your home. 

Step 3 - Install Joist Brackets

In order for the steel floor joists to be installed properly, you will need to first install the joist brackets on the ledger boards. Hold the joist bracket up to the ledger boards and predrill the holes for the bolts. Drive in carriage bolts to secure the joist brackets to the ledger board. Continue to install the joist brackets beside each of the wooden joists. 

Step 4: Install First Steel Floor Joist

The steel floor joists are going to be heavy. In order to install them without any injury or damage to your home you will need to have some help carrying them in your home. Also, have some hydraulic jacks ready to lift the steel floor joists into position to negate the need to hold them for a long period of time. Line up the first steel floor joist with the joist brackets. Secure the joist to the bracket with the use of nuts and bolts. Tighten the bolts with a ratchet wrench. 

Step 5 - Remove Wood Joist

Once the steel floor joist is installed next to the wood joist, you can remove the old joist. Keep the hydraulic jacks under the steel joist for added support while the wood joist is removed. 

Step 6 - Continue Installing Steel Floor Joists

Following the same installation method, continue to install the individual steel joists. It is important to keep a hydraulic jack under each new joist while you complete the installation process. This will allow the home to settle on the steel joists without causing a lot of stress. 

Step 7 - Remove Jacks

To finish off the installation of the steel floor joists you will need to wait a few weeks. After 2 or 3 weeks have passed, remove the hydraulic jacks slowly to make sure that the house has settled upon the joists. Remove every other jack first, then go back and remove the rest. 

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Installing Floating Laminate Floor: How to Work Around Obstacles

A floating laminate floor looks very good in a room, and in most cases is quite easy to install. The problem comes when there are obstacles such as pipes or poles in the room. There are ways around this that are quite simple. It’s a matter of knowing the correct technique and putting it into practice. Do it each time and your floor will look perfect when you finish.

What You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Drill
• Saw
• Adhesive

Step 1 - Measuring

Begin by taking the tape measure and measuring the obstacle’s diameter, where it’s a post or pipes. In other instances you’ll need to measure it’s size if it come out from a wall. Having done this, measure the distance you’ll need to cut on the piece of floating laminate floor as you put it on the floor. This will tell you where you have to drill. Mark the laminate to show where you’ll need to drill and saw.

Step 2 - Pipes

If the obstacle is a pipe, or pair of pipes, you’ll need to dill out holes in the floating laminate floor where the pipes will sit. The hole needs to be 5/16 inch larger that the pipe.

Step 3 - Cutting

Having created the hole to accommodate the pipe, you need to be able to fit the floor. That means cutting so the flooring can fit around the pipe. If the hole you’ve drilled is close to the edge of the piece of flooring then you’ll need to make cuts on each side at an angle of 45 degrees, being careful to reach the hole at a place there you can fit it around the pipe.

If the hole you’ve drilled is in the middle of the flooring, the cuts need to be straight, that is 90 degrees. Again, be certain that the cuts you make will allow you to fit the flooring around the pipe. What you’re doing in both cases is creating two pieces of flooring to put properly around the pipe.

Step 4 - Larger Obstacles

Where you have bigger obstacles, such as pillars, you’ll need to cut on two pieces of flooring. After measuring, put the 2 pieces together to mark out how much you’ll need to cut. Again, allow and extra 5/16 inch around each obstacle for expansion. In this case you’ll be cutting, not drilling.

Step 5 - Fitting

To fit the pieces in place, begin by fitting the piece of floating laminate floor that butts up to the obstacle. Use the pull bar, then the rubber mallet and block to tap it firmly into place.

Now you’ll have a small piece of wood flooring to fit around the obstacle. To secure it in place, apply adhesive to the edges where it meets the rest of the flooring. Push completely into place by either using your hands or a pull bar. Allow to dry before putting in the next piece of flooring. If the obstacle is a door jamb, the best looking solution is to cut out a small section at the bottom of the jamb and put the flooring under it. 

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Restoring Victorian Period Tiles

The pictures below are from a Victorian tiled floor installed in a period house in the coastal town Eastbourne. The tiles had been covered lino and carpet for years which the owner had only recently removed during renovation work, as it turns out this was unfortunate as they then became covered in plaster and paint from the decorators. Although the floor did look to be in a very sorry state I was very confident that I could breathe new life into it given enough time so I allowed four days to complete the task.

Cleaning a Victorian Floor Tiles

Some type of adhesive had been used to stick down the Lino and Carpet so the first step was to remove all the stubborn glue build up which I did using Tile Doctor Remove and Go, then once the bad areas had been targeted I concentrated on the plaster and paint build up which I treated using a 3-1 mix of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean in warm water worked in with a buffing machine fitted with a black scrubbing pad. The soiled water was rinsed away using a wet vacuum so the floor could be checked to see if more work was required which it was so stubborn areas that had resisted the initial cleaning onslaught were spot cleaned by using a diluted mix of Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up which is a very strong acidic product for removing grout and other mineral based substances from tiles. Before finishing the entire floor was given a thorough rinse to remove any trace of cleaning product, again a wet vacuum was used to remove the water and this time get the floor as dry as possible.

