We have 3 kids and 2 pets. Is Bamboo floor a good option?

We have been talking about linoleum, but Bamboo is also another eco-friendly product for flooring. Strand woven bamboo floor especially, is a high density flooring material and is great for day-to-day wear. If you are looking for easy to clean, elegant, hardwood style floor then Strand woven bamboo is your option. Make sure you buy a genuine product from a well established branded company, to avoid any disappointments later on.

Refer to Durodesign website for more information:

http://www.duro-design.com/index.cfm/strand-bamboo-flooring/

Here is my favorite blog entry:

http://hubpages.com/hub/Why-Strand-Woven-Bamboo-Flooring-Is-a-Good-Choice

Like many other building materials, Bamboo has some drawbacks. In general, Bamboo is a softer material.  It does tend to dent if you drop a heavy pot on it or something. You also have to be careful while moving furniture and such. Bamboo is bad with stains if the flooring is not sealed properly. Also, depending on the product you choose, the color may fade over time with exposure to sunlight. Here is a link you may find informative:

http://hubpages.com/hub/Bamboo-FlooringPros-and-Cons

I would suggest, do your homework, see what really appeals to you before making such a big investment. For things to consider before buying Bamboo, go to:

http://hubpages.com/hub/BambooWoodFloors

Is it advisable to install Marmoleum Click in bedrooms and hallways without transitions?

There is no problem in having Marmoleum Click in all the bedrooms and continuing in hallways, as long as the length of the floor in any one direction does not exceed 26′. If the length of the floor exceeds 26′, it is advisable to have an expansion joint.  Expansion joints are created to allow the movement in the material due to temperature changes. (Contraction in winter, and expansion during summer.) This means if any continuous segment of the floor measures more than 26′ in length, you should consider breaking it up with a transition strip. Ideally, this can be done in a door threshold for a bedroom or similar locations in case of large spaces.

In our home, we were just below 26′, and so enjoy the continuous flow without any break!

We have to get rid of our carpet, but can’t decide between laminate and linoleum…

If we compare laminate to linoleum, it will be like comparing apples and oranges. Normally, people go for laminate floating floor system because it is easy to work with, the surface is harder, and it is an inexpensive option. It being a synthetic material, the touch and feel is nowhere close to natural material, though. The tactile feel of a laminate is quite artificial underfoot. Linoleum and laminate are both easy to maintain. But some people find the sound laminate makes, when one walks on it, quite annoying. The experts in the industry are researching to find out the level at which the VOCs*, emitted from adhesives used in laminate floors, are affecting the indoor air quality. With linoleum, especially Marmoleum from Forbo, that possibility has been eliminated. So, if you want to have “Healthy” floors for your home, linoleum is your option. Also, the design flexibility it offers is appealing to many people.

So, if you ask me, even if you have to put in more money at this point, it will go a long way. You will be happy you took the right decision even after so many years!

(*VOC- Volatile Organic Compounds.- Harmful chemicals emitted from certain building materials have found to be affecting the air quality in the environment.)

My room has a slight uneven surface. Is Marmoleum good for me?

It depends on what you are using. The sheet Marmoleum will go fine on the uneven floor, since it is pretty much a monolithic surface. Linoleum easily adapts to the mounds and dips of the subfloor. The unevenness may be noticeable from a certain angle, against the light source if the sheet forms significant contours, though. The glued down tiles, being a thinner product will behave like the sheet as well.
If you are using Marmoleum Click also, it has been seen that slight variations in subfloor surface do not make much of a difference. You will install the panels and squares just as you would do otherwise. Make sure the joints are really tight. You may feel a slight “cushioning” when you walk on such uneven area in the beginning. Over time the Click panels and squares also adapt to the slight variations in the subfloor. The homeowners I talked to who had similar scenario, could not tell where the level difference was, a few days after the installation.
Like I said, this is really a “worry-free” product!

Can I install Marmoleum on existing vinyl floor?

The floating floor Marmoleum Click can be easily installed over an existing vinyl or old style linoleum floor. It is always a good idea to check if the existing floor is leveled, though. In fact in my home, I left the old vinyl in Master Bath just like it was because that forms an additional moisture barrier under the new floor. Since we had removed the carpet from adjacent Master Bed though, there was a slight level difference in the doorway between the two. I used a layer of underlayment in the Bed to make it at the same level as the Bath. This helped me in running the surround sound cables under floor too.

Get started soon so you can finish your project before Fall!

Is linoleum scratch proof?

Well, to tell you the truth….linoleum material as such is not as hard as say laminate. The manufacturers of Marmoleum Cilick have added this “Topshield” layer to protect it from bruises. I recommend it’s best to have felt pads underneath the heavy pieces of furniture.

I came across one instance where the linoleum panel got a pretty deep scratch from a nail. It was hard to get rid of it. They say try rubbing with non-abrasive pads, but that did not work.  There are some Linoleum floor finishes available in the market…these will make the mark less visible. Depending upon how deep the scratch goes into the material, the groove will still be noticeable from certain angle.  Also, the additional floor finishes will leave some kind of sheen on the floor. One should decide if they want a glossy look overall or matte finish, before they choose to apply such finishes.

These linoleum products that we are talking about either from Forbo or Armstrong or Eco-floors, are basically very tough for day to day wear and tear. They are very much worry-free floors!

They are excellent for families with kids, for anyone with allergies and for anyone like me who wants to spend less time cleaning and maitaining floors. The visual interest it offers is the added bonus!

“Asthma and Allergy Friendly” floor?

I was looking at different options for our floors mainly because our son is allergic to dust, and certain chemicals, fumes emitted from products around the house. We had a good quality carpet with a good pad underneath, but even though I steam cleaned it often, I had a feeling that it was a habitat for dust mites. We knew we had to invest in better flooring. Having worked in the field of Green Architecture, I was well informed about the goodness of Linoleum as flooring material. Also, my favorite linoleum floor, Marmoleum Click had got the “Asthma and Allergy Friendly” certification recently. Check out “Forbo” to read more about it. So I knew what our choice for new floors was going to be!

I love the fact that it comes in so many different colors, and one can use his/her creativity to personalize each room.  To me, this is the added bonus.

When I clean around the house I know, ….I now can keep each and every corner of my home clean!