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Posts categoriezed as Flooring

Local Reclaimed Lumber

Local Reclaimed Lumber published on 2 Comments on Local Reclaimed Lumber

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It’s not like there’s a reclaimed building material megastore store in every neighborhood. Using second hand lumber is a labor of love. The day we launched we did a post on reclaimed flooring resources, but it was internet based. Since then, we’ve been trying to find local…and less expensive….wood.

Craigslist has been the best resource. If you go this route, you really need to start thinking about your project months in advance and check the postings religiously. The listings exist, from someone who ordered too much flooring to someone taking up a subfloor to someone tearing down an entire house. You should be able to transport the material at the drop of a hat and be willing drive to CT and NJ. It can be a full time job.

M. Fine Lumber is located right here in Brooklyn. They are not some new fancy pants green building supply company. They’ve been in business since the 1930’s and carry all sorts of recycled wood.

Build It Green in Queens is a re-use store. You would have to be extremely lucky to find 500 sq ft of wide plank flooring here. But keep in mind that wood studs and molding don’t grow on trees and yet they can be found here. As well as used electric boxes, cabinets, etc. (Editor’s note: Ok, I know that studs and molding ARE trees. Poetic license.)

The Old Barwood Site is for serious builders. These are whole barns up for sale. National listings but there are a few in upstate NY and PA. If you’re working on a huge project with a contractor, perhaps you can talk the contractor into it. Too much to take on for a simple DIY job.

Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo Flooring published on 3 Comments on Bamboo Flooring

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Bamboo flooring is the choice for many a green renovation. Personally, I haven’t gotten used to the look of it. I prefer classic looking floors that have withstood the test of time. I mean style wise, not durability.

Since bamboo is probably here to stay, let’s take a look at the pros and cons, shall we?

PROS:

Supposedly stronger than many hardwoods. It is resilient and doesn’t dent easily.

Bamboos reach maturity much faster than hardwoods. They can also be cultivated, making this a renewable source.

Highly resistant to moisture. Good for kitchens and bathrooms. We’ve covered countertops here.

If you want a “green” floor this is a less expensive and more convenient option than reclaimed antique wood. Not as nice though!

CONS

Choose the manufacturer wisely! As with anything, you get what you pay for. Some manufacturers harvest bamboo before it is mature enough to produce good quality planks. Four years of growth is recommended.

Again, check into the manufacturer. Make sure they are using glues with low or no formaldehyde and finishes that contain low VOC’s.

Bamboo is mostly harvested in China. We don’t know what the F* is going on in those plants over there. Not only that, that’s a lot of fuel wasted for a green product.

Teragren and Plyboo are 2 companies that distribute locally and keep an eye on their production.

Wood Tile

Wood Tile published on 3 Comments on Wood Tile

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I love these! I’m not a huge fan of parquet floors, but this wood mosaic and herringbone look is hot. Yeah, I said “hot”. Just shoot me now.

Since wood + water don’t mix, my first question was “But how do you grout?” Well, you use epoxy thinset and epoxy grout. The tiles are recommended for backsplashes, wainscoting or as accents. I’m assuming you can use them for floors in low traffic areas that don’t see any moisture.

Anchor Bay Tile offers 9 choices of real wood tile from sustainable forests. At $25.50 per square foot, it would be a tough nut to crack for the entire floor anyway. It ships from Arizona.

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Beagle Tiles, straight outta Brooklyn, has a line of veneered plywood. They came up with the concept in 1986 when they converted a mound of 1/4″ fir plywood scraps into beautiful, functional tiles. “Proud owner” Marcy informs me that these can be grouted since they are sealed and finished first.

Historic Bricks

Historic Bricks published on 2 Comments on Historic Bricks

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I’ve seen brick floor tiles at Lowes and thought I liked them. My husband hated them. He thought they were “fake” looking. Now I’m not sure how I feel about them. They would be cool for a laundry room, mud room or patio, no?

The Lowes tiles were probably mass produced stuff. Brick Floor Tile Inc offers salvaged brick that has been sliced thin. Unless you have verrrry high ceilings, you wouldn’t want to use a full brick on an interior floor. I would also guess that it would be too difficult to level.

