Hard Surface Flooring-Long Post
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02-25-2007, 15:50
Post: #1
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Hard Surface Flooring-Long Post
I am a California CPA who decided to get into the hard surface
flooring business 11 years ago. I think I'll go back to doing tax returns. It is less stressful. General information on hard surface flooring, without being technical. Granite: Very hard, tough surface, very good for floors and counter tops. Some granites(some.....very few......) are porous and need to be sealed. Sealing granite that needs to be sealed is a very easy process. Granite is very difficult to scratch.(go ahead , cut the steaks on it, put the wine and beer on it). Typical granites are just below diamonds in hardness. Natural granites are composed of approximately 65-75 percent quartz. The granite bacterial growth myth was developed by companies competing with suppliers of natural materials. There is not a single documented case of bacterial growth in granite, that I know of. Generally, granite is not affected by acid. However, one acid, a component in Tilex, will destroy the shine on granite. It is hydrofloric acid. Granite can be repolished by a trained technician but it is expensive. Beware of epoxy filled and stained material from Asia. It's cheap, and you get what you pay for.. Marble: A soft natural material, available in numerous colors, patterns, and forms and comes from various parts of the World. By nature and definition acidic compounds etch marble. I did not say stain, I said etch. Foods containing vinegar or other types of acid will take the shine off of marble in seconds. As well, sand is your enemy with marble. Marble can be repolished by trained technicians and is relatively inexpensive to do. Beware of green marble because it is sensitive to water and tends to turn white(efflorescence or spalling) if exposed for any period of time. In addition, if you use normal installation techniques on green marble it will warp, and generally do weird thing causing you to do it all over again. There are numerous restuarants in Italy with marble tops. The difference is this. They do not give a !@#$ if the marble shines of not. Ceramic Tile: Ceramic tile comes in all shapes and sizes, typically has a glazed surface and a baked mud body. With proper care, ceramic will last for years. Typically, ceramic tile is not affected by food acids. However, sulfamic and muriatic acid can etch ceramic tile. It is possible to drop something on the glazed ceramic tile and chip it. If that happens, just purchase a small bottle of appliance paint and touch it up. Porcelain Tile: A relatively new type of flooring. It is very hard and will last for years..Easy to clean and is not affected by food acids. There are glazed, rough surfaced and through body products. It must be installed correctly or it will break bond. Breaking bond means you get to replace the floor, there is no other cure. It is more difficult to install than ceramic tile and depending on the manufacturer can be very difficult to cut. (Beware, a broken piece of Porcelain tile can lay you open like a surgeon.) I could go on but wanted provide some free info to those interested. I am not cheap when I do inlaid wood into granite, marble, corian or porcelain products. Or any combination thereof. . However, it is beautiful when I complete the job. I will not get into carpet and wood, that is Ernie's deal but I would like to say this. And, please, I do not want to hurt anyone feelings here but if I had 22 year old carpet in my coach, I would off it for new stuff just because................it is long past time to do so. Leroy Eckert 1990 WB-40"Smoke N Mirrors" Niceville, FL |
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02-26-2007, 01:19
Post: #2
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Hard Surface Flooring-Long Post
Leroy- good post.
Ernie Ekberg 83PT40 Livingston,Montana ----- Original Message ----- From: jwasnewski To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2007 8:50 PM Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Hard Surface Flooring-Long Post I am a California CPA who decided to get into the hard surface flooring business 11 years ago. I think I'll go back to doing tax returns. It is less stressful. General information on hard surface flooring, without being technical. Granite: Very hard, tough surface, very good for floors and counter tops. Some granites(some.....very few......) are porous and need to be sealed. Sealing granite that needs to be sealed is a very easy process. Granite is very difficult to scratch.(go ahead , cut the steaks on it, put the wine and beer on it). Typical granites are just below diamonds in hardness. Natural granites are composed of approximately 65-75 percent quartz. The granite bacterial growth myth was developed by companies competing with suppliers of natural materials. There is not a single documented case of bacterial growth in granite, that I know of. Generally, granite is not affected by acid. However, one acid, a component in Tilex, will destroy the shine on granite. It is hydrofloric acid. Granite can be repolished by a trained technician but it is expensive. Beware of epoxy filled and stained material from Asia. It's cheap, and you get what you pay for.. Marble: A soft natural material, available in numerous colors, patterns, and forms and comes from various parts of the World. By nature and definition acidic compounds etch marble. I did not say stain, I said etch. Foods containing vinegar or other types of acid will take the shine off of marble in seconds. As well, sand is your enemy with marble. Marble can be repolished by trained technicians and is relatively inexpensive to do. Beware of green marble because it is sensitive to water and tends to turn white(efflorescence or spalling) if exposed for any period of time. In addition, if you use normal installation techniques on green marble it will warp, and generally do weird thing causing you to do it all over again. There are numerous restuarants in Italy with marble tops. The difference is this. They do not give a !