Flooring Archives - Page 25 of 58

Flooring, Vinyl Floors
September 7, 2019

Why Removing Old Vinyl Yourself Isn’t A Good Idea

We recently did a Google search for removing old vinyl yourself. Yep, there’s a lot of homeowners out there ready to tackle home improvement projects one room at a time. And why not jump into one you can really dig into?

New flooring is always a treat. It can’t be that difficult to remove old vinyl yourself, and install something new … can it?

Here’s just a sampling of the advice you’ll find if you search out how to do this home improvement project.

Removing old vinyl can be quite difficult, as most are installed using adhesive attached to the subfloor. Most subfloors are wood, which means they’re porous; thus they absorb the adhesive. You’ll have to use a flooring scraper, paint scraper, and a putty knife to remove the vinyl and scrap away all adhesive residue before beginning your next project.

And that makes sense, for a variety of reasons.

Before you install new, you want to take out the old. If you lay new flooring over old, you could be in for a host of problems, especially with vinyl.

For example, if you leave traces of old linoleum glue on the wood subfloor, older adhesives have chemicals that can react with new vinyl products. This can create a yellowing discoloration, and it null and voids the warranty. That means you’ll be replacing your flooring way before its lifespan is reached.

What is vinyl flooring?

Before we go any further, let’s discuss what today’s vinyl flooring really is.

Vinyl flooring is made of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC. Additional materials are added in to give it its appearance, and to allow color, patterns, sheen, and flexibility to shine through. Yet the primary element starts with a simple vinyl sheet. Then it’s suspended in liquid, with different layers added, smoothed out, and dried to give it its unique look. It can be kept in sheet format, or further cut into squares or planks for ease of installation.

Homeowners have been choosing vinyl for decades for many reasons.

Unlimited color and pattern opportunity
Easy installation
Easy maintenance
One of the most economical flooring choices you can make

But vinyl flooring hasn’t always been made the way it is today. Different processes have been used. Different materials have been used in production. And therein lies the problem.

Old vinyl flooring runs the risk of having been developed using asbestos

Think back to homes built one hundred years ago. Minus four walls and a roof, the two have little in common from a building aspect. From the 1940s to the 1970s, many home products contained asbestos. It was thought to be a highly -effective and inexpensive fire-retardant material, one that was used extensively in all kinds of products because of its insulation qualities. You can find asbestos in all types of materials, including

Window caulking
Roofing material
HVAC duct insulation
Plaster
Some forms of paint
And of course, vinyl flooring

So the first question you have to ask yourself is: How old is my house? And if your house was built from the 1940s to the 1970s, is there a risk that the old vinyl flooring was from that time frame?

Eventually, people started questioning the benefits of asbestos. They quickly found that the chemicals included in asbestos were harmful to the body when breathed in. Today, all forms of vinyl flooring are asbestos-free. And if you remove old flooring at risk of having asbestos, it’s recommended to utilize professional services to ensure the job is performed the right way. This is to ensure you and your family stay safe long after the flooring has been removed and replaced.

The dangers of removing asbestos vinyl flooring yourself

Asbestos is divided into two categories:

Friable material – this is material that is easily broken or crumbled. Friable materials are dangerous because they can easily be released into the air supply, and will release toxic dust into the air.

Nonfriable material – these are durable products where the asbestos fibers are strong and contained. They are safe as long as the material isn’t damaged.

Old vinyl flooring is considered nonfriable material. When the vinyl is in good condition, it’s safe to walk on, safe to use in a home environment.

That’s probably why you’re likely to find old asbestos vinyl flooring under different layers of newer flooring. The recommendation has always been to leave the flooring alone, and install new flooring over the top. Recommendations were also made to seal it with a coat of epoxy floor paint. All of these options trap asbestos in the floor, and keep them safe from your air supply.

However, that doesn’t negate the danger. And when you do a full remodel, bringing the flooring down to the original subfloor, that’s where the risk materializes once again. If you chip away at old vinyl, you move the material from nonfriable to friable category. And your risk escalates.

And it’s not just the vinyl that puts you at risk. Even old adhesives could contain asbestos if they were produced during the proper time frame.

