How to Brace Your Floor Joints

When you lay a floor in a home, it is placed on top of the joists that act as a bracing for the floor. These joists can sometimes become loose and the result will be a floor that squeaks when you walk on it. There is not much that is more annoying than creaky floor boards. If the joists fail completely, they can create a potentially dangerous situation. You can hire someone to come out to fix the problem, but that can cost you quite a bit of money. Instead, follow the simple steps below to effectively brace floor joists on your own.

What You'll Need:

• Power screwdriver
• Wood screws
• 2x4-inch lumber
• Saw
• Tape measure
• Tape
• Level
• Shims

Step 1 – Find the Bad Areas

When you are walking on the floor, you will be able to hear where a squeak is, but you can also feel it. As you walk, the floor should be sturdy. If there is movement under your feet, then this can be a loose floor joist. Since it is sometimes hard to orient yourself under the floor, it is a good idea to count your steps from a familiar spot. This way, when you are under the floor, you can easily find your way to the troubled areas.

Step 2 – Sagging Floor Joists

When you reach the underside of the floor, you will be able to see several things. You will have the floor joists which cross one another to form a grid. On top of the floor joists is the subfloor, which is typically a sheer or sheets of plywood. On top of that will be your main floor. The floor joists are to be level and any that are not level are sagging. You can also tell because you will see a gap between the joists and the subflooring. To fix this problem, add several screws to the area where the joists are sagging. When you add the new screws do so at an angle and make sure they attach to the subfloor. As you add the screws, the gap between the subfloor and the joist will close up. You can also slide several shims between the subfloor and the joist and then add the screws to brace the joists.

Step 3 – Bowing

Over time, your floor joists can bow or bend from years of use. When this happens, the joists will not be level but they also may not be away from the subfloor but instead curving away from them. This lack of support in certain areas of the floor can be trouble. Use the tape measure to determine the space between joists. Cut the 2x4-inch board to this size. You want one piece for each side of the warped joist. Place the cut board between the joists and hammer in place, and then nail it to the joist and the subfloor. Repeat with the other side of the joist. This will brace the joist and push it back in place.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor Renovation in Warwickshire

I took the photographs below at an old 1920’s house in Nuneaton where the owner was interested in restoring the original Quarry tiled floor in their Kitchen. Interestingly Nuneaton has a rich manufacturing history that included brick and tile making so it’s entirely possible these tiles were made locally at the Haunchwood Brick and Tile company.

Tastes change over the years and at some point in the past the Quarry tiles had been covered with a levelling compound so that linoleum could be installed on top. This meant that the first part of the job would be to remove the screed before I could clean up the tiles. On top of that It was clear as well that many of the tiles were damaged and would need replacing.


I worked out a quote which was agreed by the customer and started looking around for matching replacement tiles, fortunately I was able to track some down at Warwick Reclamation who stock thousands of quarry tiles in many of the common period sizes.

Restoring an Original Quarry Tiled Kitchen Floor

On day one I set about carefully removing the screed with a hammer and chisel and also the damaged tiles, so they could be replaced. With the tiles removed we it was clear some parts of the subfloor were cracked and needed to be rebuild with fresh cement.


Once the floor was ready the replacement Quarry tiles were fixed in place and once the adhesive was dry they were grouted in.

To remove the remaining screed and salt damage from the surface of the tiles I used a set of coarse milling pads which are applied with water for lubrication. The process generates a lot of soil, so the floor needs to be rinsed with water and the soil extracted with a wet vacuum after each pad.

The next step was to pre-treat the tiles with Tile Doctor Remove and Go in order to remove old contaminants such as old oils and then treat the floor to a deep clean with Tile Doctor Pro-Clean which was scrubbed in with black scrubbing pad.

Old floors like these don’t have a damp proof membrane so the last step in the restoration process was to counter any inherent salt issues in the floor that might reappear later as white efflorescence salt deposits. This is done by giving the floor an acid rinse using Tile Doctor Grout Clean-up which is scrubbed into the tiles, neutralising the salts, this product also removes old mineral deposits and grout smears.

