For questions regarding various types of floor coverings in general, including hardwood and laminate board, tile, carpet, and sheet flooring (linoleum/vinyl). For questions about the structure beneath this top layer, please see the "floor" tag.
2
votes
3answers
49 views
How can I remove tile grout from floorboards?
We've removed old ceramic tiles that cover a tongue and groove bathroom floor. What is a good way to remove the hard tile grout that now covers the floor?
EDIT: updated title as we've found Rimu is ...
3
votes
2answers
75 views
How can I install T molding on concrete subflooring?
I'm at the point where I want to install some T molding for the transition from our main room to the bedrooms. I just took a look at the directions and they only show screwing the track into the ...
6
votes
1answer
2k views
How to stop outside rainwater from coming in under the wall and through the concrete floor of my garage conversion?
I have got a problem with an attached garage converted den in a 1978 built brick home.
The heavy spring rains are redirected to the two year old perforated drain system on the side of the house ...
3
votes
3answers
223 views
Can I install hardwood floors (not floating) on a concrete floor?
We have recently bought an old house, and the ground floor has a hard floor and is currently covered in tongue and groove laminate - which we hate.
We'd like to put reclaimed floorboards down - is ...
2
votes
3answers
91 views
Shall I undercut the drywall to let the baseboard cover the hardwood floor expansion gap?
I am going to replace my carpet with Engineered hardwood floor(the choice would be Kahrs floating installed floor). The problem I am facing is my baseboard is thin. It's not able to cover the ...
3
votes
1answer
76 views
Should I use underlay when tiling a bathroom?
Recently I had a water leak in the bathroom.
I noticed water spilling out from the tiles grouting and I removed them to prevent any more water penetration.
I noticed that the following layers have ...
4
votes
4answers
245 views
How can I transition between these floors?
I have recently fitted some new laminate flooring to my living room floor. This floor meets directly with the tiled floor of the kitchen. I'm looking to fit some sort of transition bar between the ...
4
votes
1answer
93 views
How do I repair water-damaged hardwood floors?
We moved a pot plant that was sitting on top of the wood floor. We discovered there's a wet spot about 2 inches wide where a couple of seams meet.
The wet spot has probably been there for months.
...
6
votes
2answers
2k views
How can I strengthen attic rafters for storage?
I have standard 2x4 rafters and want to use it just for storage and I am worried they are not strong enough. I was thinking I could buddy ( or sister) up the 2x4's with another 2x4 or 2x6. or stack ...
1
vote
1answer
72 views
Do soft casters on rolling chars hurt hardwood floors?
Or should I just get a floor mat? Obviously I'd rather have the soft casters, if they do the job, but if they don't it's not worth it. What should I do?
3
votes
4answers
463 views
How to remove construction adhesive from concrete?
We removed a wooden dance floor that was glued to concrete with liquid nails. How do I remove the liquid nails that is all over the concrete floor? Has anyone had success with heat, mineral spirits ...
2
votes
1answer
135 views
How should I prepare a plywood subfloor for floating vinyl plank flooring?
The floor of my laundry room was three layers of hideous vinyl flooring of various vintages, a layer of 3/4" plywood underlayment (to match the height of the vinyl to surrounding hardwood flooring) ...
4
votes
5answers
2k views
Can porcelain tiles be installed over ceramic tiles?
We have a large portion of our house with ceramic flooring which is now looking very old fashioned. It has large grout lines (3/8 inch) which are white and almost impossible to keep clean. We do not ...
1
vote
1answer
181 views
Should I carpet the stairs or install hardwood flooring first?
I will have hardwood on my first floor and carpet on the stairs and 2nd floor. My question is: regarding the transition, is it better to carpet the stairs first and then do the hardwood (as to avoid ...
2
votes
2answers
91 views
Does cork flooring underlayment have to be glued down?
I'm finally getting around to installing an engineered floating floor in our living room. It's 1/2" thick. I am looking at using 1/4" cork underlayment underneath such as this from Home Depot.
It ...
1
vote
1answer
91 views
How do I replace the front door on a stucco house?
I'm going to be taking out the various floors that have been laid in our house down to the sub floor so wood flooring can be laid. But in doing so the floor will be about 1 inch lower than what it ...
1
vote
1answer
2k views
How far apart should timber joists be for an MDF floor?