Sealing the Victorian Tiled Floor

The cleaning took place over two days and then the floor was given a further two days to allow it to dry fully after which I went back and sealed it with four coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go which is an ideal sealer for Victorian tiles as it combines stain protection whilst giving the floor a subtle sheen appearance.


Looking at the floor when the last coat went on it was hard to believe the state it was in when I first arrived. Incidentally the owner who had inherited the house told me that he had not seen the floor look that good when his parents were alive as he remembered it from his childhood. It always makes the job more worthwhile when you hear stories like that.






Source: Expert Victorian tile restoriation tips and information

Advantages to Treating Plywood Subfloor in High-Humidity Areas

A plywood subfloor supports the finished floor on the joists. In areas with high humidity, which will also be hot areas, treating the plywood subfloor will help it last longer.

Wood

Wood is a porous substance. In high humidity areas, moisture will enter the plywood subfloor. Over time, it will cause the plywood to come apart and disintegrate. That will mean tearing up the entire floor to replace the subfloor, a lengthy and expensive process.

Mold

Where there is high humidity, there can also be mildew. Once the moisture collects in the wood, it can easily turn to mold. By treating the plywood subfloor before it’s laid, you stop moisture from entering the plywood, so it will last much longer.

Treating a plywood subfloor is a step most people forget or ignore, but it’s an important one. An investment of an hour and a few dollars can save a great deal of work later and also save health, as mold can cause illness.

When to Treat

For the best protection, treat the plywood subfloor after cutting but before you put it down. This means the cut edges will be treated, too, preventing moisture from entering any part of the plywood. Allow time for the treating agent to dry in the wood before laying the subfloor.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

How to Remove Trapped Moisture From a Floating Subfloor

A floating subfloor is the layer of flooring installed above concrete and under the finished flooring. The floating subfloor may get moisture trapped and cause cracks in the cement flooring. In order to prevent damage to the concrete and the finished flooring, follow the steps below to remove any trapped moisture.

What You'll Need

• Plywood or OSB Sheets (Floating Subfloor)
• Moisture Barrier
• Stapler or Nailer
• Dehumidifier
• Saw
• Pencil and Marker

Step 1 – Inspecting for Trapped Moisture

Moisture usually gets trapped inside the floating subfloor when the concrete below the structure has a high moisture content and has not been coated with a moisture barrier. Usually, the trapped moisture in the subfloor can be spotted easily because of the darker coloring it has compared to the normal color of the concrete. If some areas of the subfloor do have trapped moisture in it, then make sure to take action before installing the finished flooring above it.

Step 2 – Removing the Affected Subfloor

It is best to remove all the subfloor if this does not cause an issue. The reason is that if the concrete has a high moisture content, it needs to be coated with a moisture barrier first to prevent any moisture issues in the future. When the subfloor has been removed, mix the moisture barrier product in a container and apply it to the concrete floor using a notched trowel. Install a dehumidifier in the room to allow the moisture to evaporate quickly. This will also be useful in creating a moist-free space.

Step 3 – Allow the Floating Subfloor to Dry

While waiting for the moisture barrier to dry, place the subfloor material in a well-ventilated area in order to allow the trapped moisture to evaporate. Sometimes, the affected parts of the subfloor may warp or distort. In this case, make sure to have replacements ready. It is not a good idea to have the subfloor dry under the sun when the moisture is still fresh. The reason is that the quick drying process will distort the size and shape of the material, especially if the moisture is quite high. Therefore, just let the material dry out naturally in a well-ventilated room.

Step 4 – Reinstalling the Subfloor

When the subfloor material has dried out, check for parts that need to be replaced with new ones. Use a pencil and a marker to mark areas that need to be cut. Cut these areas and prepare replacements. Afterwards, reinstall the floating subfloor on top of the coated concrete. Lay the pieces carefully and staple them together to form the subfloor. As long as the concrete is coated properly with the moisture barrier, the subfloor will never have issues again with trapped moisture. Just to make sure that the moisture does not become an issue in the future, make sure to install exhaust fans, dehumidifiers or ventilation materials in order to keep the area free from high humidity. 

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Cleaning Up A Quarry Tiled Shower Wall

The owner of this house in Nunton near Salisbury got in touch to take a look at the grout lines on their Travertine and Limestone tiled floors which were becoming increasingly dirty and the tiles has started to take on dirt also. We offer a free no obligation survey so I went along to take a look and whilst there did a test clean which worked out really well so they booked us in straight away.

