Flooring and Carpeting - Interior Decorating - Style

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About Chris
(Top Expert on this page)

Expertise
20+ years flooring installation ...carpet,wood,tile and vinyl. Residential and commercial. I do not sell the products , just install what ever the shop / customer has purchased. I actually love seeing the finished project completed and it gives me great satisfaction to help others acheive that goal. If I don't know the answer I will say so, and then I will recommend another expert for you. I may even research the subject and answer to the best of my ability ...including links to my sources. I wish you all success Chris

Experience
20 years as an independant contractor

Education/Credentials
H.S. diploma A.S. agriculture Mt San Antonio JR. College

Past/Present Clients
Gene Bonas and Kevin Churnock Inc. Sheward&Son&Sons Century 21 Forte Const. Famous Footwear BOSE Corporation Homebodies General Contractor Perry Floors, Tri Cord Flooring T.J.'S Supplies

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Questions Answered By Expert Chris
In Category Flooring and Carpeting

Subject	Date Asked

replaceing sub floor in bedroom	11/20/2009
Q: I recently had a "handyman" install new plywood subfloors and 3/4" oak flooring in several rooms. ... A: Rose, The current subfloor you have is not appropriate...why? Well number 1 it is not dense enough ...
Tile/Subfloor	11/19/2009
Q: Chris - We are having our kitchen done over. Our contractor installed 1/4 inch interior plywood ... A: Linda , I hope he used thinset under the backerboard??? ...
bathroom floor tiles	11/19/2009
Q: I have the 1x1" bathroom tiles on the floor. I want to regrout them being as they are discolored. I ... A: Ronn, Not that I am aware of....I have seen another brand of tool made by another name ....similar ...
musty smell in lounge	11/19/2009
Q: we have lived in our house for 2 years,when we moved in it had laminate flooring in lounge room,it ... A: Leanne, Sounds like a moisture problem...moisture causes a damp musty smell ...especially after ...
transition from basement room to open area	11/19/2009
Q: I recently had the floor in a basement room leveled because I want to lay engineered hardwood down. ... A: Tony, We use various methods depending on what the adjoining room is going to receive...we can ...
how much to buy?	11/18/2009
Q: Hallo, i have an area 30 feet x 11 feet how many yards of vinyl do i need to buy? A: Alicia, Are you buying 12 foot wide material...or 6 foot wide Here is the formula: 30 ft x 1.3333 ...
vinyl floors	11/18/2009
Q: How many layers of vinyl can you put down on top of each other? The subfloor is concrete slab. ... A: K, My first thoughts are to demand that HD and the installer remove all the vinyl ...but that would ...
Tile/Subfloor	11/16/2009
Q: Chris - We are having our kitchen done over. Our contractor installed 1/4 inch interior plywood ... A: Linda STOP!!! Please Linda don't let this guy take your money , you have done your homework well. ...
Hardibacker	11/16/2009
Q: I am installing hardibacker over my bathroom floor. There is slab wood subfloor with plywood on top ... A: Oren, I am on the road (LAPTOP) I do not have access to my saved fav's and instructions (PDF's ) ...
Dricore subfloor	11/16/2009
Q: I am installing Dricore panels in my basement as a sub-floor. The concrete floor is very smooth and ... A: Scott, Let me try to look at this ghetto style...why don't you shim the bottom of the low areas ...
Kaindl laminate floors	11/16/2009
Q: We recently put Kaindl laminate floor(bought from a big box store)through our complete mobile home . ... A: Helen, If you stapled the underlayment I could blame that ...but if you did not then I would file a ...
Water Oozing up thru Edge of Grout	11/15/2009
Q: I'm having the same problem as Kristin but I've never had a flood. The house was built in 1976. The ... A: Kathy, The water pooling under the tile indicates a migration of moisture, the white remnants are ...
Bouncy engineered hardwood flooring in basement	11/15/2009
Q: Chris, We have a new bouncy hardwood floor in my basement and the question now is there anything we ... A: Paul, Really sorry to hear this...I have no real solution as the floor is glued together and ...
Vinyl Tile with brass strips for grout	11/14/2009
Q: I have a friend that has this wonderfull looking tile with brass strips for grout in her kitchen. ... A: Kay, Italy does not make vinyl tile ...they do make ceramic/porcelain tiles/marble and stone. ...
Laying Stick back tiles over older subfloor	11/13/2009
Q: I purchased Traffic Master Groutable Sticky back tiles from the home depot. I am planning on laying ... A: Andrew, As each new DIY product id different I would recommend that you call the manufacture for ...
contact cement for installing vct?	11/12/2009
Q: Is regular contact cement an acceptable adhesive to use for installing VCT? I have never heard of ... A: Roger .... Absolutely not ...case in point ...the one you described. Always use a Taylor / Henry's/ ...
Kaindl laminate floors	11/10/2009
Q: We recently put Kaindl laminate floor(bought from a big box store)through our complete mobile home . ... A: Helen, What underlayment did you use? What box store ..what country? I need to know more details, ...
Defective carpet install	11/10/2009
Q: I purchased and had installed from a leading home improvement store beginning with an "L" what I ... A: Jim, I have always been held accountable for all my work ... I contracted for a shop that did ...
1/4" thick hardwood flooring	11/8/2009
Q: My dishwasher valve failed and hot water flooded my kitchen floor. I have to find and exact match ... A: Alisa , I opened my mail and expected to see a picture ...a brand name or some other form of ...
laminate flooring	11/6/2009
Q: hey chris i was wondering what u can use to level a uneven floor in some spots before laminate floor ... A: Michelle , Yes I have installed Qwik Step many times , back in the day it was all 7mm thick ...what ...
laminate flooring	11/6/2009
Q: hey chris i was wondering what u can use to level a uneven floor in some spots before laminate floor ... A: Michelle, These are the products I like to use and purchase all the time. Follow the links...scroll ...
lamante flooring	11/5/2009
Q: ok i had a co put down quick step lamented flooring ,i had three rooms done,all floors are not ... A: Michelle, That's right ...a floor should never snap crackle pop after the install is finished. ...
Wood Floor	11/5/2009
Q: Please can you help! we have just had an unfinished oak floor laid which we have treated with 2 ... A: Elizabeth, I googled the product ...they are UK based , I suggest that you contact them to find out ...
lamante flooring	11/4/2009
Q: ok i had a co put down quick step lamented flooring ,i had three rooms done,all floors are not ... A: Michelle, First, are they a company ...did you pay in full already? There are contracts and many ...
radiant heated floors (1300 sq. ft.)	11/2/2009
Q: I need info on types of flooring that can be used on my concrete floor that has a radiant heating ... A: Carol, Just about any floor can be installed over radiant heated floors...what is the max temps you ...
Tile Over Occupied Space	11/2/2009
Q: I read your answer to the waterproofing a deck over an occupied space question. You recommended ... A: Mark , OSB is not particle board...however I can see your concerns as the two are similar. I have ...
cat odor	11/2/2009
Q: I own several apartment buildings and I would like to ask you about a problem I have with tenants ... A: Brenda, I am sorry but I have not been in the cleaning business end of flooring. Only the install ...
flooring	11/1/2009
Q: I have carpet in bedrooms and in great room and ceramic tiles in hallway, foyer dining %26 kitchen. ... A: Terri, It sounds like a re model is about to take place...Forgive me for assuming.If this is about ...
laminate flooring	10/31/2009
Q: what would cause my laminate flooring to dip on parts of the joints, ive used fibre bord underlay ... A: Michael, Did you use a soft foam underlayment ? Here in the USA we use a pad or carpet underlay or ...
strange metal strip between subfloor and	10/31/2009
Q: we've removed carpet and old particle board our entire downstairs and replaced it with plywood and ... A: OK ...thanks for the picture...wow I have never seen something such as that. I wish I could identify ...
strange metal strip between subfloor and	10/31/2009
Q: we've removed carpet and old particle board our entire downstairs and replaced it with plywood and ... A: Carol, This site allows you to attach a photo just before you send the post it will show up down in ...
Bruce Laminate Floor Popping	10/28/2009
Q: We had a Bruce wood laminate floor (Reserve Premium Wild Cherry) professionally installed several ... A: .. Great photo of the butt end...I am aghast that they don't have any tongue and groove at all ?? ...
Carpet Selection for install without pad	10/27/2009
Q: Sir, We are going to be living on a boat for a while and need to replace the carpet throughout. ... A: John, Not to be rude ...in my profile I specifically state that I do not sell carpet/flooring. I ...
Asphalt Tiles	10/25/2009
Q: Sir i'm installing asphalt tiles on my outside concrete deck, I need to find out what would be the ... A: Richard, Please give me a few more details...what size are they including thickness ... what ...
1 yr old carpet bubbling/lifting	10/24/2009
Q: I am hoping you can shed some light on why my one year old carpet would be lifting/bubbling in ... A: Well Shaw is a good name, well known ...they have many quality levels...I am sorry that friends have ...
carpet on top of hardwood at door	10/24/2009
Q: I have hardwood floors on the entire upstairs. the hall and steps were refinished, stopping at the ... A: Kevan, A typical Z bar is used, it is placed under the tack strip and nailed in place... the carpet ...
1 yr old carpet bubbling/lifting	10/24/2009
Q: I am hoping you can shed some light on why my one year old carpet would be lifting/bubbling in ... A: Jennifer, Bubbling sounds odd....are you referring to waves and buckles?? A bubble forms and has a ...
Engineered Hardwood Floor Checking	10/23/2009
Q: As a DIY project I installed Cryntel Ultimate Engineered Hardwood Plank (form Lowes) in our living ... A: Don, The relative humidity in your home should be increased...it is often stated that the humidity ...
Marble tiling	10/22/2009
Q: I have had a contractor put down polished carerra marble on walls and floor in my bathroom. He ... A: Ann, You can buff it off with a towel ....and it should behave like car wax ... unless he left ...
tiling around curves	10/22/2009
Q: We want to tile our bathroom floor with 12" by 12" tiles. Our tub is not perfectly straight. How ... A: Jeff... Yes scribing and often times cutting the tile 2x is the only way to do it...I make a 12 x ...
finishes for laminate	10/22/2009
Q: We have about a 10' raised hearth with tile. We are replacing the carpet that butts up against it ... A: Donna, Use end cap ...or threshold to finish the floor at the fireplace. I love the look it gives. ...
GLUE REMOVAL AND PAD	10/21/2009
Q: My daughter is replacing a glued down carpet on an above ground unheated porch room - subfloor is ... A: Norma, With new pad and carpet and tack strip going down ..the splintering will be of little harm. ...
Carpet	10/20/2009
Q: I have a house for sell that I have moved out of. In the basement we currently have cheap thin ... A: Michael, Really Michael...do you need an expert to tell you no. Think about it ... the carpet has ...
Smelly Room	10/19/2009
Q: We are getting ready to start putting together a nursery, but the room has this funny smell to it. ... A: It might be many things Stephanie.....I really can't tell what it might be from here. When you ...
Smelly Room	10/19/2009
Q: We are getting ready to start putting together a nursery, but the room has this funny smell to it. ... A: Stephanie, Can you recall any sign of water damage? Does the room smell musty / damp / mildew?? ...
Carpeting	10/19/2009
Q: I want to place carpet over some beautiful hardwood floors in my sons bedrooms while they are young ... A: Aisha, You can buy a large throw rug and lay it over the wood, other than that it is best to plan ...
carpet seam shows	10/18/2009
Q: I can see a seam all across my living room carpeting. I don't think they ran the carpet in the same ... A: Anne, Sometimes if the install is new you can get some service and satisfaction. Have them improve ...
How to cover Chattahoochee floor with carpet	10/18/2009
Q: I have begun replacing my floors with laminates and discovered my sunroom/Florida room has ... A: That's an interesting floor you have now.I would love to see pics of that. Are the stones large? As ...
Tile on Concrete	10/18/2009
Q: You have helped me so far!! Thanks for your help! Today I rented a floor/tile scraper as ... A: Mike , Yes an 8'or 10' light gauge metal stud will do wonders for about 5.00 at Home Depot / Lowes. ...
Bamboo Flooring	10/16/2009
Q: Chris- My husband and I have been planning on replacing the carpet in our house for something solid ... A: Jennifer, A slab foundation can be used as long as you don't try to apply a solid wood product. Make ...
carpet damage	10/15/2009
Q: I got some soot from the fireplace on my berber carpet and the only thing that I tried that would ... A: Elaine, Although the backing looks like Jute , I belive it is action back latex backing ...and if ...
carpet damage	10/14/2009
Q: I got some soot from the fireplace on my berber carpet and the only thing that I tried that would ... A: Elaine, Goo Gone is a very powerful chemical..it has damaged the backing of the carpet ...
travertine tile backsplash adhesive and grout selection	10/14/2009
Q: I am installing a tub surround for a jetted tub (no shower) and plan to install 18 x 18 travertine ... A: Randy ... Some haze ?? what type of tile ...try some vinegar mixed with your water .... Vinegar is ...
Engineered Wood and Curved Carpet	10/13/2009
Q: Chris, We are installing engineered hardwood in our home and layout calls for a transition from ... A: Lori, It is my opinion that the carpet should tuck directly to the wood. The pieces should be laid ...
laminate flooring	10/12/2009
Q: If a floating floor is continuing from one room to another (entry into den) is it necessary (or ... A: Donna, I know what the instructions call for ...I break that rule all the time. If the transition ...
Tile meets other room about 1" higher than carpet	10/12/2009
Q: I am tiling a basement bathroom and installed a tongue and groove subfloor (DriCore) to make the ... A: Mike , You could do 1 or 2 things... Marble door thresh hold as seen in some commercial ...
baseboard instillation without flooring	10/11/2009
Q: when installing baseboard before putting carpet down, should the gap between the subfloor and base ... A: Mike , Actually it can be on the floor. But as a carpet layer I love it when the base board is ...
Bamboo on Linoleum on Concrete	10/10/2009
Q: We recently started remodeling our son's room after he joined the Navy. Our home was built in the ... A: Mike , The room is 140 Sq feet approx. Demo the tiles ...Home Depot rents a tile removing ...
subflooring and tiling?	10/10/2009
Q: My home is on post and pier. The subfloor in our kitchen looks like interlocking pine boards. On ... A: Rich , The 3/4" plywood is the minimum you should go. Do not use particle board. Yes this ply wood ...
Floor flattening	10/9/2009
Q: I live in New Orleans and am renovating a "Katrina House" so it was gutted. We decided to move and ... A: Jennifer, You can float the 1/4" off to a reasonable distance and make it more gradual with floor ...
carpet repair	10/8/2009
Q: my tenant spilled some hot candle wax on my year old carpet. It seeped through the carpet to the ... A: Bob ... It depends ... 50-150.00 max ... Obviously a quick patch taking an hour ...the low ...
Bulges under vinyl	10/8/2009
Q: I have a 1 year old home with about 30 bulges under the vinyl flooring in the kitchen and foyer. I ... A: Kelly ... From my chair here I have no idea what the issue is ....no do not let him shoot nails ...
New Hardwood Floor - So Many Problems	10/8/2009
Q: We purchased a 2-1/2 year old home. The upstairs carpeting was in very poor shape so we opted to ... A: Shirlee, Thanks for sharing a part of your life ...I hope I can be helpful. It sounds like your ...
ceramic tile bathroom	10/7/2009
Q: I'm replacing my vinyl flooring with ceramic floor. My sub-floor is 2 x 6 T%26G. I'm going to put ... A: Bill , I am confused ...but if I read the question 2x or so and yeah I sorta read PC ...so I see ...
mobile home floors and cat urine ordor	10/7/2009
Q: We reside in a 70's model mobile home. In one of the bedrooms, the carpeting has been filled with ... A: Jennifer .. Mobile homes are built a little differently than regular framed houses. You may want to ...
travertine tile backsplash adhesive and grout selection	10/7/2009
Q: I am installing a tub surround for a jetted tub (no shower) and plan to install 18 x 18 travertine ... A: Yes Randy, 1/16"... support more than just the intersecting corners with the spacers... also 1 in ...
stair runner over capet	10/6/2009
Q: I had wall to wall carpet installed not too long ago in all my rooms upstairs and also stairs and ... A: Judy , I have a neighbor who did it with plastic runner or vinyl clear runner of sorts... Used big ...
travertine tile backsplash adhesive and grout selection	10/6/2009
Q: I am installing a tub surround for a jetted tub (no shower) and plan to install 18 x 18 travertine ... A: Randy , A good top quality POLYMER MODIFIED THINSET... Never use mastic in wet areas...and if you ...
Flexitec Vinyl Flooring for Florida Room	10/5/2009
Q: Considering installation of Flexile product in large (15 x 21) Florida room. This room is 100% ... A: Harry, I have never experienced those temperature swings in Calif for 25+ years... now in Utah I ...
hardwood floor refurbishing	10/4/2009
Q: "Thank you for taking my question. Perhaps with your long experience with both carpet and wood you ... A: Yes Joe... It needs to be professionally sanded with an edging sander and then the Drum sander ...
laminate under cabinet	10/3/2009
Q: Kitchen gutted, installing laminate flooring and new cabinets. Should laminate run completely under ... A: Donna , Who is installing the floor ? ....as said previously you always do the complete refer ...
stairs from first floor to second floor	10/3/2009
Q: The carpet on my stairs is so badly stained it has to go. I do not want to use carpeting again. ... A: Karen , Other than carpet ....depending on what's under the carpet now.....wood is nice. My sister ...
Bruce Laminate Floor Popping	10/2/2009
Q: We had a Bruce wood laminate floor (Reserve Premium Wild Cherry) professionally installed several ... A: So glad you had a moment to come back and report the findings....That's uncanny that you mention the ...
laminate under cabinet	10/1/2009
Q: Kitchen gutted, installing laminate flooring and new cabinets. Should laminate run completely under ... A: .. If you have the extra material it's often done. But I would not buy material just to go under ...
Slab Floor	10/1/2009
Q: The house is built on a cement floor with Pergo flooring. We want to put down oak flooring. Should ... A: I just googled , WHAT IS ENGINEERED WOOD FLOORING ...of course the first 3 or hits are sales / ...
Slab Floor	10/1/2009
Q: The house is built on a cement floor with Pergo flooring. We want to put down oak flooring. Should ... A: Engineered wood products consist of layers of ply wood construction with a real wood top and finish. ...
crackling laminate floor	9/29/2009
Q: Chris, Thank you so much for your answer of my question on 9/25/09 about my crakling laminate ... A: Jenny, I am not sure .... I never hear back from posters / questioners with cases of resolution ...
Carpet vs Tiles in Northern climate	9/29/2009
Q: I just bought a foreclosure home in Indiana, the carpet needs to be replaced but I'm trying to ... A: Viviana, That all depends on your budget. There are many options and often times a combination of ...
transitioning from carpet to laminate	9/28/2009
Q: We have removed all flooring. We are installing both laminate and carpet. For transitioning, which ... A: Yes Donna, The laminate floor is installed , if necessary to a chalk line / pencil line...then the ...
transitioning from carpet to laminate	9/28/2009
Q: We have removed all flooring. We are installing both laminate and carpet. For transitioning, which ... A: If I had my way I would do the wood first, and the transitions glued in place overnight with liquid ...
Hardwood Floors	9/27/2009
Q: I purchased a new home in July, 2008 with hardwood floors. Over the past year, about 25% of the ... A: If the slab is emitting moisture and they did or did not do a calcium chloride test , they may have ...
carpet replacement	9/26/2009
Q: The carpet in the lower level of my home, on concrete, has been damaged with these last rains. I am ... A: I know that carpet is the least expensive, for the most part. If you continue to have moisture ...
Hardwood Floors	9/26/2009
Q: I purchased a new home in July, 2008 with hardwood floors. Over the past year, about 25% of the ... A: Cluadia, I would file complaints with BBB and state contractors boards ...write a letter of your ...
Bruce Laminate Floor Popping	9/26/2009
Q: We had a Bruce wood laminate floor (Reserve Premium Wild Cherry) professionally installed several ... A: Carla, I have heard of this issue more and more lately....especially with a particular Armstrong ...
products vitrified floor wood	9/26/2009
Q: necesito saber cual el mejor producto de vitricado de piso de madera, para alto trafico. muchas ... A: Hector, Mi no habla espanol...mi esposa habla mucho, Esta noches OK 9/26/09 what is the best ...
crackling laminate floor	9/25/2009
Q: Christ. I had 12mm laminate floor installed in my upstaris rooms, hall ways and stairs. it looks ... A: Jenny, Is this an Armstrong laminate floor? there is a rather frequent problem with a particular ...
ceramic over vinyl	9/25/2009
Q: I'm looking to install about 300SF of ceramic/porcelain tile in my basement. The floor is cement and ... A: Manny, Welcome back ...feel free to ask as many questions as you like. If for some reason this ...
radius floor reducers	9/25/2009
Q: .. wondering if you know where I can find a reducer from hardwood to carpet that can be curved ... A: Wendy ...on the carpet side we have rubber products that will curve/ flex and reduce the carpet on ...
ceramic over vinyl	9/24/2009
Q: I'm looking to install about 300SF of ceramic/porcelain tile in my basement. The floor is cement and ... A: Manny, You can't attach backerboard to cement....nor can you let it lay there loose. So that option ...
Tile over radiant floor	9/24/2009
Q: I am installing ceramic tiles over new concrete floor with hydronic heating. The tile store say I ... A: Pierre, I disagree Please call the Mapei folks directly at the 800 # ask for technical support ...
Where to start to lay laminate and what direction?	9/23/2009
Q: Now I am planning to lay. Attached is a drawing the room (Kitchen and dinning room), sorry if the ... A: I know the instructions and other suggestions say lay the wood parallel with the sun ....hog wash... ...
Where to start to lay laminate and what direction?	9/22/2009
Q: Now I am planning to lay. Attached is a drawing the room (Kitchen and dinning room), sorry if the ... A: Fg, The answer is lengthy... I will try to make it concise and direct , forgive me if I wander. ...
Carpet cleaning	9/22/2009
Q: I am a 30 yr. DIY'er w/ expertise in mechanics, carpentry, building. I have been looking for a ... A: Sorry David, I don't clean carpet , I install it and know the mechanics therein. I have cleaned, ...
Avaire porclein tile grout clean-up	9/22/2009
Q: I recently had a contractor install Avaire porcelain tile in my kitchen. It was beautiful until he ... A: I have no idea what AVAIRE porcelain tile is ...I imagine there are many colors/ textures. What I ...
Tile grouting	9/21/2009
Q: We had new tiles fitted all over our home three year ago. About a month back while on holiday our ... A: Nancy , That is not true ...the adhesive behind the tile is what you should be looking at. If it ...
Transition from wood floor to carpet	9/20/2009
Q: We are getting ready to remove the carpet from a large portion of our house and planning to leave ... A: Joseph, Typically the carpet is finished with a Z bar application, in the old days it was rolled ...
peel and stick hardwood planks	9/18/2009
Q: wondering if you have any pointers on how to install peel and stick hardwood planks. i have never ... A: Lee, It's everyday products for me ... Henry's, Mapei, Durabond. It's all the same product ...
peel and stick hardwood planks	9/17/2009
Q: wondering if you have any pointers on how to install peel and stick hardwood planks. i have never ... A: Lee, If you have experience laying out and starting the rows and using your ends cuts as a new ...
Carpet tiles on Parkay	9/17/2009
Q: We're moving to Germany in a couple of months and will be living in military housing. The entire ... A: Jennifer... I love carpet tiles. They can be expensive, I am not sure what or where you saw the ...
