City Tile » Ask Doug

Installing Carpet

City Tile — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 20:52:22 +0000

Here’s a quick checklist by Shaw of things to do before the installer arrives.

Make sure you know who’s removing the existing flooring. If you wish, the installer will do it. If not, you should make arrangements to have it removed. To minimize dust and dirt, vacuum your old carpet before it’s removed and, after it’s up, vacuum the floor thoroughly.

Who’s moving the furniture? Decide in advance. Be sure to remove all fragile items fromt he room, and don’t leave anything – such as drapery, pictures or plants hanging over the installation area.

Measure door clearances before you have your flooring installed. If the new floor is thicker than your existing floor, door bottoms may rub.

Paint first. If you are planning to paint, wallpaper or do other remodeling in the room, it’s best to do it before your carpet is installed. Keep extra paint to touch up any post-installation nicks.

Natural Slate – Maintenance by City Tile and Floor Covering

City Tile — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 22:31:30 +0000

We received this question from a customer recently and thought we would share the answer.

Question: I like the look of natural slate, but I’ve been told it requires more maintenace than tile. Is this true?

Answer: Slate is a natural material, so it does require more maintenance than tile. It is absorptive, so it should be sealed every 12-18 months. When used in a flooring application, it needs to be resealed after the first 6 months, because natural flaking occurs after it is installed. Dust mop and mop regularly to help prevent scratching.

HGTV and City Tile like Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT)

City Tile — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 16:30:57 +0000

I’ve seen on HGTV these new LVT’s. What is an LVT and where can I use them in my home?

Doug Young

LVT- stands for Luxury Vinyl Tile. These are great to use in every room in your home including baths, utility and kitchen. These are a much better option than a sheet vinyl because if you have a cut, etc. in an area, you can just replace that one tile. These are much more durable than regular sheet vinyl too.

City Tile comments on cleaning floors with vinegar and water

City Tile — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 16:27:56 +0000

Bona Products at City Tile

I’ve been told to clean my wood floors with vinegar and water, is this okay?

No. Vinegar is an acid, so with regular use, this can strip and harm your wood floors. City Tile recommends using BONA® for cleaning, protecting and restoring your hardwoods. Use this product about once a month and you should be able to maintain and protect your hardwoods. This product was designed by people in the hardwood industry with years of wood experience.

To clean your floors in between BONA cleanings, just use an electrostatic mop head to get up dust bunnies, and outside floor traffic on a regular basis. If you have spills, etc. between just use a mildly DAMP mop head w/ water to clean up

I see ads for flooring at great prices, almost too good to be true, what is the catch?

City Tile — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:41:04 +0000

Value is in the eye of the beholder, but it is important to understand what you are buying. Recently we had a customer who was in the process of buying tile and had seen the same product at a warehouse store at a better price. In further review, the customer found out the better price was for goods of second quality. The customer had to do lots of inquiry to discover this, as it was not advertised as seconds. She said “Why would I invest in my home, using quality installation and setting materials with a product that is second rate?” Also, consider the long-term problem possibilities of breakage due to material being second quality.

Let our trained, professional associates help determine your needs for your project. We can assist you from product selection, to installation, to care and maintenance – all at a very competitive price.

Hardwood floor resanding the dustless way

City Tile — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:34:45 +0000

We have been in our home for 12 years and our children are now in high school and college. We would love to sand our hardwood floors and add hardwood to our master bedroom, but cannot go through the mess of resanding?

City Tile Dustless Sand and Finish Containment System

You are right, it used to be a big mess. However, we now have a state of the art Dustless Sand and Finish Containment System. This system will let us sand and finish your hardwood floors without the dust. It has a truck-mounted vacuum that leaves your home 99% dust free.

The second part of this system is a new series of finishes and sealers that dries much quicker and does not have the Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOC). In most cases, there is very little odor and no need to vacate your home during the refinishing process. This is the fastest and cleanest process possible with the highest quality in finished results, a wonderful alternative to the expected “ordeal” of sand and finishing floors. Using our system you may expect:

No dust
No professional cleaning of home needed
No professional cleaning of HVAC system needed
No repainting of your entire home
No moving out of your home due to toxic fumes

Our process will cause the least disruption to your life. Please give us a call for more information or a free estimate at 893-7721.

Our kids seem to be constantly spilling juice on our new carpet. Any suggestions for cleaning the carpets?

City Tile — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:12:25 +0000

Doug Young

No carpet is stain proof, but since many are stain resistant, you have time to act. Absorb wet spills quickly by blotting repeatedly with white paper or white cloth towels. Always blot; never rub or scrub abrasively, as a fuzzy area may result. When blotting, work from the outer edge in toward the center of the spot to avoid spreading the spill. Remove the stain using one of the cleaning items recommended for your type of carpet. Rinse the cleaned carpet area with water to remove detergent residue that may become sticky and cause rapid re-soiling. Absorb any remaining moisture by placing several layers of white towels over the spot and weighing them down with a heavy object. This step is necessary even when the carpet doesn’t seem particularly damp. It is vital to receive warranty and cleaning instructions from your flooring professional at time of purchase. We want to help you care for your purchase and protect your investment. Call us for additional cleaning information. We’re glad to help.

Can you refinish a waxed floor?

admin — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 20:55:55 +0000

The simple answer is yes and you may be surprised at the beauty you find under the wax. Removing old wax also allows floors to be properly sealed. The good thing about wax is that it really does protect the floor, and so in most cases, we end up with a floor that is nearly new—even if it is many years old. The bad thing about wax is that as it breaks down, it holds onto the dirt rather than repels it. Once the wax is removed, new color can be seen!

Any advice on pulling up carpets?

admin — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:52:39 +0000

Sure -

Cut a section at a time with a carpet knife (without cutting into the floor!)
Roll that section up, and then pull up that section of padding.
Use pliers (almost any kind will do, but some are easier on the hands than others) to remove the staples that held down the pad. Pull them straight up, as this will leave the smallest mark in the floor. If they are tight to the floor, tap a small screw driver under them just enough to use the pliers.
Then, use a pry bar to pull up the tack board that runs around the room. Those nails are sharp, so use care! Remove left behind nails with a hammer claw or pry bar.

This is a big job; my best advice is to get a professional to help you. It could save your floors and your back.