Bathroom Flooring Options Archives

Bathroom Flooring, About Floors, Blog, Hardwood Flooring, House Renovation, Interior Design, Tips & Tricks

Can You Use Hardwood Flooring in A Bathroom?

January 25, 20220

The hardwood flooring in your bathroom can make a huge impact on the appearance and feel of your space. But you may be wondering if hardwood is right for your situation.

If you’re considering hardwood floors for a bathroom, keep these things in mind:

hardwoods are more susceptible to water damage
hardwoods may require more time and money spent on waterproofing and sealing than other types of flooring
hardwoods may need periodic refinishing to maintain their beauty.

But they offer a great deal of visual appeal and beautiful flooring for years on end if they’re done right.

Overall, we recommend not using hardwood flooring in bathrooms that have a shower or tub and using them with caution and preparation in powder rooms. Read on to learn more.

Hardwood Flooring In A Bathroom Can Add Elegance And Class

The appeal of hardwood floors is hard to argue with. They add a touch of elegance and class to any room. And if you’re looking for that spa-like feeling in your bathroom, hardwood floors may be just what you need.

In fact, hardwood floors are so desirable in a home that they have been shown to increase property values by up to 10%. Another interesting study by the National Association of Realtors has shown that homes with hardwood floors can sell for an average of $5,000 more than homes without. So if you are looking at the installation of hardwood floors from an investment standpoint, it would be hard to go wrong.

However, before making your decision, it’s important to consider the pros and cons of this type of flooring, especially in an area notorious for moisture.

Hardwoods Are Susceptible To Water Damage

One of the main drawbacks to hardwood flooring in a bathroom is that it is more susceptible to water damage than other types of flooring. If your bathroom is not properly sealed with polyurethane, you may find yourself with buckled and warped floors before too long.

In addition, if water does get on your hardwoods, it can cause them to swell and even rot. This is why we do not recommend hardwood floors in a bathroom that contains a shower or bath.

A hardwood floor can be damaged by water from a number of sources, including:

splashing or spilling on the hardwood surface itself
flooding caused by clogging in pipes and drains
condensation that forms under tiles or slabs

However, the most common problem in a bathroom setting is when water is left to stand on the hardwood surface for a long period of time from tub and shower use.

This can lead to stains and warped boards, which will eventually cause other problems for your home.

While we don’t recommend using hardwood in a full bathroom, if you are choosing to do so, there are many different types of hardwoods available now that resist moisture a little better than traditional hardwoods like oak or maple wood. More on that below.

Hardwoods Require Proper Waterproofing

The costs of waterproofing hardwood flooring are also something to consider.

In general, hardwood floors are naturally water-resistant. However, if your bathroom has a hardwood floor, it’s likely that the room will become wet from time to time as a result of splashing or spills on the hardwood surface. We suggest cleaning up spills immediately when they happen and not leaving puddles on the hardwood.

Polyurethane seals the wood and helps make it waterproof. It also serves as a protective coating that hardwood floors need to maintain their beauty and durability over time.

These sealers can be applied by professional hardwood flooring companies or you could choose one of the many water-based polyurethane products available at your local home improvement store and do it yourself.

Hardwoods May Need Periodic Refinishing To Maintain Their Beauty

A hardwood floor that is properly maintained and has a high-quality finish can last for up to 20 years or more before it needs to be refinished. However, if you care for your floors correctly, they will last much longer.

Refinishing hardwood floors is a big job, but it can be worth it to keep your floor looking beautiful for years to come. The basic steps to hardwood floor refinishing are:

sand hardwood floors with a special sander
apply hardwood flooring stain, if desired
finish by applying hardwood floor protective coating

If done correctly, this process can take anywhere from four to eight hours per room depending on the size of your space and how many coats are needed to get an even coat.

What Are The Best Wood Options for Waterproof Hardwood Floors?

Hardwoods that are the least susceptible to water damage are often hardwoods that are naturally more water-resistant. These hardwood floors may include:

Maple (hard, durable).
Hickory (very hard and dense).
Red Oak Wood Flooring (moderately hard but still more resistant to water than most other types of wood flooring)

What About Engineered Hardwoods For Water Resistance?

