Richmond & Vicinity, Virginia Flooring

When you think of floors, most often you associate this with floor coverings – carpet, tile, wood, or resilient flooring. Like walls, atypical wood-frame floor consists of several layers that work together to provide structural support.

Flooring Introdution

At the underside of the floor are the joists, normally 2 X 10 or larger boards that support the floor weight. Joists are mainly spaced 16 inches apart, measured from the center of 1 to the center of the next. For the floor to be structurally sound, the joists are required to be solid and accurately supported by posts and beams. The sub-floor is nailed to the joists. Modern houses in Richmond & Vicinity (since the 1970's) contain sub-floors that are made of 3/4 inch tongue and groove plywood. Older Richmond & Vicinity homes often consist of 1 inch wood planks nailed diagonally across the joists.

Unless water seeps into the sub-flooring, they will normally last a very long time. Most often plywood is used atop of the sub-floor. For many types of floor coverings such as ceramic tile, stone, or other resilient flooring, adhesive or mortar is placed on top of the plywood prior to the floor covering is installed. Floors bounce when the joists extend too large a distance for the weight applied to them. To make corrections to the problem, supplimentary support is added to the joists and is as a rule installed by professionals.

Maintaining and Cleaning Floor Coverings

Carpets

It is highly suggested that carpets should be vacuumed each day. This might not be doable for the majority of people, but a good rule to follow is to vacuum whenever possible. When vacuuming, begin opposite the door and slowly move the vacuum in lengthy, overlapping strokes.

Bamboo, Cork and Hardwood

For the majority of the time, these types of wood floors do not need much cleaning further than standard sweeping. Professionals suggest that a soft-bristle broom or a vacuum be used to clean these types of floors. Exposure to sunlight can change the color of hardwood after awhile. Moving the furniture around evens out the floor's Sunlight exposure and averts this staining. Another tip to bear in mind is to refrain from wearing high-heeled shoes or spikes on these floors for obvious reasons. An additional recommendation is to maintain a humidity level between 35 - 55%. High humidity can cause swelling and low humidity may cause shrinkage.

Laminate and Resilient Flooring

Resilient flooring often implies sheet or tile vinyl and linoleum flooring. These floors are very easy to maintain. Routine care is made up of utilizing a dust mop or vacuum to remove dust and dirt. These floors should use special cleaning products rather than soap-based detergents or typical "mop and shine" products.

Ceramic Tile and Natural Stone

These floorings are the easiest to keep up. It is strongly recommended not to use soap-based detergents to clean this type of flooring as well. For heavy stains on glazed ceramic tile, mix equal parts of water and white vinegar then test the solution in a discrete area for color fastness. Clean the floor with this mixture with a soft-bristle brush. Grout joints are the most vulnerable part of tile floors. The following areas ought to be cleaned with a soft-bristle brush and a mild detergent. To kill mold and mildew, mix one-part chlorine with ten-parts water. Apply this solution to the stain and let it set for 10 minutes. Scour with either a toothbrush or a soft-bristle brush. Finally, to help grout stay clean, it is recommended that it be sealed every 1-2 years.