Glue Removal - wood floors	9/16/2009
Q: We found fir flooring that flows from the living room into the kitchen that we are excited to save. ... A: That's a tough situation there !! The trick is to use razor scrappers and yet not damage the wood ...
Best Vacuum for frieze carpet	9/16/2009
Q: About 18 months ago I purchased a Custom Weave Ultrastrand frieze carpet for my family room. The ... A: Funny , vacuum proof carpet ....LOL I was required by many a shop to vacuum after I finished a job, ...
new carpet over old	9/14/2009
Q: I want to recarpet a small room that has an extremely heavy piece of furniture. Very difficult for ... A: Donna ... they have Teflon furniture sliders...sold almost everywhere now. They help quite a bit. It ...
Removing Travertine tile	9/14/2009
Q: I have a travertine floor in my kitchen over a water supplied radiant heated floor. I wish I never ... A: Shaun ... A demo hammer and the proper bits ... gentle touch ..with a skilled hand. I use a Hammer ...
Replacing flooring	9/13/2009
Q: My wife and I are considering replacing existing adhesive backed 12X12 vinyl squares with 18X18 ... A: Jim, There are 2 ways to go about this... As we did many times over and over ...we skim coat the ...
thin set and timing	9/13/2009
Q: What happens if I don't complete the mortar/thin set and tile installation in the room in one day? ... A: Harris, Always scrape off the thin set to the tile line...if needed use a sponge to wipe down ...
timing of repairs	9/12/2009
Q: We are moving into a new-to-us home and we need to do quite a few repairs. Most importantly we need ... A: Jeff, It is my honest opinion that floors should be done last ...or when as little as possible ...
homasote on floors	9/11/2009
Q: I have a pantry with only a small crawl space underneath a wood plank floor. It is not insulated. ... A: Jennifer, As flooring and installations go I am an expert...but as far as insulation, the drywall ...
Self Stick Vinyl Floor Tiles Over Concrete	9/11/2009
Q: I am installing self stick floor tiles over a new concrete floor in the basement. I have applied a ... A: Sandy, What is the brand name and manufacture of the tile ...where did you buy it?How did you ...
laying 25ml floor tiles	9/10/2009
Q: When I have layed tiles before the webbing backing goes down into the glue but I feel that if I put ... A: G'Day Kerry, Ok first off this is the USA here and I can try to convert the cm and M but I am not ...
Tile Layout	9/10/2009
Q: I have purchased 3 different tile sizes for a bathroom. I have been to different sites to determine ... A: Shelley , What ?? how could I possibly do that without a floor diagram ?? Have you seen a ...
Carpeting	9/10/2009
Q: I am having carpet put in my dining room, living room, and family room, which is a stepdown so there ... A: Coleen, I have saved a favorite website that explains all the terms used in carpet and products ...
Laminate Floors over damaged vinyl floor	9/10/2009
Q: We have quite a few burn spots from melted mental on our vinyl floor, now we want to cover that ... A: F, They are so small the underlayment padding will take up the slack...But if you wish to use a ...
Flooring over vinyl tile	9/10/2009
Q: I would like to put some new flooring in my basement. I believe the old vinyl tiles may contain ... A: Steve, I appreciate the web link ... and I read quite a bit. I want to address this key issue of ...
Concrete vapor	9/9/2009
Q: I have two parts to my question. I'm getting engineered hardwood install on my floors. my home is ... A: Yes ...it will affect the test results...but those aren't too bad considering that it rained. They ...
uneven floating floor	9/9/2009
Q: Chris, We had an Armstrong Bruce floating floor installed, and have concernes about the amount of ... A: Richard , Most hardwood/engineered/ floating wood floors allow a deviance of 3/16" in a 10 ft. ...
Flooring over vinyl tile	9/8/2009
Q: I would like to put some new flooring in my basement. I believe the old vinyl tiles may contain ... A: Steve , What size are the tiles ...asbestos tiles are 9x9... pre 70's let's take a look at how big ...
wood or pergo floor over radiant tile	9/8/2009
Q: We have a sunroom that we plan to convert to a formal dining room. To that end, we would like to ... A: Khristie, If you remove the tile more than likely you will damage the radiant heat system, if it ...
floors	9/7/2009
Q: First off, I'm not a DIYer at all. I will be hiring someone to do the work. I wanted to research ... A: The wood will be easier and less costly...the basement will cause you to need the floor ...
Armstrong Grand Illusions laminate floor	9/6/2009
Q: We have had recently had installed the above mentioned floor. When it was being installed it had a ... A: Scott, This has been an ongoing issue with Armstrong for a year or so. The floors have a problem ...
flooring noises	9/5/2009
Q: Our bathroom floor is making clicks or cracking sounds in spots. We installed porcelain tiles last ... A: Luisa, It is my opinion that tile should not be installed directly on wood substrate ... the ...
flooring noises	9/5/2009
Q: Our bathroom floor is making clicks or cracking sounds in spots. We installed porcelain tiles last ... A: Luisa, Is the tile above grade (wood floor)or on concrete?? If the 1 st choice is the answer is ...
floor shrinking?	9/4/2009
Q: I was wondering if you could help me understand this situation better. I clean for a commercial ... A: Karyn, I am assuming the tiles are vinyl ...or VCT (vinyl composition tile) Are they the type you ...
Footprints on raw oak	9/4/2009
Q: Greetings! We installed raw oak floors, and are in the process of sealing with tung oil. But we have ... A: The body oils can be removed with lacquer thinner...it evaporates quickly and leaves no residue. It ...
applying indoor/ outdoor carpet	9/2/2009
Q: I am getting ready to put indoor/ outdoor carpet over my back porch which is cement. As i read the ... A: Katy, Please tell me the adhesive you are using. Name and brand and any #'s.... All flooring ...
How to prepare a Mosiac Inlay for tiled floor	9/2/2009
Q: I am creating a mosaic panel which I plan to incorporate into our bathroom flooring when we ... A: If the backer is applied to the wood subfloor and it is 6mm...and the mosaic is 4mm + some ...
Laminate flooring/ t & g ceiling	9/2/2009
Q: We are building a cabin and have a tongue & groove pine cathedral ceiling. We also will be ... A: Kathy , To enhance the length of the room ...run the direction of the longest length... always do ...
Cleaning glue of hardwood floor	9/1/2009
Q: I have hardwood floor under my carpets but the carpet was glued down to the floor. How do I remove ... A: Stephanie, The adhesive...is it completely covering the floor?? 99.9%?? I know of adhesive ...
How to prepare a Mosiac Inlay for tiled floor	9/1/2009
Q: I am creating a mosaic panel which I plan to incorporate into our bathroom flooring when we ... A: Wow this is interesting to say the least... Let's see, what is the thickness of the tile to meet up ...
Parquet Adhesive	8/31/2009
Q: I work for someone who is having renovations done in her apartment and noticed there is a thick ... A: ... I doubt that the wood adhesive contained asbestos. It is more likely a resin glue as is most ...
Engineered hardwood floor installation	8/31/2009
Q: I am finishing a bonus room over my garage and want to install an engineered 3/8 inch hardwood ... A: Dave , Thanks for the high ratings ...For the plywood, I like to use the gold screws...and yes ...
hardwood fooring	8/31/2009
Q: I'm putting hardwood floors throughout our house, and I'm wondering what I should use to seal it ... A: Mark, I have only used one or two products and they were both from Gallaher hardwood floors in ...
Engineered hardwood floor installation	8/31/2009
Q: I am finishing a bonus room over my garage and want to install an engineered 3/8 inch hardwood ... A: Dave, If you were to call the manufacture of the wood they recommend not going directly over OSB. ...
remove existing tiles floor & replace...	8/30/2009
Q: Wondering what the approximate cost would be to REMOVE & Dispose of existing tiles(most are coming ... A: Tim , You never mentioned what type of tile they are?? Since you mentioned glue...I would assume ...
Water Spots on Bruce Wood Flors	8/29/2009
Q: I have Bruce 3/4" Solid Hardwood floors. They are pre-finished and are Gunstock. Recently, my dog ... A: I thought vinegar was for mineral deposits and coffee makers and such??? Hard water deposits. I ...
Konecto flooring	8/29/2009
Q: Chris, I'm a new home buyer and I want to replace tile on the entire first floor with konecto ... A: Chris, When you use the word EXACT COLOR ... it gets kind of awkward ...if you can get very close ...
installing tile flooring	8/29/2009
Q: We are tiling two rooms at our recently renovated church. The floor base is 3/4" plywood. We will ... A: No , it will not be a problem. There is a wide variety of companies that sell reducer and T ...
installing tile flooring	8/27/2009
Q: We are tiling two rooms at our recently renovated church. The floor base is 3/4" plywood. We will ... A: Senior Pastor Taylor, Yes, do use the hardi backer 1/4" product. I would never recommend tile ...
Installing hardwood floor	8/26/2009
Q: I am interested in installing a new hardwood floor in several rooms in my house. The question is ... A: Doug, On each can of adhesive that you decide to use are contact numbers (800) for the manufacture. ...
water seeping from grout	8/26/2009
Q: Pipe froze and burst on main floor in December. Water flooded into lower level storage room and ... A: Kristin, I wonder if the tile setter(is that you ?) used a pre mix product ...or an acrylic ...
frieze carpet cleaning	8/25/2009
Q: I read your answer to this question previously. We are having a Lee frieze carpet installed ... A: Yes there is ...please get the name of the manufacture and get the 800#. Call the customer service ...
help with travertine sealer that bubbled	8/23/2009
Q: We have 16 by 16" travertine tiles just installed in our house. The tile man put TileLab gloss ... A: Becky, It depends on which type sealer was used. There are two, water based and petroleum based. ...
selling installed carpets	8/23/2009
Q: This may be the weirdest questions that you get but here goes. I am building a new house (in a ... A: Elizabeth, Yes folks sell used carpet all the time, funny my sister just bought some and I ...
carpet	8/19/2009
Q: What should we know when picking out carpet? We hope to live here at least 4 years and are ... A: Liz , I am out of town and unable to access my favorites on this computer ... I have saved ...
Laminate Floors over damaged vinyl floor	8/18/2009
Q: We have quite a few burn spots from melted mental on our vinyl floor, now we want to cover that ... A: F, Many steps are required ...goggle wood floor install and or see videos on You tube....research ...
problem with newly laid tile	8/18/2009
Q: I hope you will be able to give me an answer to this. We have put down new porcelain tile (doing it ... A: I have always steered clear of tile lab products from Home Depot. I have read so many bad things. ...
2nd story bathroom floor	8/18/2009
Q: I was told that I can't install tile or stone in a second floor home. Is this true. The house is ... A: Marilyn , That is not always true...but you must determine if the floor will support the stone ...
Stand Up shower	8/17/2009
Q: I have a stand up shower and would like to remodel it. The issue I am having is that the drain is ... A: Stacey , Building a shower takes quite a bit of planning and I find that a mom and pop tile store ...
Granite Tile and Grout Cracking	8/16/2009
Q: Our home had a water loss, broken pipe while we are on vacation. When we are back, water traveled ... A: Phil, If the structure is above grade I doubt you are on slab concrete...and the sleepers would / ...
Leveling Concrete Floor for Laminate	8/15/2009
Q: My basement floor has many areas which are 1/4" or more unlevel(low). I have started using ... A: Jack, The grout will be very sandy and will not smooth out to a keen feather edge. it might ...
Granite Tile and Grout Cracking	8/14/2009
Q: Our home had a water loss, broken pipe while we are on vacation. When we are back, water traveled ... A: Phil, Yes the expanding wood subfloor will cause the tile / grout to move and crack. Water damage ...
doorway threshold needed	8/14/2009
Q: My husband installed a lovely laminate tile floor in our kitchen, perfect right up to the finishing ... A: I usually make mine from redwood or oak. I use a table saw and sander and custom fabricate it. I ...
problem with newly laid tile	8/14/2009
Q: I hope you will be able to give me an answer to this. We have put down new porcelain tile (doing it ... A: Janna , Please tell me the brand and type of sealer you used. Try some vinegar and water ...or ...
cheap but durable flooring for plywood	8/13/2009
Q: I'm having a bit of a financial problem at the moment but the floors in my house desperately need to ... A: Michelle, USA prices and Canadian prices are not the same. I have friends in Manitoba And BC ...omg ...
Unsatisfactory seal where shower meets the floor	8/11/2009
Q: I just had new floor installed after flooding from toilet and shower destroyed my carpet from water ... A: Kim, The white silicone can be cut and removed with a sharp utility knife. A new bead of silicone ...
least expensive flooring solution	8/11/2009
Q: My building has 3,4,5 layers of vinyl flooring and it is broken up to various depths over the 1200 ... A: What flooring do you wish to replace or go over? Where are you located so I can possibly find ...
Leveling Concrete Floor for Laminate	8/11/2009
Q: My basement floor has many areas which are 1/4" or more unlevel(low). I have started using ... A: Jack, For any floor the whole concept of level vs. flat is the main point to focus on. In other ...
tile floor install	8/10/2009
Q: I'm removing vinyl square tiles from a cement floor and it's leaving a sticky residue. I've been ... A: Tom, The Versabond , as far as I know, is a powder bag and it is extremely easy to mix yourself. ...
Carpet Measurement and Installation	8/9/2009
Q: I had carpet installed on the first and second floors of my home. One carpet roll said "First floor" ... A: Catherine, No mater what I say , you will have to resolve workmanship /quality...and seaming ...
tile floor install	8/9/2009
Q: I'm removing vinyl square tiles from a cement floor and it's leaving a sticky residue. I've been ... A: Tom , What color is the adhesive residue....what type of vinyl tile are you removing....is it ...
hardwood floor on landing with radius	8/9/2009
Q: We are pulling carpet off stairs and putting hardwood, our landing has a radius. How do we replace ... A: Wendy, Contact the supplier for the wood ...real wood that you must finish...and bull nose / round ...
Flooring Installation Over Damaged Elastocil	8/8/2009
Q: Are you familiar with Elastocil (sp?)? What are my options for repairing deep cracks? Can it be ... A: Elizabeth, As I am in Calif ...and the western states, I would need to know where you are located. ...
Porcelain Tile Installation for Kitchen Floor Using Mastic	8/7/2009
Q: I am new to installing tile and on the advice of someone else bought some 'pre-mixed thinset mortar' ... A: Craig ... The acrylic mastic is neither suited for floor tiles nor will it set properly due to the ...
Flooring Installation Over Damaged Elastocil	8/6/2009
Q: Are you familiar with Elastocil (sp?)? What are my options for repairing deep cracks? Can it be ... A: .. lightweight elasticel or acoustical concrete Light weight concrete... yikes! Well it can be ...
brick floor grout	8/6/2009
Q: we just laid paver brick floor in an indoor sunroom. After laying it we sealed the brick with 3 ... A: Marvin, The brick layers I see use the same spec mix as grout ... just a wetter consistency... ...
Engineered Hardwood Installation	8/6/2009
Q: Last week we had engineered wood installed in most of our house. One of the areas where the wood was ... A: Lynda, Popping may indicate a low spot in the floor also ...wood floor are required to have a flat ...
Removing tile and plywood	8/6/2009
Q: I am wanting to remove the flooring from my master bathroom. I started by breaking up the ceramic ... A: Sara , Get a circular saw and set it to the correct depth ...this will take a few practice cuts, ...
Engineered Hardwood Installation	8/5/2009
Q: Last week we had engineered wood installed in most of our house. One of the areas where the wood was ... A: Lynda, Where I come from the customer is king ...and I don't get paid until they are satisfied. Are ...
installing engineered wood flooring	8/4/2009
Q: I installed a Bostik MVP4 Moisture Vapor Protection membrane over my concrete slab prior to ... A: Rick , I won't lie to you ... I've done crazier thing to eliminate minor problems, however the can ...
installing engineered wood flooring	8/4/2009
Q: I installed a Bostik MVP4 Moisture Vapor Protection membrane over my concrete slab prior to ... A: Rick , Did you purchase from Lumber Liquidators? Contact Bostik at the 800 # ...ion the side of ...
installing engineered wood flooring	8/3/2009
Q: I installed a Bostik MVP4 Moisture Vapor Protection membrane over my concrete slab prior to ... A: Rick, Typically if you use the right trowel it should lay down flat ...I understand that you may ...
production of particle board	8/3/2009
Q: i got a pretty hard question for you so i do not think you will know the answer but i hope you will, ... A: The production of all press boards and ply woods use adhesives and some formaldehyde last I read. As ...
Travertine tiles on slightl bouncy floor	8/3/2009
Q: I have had all material prepared and ready to install the travertine stone tile in my kitchen, until ... A: Richard ...I am away from my desk at home ... I am out of town on a job... But you risk failure if ...
slate water penetration	8/2/2009
Q: I notice that you are helping someone do a slate deck and water proof the deck below it by doing so. ... A: Chris, The liquid sealer for the slate is at best a micro pore sealer ... not a water proof ...
removing thin set	8/2/2009
Q: How do I remove the leftover thinset residue after popping the old ceramic tile off the concrete ... A: Bruce , I use a 4" razor scraper like this one on the link I am posting for you. See the 350 / ...
Porcelain Tile Backsplash	7/14/2009
Q: We are moving into an older home which we plan to do extensive renovations on in the future. For ... A: Ok I see the pic , it is a shame they won't let you add more, I believe the tiles I see in the ...
Vinyl Flooringi Purple Stains	7/14/2009
Q: I have a white vinyl floor that now has large purple stains that are the exact same shape as area ... A: Yes Dawn , typically it is... sorry to say the PVC in the vinyl reacts with the latex in the throw ...
Hardwood installation where tongues meet up	7/14/2009
Q: This is the first time we are installing hardwood floors ourself. We are continuing from existing ... A: Splines can be made directly from the wood product itself ...on the table saw carefully. Do what you ...
Hardwood installation where tongues meet up	7/13/2009
Q: This is the first time we are installing hardwood floors ourself. We are continuing from existing ... A: Mindy, The picture shows trying to wrap a stair case and meet both sides evenly. Your question ...
Subfloor prep for tile	7/13/2009
Q: I asked you a few questions about my tile project a few weeks ago, but I ran into another one just ... A: Gluing and screwing will be fine ...LOL Home Depot ...well what can ya say. Although the paper wood ...
Outdoor Porelain tile installation	7/13/2009
Q: We are going to be laying about 400 square foot of porcelian tiles for our patio.We live in Toronto ... A: Here in the warmer climes of Calif I have never experienced the possible temps that you will. I ...
stair remodel project a little more complex than planned.	7/12/2009
Q: I decided last night that I couldn't stand looking at the carpet on my stairs any longer. The ... A: http://www.ehow.com/how_14388_select-paint-stripper.html ...
2 1/2"of filler required	7/12/2009
Q: The new house we are building has a concrete slab with large areas of real brick flooring that are ... A: Have you ever seen or heard of a DRY PACK floor float? Other options are to prime the floor and ...
Installing 3/4" Engineered Hardwood over Particle board	7/11/2009
Q: I want to replace my carpet floors with hardwood. Under the carpet is particle board over plywood. I ... A: Starting from the top. 1) If you want any type of warranty you better do as Bruce , or any ...
uneven subfloor	7/10/2009
Q: Chris-I need a self leveling compound that can be used over interior ply and also over particle ... A: Pat, I'll work backwards here. SLC can be done in stages. But each new stage will need to be ...
Optical Hazing???	7/10/2009
Q: I have recently fitted 60x60 cream porcelain tiles in an open plan area. I went in to check on the ... A: I am sorry to hear of your frustration. I am going to refer you to Jim Carlin here on these ...
Slate Tile	7/10/2009
Q: I want to install slate tile over an existing concrete patio that is covered and enclosed by a ... A: Raymond , Tile once set in mild weather and allowed to cure properly (72 hrs) should be fine with ...
uneven subfloor	7/10/2009
Q: Chris-I need a self leveling compound that can be used over interior ply and also over particle ... A: Pat , We use Mapei and Custom products ...as well as Ardex ... All the products I mentioned work ...
Removing grout sealer from porcelain tile	7/9/2009
Q: I need your help with removing grout sealer from about 2,800 sf of porcelain tile. I paid someone ... A: Michaela, Yes you can use 100% vinegar... or any dilution that works. There are professional grout ...
Tiling entry, 2 bathrooms and kitchen.	7/9/2009
Q: My son and I are getting ready to totally redo the flooring on the first floor of our 28 year old ... A: Terry , Bull nose the travertine and polish as needed at the transition areas to reduce the trip ...
Thin-set to bond over adhesive	7/9/2009
Q: We are putting ceramic tile on basement floor. The floor had vinyl tile on it. My husband took up ... A: Read these words of advice and do remove the adhesive as much as possible. ...
baseboards	7/9/2009
Q: How do you finish a baseboard at a door way when one of the floors is higher than the other and the ... A: Lolly, Other than adding a 1/4" round or additional trim I can only think to have an outside ...
Shower curb	7/9/2009
Q: I installed a swanstone shower base. I built a curb to go in front of the base so I can move the ... A: Troy, What material did you use to make and construct the dam with? If you did not follow normal ...
Nafco Grout removal	6/29/2009
Q: We are in the process of building a new home, and recently had our kitchen floors installed. The ... A: Asa, You can try a grout and haze remover available at home centers and or you can make a solution ...
Wood Flooring Installation	6/28/2009
Q: Chris, I am installing a Brazilian Cherry 3/4" prefinished wood floor and up until now it has gone ... A: Dan, Yes the triangular shaped shims are exactly that ...as you force them into the gap they bind ...
Floating Engineered Hardwood crackling noise	6/28/2009
Q: My husband and I have just installed an engineered hardwood by LM, Kendall Click, Laurentian 1/2" x ... A: Lynda, I am just perplexed ...I don't know if it's the padding underlayment or the wood? Is the ...
Wood Flooring Installation	6/28/2009
Q: Chris, I am installing a Brazilian Cherry 3/4" prefinished wood floor and up until now it has gone ... A: I understand your concerns , especially with a pre finished wood product. Glue down with Heavy Duty ...
kitchen flooring buckling	6/28/2009
Q: HELP! i just purchased an older home it's about 60 yrs old.The kitchen floor has laminate on top of ... A: Meka, I am sorry , all your panic has me confused ...is water actually leaking now ...turn the ...
flooring on slab	6/26/2009
Q: My 9 year-old hardwood flooring on a slab is bubbling/buckling up. Everyone says I must have water ... A: Tom, Sorry for your frustration ... yes moisture wicking /transpiring from the slab can be very ...
Congoleum duraceramic/vinyl flooring	6/26/2009
Q: I have a vinyl tile in the kitchen i want to replace. I know I can not put any product down (due to ... A: Andrea , Contact Congoleum at this # Consumer Information Hotline at 1-609-584-3601...ask them ...
Replacing hardwood with Tile	6/26/2009
Q: I asked a while ago about refinishing hardwood which had been badly damaged by an improper install ... A: Mark, As the wood floor is not suitable due to the nature and the size of each plank I think a ...
Replacing hardwood with Tile	6/26/2009
Q: I asked a while ago about refinishing hardwood which had been badly damaged by an improper install ... A: I never have a problem with an over engineered floor...I just thought that you might want to save a ...
Replacing hardwood with Tile	6/26/2009
Q: I asked a while ago about refinishing hardwood which had been badly damaged by an improper install ... A: Welcome back. that truly sounds good. More than adequate ! When you mention the 2 layers of 1/2" ...
Ceramic on Linoleum	6/25/2009
Q: A few months ago I dealt with a flooring company who installed ceramic tile without first removing ... A: My mother's name... As long as we are talking the same animal here (cushion)or felt back vinyl. I ...
floor filler	6/25/2009
Q: I have 6" white deal flooring which was put down before fully dried out, so there are gaps between ... A: Ireland , wow. I am completely unfamiliar with the product you mentioned. Is there hyper link you ...