Engineered hardwoods are great for water resistance because they are constructed from hardwood planks with a veneer of hardwood on top. The hardwood veneer provides the durability that is necessary for high-moisture areas like bathrooms, while engineered hardwoods can help you save money because they require less finishing and sealing than solid wood floors do.

Getting Help With Your Hardwood Floor Purchase

Hardwood flooring is a popular and beautiful choice for many homeowners, but it can also be difficult to choose the right style. There are so many different types of hardwood floors with so many different looks! You have to consider cost, durability, color, and finish when making your selection.

That’s why it can be helpful to get expert advice when choosing hardwood flooring for your home. A professional hardwood flooring company can help you select the right type of wood and the right finish for your specific needs and preferences. They can also give you a quote on how much the installation will cost.

GC Flooring Pros is here to help you make the best decision possible by providing you with professional advice, guidance, and recommendations based on your unique needs. We’re happy to answer any questions about our products or services at any time during your purchase process. Our experts are always available via phone call or email whenever you need them!

If you are in the Dallas, TX area and you would like hardwood flooring installed in your home, we can help with any hardwood style or finish that appeals to you. Request an in-house estimate today!

About Floors, Blog, Hardwood Flooring, House Renovation

Is Engineered Wood the Answer to Sustainable Wood Flooring?

December 21, 20210

Sustainable living is one of the most important topics in the modern age. Studies show that as much as 77% of the population wants to learn how to live more sustainably. Unfortunately, many of us simply don’t know where to start.

The good news is that sustainable living can start in the home – specifically, your wood flooring! If you’re a member of that 77%, we’re here to help you understand engineered wood and how it benefits the environment.

Read on to find out why you should use it for your next sustainable wood flooring.

What Is Engineered Wood?

As the name suggests, engineered wood has been artificially given structure. Manufacturers will press together woods of several different types to create this beautiful, hardy flooring material.

Typically, engineered wood will have a layer of plywood with a veneer of a chosen hardwood. This combination provides the aesthetic a designer would like while also providing the sustainability, hardiness, and cost of engineered wood.

What Are Some Sustainable Wood Flooring Examples?

Sustainable wood flooring is any type of wood flooring better for the environment because it either uses reclaimed wood or utilizes much less of the tree per wood plank than your average solid hardwood.

Here are some examples typically used for engineered wood flooring:

Hickory
Pecan
Oak
Maple

These four options for engineered wood flooring are more sustainable than the traditional solid hardwood, and all are great options.

Differences Between Hardwood and Engineered Wood

Despite having similar construction purposes, there are plenty of differences between hardwood and engineered wood.

Construction

Hardwood consists entirely of a single piece of wood – oak, maple, or others. This piece is then cut to fit the purposes needed. Engineered wood is, instead, made of multiple different tree pieces.

The difference is visible with a cross-section of the wood. Rather than seeing a uniform type of wood as you would with hardwood, you see several different types.

Hardiness

Many assume that engineered wood is weaker and less durable than hardwood. However, engineered wood is just as sturdy as hardwood – even sturdier in some cases due to its resistance to warping.

Hardwood is especially damaged by moisture, but this isn’t as much of an issue with engineered wood. Due to being made up of several layers of different wood, engineered wood can resist water much better.

Why Is Engineered Wood Better for the Environment?

Engineered wood is an excellent sustainable wood flooring choice when competing with hardwood. Consider some of the following as some of the best benefits of using engineered wood over hardwood.

More Sustainable

As we talked about above, the most important feature of engineered wood is that it’s significantly more sustainable in its farming and construction.

With engineered wood, there’s a much smaller environmental impact. Many manufacturers will use wood from recycling suppliers, especially to create the plywood beneath. Doing so keeps trees in the ground and helps to limit deforestation.

Low Pollutant Generation

The processing of hardwood is another source of environmental damage. It is especially prevalent when it comes to making the veneer. For hardwood, cutting the veneer can create a significant amount of sawdust, waste wood, and consume more fuel.

The engineered wood process cuts the veneer instead, as cutting into a composite doesn’t always go well. This process creates much less sawdust and pollutants, wastes less wood, and uses less fuel. It also is much quicker.