Cutting, sanding, scraping, and tearing vinyl away from the floor should never be performed by anyone but a professional. As a homeowner, you might not be aware of the danger, which, in effect, puts you at an even greater risk.

Learn your options by shopping our retail location

We’re flooring experts. We can help you every step of the way.

If you know you’re at risk – or even if you aren’t sure – your best place to start is by having a conversation with one of our flooring consultants. We deal with this problem regularly, and can help you find the right solution for your home.

Fortunately, there are many different remedies on the market that will make removal dust-free, without putting you or your family’s health at risk. When you remove old vinyl without risk, it creates a safer environment long before it ever had the chance to become a problem.

And it leaves your home in better condition for the new flooring you decide to install.

Don’t hide or cover up the problem. We can help you stay safe while getting the flooring of your dreams. Think twice before removing old vinyl yourself. Hire a professional instead.

Flooring, Hardwood Flooring
September 3, 2019

Strand Woven Bamboo Flooring May Be The Perfect Choice For Your Home

Thinking of installing new flooring throughout your home? Maybe it’s time to give bamboo a second look.

But if you’ve looked online for more information about bamboo flooring, you’re probably left a little overwhelmed. Is bamboo a good choice? Will you love it as much as other hardwood choices? And what about the newest bamboo flooring option that’s making waves online – is strand woven bamboo flooring a good choice?

Strand woven bamboo combats many of the problems people had with the pressed, composite bamboo planks. It’s still renewable, still a beautiful addition to your home, and is one of the most desirable green flooring choices on the market today.

Should you consider it for your home?

Is Strand Woven Bamboo Flooring The Best Bamboo Flooring

The first thing to understand about bamboo is it’s not hardwood; it’s grass. When you see bamboo competing with other hardwood flooring choices, understand it won’t act exactly like many of the most popular hardwood choices, like oak or cherry.

Instead, strand woven bamboo flooring is made by compressing bamboo fibers together. Think of bamboo as resembling a banana. The fibers are stripped from the plant, layer by layer.

Strand woven bamboo takes the strongest fibers from the plant, and fuses them together with a glue composite that makes them stronger than before. Traditional bamboo floors created flooring more like hardwood, layering bamboo together either horizontally or vertically. The difference is noticeable right from the beginning, with strand woven bamboo floors far superior in standing the test of time.

Traditional bamboo floors weren’t as resilient as hardwood

While the first phase of bamboo flooring was marketed as a competitive alternative to other hardwoods, people were often disappointed almost immediately after installation. They scratched easier than hardwood. They dented easier than hardwood.

Strand woven bamboo, however, is much stronger because of the glue composite woven into the bamboo strands. This binds the strands together and makes them more resistant to wear and tear. Think of it as woven rope laid together instead of individual strands of thread.

Traditional bamboo floors were more susceptible to biological growth

One of the most concerning aspects of traditional bamboo was its susceptibility to biological growth. Bamboo must be treated with a borax solution in order to prevent mold from growing. If this process wasn’t performed correctly, mold could continue to grow after installation, causing visual problems as well as health issues for anyone living in your home.

Strand woven bamboo improves on this because of the process used to combine with the glue composite. Any mold that may have attached itself to the bamboo will be cured in the process.

Traditional bamboo floors couldn’t be sanded and refinished

This, of course, depends on the manufacturer. But in general, original bamboo floors were too thin to be sanded and refinished again and again. When you sand a lower grade bamboo floor, you may see signs of fraying of the strands, which shows in the refinishing process.

Because strand woven bamboo flooring is stronger, it can take the sanding and refinishing process a number of times over the years, giving you added longevity in your flooring choices. However, keep in mind that nothing is comparable to a solid hardwood floor.

Traditional bamboo flooring wasn’t water resistant

Bamboo is a grass. Most people think it’s water resistant and resilient because of the structure of grass blades. While it can have some water resistant qualities, traditional bamboo flooring could be damaged quite easily with spills. It was important to clean any water or other moisture from the area as quickly as possible. That made the original bamboo floors not a good choice in bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens.

Once again, by adding the glue composite to strand woven bamboo flooring, it made a stronger surface area that can withstand more moisture and humidity levels. Only you can know the way your family functions, and if bamboo is a good choice for the rooms in your home.