Allure Trafficmaster	6/24/2009
Q: Can this product be installed on a screened/in porch? The porch gets some sun and can get rain when ... A: Harold, Call the manufacture at this # 203-299-3100 ...they will know for sure ...I doubt it , ...
Duraceramic vs. ceramic vs. porcelin tile	6/24/2009
Q: We are looking for a largely indestructable floor covering for our bath. We are looking for low- or ... A: Ceramic tile ... cement and stone , impervious to water and most harsh environments / chemicals. ...
linoleum floor repair-bubble	6/23/2009
Q: Would you use a heat gun to repair a "bubble" in the linoleum flooring that is not near a seam? A: James, I would lance it with a needle...maybe a larger upholstery needle will do it(not too big ...
rugs with latex backing on laminate flooring	6/23/2009
Q: When I purchased my home that has laminate flooring, I was told that rugs with rubber backing ... A: It has a tenancy to react with vinyl, I know that for sure. The latex has properties in it that ...
Tile / Hardwood issue	6/23/2009
Q: I am re-doing the foyer of my 1971 home. When I pried up the loose and broken slate tiles, I found ... A: As far as normal , I would have to know what they were stuck with ... on hardwood directly, it would ...
Tackless carpet installation	6/22/2009
Q: I received a quote from Empire Today for carpet installation. The salesman told me that they install ... A: Leigh, I am not familiar with the term TRACKLESS ....however, I am familiar with the term TACKLESS ...
tile floor installation poorly done	6/22/2009
Q: We are completely renovating our bathroom and have done all the renovations ourselves except that we ... A: Deb ...Sue their asses off ... get the BBB involved call your DA's office... speak to the Asst. or ...
re: engineered wood floor over gypcrete	6/21/2009
Q: ..I am building a two story addition to my home and I have the option of pouring gypcrete or leaving ... A: Christine , In many commercial buildings here in Southern California I have seen the horrors of ...
Carpet pad falling apart	6/21/2009
Q: I have a room that is about 20X16. I believe the past owner of the home steam cleaned often and it ... A: Mike , It is common at times to replace the padding. Here in So Cal the industry had a sale ...
Floating Engineered Hardwood crackling noise	6/20/2009
Q: My husband and I have just installed an engineered hardwood by LM, Kendall Click, Laurentian 1/2" x ... A: I am sorry to say that I have never had this problem and I really have tried before to answer this ...
porcelin tile installation	6/19/2009
Q: I installed a bath floor using 1/4" hardi-backer screwed and glued. regular gray thinset mortar with ... A: John, What do you mean glued and screwed??? Like this? These are the instructions I have always ...
Covering floor with lead-based paint on it	6/18/2009
Q: I am remodeling an old home. I took out the old carpet and there is lead-based paint on the wood ... A: Ok the wood floor boards ...this is the existing wood floor correct ... typically called the sub ...
Covering floor with lead-based paint on it	6/18/2009
Q: I am remodeling an old home. I took out the old carpet and there is lead-based paint on the wood ... A: Lead paint became an issue when babies ingested it from cribs and other items. Toddlers chewed on ...
versa seal	6/17/2009
Q: We had VCT installed 4 months ago in our business. We have noticed as time has gone on that the ... A: Sandra, I am completely befuddled by the products you mention and have never used them. If I do a ...
Replacing mobile home floors to accommodate tile	6/16/2009
Q: ....Don't know if you remember me, but you were very helpful at the inception of this job in ... A: Joseph, How can I say thanks for what I hear as a compliment about my answers.Thank you kindly, ...
Carpeting doorway/threshold area	6/15/2009
Q: How do we carpet up to the doorway. We were initially told not to put tack strip there. Then we were ... A: Here are some catalog images ...
Carpeting doorway/threshold area	6/15/2009
Q: How do we carpet up to the doorway. We were initially told not to put tack strip there. Then we were ... A: Edwina , Yes I can help ... if you describe the surface you are nailing into ...is it wood or ...
hard wood floor	6/15/2009
Q: when i purchased my "older" home, it had carpet in it. i decided to rip the carpet out and found ... A: Emad, I need to know what the subfloor is underneath??? Is it currently nailed down ...over a ...
Tile Subfloor	6/14/2009
Q: Took out bathroom carpeting and partical board underneath, leaving 5/8 in. plywood on the floor ... A: Linda , At this seam ...can you screw the subfloor down on the joists? To stop the movement. 1/4" ...
Carpet pulling up at top of stairs	6/13/2009
Q: How to I re-attach the carpeting at the top of the stairs? It is pulling out from under the metal ... A: Michael ... That's too bad that this is the way the previous installer left it. The metal should ...
Replacing mobile home floors to accommodate tile	6/13/2009
Q: ....Don't know if you remember me, but you were very helpful at the inception of this job in ... A: Joe, How are you my friend...LOL, of course I remember this adventure in metal boxes. It seems more ...
Berber carpet seams on stairs	6/11/2009
Q: Chris, I am considering installing carpet on the stairs leading to our basement (which I am ... A: I will start in reverse here.... The Berber carpet will not lend to cutting and re seaming at ...
ceramic issue	6/11/2009
Q: ) I am installing cermaic tile in a small condo. The back half of the unit is the entrance and ... A: Scott, My good neighbor! I can't see a damn thing from here ya know eh..... So unless you can ...
Flooring Glue	6/10/2009
Q: I just bought a house and ripped out all the laminate flooring out (all 4 layers) and they used 3 ... A: Please let me know what method of wood installation you are going to use. If you want to go by the ...
RE: Wood Floor Problem	6/10/2009
Q: Chris, You have helped me in the past and I hope you can help me again. We are building a new home. ... A: Ginny, With out any controls to keep conditions stable the wood is absorbing moisture and ...
Tile Burn	6/10/2009
Q: My wife dropped a hot hair curling iron on our bathroom vinyl tile floor. Is there any way to remove ... A: Barry, Sorry to say , NO...the floor has to be repaired / cut out and replaced with a scrap ...
laying Saltillo floor tile	6/9/2009
Q: Since Saltillo floor tile has rounded corners and sides do you have to space them or lay them snug ... A: Dennis, You must always space any /all tiles and apply grout. Saltillo tiles will often look like ...
Grout problem	6/9/2009
Q: the wife and I just "finished" our first DYI tiling job on a floor in our house. I did the ... A: Casey , There are a few things that I know of that will help. 1. The commercial products on the ...
staircase carpeting	6/8/2009
Q: I am having my open staircase carpeted. However, my new carpet color is different from the upstairs ... A: Vita, Change the landing also... if possible the seam/s under the bedroom doors will be invisible ...
Even laying of large format tiles	6/6/2009
Q: I've done quite a bit of tile work over the past 15 years. I'm doing my first job using very large ... A: Mark, The tile sinks when there is not enough cement / thinset to support it. Not only do I trowel ...
Chinese Engineered Wood Floor	6/6/2009
Q: I have had two different installers tell me that much of today's engineered wood floors are made in ... A: Since you are not doing it yourself I don't need to worry here. They are liscenced and bonded and ...
PROTECTING EXISTING CARPETING	6/5/2009
Q: I HAVE NEW LIGHT COLORED CARPET. THE AREA IN THE HALLWAY GETS ALOT OF TRAFFIC. MY ONLY THOUGHT IS ... A: IRENE, Please rephrase the question ....how what? The carpet runner is what slipping? I install ...
Chinese Engineered Wood Floor	6/4/2009
Q: I have had two different installers tell me that much of today's engineered wood floors are made in ... A: Rich , I have used many Chinese , Malaysian / foreign products. I find them to be very economical ...
Floor prep and install for Engineered Hardwood foor	6/2/2009
Q: I have several questions so I'll start with the obvious and lead in to the installation. 1) I ... A: Martin, Lots of info here ... many questions too answer. I will give you my e mail so you can keep ...
Duraceramic	6/2/2009
Q: I'm about to purchase Duraceramic....I currently have a laminate floor that will be removed. ... A: Vickie , Please allow me to elaborate here ...In my experience all vinyl floors / composite tile ...
pebble tile floor	6/2/2009
Q: I'm interested in installing a pebble-tile floor in my bathroom. The floor is slightly uneven since ... A: Install hardibacker cement board with these methods listed here. ...
area rug puckering	6/2/2009
Q: Recently we were given an older oriental rug for our family room. It was thin and slippery over the ... A: Marci , I am sorry to inform you , I don't know much about throw rugs and the thin pads under ...
No underlayment	6/1/2009
Q: I had someone install a prefinished 7 1/4" bamboo floor about 6 months ago. The subfloor was ... A: Niki, You can purchase a humidifier and attempt to raise the humidity... A nail down floor does ...
No underlayment	6/1/2009
Q: I had someone install a prefinished 7 1/4" bamboo floor about 6 months ago. The subfloor was ... A: Carri, What thickness is the plywood ...and what was it nailed with ...I usually screw it down and ...
new ceramic flooring	6/1/2009
Q: We are doing new ceramic flooring in our house. I would like to know the following: (1) Should we ... A: Ajay , (1) If the tiles are cracked / cracking now ...you will need to take them up. The new ones ...
Install Peel n Stick over particle board	5/31/2009
Q: We have a large entry area that's particle board, over what we don't know, butted up to hardwood ... A: Mike & Donna, Skim all the areas that will receive the tile ... use firm pressure on the trowel ...
Install Peel n Stick over particle board	5/31/2009
Q: We have a large entry area that's particle board, over what we don't know, butted up to hardwood ... A: I can not answer your question completely with out the name and brand of the floor. I too used to ...
tile grout	5/31/2009
Q: My tile grout seems to look whiteish or slightly milky, and it is a light brown grout. Could it be ... A: Sonia , Although not a cleaning expert, take a look at my desk some time, most hard water will have ...
leveling floor for laminate	5/30/2009
Q: We're going to install laminate flooring in our doublewide mobile home. The subfloor is sound, but ... A: .. At the wall I would install ply wood directly to the floor with 1 5/8" screws... 3/4" plywood. ...
Duraceramic	5/30/2009
Q: I'm about to purchase Duraceramic....I currently have a laminate floor that will be removed. ... A: Vickie , i really don't know ... please call them and speak with the customer service dept. They ...
leveling floor for laminate	5/29/2009
Q: We're going to install laminate flooring in our doublewide mobile home. The subfloor is sound, but ... A: Sorry Jean , I got confused with John ...almost the same subject...I was out of town and finally ...
wood flooring with an accident prone pet	5/29/2009
Q: I have 2 dogs, one cat and 3 children. I had laminate installed in my family room about 5 years ... A: Judine , Although it may resist somewhat better than a laminate ...it is much more costly to ...
wood flooring with an accident prone pet	5/28/2009
Q: I have 2 dogs, one cat and 3 children. I had laminate installed in my family room about 5 years ... A: Judine< No wood based product will endure the action of moisture and or pet urine. Carpert is out ...
Glued down carpet.	5/28/2009
Q: I have 20+ year old carpet that has been glued to the concrete floor in the basement. The ancient ... A: LOL... ya hoser ...eh, I'll need another Molson to go further eh.... Congrats on the new boy ...I ...
concrete floor leveling	5/25/2009
Q: I want to install lamenent flooring in my living room. I have slab concrete foundation. The concrete ... A: I am going out of town ...this is a lengthy question / answer ...if you wouldn't mind waiting I will ...
laminate over wood floor bulge & buckle	5/24/2009
Q: Chris, Sorry, I forgot to include my questions in the last message. Here's my last message: "I ... A: MY MY, HA , Ikea ...they have no clue , they are retailers and have books to get their info from ...
laminate over wood floor bulge & buckle	5/24/2009
Q: Chris, Sorry, I forgot to include my questions in the last message. Here's my last message: "I ... A: My My, I have never heard of the questions / circumstance that you have posed...I would suggest ...
tar paper	5/23/2009
Q: do you glue tar paper to subfloor then glue linoleum on top of that (feltback) 1/4 subfloor plywood ... A: Bob, I thought the ply wood was down already...what are the exsisting floors now ?? You may have ...
tar paper	5/22/2009
Q: do you glue tar paper to subfloor then glue linoleum on top of that (feltback) 1/4 subfloor plywood A: Bob, With the new solid plywood subfloor there is no need to put down tar paper....just prep the ...
Joining two different levels of flooring.	5/22/2009
Q: Our dinning room has laminated hardwood flooring, and we just installed Saltillo tile in the ... A: Gary , I have this problem often... tile and wood. Shim the T-CAP to the level of the tile ...
Installing hardwood flooring	5/21/2009
Q: I would like to install hardwood flooring over my existing ceramic tile. I recently tore out a ... A: MAhala kAy, If you skim coat the floor with the proper underlayment, PORTLAND BASED CEMENT...and ...
Laminate questions	5/20/2009
Q: 1) Does the thickness of a laminate floor matter? I am trying to decide between 8mm and 12mm ... A: Dean, Yes the thickness will add to the sonic qualities. The thicker products will sound and feel ...
transition strip	5/20/2009
Q: laminate flooring ending at dinning room which is ceramic tile 12ft opening 9ft straight 3ft ... A: Chris, Use a T -CAP molding, Miter the 45 degree with cuts set at 22.5 degrees on a chop saw. Here ...
Laying Hardwood Laminate	5/20/2009
Q: We are laying hardwood laminate almost throughout a cottage. We have just finished the living-room ... A: Garth ... Ok I'll use your words I work the room south and get finished ...then I turn around and ...
Adura vinyl tiles	5/19/2009
Q: I just read your answer regarding someone else's question about Adura (Mannington) tiles. I ... A: Read your question, will answer thoroughly tonight after work. Chris Tanya , Please prep the ...
hardwood flooring	5/19/2009
Q: I am trying to decide if i want hardwood flooring in my new kitchen. i have dogs, I am concerned ... A: Joy, I am not a dog owner... yet even the many homes I have done which did have dogs have not ...
Laying Hardwood Laminate	5/18/2009
Q: We are laying hardwood laminate almost throughout a cottage. We have just finished the living-room ... A: Garth, I am trying to visualize your situation and having a very difficult time doing so based on ...
Tiling over existing tile and radiant heat	5/18/2009
Q: I have a customer who wants me to lay ceramic tile on top of his existing ceramic tile floor. The ... A: Darryl, I have no clue ... I could toss in that any added material will cause the radiant heat to ...
Removing old linoleum flooring	5/18/2009
Q: i am helping my dad remove a linoleum floor the house was built in 1982. the linoleum is coming up ... A: Patrick, You can be pretty sure that linoleum ...true old skool lino is made of linseed oil , cork, ...
Laminate On Stairs	5/16/2009
Q: hope you can help! Myself and a friend are trying to put down laminate. We did the living room ... A: Nice job so far ...and you are very brave !! Ok bear with me ...the riser must be made flush ...all ...
Hardwood Floor Repair	5/16/2009
Q: Hoping you can help me out! I have hardwood floors that were installed by the former owners of my ... A: Liz , Considering the fact that I don't know what type of wood you have ..solid or engineered ? ...
Dritac	5/16/2009
Q: Do you know where I can purchase the Dritac refill kit for the solid floor in the 10-pack you refer ... A: John, I think you are speaking of the epoxy injection repair kit? Is this correct. Post a link so ...
finish molding from carpet to hardwood engineered flooring	5/15/2009
Q: I am installing a hardwood engineered floor in a bedroom to replace the carpet. The carpet runs ... A: Ernie , Yes there are quite few ....here are some examples of what they do and what they are ...
Hardwood Floor Repair	5/15/2009
Q: Hoping you can help me out! I have hardwood floors that were installed by the former owners of my ... A: Is it OK if I scream now.....lol Geeez, architects are good for one thing, giving spec's, not ...
ceramic tile in a mobile home	5/15/2009
Q: My in-laws want to install ceramic tile in a small area of their mobile home. There is linoleum ... A: Tiffany, Yes you can install tile over hardi backer cement board in the mobile home bath. If you ...
carpet black spot	5/14/2009
Q: I have done a short sale on my home. I moved the six foot long fish tank out from the wall and found ... A: I don't know the specific answer to your question, I am an installation expert. However, if you go ...
carpet pads	5/14/2009
Q: the carpet in the dining room was disgusting all puckered up and no longer attached to the pad. The ... A: I don't know what you used for scraping , but we use these 4" wide razor scrapers ....typically ...
Wood flooring screw up	5/14/2009
Q: Ok, here's the story. I wanted to get wood flooring in my bedroom, and my uncle runs a wood ... A: Aoife, Thank you for the best humor of the month ....I am sorry it is at your expense.I am just ...
'allure' vinyl floor planks	5/13/2009
Q: Just seen this product advertised @ Home Depot - went in to have a look. I'm impressed with the ... A: I have see the product also ... as to your concerns pertaining to the weather it would be best if ...
sweating floor	5/13/2009
Q: We are on a slab. We pulled part of the carpet and padding up because it was wet and smelled. The ... A: This age old problem with moisture vapor and flooring rears it's head again. There are 2 things you ...
getting carpet glue off my hardwood floor	5/13/2009
Q: I pulled up the carpet in my 1957 home to get to the original hardwood floors. They are in very good ... A: Jeremy, There are many adhesive removers on the market... some we use that are safe for wood floors ...
Preparing for 13" x 13" porcelain tile install	5/13/2009
Q: I just tore out some old, 80s era ceramic tile, 1/4" luan plywood that was under it, vinyl tile ... A: Keith, When you are installing an additional subfloor(plywood) run the material 90 degrees to the ...
Carpet Tacks	5/12/2009
Q: We just bought a newly constructed home. The problem is along the edges of the carpet (where it ... A: The standard carpet is usually an economy grade and you are in fact feeling the tack strip through ...
Floorboards genva loc acoustic	5/11/2009
Q: I have a quick question regarding your opinion about the quality and durability as well as "look" of ... A: Yes Shireen, You will need to protect your investment and follow normal "industry standards" ...
Removing slate tile applied to concrete	5/11/2009
Q: I started to remove a slate tile floor in order to replace with ceramic. The job has turned into a ... A: Dave, Thanks very much for the kind comments...they are always appreciated. I will look forward to ...
Baseboards and tile floor.	5/11/2009
Q: I am updating my bathroom and as part of the remodel the baseboards need to be removed. Problem is ... A: I have removed base boards and destroyed them (that was the intention)...to apply new ones. If they ...
Removing slate tile applied to concrete	5/10/2009
Q: I started to remove a slate tile floor in order to replace with ceramic. The job has turned into a ... A: I use a rotary hammer drill set on hammer only ...with the appropriate bits for chiseling and prying ...
Carpeting Over Marble	5/10/2009
Q: We just purchased a home and the large family room (24'x22') has a dark green high gloss marble ... A: Elizabeth .... You can loose lay carpet over the marble ... but that's about it. If you attempt to ...
Floorboards genva loc acoustic	5/9/2009
Q: I have a quick question regarding your opinion about the quality and durability as well as "look" of ... A: Shireen, Opinions of laminate floors are just that ...biased or otherwise. With so many products ...
Glued down carpet.	5/9/2009
Q: I have 20+ year old carpet that has been glued to the concrete floor in the basement. The ancient ... A: G...my canuck cousin... Do you remember the Mackenzie brothers... I guess I am showing my ...
installing ceramic tile over lanilolum	5/9/2009
Q: Is it safe to install tile over rolled linoleum that is well adhered to a cement floor? How? A: Steve , I can say yes , but that's only if I see the floor / my own job / my customer. Since there ...
Wood Flooring	5/8/2009
Q: I'm looking into wood flooring for the kitchen and love the looks of Bamboo but have read some bad ... A: Yes , I have installed many glass tiles ... what is the dimension of the sheet? And the approximate ...
engineered hard wood	5/7/2009
Q: We had a water leak under our tongue and groove engineered hardwood floor. There is only one area ... A: Sally , Do you have home owners insurance ... if you do get them to fix the floor. If you don't I ...
Wood Flooring	5/7/2009
Q: I'm looking into wood flooring for the kitchen and love the looks of Bamboo but have read some bad ... A: i don't like to recommend , I answer installer / installation questions mostly ...but I love tile ...
Recarpet my 5th wheel	5/7/2009
Q: I need to recarpet my 5th wheel. Are there companies that specifically work with trailer carpet ... A: Let's see if I can help. I have done a lot of this type work. I would make sure the installer has ...
vinyl flooring	5/6/2009
Q: We just had vinyl flooring installed and you can see raised areas where glue was not spread evenly. ... A: Melissa, I am not sure of the situation ...if you attempt to fix and it makes the problem worse , ...
Mud Bed	5/6/2009
Q: I am installing 24" x 24" Porcelain tile over a concrete floor. The floor has a lot of ups and ... A: Sorry so late in responding Russ, I am in the middle of a stone job and have just been beat each ...
sub floor	5/5/2009
Q: I live in a old house and there is a sub floor on top of the original hard wood floor it has a ... A: Jason , I have no idea what the material was / is....or your end goal. If I say scrap with razor ...
Leak between parkay tongue and groove flooring	5/4/2009
Q: Over the last 48 hours I've noticed my parkay tongue and groove flooring buckling in my chen. The ... A: Yes ... I ma saying that it will be covered by the homeowners insurance. You can call a plumber ...
Veneer Thickness Of Engineered Hardwood	5/3/2009
Q: I'm planning to have engineered hardwood floors installed in my condo. Other than multiple sandings, ... A: Rich , Yes regardless of the veneer and thickness you will need to protect the floor. Although ...
Replace mobile home flooring with tile.	5/3/2009
Q: I have done my share of floor jobs, but never in a mobile home. This particular one is on slab with ... A: Joseph , To a degree I think I see what you are after.... basically more support in between the ...
Leak between parkay tongue and groove flooring	5/3/2009
Q: Over the last 48 hours I've noticed my parkay tongue and groove flooring buckling in my chen. The ... A: Sounds like you have a leak all right ....your best bet would be to call your insurance company , ...
Installing tile over linoleum?	5/3/2009
Q: I want to update my kitchen and bathroom flooring, both which had 25 year old linoleum. I pulled ... A: Well the formal answer would be to take it up to insure the best bond and subfloor possible yada ...
Flexitec lineoleum laying over cement.	5/3/2009
Q: I want to use flexitec product in my basement. It is a kitchen and there is a drain in the floor. ... A: Ohhh the basement, I have heard so many reports of flooding and other issues regarding moisture in ...
tile and carpet in bathroom	5/3/2009
Q: Just removed carpet in bathroom due to a pipe leak. Shower and tub have grey ceramic tile around ... A: Rob , ..sorry to come off weird , but I offer advise on installation mechanics...I am not a designer ...
Replace mobile home flooring with tile.	5/3/2009
Q: I have done my share of floor jobs, but never in a mobile home. This particular one is on slab with ... A: I have done a lot of mobile homes , unfortunately they are not built like regular homes. So , ...
prep for carpet installation	5/3/2009
Q: I am getting carpet installed professionaly over hardwood flooring for our nursery. We have painted ... A: Please feel free to call the company that is doing the installation and ask what they prefer you do ...
porch flooring	5/3/2009
Q: We have a screened in porch only in NJ with cold temps in the winter and snow and rain coming onto ... A: I can suggest tile ...or stone. they have various products that allow for your situations and ...
slate and ceramic tile	5/2/2009
Q: I am wanting to put both slate and ceramic tile on my concrete patio, however; the slate (that I ... A: A bit complex and quite a tedious procedure would be to use the slate with a smaller notched trowel ...
