Q: When installing floating Bamboo flooring over uneven concrete (Old tile mortar and slightly uneven) What would be the best material to use underneath? A: When installing a floating floor over old tile or just remaining mortar, it is always suggested to make this floor as flat as possible. Now, if you still have...
installation
Wood Flooring with Tile Insets
Q: I am trying to find where I can purchase wood flooring with insets of tile. A friend’s home at Marriott’s resort in Hemet, CA has this in her hallway and it’s gorgeous. Thank you, Glenna S. Brea, CA 92821 A: Glenna this style of flooring has become popular in recent years as a...
Installing Hardwood on Stairs
Q: Hello. I am ordering hardwood from iFloor that I intend to install myself, as I have some hardwood flooring experience. To obtain a finished look in the entrance area, I would like to replace the carpeting on our stairs with matching hardwood. There’s nothing “special” or unique about our stairs, but this is...
Removing Thinset
Q: What is the best way to remove the thinset? T&B Flemming A: There are several methods to removing thinset. You can use a grinder to grind the thinset down, use a hammer and wide chisel to chisel this away or get a machine chisel. Go with the automatic chisel to remove your thinset....
Floating Floors and Carpet
Q: Can you put a laminate floor over carpet? Abohanna A: This is a pretty common question. The answer is “no,” but lets get into a deeper explanation of why. Although laminate is installed using the floating method, which allows the floor to be installed over the top of a subfloor without anchoring to...
Crawlspaces and Wood Floors
Q: We are planning on a new solid hardwood floor. In order to eliminate a height difference between rooms the new hardwood will be installed over a new sub floor (13/16″) on top of the existing plywood. We “live on the water”, in southwestern Ontario. There is a heated/AC crawl space under this floor....
Bookcases and Laminate Floors
Q: I am doing a 16×16 foot room with laminate. I will be putting floor-to-ceiling bookcases on 3 of the 4 walls, and an entertainment center on the 4th wall. Should I do the floor first, then put the bookcases on top of the flooring? Or should I put in the bookcases first and...
Installing a Floor After Removing Existing Tile
Q: I have removed my existing ceramic tile. How smooth does the floor have to be to install a laminate wood floor? Does all the thinset have to be removed, because I have some areas that are slightly uneven. Also when taking up the tile with a chipping hammer I did have some of...
End Board Sizing During Installation
Q: When I lay out the first row of flooring I end up with a 1.5 inch cut off. Would I be better off to cut a board in half to start the row, so I end up with random lengths at each end of the room? A: The short answer to this is...
Wood Floors Over Cement
Q: What type of flooring goes over cement subfloors? A: There are several floors you can put over a cement subfloor. Floors that can be installed as a floating floor are your best bet for installing over concrete floors. You can also install most floors which are suitable for a glue-down installation over concrete,...
