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Flooring
April 14, 2020

Don’t Let These Flooring Remodel Problems Get In Your Way

It’s easy to get sucked into wanting to remodel your home. After all, an afternoon spent on the couch with HGTV as your binge-of-choice will quickly show you all of the areas your home is currently lacking.

In many cases, it starts with the floor. Those stains and scuffs on your vinyl have been there far too long. The broken tiles aren’t just unsightly, they are also a tripping hazard. And did you ever think you’d be the one with the ugly shag in a color straight out of the 80s?

When most homeowners start thinking about installing new flooring, they start with a top desire. Thanks to many of the remodeling shows, they’ve pinpointed their top choices. But it might be a shock when you start calculating costs and have them fit your budget. That’s where many homeowners start to get into trouble.

You don’t want any regrets with your flooring choice, long before you’ve lived with it for any length of time.

But how do you ensure you won’t live with regret? What flooring remodeling mistakes should you know about, so you don’t make them yourself?

Don’t buy cheap flooring materials

For many of us, we consider ourselves to be great at bargain shopping. We’ll search extensively online for great deals. We’ll watch for sales and even try to talk our way into a better offer. That might work well for some things – you can always find another dress if you can’t get the one you’re after at a decent price. But for flooring materials, it’s a different story.

Let’s talk about one example we see quite frequently. A homeowner shops a big box store regularly, and notices a sudden flash sale offering engineered wood planks at an incredible price. They buy it up with the plans to install it themselves. Two questions arise from this situation:

What happens if you run out of materials, and the special offer is no longer in sight? Even the product is long gone off the shelves. In most cases, it was a special run just for the big box store. Even going back to the manufacturer won’t bring you any closer to finding a match.

Where is the material sourced from? Because these specials are usually created in large quantities, and made for profit, they are often sourced from less than reliable sources. Do you want questionable materials inside your home?

The adage “you get what you paid for” applies here. If you want flooring that will last, talk to a flooring expert and thoroughly understand the product you are laying on your floors.

Don’t skimp on the installation process

Thanks to the HGTV channel, more homeowners than ever are jumping into the renovation process themselves. And it can be great fun.

It can also be a challenge. Nothing can be more frustrating than a home remodeling project gone wrong. And if your floors aren’t installed in the right manner, you’ll experience “wrong” very quickly. Wood floors can warp and buckle. Gaps between materials can be ugly at best. And if you don’t transition correctly from room to room, flooring material to flooring material, it can be downright dangerous too.

If you’re not sure what you’re doing, ask for help. Pay for a quality installer to do the job right the first time. It’s the best way to ensure you have a beautiful and functional home for many years to come.

Select the right type of flooring materials

It’s easy to get sucked into specific wants; we’ve all done it. (You’re thinking about that expensive orange dress you bought when you clearly can’t wear orange, aren’t you?)

You can give the dress away without a lot of heartache. You might have to live with your flooring mistakes for years to come.

If you’re looking at the trendy flooring because they showcased it on your favorite show, back away for a moment. Is it really the right choice for you?

Talk with one of our specialists; they can help you evaluate your needs, and process them separately from your desires. White carpet might not make sense if your family is growing.

Pay attention to how you live

Each flooring choice requires a different level of upkeep. You’ll have to vacuum carpet regularly to keep it looking its best. Hardwood requires a sensitive touch to avoid scratches, dents, and marks.

You should also think about what you do in each room. Do you always complain about spaces being cold? Or is the living space you workout in regularly simply too hard?

There’s a solution for each situation. And that’s where talking with a flooring expert can help.

If your space is always cold, going with a plush carpet might warm it up. Or if you’re set on hardwood or tile, have you ever thought of adding radiant heating below the surface? It might be the perfect addition to your flooring remodel.

Be realistic with your budget

This piece of advice works in conjunction with selecting cheap flooring materials. If you’ve seen an endstand at your local big box store, it’s easy to use those numbers when establishing your flooring budget.

That might not work at all.

Before you settle in on a number, stop by and talk with one of our flooring experts. We can give you real advice on how much it’s going to cost. Because we know the little extras most don’t count on when they set up their budget. Like padding underneath that plush carpet. Or the cost of removal of your old floor.

Is this the year for a flooring remodel?

It’s a great time to stay close to home, and make your home an even better place to hang out in. But avoid flooring remodel problems by thinking and planning a little first.

We can help. Give us a call today.

Flooring
April 10, 2020

Renovation – Should You Do The Walls or Floors First?

What are the two biggest projects people take on when renovating rooms in their homes? Painting and flooring.

It makes sense. Those are two of the most powerful projects you can take on that will impact your home’s decor in significant ways.

In their own right, both are messy projects, especially if you’re making big changes.

Are you pulling down wallpaper?
Changing the texturing on your ceiling?
Adding new molding or wainscoting?
Moving from carpet to hardwood?
Have damage to your subfloor?

And what about all the problems you can’t see? You only have to watch a handful of the renovation shows on HGTV to know problems may be lurking right under the surface.

With all of that in mind, which project should you tackle first? Should you hire a painter to paint the walls, and bring in a contractor for the flooring second? Or should you have your flooring installed first, and finish the project with a new coat of paint?

Here’s our advice

Evaluate your projects

We’re assuming you’re having both of your projects handled by professionals. Neither your painting nor your flooring projects will be do-it-yourself.

Before you hire either, and set the schedule for the process, evaluate how much work needs to be done.

For the painting project, it’s a good idea to talk with your contractor to determine the work involved:

If you’re painting the ceilings, the workers will need ladders, and move them all over the room.
If you’re changing the texture, they may be scraping or spraying, getting fine dust throughout the room.
If you’re removing wallpaper or adding new, you may have glue and adhesive involved.
If you’re adding new molding, workers may have sanding and fine detailed work to do.

Flooring has its own share of to-do’s:

If you’re moving from one type of flooring to another, there will be prep work to the subfloor.
Depending on the flooring, the baseboards may need to be removed and changed accordingly.
New flooring can also change the height of the floor. Are the baseboards in the right location?
Unfinished hardwood requires a lot of prep work before they are finished, including sanding and staining. How will that impact the walls?