9x9 tiles	5/1/2009
Q: Our church basement has had 9x9 tiles for 50 years. Always dry & has held up well. Now, they ... A: Yes , cutting a 12 x 12 down will work...try to make sure the thickness is the same. Some older ...
Veneer Thickness Of Engineered Hardwood	4/30/2009
Q: I'm planning to have engineered hardwood floors installed in my condo. Other than multiple sandings, ... A: Regardless of the wear layer the wood will not withstand the type of furniture you describe without ...
New Capet over Pergo Floor?	4/29/2009
Q: Went Lowes for carpet in two rooms. I have pergo floor all throu the house. We want to try carpet ... A: Stew... If you have wood floors ...and true wood subfloors then you just need to use longer nails ...
Veneer Thickness Of Engineered Hardwood	4/29/2009
Q: I'm planning to have engineered hardwood floors installed in my condo. Other than multiple sandings, ... A: Rich , What is the price difference ? ...4 mm is obviously 2x that, much more likely to last a ...
laminate	4/28/2009
Q: and thank you for your help in advance. I installed 200 square feet of laminate (oceanic - 8.43 mm ... A: JR, By all means ...if you have the time and ability and the material , take it apart and re -do ...
ceramic flooring	4/28/2009
Q: I have a large area of cheap white ceramic flooring. It always looks dirty!! I can clean and wash ... A: My senior flooring Journeyman and I remodeled his house. He used S.A.F.E on the grout and rinsed ...
Using the existing floor as a subfloor	4/28/2009
Q: I have a house in Tuscany and the floor in what will be the living room is chestnut beams about 1m ... A: Rafe ...quite a difference from the USA The beams spaced at 1m, what are their dimensions? The ...
exterior wood decking	4/28/2009
Q: I would like to build a large covered/screened patio, not sure what kind of wood to use for low ... A: Greg, I am not an exterior deck expert ...I have browsed some on the internet and examined various ...
floors vibrate when someone walks by	4/27/2009
Q: We have a 2 story wood frame house with a 4 foot crawl space under the entire house. Four years ago ... A: Caryn , Not being able to be there , all I can do is ponder ... 2 things , the new spring season ...
tile	4/27/2009
Q: I am in the process of demolition of my kitchen, dining room, and bathroom floors. Which where all ... A: The rules have been the same for many years...try to remove as much adhesive as possible get the ...
quality of staple vs nylon	4/27/2009
Q: we are about to buy carpet and there is a good deal on staple anso nylon by shaw. Some sales people ... A: This is an age old question.....and I have a link somewhere that explains all the good, bad and ...
laminate flooring issue	4/27/2009
Q: a very rare deluge of rain caused the basement floor to flood. We were able to remove all the water ... A: I have asked many questions and have learned much about basements... Most basements will have a ...
laminate flooring issue	4/27/2009
Q: a very rare deluge of rain caused the basement floor to flood. We were able to remove all the water ... A: Esther, Unfortunately I believe you will indeed have issues. The underlayment will hold moisture ...
removal of carpet	4/26/2009
Q: I have never removed carpet myself and I am hoping that my older children and I can remove several ... A: yes ...it is easy and you can do it...please take some basic precautions.wear gloves if needed. ...
Carpet to Carpet	4/25/2009
Q: I am remodeling and I would like to put a new carpet over an old one that will not come up. I cannot ... A: LOL...I was so confused ....OMG ...the trunk ...LOL Ok well I am not a specialist in this area... ...
Carpet to Carpet	4/25/2009
Q: I am remodeling and I would like to put a new carpet over an old one that will not come up. I cannot ... A: What is preventing you from tearing it up ? Can't put nails in it .... if you have new padding ...
Peel & Stick tiles	4/24/2009
Q: I picked out a peel & stick tile that I saw at Lowe's (most of their selections were peel & stick). ... A: Clark ...I goggled The manufacture / distributor, spoke with them and repeatedly tried to get a ...
ceramic tile sub streight	4/24/2009
Q: In the past I've prepared wood flooring for tile by stapling black paper over 3/4" wood sub-flooring ... A: Reilly, Yes I am familiar with this method ...and have torn up many ....lol They are always fun... ...
Carpet Tile and Adhesive	4/23/2009
Q: My company had a build out and installed carpet tiles. Before the tile went down the concrete was ... A: It sounds like it could be moisture, regardless of the sealer put down.... If you would like to ...
Laminate Flooring	4/22/2009
Q: We are looking to do our own demo on some laminate flooring put down almost 10 years ago. We are ... A: Laminate floors are floating on a foam underlayment ...a few MM's thick... if the floor flexes and ...
Peel & Stick tiles	4/22/2009
Q: I picked out a peel & stick tile that I saw at Lowe's (most of their selections were peel & stick). ... A: Clark ... The old adhesive ...did you scrape it and remove as much as possible? You know with the ...
Shaw Royal Mahogony 14 mm Exotic 2 strip	4/21/2009
Q: I have installed the Shaw Royal Mohagony engineered floor. In the summer the floor is tight and ... A: Kevin , If it is possible can you uninstall it and upon re-installation glue the joints in ...
cracked tile over plywood subfloor	4/21/2009
Q: Our front hall has ceramic tile with grout that is cracking to the point that you can pull chunks ... A: Dave , Possibly ... to bad no one used the proper cement board and methods to do it right from the ...
carpet	4/21/2009
Q: I recently had a burst pipe from the bathroom that flooded the bedroom. There is brand new carpeting ... A: Debbie , Sorry dear , I am a flooring installer , not a water damage restoration guy. I wish I had ...
Repairing buckled wood floors?	4/18/2009
Q: I am purchasing a foreclosure home which had some water damage in one room. We've already located ... A: ... You may have to call a very special craftsman or specialist ... not just any contractor .... ...
Old (VAT) tile under carpet over cement slab. want wood	4/17/2009
Q: We would like to install wood floor in dining area that is now carpeted over old VAT ... A: Charles, Back in the day... the only 2 choices you had were nail down / glue down. With the ...
loose parquet flooring	4/17/2009
Q: my home was built in the early 50's. it has parquet flooring throughout. i am refinishing it, but in ... A: No problem .... thank you for the explanation , sometimes you just can't tell these days ... The ...
floor	4/17/2009
Q: I am being told that my floor is buckling because that the insulation under the house was put in ... A: Sherry , The floor next to the ground with no sub floor ... here in my state that is concrete... ...
Shaw Royal Mahogony 14 mm Exotic 2 strip	4/17/2009
Q: I have installed the Shaw Royal Mohagony engineered floor. In the summer the floor is tight and ... A: Kevin , All wood floors expand and contract with the weather conditions ... maybe in the winter you ...
loose parquet flooring	4/16/2009
Q: my home was built in the early 50's. it has parquet flooring throughout. i am refinishing it, but in ... A: LOL...VERY CAREFULLY ... Yes of course I know that .. ... surgically remove the pieces , I might ...
Old (VAT) tile under carpet over cement slab. want wood	4/16/2009
Q: We would like to install wood floor in dining area that is now carpeted over old VAT ... A: Typically the glue manufactures state to remove all old adhesives and dust and paint and anything ...
carpeting a basement	4/16/2009
Q: As we are finishing my basement, I am preparing the concrete floor for carpeting. We have had two ... A: If you intend to install carpet which method of installation will you use ...Glue direct or ...
proper procedure for tile install	4/15/2009
Q: John, I installed 400 SF of 12" floor tile over 1/4" hardi backer board. That was shot down with ... A: Beau, I am sorry that you have to learn this lesson .... you are not alone. I remember being ...
Old (VAT) tile under carpet over cement slab. want wood	4/15/2009
Q: We would like to install wood floor in dining area that is now carpeted over old VAT ... A: Charles , Depending on the square footage you can demo it, check with your trash company as to the ...
loose parquet flooring	4/14/2009
Q: my home was built in the early 50's. it has parquet flooring throughout. i am refinishing it, but in ... A: The glue...even though it is black will not be harmful... I assure you that a small amount of ...
Vinyl Durastone	4/14/2009
Q: I'm thinking about installing Durastone Vinyl 16" x 16" tiles in my bathroom but heard that there ... A: I have looked up lots of products for folks , but I can't recall what or if this is one in ...
proper procedure for tile install	4/14/2009
Q: John, I installed 400 SF of 12" floor tile over 1/4" hardi backer board. That was shot down with ... A: Beau, The error is on you, according to my experience and knowledge of the law here in Calif. ...
cork and floor muffler underlayment combined?	4/13/2009
Q: Is it possible to combine cork and floor muffler underlayment to minimize sound transmission. I am ... A: Kirk, It depends , have you looked at the high density products like silent walk, here is a link to ...
tigerwood flooring.	4/13/2009
Q: wheen installing tigerwood flooring are h joints acceptable. Or when three or four every other board ... A: Brett, Its always preferable to off set the joints as much as possible ....never have them line up ...
Hardwood Floor Sub-floor Material	4/12/2009
Q: We plan to install Brazilian walnut hardwood in the living and dining area of our 1970 home. The ... A: Chris , It a long text you have here and the details are appreciated, but If you want the quality ...
Flooring noise	4/11/2009
Q: I have a 2 story home. Above the living room is my son's room. When he walks over a certain area in ... A: Scott, Sounds like a pipe or gas line ..bouncing slightly ... on the typical hanger that is used to ...
Is it always necessary to replace wet subfloor?	4/11/2009
Q: Do wet subfloors always have to be replaced? A cracked clay drainpipe under our laundry room ... A: I see your excellent image ....Thank you. I'll try to break down your questions as you listed them ...
cement backer board removal	4/9/2009
Q: We are planning on installing hardwood floors in our front hall (previously tile). We have removed ... A: Heather , This is a difficult process ...if it was adhered with cement as used for tile it will ...
Wonderboard for VCT	4/9/2009
Q: I'm installing wonderboard over old, damaged resilient tile and I'm wondering whether I'm doing ... A: Eve ... The floor may never be perfect ... but we try to get it within industry standards... the ...
removing VCT, installing ceramic	4/9/2009
Q: Due to water damage, we are having our vinyl composite tile flooring removed, and will be replacing ... A: 90-99 % is a good percentage to achieve .... the goal is to not have any ridges or globs impeding ...
Wonderboard for VCT	4/8/2009
Q: I'm installing wonderboard over old, damaged resilient tile and I'm wondering whether I'm doing ... A: Your welcome... 1/4" plywood is available from various suppliers. It is rated for subflooring and ...
Wonderboard for VCT	4/8/2009
Q: I'm installing wonderboard over old, damaged resilient tile and I'm wondering whether I'm doing ... A: Eve , Well, you are certainly going over board here. for VCT (resilient tile) Really all you ...
wood flooring	4/7/2009
Q: I thought I saw a way to install a free floating wood floor in the basement, below grade, on TV some ... A: Randy, It seems to claim that and also allow the floor to breathe. I would fell better about this ...
wood flooring	4/6/2009
Q: I thought I saw a way to install a free floating wood floor in the basement, below grade, on TV some ... A: Randy , I have seen this product that sounds similar to what you are describing....Is this ...
Opinion on unusual lino installation	4/2/2009
Q: I would appreciate your opinion on the suggested approach to this flooring installation. Basics: ... A: Brian, LOL...The picture speaks volumes....TY I would have originally suggested taking out the ...
vinyl over carpet	4/2/2009
Q: I want to put vinyl down in my kitchen. I have carpet down now and I hate it, my problem is it's ... A: Yes , you will have to tear up the old carpet Susan , but it's been done many times and you can have ...
Opinion on unusual lino installation	4/2/2009
Q: I would appreciate your opinion on the suggested approach to this flooring installation. Basics: ... A: Brian , I may be an experienced installer, However I am not there.... and I can not see the details ...
Opinion on unusual lino installation	4/1/2009
Q: I would appreciate your opinion on the suggested approach to this flooring installation. Basics: ... A: Brian , Is the installer competent .. and warranting the work ? My issue is the 1/2" ply attached ...
Transition from hardwood to carpet	4/1/2009
Q: Chris, The engineered wood floors we recently installed in hallway (over concrete slab) are butting ... A: Sorry to confuse you ... How thick is your wood ? It is normal for the carpet to be slightly higher ...
at grade, hard wood floor instatlation	3/31/2009
Q: I purchased 250 sq. yards of hardwood flooring. My project is "at grade". I removed the laminate ... A: Paul, "Or you can over kill it and use all the methods we talked about." "If the readings(OF THE ...
at grade, hard wood floor instatlation	3/31/2009
Q: I purchased 250 sq. yards of hardwood flooring. My project is "at grade". I removed the laminate ... A: Paul, Forgive me I must have completely missed the intial question regard ing a false floor. With ...
at grade, hard wood floor instatlation	3/31/2009
Q: I purchased 250 sq. yards of hardwood flooring. My project is "at grade". I removed the laminate ... A: Paul, On grade , concrete slab. What type hardwood ? Solid or engineered? Whichever it is the ...
Transition from hardwood to carpet	3/30/2009
Q: Chris, The engineered wood floors we recently installed in hallway (over concrete slab) are butting ... A: Yes , ordinarily we place an End Cap ...or Threshold on this transition. if you plan ahead slightly ...
tile over laminate	3/28/2009
Q: I recently ripped up my laminate on the floor of my basement bathroom. It didn't all come up ... A: Tom, I don't understand what paper is involved with the laminate. Laminate is a fake wood product, ...
Applying Durock	3/28/2009
Q: I have a house that has 3/4 inch pine floor with a 3/4 inch hardwood floor above. We are going to ... A: Dan, You do not glue the Durock or any cement board down .... You use thin set and 1/4" trowel. ...
installing porcelain tile	3/26/2009
Q: I am putting down some tile and I have to transition from a wood subfloor to a concrete floor. I am ... A: Kevin , It all depends on the area and the look you want. Lots of tile companies and stone and ...
Hardwood or laminate over tile	3/25/2009
Q: Can I have hardwood or laminate flooring installed over Mexican ceramic tile, or must I remove the ... A: Lee, It is possible ... but lots of factors need to be looked at. The new height of the new ...
asbestos glue?	3/25/2009
Q: Can asbestos glue seep up and be a threat? We have an older house with tile in the basement. Today, ... A: Paul , FYI ...asbestos glue is black ... the yellow glue is latex based ... and poses no threat .. ...
Self-Sticking Floor Tiles	3/25/2009
Q: My son has moved into a very used and abused house trailer, I'm trying to help him clean/fix it up. ... A: Purchase a liquid latex floor primer ...roller it on ....then buy some adhesive for VCT ...Henry's ...
Floating Engineered Maple	3/25/2009
Q: I am installing (with the help of my dad and brother) an engineered maple on a slab foundation. I ... A: Regardless of what I may have an opinion on , are you not forced to keep this floor now? If you can ...
curved Berber carpet transition to lower vinyl	3/24/2009
Q: What ideas do you have for the transition edge for a curved Berber carpet to a slightly lower vinyl ... A: .. Yes , the contour metals are commonly stocked at places that I would go to for supplies ....Not ...
curved Berber carpet transition to lower vinyl	3/23/2009
Q: What ideas do you have for the transition edge for a curved Berber carpet to a slightly lower vinyl ... A: I bet the first time when your dad did it right he used the right product pre-segmented from the ...
using a pneumatic nailer with 2 inch cleats and it is splitting the tongue every time we nail it.	3/21/2009
Q: We are installing exotic Tigerwood and put in 2 rows so far. We are using a pneumatic nailer with 2 ... A: Arlene , Does the nailer also shoot staples , Try the staples. We have had the same problem before ...
vinyl plank flooring and temperature	3/20/2009
Q: I have a covered sunporch with sliding glass doors, but no HVAC. I am thinking about installing ... A: As I have been to home depot lately getting materials for a shower , I kept thinking of your ...
vinyl plank flooring and temperature	3/20/2009
Q: I have a covered sunporch with sliding glass doors, but no HVAC. I am thinking about installing ... A: Natalie, I wonder how cold is cold??? Freezing?? Anything below 40F might be cause for concern... I ...
Adura by Mannington / underlayment	3/20/2009
Q: I am remodeling our kitchen. I removed the entire floor to the Joists, and installed 3/4" T&G ... A: Jamie , Yeahhh .. someone finally sent me photos ...LOL... TY Nice doggies .... Yes I have torn ...
seam	3/20/2009
Q: We just had a PET polyester good quality carpet installed in our newly finished basement. It is a ... A: The seam ... that is definitely something that should be looked at closely. You can take a comb or ...
Adura by Mannington / underlayment	3/19/2009
Q: I am remodeling our kitchen. I removed the entire floor to the Joists, and installed 3/4" T&G ... A: Firstly I want to say I am not a product evaluator. I am an installation mechanic/ Journeyman. That ...
Loose Tiles	3/19/2009
Q: Chris, I have recently stripped and waxed several large areas of VCT tile. One of the areas had some ... A: Tim , I don't know who is making this suggestion , but it is obvious that the tiles were loose ...
floor and baseboard	3/18/2009
Q: We just bought house and it has wood floors and there are pretty nice gaps between baseboard and ... A: James, Sure , it's pretty easy ...but I would suggest the painters caulk (ALEX PLUS)...it is water ...
Hardwood installation on wavy floors	3/18/2009
Q: We want to install Junckers Nordic Ash 3/4" by 5" hardwood flooring in 650 sq ft of our second ... A: I am in the far East end of the valley ....Inland Empire. By all means ...Junckers is great for ...
Prepping a concrete floor for ceramic tile	3/17/2009
Q: i am currently redoing my downstairs bathroom and after removing the old tile i found the paper ... A: Yes Steve that is typically a vapor barrier paper , called aqua barrier ... or slip sheet. I always ...
Which gets installed First?	3/17/2009
Q: I am working with two contractors. One contractor is going to install vinyl flooring in two ... A: The vinyl first...the laminate second ...the carpet last. I can see where demolition phases might be ...
floor and baseboard	3/17/2009
Q: We just bought house and it has wood floors and there are pretty nice gaps between baseboard and ... A: Most wood floors , in older homes, have a base shoe affixed to the base board to eliminate this gap. ...
armstrong laminate flooring	3/15/2009
Q: Chris, just saw your response to a question about armstrong grand illusions laminate making a ... A: CT, I know only what I have heard here..... I would stay away and spend my hard earned money ...
taking up wall to wall carpet	3/15/2009
Q: Owned a home for 28 years, floor same then as is now, settled and sloping down on part of first ... A: Susan , Yes you can ...but you need to determine to what extent ... tear out the carpet ... then ...
padding for rugs	3/13/2009
Q: We recently had brazilian redwood installed and wondered why and for how long to wait to put down ... A: Kim , I am not sure what you need ... just the throw rug over the wood floor??? Why use pad at ...
hardwood floors installed next to ceramic tile that is higher in height	3/12/2009
Q: We are installing a hardwood floor and running into a problem. There ceramic tile that is currently ... A: Yes Arlene, run the reducer on the table saw ...cut off the thin side until it is flush with the ...
Padding	3/11/2009
Q: So, a full bottle of laundry detergent feel from the top of the double stacker wash/dryer. It ... A: Shannon, All brand ... lol... well it sounds like it got ALL over the place. You say engineered ...
Ceramic Tile over linoleum backing	3/10/2009
Q: I want to install tile in my kitchen. I have a concrete subfloor and I have tried to pull up the ... A: David, Hi there , please soak the cardboard backing and allow to get mushy ... use as much water as ...
How to Clean Australian Cypress Floor	3/10/2009
Q: Currently, to clean our Australian cypress floor we sweep and mop the floor. I will like to get an ... A: I am sorry , I do not clean floors ...I have stone and tile / carpet in my house. If it were my wood ...
LAYING VINYL FLOORING NEXT TO EXISTING CARPET	3/9/2009
Q: MY HUSBAND AND I WOULD LIKE TO REPLACE OUR VINYL FLOORING IN 2 BATHROOMS, A SMALL FOYER, AND OUR ... A: Various transitions for carpet may include a visible piece of metal ...or the invisible "Z" bar ...
LAYING SPLIT BRICK ON DECK OF COVERED PORCH	3/9/2009
Q: I have a covered 900 square foot porch with 1x6 treated decking its well built with plenty of ... A: Sorry Kim, I am not familiar with the SPLIT BRICK term... is that a paver?? A stone / brick that is ...
double glue down tongue and groove	3/7/2009
Q: Hoping you can help me out before I wreck these floors. I've reclaimed some 80-odd year old 2-1/4" ... A: The full spread system is 100% coverage on the floor with adhesive applied with proper notched ...
Flooring problems	3/5/2009
Q: Our house is about 40 years old and I would like some new flooring. We chose a laminate and had an ... A: Cathy, Wow , that's rather extreme... I was wondering if that is accurate ... or slightly ...
vinyl flooring	3/5/2009
Q: I am apologizing for asking my question incorrectly. My wife typed up the question about laying ... A: No need to apologize ... happens all the time. This field and various topics are often hard to ...
Carpet transistion strip	3/4/2009
Q: I am looking for an aluminum or metal carpet transition strip in something other than silver or ... A: These are getting harder and more difficult to find... KINKEAD METALS is one distributor , as well ...
hardwood install over mixed sub-floor	3/3/2009
Q: I sent this question to another expert who recommended that I not install hardwood in my kitchen. ... A: Ahhh, New England ... the North East... had a bit of weather there recently , I hope all is well. I ...
hardwood install over mixed sub-floor	3/3/2009
Q: I sent this question to another expert who recommended that I not install hardwood in my kitchen. ... A: Christian , A lot of info to digest here ...I want to answer your question(s) and encourage you to ...
porcelain tile	3/3/2009
Q: My girlfriend and I are in the process of remodeling her half bath. The home was built in the ... A: I just read your description. Yes go rent a chipper / demo hammer from the Home depot / rental yard ...
novalis peel and stick planks	3/2/2009
Q: my husband and i are planning to redo our flooring ourselves. currently we have old carpet and ... A: I am sorry , I don't know the product / or the line ... I have no idea. Get the manufacture 800 # ...
Self-leveling compound for VCT	3/2/2009
Q: I used self leveling compound on a concrete basement floor in an attempt to float out imperfections ... A: What brand did you use ... did you primer the floor ... and it does have sand in the product so ...
Self-leveling compound for VCT	3/1/2009
Q: I used self leveling compound on a concrete basement floor in an attempt to float out imperfections ... A: Brandis, I don't know why the basement would cause this , so I am just guessing ..... we often add ...
porcelan tile floors/dog urine	3/1/2009
Q: Use commercial cleaners,Fabulosa, but cannot remove stains. Any help? A: A 100% solution of vinegar ... or a mixture of sugar and water ... allowed to soak like a ...
cost of wood flooring	2/28/2009
Q: What would be a reasonable cost per foot to install engineered wood flooring such as maple over ... A: The wood floors vary widely in price ... what brand and model are you purchasing. The adhesive is ...
Armstrong Grand Illusions Laminate Flooring	2/28/2009
Q: I recently had the armstrong grand illusions laminate flooring installed in my living/dining room ... A: I have no way of knowing why or what the floor is actually doing. nor what others are doing about ...
Tile to hardwood transitition	2/28/2009
Q: I have recently completed a tiling my kitchen floor, however, upon completion I realized the ... A: With travertine flooring on diagonal ....it is very appealing to install a length of marble ...