Cleaning Travertine and Limestone Tiles

We started by applying a mild dilution of Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was spread over the floor with particular attention paid to getting the solution into the grout lines. The solution was left to dwell for 10 minutes in order for it to soak in and eat through any dirt and existing sealer; we then used a stiff grout brush to scrub each and every grout line. Next we removed any trace of product by using a wet vacuum and rinsing thoroughly with clean water. Our next step was to use our diamond encrusted burnishing pads which attach to a rotary machine and burnish the floor with four different grits from coarse to super fine. First using course pad number 1 we put some clean water on the floor and using our rotary machine slowly burnished the area making sure that we passed over each tile 4 times, this coarse pad cuts into the surface grime of the floor and also removes sealers. The resultant slurry is rinsed away with clean water which in turn is removed using a wet vacuum. This process is then repeated with the remaining pads, rinsing between each pad until a nice polish is built up on the tile. The floor is then given a final rinse and once we were satisfied that all the slurry had been removed we left the floor to dry overnight.

Cleaning Travertine and Limestone Tiles

Upon our return we first completed a damp test using a damp meter to make sure the floor had dried sufficiently for sealing. The floor was fine so we started by polishing the surface using a green polishing pad attached to a rotary machine. We then sealed the floor using single coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow which is an impregnating sealer that will occupy the pores in the stone to prevent other contaminates getting in there, Colour Grow also brings out the colours in the stone especially the browns in Travertine. Once the sealer had dried a white buffing pad was attached to the rotary machine and the floor buffed to a nice shine.






Source: Expert Limestone tile maintenance site

How to Prepare Uneven Floors for Laminate

Dealing with uneven floors is a problem that every flooring installer has to handle at some point. Sub floors are not always going to be perfectly level. However, when you are installing a laminate floor over the top, there are a few different things that you could do to make the floor suitable. Here are the basics of how to prepare uneven floors for laminate.

What You'll Need
Nails
Hammer or nail gun
Plywood
Self-leveling compound
Trowel
Laminate pad
Moisture barrier

Step 1--Assess the Sub Floor

The first thing that you will want to do is assess the severity of the problems with the sub floor. Depending on whether you are dealing with concrete or wood sub floor, there are different methods that you could use to handle the problem. If you are dealing with concrete floor, you will need to use self-leveling compound to level the floor out. If you are installing over a wood floor, you could also use self-leveling compound if the problem is not severe. If the floor is really bad, you could install plywood over the top of the sub floor first to give you a smooth, level surface to work with. 

Step 2--Apply the Self-Leveling Compound

If you are on concrete or have minor problems with the wood sub floor, you can start applying the self-leveling compound. Mix up the self-leveling compound in a bucket according to the directions on the bag. Then use a trowel to apply the self-leveling compound to the problem areas. The compound will move into the valleys in the floor that need to be brought back up. Allow the self-leveling compound to dry thoroughly before proceeding with the installation. You may also need to apply a second coat to the floor to really make it level.

Step 3--Install Plywood

If you are working with wood sub floor and you find that there are some very uneven surfaces, you may need to apply new plywood to the top of the sub floor. Take the plywood and lay it down on the floor. Plywood is big enough that it will span the distance of any imperfections in the floor and make it level. Take nails and your hammer or nail gun and install nails into the plywood. Make sure the nails are long enough to go down through the plywood and into the sub floor. Once the entire area is covered with plywood, you are ready to move on.

Step 4- Install the Pad

Once you have addressed the sub floor as best as you can, you can then install the pad. If you are on a concrete sub floor, you will need to lay down a moisture barrier before you apply the pad. When you select the pad, you will be better off to go with the thickest option that you have. This will also help to level out the floor a bit if you still have problems after the self-leveling compound is applied. Once the pad is in place, you are then ready to begin installing your laminate flooring. 

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Are You Painting Linoleum Tile?

Linoleum tile, contrary to many beliefs, can be painted. The results can also be permanent, without flaking or chipping if the surface is prepared properly and the right paint is used.

What You'll Need
Sandpaper
Oil-based primer
Polyurethane-based porch and floor enamel paint
1/4-inch paint roller

Painting Your Linoleum Tile

Painting a linoleum floor isn't complicated, but it is important to proceed carefully and thoroughly with each step. First, vacuum and clean the floors, and strip any wax coating from the linoleum. Then sand the floors with a fine grit paper. Rent a floor sander if you have a large area to cover. Clean and wipe down the floors thoroughly after sanding and allow to dry. Cut in around the edges, and then apply a thin layer of paint with a 1/4-inch roller. Allow to dry, and repeat twice.

Tips for Obtaining a Durable Paint Job

Whenever painting with oil or polyurethane-based paints do not paint when it is damp or raining outside, or when the humidity is high. Keep the heat in the room you are painting at least 70-degrees Fahrenheit. Open the windows to ventilate the area and don't breathe in the fumes. Use three thin layers of paint, not one or two thick layers. Allow the floor to dry for at least 24 hours between each coat.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com