Background
I am starting my first serious DIY project - converting our garage into a playroom for the kids. The garage floor is concrete.
My plan is to run timber (Sawn Kiln Dried Timber (L)3000 x ...
2
votes
2answers
117 views
Should I peel off the top layer of vinyl in preparation for tiling?
I'm preparing my kitchen floor for ceramic tile. Currently it's a sheet of vinyl(linoleum?). The plan was to sand off any gloss and tile over it. I was going around the edges picking off any loose ...
2
votes
1answer
254 views
Should I try to remove backer board and leave the plywood subfloor in place?
Currently I have ceramic tile in the main hallways of my house. I am looking to replace this with hardwood flooring and will potentially be performing the demolition work myself to save money. I know ...
8
votes
3answers
2k views
Is a radiant floor enough to heat the room?
I would like to know if an electric or hydronic radiant floor is enough to heat the room or if it's just to have a warm floor. And if yes, what is the efficiency (the time it take to warm the room, ...
4
votes
2answers
127 views
How can I replace a board in floating wood floor?
I have a condo with a concrete subfloor so I floated an engineered wood floor above it. It's not a "click-lock" floor, it's a glued T&G install.
A contractor recently did some work in the unit ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
What should I do about a hardwood floor that's sagging between the joists?
I recent bought an older (1890) house. On the original floors, the wood flooring is sagging between the joists--you can feel the height difference as you walk, up and down, up and down. It's firm, ...
4
votes
3answers
278 views
How do I fix bubbles under linoleum flooring?
We put down a sheet 12X9 of linoleum in our kitchen and it went under the new cabinets and baseboard. The flooring depot said no glue was needed. Well now we have bubbles, a great big one and several ...
3
votes
2answers
191 views
Is it a good idea to put 1/4" XPS under engineered floors?
We're pulling out the carpet in a room next to a room with hardwood floors. After removing the carpet and putting down the engineered floor, we'll be 1/4" short of the hardwood.
Options:
Use ...
-2
votes
2answers
264 views
Should I have a break between rooms when installing laminate flooring?
I'm going to be putting in laminate flooring in my basement on top of a concrete slab. The basement consists of two rooms, the boards will be running perpendicular to the wall with the door between ...
0
votes
3answers
533 views
How do I cut a brick fireplace hearth to allow for a laminate flooring expansion gap?
I am attempting to cut a small piece out of the brick fireplace (already in place) to allow for the expansion of the floating laminate flooring that I am installing. I don’t want to just leave the ...
1
vote
1answer
66 views
How do I install vapor-retarder underlayment paper under vinyl floor planks?
Do I overlap the sheets of paper or are the seams supposed to lay flat against each other? Is it okay to use nails to hold it down, or does it have to be stapled? Can I use silicone to seal the ...
2
votes
1answer
49 views
How do I install a range anti-tip kit into hardwood floor on concrete?
I'm preparing to install an anti-tip kit for an electric range. It's a piece of shaped metal designed to be bolted to the floor with two screws or bolts. The floor is hardwood (probably engineered) ...
1
vote
0answers
72 views
Is this a scuff on my hardwood floor? How can I fix it?
We've tried using a whole bunch of wood cleaning products for this and similar marks on our floor, but nothing seems to work. What exactly am I dealing with here and how can I fix it?
2
votes
1answer
166 views
What can I do about a toilet drain pipe that is too high above the floor?
My toilet drain pipe protrudes about 1/3" above the floor, and makes the toilet wobbly. What can I do to fix this?
0
votes
1answer
91 views
How can I figure out where this water is coming from?
I have the situation where my shower piping is leaking underneath a tiled floor. This only occurs when the shower is running, suggesting a drainage issue.
The pipe passes from the shower faucet ...
0
votes
0answers
57 views
Is it possible to purchase giant sheets of foam rubber flooring?
I need to install a ring of anti-fatigue mat material (foam/rubber) that has an outside diameter of 20 ft and inside diameter of 12 ft. I seem to only find it sold as interlocking squares though ...
2
votes
1answer
67 views
Which tile cutter to use for commercial flooring tiles?
I am putting (vinyl?) commercial flooring tiles in one of my hallways. The product I've seen one guy (pro) use at a supermarket once was this:
Now, that baby is $200+. I was wondering whether the ...
