Ben Larrabee, Author at PRO! Flooring

Flooring
February 7, 2018

Safer Cleaning For Your Floors

How much time do you spend down on the ground, sitting on your floors? As adults, we often spend very little time. But for your kids and your pets, it’s an everyday occurrence.

They lie and sleep on the floor. They play on the floor. They may even eat directly from the floor (yes, your kids too.)

And all that time playing invariably makes a mess. All of which require cleaning up.

There’s a right and a wrong way to do so. Commercial over-the-counter cleaners may state they are safe, but are they really? If you can’t read the labels, or a warning is printed right on the bottle, do you really want that near the family members you hold near and dear to your heart?

If you do use a commercial cleaner, dilution is very important. Be sure to keep everyone out of the room until the floors are clean and dry. When used correctly, the residue left behind will be minimal.

There are also other safer methods using all-natural solutions that can do the job just as well using ingredients from your pantry.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is one of the most versatile products you have in your home. It’s known for its odor absorbing and mild abrasive qualities, and can clean just about any mess you have in your home. Sprinkle some on your carpet, wait 30 minutes, vacuum, and you have a natural deodorizer. When you mix it with equal amounts of warm water and salt, it becomes a thick paste that can scrub everything from dishes to stained countertops and sinks.

Vinegar

For a quick all-purpose cleaner, combine ½ cup vinegar to a gallon of water, pour into a spray bottle and use as needed. This inexpensive solution cuts through grease and grime and will clean most surfaces easily. And because it’s natural, you can safely use it on a variety of things, including your dog’s toys, grooming tools, and other non-porous surfaces that need a little freshening up. You can store the mix in the bottle between uses.

Lemons

If the smell of vinegar is a little too strong for your tastes, use a little lemon juice instead. Mix three cups of hot water with two tablespoons of baking soda and lemon juice. The baking soda cuts through grime while the lemon juice has natural enzymes that break down organic matter. Plus the fresh, clean scent is an added bonus. You can use it safely on a variety of surfaces and feel good about what it leaves behind. Check with manufacturers guidelines first, or test on surfaces to ensure resiliency and colorfastness.

Carpet Stains

Accidents on carpet can be a nuisance. Before you pull out the chemical-laden cleaners, try something natural instead. For light carpet stains, two tablespoons of salt mixed into ½ cup of white vinegar may do the trick. Be sure the salt completely dissolved before using. For heavier carpet stains, add in two tablespoons of borax, making sure both the salt and borax dissolve before using. For tough, ground in stains, mix one tablespoon white vinegar with one tablespoon cornstarch until a thick paste forms. Rub it into the stain with a dry cloth and let it sit for up to two days. Vacuum.

Area Rugs
February 3, 2018

An Owner’s Guide To Great Rug Care

You’d be surprised at how much dirt your vacuum leaves when cleaning your rug. No matter how big the promises of your vacuum manufacturer, sometimes they just can’t get deep enough to remove every particle. And those particles can add up over time.

You love your rug and want it to be on your floors for many years to come. How do you take care of it?

Start by keeping it clean

If you control how much dirt gets onto the rug in the first place, you’ll have an easier time keeping it clean. Declare a shoes-off policy throughout your home. If you place a doormat or rug by your doors, you can stop people before they enter and have a place for them to leave their shoes.

Frequent vacuuming is also a requirement. Vacuuming up surface dirt before it has a chance to embed deep in the fibers will ensure your rug stays cleaner longer. Having an expensive vacuum that stays in the closet is of little use. Instead, purchase one that is easy to use and can be pulled out and used frequently.

Spend time vacuuming where the dirt really is. In heavy traffic areas, pass over the rug a dozen times. For less traffic areas, reduce your passovers to four. And in guest rooms or places rarely visited, you can clean less frequently, maybe with touch-ups once a month.

Deep cleaning

The safest, easiest way for deep cleaning is to roll your rugs up and have them taken away for cleaning. However, that’s not always a logical or practical choice. Always refer to manufacturers guidelines before you start the cleaning process.

