Prefinished Bamboo Flooring: Pros and Cons

 Prefinished bamboo flooring is a convenient choice for homeowners who prefer a ready-made and easy-to-install floor type. The floor is manufactured right through to the final finishing stages. This eliminates the need for further processing work on-site which is usually required for unfinished floors. Various urethanes are used during finishing to give the floor an enduring beauty. Urethanes also protect it from the usual wear and tear effects that come with use. You can get prefinished bamboo floors in natural and carbonized varieties as well as vertical and horizontal versions. Below are the pros and cons of prefinished bamboo floors.

Pros of Prefinished Bamboo Flooring

Prefinished bamboo floors don’t require further processes like sealing, sanding, or staining after installation. Once properly installed, the floor can be used right away. The quick turnaround time is helpful where time is an issue. If you’re looking for a bamboo floor type that will retain its attractive look for several years, prefinished is an excellent choice.

The floor surface is highly resistant to chipping, dents, and scratches. The prefinished surface bears up well in high traffic areas such as the living room or kitchen while retaining its attractive appearance. This makes it one of the most durable floor types available. Prefinished floors often come with an extended warranty. Many manufacturers offer a warranty ranging from 15 to 25 years. Such a floor definitely adds to your home value.

The low maintenance requirements of prefinished bamboo floors make them a favorite with many bamboo floor lovers. Simply use a mop to get rid of dust and dirt. Once in a while, you can do a deep cleaning job using special cleaners that are appropriate for bamboo floors. The floor doesn’t develop stains which makes maintenance even easier.

For those who frequently suffer allergies, a prefinished bamboo floor can help control your allergic reactions. Its hypoallergenic quality guarantees that no allergens will get trapped on the floor. This makes it a safe and effective way of controlling allergies for household members. The versatility of prefinished bamboo floors also endears them to many. The floors easily blend with various decors, ranging from traditional to contemporary. Prefinished bamboo floors easily add to the beauty, elegance, and ambiance of a room.

Cons

The color variety for prefinished floors is rather limited. Unlike unfinished floors which can be further stained into whatever color you choose, the prefinished variety restricts you to a smaller color range. This may be disappointing when trying to achieve a unique color scheme. Should a portion of the floor get damaged and repair becomes necessary, the damaged portion may not match the rest of the floor once sanding has been done.

Replacement becomes necessary which ends up being a more costly exercise than repair. The prefinished boards are beveled on the edges to eliminate the sharp edges. This is because the boards have varying heights and thicknesses when being processed in the factory. Bevelling creates grooves that may feel uncomfortable when walked upon. It also makes it impossible to achieve a flawless, uniform appearance.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Essex Tile Doctor Reveals how to Remove Years of Dirt from Terracotta Floor Tiles

The Terracotta tiles in the kitchen of this property in Danbury near Chelmsford were installed by the owners only five years prior. At the time they didn't like the light colour of the terracotta, so they were sealed with a black pigment added to the sealer in an attempt to darken the floor. Five years later and the sealer had clearly failed, and the tiles and grout were now seriously filthy and impossible to clean.

I wanted to be certain I could remove the dirt and old sealer so whilst at the property surveying the floor I did a cleaning test with Tile Doctor Remove and Go scrubbed into a couple of tiles by hand. The product worked really well and easily cleaned the tiles and grout with excellent results (see picture).

The difference was quite striking and equally impressive so after I worked out a quote, they were more than happy to get me booked in to complete the floor.

Deep Cleaning a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen Floor

I returned on the agreed date and immediately set about applying the same process to get the Terracotta tile and grout clean. I used a strong dilution of Tile Doctor Remove and Go working it into the tiles using a black scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary machine which also cleaned the grout lines.

The Terracotta was rinsed, and the soiling extracted with a wet vacuum. Once done the tiles and grout were inspected and any stubborn areas re-treated using the same process until I was satisfied the Terracotta, and grout was as clean as possible.

The underfloor heating was switched on and used to dry the floor overnight so it would be dry and ready for sealing the next day. This was a helpful addition and avoided the need for me to get the fan dryers out overnight.

Sealing a Terracotta Tiled Kitchen

Terracotta is made from clay and as a result is a very porous material, because of this it took eight coats sealer before it was fully sealed. I applied Tile Doctor Colour Grow sealer for this, it contains a colour enhancing formula which really brought out the orange and red colours in the tile.

This sealer is an impregnator that works by soaking into the tile, occupying the pores and ensuring dirt remains on the surface where it is easily cleaned away. It will provide long term protection moving forward and it improves the appearance of the floor without the tiles becoming too shiny.

I think you will agree from the photographs that the floor was completely transformed, and I’m pleased to say the owner was really happy and shocked to see it so different from before.

For aftercare cleaning I recommended Tile Doctor Neutral Tile Cleaner, this is a pH neutral product which will ensure the newly applied sealer retains its integrity. Many household cleaning products are simply too strong and will strip away the sealer with use.

Source: Terracotta Tile Cleaning and Renovation Products and Services in Danbury Essex