Styles of Engineered Wood

Another fantastic benefit of engineered wood is how customizable it is. There are plenty of designs that engineered wood can use, given that it’s artificially formed!

Plank Flooring

The most common – and easiest to work with – is wooden planks. By doing so, you can install the planks in whatever orientation you prefer. You can also stagger and switch lengths to provide a design or pattern in the wood.

Sheet Flooring

Some flooring is made in a single large instalment. Such a design can be more difficult to replace but can give a smoother and more uniform appearance than others.

Chevron Flooring

Chevron flooring is a bit more complicated but certain to impress. Placing the wood down in smaller diagonal cuts provides a V pattern across the floor. While installation can be more intense, this is a classic and beautiful look that engineered wood can easily create.

Switching to Engineered Wood Flooring

If you’ve been looking into a more environmentally-friendly housing design, you should look into engineered sustainable wood flooring today! It’s a great way to cut down on costs while also cutting down your carbon footprint. The strength and flexibility of engineered wood in combination with its excellent green qualities for the environment make it an easy choice over hardwood.

Please feel free to contact us for more information on sustainable wood floors. You can also browse our website to learn more about all of our wood flooring options.

young worker lining floor with laminated flooring boards

Blog, Floor Care, Laminate Flooring, Recommended Blog, Tips & Tricks, Water Damaged Floors

How to Fix Laminate Flooring That is Lifting [And Why It Happens]

December 1, 20210

Whether you’ve installed it yourself or hired a professional to do it, there’s nothing more disappointing than seeing lifting in your laminate flooring after it’s installed.

If you’re frustrated by lifting or buckling in your laminate floors and want your floors restored to their original beautiful condition, all you need is a bit of time, patience, and elbow grease to get it looking great again.

Here, we’ll teach you how to fix laminate flooring that is lifting in just four easy steps. But first, let’s figure out the root cause.

Why is My Laminate Floor Lifting?

A lifted laminate floor isn’t a one-size-fits-all issue. There are several reasons why your laminate flooring may be lifting in certain areas, and the key to resolving the issue once and for all is recognizing the cause behind it. Once you can identify the weakness in the flooring, you can target it and ensure the problem doesn’t arise again.

From excess moisture to an uneven foundation, here are the main reasons your laminate floor may be lifting. Here are a few.

Underlying Moisture Problem

If there’s excess moisture within the subfloor or the concrete slab on which you’re laying the flooring, the laminate may not lay as flat as you’d like. If it’s more than 6-9% damp, you may need to use a dehumidifier or try to dry out the area before the floor can be laid.

A floor underlayment can avoid this issue, helping keep future problems at bay by protecting the new laminate from additional moisture underneath while also reducing noise.

Not Properly Installed

If laminate flooring is not laid down properly, such as the interlocking pieces not installed precisely, the flooring installed too tight against the wall, or the flooring not adequately acclimated, it may not have the final look you’re hoping for.

If interlocking pieces aren’t connected correctly, gaps can form between the planks, and it can look uneven. If it’s too tight against the wall, it can cause warping or buckling, especially when the indoor humidity or temperature change.

If the laminate isn’t acclimated to the internal temperature and humidity before being laid, it may shrink or grow once laid, causing lifting.

Uneven Subfloor

An uneven surface on the subfloor or concrete slab on which the floor is laid can cause bouncing or lifting. While a self-leveling compound may be able to level concrete slabs, a severely uneven subfloor may need a practiced contractor to fix the issue.

No Expansion Gaps

If no narrow gaps are left at the edges of the laminate pieces, there’s no extra space for swelling as the humidity fluctuates, which may lead to lifting as the seasons change. It’s imperative to leave this tiny bit of space between sections.

How to Fix Lifting Laminate Flooring

Learning how to fix a laminate floor that is lifting all boils down to understanding what’s causing the problem in the first place and using the right technique to target the cause.

If you’re dealing with an uneven subfloor, your solution will look different than if your problem is moisture damage, and so on.

First, ensure you know the source of your issues, and then find the right solution below.

1. Fixing an Uneven Subfloor

If you’ve installed your laminate flooring on a subfloor that is uneven or not level, you’ll want to level out your foundation before you can reinstall your flooring.