If you do install bamboo flooring, be advised that you should follow certain safety measures to keep your floors in good condition.

Avoid spills as much as possible
When spills happen, clean them as quickly as you can
Place doormats at the entry if you’re using it at entry points and in hallways
Leave boots and other shoes from outside, especially if they are wet, off the bamboo floors
Do not install bamboo in bathrooms, especially with showers and tubs

What Styles Are Available For Strand Woven Bamboo Flooring

One of the best reasons to choose strand woven bamboo flooring is because it comes in just about every shade of wood. If there is a hardwood color you’ve been dreaming of installing in your home, you’ll find a strand woven bamboo flooring option to match.

Walnut, cherry, oak, and ash – from the lightest to darkest colors, you’ll find it for your bamboo flooring. But that’s not the only choice you’ll be able to make. Would you like laminated or not? This changes the level of shine on the surface area of the floor. If you like muted, with no shine, there’s an option for you. If you want the beauty of a high sheen, there’s a choice for you too.

Some manufacturers also integrate patterns into the final product. This gives you the option to further customize your final look and feel. Want a tiger stripe? Want multiple colors woven together? Consider some of the more exotic bamboo selections to install in your room; you’ll find one of a kind looks that can please just about any homeowner.

Of course, the more exotic you go with your final selection, the higher priced flooring option you’ll have. Still, it’s nice to know that this is an eco-friendly option, that will last for years to come.

Strand woven bamboo flooring does take a labor intensive installation process, and isn’t something the average DIYer can do. Some variations can take as long as 30 days for acclimation, and you can’t cut corners if you want it installed the right way the first time.

But if you are ready to have this one-of-a-kind flooring installed in your home this year, we can help you make it happen. Stop by today and find the perfect bamboo flooring for your home.

Flooring
August 29, 2019

How To Keep Your Commercial Flooring Projects On Time and On Budget

The larger the project, the more thought has to go into the entire process. A project that takes a couple of hours can be done on weekends or offtime, when tenants or employees are out of the office.

But when a job is bigger, when it involves days of labor, and will bring disruption to the people that use your commercial property, there’s a lot more to take into consideration.

On the surface, flooring projects don’t seem like a large project. You’re just replacing your current floor with a new one; what could go wrong? That’s where a lot of project managers start to have problems.

Flooring is a big project. There are many facets to the project, a few many people leave out. If you have a flooring project on your books for this year, where do you begin?

What flooring product is best?

Flooring seems like a simple project. You operate a commercial property. There are only so many flooring choices in the world, and only a few make sense in your situation. You wouldn’t put carpet in hospital rooms, any more than you would put cement floors in an elegant office.

https://pro-flooring.com/choosing-the-right-commercial-tile-for-your-location/

Chances are, you’re walking into planning phase with a few ideas in mind. But when was the last time you had flooring installed? Do you know what technology is available, and how it’s changed the current offerings in the flooring marketplace?

Like every industry, flooring of today is different from even a few short years ago. Maybe linoleum is your best choice. Or luxury vinyl. Or carpet squares. Or bamboo flooring.

A little education can go a long way.

As you are considering your options, don’t settle based on what you think is your best solution. Stop by our retail location instead and learn about many of the different options available, perfect for today’s commercial applications. You may be surprised at what your best choice really is.

Understand everything about the flooring you’re about to install

Most people focus on the new flooring going in, without taking into consideration the process and what it takes to get there.

Unless you’re starting from scratch with new construction, half of your flooring project process will be the removal of the old flooring and getting it ready for your new flooring choice. If you’re replacing old flooring, there may be concerns that didn’t exist at the time of original installation. For example, if you laid vinyl or commercial tiles years ago and it has now served its useful life, you might pull it up to discover residual adhesives are a problem on removal. Or asbestos was used in the production of the tile.

Did you include abatement costs to fully refurbish the area before you install new flooring? Certain solvents and abatement processes can leave their own residue, or cause problems with the subfloor and require additional work before installing your new flooring choice.

Did you allow enough time for the entire process? Have you factored in cost for the entire project?