Armstrong Grand Illusions Laminate Flooring	2/27/2009
Q: I recently had the armstrong grand illusions laminate flooring installed in my living/dining room ... A: Yes Armstrong has issues and problems with this floor , the actual wood itself ... Try to get a ...
adhesive on fir flooring	2/27/2009
Q: On 12/16/08, Lori asked Chris about removing adhesive/linoleum from a fir floor. Not only do I have ... A: .. if steam is an option then maybe something as simple as the SHARK will work ... ...
adhesive on fir flooring	2/27/2009
Q: On 12/16/08, Lori asked Chris about removing adhesive/linoleum from a fir floor. Not only do I have ... A: I am sorry, I went back to find the questioner ... and as you see , so also I see .... she did not ...
Required subfloor for VCT installation	2/25/2009
Q: I have a 24x26 finished shop area within my pole barn. It is all concete floor and I am setting it ... A: I hope that it will indeed work out for you. The reason primarily to use an additional layer is to ...
Travertine installation problem	2/24/2009
Q: We remodeled our kitchen, and I think the designer used a travertine installer that didn't know what ... A: This is a difficult question to answer , it requires physical inspection. Many possibilities , ...
carpet/tile	2/23/2009
Q: I recently had to have some of my ceramic tile taken up for Perma Seal to work---the tile is Eliane ... A: Lynne, No it is not possible to glue carpet to carpet..It is possible to glue carpet to tile with ...
Required subfloor for VCT installation	2/23/2009
Q: I have a 24x26 finished shop area within my pole barn. It is all concete floor and I am setting it ... A: Tim , I am all over this ... please forgive my delay , I wrote a page or two and hesitated sending ...
tile flooring	2/22/2009
Q: Where should I center the tile when tiling between my kitchen and foyer? The rooms are off set. A: Petula, Center is not always the best. The tile should be calculated to leave evenly sized , or ...
carpet seam	2/21/2009
Q: my son-in-law thought he could fix our carpet after having a flood. He had to add padding under half ... A: It looks like the carpet may be gapped, as you say. It can be opened and power stretched and re done ...
Ceramic tile	2/21/2009
Q: We have an outdoor patio that is above our garage. We want to put down tile. We have removed the ... A: Robin ... can you nail / attach a piece of ply wood and water proof that ... and then cement board ...
Carpet Runner over carpet	2/20/2009
Q: Can I install a carpet runner over my already carpeted stairs? If so will carpet rods help hold it ... A: Janet, I'm not sure about this one. Firstly the carpet would not be attached properly , because ...
Refinishing old wood floors	2/20/2009
Q: We've recently stripped about 5 layers of linoleum and vinyl tile off the floor of an old house we ... A: Jessica, It depends on the instructions of the product ....probably water clean up. I know it ...
Naturcor	2/20/2009
Q: I am considering getting Naturcor for my kitchen. I did a google on it and come up with goood and ... A: Maggie , With professionals and retail purchased products I am sure they will offer warranties to ...
Tile floor problem	2/19/2009
Q: I had a tile floor installed in our entrance way and now some of the grout keeps breaking away. I ... A: Gigi, It would be best to clean all the loose material out... compromises can be made ... the ...
Tile floor problem	2/19/2009
Q: I had a tile floor installed in our entrance way and now some of the grout keeps breaking away. I ... A: Ok just for you ... they do sell the exact color matching caulk ...with or without sand to match the ...
moulding	2/19/2009
Q: I have installed a carpet "island" in middle of hardwood floor. Have seen a rubber moulding ... A: Mike , It is called REDUCER...or T-cap...or rubber transition moulding. Various companies make it, ...
Refinishing old wood floors	2/18/2009
Q: We've recently stripped about 5 layers of linoleum and vinyl tile off the floor of an old house we ... A: Well here are the issues. Scraping and sanding will do more damage to the underlying wood. But ...
Peel ans stick carpet on tile, on cement	2/18/2009
Q: What kind of floor prep needs to be done to install peel and stick carpet on an old tile floor, ... A: Joe , For carpet squares , not much really ... a light skim coat to make everything even and ...
Install Plywood flooring	2/17/2009
Q: We want to install sheets of "one side good" plywood in our cottage. Present floor is 8"wide planks ... A: The issue that strikes me immediately is that plywood is made to be screwed to the floor joists. And ...
Refinishing old wood floors	2/17/2009
Q: We've recently stripped about 5 layers of linoleum and vinyl tile off the floor of an old house we ... A: Jessica, I found your question in the question pool.... has anyone answered you yet? Please let ...
pet claws & flooring damage	2/14/2009
Q: I know the answer is not to leave him but thats not an option (to the other animal lovers out there ... A: Ughhh sorry to take so long to get to you ...been working nights at the famous LAX airport. Fun , ...
carpeting stairs	2/13/2009
Q: We are trying to find some instructions as to the best way to carpet the stringers on our stairway. ... A: Angela, Yes I can give instructions and or advise ... it is complex ... and may require purchasing ...
Basement Flooring - VCT	2/13/2009
Q: I am in the process of remodeling my basement and one of the tasks will be to install VCT to a 25' ... A: Allow me to inform you of what I have learned in 25 or so years .... The tile you are concerned ...
glue adhesive/citrus king	2/13/2009
Q: I was reading a post (oct 28, 2008). The guy was doing a floor and asked about "citrus king". I ... A: No he never did , after calling the adhesive manufacture for the wood installation , they advised ...
what type of floor for an outdoor shed/studio	2/12/2009
Q: I bought a TuffShed last summer intending to use it as an art studio. It will be unheated except for ... A: Stacy , with all this preperation ....like building a small house ... I can't understand why all ...
Ugly Seams!	2/11/2009
Q: I just had berber carpet installed in my home less than 24 hours ago. As soon as I looked the ... A: Sheena , ... No problem about the length ... it does sound like you have things well in hand and ...
vinyl flooring	2/11/2009
Q: ...called Memory plexitac (by Norman Lipton according to where I purchased it) The problem: I have a ... A: Yes Karen ... of course ...you can mail me a sample...I will also look at the info you listed .. I ...
what type of floor for an outdoor shed/studio	2/10/2009
Q: I bought a TuffShed last summer intending to use it as an art studio. It will be unheated except for ... A: Stacy, The vinyl over plywood , depending on the type of vinyl ...I would recommend a full spread ...
vinyl flooring	2/10/2009
Q: ...called Memory plexitac (by Norman Lipton according to where I purchased it) The problem: I have a ... A: Yes Karen you can , But I need to know if the back of the vinyl is what we call felt / cardboard ...
Ugly Seams!	2/10/2009
Q: I just had berber carpet installed in my home less than 24 hours ago. As soon as I looked the ... A: Sheena ... , The answer is no ...seams should look beautiful and invisible ... send a picture with ...
Moisture barrier pad	2/10/2009
Q: I run a humidifier a lot and hate it, but prevents the terrible mildew I get otherwise. It's not a ... A: If it were a wood subfloor the plastic might be OK , but since it is a slab it will not breathe and ...
bowling lane construction	2/10/2009
Q: I am construction two bowling lanes for a school in Guatemala. The lanes will be raised from the ... A: .. been working nights at LAX airport...haven't forgot about you ... just dog tired. I am going to ...
removal of old engineered flooring around kitchen cabinets	2/10/2009
Q: My husband & I are getting ready to remove the existing, glued-down engineered wood flooring in our ... A: If you can rent this tool great ... otherwise it is a costly 1 time expense. See the link here... ...
what type of floor for an outdoor shed/studio	2/9/2009
Q: I bought a TuffShed last summer intending to use it as an art studio. It will be unheated except for ... A: Vinyl will be the best bet ... and least expensive... my next choice would be ceramic tile over a ...
bowling lane construction	2/8/2009
Q: I am construction two bowling lanes for a school in Guatemala. The lanes will be raised from the ... A: Yes ...this is a bit out of my league also ... but I welcome the challenge and appreciate the fact ...
Resin Polymer Textured Floor (?)	2/7/2009
Q: We bought a house from a couple who rehabbed it extensively. Unfortunately, they didn't leave any ... A: Cheryl, I have been called a lot of things , but cleaning expert is not one of them .....lol Lots ...
hardwood flooring direction	2/6/2009
Q: front door opens onto L shaped kitchen/dining (wide galley kitchen is top arm of l dining area is ... A: It is best to enhance the length of the main rooms , however , recently we had a customer with a ...
underlayment for nail down hardwood flooring	2/4/2009
Q: We have a second floor bedroom in a log home that we want put down 3/4 inch hardwood on, and we deed ... A: Dan, I am sorry that didn't work out I have seen it used under many floors... I can't imagine why ...
Ceramic tile	2/4/2009
Q: We have an outdoor patio that is above our garage. We want to put down tile. We have removed the ... A: No you can not tile that surface directly....But with the proper subfloor you can. depending on the ...
Tarkett Ovations engineered white oak	2/1/2009
Q: Hey Chris, I am looking at floating engineered wood that meets E1 standards for off gassing. Its ... A: I have not installed the 2 plank / strip product...however the 3 strip products I have, back in the ...
Flooring Repair	2/1/2009
Q: Chris, I have a spot in the middle of my flooring (its the engineered tongue and groove glue down ... A: Yes here are the items sold by Dri-Tac ...and a few others make the same system as well. I seem to ...
For small living room what works better wood or tile	2/1/2009
Q: I live in a town house with a small living room. The living room still has the cheap original carpet ... A: Ali, I am not a designer per say, but from my perspective a wood floor actually gives greater ...
installing vinyl tile	1/31/2009
Q: I want to install vinyl tile over a 30 x 25 (basement concrete. The area is now covered with black ... A: Nate , Yes it is .... lets get a few details out of the way. 1. you have pretty much knocked ...
transition strip from vinyl tile to concrete	1/31/2009
Q: What can we use for transition material on a basement floor between stick-on tiles and concrete. We ... A: Vicki, Typically in the commercial flooring we often reduce the vinyl tile with a ...
Woodfloor installation	1/31/2009
Q: We had Hardwood floor installed by a Contractor in Sep-07 in our house in TX and not even 2 months ... A: Fabienne, Hello....and thanks for asking. After reading your descriptive scenario, I want to assure ...
Konecto	1/31/2009
Q: I see so much on Konecto right now. What is the scoop from your perspective. Good or not so good ... A: I have no experience with Konecto... but I stumbled on this website when researching it .... and I ...
Sealing grout	1/26/2009
Q: Do I need to seal grout with polymer added to it? My contractor says I don't need to. Thanks ... A: Wait 48 to 72 hrs. before sealing to allow the grout to fully cure. Purchase a brand that I or ...
Sealing grout	1/26/2009
Q: Do I need to seal grout with polymer added to it? My contractor says I don't need to. Thanks A: NAN, Polymers...are added to the products for strength and bonding ... It all depends on where ...
underlay for concrete flooring	1/25/2009
Q: I would like to know what underlayment is best for installing a laminate floor over a concrete slab. ... A: I use this product ... due to availability it is difficult to find. ...
laminate over concrete and tile	1/24/2009
Q: I want to replace carpet with floating laminate floor. My issue is i also have twelve inch tile in ... A: Prior to your feed back/ follow up I was under the impression and belief that this was a small ...
laminate over concrete and tile	1/23/2009
Q: I want to replace carpet with floating laminate floor. My issue is i also have twelve inch tile in ... A: Chad , I can only assume that the tile you speak of is ceramic...? It is easily removed ....15 sq ...
preparing floor for tile	1/21/2009
Q: I have two questions. We had mold damage which was remediated. I am having a neighborhood handiman ... A: The cement board is only used by it self... you do not combine the 2 different systems. It is one ...
preparing floor for tile	1/21/2009
Q: I have two questions. We had mold damage which was remediated. I am having a neighborhood handiman ... A: Yes there are many installation methods.....but certain situations require evaluation , and ...
Transitional wood edging	1/20/2009
Q: I just installed tile by a door that comes in from the garage. There is about 20 sq. feet of tile ... A: Jason, I never use screws on concrete.. I use liquid nails ... glue the wood with a good 1/4" bead ...
Moisture barrier pad	1/20/2009
Q: I run a humidifier a lot and hate it, but prevents the terrible mildew I get otherwise. It's not a ... A: Well I have to say that this moisture is overwhelming and your brilliant idea to put plastic down at ...
Transitional wood edging	1/19/2009
Q: I just installed tile by a door that comes in from the garage. There is about 20 sq. feet of tile ... A: Jason , Use this link and then tell me which one you have ...usually carpet butts to the tile ...
Moisture barrier pad	1/19/2009
Q: I run a humidifier a lot and hate it, but prevents the terrible mildew I get otherwise. It's not a ... A: Jean ... You run a humidifier ...or a de- humidifier??? Why do you have mildew?? Your question ...
replacing carpet for laminate flooring	1/19/2009
Q: Is there anything to removing carpetting and preping a floor for laminate flooring? We are wanting ... A: Marcia , demo the carpet ...cut it into manageable pieces ... discard ... remove the pad and ...
liminate flooring unglued	1/16/2009
Q: My wife and I recently had laminate wood flooring put down in three areas of a home we recently ... A: FYI ... Laminate floor is not glued down ...it floats over a foam /plastic moisture barrier. The ...
I'm still lost!	1/16/2009
Q: I recently looked online for carpet for my living room. I followed all the instructions on ... A: Nicte Your dimensions are not correct ...please re submit them and I will be happy to help 295 ...
removing linoleum	1/16/2009
Q: I am removing linoleum in my kitchen/dining area. It is on a Plywood subfloor. Most is coming up ... A: I believe you are dealing with a PERIMETER glue system. It is adhered at the edges and seams only. ...
use existing flooring?	1/16/2009
Q: I recently bought an older, 1947, house. The second floor was an attic that was converted to ... A: Andrew, I now understand ...attic. With this factor and the consideration as to the well ...
use existing flooring?	1/15/2009
Q: I recently bought an older, 1947, house. The second floor was an attic that was converted to ... A: Hmmm rather odd , are you telling me that this was indeed the floor that was the main floor for the ...
use existing flooring?	1/15/2009
Q: I recently bought an older, 1947, house. The second floor was an attic that was converted to ... A: Ok .. some terminology ... "subfloor" supports the finish floor. I am going to assume the Fir is ...
Post Vinyl Flooring Install	1/15/2009
Q: Just got finished installing vinyl flooring throughout my house. Because I replaced carpet the ... A: Ryan, If you could acquire some of the exact material you could make some nice pieces large enough ...
Laminate Flooring & Kitchen Cabinets	1/13/2009
Q: I'm remodeling my kitchen and I'm installing cherry color, maple cabinets. I'm thinking about ... A: Bradley. Since i can't see your cabinets ... nor the flooring ...I would be hard pressed to make a ...
Cutting tile in place	1/13/2009
Q: I need to remove approximately 3 inches of tile in order to properly set some bypass doors. The area ... A: .. Yes I own / have 2 of them ... had I known that the cut was this long I would have mentioned ...
screened porch flooring choices	1/13/2009
Q: We are adding a large screened porch to our home in central Connecticut. The porch will have only ... A: Virginia, I Goggled TREK flooring ...it is a laminate. All laminates are a composite pressed wood ...
Dying travertine	1/12/2009
Q: I bought a victorian house that is historically authentic except that the last owner put travertine ... A: Dana , I don't know how to dye tile/ stone ... natural stone might be dyed with concrete products , ...
Cutting tile in place	1/12/2009
Q: I need to remove approximately 3 inches of tile in order to properly set some bypass doors. The area ... A: Pete , I use a Makita grinder with a 4.5" diamond wheel ... you can purchase this a Harbor freight ...
Remove glue	1/12/2009
Q: When we bought our tiles they were packaged in such a way that the glue from the cardboard box ... A: Typically the glue is a type of hot melt glue ...much like that of the hot melt craft guns and ...
FIXING MARBONITE OVER EXISTING MOSAIC FLOORING	1/12/2009
Q: I have started rehabilting my house with major changes. Now the old mosaic flooring had detoriated ... A: PRADEEP, It is my opinion that Mapei has some great products at the Lowes by me ... I hope they ...
Peel & stick tile	1/12/2009
Q: we are putting peel & stick vinyl in a small odd shaped bathroom. the subfloor is MDF. What product ... A: I would skim coat the floor or roller, with latex additive / primer first. Even a brush or sponge ...
screened porch flooring choices	1/11/2009
Q: We are adding a large screened porch to our home in central Connecticut. The porch will have only ... A: I need to know more about the porch and the lower 3 feet or so ... will water and snow actually get ...
laying laminate on uneven slab	1/11/2009
Q: I recently added on to my house and where the new slab was poured it was a little higher. I had a ... A: You explained it fine. I think you will have little difficulty with the slab / self leveling cement ...
peel and stick vinyl tile flooring	1/9/2009
Q: I not sure if my last question went through, so I'm sorry if you get this twice. We need flooring ... A: No I never recommend peel and stick vinyl... but if you must then please do purchase the VCT (vinyl ...
Wood floor underlayment	1/9/2009
Q: Chris: Basement has commercial grade carpeting (very thin, about 1/8 inch - put down with super ... A: Sounds lke trouble ... my first thought is, what if ? What if you have some moisture build up that ...
Vinyl Floor Pulling Up	1/8/2009
Q: Chris, We have a new house (just over 1 year old, and out of warranty of course) that has what ... A: There really isn't anything you can do ... I swear to you ... The adhesive is quite expensive and ...
refinishing my hardwood floor	1/7/2009
Q: I want to refinish my oak hardwood floor in my living room. The floor has been covered by both ... A: I would like to say chances are 50/50....it depends on the ease or difficulty of the tear up ...
Re-tiling over old tile?	1/7/2009
Q: I am planning to re-tile our bathroom (9 ft X 6 ft). The tiles is in good condition except for one ... A: Yes remove all the tiles , get the floor smooth of all thinset cement. I use a variety of pry bars ...
Re-tiling over old tile?	1/7/2009
Q: I am planning to re-tile our bathroom (9 ft X 6 ft). The tiles is in good condition except for one ... A: I would recommend removing the exsisting tile and addressing the crack with a CRACK SUPPRESSION ...
removal of glued down lino	1/7/2009
Q: How do I remove glued down lino, the underside of it stayed when I ripped it up. A: I have used warm water and a sponge .....if you can get the plastic layer up with a scrapper and ...
Ceramic tile over 24' span	1/6/2009
Q: I am having an addition put on with a 24' span using 16" high engineered beams. The paperwork on the ... A: You are leaving out some key factors here as far as I can tell ...or maybe I read through the thread ...
Ceramic tile over 24' span	1/6/2009
Q: I am having an addition put on with a 24' span using 16" high engineered beams. The paperwork on the ... A: I need to know the span ... you mentioned 24' ... but also the joists ...size and space between each ...
flooded cherry floors	1/6/2009
Q: I rent a commercial space, in which we had installed cherry tongue and groove floors 2 years ago. I ... A: An insurance claim should be generated and they can test for moisture. Most restoration companies ...
Engineered hardwood floors	1/6/2009
Q: We have bought a house and tore all existing flooring out. Replaced it with engineered hardwood ... A: Various companies sell a product that allows you to drill a small hole and inject epoxy that fills ...
tack strip round entrance transition to tile	12/26/2008
Q: I want to cut out carpet in front of hearth to install slate tile. How do I transition the ... A: I've been on vacation for Christmas. I'm not quite sure what you are asking, so I'll guess. The ...
Removing Tile Adhesive From Hardwood Floor	12/24/2008
Q: We are attempting to redo all the hardwood floors in our house. However, upon removing the carpet ... A: Ok feel free to ask a question the next day ...I guess i set it up so that I answer 5 questions a ...
Need help buying carpet	12/23/2008
Q: How would I determine in square yards the amount of carpet necessary to cover my living room. It is ... A: Any 12 foot goods is calculated like so... Linear footage ...15.5 ft x 1.3333= 20.666 yds....just ...
whole house tiling job	12/22/2008
Q: We are getting ready to install 13 x 13 tiles throughout our entire house. I know this will take ... A: Merry Christmas and Happy holidays..... Typically once we find our lay out we complete all the full ...
floor tiles	12/22/2008
Q: What depth of floor tile would you advise me to use on my kitchen floor A: Merry Christmas, Please let me know what floor project you are attempting ... most vinyl tile are ...
Carpet staples coming up	12/21/2008
Q: We purchased a remnant and pad (on a tight budget here) and had it installed a few weeks ago. Now, ... A: Adam, Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas, Is this a wall to wall installation ....over pad ? If ...
floor w/tile flood	12/20/2008
Q: 2 weeks ago my daughter and her husband came home to a broken water pipe under the concrete floor of ... A: Happy Holidays to you and yours. I would insist that the insurance company deal with this on site ...
Solid Hardwood Flooring.	12/19/2008
Q: I am planning to lay down solid hardwood flooring in 3 of my rooms. I have removed the carpet from ... A: Yes if you call the manufacture at the 800 # more than likely they will advise you as to the ...
repairing tile on porch	12/19/2008
Q: The terra cotta tile on our small (about 4' x 8') front porch is cracked in places, and has fallen ... A: Merry Christmas ... Happy Holidays. You can do it yourself if you are handy and have a few tools, ...
removing laminate tiles	12/19/2008
Q: We realize that our kitchen/eating area were finished hardwood floor covered with laminate tiles. ... A: Laura , Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas.... Please clarify laminate or vinyl glued tiles??? ...
peel and stick vinyl tile	12/19/2008
Q: We are remodeling our kitchen and I got peel and stick tile. We used it before years ago and put it ... A: Happy Holidays ....yes a product we use everyday generally called skim coat / floor prep. A rapid ...
blushing faded look to wood floor after poly	12/18/2008
Q: I asked this question to another expert who has yet to get back to me and I am going nuts here with ... A: I have only repaired and finished small projects when dealing with wood floors.....other than small ...
Floating engineered hardwood T&G glue	12/17/2008
Q: I'm installing 6" wide engineered hardwood flooring. It's tongue and groove, not the click and go ... A: Dan ...did you get any answers yet? I use Titebond II .. from home depot ...also go to harbor ...
Removing Linoleum Gunk	12/16/2008
Q: I have a 1918 cottage, with Douglas Fir floors throughout. I've decided to re-do the kitchen, and ... A: This is the thought behind all this ....i have used strip eze to strip cabinets and completely ...
Removing Linoleum Gunk	12/16/2008
Q: I have a 1918 cottage, with Douglas Fir floors throughout. I've decided to re-do the kitchen, and ... A: Well , certainly a challenge ... but I love a challenge. Ok the liquid gel stripper quart bottles / ...
Engineered Wood Floor Installation	12/13/2008
Q: I'm curious to know how it turned out for Chris (12/4 Q&A regarding floating his floor with Royal ... A: I wish I had an answer for that ...it seems that no one comes back to tell of their success or ...
laying hardwood flooring around landing	12/12/2008
Q: I'm laying down pre-finished 3/4x 3-1/4 oak flooring in a bilevel with a landing (the landing will ... A: Aghhhh .. well Adam , That's the key right there to rip or not to rip ... You have to decide ...
Floor tile separating from concrete slab	12/12/2008
Q: I live in Florida and shortly after we took two direct hits by hurricanes in 2004 some moisture got ... A: Don, we use a very similar product in / on wood floors ... a rapid setting epoxy that takes out ...
laying hardwood flooring around landing	12/12/2008
Q: I'm laying down pre-finished 3/4x 3-1/4 oak flooring in a bilevel with a landing (the landing will ... A: Adam , Your question is confusing and I do want to help... so let me try to interpret what you ...
Carpet	12/11/2008
Q: I just removed a commercial glue down carpet from my office and it came up really easy. Im having ... A: The answer is no .... The existing glue is easily gone over with new ... the only time we scrape it ...
plank stair covering	12/9/2008
Q: We have open wood plank stairs in our log home and are concerned about small children and pets ... A: Bob , The door is wide here ... you could get rid of the kids and pets....j/k Or you might try ...