@#$ if the marble shines of not. Ceramic Tile: Ceramic tile comes in all shapes and sizes, typically has a glazed surface and a baked mud body. With proper care, ceramic will last for years. Typically, ceramic tile is not affected by food acids. However, sulfamic and muriatic acid can etch ceramic tile. It is possible to drop something on the glazed ceramic tile and chip it. If that happens, just purchase a small bottle of appliance paint and touch it up. Porcelain Tile: A relatively new type of flooring. It is very hard and will last for years..Easy to clean and is not affected by food acids. There are glazed, rough surfaced and through body products. It must be installed correctly or it will break bond. Breaking bond means you get to replace the floor, there is no other cure. It is more difficult to install than ceramic tile and depending on the manufacturer can be very difficult to cut. (Beware, a broken piece of Porcelain tile can lay you open like a surgeon.) I could go on but wanted provide some free info to those interested. I am not cheap when I do inlaid wood into granite, marble, corian or porcelain products. Or any combination thereof. . However, it is beautiful when I complete the job. I will not get into carpet and wood, that is Ernie's deal but I would like to say this. And, please, I do not want to hurt anyone feelings here but if I had 22 year old carpet in my coach, I would off it for new stuff just because................it is long past time to do so. Leroy Eckert 1990 WB-40"Smoke N Mirrors" Niceville, FL [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] |
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02-26-2007, 01:59
Post: #3
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Hard Surface Flooring-Long Post
I saved this link a while back about counter top materials. Some of
it may cross over into the flooring discussion. It is a PDF file. http://images.hgtvpro.com/pac/fine_homeb...ber_featur e_02.pdf tiny url: http://tinyurl.com/juz6e Dan --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "jwasnewski" > > > I am a California CPA who decided to get into the hard surface > flooring business 11 years ago. I think I'll go back to doing tax > returns. It is less stressful. > > General information on hard surface flooring, without being technical. > > Granite: Very hard, tough surface, very good for floors and counter > tops. Some granites(some.....very few......) are porous and need to > be sealed. Sealing granite that needs to be sealed is a very easy > process. Granite is very difficult to scratch.(go ahead , cut the > steaks on it, put the wine and beer on it). Typical granites are just > below diamonds in hardness. Natural granites are composed of > approximately 65-75 percent quartz. The granite bacterial growth > myth was developed by companies competing with suppliers of natural > materials. There is not a single documented case of bacterial growth > in granite, that I know of. Generally, granite is not affected by > acid. However, one acid, a component in Tilex, will destroy the > shine on granite. It is hydrofloric acid. Granite can be repolished > by a trained technician but it is expensive. Beware of epoxy filled > and stained material from Asia. It's cheap, and you get what you pay > for.. > > Marble: A soft natural material, available in numerous colors, > patterns, and forms and comes from various parts of the World. By > nature and definition acidic compounds etch marble. I did not say > stain, I said etch. Foods containing vinegar or other types of acid > will take the shine off of marble in seconds. As well, sand is your > enemy with marble. Marble can be repolished by trained technicians > and is relatively inexpensive to do. Beware of green marble because > it is sensitive to water and tends to turn white(efflorescence or > spalling) if exposed for any period of time. In addition, if you use > normal installation techniques on green marble it will warp, and > generally do weird thing causing you to do it all over again. There > are numerous restuarants in Italy with marble tops. The difference > is this. They do not give a !@#$ if the marble shines of not. > > Ceramic Tile: Ceramic tile comes in all shapes and sizes, typically > has a glazed surface and a baked mud body. With proper care, ceramic > will last for years. Typically, ceramic tile is not affected by food > acids. However, sulfamic and muriatic acid can etch ceramic tile. It > is possible to drop something on the glazed ceramic tile and chip > it. If that happens, just purchase a small bottle of appliance paint > and touch it up. > > Porcelain Tile: A relatively new type of flooring. It is very hard > and will last for years..Easy to clean and is not affected by food > acids. There are glazed, rough surfaced and through body products. > It must be installed correctly or it will break bond. Breaking bond > means you get to replace the floor, there is no other cure. It is > more difficult to install than ceramic tile and depending on the > manufacturer can be very difficult to cut. (Beware, a broken piece of > Porcelain tile can lay you open like a surgeon.) > > I could go on but wanted provide some free info to those interested. > > I am not cheap when I do inlaid wood into granite, marble, corian or > porcelain products. Or any combination thereof. . However, it is > beautiful when I complete the job. > > I will not get into carpet and wood, that is Ernie's deal but I would > like to say this. And, please, I do not want to hurt anyone feelings > here but if I had 22 year old carpet in my coach, I would off it for > new stuff just because................it is long past time to do so. > > Leroy Eckert > 1990 WB-40"Smoke N Mirrors" > Niceville, FL > |
