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Modern Cottage
Flooring

Flooring, an important detail!

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HARDWOOD  VS  LAMINATE

As soon as I walked into the house I noticed half of downstairs was laminate flooring butted up to blue carpeting. I could smell this faint odor but I didn't know what it was. After some extensive research on laminate flooring here is what I came up with: 
A great deal of wood flooring is manufactured with layers of wood particles or veneers pressed together and sealed with adhesives containing urea formaldehyde resin. Because the real danger is in the manufacturing process, it’s a mistake to assume something is eco-friendly because it is made from an eco-friendly product. Before you make a decision to buy, make sure you get all the facts. Formaldehyde at certain exposures can cause eye, nose, and throat irritation, respiratory problems such as asthma, neurological impairment and, over time, increase the risk of developing some types of cancer. The good news is that formaldehyde emissions decrease over time.


Going green was the obvious choice for me. The Hardwood flooring was not engineered and was all wood. I knew this was going to cost but in this instance I was willing to shell out. I wound up with a reasonable priced floor from Lowe's, not the most expensive but very nice. They have a great selection by the way!. Plus the tools you need for getting the job done. Since I did it myself the one stop shopping was very convenient. 

 DIY Installation - save a ton.

Next step was the tool selection. I researched that as well. Not all Flooring tools are the same. The whole thing was intimidating but I found a good pneumatic flooring nailer, 18 gauge, around $300 and an air compressor - PORTER-CABLE 0.8-HP 6-Gallon 150-PSI 120-Volt Pancake Electric Air Compressor for $129

Step child flooring-furring strips

You say what? I know that is like really cheapo, but due to budget restraints the upstairs hallway and Master bedroom had to be clad with furring strips. Now that's going real green and to my happiness it looks pretty darn good. 

Istallation Tip

To get it right, your first row of boards need to be plum or you are going to be off by the time you get to the other side of the room. I recommend watching a few "You Tube" videos on how to lay out flooring. Some of these guys are simply amazing! 

I cut them into 4' and 2' length so I could stagger them nice and neat. Hand nailed all boards with panel nails, they have ridges. Nice rustic look. Then stained and sealed in one application, See it on my "What's new" page.
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​                                 Go green

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  • Welcome
  • Kitchen Makeover
    • Cottage Style Bathroom MakeOver
    • Living Room/ Fireplace before and after
    • The Painted Stair Runner
    • Home Office Ideas
  • Blog
  • Photography
    • Artwork
    • Wall Murals
  • About
  • My Yellow Shed
  • Garden Tour
  • What's New?
  • Flooring
  • In Progress
  • New House Living Room Upgrade
  • New House