You should always keep in mind the three key concepts of spot cleaning: blot, clean, rinse. Never scrub; only blot. Rubbing on a stain merely pushes the stain further into the fibers. Blot instead by pressing down with the heel of your hand to absorb the spill. If the spill is large, consider using a wet vac.

Never use harsh chemicals. Mix your own spot cleaning solution with a few drops of dish soap in water. Avoid creamy soaps as they can leave sticky residues. Once the stain has been removed, rinse the area with clean water or continue to blot with a wet towel. Repeat until no more residue comes out.

Flooring, Tile Floors
January 29, 2018

Using Linear Tile Floor To Improve Your Home’s Design

A linear tile floor can improve your home’s overall design. The elongated shape of linear tile has the ability to create the optical illusion of making a room appear larger and more uniform. It can enhance and define your home from end to end.

Lengthen Your Room

The lines in linear tile have the ability to stretch a room if you place them in a direction that maximizes the layout. Plank tiles can showcase grain. Grout in different tiles can further play into dimension. To elongate a room, for example, lay the tile with the lines running in the direction that needs more length. The eye travels in the direction of the flooring and gives the appearance of more space.

Create Uniformity

In large spaces where dimension isn’t a problem, linear tile can create visual continuity by using large linear tiles. This will present as a less busy, more fluid selection. Select a subdued grout color that blends in with the tile, and keep the grout lines as small as possible to further enhance the fluidity. This will maximize the feel of an open concept room.

Widen By Placing On The Diagonal

Older homes often have smaller rooms. By using linear tile on the diagonal, you can distract from walls that aren’t square. Rectangular planks or linear style flooring installed in a diagonal pattern has the ability to widen a narrow room, maximizing the effect for the eye.

Use Wood-Look For Style and Efficiency

Hardwoods are popular; that isn’t going to change any time soon. Plank tile has the ability to give you the looks of hardwood and the functionality of tile. And because there are so many options today, you can select any color or style you can dream of.

It’s Not Just For Flooring

A linear tile isn’t just for the floor. You can also take it up the wall to create an artistic focal point. How about creating a dramatic effect around your fireplace? Or enhancing a half bath off your living space? As the flooring continues up the wall, it can create an impressive finish and add flair and personality to your space.

How can you incorporate linear tile into your living space?

Flooring
January 25, 2018

How To Prevent Your Pets From Slipping On Your Flooring

As homeowners, we love our smooth floor surfaces. Hardwood, laminate, tile, even vinyl looks great in every room in your home.

And they make perfect sense when you have a pet. They’re easy to clean and easy to maintain.

But your dog’s paws aren’t designed to walk on such smooth, hard surfaces. And that can lead to slipping and sliding. And falling. And that can lead to some pretty serious injuries. The most frequent injuries range from pulled or torn ligaments to hip injuries, to aggravating arthritic or swollen joints.

Dogs uses their toenails for traction. They engage their paws, flex their toes, and dig in their nails for stability. Think of it like soccer cleats. With a hard surface, that can’t happen.

Luckily, there are ways to love your flooring and provide a safe environment for your pet too.

Keep your pet’s toenails short. This allows them to have a healthy posture when they walk.
Place carpet runners or rugs throughout your home, especially in main traffic area and where your dog is most likely to walk. You can also focus on where your dog is most likely to run and play, keeping rugs in those areas for them to gain traction as they move.
Pay extra attention to where your dog most likely will nap. Especially as dogs age, a slick floor can be quite the challenge for arthritic bones to get back up again.
If your pet uses stairs, be extra careful if they aren’t carpeted. This increases the chances of your dog slipping and falling. A good runner securely installed can help both you and your pet avoid accidents.
Keep your dog physically fit. If your dog maintains an ideal body weight, there will be less pressure on their joints, making it easier to walk. Couple good eating habits with regular exercise in a well-maintained area and they’ll be less likely to play vigorously inside.
Consider non-slip dog socks or traction pads for your dog to wear inside. There are a number of products available that will help your dog get around easier on smooth surfaces, even while they’re running.