Best case scenario, if at all possible, we usually suggest prep work be done to the walls before the flooring is installed. The final paint job can be completed as the finishing touch after the flooring is in place.

However, this is a personalized process. If you’re working with a contractor, trust their advice. They will usually do what’s best to get you the results you demand.

Want even more information to make the right choice? Let’s look at the pros and cons of each.

Renovating floors before painting

Pros

Paint is one of the easiest ways to renovate your home. Painting it a different color can add elegance, give a room a dramatic feel, or freshen things up and make it appear lighter, airier. What’s more, if you get the color wrong, you simply select a different color and repaint. You can’t do that with your flooring. If you install new hardwood, it’s difficult to replace it right away with a different color choice. You might have to live with it for years. And once the color of the floor has been determined, it’s easier for a professional to ensure your paint has the same hue, and won’t clash as a final result.

If you’ve ever been a part of a hardwood renovation, you know how messy it can be. As the floor sander glides from corner to corner, it’s not unheard of for damage to be done to the walls. Chips and knicks are frustrating enough when your wall needs painting; it’s all the more so when the wall has just been painted.

Cons

The biggest reason not to refinish your floors before you paint is it’s easy to drip paint on a newly refinished floor. While you can use drop cloths to cover everything up, there’s always a chance the folds of the fabric can move and allow drops through and onto the floor. That would require work to remove the paint, possibly removing the varnish or top coat, and require time and money to fix the problem and bring your flooring back up to good condition.

Painting walls before renovating flooring

Pros

This is where it pays to plan ahead. If you have hardwood in place, and are sanding and re-staining, painting first can allow light paint splatter to be easily removed during the sanding process. This changes, however, depending on what flooring you’ll be installing. Paint splatters on new carpet fibers can be disastrous. Paint drips on porous tiles can soak in and change color. If you try and remove dried paint from vinyl, you might scrape the surface or remove the finish.

Depending on how high your ceilings are will determine what tools are needed for the job. Do you need ladders? Fans? Compressors? While a bucket of paint and a roller and paintbrush won’t cause a lot of damage if set down or dropped, larger equipment can cause more damage to your new floors.

Study your approach from all angles before settling in on the best method for you.

Cons

Paint spilled on some surfaces is harder to remove than others. Even if you are planning on re-staining your hardwood flooring after the fact, a deep color might penetrate the wood and be noticeable after you stain it.

Some flooring has a more difficult installation process, like unfinished hardwood. Dust from the sanding process can get all over a new paint job, even stick in some cases. And if you have a problem with installation, it might change the way our baseboards have been installed.

Which is best for you?

The final decision is based on your unique situation. If you’re using a contractor for both painting and flooring installation, trust their advice. Flooring almost always is more difficult for repairing and installation. If you drop paint on a newly stained floor, for example, it’s a mistake you might have to live with for the life of the floor. You might be able to sand out the paint, but if it stains, you’ll always see the spot every time you pass.

Take extra precautions, no matter which method you choose. It may seem difficult at the time, but it will more than make up for it in the long run.

Make your flooring renovation a fun project, one you’re proud of for years to come.

Flooring
April 7, 2020

Don’t Change Your Floors Until You Ask These Questions

Was 2020 the year you hoped to remodel, change your floors, update your fixtures, and give your home a fresh new look?

Is it still in the plans, albeit pushed back a bit?

Use this time to get clearer on what you truly want for your remodel. You can do that by asking these seven questions to help you hone in on what’s really important to you.

What rooms do I really want to renovate?

We all like to dream about the ways we’d like to change our homes. Upgrade the kitchen. Make the family room more open and airy. Or maybe change out the master bathroom to a spa-like experience.

Instead of dreaming about it, start focusing in on the renovation from the ground up. What rooms will you tackle first?

Every homeowner is unique in their approach to home renovation. For one, they might realize it all starts with the flooring because the carpeting is in such bad shape. If they have to replace it anyway, why not upgrade it more to work towards creating the house of their dreams?

If you’ve always had carpet in the family room, and are considering moving to hardwood, for example, it might be more time consuming then ripping up the carpet and laying planks in place. When you’re in the process of changing your floors, you might discover that the subfloor currently in place isn’t well suited for your new flooring material. Renovation will be more detailed because it will require more work to install something new.

Location of the room is equally important. Maybe you want to create a succinct living space, with hardwood throughout the main floor. If the hardwood currently in your kitchen is no longer available, you’ll have choices to make. Do you want to sand your current flooring down and stain it throughout to match? Are you ready to install transitions between rooms to create a beautiful look?

Look through your favorite decorating sites, and start building a pinboard on Pinterest to keep track of your preferences in one place.

What is my budget?

What is a realistic budget you’ve set aside for your remodeling plans? If you’ve only based your budget on estimates you’ve noticed online, or in ads you see for your local big box store, you might be surprised at the final price tag.

Big box stores like to share low prices for products. Yes, they’re offering a low price on hardwood planks, for instance. But they don’t share with you all the other costs that go into installation. Like ripping up your existing floor. Or making it ready for a new one. Or labor costs.

Now let’s add that into a complete remodel. If you’re redoing your kitchen, every step you take might reveal problems you didn’t anticipate. Have you watched the shows on the home and garden network? How many times are the homeowners “surprised” as a problem surfaces, adding 5 to 10 percent to the final budget?

Think realistically. Then add 5 to 10 percent for the just in case. If all goes well, you’ll feel even better by “saving money” too.

Who uses the room? What for?

Are you remodeling a kitchen that will be used several hours each day? Or are you adding in a guest bedroom that will only be used several times per year?

Different rooms. Different needs.

Base your final decisions on what floor makes most sense to stand up to the kind of wear you anticipate. And ensure you consider how much upkeep it will need throughout the years as well.

Do any of your family members have health challenges?

For some families, the best decision you can make is to change your floors to make your home a cleaner place. If anyone in your family has allergies or asthma, cleanliness is everything.

Many select hardwood or tile because they are easier flooring choices to keep clean. Running a swiffer over it daily is much easier than lugging out the vacuum. But other choices might make even more sense.

