Home Makeover Diva

Home Design Makeover Ideas

Should I Buy Formica Laminate Flooring?

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A reader forwarded this video on to us and asked what we thought of Formica laminate flooring and whether or not he should buy Formica Laminate Flooring.

Clearly, buyers remorse is something to keep an eye out for when looking at flooring. While it can be changed, it will not likely happen without a fair amount of time, expense and of course…extra hassle.

According to the video’s description, it seems that a flooring salesman had sold them something without fully disclosing what all one needs to consider when wanting to buy Formica laminate flooring.

Like most products out there, we know of people who are both satisfied and dissatisfied with their floors from Formica and every type of laminate flooring in between.  The above video isn’t in the best light or quality, so it is hard to tell exactly what is going on with that floor.  Perhaps it was installed incorrectly, maybe that batch was flawed, it is impossible for me to tell.

I have heard some great things about Formica Laminate flooring and personally, I love the beveled look they give to each one of the boards for that real wood flooring look.  But that aside I think it’s more important to take a moment to mention a few key facts about picking out ANY laminate flooring.

Should I Buy Formica Laminate Flooring?

#1 – Don’t expect the flooring to look consistently like the little piece you see as a sample. There may be a large or darker grain pattern.  If it is distressed looking, some boards may be more or less distressed than others.  A laminate flooring’s goal is to look like real wood (or tile) and in order to help achieve that they print it with these variations.  That is the beauty of natural hardwood flooring, that is why it is being imitated.

#2 – Test how scratch resistant it is before installing it in your home! It is very simple, no matter what the manufacturers warranty happens to be, give it a try anyway. Do the key test: take a sample of the flooring and place it on the floor. Then hold your keys out at shoulder height and drop them onto the board.  Now pick up your keys and the sample. Inspect the board for scratches and/or dents.  If you live in a home with kids and dogs go for the board that withstands the key test!

#3 – Dark colors and shiny finishes are hard to keep clean. Darker boards show everything light colored so if you have a white dog or cat, you will see their hair and will probably need to sweep daily.  Shiny finishes show smudges.  Especially those caused by bare feet, so if seeing those smudge marks will bother you don’t picky a glossy surface.

#4 – All boards are not created equally. The thicker the board the better it resists dents. Look for a board thickness of at least 7mm.  The core of laminate boards are made out of MDF (medium density fiberboard) or HDF (high density fiberboard).  High Density boards can take a beating better than medium density. So, once again if you have kids and pets or you drop a lot of stuff, get a laminate with a thicker high density fiberboard.

When it comes to any major purchase if you do your research you will get more bang for your buck. These are just four quick tips on what to look for when buying laminate flooring. Stick to these guidelines and you will be happier with your laminate flooring in the long run.

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet or wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog!

How Many Coats Of Red Paint Are Needed?

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Today April writes:

Dear Diva, I bought this beautiful color of red paint for my dining room and after painting two coats on the wall it looks nothing like the sample! It’s an ugly pinkish hue!  What happened? I’m not a newbie but this is my first dark color. Did I buy bad paint or something? Should I have sprung for the paint and primer in one combo? Please help!

redpaintApril, unless the paint you purchased was old or exposed to extreme temperatures, you probably did not buy ‘bad’ paint. What you’re describing sounds like a common issue that a lot of people have with reds and other dark or pigment rich paint colors. That said, in order to rule out any other potential problems, I must ask if your paint is experiencing any of these  issues:

  • Does the paint appear milky or glassy?
  • Is there a noticeable chemical separation – that mixing will not get rid of? Is the paint cracking or peeling as soon as it dries?

If your answer is yes to any of these issues and you have recently purchased the paint, take what is left in the can to the retailer and ask for a refund.

If your answer is no, then it’s most likely not the paint that is the issue. Which means you need to adjust your expectations. Depending on the original color of the wall, the new paint color, and the type of paint you are using, it could take a minimum of three coats to achieve the color you’re after. So don’t give up! It’s just going to take more work than you originally imagined, but you’ll get there!  I know this is most likely not the advice you were looking for and I’m sorry for that. But, it is the truth! The fact of the matter is that when you are dealing with a rich paint color like red, you have to apply more coats to get the desired results.