The floor was given a final rinse with water to remove any traces of products used and then as much water and moisture as possible was extracted using a wet vacuum. The floor was then left to dry out for a few days.

Sealing a Quarry tiled floor

When I returned my first job was to take multiple readings around the floor using a damp meter to verify the floor was dry and ready for sealing. The extra drying time had done the trick and I was able to seal the floor using multiple coats of Tile Doctor Seal and Go Extra which is a fully breathable sealer that can cope with any potential moisture problems, it also leaves a nice sheen finish that brings the best out of Quarry tiles.
In total the restoration took 4 days to complete and had completely restored the Quarry tiled floor close to what they must have looked like back when they were installed nearly a hundred years ago. Source: Quarry Tile Cleaning and Restoration Service in Warwickshire

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

Renovating Ceramic Bathroom Tiles in St Albans

This was a small family bathroom at a house in St Albans with white ceramic glazed tiles and what was once white grout. The grout was now stained and proving difficult to keep clean, additionally the silicone seal between the tile and the bathtub was perishing. The bathroom needed cleaning and restoring to give it a new lease of life as well as making it easier to maintain for the busy family.


Were actually based in St Albans so always a pleasure to pop round and meet fellow residents. The city dates to the Romans when it was known as Verulamium and these days its popular with commuters working in London.

Cleaning a Ceramic Bathroom Tile and Grout

On arrival I inspected the tiles around the bath and could see they were going to be problematic, the silicone sealant was starting to perish, and I was concerned that the bottom row may be not be watertight. I like to do a job right the first time round so I decided the best thing to do would be to remove the row around the bathroom edge, clean them up and refit them with fresh adhesive, grout and reseal with silicone.

With that in mind my first job was to give the ceramic tile and grout a deep clean by spaying on Tile Doctor Aqua-Pro and then scrubbing it in with polypropylene brushes and pads. This product is designed for the regular cleaning of bathroom tiles as is Tile Doctor Duo-Clean which is a stronger product that can tackle mould as well. The tile and grout were then given a high-pressure steam clean using a special machine we usually use on floor tiles and then let to dry off over lunch.

Ensuring a Tight Bath Seal

After lunch the old silicone was stripped off between the bathtub and wall tile and this was followed by the careful removal of the bottom row of ceramic tiles. This is done by removing the grout first with an oscillating hand tool and then carefully prising the tiles off the wall without damaging them.


The old adhesive was then scrapped off the exposed area to prepare the wall for re-tiling and the tiles were re-installed with fresh. Once the adhesive and gone off the tiles were re-grouted and the grout left to dry before applying a fresh silicone sealant between the tile and bathtub. During the various drying phases, the ceramic bathroom tiles were buffed using a soft white buffing pad to give them an as new appearance.


The job was completed in one day and the bathroom now looks like it was recently installed.


Source: Ceramic Tile Cleaning and Restoration Service in Hertfordshire

How to Install Transition Strips

Installing transition strips is an often overlooked part of the installation of hard surface flooring. If you are installing laminate or hardwood, you will most likely need to put some transition strips down at some point. These can finish off the edge of a floor and make the job look much more professional. Here are the basics of how to install transition strips effectively.

What You'll Need:

• Transition strips
• Saw
• Tape measure
• Pencil
• Liquid nails
• Caulk gun
• Drill
• Heavy objects

Step 1 - Determine the Proper Transition Piece

When you are installing wood or laminate, there are several different types of transition pieces that you could potentially install. Before installing, you need to make sure that you choose the proper piece for the job. If you are going from wood or laminate to carpet, you need to use an end mold which is also sometimes referred to as a carpet reducer. If you are going to a vinyl floor, you will need a vinyl reducer. If you are going up to another hard surface floor, you should use a t-mold.