For other brick projects, two companies that sell antique bricks are Historical Brick and Old World Bricks. However, I’m not suggesting you purchase historic bricks. Look around for empty lots, dumpsters and tear downs for free ones. Also check Craigs and used building stores on a regular basis. I just did a search and did not come up with any, but that doesn’t mean they won’t be there tomorrow. Or the next day.

Brownstoner forum

I’m Starting to Groove to Cork

I’m Starting to Groove to Cork published on 1 Comment on I’m Starting to Groove to Cork

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Back in November I did an article on cork flooring. I listed the pros and cons, but my own hesitation with cork is that it reminds me too much of the 70’s. I don’t know why I can’t get passed this since my sense of style terminated in the 80’s. But I’m trying.

I just came across cork mosaics at Habitus NYC. They look great, they are waterproof and best of all, you can stain them some funky ass colors! Since they’re waterproof, they can work perfectly in a bathroom or kitchen. I was also informed that they have antibacterial qualities.

The cork mosaics look like penny ceramics and need to be grouted same as any other tile. They’re made from recycled wine stoppers. Since they start at $12 per square foot, I’m thinking of drinking more wine (lots) so I can make my own mosaics.

Cork Flooring

Cork Flooring published on 9 Comments on Cork Flooring

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I haven’t explored cork flooring yet because it reminds me too much of the 70’s. I still have nightmares about cork walls (my friend did his entire room in brown cork) and cork wedge heels. Hold on…I just had another memory! Does anyone remember Azuma on W. 8th Street? They had lots of cork.

Maybe here’s where I need to say “Cork has come a long way.” Actually, it was around long before the 70’s. It’s a sustainable, resilient material now being used in homes of people with taste (unlike the 70’s when nobody had taste).

Pros

  • Cork is from the bark of the tree. If harvested correctly, the tree is unharmed and the bark will regenerate.
  • Easy DIY. Cork often comes in 12″ squares for easy installation.
  • Absorbs sound.
  • Thermal insulation.
  • Comfy in bare feet.
  • It comes in colors! Not just brown.

Cons

  • Don’t expect it to last longer than 10 years.
  • It scratches.
  • Tends to yellow and fade in the sun.
  • It does need to be sealed.

Green Living
Cork Floor
Duro Design

Image Tiles

Image Tiles published on 3 Comments on Image Tiles

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Image Tile of Clifton, NJ offers in stock designs such as the one pictured above. They are fabulous, yes, but what excites me about this company is they can do custom tiles with any digital photograph. And as a photographer, I’m loving that, baby!

The ceramic or porcelain tile is commercially tested and rated. It is unaffected by sunlight, strong chemicals, fire, water or wear. It’s ADA compliant and slip resistant.

Here is the process as described on their website: “Imagine Tile uses a process in which ceramic glazes act like printing inks. Pure minerals and ores are ground micro-fine and suspended in a liquid to produce ink-like substances similar to that a printer uses. The mineral and ore based image is put onto paper and coated with a refractory material that puts a glass finish on it. At Imagine Tile’s production facility in Texas, the glazes are placed on the surface of a glazed ceramic tile. When the tile is fired at temperatures of approximately 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, the glazes fuse with the body of the ceramic or porcelain tile.”

The company manufactures wall tiles and custom murals as well as flooring.

DIY: Squeaky Floors

DIY: Squeaky Floors published on 1 Comment on DIY: Squeaky Floors

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Before anything, try a quick fix. Pour some baby powder into the grooves. Don’t vacuum the mess on the floor because you don’t want to remove the powder between the cracks. Wipe it up with a damp rag.

If that doesn’t work, there are a couple of companies that make easy DIY products specifically for stopping creaks. Squeak No More and Squeak Ender each get good reviews. But really, you can just do it yourself with some screws, shims and scrap lumber.

First of all, determine exactly where the squeak is coming from. It could be loose boards or the joists underneath.

