I am designing a home to build myself (mostly) in Fairbanks Alaska. I will have a lot of questions throughout this process and hope you guys can help. Not all of the questions will have to do with building in Alaska.
One I have now is about flooring: I would like to use laminate flooring (that looks like hardwood) but my dog has trouble walking on it (he slips and slides). Can you thing of alternatives besides carpet?
Thanks!
You really need to get out to a Home Depot or similar some day. They actually have this flooring stuff available to touch and can get different colors! You can check out carpet, wood, laminate, resilient.
If you are asking for alternatives, here are a few: decorative exposed concrete with radiant heat ceramic tile cork anything Armstrong makes, but especially the MODE and MIYO manmade flooring.
Visit the Building Science web site and research preferred construction/insulation details in your desired area. It's often easier to decide on some critical details up front, rather than trying to rework the design afterwords.
I had a Chow that had tufts of fur growing between his paw pads. If those are kept trimmed it minimizes the sliding.
RI like the idea of concrete. I will have radiant heat on the first floor.
A related question: I will have a wood stove in the great room (cathedral ceiling and fans to heat upstairs) and am wondering about pouring concrete for one side of the stairs (instead of open with a banister) to absorb heat and the release it slowly. Is that feasible?
Thanks!
Not really sure what you mean by "one side of the stairs (instead of open with a banister)". If you are talking about pouring a concrete wall, that is certainly possible. However, if that is the only wall you are pouring, so have to get form materials, hire a concrete pumper, etc for just this one wall, it may not be practical. Be a lot easier to use brick or even CMU.
I'll bet Ted Stevens could give you some advice on home improvements.
My cousin had concrete floors in his home in lower Michigan and froze in the winter. Eventually laid 2" foam insulation, 2x2 stringers and plywood covered with carpet. Finally got warm after that. He told me he could never walk on the concrete in the winter barefoot or in socks. Something to keep in mind.
As for the dog, throw rugs can be nice and are easily changed after a few years when you tire of the pattern. I love dogs (except for the pest down the street) so don't take this wrong; dogs only live 10-15 years. Floors are forever.
dont even think about using carpet
you are just bringing a dirty rag into your home
hth peter
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