Best Flooring Companies in Amherst

Flooring is a vital part of both home decor and functionality. Old, damaged, worn, or dated flooring is unattractive and pose tripping hazards. Fortunately, there are many available flooring options that support easy installation by DIYers. Laminate flooring, vinyl tiles, and hardwood floors are a few popular selections. Get some helpful tips and information about these and other flooring choices for valuable guidance on restoring flooring in your home. 

Sweep with a broom or dust mop regularly. Frequency depends on foot traffic and the amount of dust, dirt, and pet hair buildup. Mop hardwood floors with a damp cloth or sponge and liquid hardwood floor cleaner. Use a dry mop or cloth after mopping to remove any standing water. 

Cut off the tongues of the boards that will lay against the walls with a utility knife or saw. Lay the first planks groove-side out 1/4-3/8 of an inch from the wall. Work from right to left, and use a rubber mallet and tapping block. Measure and saw planks as needed to fit.

Cut the tongues off the boards for the wall edge. Remove the adhesive backing and begin laying the planks in the corner, and leave a small gap. Cut the final plank to fit. Start the second row with a shorter piece to create a staggered pattern. Continue measuring and cutting as required.

Start by removing any furniture and fixtures from the room. Look for an exposed edge to start prying up the tile. Use a pole scraper, pry bar, or hammer and chisel to get between the tile and the subfloor. Break the adhesive seal and remove each of the tiles, piece by piece.

Nail the first row of boards to the subfloor through the face with flooring nails. Do the same to the last row at the end. Fit the boards together with a mallet and tapping block, nailing the remaining rows through the tongues. Stagger the joints in each row. Trim the planks abutting the wall edges.

Remove wobbly nails, tap down protruding ones, and fasten loose floorboards. Remove the molding. Run a belt sander along the grain using rough sandpaper. Move to increasingly finer grits with each pass. Apply an edger to the corners and edges. Smooth the wood with a floor buffer. Clean the surface, and finish with lacquer.

Use chalk lines to measure and mark the room's center. Begin laying the self-adhesive tiles from the middle, using those lines as guides. Lay the tiles flush with each other, working by quadrants. Cut the tiles with a utility knife where required. Use a rolling pin to secure the adhesive bond to the subfloor.

Joists are part of the underlying floor system, providing support to the flooring materials above. They often span flooring that’s positioned over other levels of a home or building. Joists are typically made of natural or engineered wood.

Determine the proper size and placement of leveling strips with a level. Cut triangular, tapering leveling strips to the proper height. Lay the taller sides in the lowest areas, creating a level surface. Check accuracy, and adjust as needed. Cut strips for 16-inch spacing in the recessed area. Screw them down. Fasten plywood over them.

Soap and warm water on a damp cloth removes many water-based paint stains from hardwood. A rubbing alcohol and lemon juice soak works on stubborn stains. Heat from a glue gun can remove oil-based paint. Scrape off any remaining paint with a putty knife that has smooth edges to protect the wood.

Dry clean ceramic and porcelain tile flooring frequently, using a broom or a vacuum with a bare-floor setting. Mop the surface with soap and water twice a month in moderately used areas and more often in high traffic areas. Don’t use a sponge mop. Spot clean the grout as needed.

Vacuum or sweep laminate flooring often to prevent scratches and stains. Damp cloth cleaning is best for this type of flooring, so avoid wet mopping. Use a vinegar and water solution or a retail laminate cleaner in a spray bottle, and a microfiber cloth mop.

Although they're low maintenance, concrete surfaces require intermittent scouring for cleanliness and longevity. A power washer is a good option for concrete garage floors. Polished indoor concrete floors can be maintained with routine dry cleaning followed by wet mopping. Sweep or vacuum the floor as needed, and wash with a mild detergent mixed with water.

Use a homemade cleaning mixture in a spray bottle or a commercial grout cleaner. Lemon juice, vinegar, or bleach can remove grout stains and grime. Spray the grout with the cleaning solution, and let it sit for five to 10 minutes. Rinse, then reapply where needed. Dry the area afterward to prevent water spots.

Remove dirt, paint, oil, and other gunk. Dry completely. Paint the epoxy on with a brush, one small area at a time. Dry overnight. Add a second coat with a roller, concentrating on any thin or missed spots. Allow 48 hours to dry and a week before parking a car on the new floor.

T-molding, a T-strip, or a basic wooden border are simple solutions for wood floor transitions. You can choose between various materials and colors. If the floor areas are different heights, purchase and install a sloping transition strip. These flooring pieces have a small gradient that's designed to compensate for minor height differences.

Ensure six inches of space at the end of the first row. Trim the first plank to accommodate that space, if needed. Cut a plank in half. Start row two with a half plank. Continue. Use a piece cut the same length as the first row's final plank for row three. Repeat until done.