What about cork? Cork is naturally hypoallergenic. They use natural materials for production, and won’t collect things like pollen, mildew, or other pollutants and contaminants that can trigger allergic reactions. In addition, cork flooring releases no VOCs, which makes it the right choice for many families.

What are your personal preferences?

No matter what flooring choice looks good on paper, some homeowners have their minds set on a specific flooring product, and nothing else will do. Does this sound like you?

Our suggestion to you is to stick with your personal preferences. And then come in with an open mind.

Let’s say you want hardwood; you’ve wanted it for years, and your remodeling plans are based around installing hardwood. If you come in with an open mind, we can help you make the best choice based on your situation.

Hardwood is ever-popular. That’s why many other flooring choices have gone to great lengths to mimic its classic good looks. What if you could install luxury vinyl tile in the laundry room that is so close to the real thing, you have to get down on your hands and knees to tell it isn’t “real”? Or maybe you want to carry the look of hardwood throughout your home, but tile makes more sense in the master bath. Thanks to today’s technology, you can get tile that looks like wood planks too. And it’ll handle better in a high moisture, high humidity situation.

What look are you trying to create?

Design is everything. We get that. That’s why you’re contemplating a remodel in the first place.

You have a specific goal in mind. You “see” your final look long before you start putting everything together.

Go with your gut feeling. If you’ve always wanted a certain product, then don’t let others sway your final decision. Stick with it. Ask questions to ensure you’re getting the best in the product line. And love your results.

What maintenance level are you comfortable with?

Are you more of a sweep-and-go kind of person? Or do you take great joy in spending a little time in the cleaning process, and making it look great at all costs?

Different flooring options will take different levels of maintenance. It’s important to be prepared for whatever that means before the installation begins.

Also, check in with our flooring associates for recommendations for the best products to use. If you use many of the cleaning products you’ll find on the shelves of the local big box store, for example, you might void the warranty right from the very first cleaning.

Are you thinking of changing your floor this year?

Do your research. Then give us a call. Whether you stop by and see our full selection, or would like us to meet you and go over options where you are, we’re happy to help you select the perfect flooring choice for your home.

Flooring
April 3, 2020

What Is A Floating Floor?

Floating floor – it sounds fascinating, doesn’t it? The concept of being able to move a floor in quickly and “float” it into place has a certain appeal. Yet from talking with a lot of homeowners who are contemplating which new floor to install, we’ve also discovered there’s a lot of misinformation around it too.

What is meant by a floating floor?

In today’s modern homes, there are two parts to the flooring inside your home: the floor covering and the subfloor. Subfloors can be made from a variety of materials, including concrete and wood. Depending on what your subfloor is made from determines how your new floor covering will be installed.

A floating floor is designed to “float” on the subfloor without having to be secured to the floor. The installer won’t use nails or glue to ensure it stays in place. Instead, it is secured by the edges of the room as it is installed under base moldings and transitions. This requires a knowledgeable installer to ensure your flooring of choice is put into place properly to prevent movement through wear and aging.

Because floating floors have their place in modern home design, today’s homeowners have a wide variety of materials to select from, most of which have a “click” technology that helps lock planks together, and hold them tighter for a better fit. The three most popular choices include:

Engineered Wood – if you love the look of hardwood, yet want something that is more durable and that fits better into your lifestyle, engineered wood is often the best choice. Engineered wood is constructed from multiple layers of thinner wood and plywood, with a finished layer of solid wood. Engineered wood is created to be a lightweight alternative flooring choice that’s easy to care for and fits a wide variety of lifestyles. The bottom layer is often created from sustainable materials, making it a more eco-friendly option too. Because of its popularity, you’ll find engineered wood available in both floating options and glue down.

Laminate – while engineered wood is made up of different layers of wood designed to look like real hardwood, laminate takes a different approach to give you the classic look of hardwood. Laminate is a multilayer product where the hardwood look is created with a lifelike photograph. It has a protective top layer that gives it its durability. When you choose laminate planks, they’ll float into place through click technology. People often choose laminate flooring because it’s less expensive than other flooring choices, and it’s easy to use. You can often lay it into place over existing flooring, meaning you have fewer labor costs for removal.

Luxury Vinyl – while most vinyl isn’t floating and requires glue to hold it in place, the exception is luxury vinyl planks (LVP) and luxury vinyl tile (LVT). These two products are designed to imitate hardwood and ceramic tile, and come with click installation process. They interlock to make it easy to install, and have a multilayer backing that makes it a softer choice than hardwood. It can be easier on the budget too. It’s a great alternative if you’re worried about moisture, as these products stand up well in areas that typically are associated with water problems, like bathrooms and basements.

Cork – one of the newest floating floor options is cork. They come in planks, and click together in similar fashion to laminate flooring. Cork is a sustainable product, as it is harvested from tree bark, meaning the trees don’t have to be cut down for production. It’s also a hypoallergenic product, making it a good choice for homeowners that are conscious of the materials they bring into their homes.

Why would you want to bring a floating floor into your home?

There are a lot of reasons why a floating floor makes sense for your remodeling needs.

You want fast installation – depending on the flooring you already have in place, you can often lay and of the floating floor options right over the top. This saves you time as you won’t have to rip out old flooring, and fix the subfloor for any problems that occur during the process. It means you can have your flooring installed in hours, and be ready to use your home again in no time.

You want an economical option – homeowners often select floating floors because they want the look of a more expensive flooring choice with a more budget-friendly price tag. And because it can usually be installed over existing flooring, it can save money on labor if you choose to have a contractor install it.

You have an uneven subfloor – sometimes, no matter how hard you try to create a smooth, even surface for your new flooring, your home’s flooring structure won’t cooperate. A floating floor is a forgiving floor. Because it doesn’t directly connect with the subfloor, it’s easier to lay it in place over small problem areas without causing more maintenance work down the road.

