The Future Custom Hardwood Floor

HOME-STUDY BASICS

ALL ABOUT INSTALLATION
In what rooms can I install hardwood floor?
Hardwood floors are perfect almost anywhere in your home-kitchen, powder room, bedroom, basement, home office, and living room. Any room in the house is okay, except around bathtubs and shower areas. Hardwood flooring throughout your home can add warmth, flow, harmony, and natural beauty. Plus, if you are renovating or redecorating, Prefinished floors can be installed virtually dust-free so as not to disrupt your everyday life.
Should I be aware of any special conditions?
It's important that moisture and humidity be controlled in all indoor environments and that applies especially to your home. Architects recommend a humidity range 45% and 65% for all interiors. Maintaining moisture level in your home will even help prevent colds.
Is it possible to install wood flooring over a radiant-heated slab?
No problem. Most of the engineered wood floors qualify for installation over radiant-heated floors. However, these floors must have a moisture barrier installed in them when they are constructed. The heating system must not have "hot spots" that exceed 95 degrees F-an even temperature not exceeding 95 degrees F is required throughout the room.
How long does hardwood flooring take to install?
Installation of a typical living room and dining room combination usually can be completed in one single day.
Will I need to measure where the floor is to be installed?
No. An installer will measure your home for you and will provide a written proposal at no obligation to you.
What does it cost to install a hardwood floor?
The estimate will detail all labor charges and accessory costs (i.e., molding profiles, floor cleaners, etc.). If you comparison shop the total installed price with other stores' prices, you will find that The Hardwood Floor Depot offers you the best package, service, and value for your money.
Over what surfaces can hardwood planks be installed?
Hardwood Floor Depot installers will put your home through a 10-point inspection process.
Surfaces such as plywood or pine planks are perfect subfloors for solid flooring products to be installed over. Minimum 3/8" rough both sides spruce plywood required by most manufacturers on chipboard for their warranties. For solid wood flooring room should be on or above soil line.
Engineered hardwood flooring over concrete, chipboard, marble and ceramics is recommended for maximazing stability, attractive safe transactions to other surfaces such as where wood floor meets vinyl, ceramic etc. Engineered wood floors are your best bet in condominiums, fairly dry basements. Engineered wood flooring can be floated or glued and sometimes nailed to the wood subfloor.
Will my old vinyl flooring need to be removed?
Usually it is not needed. Vinyl flooring over wood subfloors is very effective moisture barrier. Due to the possibility of asbestos exposure, installers may not remove any existing vinyl floors. They will, however, advise you of the best materials and methods to cover your existing floor to prepare it for your hardwood flooring installation.
What do I need to do to prepare for my installation?
To ensure the smoothest installation possible, you should do the following things:

Empty the rooms as much as you can.
Remove all breakables like china, porcelain figurines, collectibles, pictures etc.
Strip the beds.
Drain waterbeds and aquariums.
Detach any wiring such as power cords for TVs, VCRs, stereos, and computers.

Installers will help you move a few heavy furniture, but cannot assume responsibility for any damage incurred while doing so.