Tile on Linoleum	12/8/2008
Q: I am getting ready to lay linoleum in my kitchen. The lino is glued to the concrete subfloor. I ... A: Patrick ... I have done it, many times .. I use thin set that costs 20 bucks a bag... what product ...
Wood Floor on Condo Concrete Base	12/8/2008
Q: What is the BEST type of wood Floor to install over solid Concrete in a Condo. Floating, Laminate, ... A: Frank , have you done any home work yet ... I am full of opinions ... and others have said ...
Best Choice of Floor	12/8/2008
Q: I would like to replace my carpet with a wood floor. I have a concrete slab. I also have a dog who ... A: Robbie ... to whom did you ask this question ,....I see you are here in the question pool ... that ...
Hardwood or Laminate?	12/7/2008
Q: We just a home that is a 100 years old this year. We want to put a either a hardwood or a laminate ... A: Elsie, What do you want ... modern ...or classic looks... what expense are you prepared for ... Is ...
HARDWOOD FLOOR INSTALLATION	12/7/2008
Q: Last week I order hardwood flooring to install in my condo. I thought it had a wood subfloor. To ... A: Try to bear with me ... I have questions too. Do you own this place ? ... Is it residential or ...
engineered floor over concrete	12/7/2008
Q: I'm having an engineered floor put over a concrete slab. Pros & cons of a glue down verse a floating ... A: Tom , Glue down ... Pros: traditional beauty/ permanent ... no creaking or squeaking/ basic ...
Flooded laminate flooring	12/6/2008
Q: I just had a flood of water onto my laminate flooring. It has been on there for atleast an hour. ... A: Caroline< the floor should be removed right away .. the foam underneath is soaking in water ... and ...
Can OLD carpet make me sick?	12/5/2008
Q: I live in a rental house with carpet that is probably 25-30 years old. The carpet was professionally ... A: Jenny , Merry Christmas and happy Holidays... Firstly there is no way from the internet to test ...
Engineered hardwood floor Installation	12/4/2008
Q: I am installing 9/16" thick, 5" wide engineered tigerwood with regular tongue and groove and would ... A: Chris, You said you were leaning to the floating method... therefore I based my answer on that. If ...
Engineered hardwood floor Installation	12/4/2008
Q: I am installing 9/16" thick, 5" wide engineered tigerwood with regular tongue and groove and would ... A: You definitely need to glue the groove (2 sides) length and butt sides. Tap the joints tight and ...
Cat Carpet	12/3/2008
Q: My cat has been pulling at my berber carpet and has unraveled the carpet in a straight line right at ... A: Victoria , That's my sisters name... I wish there was a simple way to repair it for you ... are ...
flooring over concrete slab	12/3/2008
Q: We recently purchased a lake cottage in the Midwest. There is old carpeting and vinyl over a ... A: I am in So Cal. Maybe I should put that in my bio....thanks for asking. Anything can support mold ...
flooring over concrete slab	12/2/2008
Q: We recently purchased a lake cottage in the Midwest. There is old carpeting and vinyl over a ... A: Well if the fishing is good i will have to come see for myself..... I am sure you have heard of the ...
engineered floor over concrete	12/2/2008
Q: Three questions concerning Armstrong engineered wood veneered flooring over concrete: 1) What is ... A: Tom, I need to know if the subfloor is wood or concrete. For concrete the engineered wood is ...
Wood Flooring defects	12/2/2008
Q: I recently purchased 540 square feet of hardwood flooring from Prosource. The boxes indicate it is ... A: Leslie, I am sorry for your distress... keep fighting, file a dispute with the Credit card if you ...
hardwood on concrete	12/1/2008
Q: Probably sounds dumb, but do you glue the moisture barrier down first to the slab, and then glue ... A: No question is a dumb question , except the one you didn't ask .....someone told me that? ...LOL ...
solid wood flooring on concrete	11/30/2008
Q: I saw an answer to a question about laying hardwood on concrete slab in a hallway. Will the Mapei ... A: David, Yes the adhesive is quite good as long as you follow the trowel notch ...
Hardwood on concrete slab	11/25/2008
Q: Some back ground; my slab is over three years old, above ground level and is smooth / trowel ... A: Don , good job .. glad you were able to find it ... If you are concerned about moisture you can do ...
Installing 5 inch hard Wood	11/25/2008
Q: I am installing 5 inch wide Hard Wood in my house (1600sf). I am getting conflicting info on ... A: Nailing it down is quite sufficient...we are currently doing 1800 Sq Ft. and the product is a true ...
Hardwood Flooring At Bathtub	11/24/2008
Q: I would like to install a floating hardwood floor in my bathroom. On problem I foresee is at the ... A: If you insist on installinmg a laminate floor in this room (water prone) do install the wood within ...
Hardwood on concrete slab	11/24/2008
Q: Some back ground; my slab is over three years old, above ground level and is smooth / trowel ... A: Don ..here in Calif we glue wood to concrete all the time ... Is this a 3/4" solid piece ?? Here is ...
waxed hardwood floors	11/22/2008
Q: We bought a 1956 home with hardwood floors that were waxed. We don't like the wax as it can leave ... A: Debbie , Your question has been in the stagnant question pool for weeks. I am trying to help anyone ...
carpet over tile	11/22/2008
Q: I just had the whole house tiled with porcelain tile and did not realize how cold the bedrooms would ... A: The option is yours....you don't have to if you don't want to .... If you intend to stretch the ...
Installing 5 inch hard Wood	11/21/2008
Q: I am installing 5 inch wide Hard Wood in my house (1600sf). I am getting conflicting info on ... A: Brett, If you call the manufacture of the wood , they may tell you ... 1 the subfloor (OSB) is not ...
Porcelain tile on concrete slab	11/20/2008
Q: We have just built a new home on a heated concrete slab. This is our source of heating for the ... A: .. porcelain is a very nice tile product ... I highly recommend it versus clay fired less expensive ...
Porcelain Tile Installation in New 2nd Story Condo	11/20/2008
Q: My fiancé and I just moved into a second story condo in which the HOA stresses all sorts of design ... A: .. I don't know what dollar amount is attached to the Ditra product that I will link you too. It is ...
Laminate Click-Lock floor expansion gap	11/20/2008
Q: My wife and I are about to install the floating laminate flooring in her new bridal store. We ... A: Michael , It depends on the area you live ...the temps and weather changes ...humidity etc. Many ...
Underlayment Installation	11/19/2008
Q: Chris, I am remodeling a bathroom (10X11), I have 5/8" plywood on joices 16" OC. I checked the ... A: Peter , Ok so 1/2 inch it is ... Hardibacker makes 1/2" too. As I mentioned before hardi backer is ...
Hardwood comparison	11/19/2008
Q: Would you care to comment on two different brands? I'm interested putting in hardwoods throughout ... A: Mike, Brand comparisons are very difficult to do here on line .. I hate Bella wood and Bob Villa ...
Underlayment Installation	11/18/2008
Q: Chris, I am remodeling a bathroom (10X11), I have 5/8" plywood on joices 16" OC. I checked the ... A: What type of tile / stone are you considering installing...Why 1/2 " wonderboard... Please use the ...
Tile grout	11/18/2008
Q: We are having our tiny bathroom floor tiled. I chose an old-fashioned white/black dot mosaic since ... A: Well sounds like you have 2 options black....or white. The white will show anything dark... and the ...
Hardwood Floor discoloration	11/17/2008
Q: Just installed "Turner Hickory" from Columbia flooring. Two weeks into it and it is now "spotting" ... A: Call the hardwood company ... get a claim started ... and have a rep come out and look at it ... It ...
Carpet pad stuck to floor	11/17/2008
Q: I hope you can help me. I just bought a home and when I went to pull up a braided rug, the pad is ... A: .. we use manual labor, knee pads, and scrappers.. the 4 " wall scrapers and lots of razors blades. ...
Filling gaps at edges of laminate	11/17/2008
Q: I installed floating laminate flooring in a rental condo. There are two places where moulding will ... A: Mark , I typically purchase transition pieces designed specifically for this purpose. See the link ...
Laminate Flooring Underlayment	11/16/2008
Q: I had a laminate flooring installed about 6 months ago and started to have issues with the flooring ... A: Truly believe it would have helped considerably... I have never experienced this problem. So my ...
Outdoor tile problem	11/16/2008
Q: We tiled our exposed front porch with 18 inch porcelain tiles and grouted with what we thought was ... A: Jess .. all the tile stores have MATCHING SANDED CAULK ... it matches the color of the grout...but ...
Laminate Flooring Underlayment	11/16/2008
Q: I had a laminate flooring installed about 6 months ago and started to have issues with the flooring ... A: Ok , so little by little I am getting a few more details....The wicking ...or perspiring is a ...
Outdoor tile problem	11/16/2008
Q: We tiled our exposed front porch with 18 inch porcelain tiles and grouted with what we thought was ... A: I am going to guess that the sub floor under the tile on your raised porch is made of wood? And if ...
CERAMIC FLOOR	11/16/2008
Q: MY CERAMIC TILE FLOOR IS DONE ..WAS GROUTED.HUBBY WAITED TWO DAYS AND CLEANED THE FLOOR WITH 1 PART ... A: 48-72 hours is what the instructions are on the bag. I have always preferred about a week. If the ...
what to do about old asbestos tile?? can I seal it??	11/15/2008
Q: About 6 months ago, I decided to get rid of the ancient peed-on, flooded, etc shag carpet in the ... A: ... Ok first of all the tile can only release the asbestos if you sand it ... We crack it and break ...
removing underlayment	11/14/2008
Q: I am remodeling a bathroom. There was ceramic tile on the floor, and several tiles were loose. I ... A: If at all possible cut the plywood in strips with a circular saw 2" strips are usually possible ...
vinyl tiling a shed floor	11/13/2008
Q: We have a 16'X 25' shed with a plywood floor. We would like to install vinyl tile and need to know ... A: .. Tell me why you feel it needs leveling ?... the shed is 15 years old ... what condition is the ...
black mold on bathroom subfloor - remedy?	11/13/2008
Q: hope you'll be able to shed some light on a problem we're grappling with. we found out that water ... A: .. Yes after you have treated it with the bleach solution and let it thoroughly dry ... been ...
caulk or grout at baseboards	11/11/2008
Q: We are having an extensive remodeling job done, including installing porcelain tile on the floors in ... A: Typically I cut to the tile within a grout joint away of the base boards...and grout...filling all ...
aullure plank floors	11/10/2008
Q: Our dimensions are 9.5' X 12.6'. Now that we're down to really doing the job it looks like it might ... A: I found you in the question pool ... It helps if you ask someone specifically...I hope you haven't ...
tile meets stairway	11/10/2008
Q: I have installed slate flooring in my entry way and have exposed plywood and subfloor and tile edge. ... A: Ohh this has always been a fun one to contemplate.There are no pre made items that I know of. Custom ...
Raising the floor ... again	11/7/2008
Q: Chris: I had an exchange with you before on this topic and I need to ask you another question. ... A: Hey Mike ... I have used the quickcrete many times ... yes it is fine ... I just wanted you to be ...
Slope a problem for vinyl tile?	11/6/2008
Q: I am planning on installing the self adhesive traffic master vinyl tiles on my laundry room floor. ... A: I am assuming the sub floor is wood ...or how else would you attach the new plywood? I would not be ...
travertine	11/5/2008
Q: background: I would like to install a travertine floor in my kitchen. The kitchen consists of a ... A: ... The goal in pulling up the vinyl is too allow for a good bond of the tile cement to the ...
Carpet, concrete floor, and mold	11/4/2008
Q: hey chris, i have a 10x8 foot closet in the lower level of my house with a concrete floor. we ... A: There are many vapor barrier products that can simply be applied by roller or brush... once dried ...
travertine	11/4/2008
Q: background: I would like to install a travertine floor in my kitchen. The kitchen consists of a ... A: While it is possible to install tile or stone over vinyl ... I do not recommend it. The ...
Tile Adhesive not setting up	11/3/2008
Q: We recently had a tile floor installed in our office. The tile was laid two weeks ago and if you ... A: It sounds like they used an acrylic adhesive which is not suitable for floors at all. Proper cements ...
vitified tiles-joint problem	11/3/2008
Q: i want the clarity that walking on viritifed tile in the house cause the joint pain of legs/related ... A: All tile and hard surfaces can cause this problem ... more so when standing on it for long periods ...
Engineered hardwood flooring	11/2/2008
Q: Do you have any knowledge as to the quality of Woodstock Hardwood engineered flooring? I live in ... A: I tried for a few minutes to goggle the product.I found the description very good with a wear layer ...
vinyl flooring	11/1/2008
Q: Would like to hire contractor to remove/dispose of "Pergo" type flooring and old vinyl underneath ... A: Nathan , I normally can't quote prices ...many areas are priced differently. Here in Los Angeles ...
Basement Cement Floors	10/31/2008
Q: Have you ever heard of Superseal membrane used on cement floors before installing carpet or ... A: No I have never heard of this product ...I goggled it and came to this site as my first choice of ...
Floor Bounce	10/30/2008
Q: I have a brick home that is 30+ years old. There is a crawl space below, and I believe the joist ... A: Curtis, I am not a structural contractor .. but I can give you some advice ... The cement pylons ...
Thresholds	10/29/2008
Q: Chris. Help!!! I am putting laminate in my bedroom. although my floor height is "good" between my ... A: let me send you a link ...with pictures of the various transition types. ...
black spots in congoleum sealant (not mold)	10/29/2008
Q: NEW HOME: CONTRACTOR BUILT TOTALLY. FLOORING INSTALLED BY "LABORER" (NEPHEW OF BUILDER). AND NOT HIS ... A: There are many types of sealers... Are you speaking of caulking at the perimeter of the rooms ... ...
Vacuuming frieze carpet	10/29/2008
Q: My granddaughter just installed frieze carpet in her home. The installers told her NOT to use a ... A: I really have only ever used a vacuum with a beater bar... I have always loved Hoover and Eureka ...
floor tile	10/27/2008
Q: Can you please give me the definition of "rectified edge" as it relates to tile? Many thanks. A: http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/flooring/msg0814534718537.html These should answer your ...
oldfashioned basket weave dance floor	10/27/2008
Q: I want to construct a basket weave dance floor of about 8x8m. I was thinking of neoprene blocks, on ... A: Robin , Your question has landed in the question pool , I don't know how you got here and I wish I ...
Raising the floor before installation	10/26/2008
Q: Chris: The main part of my house has this ugly, dark blue carpet on a concrete slab. When I pull ... A: Was a ghoulish bash at my brother's last night. I came home early..lol I looked up the citrus king ...
engineered flooring	10/26/2008
Q: I am considering purchasing floating engineered flooring by Robina. Is this a quality product and ... A: Poplar is inexpensive and dense ... yes it is ... what is the surface ...just a man made laminate ...
Raising the floor before installation	10/26/2008
Q: Chris: The main part of my house has this ugly, dark blue carpet on a concrete slab. When I pull ... A: Michael, LOl... you are on the eastern coast ...I believe it was 3:00 am my time... or is that just ...
Raising the floor before installation	10/26/2008
Q: Chris: The main part of my house has this ugly, dark blue carpet on a concrete slab. When I pull ... A: The old mastic you may have is from vct or vat (vinyl composition ...vinyl asbestos tile). The ...
Removing old linoleum	10/26/2008
Q: We recently ripped out our living room carpet, found linoleum with glue underneath it, underneath ... A: Kelee, you can demo and remove the flooring as long as you don't sand it ...independant studies have ...
engineered flooring	10/24/2008
Q: I am considering purchasing floating engineered flooring by Robina. Is this a quality product and ... A: Is that Robbins wood? or Robina, as you typed it? Robbins wood is a great company and have been ...
Removing PL400 from a hardwood floor	10/24/2008
Q: How does one remove old PL400 from a hardwood floor? A: Laurie... Wether it's liquid nails or another polyurethane adhesive it will be difficult at best... ...
Carpeting	10/23/2008
Q: I have Rodent heated floors can I Put Area Rugs Down? A: Yes Frank as long as the rodents don't mind :) Seriously the radiant heat will only get as hi as ...
Vinyl Tile not sticking	10/23/2008
Q: Three summers ago I installed vinyl peel and stick tile onto existing linoleum in my kitchen/dining ... A: Ann .... I have loathed the product since it became available ... Just for this reason. I am so ...
basement carpeting	10/23/2008
Q: we are thinking of carpeting the basement. I thought that all that was needed was to purchase ... A: .. there is no way of telling unless you test the slab for moisture if you even need a sub floor.... ...
duribility of various flooring for entryway	10/23/2008
Q: We are in the process of a total remodel of our home. Have put down hardwood flooring thru the ... A: Can I interest you in a beautiful Porcelain Versailles pattern with chiseled edge...it appears and ...
Info on Berber Carpet life expectancy	10/22/2008
Q: What is the life expectancy of Berber Carpet? I have lived at this condo for 2 years and before i ... A: I don't really know what the life of some rental unit carpet is ... probably not much / long.. ...
Hardwood Floor - repair or replace	10/22/2008
Q: Our hardwood floor is popping up in all areas just not where the floor meets the wall. Is it ... A: Get a circular saw ... and a few spare blades ... set the depth so you are just barely above the ...
Engineered install question	10/22/2008
Q: I am installing engineered hardwood, 3" wide by 1/4", over concrete. The slats vary from 12" to 4". ... A: Ok I see your floor plan , this is going to be a dooozy on the diagonal...lol It's one thing to do ...
Hardwood Floor - repair or replace	10/21/2008
Q: Our hardwood floor is popping up in all areas just not where the floor meets the wall. Is it ... A: Well , you may have to actually pull one up ... if you are going to proceed you will need to any ...
Engineered install question	10/21/2008
Q: I am installing engineered hardwood, 3" wide by 1/4", over concrete. The slats vary from 12" to 4". ... A: Ok , that was fast ... lol. records set all the time I guess. Let me look it up ... Or call the 800 ...
Replacing cracked ceramic tile floors	10/21/2008
Q: We purchased a new garden home 3 years ago on a slab foundation. All the tile floors have cracks. ... A: Yes I have seen many foundation cracks and have seen many slip sheets and membranes work well ... in ...
Engineered install question	10/21/2008
Q: I am installing engineered hardwood, 3" wide by 1/4", over concrete. The slats vary from 12" to 4". ... A: Eryc, Whhoaaa boy ....lol What are you doing man .. you are way over the edge and gonna fall fast ...
Hardwood Floor - repair or replace	10/21/2008
Q: Our hardwood floor is popping up in all areas just not where the floor meets the wall. Is it ... A: Stacey I occasionally look in the question pool to see if there are any questions here... So I ...
Tenting and buckling of hardwood floors	10/21/2008
Q: I recently had a tigerwood floor installed in my living room located over a finished basement. ... A: I am glad you got back to talk more about this .. I had asked around ... regarding you situation ... ...
laminate floor as a cure for mold	10/20/2008
Q: We have a house which is exhibiting widespread mold staining on the carpet. We intend to strip the ... A: Yes there are some products available to eliminate moisture ... here are some links for you to ...
Raising a Floor	10/20/2008
Q: I have a room that when you step into it you have to step down 8 inches onto a concrete floor (it ... A: Yes Jennifer... That is the basic way to do it. But the question would fall in the construction ...
Is It Mold?	10/19/2008
Q: I know you are not a mold expert. I thought however, that you might have seen a stain on concrete ... A: Anytime Pamela ... we had a little mold once, and after paying 90.00 out of pocket, which the ...
Is It Mold?	10/18/2008
Q: I know you are not a mold expert. I thought however, that you might have seen a stain on concrete ... A: I see the photo... it really doesn't look bad at all. But if this was as you described , left for ...
pavers stained- grill grease and oil	10/18/2008
Q: Chris, I hope you might be able to help me out. My wife and I have a new house with non-sealed ... A: Chris , I am sitting here scratching my head and thinking solvent based cleaners..and laughing too ...
engineered floor instalation	10/17/2008
Q: know the best way to install it. i have herd it is possible to float it, nail it or glue it down. if ... A: There are specifics that go with each style of installation ... what wood have you purchased or ...
Is It Mold?	10/16/2008
Q: I know you are not a mold expert. I thought however, that you might have seen a stain on concrete ... A: Sorry the photo , if you attached one , didn't come through ...Can you try it again .. ? The bad ...
Bamboo Flooring trim	10/15/2008
Q: I recently purchased some end cap and stair nose trim pieces. I see how I want them to go down, ... A: I need to deal with each item individually... I have always glued and nailed.... but if you are ...
installing vinyl tiles over cermic tiles	10/15/2008
Q: I would like to know if there is an easy, effictive way to instal vinyl tiles over 1" ceramic tiles. ... A: Miyosiha , No it does not affect my answer ... that is an ideal situation ... a concrete floor ...
Tiling a small bathroom	10/15/2008
Q: A leaking wax ring in our .1 bathroom has given me the opportunity to replace the well worn carpet. ... A: Yes Lynn, ..OK .. here we go ...if I confuse you let me know and I will re answer and try to ...
Konnecto Flooring	10/14/2008
Q: Chris! How lucky I am to have found you. We have been doing floors since 1978 - but recently we ... A: I have installed many vinyl plank and tile square projects ... if you are going over concrete slab ...
wood floors	10/14/2008
Q: i bought mirage woiod floors,wanted some shine put hollaway house quick shine now floors look bad ... A: Anthony , Please call your manufacture ... they have approved products and they have time tested ...
repair or replace?	10/13/2008
Q: I took up my wall to wall carpet and there were hardwood floor under it. I would like to keep the ... A: Eugene , your description is vague ... can you tell if the water damage has caused rotting ... is ...
tile flooring	10/12/2008
Q: my house is about 12 years old, and just recently the ceramic tiles in my kitchen sound hollow, and ... A: Well Stephanie ... you must tell me what the floor is like I need you to paint a very detailed ...
tile flooring	10/11/2008
Q: my house is about 12 years old, and just recently the ceramic tiles in my kitchen sound hollow, and ... A: I can imagine the tiles are popping loose in the areas you describe and the cement is breaking loose ...
Meritage Engineered Hardwood Installation	10/11/2008
Q: I am installing Engineered 5" Plank hardwood floors in my home this weekend. We are gluing down ... A: Just noticed your question in the QUESTION POOL...so here's what I do ...we make a false nail wall ...
unven subfloor	10/11/2008
Q: The subfloor in the kitchen i"m going to tile is about 250 sq. ft, but the floor is not level? It is ... A: Shawn , Often times this crowning as it seems to me is just screed off and floated out with various ...
Purchasing Carpet	10/9/2008
Q: I'm interested in a carpet that is 100% PermaSoft BCF Nylon. Can you tell me if this is as good as ... A: .. Let me look up the BCF nylon quality.. Ok BCF nylon is very good quality especially if it is 100% ...
finishing particle board flooring	10/9/2008
Q: I have an upper level floor made from particle board(yellow tongue). It was installed 12 years ago, ... A: California , USA I hope I can answer this question to your satisfaction.... here we just install ...
laminate floors which direction to install	10/9/2008
Q: We are installing Laminate Flooring throughout the whole house (except bathrooms) and three large ... A: I am in San Bernardino .. well actually off the 10 x 15. The idea is very easily achieved by placing ...
LAMINATE WOOD FLOORING	10/8/2008
Q: I WILL BE INSTALLING NEW LAMINATE WOOD FLOORING IN MY HOME THIS WEEKEND.CAN YOU GIVE ME ANY POINTERS ... A: David ... When you get to that last fill piece on the wall with the door , start in the doorway ...
berber carpet installation	10/8/2008
Q: We are trying to install a cross stitch berber carpet however the rows are not running straight. ... A: Yes Raylene, OMG ... Listen .. what are you using for a row runner...to separate the rows from the ...