You are dealing with asbestos issues – asbestos is a dangerous product that can cause a lot of problems in your home. Unfortunately, in some older flooring products, asbestos was used in production. It’s not only dangerous to remove it from your home, but it also can be a very time consuming and costly process. In some cases, unless you’re properly certified, it can be illegal too. Being able to float a floor over this existing product is the wisest move.

You want radiant heating underneath – a floating floor is a great option when installing it over radiant heating. Because it doesn’t require nails or glue to hold it in place, it keeps the space between the perfect place to install a radiant heating system. It’s also easier for repair work because you can lift up the sections you need, and put them quickly back into place.

What’s your decision?

If this article caught your eye, it may mean that floating floors might be the perfect choice for your home. Floating floors are perfect for do-it-yourselfers, or if you’re wanting to make a quick change with less than perfect conditions. When you’re ready to talk about your remodel in more detail, we’re here. Stop by today and see the many floating floor options available to you.

Flooring, Vinyl Floors
March 29, 2020

Are Vinyl Flooring and Linoleum The Same Thing?

It’s easy to mistake vinyl flooring and linoleum. After all, they both look similar when you’re shopping for sheet flooring for your home.

You might also find that a lot of homeowners don’t know the difference, and use the words interchangeably when referring to their own flooring. They both offer tough, easily maintained surfaces that can be installed just about anywhere.

But even though they are similar in the way they perform, there are distinct differences between vinyl and linoleum that you should understand before you select one for your home.

How vinyl and linoleum are constructed

Vinyl flooring comes in a variety of styles. You’ll find it in sheets, where you roll it out and cut it to fit the length and width of your room. You’ll find it in tiles – perfect for a do-it-yourself project around the house. You’ll also find what’s referred to as luxury vinyl tile, or LVT, which can take on the appearance of other floorings such as hardwood or stone.

No matter which style you prefer to install, they are all made in a similar fashion:

Top wear layer – a top coat made of urethane or other materials is laid into place to protect the floor from scratches and stains.
Image layer – this is what gives the floor its classic good looks. Manufacturers create the image layer by taking high quality photographs of materials and using them to create specific appearances. Yet this process also gives the ability to stretch what’s possible, giving you access to more colors and patterns then you would find with more natural products.
Core – the core gives vinyl it’s strength and durability. Depending on the product use, this can produce dent-resistance, water-resistance, stain-resistance, as well as rigidity too. While some products like vinyl sheets may feel flexible before you install it, other products like LVT are firm, almost plank-like, designed to resemble the look of hardwood or stone.
Underlayment – different vinyl flooring choices have different underlayments. Some add cushion to make the floor softer when walking on it. Some are designed for noise reduction. Some add additional strength for a more durable flooring choice.

While linoleum may look a lot like vinyl, it’s a completely different product. One of the reasons it’s growing in popularity again is because it’s a mix of renewable natural materials. Linoleum is made from linseed oil, which comes from flax seeds. It also contains a variety of other materials such as cork powder, wood flour, and tree resin. The design layer isn’t a separate layer, but is instead embedded throughout the material. You won’t have the patterns and color options associated with vinyl, but the natural looks can be beautiful.

Because linoleum is a natural product, it needs a wear layer to protect it from day to day living. Many require a protective sealant to block out stains and scratches, and may require reapplying it more regularly than with other flooring materials.

Which is better vinyl or linoleum?

Better is a subjective word. Better for one homeowner might not be the same as for the next.

If you want variety, vinyl flooring might be your choice. Vinyl flooring comes in a variety of styles, patterns, and looks. If you’re trying to match a specific color, vinyl may be a better choice. If you want the looks of hardwood or stone without the high cost of those products, vinyl is your better choice. Vinyl offers:

Highly realistic image layers that can take on the look of just about anything
Greater trend options, giving you choices of everything from reclaimed and rustic hardwoods, to wider planks and more color choices
More options for installation – sheets can have your floors rolled into place in no time; planks may be the perfect choice for a do it yourself project.

Linoleum has an equal amount of perks:

Linoleum is made of natural products, helping you stay on track if you’re attempting to go green
It has anti-static properties, which can be perfect if you’re using it where static can impact equipment
It’s resilient, meaning it’s softer underfoot
It’s antimicrobial, giving you anti-bacterial and hypoallergenic flooring choices
It’s also more consistent with coloring because the pattern is all the way through the material

How do you tell if a kitchen floor is vinyl or linoleum?

Both vinyl and linoleum have been around for years. If you’re moving into an older home and you aren’t sure what type of flooring is in place, we have a few ways you can tell.

Start by looking closely at the material. Get down on the floor and look at the wear patterns, especially in high traffic areas. Is the pattern still in place? Or can you see through the pattern, with a more natural color peeking between the wear marks? Vinyl has an image layer that doesn’t bleed down into the core. If that layer is penetrated, it will start to show as the image layer separates. Linoleum has the pattern throughout, so no matter how the flooring wears, the pattern will remain in place.

You can also tell by the coloring of the flooring product. Because vinyl is human crafted, it can take on any color or pattern the manufacturer can create. If it’s vibrant in color, no matter how old it is, chances are it’s vinyl. Linoleum takes on a yellowing color, especially over time due to the linseed oil base.

What about durability?

Both vinyl and linoleum are easy to care for. For daily maintenance, simple mopping, sweeping, and vacuuming will have your flooring looking good. Linoleum is a little more sensitive to cleaners as it’s a natural product; check with the manufacturer to ensure you don’t use a product that will strip the finish. Linoleum also requires periodical waxing and an annual sealant to keep it in top condition.

Be sure to purchase extra product when you install linoleum or vinyl. If one section is damaged, you can patch it or replace it in sections without complete replacement.

While vinyl, in general, is less expensive than linoleum, they are both excellent choices for budget-minded homeowners. Vinyl can be expected to last ten years or so, depending on where its installed and the traffic levels. Linoleum will last 20 years or longer.

In areas where water is a problem – kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, basements – linoleum can wear well if properly installed. But nothing holds up to water the way vinyl does. If water is an issue, vinyl will always be your best choice.

Which is the right flooring choice for you – vinyl or linoleum?

Flooring
March 26, 2020

Who Sells Flooring Near Me?