To do this, lift up the lifted sections from the floor. Look at the subfloor below it and inspect it to find lifted or depressed areas. Using a sanding machine or grinder, you can even out the surface. If you don’t have the equipment to do this, call your local flooring experts to handle the complicated task of precision sanding and reinstallation.

Before placing the laminate back down on the newly sanded surface, add underlayment to hide imperfections even more, and use a block and mallet to get the floorboards back in their proper places.

2. Fixing Moisture Damage

If your planks are absorbing excess moisture, they can swell and take up more room, thus lifting from the floor. First, find the source of the water. This could be a leak in the ceiling or wall, or it may simply be excess moisture in the home.

A professional can help you locate the source of additional humidity if you can’t find it. Once that root issue is solved, you can remove the portions of the flooring that are lifted, add a moisture-resistant underlayment to prevent excess moisture from leaking in. A moisture meter test can confirm an acceptable moisture content.

3. Fixing Lack of an Expansion Gap

If you didn’t leave an expansion gap before, then you’re looking at the job of removing all your boards and cutting them to include an expansion gap of about ¼ inch. This can be a big undertaking, so calling professionals to handle this re-flooring job might be in your best interest.

4. Consider Getting New Flooring

Most of these solutions involve a great deal of work. While you might have the time or even the skill, it’s a great deal of work that requires close attention to detail and benefits from the years of experience and expertise of flooring specialists. You should consider calling GC Flooring and getting new flooring installed so you can avoid DIY mistakes and get beautiful flooring that lasts.

Contact the Experts

Now that you’ve learned how to fix laminate flooring that is lifting (and discovered that the trick is pinpointing the cause of the lifting in the first place), you can approach your flooring issue with objectivity and understanding.

While you might be tempted to fix the problem on your own, sometimes, the job is more extensive than it seems, and you can benefit from finding a trusted and experienced local specialist to pinpoint your problem and eliminate it at the source.

GC Flooring can help you with your commercial or residential flooring needs and ensure the best results. Contact our team to learn more or get started today.

Bathroom Flooring, 2019 Flooring Trends, About Floors, Blog, Tile Flooring

Best Flooring Tile Options For Your Bathroom

July 15, 20190

Choosing the right flooring tile options for your bathroom floor doesn’t have to be daunting. Having a floor that is waterproof, safe, and easy to maintain – while being aesthetically pleasing – is a priority. Yet, it’s also important to consider how it will perform under heavy moisture. Here are a few choices to consider:

Porcelain Tile

A popular option for bathroom flooring is Porcelain Tile. It’s long-lasting, waterproof, and less porous than ceramic. Be sure to select a matte finish rather than a gloss, so that it’s slip-resistant, to avoid falls and accidents on a wet floor. Although one of the ‘cons’ is that it is a cold floor underfoot, a radiant floor heating system can be installed, keep your bare feet toasty warm.

When choosing a tile design, keep in mind the color scheme you are going for, not only with the floors but also with the shower and wall tiles. A good flow of color will bring a cohesive, clean look.

The tile size is also an important element to consider. Smaller tiles will require more labor, which will increase the cost. If your bathroom space is spacious, large tiles will be more cost-effective and make the bathroom feel even bigger. If your bathroom is a small space, keep in mind the small tiles that will be needed, will drive up the labor costs. In that case, you may want to consider another type of floor.

Vinyl Tile

Another cost-effective way to upgrade your bathroom floor is to go with vinyl flooring. It has been a popular choice for decades because it’s so cost-effective, waterproof (great for kids’ bathrooms or laundry rooms), and stain-resistant. The best option would be sheet vinyl, as it will practically have no seams, which means water won’t be able to seep under it. Also, a foam backing, makes the vinyl softer underfoot, which will help prevent slips and falls.

Stone Tile

Stone Tile is a timeless classic that creates a clean statement of elegance, luxury, and longevity. Choose from marble, granite, travertine, slate, or other natural materials. Marble and Granite are the most popular choices among homeowners today. With a high-quality sealant, stone tile can become moisture and stain-resistant, and the sealant helps to combat scratches and damages, making it durable and long-lasting.

Book a free consultation with GC Flooring Pros to discuss the many options available to you, when considering an upgrade for your bathroom flooring.

Tag: Bathroom Flooring Options