Can Bamboo flooring survive high temperatures	10/7/2008
Q: I live in the Pheonix area and we are considering installing Bamboo flooring in our living room. I ... A: Yes Kishore ... any wood species must be maintained at certain temps and humidity levels . If any ...
Floor Prep for Carpet - Not Level	10/7/2008
Q: ..of course he has taken his money and has left me with paying the rest...so anything that needs ... A: You state the doorway from the hall has a 6"x 25 ft long ??? Or is that 2.5 ft long? Many times we ...
Tenting and buckling of hardwood floors	10/7/2008
Q: I recently had a tigerwood floor installed in my living room located over a finished basement. ... A: I thought for a moment and came up with this idea. Is it possible that the row of wood in question ...
adura vinyl plan	10/6/2008
Q: We recently had installed adura vinyl plank on a radiant heat cement floor. This is a new place. ... A: Nancy , I am sorry, but you are confusing me ....You state that you recently paid for this floor ...
mesquite hardwood flooring	10/5/2008
Q: We are planning on putting in mesquite hardwood flooring. My question(s) are we want to keep the ... A: Well to begin with I don't know how you landed in the QUESTION POOL. Do you remember asking an ...
Pergo laminate flooring	10/4/2008
Q: I just opened a box of this laminate and it really stinks! I think it may be the glue between the ... A: Yes Lynne, I use paint thinner ...another smelly product ...but WD-40 works great too. Really I ...
ceramic tile	10/4/2008
Q: I have a bathroom with 4 inch ceramic tile that is attached to cement board. We can't get it off ... A: Yes you can... But it will add height to areas like the door casing .. is that a concern? let me ...
Wall to wall carpeting	10/4/2008
Q: Can we have wall to wall laid over Mexican pavers? How can they put down tack strip? If we can't ... A: Yes it can be done... somewhat more cost is involved to get the floors ready. Here are some steps ...
ceramic tile	10/3/2008
Q: I have a bathroom with 4 inch ceramic tile that is attached to cement board. We can't get it off ... A: Yes that would work. You have to be comfortable with the height situation that may be an issue at ...
flooring adhesive	10/3/2008
Q: I am going have about 1100 sq ft of 3/8 inch pre-finished Australian Cypress engineered wood over ... A: To answer your question concisely... you may not substitute one for the other. Have you been to the ...
Mannington Adura Pos/Neg experience?	10/3/2008
Q: Was leaning towards laminate in large din rm/fam room area (above dry basement) but have read some ... A: The floor under your carpet is called OSB / Oriented stranded board. I would Contact Mannington and ...
Installing Laminate in Basement	10/2/2008
Q: I live in Canada and have a question concerning subfloor on a concrete basement floor. I have read ... A: Hey Brian , Thanks for asking..../ I really like the way DRI-core is setup. Very easy to install ...
Tile to Wood transition	9/30/2008
Q: We live in a house built in the late 1960's and the kitchen floor has a problem with a hump on one ... A: .. I would make a custom thresh hold / transition piece with Oak and create a saddle for the ...
Installing Carpet on Uneven OSB	9/30/2008
Q: though I'm doing some of the work myself. Before the roof was on the house, we got a significant ... A: Luan is a bad idea .. an added expense and simply not necesary.If the OSB is really bad ...have it ...
engineered bamboo	9/30/2008
Q: I have just purchased engineered bamboo - 5/8 ". I have a 12 year old house - solid base sub floor. ... A: Brent , I had typed a page late last night ... Did you receive it. LOL...maybe I closed the window ...
Pergo laminate flooring	9/30/2008
Q: I just opened a box of this laminate and it really stinks! I think it may be the glue between the ... A: well if it lingered in your car ... then that is a sign ... but it should air out ... maybe the ...
vinyl flooring in a three season room	9/29/2008
Q: We are converting our screened porch to a 3 season room. Installed windows and insulated walls. For ... A: If you were led to believe you needed this roll foam padding, that is a horrible mistake.... Please ...
Laminate "nightmares" I've seen concern me	9/29/2008
Q: So glad I stumbled on this web site! Thanks in advance for being here to help. We want to have ... A: Rose ... Your installer is right on about the hearth! ... I always undercut with a diamond blade ...
Basement Cement Floor	9/28/2008
Q: What is the best flooring and underlayment to put in the basement ? I have very little dampness and ... A: Recently folks have been putting everything from carpet / laminate ...or tile ...some have even ...
bamboo flooring	9/27/2008
Q: I really like the bamboo website you referred me to. I was told by someone a good solution for ... A: When floating a wood floor...always use a premium underlayment with a moisture barrier attached ...
carpet rug pad	9/27/2008
Q: ANSWER: Hello Husein , Give me the name of the product and I can lookit up if you didn't already ... A: After reading the reviews I find it is lacking ...I don't know if it is bad...but others have said ...
PTT poly vs nylon	9/26/2008
Q: I am ready to recarpet my home. I was about to select a 50 oz. Stainmaster Frieze when I came across ... A: I am not an expert when it comes to the manufacture of carpet ...just the installation. I know as ...
tile grout cracking	9/26/2008
Q: We have installed tile over laminate flooring. We sanded and prepared the flooring first. Then ... A: Nicole, I am sorry to say the tile floor will continue to flex as the floating floor continues to ...
carpet rug pad	9/26/2008
Q: ANSWER: Hello Husein , Give me the name of the product and I can lookit up if you didn't already ... A: I went to Wal mart .com and found this so far ...you might want to get your money back based on some ...
Congoleun Vinyl floor	9/26/2008
Q: I had a Congoleun Vinyl floor (with a life time warranty) put down over a old Vinyl floor with luan ... A: Frank ...in small claims ...99% of the time the consumer wins...they installed a sub standard ...
laminte/wood vs porcelain	9/25/2008
Q: We have a house built in 1960 with a 160 lb Great Dane. I fear that the house may be settling some ... A: First off I want to let you know I am a Calif resident and generally the homes are more and more ...
Ceramic Tiles	9/24/2008
Q: I am installing a ceramic tile floor. I tore up the old linoleum and started to scrape the old glue ... A: i find your question in the Question pool ...How you get here I do not know but it is a stagnant ...
New Floor/Old Cabinets	9/23/2008
Q: We just bought a home and are replacing the floors throughout with bamboo. We have pulled the ... A: ... I like to buy the 2 pack of blades from Home Depot. The Dewalt blades They are 40 tooth for ...
porcelain tile floors	9/23/2008
Q: I have chosen a new 20"x20" porcelain tile for my kitchen floor. I would like the tiles set with no ... A: Joe ..these questions have been answered many times before and if you search the archives you will ...
Garage flooring in COLD northern Vermont	9/23/2008
Q: Chris - I posed this question earlier this year: We live in Vermont - where our coldest night this ... A: Kent based on your description of the false floor I would not recommend tile ...carpet would be ...
epoxy grout	9/23/2008
Q: At the recommendation of the tile store, I had my contractor use epoxy grout on the tiled shower ... A: Louise ...your question is now in the Question pool ....whom did you ask this question of ...
Garage flooring in COLD northern Vermont	9/23/2008
Q: Chris - I posed this question earlier this year: We live in Vermont - where our coldest night this ... A: Wow Kent .... Loaded question ...I am in Calif. southern to be more specific. I have never had to ...
Get stuff off linoleum floor	9/22/2008
Q: Got your message. I am having a problem with a linoleum floor. I just purchased my first home and ... A: For years we have used good old fashioned paint thinner to cut adhesive and sticky glue from all our ...
laying carpet/laminate over saltillo tile	9/22/2008
Q: I would like to lay laminate and carpet over saltillo tile floor in my home. The entire house has ... A: If you went with carpet the hardest part will be getting the tackstrip to hold in the tile and grout ...
laminte/wood vs porcelain	9/21/2008
Q: We have a house built in 1960 with a 160 lb Great Dane. I fear that the house may be settling some ... A: What is the subfloor now and what settling are you concerned about ...if the flooring joists are ...
Crack Isolation	9/21/2008
Q: Chris, Thanks for being available for questions! I'm about to lay 18" tile on a 6 year old ground ... A: ..wow I was just looking in the question pool..please look me up and directly ask me from my profile ...
New Floor/Old Cabinets	9/21/2008
Q: We just bought a home and are replacing the floors throughout with bamboo. We have pulled the ... A: ..yes , here is the tool that we use for this operation ...it is a dangerous tool ...but can be used ...
grout white when wet - does it still exist?	9/20/2008
Q: 5 yrs back I regrouted my shower with Polyblend snow white (#11) unsanded, "series one" grout. ... A: Richard , So sorry they have changed sooo much in the past 5-7 years. I have given up on them as ...
Cement floor in basenent	9/20/2008
Q: Can I put a floating laminate floor down in my basement? I don't have any water problems and very ... A: Yes ...you can Bob. Please be certain that no moisture vapor transmits from the slab. here are some ...
Marble tear out problem!	9/20/2008
Q: Chris, I purchased an 88 year old home. Several of the rooms have marble tile flooring. We ... A: Jan ..If you can go to Home Depot rental center rent a 7" grinder with a vacuum gaurd ...and you ...
Laminate Flooring	9/19/2008
Q: Ok, I have a dumb question. I installed laminate flooring in my kitchen/dining area and not paying ... A: Tom ... You too huh? ..lol It will be fine ...I imagine you are on slab ..and you have the ...
Engineered floor over gypcrete	9/19/2008
Q: I want to install engineered wood (Lauzon brand) on my second floor, approximately 2,000 sq. feet. ... A: Ingrid First I would call the manufacture for their recommendations. ...
Buckled hardwood floor	9/18/2008
Q: The hardwood floor in our den has buckled, tenting up several inches in a line parallel to the way ... A: Leah, The problem is caused by moisture ...the wood is absorbing it from somewhere...A moisture ...
floating floor squeaks	9/18/2008
Q: I installed a floating laminate floor over my kitchen floor. Evidently, there's a few low spots in ... A: Hey Bruce, I keep hearing Orange Glo floor cleaner from the consumers ??? They are being told to ...
grouting problem	9/18/2008
Q: My husband and I just installed Traventine with chiseled edges in our kitchen. My husband has is ... A: .. Please re read your question...maybe proof read it for spelling and context...and also there is ...
flooring	9/18/2008
Q: I want to remove the carpeting from my house because of allergies, I have small kids and a very big ... A: Please don't ask me questions regarding health or well being due to allergies or pets or what might ...
Dishwashers and tiling	9/18/2008
Q: How do I determine if I should remove the dishwasher before tiling the floor? If I do not remove ... A: B Draffin... The bottom of the dishwasher has a couple of screws to allow removal of the simple ...
TILES	9/17/2008
Q: I bought a new face brick house 10 months ago. The basin in the main bathroom first lost it's water ... A: Jeanette, It really sounds like the water has been leaking in the wall and causing minerals and ...
stuck on padding on linoleum floor	9/16/2008
Q: I have a problem with some stuck on padding from a very old carpet glued to a linoleum floor on my ... A: Did you get an answer ..I am trolling the question pool and I see you here ...If you still need ...
Oak Flooring	9/16/2008
Q: How do you put down an Oak Floor. I will be using 1/2" thick red oak 5" wide. The room is 30 by 16. A: .what is your substrate ? there are 3 techniques , and many books , and many google website DIY ...
Is underlayment necessary for Laminate floor	9/15/2008
Q: Howdy Chris, We'd like to replace an old carpet with a laminate floor. The carpet is on a particle ... A: Yes all laminate floors require a sound deadening underlayment. if you are on a slab concrete you ...
removing engineered flooring	9/15/2008
Q: Chris- I'm a finish carpenter and was asked to remove about 600 sq ft of glue down engineered ... A: .. Set your circular saws up and have a couple of guys cut to within a 1/16 of the sub floor or ...
Flooring ? for the basement	9/14/2008
Q: I am hoping that you can help me out! We are in the process of finishing our below grade basement ... A: Glad to hear the sump pump has only turned on during inclement weather. As far as brands go ...I ...
carpet pad	9/14/2008
Q: Three years ago carpet was installed in a hallway and three bedrooms by using the usual base tack ... A: Probably just needs restretching... it's hard to install a hall and get it tight properly , when ...
shower recess	9/14/2008
Q: We're looking to retile our bathroom in large format rectified porcelain tiles -300x600 (1'x2'?)I've ... A: Francesca. I have no idea what a no hob is. When I build a shower and floor...I always recommend ...
Wood flooring Spline's	9/14/2008
Q: Hey Chris me again.... when I install my wood flooring I will need to change directions (flip) the ... A: Hey Brett ...Does your wood manufacture not carry them ? Can you not order them with your product? ...
Flooring ? for the basement	9/13/2008
Q: I am hoping that you can help me out! We are in the process of finishing our below grade basement ... A: The new french drain ...I assume that is outside the perimeter of the basement foundation. And the ...
"vinyl tiles	9/13/2008
Q: I have about twelve tiles that need to be replaced in my kitchen! What is the best way to remove ... A: If you can get a utility knife and a square ...or any straight edge that will allow you to cut ...
mold on laminate floor	9/12/2008
Q: I have an area where I feed my dogs in the kitchen. Usually have a mat under the dishes and wipe ... A: Is that a laminate floor or prefinished Parquet ?? If it is the latter you will need to sand and ...
carpet fibers like lint balls	9/12/2008
Q: I just recently moved into a new home that was sitting for two years. No one has ever live in it ... A: Did you get your answers? I don't know how people get tossed in to the Question Pool ...but I will ...
Quarter Round Molding for Kitchen	9/12/2008
Q: I am putting in a slate green laminate floor in my kitchen and have light brown oak cabinets. The ... A: I see your question ...do you need any mouldings / 1/4 round anywhere else ...I prefer the white on ...
Wood floors	9/12/2008
Q: I just had wood floors installed in my first level of our home. We have a basement down below. My ... A: Can you tell me the type of wood ..name brand and style...also what method of installation did they ...
resealing pre-finished hardwood	9/12/2008
Q: We bought a house with prefinished hardwood through out, including the kitchen. it was poorly ... A: I am finding your question in the question pool ...I wish it never existed ...you need to ask an ...
level a wood subfloor?	9/11/2008
Q: I am remodeling the kitchen in my 1950s house. There were several layers of old lenolium which I ... A: Leah ...yes you can ...the step is about 3/16"..at most 1/8 "...try to get a floor patch product and ...
engineered hardwood floors	9/11/2008
Q: I am looking to have my builder install an engineered hardwood on the ground level concrete slab ... A: ...The term Engineered floors also infers ...pre-finished ...there is no such animal as far as I ...
Installing Hardwood by Stone Hearth	9/11/2008
Q: Chris, I am installing hand scraped hardwood that will butt up against a faux stone hearth. What I ... A: Brett , I have always pulled the stove for sure ...need to keep it level ...and I do the dish ...
Installing Hardwood by Stone Hearth	9/11/2008
Q: Chris, I am installing hand scraped hardwood that will butt up against a faux stone hearth. What I ... A: Is this a question? ...I am thinking you are just relaying info....I know that most solids are 3/4 " ...
tiles	9/11/2008
Q: Is vetrified/marbonite is better for homes? What is the difeerence? A: Funny you should ask ... this question is popping up more frequently these days. For a decription ...
bamboo flooring on stairs	9/11/2008
Q: I have purchased bamboo bull nosing and plan to install this with 5/8" bamboo plank flooring on my ... A: ..yikes ...where to start? What is engineered wood ? Plywood ...or OSB ? Most stairs here in So ...
tile on covered outdoor space above garage	9/10/2008
Q: I would like 2 consider alternatives 2 wood and composites. there is currently a shingle like water ... A: Kevin ...yes you can tile this area...insure that no water can get under the tile and freeze ...if ...
grout	9/10/2008
Q: I am putting down glazed porcelain tile in my mud room. I know I do not seal the tile but should I ... A: Morgan , Is the grout a powder in a bag ...or a pre made product in a bucket? Always use a ...
Installing Hardwood by Stone Hearth	9/10/2008
Q: Chris, I am installing hand scraped hardwood that will butt up against a faux stone hearth. What I ... A: Brett , ...you can not install solid hard wood 3/4" thick on concrete...and you can re finish ...
level a wood subfloor?	9/10/2008
Q: I am remodeling the kitchen in my 1950s house. There were several layers of old lenolium which I ... A: The old and last layer of vinyl is actually real linoleum , probably? And the black tar is a ...
Installing Hardwood by Stone Hearth	9/9/2008
Q: Chris, I am installing hand scraped hardwood that will butt up against a faux stone hearth. What I ... A: Ok Brett ..well you know about the undercut saw...good! I have this unit pictured ...
Marble Floor Installation	9/9/2008
Q: Chris, I’m in the middle of a bathroom renovation and have some questions pertaining to the ... A: Always remove the toilet for your installation... then follow these instructions for the hardi ...
Installing Travertine in existing home	9/8/2008
Q: I have a 1950's rambler with a main level floor structure of 2 x 10 16"oc., diagonal 1 x 10 ... A: Jesse, For years I have read the formula recommended by the TCA and not understood how it applies ...
spilled paint on slate tile	9/8/2008
Q: I knocked over a can of black latex paint about an hour ago. The floor is slate tile with a dark ... A: Yes billy, you can scrub with paint thinner /water based strippers and or abrasive pads ...you ...
Marble Floor Installation	9/8/2008
Q: Chris, I’m in the middle of a bathroom renovation and have some questions pertaining to the ... A: Todd, OSB and 3/8 ths ply are not acceptable sub materials for any tile floor .... As for your ...
concrete slab basement floor options	9/8/2008
Q: I have a half basement that I want to redo. The basement floor is rectangular approx. 40' - 0" x ... A: Maria, Hi again Ok the real travertine will require a greater level of skill to install and get ...
Laminate floor	9/7/2008
Q: I have had water damage and have to tear up part of my floor. What can I use to seal the boards the ... A: All I can suggest is to use the glue I mentioned at every joint upon re installation...is this what ...
Laminate floor	9/7/2008
Q: I have had water damage and have to tear up part of my floor. What can I use to seal the boards the ... A: Why are you sealing anything ...did someone say to seal it ...? If you are looking for an adhesive I ...
Laminate Flooring	9/7/2008
Q: I have had water damage to my laminate flooring and have to replace half of it. What can I use to ... A: I answered your questions Ed ...did you receive any other answers to help you with your situation ...
Unsatisfied with carpet seam	9/7/2008
Q: I had underlayment and berber carpet installed in a bedroom in our basemen. The rest of the ... A: Wendell , If Two different heights ...on concrete slab ...metal bars can not be used.They are used ...
Orange Staining on tile grout lines	9/7/2008
Q: About 4 years ago I tiled by shower stall. I came out great, I loved the results. But after a few ... A: Check this link for the exact method I use ...and the tool is the same too...if you are using ...
Laminate floors	9/7/2008
Q: Twice I have had water get u nder my laminate floor and have had to repair it. Is there any way to ... A: Did you get your answers? I don't know how people get tossed in to the Question Pool ...but I will ...
concrete slab basement floor options	9/7/2008
Q: I have a half basement that I want to redo. The basement floor is rectangular approx. 40' - 0" x ... A: That helps soo much. I need to clarify one thing..In the start you say "vinyl" .....then in the ...
Orange Staining on tile grout lines	9/6/2008
Q: About 4 years ago I tiled by shower stall. I came out great, I loved the results. But after a few ... A: ... What is a typical shower cleaner ...and what did you use? What did you apply it with ? Without ...
dining/living floor	9/6/2008
Q: is it common to have tile floor in the dining and living area. my house has a two story foyer in ... A: The customer is always right.... With that said , you can do whatever you like , you have to live ...
grouting 1/16 inch grout lines	9/4/2008
Q: I put in 18" travertine floor tile with a 1/16 inch spacing. I tried grouting last night and had ... A: Paul ...I'm so glad to hear that your first attempt at this has rewarded you with at least by the ...
WOOD FLOORING	9/3/2008
Q: I HAVE TILE ON MY FLOOR NOW.I WANT TO INSTALL OAK DISTRESSED HARDWOOD. DO I HAVE TO REMOVE THE ... A: Yes you really need to remove that as well ....nails won't do a good job of securing the wood to ...
Laying a floating floor on an uneven concrete floor	9/3/2008
Q: I'm finishing off my basement and I have absolutely no handyman skills whatsoever. I own a hammer ... A: Jeremy ... Floating floors allow you or me to get away with murder...the foam pad hides a lot of ...
Loose carpet - HELP!	9/3/2008
Q: my boyfriend spilt a huge bucket of varnish on our beige carpet. We panicked and used all the ... A: Asa, I am afraid you have really got a bad situation here....Varnish may have eaten away the ...
hardwood to tile transition	9/3/2008
Q: My carpeted family room butts against my tiled kitchen. They meet in a curved arc with about a 12 ... A: I have had so much trouble with this same situation many times....It is very aggravating that the ...
Removing Scratches on Hard Wood Floors	9/2/2008
Q: Around my house, I have a few scratches on my hard wood floors as well as a few paint spots. What ... A: Jeffery , Depending on the severity and color of each blemish ....there are so many products out ...
redoing an older home for my daughter	9/2/2008
Q: My 20yr. old daughter just bought her first home! It is an older home with great hardwood floors ... A: Please don't throw good money away on peel and stick tiles. This is a poor substitute for a floor ...
Basement tile over XPS	9/1/2008
Q: I'm renovating my basement and am stuck on a flooring decision. We've got a typical concrete ... A: Here in Calif. I do not experience many basement situations , yet i continue to educate my self ...
Purple discoloration of Vinyl flooring sheet	9/1/2008
Q: nder a kitchen table that is in front of a bay window. The purple is in an area that the sunlight ... A: Possible moisture or vapor transmission from slab . Alkali and mineral staining also possible ...If ...
Scratches on Hard Wood Floors	9/1/2008
Q: Around my house, I have a few scratches on my hard wood floors as well as a few paint spots. What ... A: Did you get your answers? I don't know how people get tossed in to the Question Pool ...but I will ...
tile floor removal	8/31/2008
Q: We have just removed ceramic tile that was installed on a sub-floor from our foyer. We plan to ... A: Well the area is over wood / subfloor correct? I would try to duplicate what they had originally if ...
cracking grout on new tile install	8/30/2008
Q: I hired a tile guy to install porcelain tile on the floor in our two bathrooms on August 20th 2008. ... A: The tile / grout enhancer is the sealer..... Typically the grout starts to crack and chip out due ...
Duraceramic/vinyl/ceramic/laminate quandry	8/30/2008
Q: My kitchen floor needs to be replaced. It butts up to h/w in the dining room, and continues into a ... A: I am an old skool kinda guy...I go for the real tile and real engineered woods ...but have come to ...
tiled shower floor	8/30/2008
Q: I had a plumber sub out a shower to be tiled for a customer. We had a verbal agreement on this ... A: Sorry for the mess ...I am trying to determine what role you play ...are you the installer...or ...