Are you in the market for new flooring? What kind are you in the market for? There are a variety of choices you can select from to improve the looks of your home.

How about hardwood throughout? Or maybe new carpet to keep your floors warm. Want to try something new? You’re going to love today’s luxury vinyl tile; it looks so real you’ll swear it’s hardwood plank, stone, or granite.

No matter what kind of flooring you’re considering, you have a lot of options for making your final selection. But who should you trust?

If you’ve been asking – who sells flooring near me – you have a lot of choices. Let’s look at how you should make your final decision.

Many start with an online search

Chances are if you’re reading this article, you’ve already started your search online. You might have even found us through a search like: Who sells flooring near me?

Google today is a very sophisticated program. No matter what you type into Google, it has the structure to deliver you results you expect to see. It knows what city you reside in. It understands your preferences. It will give you lots of options: from recommendations, to maps with potential locations, to other questions people ask related to your search. You’ll be able to click and learn as you go.

You may even be able to find online retailers that offer really good deals. In fact, this may be one of the cheapest ways to buy flooring. Online retailers buy in very large quantities, which means they can pass the savings on to you. But cheap prices come at a cost.

They may buy huge quantities to lower the cost, but shipping it to you isn’t easy, and in most cases, you’re going to pay the price.
If you have a question, you may have to rely on an automated response system to answer your question. At best, a customer service rep might be there from 9 to 5, but chances are they know little more than selling and billing.
They don’t care about the installation process. Their entire goal is to sell you product. If you have a problem with installation, or ruin material because you aren’t sure what to do, it’s your issue.
You can’t see what you’re buying until it’s delivered. And what you see online isn’t always what you’re going to get. Depending on policies, you might not have much recourse.

Selecting the right flooring is a complicated process. While buying online work for some industry experts who know how to navigate and what to pay attention to, this isn’t easy for most homeowners looking for flooring that will last for years.

How about buying from big box stores?

As you cruise through the aisles of your local big box store – think Home Depot or Lowe’s – you can find just about anything for your home, including flooring. There’s an aisle of tile, a rack filled with carpet samples, and several shelves of hardwood planks. You’ll even find laminate and vinyl tucked into a corner.

But what you won’t find are a lot of choices. Or a lot of expertise.

If you happen to get lucky, you might find someone working who actually knows about flooring. But it’s a hit or miss – you can’t depend on it from store to store, or every hour of the day.

Big box stores also look for great deals on what the average consumer wants to buy. That’s why their selections aren’t huge. Because they also buy in bulk to satisfy the needs of shoppers in every store across America – or the world – they can get very low costs on the few products they do buy.

If you’ve ever found “deals of the month” at places like Costco, you know your choice dwindles even further, to one. They have stacks and stacks of laminate, for example, for a coupon shopping best deal. You can choose that – or move on.

Do these have their place in our society? Of course.

But if you aren’t sure what you want, or have something in mind that is a little different than what you see in all of your neighbor’s homes, you’ll only find that by working with an expert flooring retailer.

What we do differently

What happens when you shop with a local independent flooring shop like ours?

Let’s start with the “feel good” side of our business. We’re local. We’re a small business that opened up to do something we loved, and to be a part of our community. We treat our employees differently than they do at the big box stores because they’re more like family. We only have the need for a small number of people, so they really have become a part of our family.

We strive to ensure we offer the best products and materials to the people who buy from us. We do our research, know our product inside and out, and care about everything that leaves our shop with our name on it. We’re not in this for the quick buck; we’re in this for our full time income, and will be for many years into the future.

Plus, it’s nice knowing you’re keeping your money with someone who’s a neighbor, who shops the same stores as you, whose kids go to the same school as yours.

And when you come in and talk flooring with us, you’ll find we know more about flooring than just about anybody. Every single person you’ll come in contact with here is educated about flooring. There’s nothing they won’t know; know questions they’ll leave unanswered. And if by chance that can’t answer your questions, they have many other people right here in our store they can call upon to help.

They are also more invested in their jobs. When people come to work for us, it’s because they love this industry and truly want to be here. They are in service, wanting to help every customer who walks through our doors.

We all know we wouldn’t survive without customers like you. So we take our jobs very seriously.

Who do you want to do business with?

If you’re trying “who sells flooring near me”, we suggest you give us a try.

We’re a great fit for people who know they want new flooring, but aren’t quite sure which to choose. You might have some ideas, but want help to finalize your decision.

We’re here when you’re ready to make the right flooring choice for your home.

Flooring
March 21, 2020

What Flooring Is The Warmest?

If you’ve lived in Denver for any length of time, you know temperatures can vary significantly every month of the year. The coldest month is usually January, but that doesn’t mean cold fronts can’t cause temperatures to dip unseasonably low every month of the year. Even in the summer months, you might have to pull out a blanket to take away the chill in the air.

While our houses are built stronger, sturdier than in decades past, going green means using building materials to help conserve resources wherever possible. While your HVAC system is designed to heat and cool the air supply to your desired temperature, why not do what you can to warm your house in other ways?

Heat rises. When you heat air, the air around it expands. It decreases in density, and rises above the cooler air that falls underneath. In a house, that’s why you’ll usually find the warmest rooms in your home upstairs rather than downstairs in the basement. Every time your furnace pushes out heated air, it naturally flows upstairs. That can be a good thing in the wintertime when you’re sleeping, and trying to stay warm.

Of course, this process also dictates the materials we use to put down on our floors. If you’ve ever stepped out of a warm bed and onto a cold floor, you’ve experienced this first hand.

While the HVAC in your home can control the overall living environment, your flooring dictates comfort level too. If your feet are warmer, you’ll be warmer. What flooring is the warmest? Which flooring is best for you to install?

The obvious flooring choice to stay warm

Let’s start with the most obvious flooring choice to help keep your home as warm as it can be: carpet. Carpet is made up of plush fibers tufted into a fabric back. It’s laid into place over a thick padding, which further insulates the flooring from the cold. It takes heat in and absorbs it, holding it in place to help keep your feet warm.

