Expert Advice on Home Improvement TV Host of Emmy®-Nominated Today's Homeowner® and home expert for The Weather Channel

Schluter-Ditra Tile Underlayment is a polyethylene membrane that replaces ½” cement backer board when applying tile over a plywood subfloor. At only 1/8″ thick, it can significantly reduce the finished height of a tile floor. The flexible membrane comes in rolls and weighs only two ounces per square foot. After being cut to length, it’s set in a bed of thin-set mortar then covered by another coat of thin-set in which the tiles are laid. The membrane acts as an uncoupling layer to prevent cracking as well as providing waterproofing in one easy application. It’s available at The Home Depot stores.

Radiant flooring heating systems are an energy efficient way to gently warm a room by heating the floor. This system from Uponor uses hot water piped through a closed loop of flexible PEX plastic tubing.

To remove an existing tile, use a nail set to mark the surface then drill holes through the tile using carbide tipped masonry bit. Finally, chisel away the title with a cold chisel and remove any loose mortar.

To cut door jambs so flooring will fit under them, turn a piece of flooring over to use as a guide. Lay a handsaw flat on top of the flooring and saw through the jamb.

This small room is perfect for a piece of low pile commercial carpet we picked up for $100. Start by aligning the factory cut edges of the carpet against two of the adjoining walls in the room. Press the carpet firmly against the remaining walls with a 6” drywall knife, then cut through it using a sharp utility knife.

More and more materials for countertops and floors are available that are both beautiful and environmentally friendly. One product called shetkaSTONE is made from recycled paper, plant, and cloth fibers. While it has the look of stone, it can be cut and screwed like wood. It is water and stain resistant and comes in a number of colors. Best of all shetkaSTONE can be recycled again if it is ever replaced.

Nowhere is the charm of an older home more apparent than in the rich look of heart pine floors. Cut from the dense heartwood near the center of virgin longleaf pine trees, heart pine is prized for its fine grain, durability, and lasting beauty.

Danny takes a look at the Uponor radiant flooring system installed during Today’s Addition. He talks with the installer, Wes Sisco to see how it was installed. Wes demonstrates how the system known as Quick Trak® works. ½” plywood with a heat emission plate on one side and a dovetail groove on the other is installed under pre-finished hardwood. 5/16” plastic PEX tubing fits in the groove and conducts to the heat emission plate distributing heat across the floor.

Ceramic tile floors can add extra elegance to formal areas like the living room and dining room. In a project like this, Floor preparation is import before the first tiles can be laid. Darker marble insets were used to add pizazz to this flooring.

If laying out square lines is part of your next home improvement project (like tiling a bathroom floor) here’s a great tip. Establish one line parallel to a wall (the most visible one works best) and mark off 4 feet on it.