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"proxy " : "")."authentication error: ".$this->response_status." ".$this->response_message)); } break; default: return($this->SetError("Could not process the SASL ".($proxy ? "proxy " : "")."authentication step: ".$sasl->error)); } } } return(""); } Function ReadReplyHeaders(&$headers) { if(strlen($error=$this->ReadReplyHeadersResponse($headers))) return($error); $proxy_authorization=""; while(!strcmp($this->response_status, "100")) { $this->state="RequestSent"; if(strlen($error=$this->ReadReplyHeadersResponse($headers))) return($error); } switch($this->response_status) { case "301": case "302": case "303": case "307": if(strlen($error=$this->Redirect($headers))) return($error); break; case "407": if(strlen($error=$this->Authenticate($headers, 1, $proxy_authorization, $this->proxy_request_user, $this->proxy_request_password, $this->proxy_request_realm, $this->proxy_request_workstation))) return($error); if(strcmp($this->response_status,"401")) return(""); case "401": return($this->Authenticate($headers, 0, $proxy_authorization, $this->request_user, $this->request_password, $this->request_realm, $this->request_workstation)); } return(""); } Function ReadReplyBody(&$body,$length) { $body=""; if(strlen($this->error)) return($this->error); switch($this->state) { case "Disconnected": return($this->SetError("1 connection was not yet established")); case "Connected": case "ConnectedToProxy": return($this->SetError("2 request was not sent")); case "RequestSent": if(($error=$this->ReadReplyHeaders($headers))!="") return($error); break; case "GotReplyHeaders": break; default: return($this->SetError("3 can not get request headers in the current connection state")); } if($this->content_length_set) $length=min($this->content_length-$this->read_length,$length); if($length>0 && !$this->EndOfInput() && ($body=$this->ReadBytes($length))=="") { if(strlen($this->error)) return($this->SetError("4 could not get the request reply body: ".$this->error)); } $this->read_length+=strlen($body); return(""); } Function SaveCookies(&$cookies, $domain='', $secure_only=0, $persistent_only=0) { $now=gmdate("Y-m-d H-i-s"); $cookies=array(); for($secure_cookies=0,Reset($this->cookies);$secure_cookiescookies);Next($this->cookies),$secure_cookies++) { $secure=Key($this->cookies); if(!$secure_only || $secure) { for($cookie_domain=0,Reset($this->cookies[$secure]);$cookie_domaincookies[$secure]);Next($this->cookies[$secure]),$cookie_domain++) { $domain_pattern=Key($this->cookies[$secure]); $match=strlen($domain)-strlen($domain_pattern); if(strlen($domain)==0 || ($match>=0 && !strcmp($domain_pattern,substr($domain,$match)) && ($match==0 || $domain_pattern[0]=="." || $domain[$match-1]=="."))) { for(Reset($this->cookies[$secure][$domain_pattern]),$path_part=0;$path_partcookies[$secure][$domain_pattern]);Next($this->cookies[$secure][$domain_pattern]),$path_part++) { $path=Key($this->cookies[$secure][$domain_pattern]); for(Reset($this->cookies[$secure][$domain_pattern][$path]),$cookie=0;$cookiecookies[$secure][$domain_pattern][$path]);Next($this->cookies[$secure][$domain_pattern][$path]),$cookie++) { $cookie_name=Key($this->cookies[$secure][$domain_pattern][$path]); $expires=$this->cookies[$secure][$domain_pattern][$path][$cookie_name]["expires"]; if((!$persistent_only && strlen($expires)==0) || (strlen($expires) && strcmp($now,$expires)<0)) $cookies[$secure][$domain_pattern][$path][$cookie_name]=$this->cookies[$secure][$domain_pattern][$path][$cookie_name]; } } } } } } } Function SavePersistentCookies(&$cookies, $domain='', $secure_only=0) { $this->SaveCookies($cookies, $domain, $secure_only, 1); } Function GetPersistentCookies(&$cookies, $domain='', $secure_only=0) { $this->SavePersistentCookies($cookies, $domain, $secure_only); } Function RestoreCookies($cookies, $clear=1) { $new_cookies=($clear ? array() : $this->cookies); for($secure_cookies=0, Reset($cookies); $secure_cookiesSetError("invalid cookie secure value type (".serialize($secure).")")); for($cookie_domain=0,Reset($cookies[$secure]);$cookie_domainSetError("invalid cookie domain value type (".serialize($domain_pattern).")")); for(Reset($cookies[$secure][$domain_pattern]),$path_part=0;$path_partSetError("invalid cookie path value type (".serialize($path).")")); for(Reset($cookies[$secure][$domain_pattern][$path]),$cookie=0;$cookieSetError("invalid cookie expiry value type (".serialize($expires).")")); $new_cookies[$secure][$domain_pattern][$path][$cookie_name]=array( "name"=>$cookie_name, "value"=>$value, "domain"=>$domain_pattern, "path"=>$path, "expires"=>$expires, "secure"=>$secure ); } } } } $this->cookies=$new_cookies; return(""); } }; //END Config ?>