Painting layers

Think of painting a wall like decorating a cake. When you put white frosting on a chocolate cake, if the frosting isn’t thick enough the darkness of the chocolate cake shows through the frosting, affecting its color. So you compensate by applying more frosting until the color is consistent. Paint is the same way. If you haven’t applied enough coats, the paint isn’t thick enough, and the wall color underneath affects your end result.

How Many Coats Of Red Paint Are Needed

How this applies to your situation April, is that right now you can still see the cake underneath the frosting; i.e. the wall color underneath your red paint, which is why your walls are still an ugly pinkish hue. If your current color is close to the end result, then I wouldn’t worry about this and just continue on with the paint you’ve already purchased. Odds are you’ll achieve the color you are looking for in the next coat or two.

Paint and Primer

However if your color is still too far off, I’d consider going back and purchasing the paint and primer in one combo you mentioned above. Now it’s important to remember that some people would have you believe that a paint and primer in one combo could tackle this job in just one coat. Unfortunately this is not true. When it comes to darker pigment rich paint colors, it will still take two or three coats to get the job done.  Considering that you’ve already painted two coats on your wall and it is not even close to the color of the sample, it might be time to switch to a paint that is a little thicker and will coat the wall better. I hate to tell you to buy another paint product, but this may save you time in the long run. Not to mention that if the combo paint gets the job done in less coats, it might actually be cheaper because it requires less paint.

Whether you stick with it and apply more coats of paint or purchase a combo paint instead, in the end you’ll see the results you were hoping for. It’s just going to take a bit more elbow grease to get the job done!

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet or wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe (diva(at)homemakeoverdiva.com) and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog!

Hard To Reach Window Treatment Solutions

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Several of our readers have expressed frustration and anxiety about how to deal with hard to reach window treatments once Spring comes and the sun is out again.  Many of who, mentioned feeling like they are living in a cave because they pull the shades down for the sunny months and only open them in the winter.  Others are tired of hauling a step ladder behind them from window to window.  All of them asking “Isn’t there a better way?”  Yes there are!  In fact there are three different options for those hard to reach windows when you custom order your window treatments.

1) – Remote Control Window Treatments – Remotes are great in those hard to reach areas where you don’t feel like risking life and limb just to let some light in.  Remote control window blinds are the most expensive option and come with several different options.  You can either get a remote or a wall mounted switch.  You can also choose a battery pack that sits in the head-rail and is invisible or an AC/DC adapter that plugs in the wall. The video below, shows off an alternative power setup and installation that might work for you as well.

2) – Cordless Window Treatments with Optional 6′- 9′ Pole – This option is a little more economical than the remote window treatment solution, but you are still paying extra for the cordless mechanism though.  Cordless window treatments are available on almost all styles of custom ordered blinds and shades, including cellular shades, Roman Shades, Roller Shades, Aluminum Blinds, Pleated Shades and CordlessWood Blinds.  The handles to push the window treatment up and down have a small hole that the hook on the pole fits into making it easier to line up and push or pull the window treatment open.  The hook on the end of the pole is similar to the ones they use at clothing stores to get the hangers down from up high.

Hard To Reach Window Treatment Solutions

3) – Request Longer Cords and Wands – When you custom order your window treatments, most manufacturers will ask if you need to have custom length cords and wands.  Simply measure how long each would need to be to comfortably reach and voilà, problem solved.  If it’s a cord and you can’t reach the top to measure, guess over. You can always cut it down to what you need later.

To decide what option works best for you, consider your function and your budget.  Also make sure to ask plenty of questions before committing to any one window treatment option, because some window treatments may not provide the functionality that you’re used to.  But above all else, stop living in a cave or dragging a step ladder through out your house  — we’re not in the dark ages anymore!

