Reader’s Choice
Carpet Cushion for Radiant Heat Flooring
Reader’s Question: What types of carpet cushion can be used with radiant heat flooring?
Answer: The best carpet cushion to use in a radiant heat flooring application would have the lowest R-value possible. Carpenter’s product that would be the best suited for heated flooring is the Emerald 1/4″ product. It has a density of 8 pounds per cubit feet and is approximately a R-1. There are some low profile rubber products that have R-values that would be alternative to bonded cushion.
Mannington: Let's Make Some Noise
Mannington Mills has created a new video to celebrate and promote U.S. manufacturing and the “Made in America” message. We hear it every night on the news — America is rediscovering the importance of manufacturing jobs for our economy and for our future. Jobs build communities, industries and economies; when jobs disappear, so does our ability to stand strong and grow.
Mannington Mills is a fourth generation, family owned company that manufactures residential and commercial flooring in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, North Carolina and Texas. The company is deeply committed to its communities, and to domestic manufacturing – keeping people employed and creating quality American-made products.
Click here to see the short video and make some noise for Mannington Mills. It will give you goosebumps and make you proud for those manufacturers that fight to keep producing in the US. (Favorite part: seeing Made in the USA Salem, NJ printed on the side of the boxes!)
If you love this video – spread the word!
Floor Advice! A Reader Asks for Help.
Calling all designers!! A loyal From the Floors Up reader is in need of some advice and I thought it would be fun to give her different perspectives and opinions. Please read below to learn more about her project.
Some information about the house and style of the kitchen:
House is from the 1870s, more a farmhouse style than ornate Victorian. Floors throughout 1st floor are all original heart pine, except the sunroom off the kitchen which is a marmoleum click checkerboard. There is an unfinished basement below most of the kitchen, the rest (by the sink) used to be an outdoor porch (therefore we can not reuse the original wood). We would like some form of radiant in-floor heat as currently the room is unheated, but are unsure whether to go with staple-up hydronic or electric mats as sometime in the next few years we want to update the whole home heating system (either to electric heat pump/AC or geothermal). We have three growing boys and a dog and need a kitchen floor that will hold up to them and last a LONG time. I believe the square footage of the kitchen/laundry is approximately 350.
The kitchen will have sort of an unfitted look, with a separate hutch, separate pantry cupboard, and only two upper cabinets on either side of the sink window. As mentioned previously, the lower cabinets will be off-white; the double oven cabinet, two uppers, and hutch will be blue; and the hood, refrigerator panels, and pantry will be green. So all 3 colors have to look good next to the floor. There is also an antique exposed brick chimney that runs floor to ceiling.
As you can see, our backsplash is kind of a statement piece, and while the soapstone sample is quiet, we are hoping the slab we ultimately choose will have a more dramatic veining. All of this makes us think we need a “quiet” floor but maybe we are wrong?
Our reader has gotten a couple of opinions from other designers with blogs, but I am curious to see what other opinions we can offer her! Any advice or opinions would be greatly appreciated as this is just a fun exercise in opinions and perspectives! She has already shared with me that she is considering cork as well as ceramic hexagon mosaics, but don’t let that sway your answers! If you would like to see photos of the samples of other items she has chosen, please email me at shannon@dcspg.com and I will forward them to you.
Thanks!
Tile Wainscoting – Reader Question
Reader Question:
I was with a friend last night walking through their new house. They are getting ready to install the marble and stone in the bathrooms. They are doing stone wainscot on all walls and then on the floors. She asked me if she should use her baseboard at the bottom of the wall. Hmm. I thought. In doing a little research this morning I see in most bathrooms where there is wall tile and floor tile that no baseboard is used. Is there a right or wrong way?
Imogene – Denver, CO
Answer:
Great question! There is no right or wrong way, only personal preference and what’s needed for your particular situation. My advice would be to let stone floors meet stone walls and don’t introduce wood into an area that you could keep completely protected from water. If your friend wanted the look, she could do marble base and it would be a win win, but not necessary. Also, it would only slow down the installation process by adding a trim contractor and a painter into the mix. Note how the picture here shows a clean and smooth transition from the stone wall to the stone floor. Adding base here would only be distracting.
Hope this helps! – Shannon
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 6
- Next Page »
Recent Comments