Carpet is a great way to keep your bedrooms warm. Carpet is also a great addition to family rooms, where you may lie on the carpet and play board games, or let your kids play with their toys.

But carpet doesn’t work in every room of your home. Imagine carpet in the kitchen or bathroom … it’s not going to work.

Vinyl flooring works to keep your room warmer too

If you desire to have a flooring that is more durable, water-resistance, and easy on the budget, you can’t go wrong with vinyl flooring. What’s more, today’s vinyl flooring isn’t what your parents had installed in their homes.

Luxury vinyl tile is available to mimic some of the most popular flooring choices in the world. It can resemble hardwood planks or stone or marble tile. In some cases, it mimics other products so well, even flooring experts have to move closer to see if it’s real. Yet luxury vinyl tile is made up of several different layers, including a core layer that adds stability and warmth overall.

And because luxury vinyl tile is built in layers, including an insulator layer, it’s softer than what you’d get with ceramic or porcelain tile. That makes it a great place where you frequently stand, including your kitchen or bathroom.

What if you want the more traditional hardwood?

While hardwood is a better choice for warmth than ceramic or porcelain tile, it’s still going to be one of the colder flooring choices you can make. That’s why you’ll find most homeowners that have hardwood also install area rugs.

Area rugs add the warmth of carpeting without installing it throughout the room. You can stretch the area rug close to the edges of the room, leaving just a border of hardwood. Or mix and match throughout the room, using smaller area rugs to add a punch of color. Rugs are designed as much for decor as they are for their insulating capabilities.

Why not try cork flooring to increase warmth?

Coloradans love hardwood. It’s by far one of the most popular flooring choices we sell. But if you’re focused on remodeling your room to make it a warmer place to live, there’s another option you should consider. Cork flooring looks like wood, but because of how it’s produced, it has an insulating quality that makes it warmer.

Cork is an eco-friendly flooring option that has a springy surface. If sealed properly, it is stain-resistant, moisture-resistant, and can offer the same qualities hardwood does for your home. Because cork comes from the bark of a tree rather than the tree itself, its a more sustainable product – perfect if you’re trying to live greener too.

Why stone or tile may be a great choice

When you think of adding warmth to your home through your flooring choice, one of the last that comes to mind is stone or tile. It’s hard. It’s cold. And you’re most likely to find it spread throughout a home located in the hottest states in the country. Colorado isn’t one of them.

But there is a reason why you might want to give stone or tile another look: radiant heating.

Stone or tile is the perfect choice for kitchens and bathrooms. It’s one of the most durable choices you can make, especially where water resiliency is an issue. And if you include radiant heating underneath, it can be one of the warmest flooring options you can make.

Radiant heating works by installing a heating element on the subfloor before you lay the stone or tile in place. Think of it as a warming plate for your flooring. Then you control how much heat you use depending on the overall conditions outside. Remember, heat rises. So it’s a great place to start warming your home. You’ll love it on the coldest winter mornings, and you’ll find yourself gravitating to those rooms instead of running away.

So what’s your choice? What flooring is the warmest and the most beautiful to include in your home? If you need a little inspiration or help to select the right one, stop by, we can help. View our entire selection, and make the right choice for your home.

Flooring
March 19, 2020

Can Your Office Flooring Be Making You Sick?

We’ve been changing the way we work for a long time.

Think back to the offices of yesteryear. Almost everyone who worked outside of the home went to the office. Individuals had offices where they could close the doors. Even workers had partitions between them, helping to define their workspace.

No more.

According to a report by JLL, flexible space has been growing at an average annual rate of 23 percent since 2010, with no signs of stopping.

It really comes as no surprise. Large companies are changing the way they do business. Employees are demanding different ways to work. And because it’s easier than ever to find talent anywhere in the globe, and let people set their own hours, flexible office space is becoming our new norm.

But this new way of working is also bringing in a different set of problems. Open floor plans are great; they can create a cohesive space that brings people together for collaboration and brainstorming. But it can also make us sicker. Recommendations for personal space vary greatly, with only 60 square feet per person in open environments.

There is evidence that if you share office space and are closer together, you’re more likely to get sick.

Choosing the right flooring for your office space

The first thing to realize is not every room in your office space needs the same type of floor. Office space receives a lot more traffic than your residential home. And in most cases, we aren’t as careful to pick up after ourselves in a work environment as frequently as we do at home.

In an office, what would you consider to be the most germ-infested place in the building? If you said restroom, you’d be wrong. One study found the worst place in an office building to be the break room. That’s because there’s a lot of action and a lot of spreading germs between people who never meet.

What’s more, this same study found that in the restrooms, germs might not be lingering where you’d expect them. Nope, they aren’t on the toilet seats or even the door handle; the germiest place is actually the floor.

What works in the break room or restroom might not be the best choice for the lobby or for conference rooms. What makes a good choice for office floors?

Lobby areas

This is where people enter and exit all day long. Durability and ease of maintenance are your two key considerations. The lobby is also the place of first impressions. It should be able to withstand everything visitors bring in, as well as make it easy to clean on a daily basis. Some flooring choices to consider are:

Luxury vinyl tile – this can give you the impression of hardwood plank, stone, or even granite, with the ease of use of vinyl. It’s a budget friendly way to create a great first impression.
Hardwood – nothing says elegance quite the way hardwood flooring does. This is a great option for office buildings that want a flooring that will stand the test of time.
Stone – one of the hardest flooring choices can give you longevity too. Stone tile can deliver no matter what the office building occupants can dish out.

Open office space

Office spaces can vary greatly in desire and need. Your flooring should be chosen based on aesthetics, noise levels, and production requirements. Meeting clients for financial advice would have different needs than meeting patients for medical treatment. Durability might not be your biggest factor, but it should be easy to maintain and look good in the process. Suggestions would be:

Carpet – commercial grade carpet can hold up well under all kinds of pressure. Consider carpet tiles for easy replacement, as needed.
Luxury vinyl time – another great choice to give you the look of hardwood or stone, while being easier to maintain overall.
Hardwood – for elegance and sophistication, it’s hard to ignore the classic good looks of hardwood.