There are ways for you to enjoy the flooring you desire and keep your pets safe in the process. Taking these ideas to heart will prevent slipping and falling, as well as making your home the perfect place for you both to live.

Flooring
January 21, 2018

Dark Floors versus Light Floors – Pros and Cons of Each

For most homeowners, they have an automatic like to a decor style. Contemporary or classic? Country charm versus ultra modern?

When you scan through home improvement sites, do you gravitate to certain looks? If you’ve started a pinboard on Pinterest, what decor do you most likely pin?

Chances are when you look at design, you’ll see patterns develop. And you’ll naturally gravitate towards light or dark floors.

Thankfully, when it comes to flooring, there is no one size fits all. Some prefer dark, some prefer light. And there are many options that can please every taste, even if you and your partner/spouse differ in what that should be.

The first step is learning more about both. Which suits your needs?

Here are some factors to consider when selecting the color of your floors:

What do you prefer?
What style is your home? Why do you prefer in your decor?
Do you have a busy household? Do you have kids and pets?
How often do you clean?
How particular are you in having dirt show on your floors?
How much light does your home receive?
What color are your walls and decor?
What color is your cabinetry in the kitchen?

In general, lighter hardwoods are easier to keep clean then their darker hardwood stains. But if you love dark and still want ease, select a slightly lighter color (jacobean rather than ebony). Also, choose a satin finish as this will hide dirt, scratches, dents, and other imperfections easier.

Darker hardwoods will also show scratches and dents easier. The primary reason is that most wood floors are light and if you scratch through the dark stain, you’ll see the contrast in color from the wood underneath. If you like your dark floors, a simple solution is to recoat your floors every three to four years to ensure the finish lasts longer.

If you are trying to make a space cozier, darker colors may be better. Dark floors tend to make a space look a bit smaller. They work well in larger homes and homes with larger rooms or open concept design. If you like darker flooring in small spaces, be sure to complement it with lighter shades of pain and consider adding overhead lighting for compensation.

How light or dark you should go all comes down to preference.

Head back to your pinboards. What do you prefer? Use your ideas when you shop to find the perfect solutions for your home.

Flooring, Hardwood Flooring
January 17, 2018

Can You Change The Color Of Hardwood Floors?

Thinking of installing hardwood floors? Worried you’ll have to live with the same floor color for the next several decades? Think again.

Can you change the color of hardwood floors? The answer is yes.

However, that does come with a caveat. Are your hardwoods high quality, solid hardwood that can be sanded and refinished? That’s why installing only the best hardwood will do.

Over time, hardwood can take a beating. Kids can scratch and dent the. Pets can leave messes or damage them with their nails. Furniture can mar the finish, especially if you have an active household.

By refinishing the hardwood, you can extend its life.

You can also change the color .. go from light or dark or red tone, to anything in between. And it doesn’t matter if you are going light to dark or vice versa.

That means you can keep up with trends or select a finish perfectly suited for your decor and personality.

And while the process does take time, it’s fairly simple to do.

Sand the floors – a professional may sand up to three times with increasing fine grit. This ensures your hardwood is smooth and will create a lasting look.

Stain the floors – this is where you can get as creative as you desire. Select a light stain such as Golden oak, or darken it up with stain such as Ebony. Want to go natural? Not a problem.

Add Polyurethane – By adding two to three coats, you’ll ensure the wood is properly covered and can withstand all your family can dish out. Allow at least 24 hours of drying time between each coat.

How light you can go depends on the type of hardwood you install. Aside from a whitewash finish, the lightest you can go is natural – no stain. That will give your hardwood a natural color depending on the type of hardwood installed. White oak will be a bit darker than red oak. Maple will be a bit lighter than pine. The only way to truly get a white or give hardwood a lighter color than its natural color is to bleach it or use a whitewash. Be aware both can react to oil and can give you a blotchy look.

So what’s your color? How do you want your hardwood floors to look? We can help you make your perfect choice now, and give you a world of opportunity for decades into the future.

