Host Jeff Wilson and guests Tyler Greenan and Tim Malo demonstrate how to install unique flooring using two classics -- a Brazilian Teak hardwood floor with an inlaid porcelain tile border. With some basic carpentry skills and a few tips on installing tile, the do-it-yourself-homeowner can install this one-of-a-kind flooring. When you are considering installing a floor today, you have unlimited possibilities of colors, textures, styles, and designs. Tile is popular because it is maintenance free and easy to clean. Porcelain tile (figure A) is relatively new and is becoming more and more popular. It is up to 30 percent harder than granite, which is one of the hardest known natural materials. Porcelain is also beautiful because the color goes all the way through the tile -- it is not baked on like on ceramic tiles. It comes in hundreds of styles and colors. Another new thing tile manufacturers are doing today is using natural stone (figure B) in interesting mosaic borders that are already put together for you at the factory. This makes it easy to add an individual and creative flair to your flooring applications. Carpet has been around for a long time, but new technology has made it more durable, stain resistant and beautiful than ever. There are new colors, textures, materials and piles. Hardwood has been around forever also, but is easier to install today with the new prefinished types of woods. Hardwood is easy to clean and provides an allergy free environment. Vinyl manufacturers are taking advantage of the new technology as well to create floors that look like natural materials. It is economical, easy to install and great for high traffic areas. You can take these four types of floor -- tile, carpet, hardwood and vinyl -- and use them in any combination to make an interesting and distinct design for your home. Besides these four types of flooring elements, there is a material for floors made of 100 percent natural cork. Another popular trend today is using concrete ( figure C) as a flooring option. Concrete can be stained to give it a natural appearance and adding scored lines can simulate stone and inlaid designs. An inexpensive way to change existing flooring that is popular today is hand painting and stenciling for a unique look. Your choices are only limited by your imagination. Materials for hardwood installation: Variable speed drill (and assortment of screwdriver and wood bits)
Hammer
Chalk line
Staple gun
Safety goggles
Roll of vapor barrier paper
Chop saw
Table saw
Pneumatic nailing package (compressor and hose, mallet, nail gun and staples)
Wood glue
Spline or "slip-tongue" (available at specialty flooring stores)
Nail set
Hardwood flooring putty Materials for tile border installation: Cement fiber board
Scoring knife
3/8" x 1/4" U-notch trowel
Grout float
5-gallon bucket
Mortar mix
Grout mix
Caulk gun
Latex caulk
Sponge Steps for hardwood floor installation: - Choose your materials. Take accurate measurements of the room where you will be installing the flooring. This is a good exercise to help in order the proper amount of materials, and it is a good way to visualize the final design.
- Check the sub-floor for stability. The sub-floor is critical to a good flooring installation. It needs to be at least 3/4" plywood. Particle board is not a good sub-floor for hardwood and tile installation. If you have a particle board sub-floor, remove it and replace with a 3/4" plywood.
- Tape off a rough outline where the tile border will be installed (figure D ). This will allow you to make accurate measurements and center the tile design in the room. Remove shoe molding from around the room and install a vapor barrier paper, covering the entire floor surface and overlapping the strips at least four inches. Staple down securely to the sub-floor.
- Find the exact center of the room and place a mark on the barrier paper (figure E). From that center point, measure accurately the outer dimensions of the tile border and mark the lines on the barrier paper.
- Make a template for the tile border (figure F). In our design, the tile border is 7-1/2" wide, so we used 1" x 8" boards and ripped them to a width of 7-3/4". (This allows for a 1/8" grout line along the inner tile line and the outer tile line.) Screw down the template to the sub-floor using drywall screws. Don't screw in the far end piece of the template at this point -- the hardwood planks will be nailed down and the lengths will be random so later a line can be marked on the boards and a fine cut can be made across the boards. Then the end piece of the template can be screwed down.
- Cut a center board in the exact center to the template, aligning one edge with the chalk line that represents the exact center of the room.
- Using a pneumatic nail gun, start at the center of the template and nail at least every 10 - 12" (figure G). Keep the lengths of the boards random. Tap each board with a mallet to secure to the previous row and continue nailing until the first half of the template has been installed. Remove the center board in the template with a screw gun.