TRANSITION MOULDING	8/29/2008
Q: 3/4 inch brazillian cherry solid to be installed over 3/4 advantec next to tile that finishes at 1 ... A: Al I am cruising through the question pool answering what I can ....you can use a wood molding ...
carpet seams	8/28/2008
Q: we were buying a newly constructed home. The living room size is 14x19.5 and the master is 14x17.5 ... A: ..many times the flooring installers have to follow seam diagrams to make sure they do not run over ...
outdoor upper roof deck	8/28/2008
Q: Chris, We are about to pull up a 7 year old upper balcony deck of Rhino Deck up that posed numerous ... A: Bronwen , Will the structure hold the weight of stone ...lime stone ...if not then porcelain would ...
tile	8/28/2008
Q: I am considering installing slate tile on a roof top deck can this be done in a way to prevent ... A: I would not hesitate to install a waterproof membrane on the sublayer. This roll on application will ...
stone or tile over wood flooring	8/27/2008
Q: We just finished building a new pier and beam home. We installed 1x12 wood flooring througout the ... A: Elisha , Hi ...it is not possible to install tile directly to the 1x2's. You will have to add ...
tile	8/27/2008
Q: I am considering installing slate tile on a roof top deck can this be done in a way to prevent ... A: ..you would have to water proof the deck and create a drainage / run off to deliberately control ...
Installing ceramic floor tile over vinyl floor	8/27/2008
Q: I am a general contractor, mostly self taught. I am in the process of doing a job where I need to ... A: I know exactly what you are going through.....If you really want to do it right you will take the ...
parkay	8/26/2008
Q: I had a water leak under part of my tile in the kitchen. The floor underneath is concrete. It ... A: ..the wood has absorbed moisture and may be slightly swollen still ...Can you remove all the ...
leveling a floor	8/26/2008
Q: Chris, My wife and I bought a home where they had converted the patio into a sun room. Our problem ... A: I am trying to visualize your situation? I am struggling. Of course you can have it leveled...or you ...
Tile without underlayment?	8/26/2008
Q: We have an old, 12” x 12” linoleum tile floor in the kitchen. The floor has many missing/broken ... A: It is not a matter of agreement ...it is a matter of following instructions. If you read an ...
Laminate Underlayment	8/26/2008
Q: I have puchased a laminate flooring with the backing attached. I am installing in an upstairs room ... A: Charlie ...no sir you sure don't ...you got an easy set up there... Just be careful that the floors ...
floating floor, below grade, various questions	8/26/2008
Q: I've done a fair bit of research but am still a little confused nevertheless. And I'd like to make ... A: No you are not taking advantage ...thanks for allowing me to be of service ...sorry it's been a ...
Grout Crumbling Problem	8/25/2008
Q: Chris, I was reading through your previous answers and noticed that you have some experience with ... A: Yes unfortunately the problem exists in the first step ...you need to install the Hardi Backer ...
Exterior tile over old concrete	8/25/2008
Q: I have an old large back patio slab that I would like to cover with ceramic or other hard tile. ... A: Jerry, There are materials made just for your situation ...it is an underlying membrane ...or ...
Exterior subfloor	8/25/2008
Q: Chris. My husband and I are about to move into a new home and want to build an above ground deck (we ... A: Well now that I see what you are speaking of .....what a dilema... I am going out on a limb ...
oil stains on vinyl floor	8/25/2008
Q: I purchased a kitchen divider with for wheels. Oil leaked from the wheels and discolored my floor. ... A: ..it was old and just sitting in the "question pool" So as much as I wish it could be fixed ..Sadly ...
Finish nailer for the hardwood floors	8/25/2008
Q: Stupid question, I have a finish nailer and was wondering if I'm installing Hardwood floors, do I ... A: .. I have always rented or owned the proper tool for the job. The angle nailer and brads for it ...
Exterior subfloor	8/24/2008
Q: Chris. My husband and I are about to move into a new home and want to build an above ground deck (we ... A: I am going to assume that the exterior climate will be conducive to all types of wood ...
putting flooring on a concrete slab	8/24/2008
Q: We are finishing a basement. There will be a propane stove in one corner. We intend to install ... A: ... I looked up Delta FL on goggle. http://www.deltafl.com/ It is 5/16" and I will assume your ...
Tile to wood joints	8/24/2008
Q: I am jioning wood laminate floors to ceramic tiles. my builder suggested the easy option with a ... A: Do you want wood / metal/ or other type of product to complete this transition? I am assuming you ...
installing hard wood floors	8/24/2008
Q: My husband and I recently purchased a home with lots of laminate wood floors. We want to replace ... A: You are correct Fran ...the laminate is just laying there on some padding ...bouncing / flexing/ ...
LAMINATE FLOOR	8/23/2008
Q: I HAD SOME WATER DAMAGE IN MY HALL AND KITCHEN, I HAVE A LARGE OPEN FLOOR PLAN. I WOOD LIKE TO SAVE ... A: ..I am cruising the question pool for fun today ...trying to help where I can .. Can you cut 1 or 2 ...
installing hard wood floors	8/23/2008
Q: My husband and I recently purchased a home with lots of laminate wood floors. We want to replace ... A: No you can not use the laminate floating floor as a subfloor....You must remove it install any type ...
Crackling in Laminate Flooring	8/23/2008
Q: We purchased Armstrong Flooring from a flooring company and it was installed in January of this ... A: What a mess..... I responded to a post ...weeks ago...see my previous questions/ answers...Jim and ...
Crackling in Laminate Flooring	8/22/2008
Q: We purchased Armstrong Flooring from a flooring company and it was installed in January of this ... A: You are the 3rd person in a month to have this problem ....the padding/ underlayment is the ...
grouting 1/16 inch grout lines	8/21/2008
Q: I put in 18" travertine floor tile with a 1/16 inch spacing. I tried grouting last night and had ... A: Paul , ' Yes you need to thin it down so it is like thin pudding...Then it will flow much better and ...
frustrated carpet seams	8/21/2008
Q: I have a company that is having me install their carpet for them and I am doing a double stick glue ... A: Kenny...Are you using the double stick seam tape and iron ??? Orcon came out with a seam tape ...
porcelain tile installation	8/21/2008
Q: I am installing porcelain tile in my laundry room and was told that I could install porcelain over ... A: The laundry room is relatively small ? Correct....I really would recommend tearing it out, here's ...
TILE	8/21/2008
Q: MY DILEMMA! I'M WANTING TO PUT TILE FLOORS IN MY LIVING & DINING ROOMS. SUBFLOOR IS 3/4 PLYWOOD & ... A: Rick ...you must apply Hardi backer anyway...or you must use 3/4 plywood. Since the total ...
Hardwood vs. Engineered wood in kitchen	8/20/2008
Q: We want to put wood in our LR and Kitchen...I'm leaning toward an engineered wood (American Red ... A: Any real solid wood has to be nailed down anyway...that's why they invented engineered wood ...for ...
wet carpet in basement	8/20/2008
Q: I had a pipe break in my basement ceiling and soaked a small part of my rug and padding. It got ... A: ... You must remove the padding and get rid of it ...that is the sponge of the whole situation ...
bamboo flooring vs. ceramic tile/carpet	8/20/2008
Q: We just came out of hurricane Dolly. I need to decide, stay with carpet, or change to ceramic tile ... A: Yes wood does dent ...if you drop something on it it will take a little hit...if you are lucky it ...
vinyl floor	8/19/2008
Q: When the counters in my kitchen were tiled over, some of the grout spilled onto the vinyl floor. I ... A: What type of vinyl floor? Liquid cleaners such as grout haze remover work well for most surfaces. I ...
floor reducers	8/19/2008
Q: We have just had black and white vinyl tiles installed in our kitchen. Where that floor meets our ... A: As you said the sub floor and vinyl tile are higher than the oak...and you need to cover the ...
tile grout spilled on vinyl floor	8/19/2008
Q: When the counters in my kitchen were tiled, alot of the grout used for the tiles on the counter ... A: Did you get your answers? I don't know how people get tossed in to the Question Pool ...but I will ...
floor reducers	8/18/2008
Q: We have just had black and white vinyl tiles installed in our kitchen. Where that floor meets our ... A: I do not know where you can find it ....I have never seen it ...I am very familiar with what you are ...
floor reducers	8/18/2008
Q: We have just had black and white vinyl tiles installed in our kitchen. Where that floor meets our ... A: Did you get your answers? I don't know how people get tossed in to the Question Pool ...but I will ...
selecting best type of flooring material for floating floor in basement	8/18/2008
Q: I've done a fair bit of research but am still a little confused nevertheless. And I'd like to make ... A: the product you are describing may have existed at one time...it might have even been popular. We ...
removing adhesive residue from hardwood	8/18/2008
Q: The adhesive has dried on the hardwood when installing and we have tried acetone to remove. The ... A: Well I have been there done that ....lol...On the job we use paint thinner...Always a bucket of rags ...
porcelain tile markings and scuff maks	8/17/2008
Q: Our porcelain tile was installed a few years ago. The original tile was matte (no shine). Today, the ... A: ..I have left marks on tile when on the job ...I used to wear my dark soled rockport shoes...And ...
Carpet over concrete	8/17/2008
Q: We have removed an old carpet & pad from our concrete basement floor. We have cleaned and were ... A: I assume you will install new pad and new carpet? Did you leave the tack strip at the wall down ...
follow up question	8/17/2008
Q: Chris! You answered a couple tile questions for me a while back. To refresh your memory, my ... A: Yes Libby ...even though he is a nice guy, you have the grounds for a small claims case here if he ...
follow up question	8/17/2008
Q: Chris! You answered a couple tile questions for me a while back. To refresh your memory, my ... A: Ohhh my , you have quite a dilemma on your hands...the cement board must have a bonding agent under ...
tiled bathroom floor	8/16/2008
Q: can 2x2 in tile be laid over existing sheet vinyl floor and how would 2x2 in tile look on the floor ... A: Louise , I swear I answered this question once before...was it you ? Any way I was wavering ...
Carpeting	8/16/2008
Q: Is it possible to carpet a round lobby in a restaurant, and what type of woven floor covering would ... A: ..Yes it is possible to install a circular / round area... I do not make recommendations...nor do I ...
Replacing carpet with vinyl	8/15/2008
Q: I have some 20 year old carpet in a small walkin pantry that I want to replace with some vinyl. How ... A: ... There is a whole series of procedures i can write a book ....If you tell me what the dimensions ...
Replacing carpet with vinyl	8/14/2008
Q: I have some 20 year old carpet in a small walkin pantry that I want to replace with some vinyl. How ... A: There are a few details that you will need to consider.. Firstly the removal of the carpet ...tack ...
2x2 inch tiles	8/13/2008
Q: How do you think using 2x2 inch tiles will look on a bathroom floor. they will be the same tiles on ... A: What tiles / size is on the shower dam? I have used 2x2 on the floors with 6x6's on the dams and ...
Slate tile over concrete patio	8/12/2008
Q: Chris, I have a concrete patio that is several inches thick and have decided to put slate tile over ... A: Last time i looked Home Depot has the crack suppression membrane...Apply this set with a very small ...
Cork underlayment under Engineered Maple Nail down	8/12/2008
Q: Chris, how is the best method to install 9/16 Engineered Maple flooring over cork underlayment? ... A: If you are using sheet products...and nailing the floor down the nails themselves and the weight of ...
Grout Crumbling Problem	8/11/2008
Q: Chris, I was reading through your previous answers and noticed that you have some experience with ... A: ..Gee I am so sorry for your frustration... I will be frank with you ....if you purchased new grout ...
parque floor	8/9/2008
Q: i have a parque floor with some loose pieces in the middle of the floor. is there some way i can ... A: ..I have repaired floors when the customer provided a material that was stored away for a rainy day. ...
Tile Grout	8/7/2008
Q: I grouted a new tile floor two days ago. I've noticed that there are spots that are chipping in the ... A: I am guessing here as I do not know all the particulars of the project. Subfloor strata , type of ...
Crackling	8/6/2008
Q: I saw your post about a crackling sound with Grand Illusions laminate and Quiet Comfort ... A: Mr./Mrs. Pope I am very sorry to hear of this similar problem. I am thinking as you describe it ...
full spread glue down engineer hardwood	8/5/2008
Q: I have 100Sq feet of glue down engineer wood i NEED up what is the best way to get it up? It on ... A: Take a circular saw and set the blade depth just so it is barely off the concrete slab. Run your saw ...
hardwood floors vs other floors	8/4/2008
Q: What is your advice on these, real hardwood or engineered, laminate? Is it better to get real wood ... A: I do know that some dogs will indeed scratch the wood floors .. I can imagine the larger ones will. ...
tiling a concrete floor in a car repair shop.	8/3/2008
Q: i m tiling a car repair shop floor the workarea was wondering what is the best glue to use?? the ... A: I am in the USA ... I do not know what it is you are installing? I ask again ...what tile / ...
hardwood floors vs other floors	8/3/2008
Q: What is your advice on these, real hardwood or engineered, laminate? Is it better to get real wood ... A: so 3 questions and 3 answers ....ok Pets , pet urine will damage any wood floor , it gets absorbed ...
saltillo tile installation	8/1/2008
Q: i want to install a saltillo tile floor in my kitchen and have a couple questions. 1) the subfloor ... A: If you want to install tile / saltillo tile will the structure handle the weight. There are methods ...
Repairing and removing a glued down engineered floor?	8/1/2008
Q: I had a chemical spill on part of an engineered floor that I laid down a few months ago (the glued ... A: Ok ...I will give you a thorough answer after work Saturday evening... sorry for the delay ...once ...
Deflection	7/30/2008
Q: We decided to install hardwood floors and pull up our carpet in 3 rooms on the first floor of our ... A: many times the slabs in a tract housing project needed to be ground down at the high areas prior to ...
Laminate Flooring	7/30/2008
Q: My husband and I are getting ready to install laminate (Pergo)flooring in our kitchen and living ... A: That description is much different than what I assumed. This is a good thing....the tile you removed ...
crumbling grout	7/30/2008
Q: all. I read your site, I really enjoy it & have gotten a lot of useful information from it. Have a ... A: Yes it has happened to me before too. Way back when I was told to glue the hardi backer down and ...
OSB as flooring	7/29/2008
Q: My kitchen in the house I am remodling is huge.I like the look of OSB in this application and it is ... A: Margarette, I am not aware of any tiles made of OSB(oriented strand board) ....Please enlighten me ...
Laminate Flooring	7/28/2008
Q: My husband and I are getting ready to install laminate (Pergo)flooring in our kitchen and living ... A: .. In the tile areas, I gather the floor underneath is wood and as you said the sagging .../ ...
Issue with unlevel flooring	7/28/2008
Q: I recently purchased a home built in 1960. The home has a crawl space. In the middle of the home, ... A: ..I will be assuming much here. #1 You did not say specifically how much the floor deviates. If you ...
old tile	7/27/2008
Q: We are planning on redoing the bathroom in the basement. Can we put a layer of mud over an existing ... A: Yes you can if the old tile is very well bonded to the floor...I assume the basement is concrete? ...
Floating Floor	7/24/2008
Q: I am installing a bamboo floor, brand Yanchi, either handscraped or stained, but I am curious about ... A: Alan , I looked up your product ...here http://www.yanchiflooring.com/products.htm I did not see ...
hardwood floors	7/23/2008
Q: Can installing prefinished oak hardwood floor over particle board cause the hardwood to crack along ... A: If the flooring was nailed down properly (through the tongue) and the groove side then tapped into ...
hardwood floors	7/22/2008
Q: Can installing prefinished oak hardwood floor over particle board cause the hardwood to crack along ... A: I don't think you gave enough information for me to respond properly.... I have never heard of ...
20x20cm porcelain tiles	7/21/2008
Q: We're building a house in Costa Rica and recently purchased some 20x20 porcelain tile. When I look ... A: This is not normal in my opinion....All 4 sides should be exactly the same with a factory ...
Repairing and removing a glued down engineered floor?	7/20/2008
Q: I had a chemical spill on part of an engineered floor that I laid down a few months ago (the glued ... A: Did you ever get an answer??? I see your question in the so called pond , or questuion pool. I am ...
yellow tongue flooring	7/20/2008
Q: don't know if you have this product in the States but in Aussie, we have what is called ... A: I am not familiar with this flooring/ subfloor...but I am guessing that it is the like any ...
exterior slate tile steps	7/18/2008
Q: i want to install 12x12 slate tile over existing concrete steps. the problem is i can't get the last ... A: Now let's see if I can help..... 12x12 over existing concrete steps....usually no problem I am ...
choosing a laminate flooring	7/17/2008
Q: WE want to install a laminate floor in a craft room area we are making in our basement. We had the ... A: From my experience I have used discount warehouses to purchase materials and / or bring the customer ...
ceramic tile on slab	7/16/2008
Q: We are having our kitchen re-done and the new ceramic tile is not level on our slab. Our home is ... A: I am trying to ascertain if the slab is not level ....has it ever been level ...or is the new tile ...
Matching laminate Flooring	7/16/2008
Q: There was laminate flooring installed in the front room of the house. It connects to the kitchen ... A: I was searching Google yesterday and stumbled upon 2 names of laminate flooring made in ...
WATER PROOFING CEMENT FLOOR	7/15/2008
Q: I live in Largo, Fl. I have a 6-8" cement floor in my family room that originally was built as a ... A: I need to know , is this a slab foundation ? The one area that would concern me is the tack strip ...
Screened-in porch flooring	7/15/2008
Q: We have a screened-in porch that has in-door, out-door carpet on it now. Would it be possible to ... A: I am sorry to say vinyl is one of the most sensitive floors when considering moisture. Very prone to ...
laminate-carpet	7/14/2008
Q: we have installed a laminate floor in one of our rooms. It butts up to carpet in another. How do ... A: If you have not received an answer yet I would gladly give you some visual links to comprehend the ...
WATER PROOFING CEMENT FLOOR	7/14/2008
Q: I live in Largo, Fl. I have a 6-8" cement floor in my family room that originally was built as a ... A: Yes Laticrete and others make a waterproofing membrane which is roller applied. we use it in ...
tile over concrete	7/11/2008
Q: We have concrete patios and entryways in the back and front of our house. They are 16 years old and ... A: As I have never experienced such dramatic seasonal changes and I am unfamiliar with the nature of ...
tile over concrete	7/10/2008
Q: We have concrete patios and entryways in the back and front of our house. They are 16 years old and ... A: Ice salt? Do you live in an area where you experience freezing temps? This would play a big factor ...
3/8" Engineered Hardwood Strips?	7/9/2008
Q: I saw an Asian Rosewood 3" strip for hardwood floors at Lowes. Problem is it is only 3/8" thick. ... A: I have not seen the product. mathematically , yes that is correct. The question remains, what ...
Trafficmaster Allure Resilient Vinyl Flooring	7/9/2008
Q: I am going to lay this flooring in my family room which is connected to my kitchen. It's really one ... A: Linda I am unable to come up with a solution to your situation ...I can try really thinking out of ...
Prefinished vs. Finished	7/9/2008
Q: In love with the Bloodwood seen at Lumber Liquidators. Problem is it only comes in the 3/4" solid ... A: I have never come across this situation. Are you able to purchase an unfinished engineered product? ...
engineered hardwood glue down vs. floating	7/8/2008
Q: i have recently purchased some very beautiful 3/8 x 3" engineered hardwood, which comes in about 5 ... A: Jim that is good news about the straps...you will need a half dozen or more + to do a room as small ...
refrigerator on tile	7/8/2008
Q: I just finished tiling my kitchen last sunday. I was told that I should wait 2 weeks to put my ... A: i appreciate you getting back . Sounds like a very nice tile. I trust / hope the installer was ...
Small Carpet Cave In - Water Damage?	7/7/2008
Q: About 2 weeks ago near an entrance to my kitchen (laminate) to the living room (carpet), I noticed a ... A: I need to know, or I can assume the floor under the carpet is wood sub floor.How old is the carpet? ...
engineered hardwood glue down vs. floating	7/6/2008
Q: i have recently purchased some very beautiful 3/8 x 3" engineered hardwood, which comes in about 5 ... A: OMG ...did you get that from John Micheals ....I can help, hit me up and I will give you details ...
Creaking Laminate floor	7/5/2008
Q: My husband just reinstalled our new Armstrong "Grand Illusions" laminate floor in our family room ... A: Jim ...I feel that the flooring (wood) should cause the underlayment to collapse and lay flat. If ...
Creaking Laminate floor	7/4/2008
Q: My husband just reinstalled our new Armstrong "Grand Illusions" laminate floor in our family room ... A: ..happy 4Th of July... Jim I know exactly what you are thinking, yeah that is funny how it will ...
vinyl plank flooring	7/4/2008
Q: what kind of glue do you recommend for vinyl plank tile? they call for novalis glue or henry 422. ... A: Vinyl plank floor and vinyl tile ...real vinyl tiles require a special acrylic adhesive to bond with ...
carpet threshold installation tips	7/3/2008
Q: I hope you can help me, I'm on such a limited budget I can't afford a new carpet, so i need advice ... A: Yes ...you can do this. If you need installation tips. I will try to walk you through it. Is the ...
porcelain tile	7/2/2008
Q: I am installing 18 x 18 porcelain tile over 12 x 12 ceramic tile, I cleaned the floor but did not ... A: The next step is too take up the tiles and clean them off. Clean the floor and use the flat side of ...
Creaking Laminate floor	7/1/2008
Q: My husband just reinstalled our new Armstrong "Grand Illusions" laminate floor in our family room ... A: ..Hmmm I have a few thoughts.... First I always made sure that no cuts were touching the door jambs ...
Creaking Laminate floor	6/30/2008
Q: My husband just reinstalled our new Armstrong "Grand Illusions" laminate floor in our family room ... A: Jean I am sorry to hear about your flooring problems after all the efforts you went through to get ...
tile over terazzo	6/30/2008
Q: is it possible to install ceramic tiles over terrazzo floor? what other durable, minimum care ... A: There are specialty cements made just for this application, they cost a bit more and have superior ...
Old 9x9 tiles	6/30/2008
Q: I have a few damaged tiles in my basement I want to replace. They are the old 9x9 tiles commonly ... A: yes , what you stated is true. 9x9 Tiles are no longer made, especially the asbestos type. Most if ...
Squeeks under Carpet Runner	6/30/2008
Q: I have a couple squeeks on a couple stairs right under the carpet runner. I thought to drive pins ... A: Help me by providing a little information...I wish I could just look in my crystal ball and say ...
vinyl tile	6/29/2008
Q: i have existing vinyl tile in my basement and i am going put new vinyl tile over it. i wanted to ... A: What size tile is down ....and what is the new size? Try to off set the joint by at least 1 inch to ...
Mixing sizes of ceramic tile on a kitchen floor	6/26/2008
Q: I would like to know if I can use 2 sizes of tile (ceramic) on my kitchen floor: 12 x 12 and 18 x ... A: Please state the exact type of material you are using ....stone /ceramic/porcelain?...some products ...
Hardwood floor finish	6/25/2008
Q: We just had an oak hardwood floor installed and existing hardwood refinshed. The wood was staned ... A: There is a multitude of problems going on here... 1 You have two floors basically.Are both the new ...
carpet over carpet	6/22/2008
Q: I have 1600 sq ft office space that is presently covered with commercial jute back carpet glued to ... A: Although it is not recommended by any company or institute of standards. It has been done many ...
refrigerator on tile	6/21/2008
Q: I just finished tiling my kitchen last sunday. I was told that I should wait 2 weeks to put my ... A: Deanna What kind of tile ...??? ceramic / porcelain? ....No you can put it back right away if the ...
Transitioning Laminate	6/16/2008
Q: I recently put laminate flooring in my kitchen. I have completed all the transitions except for the ... A: ..did you get an answer yet ? I know of the terms I speak. I will post links for visual reference. ...
tilelab	6/13/2008
Q: We had ceramic tile with beige grout installed a week ago. I usually buy Aqua Mix Sealers Choice ... A: Tile labs ...is junk ...please find then aqua mix and or Tec products ...the reason tile labs is ...

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