1
vote
1answer
106 views
How should I remove carpet in preparation for sanding and polishing floorboards?
I have a bedroom I want to convert into a nursery. The room's mostly carpeted, with a small section missing where a wardrobe was built in. From what I can see, it's just carpet over floorboards, no ...
2
votes
2answers
478 views
Should I run laminate continuously through rooms, or separate with T moulding?
I am installing laminate flooring in an area that has two bedrooms and a living area. The bedrooms are about 150 sq ft each and the living space is around 250 sq ft.
--------------- ...
1
vote
2answers
535 views
Can I float a tongue-and-grooved 1x12 pine floor over a concrete slab on grade?
I have bare concrete floor that was, until recently, covered with carpet. After recently seeing a friend of mine purchase raw pine, shape the tongue-and-groove himself, and seal it to achieve a ...
2
votes
3answers
190 views
How to make a Bevel Lap Splice joint, for connecting a portable floor?
I'm new to woodworking, and I've read that I could potentially create this joint using a table saw, jointer, or even a circular saw - but I do not want to rent/purchase one and find out that I can't.
...
11
votes
8answers
35k views
What direction should laminate flooring be placed in?
I'm thinking of installing laminate flooring and have a question: If I'm installing laminate throughout the house, should ALL of it be going in the same direction?
Say for example, let's say I have ...
5
votes
4answers
434 views
How can I protect my hardwood floors from water damage?
I just bought a home with hardwood floors everywhere, including the bathrooms. While this is nice, I worry that they will be damaged by constant exposure to water. Is there anything I can do to ...
6
votes
2answers
133 views
Is cork an effective solution to reverberation problems?
I own a small English language academy in Spain. After a rebuild last summer I find that problems with reverberation persist. This is at its worst when less people are present but I'm looking for a ...
3
votes
1answer
234 views
How long does radiant heat in a concrete floor last?
I am looking to purchase a home built in 1950 that has radiant heat with copper pipes inside the concrete slab foundation. The home has been vacant for a little while now too, not sure if that ...
0
votes
1answer
295 views
How can I determine if there is asbestos in something?
I pulled up some old flooring. Underneath there is material that looks like paper, maybe fabric, that is glued to the hardwood below. I would like to refinish the hardwood. Is there an easy way to ...
4
votes
1answer
527 views
How do I install carpet tiles in a below grade room?
A few years ago, I saw an advertisement for carpet tiles that had a jagged edge so there would be less movement in the interlock between tiles, and prevented the need for glue. (would like to find ...
1
vote
1answer
106 views
How do I repair my porcelain floor?
How can I repair chips in a white porcelain floor? The chips came from dropping heavy cans, and they are small, less than pencil eraser size.
4
votes
2answers
1k views
Should I nail, and glue my hardwood flooring?
Well since I'm waiting for an answer on my first hardwood floor question I might as well throw my second question out there too.
I’m face nailing my new hardwood flooring (Tasmanian Blackwood 19mm x ...
4
votes
1answer
185 views
Waterproofing nail holes in a hardwood bathroom floor?
I’m face nailing my new hardwood flooring (Tasmanian Blackwood 19mm x 130mm) then puttying the knot holes and nail holes. This will be done through the whole house. The subfloor is Particle Board ...
2
votes
1answer
173 views
Should I install floating solid bamboo flooring?
I have been looking at flooring choices for my new home. The house currently has carpeting on the upper story and a cheap laminate floor on the ground floor. I'm planning on replacing both.
I've been ...
3
votes
3answers
2k views
How can I fix a bathtub that was not set properly?
I think the floor was not prepped correctly. The tub creaks a lot and there is a great deal of vertical play when standing and moving around.
The tub does appear to be level, so I don't think that's ...
7
votes
2answers
248 views
What do I need to do to raise a subfloor?
We're installing an engineered wood flooring in a room that already has a plywood subfloor. The engineered flooring will be 1/4" shy of the height of the hardwood in the other rooms, so I'd like to ...
3
votes
2answers
577 views
Vinyl tile installation over a concrete basement floor with moisture
I would like to put some sort of flooring over part of my basement. Something with the look and simple installation of an interlocking garage tile (example) would fit the bill -- this isn't a living ...
