Three weeks ago I found myself knee deep in the mess that is my only bathroom at home. I stood there covered in sweat and dust with my third smashed and swelling finger wondering what on earth had possessed me to think about how to install ceramic floor tiles. After flooding the bathroom, breaking the toilet base, smashing three fingers and now having to go to the neighbors to use the toilet I realized that I should have indeed, hired a professional before thinking I could learn how to install ceramic floor tiles.

The project seemed so easy at the time simply remove the old tiles, pick some new ones, mud the floor, lay some new tiles and grout around them. I even had a book on how to install ceramic floor tiles. Simple prep work and you are on your way to being a professional at how to install ceramic floor tiles. No one mentioned how difficult it was to learn how to install ceramic floor tile. I had no reason to think so after all there were only a few steps:

1. Remove old tile – this step ended up taking two of the three weeks instead of the approximate two days the book stated. None of the tiles were removed in one piece. Instead each one had to broken multiple times and pried up with a crow bar not a putty knife. I wasn’t even successful at removing them much less installing them.

2. Prepare the subfloor – unfortunately for me the subfloor came up one chunk at a time with the broken tile. There is no preparing subflooring when it is broken. The floor has to be replaced. All of it. Entirely. This was another setback to my unsuccessful project on how to install ceramic floor tiles. It also created additional steps. Ten of them. All necessary in completing the travesty that left me wondering how to install them successfully. The author of the how to install ceramic floor tiles book LIED!

3. Find the center of the room hold the chalk line there, chalk a line from the center to the wall – this is supposed to give you a straight line to begin laying the tile. Supposed to. But first the person holding the line must place it in the center of the wall in order for installing ceramic floor tiles to be a straight project. Good thing I like wavy lines. Tell me again how to install ceramic floor tiles it still won’t work.

4. Start at your center point and lay tiles out to the wall – someone forgot the page that tells you what to do if you don’t have enough room left at the edge for a full tile. That requires a special saw and water. Must be a special instruction section in my how to install ceramic floor tiles book. It also requires someone who knows how to operate the saw and can cut a straight line. Obviously that person is not me. Did I mention if you are wondering how to install the tiles you should hire a professional? Once again this step added seven more steps.

5. Choose the layout of the tile – I still haven’t made it to this step yet. I am somewhere in the middle of the seven step tile cutting process. At this point I don’t care about the layout. I haven’t even begun and I still don’t know how to install ceramic floor tiles. All I want is to use my own bathroom again so that the neighbor’s dog will stop staring at me longingly while I use theirs.

And so here I am. Not installing ceramic floor tile but wondering why I ever thought I could. For those who make a profession of showing others how to install ceramic floor tiles, I praise you. For those of you considering if you know how to install ceramic floor tiles, I warn you. I still don’t know how to install ceramic floor tiles.

Epoxy flooring is a perfect solution for those who are looking for a floor that is not only durable, but also good looking and easy in maintenance. Let us take a closer look at it and understand more about its benefits and maintenance.

What is Epoxy:
Epoxy is the result of a chemical reaction between a resin (in this case epoxide) and a hardener (in this case polyamine). It is like a stiff plastic like material which is strong, resistant and well bonded. When this compound is applied over a floor, the floors look attractive, bright and sophisticated. Epoxy flooring increases the life of a floor due to its strength. There is no need to replace floors; a coat of epoxy can do the work and make the floors look new.

Benefits of Epoxy:
Epoxy flooring gives you the benefit of not re-doing the floor again and again. Due to the application of a chemical layer, it repels dust, water, chemicals, dirt and stains. Even if you spill some viscous liquid that is a chemical agent, you will be able to get rid of the liquid in a jiffy. It will not affect the look of the floor nor will it corrode the surface. This helps the floor to last longer. The floors do not chip off from the corners and there are no scratches. This makes the floor look cleaner and neater. Wooden floors or carpet floors often get stained and the look of the room is marred. But epoxy makes sure that floors remain intact for long period of time. This chemical treatment on the floors is beneficial especially if there are chemical treatments going on or if the floors have a heavy footfall on them.

Maintenance:
Just because epoxy flooring repels dirt and stains does not mean we should not pay attention towards its cleanliness. There are at times some stains that can be seen on these floors. But these stains can be easily removed.

Wear rubber gloves while you are at the job. Use a blade to gently scrape off the stain and move the blade along a horizontal line. This process, if followed carefully will not leave traces on the surface. Use a sponge sander to remove the stain completely. Collect the debris with a dry piece of cloth. Then with another piece of cloth gently rub the affected area. The cloth needs to be soft so that you do not end up scratching the surface again. Apply a layer of epoxy on the area where there was the stain. Try and get the same color of epoxy layer so that it matches with the rest of the floor. If the affected area is a small proportion, you do not need to worry with the exact shade of color. However, if the area affected is significant large, color mismatch will be evident.

It is quite annoying to walk on chipped and damaged floors. Epoxy flooring provides a complete solution to these problems. The chemical layer not only makes the floor look good but also increases the longevity of the floors in turn reducing the maintenance cost.

Homes see traffic in the most expansive variety of ways. There is people traffic that covers the carpet and rooms. Homes get use and require extensive and regular maintenance. Because of the nature of a home environment, there are portions of the house that get used on a regular basis. Because of this regular use, these portions of the home see wear and tear that requires eventual maintenance. Some of the most vulnerable portions of a house are those of doors and windows. Aside from furniture, however, the most highly trafficked areas of a home are those of the floors. People very literally track their feet across this surface daily and this surface requires maintenance.

If the floors of your home or business are suffering from the wear and tear of this type of continual use, then you may be in the market for a floor refinishing service. The traffic of feet across problem areas can change the color of the floor and its general texture. Because of the appearance of beat up floors, you may be looking for someone to make this surface look as if it were new again. If you are in the market for such a service, there are professional teams who can meet your desire. Finding the right professionals who can provide reliable and quality service does not have to be the most difficult task in the world. Keeping some key aspects of the procedures in mind help you make a good decision.

Your flooring needs are paramount when hiring a professional to do a floor refinishing. Make sure you have a good awareness of your personal needs as a client and reasonable ideas about what you desire and expect from the service. Being able to communicate with the professional providing this assistance will allow you to reach as closely as possible to your desired results. Make sure you pick a professional who has the experience and expertise to get the job done right. If you have a hardwood floor, the process of giving it a new service is very important. You should not take chances with inferior service providers. Be sure of the professionalism of the service provider you choose and make sure that they give your floors the proper care to maintain their beauty and strength.

As previously mentioned, training, experience and knowledge are great attributes for a potential flooring refinisher to have. If they meet these prerequisites then you should feel comfortable assuming they will provide top-notch services. Some of the details of the procedure are as follows. When the process begins, the preparations include sanding and buffing the surfaces, covering all furniture, and closing off some rooms. You as a client may need to be out of the home or at least in a sealed off portion of the residence. Most providers use a polyurethane finisher for their work. This coat is water-based and so it is non-toxic and does not threaten the health of you, your children or your pets.

Another advantage of this type of floor refinishing service is the process is not that time consuming. A water-based product dries quickly so it allows the application of several coats quickly. The non-toxic nature of the treatments makes sure that no harmful fumes are filling your home or the lungs of your loved ones. You may even be interested in getting the floors stained a certain color. Some providers offer this service and are sure to match the exact color you are looking for. Keeping these key aspects in mind when making your decision can allow you to chose the perfect professional for the job.