She struck a chord with me, when mentioning both her and her husband were advocates of Organic Produce and Free Range meats. I have had many debates about this over recent years and feel fairly strong that it's just hype to squeeze more money from the Nobles in our society. Surely, people living on a minimum wage job and food assistance aren't going to opt to purchase produce form the least productive fields. I do enjoy a small garden in my small backyard! I find comfort knowing that my cucumbers, tomatoes, and bell peppers are not sprayed with pesticides. Tending to the garden is relaxing and a form of meditation. Something I prefer over sitting in-front of the Television Although this raised my concerns about how this condition may have started, I didn't feel organic food is the solution. However, I will continue to keep my Garden Organic!
Thinking deeper, I began doing research online. I installed a Carbon Filter on my furnace. Although expensive initially, it can be washed, reused, and is very good at filtering the air. A worthy investment! I vented my utility closet to an exterior room. But then I read an Article on a Green Living Website about Carpet. Carpeting is loaded with harmful chemicals, hard to clean, and harbors a lot of, "Volatile Organic Compounds" (VOCs).
Carpeting covered every floor in my house except the bathroom and kitchen. To my surprise, my oder carpeting, installed in 2008, had many chemical banned because they cause damage to the central nervous system. Apparently the manufacturer or retailer never sent out a memo to customers! But it was the fire retardants that become enemy number one to me. Those are a group of chemicals that can cause harm to the immune system. I recall many times preferring to sleep on the floor as a child as it felt a lot better on my back. One of those things that make you go, "H'mm".
Liquid Epoxy Nightmare
After researching alternative flooring techniques, I became obsessed and determined to install liquid epoxy on my floors. It is easy to clean, durable, impenetrable, and will not build mold! A win-win-win-win all the way around. But it's not so easy to install. The durability is now suspect.
I installed several coatings of liquid epoxy after performing a moisture test. The first was a very thick coating, inspired by YouTube videos! It cracked immediately after hardening and I never installed the Gloss-Clear epoxy top. I bought a Sander and stripped it all away, back to the concrete sub-floor. A huge task!
The second go at the epoxy started with a bonding agent. Fairly expensive but I realized it was needed. I also followed advice from the retailer and installed the epoxy in thin coatings. Naturally, all the small divots and lumps of the concrete sub-floor became very prominent. Each day I installed a new coat of Liquid Epoxy with a roller. In the evening, I sanded the dry epoxy with a large finish sander. My thoughts were pretty simple. Applying a new thing coating would build-up the epoxy within the divots of the Concrete Sub-Floor and a very find 3K grit sanding would bring down the high spots. This would eventually create a super smooth and shinny white floor. Then I would install the Super-High-Gloss Clear Epoxy Top Coating. It was beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Joy was in the air and there was a wonderful glow we all know! This went on for roughly ten days, very thin coats and very fine sanding. Tedious and monotonous work.
The last and final coat went down as I exited the house headed for Portugal! A short vacation that would only be 7 days. When I returned home, the Epoxy had cracked in several spots (Very Fine) and separated from the concrete sub-floor! It flaked when rubbed with the foot! Disheartened greatly by the progress, I abandoned the entire Liquid Epoxy flooring idea. Hindsight, I will never suggest or try to install Liquid Epoxy Flooring. But the above mentioned events are the only experiences I have had with Liquid Epoxy. Very bad!
Laminate-Wood Flooring
- Laminate is a glueless interlocking flooring system.
- Laminate Flooring has a very thin layer of wood vainer attached to composite material.
- No nails or adhesive is used during installation.
- Laminate is very durable resisting scratches and moisture (To some degree).
- Laminate does not need to be stained or treated with chemical solvents.
- Laminate flooring can be mopped with a damp mop head and easily vacuumed by the Roomba and iLife Robots.
I made my purchase at Lumber Liquidators. A local business that offers very affordable wood. A dark wood now lines my living room and staircase. A white Laminate floor is in the bedrooms. I am very happy with the Laminate appearance and ease of installation.
I purchased a small Laminate Installation kit, brought the materials home and allowed them to sit in the house for three days before installing them. It does take an acquired technique but it is easily learned. I have some small defects from craftsmanship that could have been avoided by hiring an experienced installer. But now I am experienced at installing Laminate Flooring!
If anyone is taking to the task themselves, you can save a modest amount of money by installing the Laminate yourself. However, I suggest purchasing additional flooring for those damaged during install or for learning. A tip, the locking joints of the laminate mush be clear from any defects or particles. Most importantly, when hitting the laminate panels in to the lock position, be careful and avoid allowing to locking points to crack or fold over. Most importantly, if a panel seems to be questionable about the lock, remove that piece. Because the Laminate is a locking system, leaving something sketchy and moving forward makes it very difficult to go-back to.
