Removing Stains From Ceramic Tiles

Nothing is as strong or as durable as ceramic tile. That’s why you’ll find ceramic tile in many homes throughout Colorado. From entryways, to kitchens, to bathrooms, it’s the perfect addition to your home.

While ceramic tile is one of the most durable and maintenance free flooring choices available, it still has its limitations. Some foods, chemicals, minerals, or other spills have natural stain qualities, and when left for periods of time can leave permanent remnants behind. The stain can penetrate the porous finish and become difficult to remove.Removing Stains From Ceramic Tiles

When it comes to deep saturated spills, there are a number of things to try:

  • Bleach
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Steam cleaning

In all cases, use a small amount of the cleaner, and work into the stain with a small brush. Clean and rinse periodically to test to verify if the stain has been removed and to make sure the chemicals aren’t penetrating the color of the tile.

In addition to tiles being impacted by spills and stains, you may also find grout impacted by the stain. If a stain impacts the grout as well as the tile, you can try removing it by following the same steps mentioned above.

However, for grout stains that can’t be removed with a stain removal system, you may have to remove the grout altogether.

At the time of installation, it’s a good idea to keep a few extra tiles and extra grout on hand for these situations. Than you’ll have the color in place and ready to go.

If you don’t have extra on hand, you still have options. Remove the stained grout with a small grout remover, which can be bought at any home improvement store. Bring your grout sample in and we can help you match grout color as closely as possible. Once you have the material, mix and pour into the space you’ve created. Use a gloved finger to firmly push and seal grout into the effected area, taking care to blend it in with the other grout around it. Wipe the area clean with a damp sponge to remove excess grout from the tile.

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Want Versatility? Try Ceramic Tiles

Ceramic tile is one of the most durable and maintenance free flooring choices on the market today. Its also one of the most beautiful. It comes in an extensive range of shapes, finishes, sizes, colors and shades, and can be used in many different ways.

Ceramic tile has long been considered to be multi-purpose, and can be used throughout the home, both inside and out. If you look back in time, you’ll find ceramic tile being used in many ways for thousands of years. Its still as popular as ever, being used on:Want Versatility? Try Ceramic Tiles

  • Floors
  • Walls
  • Countertops
  • Backsplashes
  • Patios
  • Fireplaces
  • Walkways
  • House trim

Keep in mind that with different styles and finishes, some are made for inside use, some for outside use. Before purchasing tile, be sure to let your sales consultant know what you have in mind.

Size

Ceramic tiles are available in any size of your liking. From tiny mosaic tiles, to tiles as large as 24”x24” square, size is only limited by what the area demands. The larger your space, the more uniform the look will be by using a larger tile. But it also depends on the overall look you are trying to achieve. In certain cases, you can find handcrafted tiles that will be perfect accents to your overall theme. Why not try a splash of color in the backspash above your range?

Finish

Ceramic tiles come in many different surface finishes: smooth, textured, glazed, unglazed, polished and unpolished. Keep in mind that not all finishes are suitable for every area of your home. A smooth, polished look may be great for a backsplash in your kitchen, but would be too slippery and dangerous for your bathroom floor. Be sure to choose the right finish for the area the tiles will be laid.

Shape

Ceramic tiles are available in many shapes, including rectangles, squares, hexagons, octagons, and more. However, square tiles are the most popular and are the easiest to work with without a lot of layout and planning.

Colors and Shades

Ceramic tile is a natural product; its color is derived naturally from the elements. But the more specialized look you desire, the more color you can find in your options. Manufacturers create ceramic tile in lots to minimize variation in color and hue; that way one batch will match as its used to piece together your room. Keep in mind that shade variation is natural even in lots and run numbers. This is to allow a natural look and keep a creative flow as you piece together your final pattern.

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How To Choose Carpet Color

carpetOnce you’ve decided its time to lay new carpeting throughout your home, the decisions don’t stop there. In addition to style, kind, pile, you’ll also have to decide on color. After all, carpeting isn’t something you change out with the seasons; you’ll have to live with your decision for years.

Trends in color change throughout the fashion industry. Typically carpet coloring runs one to two years behind that of clothing, which means the most popular colors you see on the racks in your favorite stores today will make it to the carpeting section in a year or two.

