Question:
I’ve recently re-done all the tiles on my kitchen floor.  I want to make sure that all my hard work lasts as long as possible, so I’m concerned with keeping the floor as nice as possible for as long as possible.  I’ve looked into putting a sealant on the floor.   How do you seal new ceramic tile floors? Do you seal only the grout or the whole tile and grout?

Answer:
First of all, congrats on finishing your new kitchen tile floor!   I’m sure that it was a lot of hard work, but now you can sit back and admire your new floor for years to come.   You are right to be concerned about keeping the floor as nice as possible.  However, I have good news for you!  It isn’t necessary to seal the surface of a tile floor, just the grout.

Here’s how you do it: first off, make sure the tile and grout are clean and dry.  The caulking and sealing products will not stick to soap scum very well. After the grout is completely dry (wait about three to five days), seal the grout with a silicone grout sealer. These products are available at your tile supplier. The grout needs to be sealed, as it can and will absorb water. Remember, grout is nothing more than fine cement. The sealers also help to keep the tile grout clean. Reseal the grout every six months, after thoroughly cleaning the grout.

[ Image by MrVJTod ]

Today, a friend of Carpet Wagon is going to come a little bit of the woodwork, so to speak, and share some of her personal experiences about being a first time homeowner.

My husband and I are new first-time homeowners, and really excited about the prospect of decorating and making our home cosy and inviting.  One easy way to do that?  Paint!

Our home had been a rental property for decades before we bought it – and the previous tenants had painted the bedrooms dark green.  Nice color for some, but not for us.  The common areas are all plain white.   Time to grab some paint swatches!

While “going green” isn’t our style in paint color, it is our style for the environment.   The airborne chemicals released during painting, after the paint is dry, and as paint is removed, fall into a category of pollutants known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs)—potentially carcinogenic carbon-based chemicals that evaporate easily and contribute to indoor air pollution.  Harmful compounds in the VOC category range from formaldehyde to pesticides to cleaning chemicals.  They can be up to ten times more concentrated indoors than outdoors.  However, VOCs contribute significantly to air pollution out of doors as well.  VOCs are released in the highest concentrations during paint application, but most paint will continue to emit harmful fumes for years afterwards.

Companies are on the move to make paint with little or no VOC’s.  Check the label at your local paint store to find an eco-friendly paint.

Now, about color – I’m thinking taupe…

[photo by Diana Parkhouse]

Today, a friend of Carpet Wagon is going to come a little bit of the woodwork, so to speak, and share some of her personal experiences about being a first time homeowner.

As I told you last week, my husband and I are new, first time homeowners.   It’s a cute little bungalow, with three bedrooms and two baths.   Our “new” home was built in 1908, so it’s over 100 years old!    Our home is in an up and coming neighborhood, and it’s a perfect starter home.

The three bedrooms have carpet in them, with wood floors underneath.   We’re going to rip up the carpet in the bedrooms, and after some help, we’ll have beautiful wood floors there.

The main areas of the house are another story though.  The floors of the hallways, living room, dining room, and kitchen areas are covered with large white ceramic tiling.  Now don’t get me wrong, tile is a great option for floor coverings, especially high traffic areas like hallways and kitchens, however this particular tile has a distinct hospital feeling to it.  The house was previously used as a rental property – so I can see why the last owners put in the tile – it’s extremely hard-wearing and durable. But not very cozy or warm.  Not really appropriate in a small family home.

Even if we replace the tile with other tile, we could put in a stone floor, with a great warm color.  Stone also is extremely durable and versatile, just like tile.

Or maybe we’ll go with a laminate flooring.  It’s not the laminate flooring of your grandparents age – laminate has gone high tech!   Plus with high res imaging, you can choose exactly what you want your flooring to look like – stone, wood, tile, you name it!

What are some of your favorite flooring looks?

[photo by Diana Parkhouse]

Today, a friend of Carpet Wagon is going to come a little bit out of the woodwork, so to speak, and share some of her personal experiences about being a first time homeowner.

My husband and I just became first time homeowners.  We’d heard all these crazy stories about how stressful escrow can be, and I won’t lie to you, it was truly nail-biting at times.

Our new house has really good bones, so to speak, but it’s been a rental house for decades before we bought it – so it definitely needs a little bit of TLC.  New floors, fresh paint, new kitchen cabinets, and some beautiful outdoor landscaping are all on our “short list” of things we want to tackle.  To be honest, we’re a little nervous about suddenly being the sole people responsible to make all those little (or big!) repairs that may come up in the near or distant future.

First up, what I’d love to tackle is the floors!   The bedrooms all have carpet in them, but it’s not in the best shape.  Actually – it’s horrid.  But part of what attracted me to the house is that I know that there are wood floors lurking under that threadbare carpet.  I’ve helped friends pull up carpet before – so I know it only take a few strong arms and some determination – but what do we do beyond that?   I’m tempted to see if we can sand and refinish the floors under the carpet all by ourselves – but I’m also aware that it might be a bigger and more complicated job than we can deal with ourselves.

Stay tuned with us here in the next few weeks and months as I share our experiences of being new homeowners and all the fun adventures that ensue!

[photo by Diana Parkhouse]

As the “CEO” of your house, we know you have a lot of things to manage.  We envision “Beyond the Welcome Mat” as a growing resource space for you.  We want to be a space to encourage learning smart tips about your house, a place where you can kick around new ideas about the family, nesting, and much much more.  The possibilities are endless!

While our speciality is in flooring and carpeting, we don’t want to stop there.  We’ve been doing a lot of listening from our friends on Twitter and have heard a lot of chatter and questions surrounding home decorating.  In response, we will soon be providing lots of home decorating tips for you…right here!

The floor is your’s!  What else would you like to learn from Team Carpet Wagon?

Do you have a “Shoes Off” policy at your house?

For many years this tradition was thought to be something only found in the Middle East or Asia.   But more and more American families are taking up the “Shoes Off” call in their own homes.

Thoughtful Moms are concerned about germs and other things being dragged in from the street: No thank you!  Others simply don’t want to see their carefully maintained floors scuffed or dented by the errant stiletto or rough boot.

It can be slightly tricky to ask a guest to first take off their shoes before entering your house.  We want to be wholly hospitable while still keeping our carpets clean.   Here’s a fun recommendation: provide house slippers or socks for your guests!   A shoe rack beside the entrance can also help be a hint to your guest to remove their shoes.

What about your family?  Are you a “shoes on” or “shoes off” type of house?