- Glue a spine into the groove of the previous row of boards (figure H) and continue the hardwood installation in the other direction. After all of the boards have been installed within the template, mark and saw off the excess boards for a nice finished edge. Screw down the last board on that end of the template.
- Continue the hardwood installation for the rest of the room running the boards in the opposite direction using the same method of nailing. As you get close to the wall, there won't be enough clearance for the handle of the pneumatic nail gun, so it will be necessary to drill pilot holes into the planks and hand nail. Once there is not more clearance to drill pilot holes, face nail each board (nailing directly into the top of the boards) and set with a nail set and putty to cover the holes. After the hardwood installation is complete, remove the template from the floor.
Steps for tile border installation: - Mix a latex-based mortar and apply to the bottom of the template space. Cut 1/4" cement fiberboard with a scoring knife wide enough to fit snugly down into the template space (figure I). Screw down fiberboard with drywall screws.
- Mix mortar with water to the consistency of cake batter. Let the mixed mortar sit for 10 to 15 minutes (this is called "slaking" and allows the moisture to be absorbed into any unmixed powder).
- Using a 3/8" x 1/4" U-notch trowel, apply the mortar directly onto the fiberboard, getting the mortar tight to the edges (figure J). Lay the first piece of tile border section into place. (The installation is quicker and easier to do if you plan your design around the length of the tile pieces without having to cut them.) Using a scrap piece of the hardwood flooring, gently tap down the tile border flush to the hardwood flooring (figure K). Repeat these steps until the entire tile border has been installed. Let the tile cure overnight.
- Using a utility knife, scrape out any excess mortar that has collected in the tile grout lines and vacuum up the debris.
- Mix grout using water to a consistency of peanut butter.
- Apply grout directly onto the tile surface using a grout float and press down firmly into all of the joints. Cross diagonally with the tile, paying attention not to gouge the grout line with the edge of the grout float (figure L). Let the grout dry thoroughly.
- Using a utility knife, pull out the grout between the tile and the wood (the inner grout line and the outer grout line). Pay close attention not to damage the wood with the knife blade. Vacuum up the debris.
- Clean off excess grout using a wet sponge, drawing the sponge diagonally across the tile (the same way that the grout was applied). Rinse sponge out frequently until the entire surface is clean.
- Using a caulk gun, run a small bead of latex caulk between the hardwood and tile boarder (figure M). Wipe away excess with damp finger and sponge off excess.
Special thanks to Crossville Ceramics, HuskyCoat Flooring and Dakota Tile.
RESOURCES :
Brazilian Teak Pre-finished Hardwood Flooring
HuskyCoat Hardwood Flooring
Factory Direct Store
Lumber Liquidators
Website: www.lumberliquidators.com
Inlaid Tile Border
Decorative Floors in a Weekend
Model: 1558706178
Author: Catherine Cumming
(2002)
Or order this title from Amazon.com, click here.
Betterway Books (F & W Publications)
Website: www.fwpublications.com
The New Flooring Idea Book: Creating Style from the Floor Up
Model: 156496731X
Author: Regina Cole
(2001)
To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.
Rockport Publishers, Inc.
Website: www.rockpub.com
Flooring: Furnish Your Floors: 25 Stunning Surface Solutions
Model: 1842154974
Author: Catherine Tully
(2001)
To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.
Southwater Publishing (The Manning Partnership Ltd.-- Imprint of Anness Pub)
Phone: 0-1225-852727
Fax: 0-1225-85282
Creating Beautiful Floors
Model: 0376011475
Author: Sunset Books Editor
(1996)
To order this title from Amazon.com, click here.
Sunset Publishing Company (Division of Time Warner)
Website: www.sunset.com
GUESTS :
Tim Malo
Dakota Tile, Inc.
7930 Middle Valley Rd.
Hixson, TN 37343
Phone: 423-843-1303
Tyler Greenan
Factory Direct Store
1455 VFW Parkway
Boston, MA 02132
Tollfree Phone: 877-645-5347
Email: huskyfloors@mail.com
Website: www.lumberliquidators.com
HuskyCoat Hardwood Floors
| ALSO IN THIS EPISODE: | | Installing a Mixed-Medium Floor |
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