Only when you have a great base to start with can you install your new flooring, and ensure it will be the best choice for your situation.

Estimating and budgeting – don’t skip out

One of the toughest parts of a new flooring project is often the budgeting process. You’ve set aside funding for flooring replacement, but have you thought about it from every angle? Have you considered old flooring removal and disposal, as well as allowing extra for the “problems” that arise throughout the process?

We find that many project managers under-estimate because they simply don’t understand the right questions to ask. If you haven’t replaced your flooring in years, you don’t understand the entire process from beginning to end. And without that knowledge, your estimates can be a long way from reality.

To keep your flooring project on budget, an important step is a thorough evaluation of the specifics of the job. That includes measuring the commercial space, seeing the nuances that can make it challenging, and determining what special requirements may exist that you simply aren’t aware of. Only a professional installer knows what to look for; that’s why it’s imperative you include this step before you make your final decisions.

Phasing plan and getting the job done

In many cases, you won’t be able to complete the project in one day. It takes time to remove the old flooring, to abate the area if necessary, to ready the subfloor, and finally, install the new one. The larger your commercial property, the longer this process will take.

And that can bring a lot of hardship to the residents, tenants, or employees who are currently using the property.

First and foremost, you have to start a project of this size by working with the people onsite. Are there big projects coming up where this type of disruption would impede work? Are there points in time that would be better for a project of this size than others?

Start with a conversation with everyone involved. Ensure you know work schedules, timing structures, and approximations of how long the project will take. Be sure to add in extra time for problems and mistakes that creep in during the process.

How to live with your final project

Think your commercial flooring project ends once the flooring has been installed? Think again.

Different flooring choices have different management requirements.

Different manufacturers have different specifications in order to keep their products looking their best.

Do you know how to “live” with your new flooring in the coming years? If not, it can impact the looks, the lifespan of the flooring, and even null and void the warranty.

While you might not think about the tiny details of caring for a flooring before it’s installed, it can quickly come to light after the project is completed. When someone moves a heavy object across the floor and mars the flooring, you’ll have questions. When the first stain appears on the floor, you’ll need answers.

We know the most important questions you’ll never ask when you first come in. That’s why it’s great to have a flooring expert on your side. We think of the important questions to ask, so you don’t have to. We make suggestions based on your circumstances to ensure you’re happy with the final product weeks, months, years after we drive away.

And isn’t that really what you want? Someone who can make your flooring project run smoothly from beginning to end, giving you the biggest bang for your buck? Helping you achieve your goals in the best way possible?

If you have a flooring project on the books for this year, start the process by coming into our retail location today. We can help you understand what you don’t know; answer questions you didn’t remember to ask.

And get you one step closer to installing the perfect floors for your commercial property.

Flooring
August 24, 2019

What About Flooring End Of Life?

Of all the materials located in a commercial or retail location, flooring is arguably one of the most visible and one of the most important components to a building structure.

It makes a first impression
It provides safety with the changing seasons and weather conditions
It creates a comfortable environment

Few would argue that commercial flooring has to endure a considerable amount of wear and tear. Very few materials have to stand up to daily use the way your flooring does. Make the right choice, and it’s a major expense. Make a wrong choice, and the expense skyrockets; it can throw a very large kink into your budget.

Like every aspect of operating a commercial property, the flooring lifecycle is one you have to pay close attention to. How do you know when you’ve reached flooring end of life? How can you budget correctly to ensure you get the most out of every dollar you spend on your flooring?

Just because it’s a major expense doesn’t mean you should overspend. If you plan correctly, you’ll know how to select the correct flooring for your property, understand the lifespan, and how to dispose of it correctly when end of life is reached.

Determining flooring lifecycle will give you a bigger picture of your options. It will help you achieve tight budget controls during the construction phase, as well as understand your costs down the road.

When you see the big picture, it helps you make wiser choices. It helps you determine what to spend today, in order to keep costs down throughout the life of your flooring.

Start With A Plan

How do you choose the best flooring? It’s a balancing act between the functionality of the commercial space, and how each flooring choice will hold up with daily use. For most property owners, the best place to start is with a few questions.