Kitchens and break rooms

This is where the action is. All flooring should be slip-resistant, spill-resistant, and water-resistant. Expect water, food, coffee, and other items to be spilled, yet not cleaned in an urgent manner. How well will it stand up under pressure? How easy will it be to clean?

Tile – always makes a great choice, and with the right tile and sealant, it will look great for years to come.
Luxury vinyl tile – this is one flooring choice that’s easy to clean, even when spills stay in place for minutes (or hours).
Linoleum – if you want a more eco-friendly option, don’t forget to check out linoleum. This is as beautiful as it is durable.

Conference rooms

Conference rooms are a continuation of your business, it’s the place where first impressions can be everything. Consider who uses it most: employee meetings, potential clients, training, board meetings. What do you want your conference room to say? Consider your aesthetics carefully too; you don’t want private conversations to echo and filter out into general working environments. In general, you have less square footage while increasing the number of attendees shuffling around in the room. Equipment may be prevalent. Chairs will constantly be scraping the floor. Be sure to choose a flooring that’s up to all of those challenges and more.

Hardwood – if you go with hardwood, be sure to select a harder substance that can take the abuse. Consider moving to an eco-friendly option like cork or bamboo for a new look.
Carpet – carpet can warm a room as well as cut down on noise and echo. Plush carpet can increase the look and give a sophisticated feel.
Stone – natural stone can also add a touch of elegance to a conference room. Play with different sizes, styles, and shades to create a one of a kind look.

What office flooring will you install in your space?

With so many choices to choose from, there really isn’t a top recommendation. Instead, carefully weigh your wants with your needs, and select the perfect office flooring to suit your office space best.

From wood finishes to luxury vinyl tile, to carpet and stone, the perfect solution for your office flooring needs is waiting for you.

How can we help you?

Flooring
March 14, 2020

What Flooring Do You Use For Underfloor Heating?

Think back to the coldest day this past winter. There was more than a chill to the air; you might argue you were chilled to the bone.

As homeowners, we’re trained to drop the temperatures in our homes while we sleep or while we’re away all day at work or school. Why pay to heat a place when you’re not there?

But you start to think twice when your foot touches the floor, and that chill sets in a little deeper.

That’s why underfloor heating – radiant heating – is growing in popularity.

According to a report by Component, Underfloor Heating Market, the underfloor heating industry sat at $2.53 billion in 2016, and is expected to rise to $4.23 billion by 2023 – almost doubling in less than ten years. Clearly, people want a better way to be comfortable in their homes, and underfloor heating may be the solution.

Why underfloor heating?

If you’ve ever experienced underfloor heating, you probably don’t need a lot of convincing to know its a great option for your home. Imagine stepping out of bed on a cold morning and being greeted by warmth on your toes. Sounds great, right?

One of the biggest reasons people start exploring their options with radiant flooring is because of the comfort. It sounds great, and that’s one of the best reasons to consider it in your options. But homeowners also find that it’s a great investment, especially if they know they will be selling their home in the near future. Today’s home buyers look for the little extras that separate a house from the pack. Underfloor heating can do that.

Of course, you can’t just pick up your current flooring and through heating underneath. There are things you’ll have to consider as you lay underfloor heating into place.

What type of flooring can be heated?

There are certain types of flooring that are more conductive than others. That’s why it’s important to explore your options first, make your best flooring choice, to ensure you gain all the benefits of what this type of heating system offers. Most people aren’t surprised to learn underfloor heating works well under stone or tile, but did you also know you can lay it under carpet? You just have to learn the different types of radiant heating, and install the one that works best for you.

But before you look at types of underfloor heating, it’s important to narrow your flooring choices and pick the best for your home and personality.

Stone and tile

We’ll start with the obvious because, well, it’s obvious. Stone and tile go hand in hand with underfloor heating. You’ll never find a better match for the two. And you’ll never be sorry for your flooring choice.

Both stone and tile have conductivity that makes them perfect for heating up as well as holding heat over time. You can use both stone and tile throughout your home, wherever you want warmth from the ground up: kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, family room, sun rooms, and more.

In most cases, if you install a thicker tile, it will take longer to heat up. But a thicker tile also has more mass and will stay warm longer than a thinner tile. Plus, tiles are already well loved because they are easy to maintain and come in so many different possibilities.

Wood and laminate

Here in Colorado, we love the look of hardwood. Maybe it has to do with being so close to nature. We want to bring all we love about the outside, inside into our homes. And what better way to do that than with hardwood flooring.

Most hardwood and laminate products are designed to take heat up to 80 to 85 degrees. Check with the manufacturer before you finalize your decision. But once installed, you’ll be able to bring warmth to every room in your home and create the look you love in the process. This can be especially beneficial in cold basement remodels where you’re looking to combine good looks and functionality. Laminate may be your obvious choice.

Vinyl

Today’s vinyl flooring is soaring because of its beauty and maintenance-free qualities. What’s more, technology has created luxury vinyl tiles that can mimic just about anything, from stone and tile to hardwood planks.

Vinyl flooring is also a great choice to lay over underfloor heating. Vinyl heats up quickly, giving you quicker results on those frosty mornings. They do have a lower threshold of temperature restrictions, so it’s important to do your research and select the right option for your needs before you install it into your home.

Carpet

What may surprise you most is that you can lay underfloor heating below carpet. Your first step, if this is your choice, is to find a carpet that doesn’t act as an insulator. This will block the heat, defeating the purpose of underfloor heating. Thickness is everything when combining these two options to heat your home. Pay attention to the heat and tog-value or R-value guidelines listed for both product lines.

What are the advantages of underfloor heating?

Most homeowners start looking at underfloor heating because of the warmth. It’s appealing to have a warm floor on the coldest mornings of the year. But very quickly they learn there are a host of other benefits to installing radiant flooring as well.

Lower utility bills – by having heated floors, you’ll feel warmer as your feet are surrounded by warmth. No more turning up the thermostat again and again as the heat from your vents and registers rise. Your toes will stay warm all day long.

No ductwork – it doesn’t require expensive modifications to your home. Radiant flooring is installed directly to the subfloor, underneath your flooring, meaning out of sight, out of mind. You won’t even have to worry about where vents and registers have to be placed.