“But I won’t use bright blues or oranges in my carpets,” you might be thinking. And that’s true. But colors still affect the overall appearance and selection of carpeting. When you walk into a home with cool golds, shades of greens, silvers, mauves or grays, you’re likely to think the color choice is old and outdated.

Today’s colors lean towards solid earthy colors. You’ll find warm golds and greens that resemble the great outdoors. You’ll find light blues, neutral stone hues, khaki and suede shades. And through it all, beige is continued to be a popular choice that never shows age, no matter what the current trends are.

How should you decide what color is right for you?

Level of traffic – Carpets in a well lived in family room take more abuse than a guest bedroom. They are in more danger of spills, stains and tracked in dirt. And in hallways and other high entry points, they sustain wear and tear all day long.

Use of space – Each room is subjected to different treatments throughout the day. Will it receive harsh sunlight for a number of hours each day? Do you work in the room daily, such as a home office? While its easy to choose one carpet for the entire home, if you don’t keep in mind what each space is for – especially for high traffic rooms – you may be sorry down the road.

Personality – Just because you moved in to a home that used a forest green carpet throughout the main living quarters doesn’t mean you have to live with it. What are your preferences? Does it match your décor?

When all else fails, stay neutral and go with the beige. Beige is a universal color, and is a great color choice especially for investment purposes. If you’ll be moving soon, its one that will appeal to a wide variety of people, and will always work no matter what the situation.

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The Pros and Cons to Laminate Flooring

Exotic-Specialty-Hardwood-Flooring-angicoLaminate flooring is quickly becoming one of the most popular types of flooring today, and for good reasons. Not only is it friendly on your budget, laminate flooring is easy to install and looks great too.

But, like any building material, laminate floors are not perfect. Do the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to choosing laminate flooring for your home? Let’s take a look.

Pros of laminate flooring

It’s durable. One of the most durable floor choices, laminate flooring is known for its toughness. It boasts scratch-resistant qualities and it will not fade if it is exposed to sunlight.

It is stain resistant. Laminate floors are resistant to most stains, and they are also water-resistant if spills are quickly wiped.

It’s easy to install. Laminate flooring does not require any nailing or gluing to a subfloor. Most flooring planks can be easily attached and snapped together.

It looks great. Because laminate flooring looks like real wood, it can give your home a polished look that can’t be beat.

It’s available in many designs. Modern laminate flooring comes in tile and hardwood designs, and there is sure to be one that fits your home’s style.

Cons of laminate flooring

It is difficult to repair. While real wood floors can be refinished many times over, laminate flooring is more difficult to repair because it can’t simply be sanded. Instead, a damaged or worn laminate floor needs to have its damaged planks removed and new ones installed in order to restore the appearance of the floor.

It’s prone to damage from moisture. Laminate is more susceptible to moisture damage than wood. If laminate wood is exposed to standing water, it can break down and expand. The floor will then require a replacement.

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Which Is Right For You: Glue Down or Floating Hardwood Floors

Exotic-Specialty-Hardwood-Flooring-angicoMaking the decision to install hardwood floors means that you will soon have gorgeous flooring in your home.

However, simply making this decision is not all that you have to do. Now that you know you want hardwood flooring in your home, you have to decide between glue-down floors or floating floors. Understanding the difference between both types of flooring will help you decide which one is right for you.

Glue-down floors are just that – they are the kind of floors that must be glued down in order to secure them. These types of floors cost a bit more than floating floors. They are thinner and require a moisture barrier to keep moisture at bay.

With this type of flooring, you lay the planks down and glue them to the underlying floor. If a plank ever needs replaced, you only have to remove the damaged plank and replace it with new.

Floating floors differ from glue-down floors because they are not attached to the underlying floor. You will not need any glue or nails with floating floors. Instead, the planks attach to each other and the floor “floats” above the underlying surface.

These types of floors are cost-efficient, so if you are on a budget, this might be the best choice. However, if one of the planks ever needs repaired, you will have to remove a large section of flooring to replace the damaged plank.

When deciding between floating floors and glue-down floors, it is important to keep your budget in mind, as well as your long-term usage. You want a quality floor that will last for many years. With glue-down floors, you can sand and re-finish the floors after a few years of use. With floating floors, you do not have that option, but they are more affordable than glue-down floors up front.

Ultimately, choose the type of flooring that best fits your needs and personal preferences.

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