What is the general purpose of the property?
Who accesses the building?
What jobs will they be performing?
What activities take place, and how will that impact the flooring?
What traffic level will the space see?
What about aesthetics? How important is that to the overall design?

With flooring lifecycle planning, you can easily see that the lowest priced flooring might not be the best choice. It may be more expensive to maintain, and require replacement years sooner than other choices.

Lifecycle planning takes into account total dollars spent on everything from materials and installation, to service and maintenance, to end of life disposal.

Maintenance and Upkeep

While many property owners may focus on initial cost, it can be maintenance and upkeep that by far are the most expensive part.

The longer a floor lasts, the greater number of years you can divide initial cost into. That ultimately saves you in the long run. And as a flooring ages, it often requires more upkeep to keep it looking its best.

Maintenance is usually required to keep a floor attractive and functional. And that depends on the type of flooring and the amount of use of the floor. High traffic areas have different needs than smaller offices with little foot traffic, for example.

In some cases, you can handle maintenance and upkeep onsite. In other cases, you might need a janitorial or flooring service to handle maintenance for you. You need to balance these monthly costs with initial costs to come up with an accurate outlook of the best flooring to purchase.

What To Do At End Of Life

If you’re trying to make a decision about what flooring to install in your commercial property, why think about flooring end of life now? Turns out there’s a very important reason.

Specifically, the carpet industry in the US alone produces 11.7 billion feet of carpet each year. And when it comes to disposal, almost 4 billion pounds ends up in the landfill (that’s nearly 3.5 percent of all waste disposal in US landfills.)

And that’s just carpeting.

But it doesn’t have to be like that. You can start making your plans today. Decide what to do with the flooring you’re about to rip out, and make a conscious decision about how you’ll replace your new flooring at end of life. It makes the entire process more green – especially if you’re shooting for LEED certification, or adhering to zero-waste policies.

What options do you have?

Reuse it – For some materials, you have the possibility of reusing it in other ways. Many products have easy install and removal specifically for ease of use. Lock-in place laminates, pressure-sensitive adhesives on resilient flooring, and carpet tiling are easy to pick up, cleaned, and relocated. You’ll have to look at wear, but it’s often doable to relocate tiles from higher traffic areas to lower traffic areas, and get better wear out of the entire floor. That means you can extend the life indefinitely, rather than ripping out materials because of visible wear marks.

Third-party use – There are flooring companies that find homes for reuse flooring. Instead of throwing materials away, these companies find other venues where the materials can have extended life. That’s where things like reclaimed hardwood come from. In some cases, you can even reuse flooring in other projects. Handy crafters have made furniture and tabletops from flooring from places with sentimental meaning.

Recycle it – Recycling it is almost a given – we recycle everything, so why not flooring? Many flooring companies are stepping up to the plate and initiating recycling programs as a part of their business model. Shaw, for instance, prints an 800 number right on the back of their materials. When you call them, they will transport and recycle any product that’s a part of their program. Now that you know that, will you shop differently for the flooring you install in your commercial property?

Sometimes the best questions to ask about new flooring don’t start with color or product. Instead, they think about the overall flooring lifecycle, and what happens with flooring end of life.

To make your property the best it can be, maybe the best place to start is at the end.

Flooring, Vinyl Floors
August 21, 2019

Is Sheet Vinyl Good?

Back in the early 1900s, the way we decorate our houses changed in many ways. Can you imagine going back to a time without modern appliances? Or without insulation? Or without beautiful flooring?

Vinyl flooring first came popular in the years following World War II. It was considered a major upgrade over linoleum, and offered homeowners a choice in low cost, water-resistant flooring.

Like every flooring choice, vinyl has changed over the years. Today’s sheet vinyl is not what your grandmother had installed in her little bungalow. Today’s sheet vinyl is a highly durable, multilayer flooring choice that is great in high traffic areas, areas where moisture may be a problem, and commercial floor plans. It also comes in a wide variety of sizes and styles, looks, and patterns.

Are you considering sheet vinyl as a flooring choice? Let’s take a closer look.

What Is Sheet Vinyl?