If you can view the floor from underneath, try to find gaps between the floor and joist. If any exist, put some glue on a shim and knock it in there. Not so much that the floor pops up! For extra support, drive a screw at an angle up through the joist, shim and into the sub floor. And um, make sure it doesn’t go all the way through the floor above.

If it looks like your joist is sagging, you’ll need to support that. Squeak Ender is a brace for such a job. Or you can bridge between the joists with a 2×6. Or screw in support against the joist.

Can’t get underneath? Good for you. That makes the job even easier. Squeak No More makes a Countersnap Kit in which the screwheads automatically snap off when driven into the depth control fixture. Alternatively, all you need to do is drill tiny pilot holes at angles and drive finish nails or screws through the floor, catching the sub floor below. You can fill the holes with wood putty when done.

Easy 2 DIY
This Old House
Be Jane

DIY: Grouting Tile

DIY: Grouting Tile published on

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Tools:

Rubber Grout Float
Grout Sponge
Bucket
Mixing Trowel
Grout Saw
Vacuum
Rubber Gloves

1. First you’ll have to clean up that big mess you made yesterday. Grab a vacuum and a bucket of warm water. With the grout saw, remove any areas of mortar in the seams that are too high to accept grout. Vacuum all dust, wipe down mortar on tiles using the grout sponge.

2. Mix grout. We learned about slaking yesterday, so you know what time it is. Enjoy.

3. Throw a glob of grout on the floor and work it into joints at an angle. The key is to fill the whole joint, not just the surface.

4. Wipe up excess grout off tile with the clean edge of the float.

5. For edges and corners, you may need a margin tool, but fingers also work fine.

6. You’ll want to allow about 15 minutes for grout to set before you start to wipe the tiles down with sponge. Think about this as you’re grouting. Don’t do the whole floor at once so it dries and makes it more difficult to clean.

7. Cleaning is hell. You’ll need to replace water in bucket several times. Be careful where you dump dirty water as it can clog sewer lines. Just keep wiping and drying, trying not to drag the grout out of the seams. You only want to clean the tile, not the grout.

8. Wait 24 hours, then seal.

DIY: How To Tile Floors

DIY: How To Tile Floors published on

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“Extreme How To”

Tools:

Utility Knife
Notched Trowel (See mortar bag for correct notch size.)
Mixing Trowel
Tile Cutter (You can rent one.)
Level
Rubber Mallet
Floor Scraper
Chalk Line
Framing Square
Drill
Bucket
Vacuum

Materials

Wonderboard or Mesh
Thinset Mortar
Grout
Spacers
Screws
Tiles + 5-10% extra for screw ups

Continue reading DIY: How To Tile Floors

Recycled Floor Tiles

Recycled Floor Tiles published on

We came up with 4 companies in our search for recycled ceramic and terra cotta floor tiles. All of these companies manufacture glazed wall tiles as well, but we’ll cover that in a separate post.

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Fireclay Debris

Fireclay’s Debris series is a terra cotta tile containing 50% post consumer and post industrial recycled materials. Their standard sizes are 8×8, 12×12, 8×16 and 16×16, as well as geometric patterns. Finishes are available in unglazed, antique and dark antique. It’s best to contact them directly for Debris sales questions.

naturalhues.jpg Quarry Tile’s Natural Hues

Quarry Tile’s Eco-Body line contains approximately 34% recycled solid waste which was previously going to public and private landfills. All of the recycled waste products are recovered from within a 350 mile radius of their manufacturing plant. Several Dal-Tile locations carry Quarry Tile.

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Terra’s Traffic

Terra Green Ceramics, which has been around since the late 70’s, manufactures 7 lines of recycled glass and/or ceramic tile. All tiles are made with 55% post industrial glass. Stone Source is the local NY distributor for Terra Green.

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EcoCycle Pine Barren

Crossville Porcelain Stone offers their Eco Cycle Line, containing 40% recycled ceramic content. This “stone-look” series comes in 8 colors. There are several locations in NY that carry Crossville, including Bergen Tile. Be sure to check if they carry this particular line.

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