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02-26-2007, 11:35
Post: #4
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Hard Surface Flooring-Long Post
I can add two more links for those who may chose to upgrade a coach or their
home in the future, and my be considering natural stone. http://www.ntc-stone.com http://www.mbstone.com NTC is the National Training Center for the Stone and Masonery Trades of which I am a affiliated member. I have trained under Mr. Fred Heuston. MB Stone is operated by Mr. Maurizo Bertoli, a world respected stone expert. I have spent many hours on the telephone with Mr. Bertoli regarding polishing of granite. I use his products because they are the best I have ever found. Both sites provide interesting reading an analysis of natural stone products. I have 3,000 sq.ft. of Travertine, Granite, Onyx and Marble in my home. None if it is sealed, 5 humans live here including 3 kids. Two of the children have learned to skate on the Travertine floor. I have not had any problems with the product. Myth busters is alive and well, right here in my home. Thanks, Leroy Eckert 1990 WB-40"Smoke N Mirrors Niceville, FL ----- Original Message ----- From: ac7880 To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, February 26, 2007 7:59 AM Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Hard Surface Flooring-Long Post I saved this link a while back about counter top materials. Some of it may cross over into the flooring discussion. It is a PDF file. http://images.hgtvpro.com/pac/fine_homeb...ber_featur e_02.pdf tiny url: http://tinyurl.com/juz6e Dan --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "jwasnewski" > > > I am a California CPA who decided to get into the hard surface > flooring business 11 years ago. I think I'll go back to doing tax > returns. It is less stressful. > > General information on hard surface flooring, without being technical. > > Granite: Very hard, tough surface, very good for floors and counter > tops. Some granites(some.....very few......) are porous and need to > be sealed. Sealing granite that needs to be sealed is a very easy > process. Granite is very difficult to scratch.(go ahead , cut the > steaks on it, put the wine and beer on it). Typical granites are just > below diamonds in hardness. Natural granites are composed of > approximately 65-75 percent quartz. The granite bacterial growth > myth was developed by companies competing with suppliers of natural > materials. There is not a single documented case of bacterial growth > in granite, that I know of. Generally, granite is not affected by > acid. However, one acid, a component in Tilex, will destroy the > shine on granite. It is hydrofloric acid. Granite can be repolished > by a trained technician but it is expensive. Beware of epoxy filled > and stained material from Asia. It's cheap, and you get what you pay > for.. > > Marble: A soft natural material, available in numerous colors, > patterns, and forms and comes from various parts of the World. By > nature and definition acidic compounds etch marble. I did not say > stain, I said etch. Foods containing vinegar or other types of acid > will take the shine off of marble in seconds. As well, sand is your > enemy with marble. Marble can be repolished by trained technicians > and is relatively inexpensive to do. Beware of green marble because > it is sensitive to water and tends to turn white(efflorescence or > spalling) if exposed for any period of time. In addition, if you use > normal installation techniques on green marble it will warp, and > generally do weird thing causing you to do it all over again. There > are numerous restuarants in Italy with marble tops. The difference > is this. They do not give a !@#$ if the marble shines of not. > > Ceramic Tile: Ceramic tile comes in all shapes and sizes, typically > has a glazed surface and a baked mud body. With proper care, ceramic > will last for years. Typically, ceramic tile is not affected by food > acids. However, sulfamic and muriatic acid can etch ceramic tile. It > is possible to drop something on the glazed ceramic tile and chip > it. If that happens, just purchase a small bottle of appliance paint > and touch it up. > > Porcelain Tile: A relatively new type of flooring. It is very hard > and will last for years..Easy to clean and is not affected by food > acids. There are glazed, rough surfaced and through body products. > It must be installed correctly or it will break bond. Breaking bond > means you get to replace the floor, there is no other cure. It is > more difficult to install than ceramic tile and depending on the > manufacturer can be very difficult to cut. (Beware, a broken piece of > Porcelain tile can lay you open like a surgeon.) > > I could go on but wanted provide some free info to those interested. > > I am not cheap when I do inlaid wood into granite, marble, corian or > porcelain products. Or any combination thereof. . However, it is > beautiful when I complete the job. > > I will not get into carpet and wood, that is Ernie's deal but I would > like to say this. And, please, I do not want to hurt anyone feelings > here but if I had 22 year old carpet in my coach, I would off it for > new stuff just because................it is long past time to do so. > > Leroy Eckert > 1990 WB-40"Smoke N Mirrors" > Niceville, FL > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] |
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