Flooring
January 14, 2018

2018 Color Of The Year: Is It Right For Your Flooring?

The Pantone Color Institute is a consulting service that forecasts global color trends and advises companies on product development and the integration of color. It’s the leading source of color information and determines what colors you’ll see as you shop through the stores.

Color isn’t just something that’s pretty to look at. A lot goes into selecting a color of the year. Color has the ability to convey deep meaning, and designers and brands use this color to inspire and influence. It’s a reflection of what we need in the world right now.

According to Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, we are living in a time that requires inventiveness and imagination. They’ve selected Pantone 18-3838 ultra violet to represent that tone. A blue-based purple, it’s designed to increase our awareness and explore a higher level.

This deep purple is a perfect color to bring warmth into any room in your home. And depending on which room you select, there are many ways to incorporate it into your decor.

The easiest and most obvious way is to start from the floor up. While many homeowners may be nervous about adding purple carpet, try using Ultra Violet in your rugs instead. A rug can add a pop of color just about anywhere, from your living room, to your dining room, to the wine cellar in your basement.

And the best thing is rugs come in all sizes, shapes and patterns, and can even be rotated in and out depending on the season.

Looking for an even more dramatic change in your home? Ultra violet can be the perfect color choice for your bedroom carpets. This rich purple isn’t a color you’ll soon grow tired of. And because of the deep purple shade, you can mix and match a variety of colors into your decor, creating different moods and looks every time.

The key with color is to understand how much is too much. With a deep shade used in your flooring, be more neutral with your decor. Or if you really love color, incorporate it in many ways throughout your home, honing in on a single color to ensure it all blends.

That’s what we love most about color. There is no right or wrong way to use it. If you love it, it can be the perfect match for your home’s decor.

Want to see this year’s color choice? Want to learn more about incorporating it into your home’s upgrade?

Stop by today and see how we can help you bring Pantone’s Ultra Violet into your home today.

Carpet, Flooring
January 12, 2018

How To Choose Your Carpet Color

Ready to change your room this year? One of the most difficult components of decorating can be deciding on new carpet. There are so many decisions to make: style or carpet, fiber type, pattern, quality, price, and finally, color.

Color is often the most difficult choice because it can be tough to visualize the color in your room’s layout. A tiny swatch might be beautiful but how will it look once it’s installed? The effects can be so dramatic, it’s one of the leading factors causing homeowners to wait and delay their decisions.

Here are a few tips to help make the process a little easier.

Choose The Right Color First

Every room has a central element to it. Your color should play off of that central element. For example, in your living room, the sofa is often the largest piece of furniture in place. And because you have definite ideas about the type of sofa you want to include in your room, it’s often the best place to start when deciding color. Many sofas are limited to just a few swatches of fabric. Your color and pattern choices can control the overall look and feel of your room. Make that your first choice and you can use that to decorate the rest of your room.

Use that same logic with every room in your home. With a bedroom, for example, you have more options because the bed can be changed out regularly with comforters and pillows. In that case, selecting your carpet color first can impact the mood of your bedroom.

Going Neutral With Your Carpet

There is a reason why neutral color is the carpet industries biggest sellers. Carpet has a big impact on a room, and because of the expense, it isn’t something you’ll change out on a regular basis. Unless you have the resources and the patience for changing out your flooring regularly, it’s wise to select a neutral color that will look good in many situations. Neutral carpet gives you a clean background for adding colors that are easier to change out, such as with your paint or with your decor.

Lifestyle Should Impact Your Decision

Your lifestyle and the way your room will be used should also play into your final decision. A busy household with kids and pets should stay away from light carpets that demand a lot of attention. Keep in mind that very light and very dark colors show a lot more dirt, stains, and wear than their mid-tone counterparts. A carpet that is neither too light nor too dark will be the best color for masking wear issues.

The carpet color can impact the entire look and feel of a room, so it’s important to select your color wisely. Think about trends and how you’ll live with this color down the road. Will it wear well with the changes in your family’s lifestyle?

How can we help you select the right color carpet for your home?