Mohawk Smartstrand vs. Shaw R2X Carpet

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Recently I found a series of videos on YouTube that reminded me of the Mac vs. Windows commercials we’ve all seen on TV. The difference however, was that these videos were for Mohawk Smartstrand vs. Shaw R2X Carpet!  Needless to say I was intrigued. With the exception of Armstrong, I’ve found that most flooring commercials are pretty boring!  I think it just goes to show that in today’s economy everyone is fighting for their share of the market.  The video’s I’m talking about are by Smartstrand carpet.

smartstrand vs shaw r2x carpet

Check it out:

So as you can see, even the flooring industry can be very “dog eat dog” in their quest for the customer’s business.  Now to be honest, I don’t think either carpet is really “better” than the other one.  Smartstrand hasn’t been around long enough for me to really judge the wear from this new PTT polyester fiber.  But if I were purchasing new carpet with children and pets in the home, its “stain resistance” to most stains would definitely get my attention.

Though what is stain free if the carpet fibers are matted?  Just like with Shaw’s R2X it appears to be great with water based stains, repelling most moisture, but how is it on the other types of stains?  Because what is a carpet that looks new against wear, but is stained?  I say choose which is more important to you and your family and go for it. Both carpet choices are pretty darn great.

Healthy Carpet Choices

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Today Pamela writes,

Hello Diva, Please help me as I’m confused on which eco-friendly/healthy carpet to choose for my bedroom!  I know wool is good but I cannot handle the idea of bugs leaving eggs in it.  After reading the blog I know my choices are: Mohawk Smartstrand vs Dupont Sorona vs Beaulieu’s Bliss.  I even read there was a product SmartStrand with DuPont Sorona but I’m still a bit confused! I do not have pets or children and no allergies however I am a cancer survivor and want to make sure I do not breathe in anything unhealthy/carcinogenic.  Please help!  Thank you!

Pamela, I can definitely understand being wary of wool carpet. Yes it’s an all natural choice, but when left to its own devices it does attract bugs. So to counter this they add an anti-moth treatment and now you’ve just added VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). Typically speaking people who choose wool carpet are purchasing it because it is eco-friendly, not just because it’s one of the healthy carpet choices. Also I think wool is more popular for an area rug choice than wall to wall carpeting. At least that is when I usually opt for wool!

healthy-carpet-choices

Carpet Padding

When you are looking at healthy carpet choices, don’t forget the padding. Because another thing that will help keep the VOC’s down is to go for a carpet pad that is low VOC’s as well. Depending on where you are looking for carpeting at, ask the salesperson to see their healthy choicer or eco-friendly carpet pad.

This will definitely NOT be a rebound Pad. Rebound pads are made up of recycled foam. And that is how it looks, like a bunch of different colored pieces of foam fused together. Typically speaking low VOC padding is one solid color and either green or white or feels like memory foam. So don’t forget to include low VOC padding in your carpet buying process.

Mohawk SmartStrand and SmartStrand with DuPont Sorona

When it comes to Mohawk SmartStrand and SmartStrand with DuPont Sorona, it’s easy to get confused. However it really is only one carpet! Mohawk is the brand, while SmartStrand is the line of carpeting. And all of the SmartStrand line is made out of DuPont Sorona fiber. Hopefully that makes more sense! I know that it’s a lot of names for just one carpet style.

Both SmartStrand and Bliss brands fall into the category of healthy carpet choices. Both are certified Green Label Plus by the Rug & Carpet Institute. What this means is that they are tested and have been proven to emit a very low amount of VOC’s. As far as which carpet brand to choose? Both are good. I can’t see any overwhelming reason to go with one over the other. It will just depend on what features you like best.

Personally, I like the SmartStrand because it is also eco friendly (made from 37% corn sugar) and very stain resistant. However the Bliss has some nice features as well, such as Magic Fresh and Silver Release. These two features probably aren’t as big of a deal for you, since you said you don’t have pets. But in our “two dog house”, I could use some help with pet odor! I know for a fact that Magic Fresh helps with odors in the home, I just don’t know if it actually makes the air cleaner to breath.

Carpet Indoor Air Quality

Since both of the carpet brands offer the indoor air quality you need, I’d choose your carpet based on what you like best. What feels the best? What is the best color? And what style do you like the best? Because your most important concern is having a healthy carpet! The rest is just what appeals to your sense of style!

Do you have questions about the selecting or the installation of: tile, carpet or wall treatments (window blinds, etc)? Then email me your tale of woe (diva(at)homemakeoverdiva.com) and perhaps I will be able to answer your questions right here at the Home Makeover Diva Blog