Better indoor air quality – gas-forced heating and cooling means airflow is consistently pushed through the ductwork before entering each room. That has the opportunity to send dust, pet dander, pollutants, mold spores and more circulating throughout your home. With underfloor heating, it doesn’t circulate the air, meaning less opportunity for allergens to flow freely throughout the air supply.

Uniform heating – with radiant heating, your entire floor is your heat source. It starts at the bottom and keeps you warm from the floor up. Vents and registers are usually only located in one or two places in each room, and work hard to blow enough air to adequately heat the space. It’s continually overcompensating and mixing with the cold air to try and keep you comfortable.

Is underfloor heating right for you?

The best place to start is by stopping in and seeing our complete selection of flooring. We’ll point you to the best products that are perfect for underfloor heating.

Flooring, Hardwood Flooring
March 10, 2020

7 Reasons Wood Floors Are The Best

Have you noticed almost every home you go into across the Front Range has wood floors? There’s a reason for that.

Head back in time, and you’ll find homes predominately used wood for floors. This wasn’t expensive wood, rather it was whatever fit their budgets, often being little more than particleboard. Of course, they didn’t have our modern day finishes and varnishes, so they used sand and wire brushes to level it out, occasionally bleached it with lye to bring it to a neutral color. In most cases, they used paint as a decor statement, or simply covered it up with their handmade rugs. These floors weren’t beautiful. They were functional at best.

To make them beautiful, they started having fun with decorating techniques. They’d use paint to create borders and patterns. They’d do what they could to “pretty” them up.

The sign of wealth showed up when a homeowner had rugs or carpet installed. Rugs were handcrafted by true artisans. They often came from different parts of the world. If someone could afford a rug, you knew they’d found success.

Is wood flooring good?

The industrial age brought on many new things in our lives, including mass production. Whereas people used to have to forage local areas for the wood necessary to build their homes and install flooring, now they could be selective about the type of wood they used.

And that meant humans started focusing on quality.

We also became better at building. We learned to use subfloors and insulation for protection and warmth. Flooring was no longer a mishmash of materials based on what we could find nearby.

And that changed everything.

What are the 7 main benefits of wood flooring?

1. It’s good looks

You can never go wrong with the classic looks of hardwood flooring. They’ll never go out of style. Maybe that’s because there are so many looks to choose from.

When you first enter our store, you’ll find a large variety of choices. Light or dark wood? Something more traditional, or do you prefer exotic? Want something eco-friendly? Want something that will look good for decades? We can point you in the right direction.

What’s more, with hardwood, you also have the opportunity to refinish it when it starts aging, and its classic looks begin to fade. Some hardwoods have been known to last fifty years or more.

2. It’s durable

Today’s hardwood is no longer taken from a local tree and installed without proper processing. Instead, they are kiln-dried, manufactured, and finished to meet specific standards. Depending on the materials you choose, they can be durable enough to last even in commercial applications.

https://www.nwfa.org/technical-standards.aspx

If strength and durability are something you are particularly concerned with, learn more about Janka hardness test. The Janka test lists hardness values for all types of wood used for flooring applications, ranking them for how well they sustain denting and wear.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janka_hardness_test

3. It’s easy to maintain

Wood floors are one of the easiest flooring types to keep clean, no matter how busy your household is. They don’t accumulate dirt and debris, nor will they stain under most circumstances. If you spill, simply wipe it away. A weekly cleaning is often nothing more than running a vacuum over it to remove the debris, with an occasional damp mop for a deeper clean. Be sure not to let the water pool, wipe up spills immediately for best results.

4. Variety

While we’ve mentioned it’s classic good looks above, it’s worth another look at the different options you can find in the hardwood flooring industry. It’s no longer just about using standard species like oak or maple.

Have you ever thought of using cork? Cork is an environmentally friendly option that is processed from the bark of a tree rather than the inner wood itself. That makes it sustainable, as the tree doesn’t have to be harvested for the product. It can reproduce bark every few years, and last for decades to give the farmer a recurring revenue stream. That’s good for the environment, and good for your home.

You can also select from a wide variety of species, and even change the look further by selecting your own stain and finish. Darken the wood to produce a dramatic space. Lighten it up for an open, airy appearance.

5. It’s a great investment

If you’re at all thinking of selling your home in the future, you can’t go wrong by installing hardwood floors. Wood floors are shown to consistently hold their resell value, and you’ll find it boosts your home’s price enough to recoup as much as 80 percent of the installation costs.

https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/what-type-of-flooring-should-i-install-for-best-resale-value/

Why? Because new home buyers demand it. There’s nothing that makes a home look cleaner and more up to date than walking into wood floors throughout.

6. It’s healthier

Indoor air quality is no longer on the fringe, something that only scientists or medical practitioners consider. If you have a family, chances are you do your research well, and want only the best for each member. Of course, you want to create a home environment where everyone thrives.

Wood floors are healthier, depending on which manufacturer you choose. If you’re concerned with quality, be sure to ask us for the best products on the market. We’ll steer you to the ones that are produced without harsh chemicals, and that won’t require glues with higher levels of VOCs. And because they don’t harbor dirt, dust, particles, dander, or allergens the way other flooring does, you’ll breathe a sigh of relief, knowing your house is as clean as it can be.

7. It’s ageless

If you want a floor that will last years – decades – wood flooring is your choice. Long after other flooring options look tired and worn, hardwood will keep on looking its best. And even when it starts looking dull and tired, you can sand it down, stain it, refinish it, and it will pop right back into great shape.

https://pro-flooring.com/refinish-your-old-hardwood-floors-or-replace/

If you install hardwood flooring today, rest assured it has the possibility of being in your home as your family grows and ages.

And that can be a very good feeling, knowing you’re installing a flooring that will do well by you for years to come. It’s more sustainable – meaning it will lower your carbon footprint. And you won’t have to sacrifice good looks during the process.

Are you ready for wood floors in your home? If so, we can help. Stop by today and see our complete selection. We’ll help you choose the right floors for your space.