Carpet, Flooring
January 7, 2018

Understanding Hypoallergenic Carpet

If you or someone in your home is prone to allergies, you might choose to look at hypoallergenic carpet as a flooring option.

If you do a quick search for “hypoallergenic carpet”, you’ll find a variety of articles doubting the claim. While carpet companies want you to believe carpeting can, in fact, be hypoallergenic, you’ll find many other resources telling you it just isn’t so. Who should you believe?

The first thing to do is to understand the true definition of hypoallergenic.

According to Dictionary.com, hypoallergenic is defined: to reduce or minimize the possibility of an allergic response.

With that in mind, it’s important to understand how carpet and allergies are linked. Carpeting can have three issues when it comes to increased susceptibility to allergens:

Carpet can trap pollen, pet dander, chemicals, and other known allergens that are tracked into the home
Many new carpets off-gas volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as formaldehyde and benzene, which are believed to cause allergies
Many vacuums disturb and suck allergens out of the carpet, but due to poor filtration and containment systems, they actually exhaust them back into the air.

The problem often isn’t carpet. It’s the environment in which carpeting is maintained.

As a homeowner concerned about the air you breathe, it’s important to reduce the likelihood of tracking in pollutants that can impact your family’s health. It’s equally important to invest in a vacuum that really gets the job done.

It’s equally important to make a conscious decision when investing in new carpet.

Buy carpet that carries the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Green Label or Green Label Plus for low VOC content.

Consider wool carpet if you aren’t allergic to wool, as it is naturally hypoallergenic.

Invest in a quality vacuum with a powerful motor and HEPA filtration. Look for Green Label manufacturers. Use it weekly at a minimum, more frequently for larger families or if you spend more time at home.

Flooring, Tile Floors
January 3, 2018

Which Floor Tile Pattern Is Right For Your Home?

Considering adding tile to your home? Before you select the color and the pattern, you’ll also need to decide how the tile will be installed. Tiles come in many shapes and sizes, and as such, can be installed in a variety of different patterns. Spend a little time online searching for what you love. Then bring that with you when you shop.

Grid Pattern

The most common way of laying out tiles is in a simple grid pattern. Depending on the size of the tiles and your room, this is one of the most cost effective and easy ways to install without waste. Tiles are laid side by side, together, to create its own inherent pattern. It works perfectly no matter how big or small the tiles are.

Running Bond or Offset Pattern

This is the next easiest pattern to create. Think of it as if you were laying bricks. This pattern can be done with both square and rectangular tiles, alternating how they are laid into place. The first row is laid with the second row directly underneath, so that the corner of the tile sits at the center-point of the one above. It creates a running appearance. The advantages are it creates a little extra texture and softens the overall space.

Harlequin Pattern

The harlequin pattern involves placing square tiles at an angle, on the diagonal at 45 degrees to the walls. This gives an illusion of greater space, making a room appear bigger than it truly is. It’s particularly useful in spaces with unusual shapes, giving the pattern the opportunity to pull your view into focus. You’ll see it a lot with black and white alternating tiles, though any color combination can work.

Herringbone Pattern

You’ll often see this in use with parquet flooring. The Herringbone pattern combines interlocking rectangular tiles set at a 45 degree angle to the wall. Depending on the size and style, the pattern usually is laid lengthwise along the longest wall to maximize the effect.

Chevron Pattern

This is a close relative to the Herringbone pattern, with its main impact to create a classy look in any room. The Chevron pattern lays tiles out in rows of parallelograms, with each row facing in the opposite direction to the one next to it, creating a V shape. The sharp central line of the V creates a zigzag pattern that contrasts or blends perfectly, depending on the color and the style.

Basketweave Pattern

The Basketweave pattern is two brick-shaped tiles set horizontally against two brick-shaped tiles set vertically. It’s an easy pattern to create and adds texture and style without too much effort. This can create texture either with tiles all the same color, or consider interweaving tiles of different color or pattern for an interesting look.

So which pattern will you choose? Which is the right one for you?

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