Step 2 - Measure

Measuring is perhaps the most important step of this process. Transition pieces are generally very expensive and if you cut the transition short, you will either have to live with a gap or purchase another piece. Because of this, you need to take great care when you are measuring and try to be as detailed as possible. Measure down to the smallest increment that you can find. Take your tape measure and stretch it across the opening on the floor.

Step 3 - Mark the Transition

Once you have the dimension that you need, mark the transition piece that you are about to cut. Stretch out your tape measure on the transition piece and then use your pencil to mark the appropriate dimension.

Step 4 - Make the Cut

After marking the transition piece, you need to cut it so that it will fit in the opening on the floor. If you have a table saw, this would be the easiest way to cut the transition piece. Place the transition under the saw blade and hold it steady. If you can put the transition piece in a vice, this would be ideal. If you are cutting a laminate transition, you need to be extremely careful. The top layer of a laminate transition piece is a type of construction paper. If you do not make a clean cut, you will tear the edge of the paper.

Step 5 - Attach the Transition

You can attach the transition in one of two ways. You can glue it to the floor with liquid nails or you could use the track that comes with it to attach it. If you are using liquid nails, apply a bead of the liquid nails to the underside of the transition. Then press it onto the floor. When using the track, you will screw the track down to the ground and then snap the transition into place. If you glue down the transition piece, you need to put something heavy on top of it while it dries.

Source: www.DoItYourself.com

Renovating an Old Quarry Tiled Floor in Shropshire

This was a property adjacent to Benthall Hall which is a historic building owned by the National Trust near Much Wenlock. Many of the buildings in this town date back hundreds of years including Benthall Hall which is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086.


The property hadn’t been lived in for several years and the new tenants wanted to sympathetically improve the look of the Brick Shaped Quarry Tiles on the lounge floor and in the toilet where the floor had been laid with nine-inch square quarry tiles. Both floor areas had been painted over previously and due to dampness issues the paint was flaking off leaving a very unappealing look. No doubt this contributed to the reason the property has been left un-occupied for so long.

Cleaning a Quarry Tiled Floor

To give the floor a deep clean I would need to remove all the flaking paint; there were several ways I could go about this so after some consideration I decided to try Tile Doctor Remove and Go.

Remove and Go is a multi-purpose coatings remover that can strip sealers off tiles as well as remove paint and other coatings, it’s also designed for use on Tile, Stone and Grout so safe to use. I applied a strong dilution of the product to the floor and left it to soak in for a good ten minutes. It was then scrubbed into the floor using a black seventeen-inch scrubbing pad fitted to a rotary floor machine. The floor was then rinsed down with water and the soil extracted using a wet vacuum. With the floor clean I could see I had been successful in removing most of the paint but there were areas where further work was needed and so I repeated the process three or four times and used a steamer on the stubborn areas until I was happy with the condition of the floor. After rinsing for a final time, I inspected the floor and could see the tiles looked a hundred times better.

My next thought was to seal the Quarry tiles to protect them from future staining and enhance their look. The problem however with old floors like these is that they don’t have a damp proof membrane and can have damp problems. The floor needed to be dry before applying a sealer and with all the water used to rinse the floor it may take some time to dry out. I discussed this issue with the customer and we agreed that I will return to monitor the floor and arrange to seal it when it was dry. In-fact I did return after a week and tested the floor with a damp meter which confirmed the floor still was still too damp.

Sealing a Quarry Floor Sealing

They were due to move into the property in a months’ time, so I visited them again to check the floor and unfortunately the damp level was still too high. I concluded that there were several factors preventing the quarry tiles from drying out: the tiles were laid on sand, the property as I mentioned had not been lived in for years also there had been a lot of rain over the last couple of months.


We agreed that once they move in and start to heat the building up, the floor have a much better chance for drying and when it looks dry, they will give me a call and I will check it for them and seal it if possible.

Given the damp issues my thoughts are to seal the floor with a coat of Tile Doctor Colour Grow and then finish with Seal and Go Extra, both are which breathable sealers and will leave the floor with a nice sheen finish.




Source: Quarry Tile Cleaning and Renovation Service in Shropshire

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