Sheet vinyl is a multilayer, highly durable flooring choice that economical and easy to maintain. It’s easy to clean, and if you’ve ever worried about having it look dingy after just a few short months, stop worrying. Today’s sheet vinyl can look good for years.

What’s more, depending on what flooring you already have in place, it can be one of the easiest to install. If you want to change your decor, sheet vinyl is one of the easiest flooring choices to install.

Sheet vinyl is created with several layers to provide strength, durability, and aesthetics.

The most popular sheet vinyl contains a fiberglass layer that keeps the sheet flat and prevents it from curling over time. This fiberglass material also makes it easy to install, using a double-sided adhesive tape for installation rather than relying on messy adhesives.

Sheet vinyl also contains a wear layer and a topcoat, to help prevent scuffs, scratches, and other dings from normal, everyday use. Think of the wear layer as your protection from everything you do in your daily life.

This wear layer comes in different thickness levels. In low traffic conditions, you can get by with a lower wear layer option. However, in high traffic areas, select the highest wear layer for maximum performance. You’ll typically find wear layers in 10mil, 12mil, and 15mil sizes.

Sheet Vinyl Comes In Different Widths

When most people here “sheet vinyl,” they think of large rolls you can quickly unroll across a room and glue into place. But there’s more to sheet vinyl then rolls. When you’re dealing with sheet vinyl, the width plays an important part in the overall look, wear, and design.

As sheet vinyl grew in popularity, manufacturers quickly realized that one of the most difficult parts of installing it was the width of the design. Homeowners didn’t like having seams in the middle of a room, especially if they frayed and wore badly, leaving an unsightly mess. Cutting large sheets also seemed senseless in a narrow hallway, especially if you started losing some of the design.

Why not have sheet vinyl in many different widths? And that really was the start of vinyl’s opportunity. Did you know today, the most common width is just 12 inches?

Before you head into our showroom, take a few measurements of the room you’re ready to install new flooring in. They stop by and let us show you how you can decorate your space. What about plank tile just a mere 4 inches in width? Or stick with something wider – more standard – and move up to 13 feet in width? It all depends on your needs and desires.

Let’s Talk Style – You’ll Find Anything’s Possible With Sheet Vinyl

You can’t talk width without considering style first, right? After all, you aren’t just looking for a flooring choice that’s functional; you want good looks too. And that’s really the beauty of today’s sheet vinyl.

Let’s start with wood-look sheet vinyl. Everyone wants hardwood in their homes and commercial locations. But for a lot of situations, traditional hardwood just doesn’t make sense. Now you can have the look, yet choose durability and ease of care too.

What’s more, wood-look sheet vinyl can have even more options than you’ll find with traditional hardwood. Want gray wood floors? You’ll find it. Want to go as dark as possible? You’ll find that too. And while darker wood is often harder to care for, you’ll find dark sheet vinyl easy to maintain.

Like the idea of stone tile instead? Why not give stone-look sheet vinyl a try. It’s extremely popular; you can get the look of a stone floor at a much more economical price. It’s a great choice for bathrooms or kitchens. And because it’s softer than stone, it’s also a great choice if you have kids or seniors that are at risk of falling. You’ll love the softness factor sheet vinyl offers.

If you can find a stone you love, you’ll find the same look in sheet vinyl. Concrete, travertine, granite, and marble, there are all kinds of looks available that can provide you with classic designs.

Still Have Questions About Sheet Vinyl?

The best way to see if sheet vinyl is a good fit for your home is to stop by and see our entire vinyl flooring selection. But we also wanted to ensure you had a few more of your questions answered.

Is sheet vinyl really easy to clean?

Yes! If you’ve heard nightmares about cleaning and waxing, you’ve been listening to stories about linoleum. Sheet vinyl can be cleaned by sweeping and vacuuming dirt or debris. Use a damp mop for removing and spills or stains. Be sure to wipe away liquid spills and remove standing water. While it is moisture-resistant, you never want to allow liquid to stand and have the opportunity to penetrate through the seams. And depending on the spill, it can stain or discolor the top layer if left on the floor too long.

Can I install sheet vinyl myself?

Yes! That’s the beauty of sheet vinyl. With just a little bit of handy skills, you may consider installing this flooring yourself. Of course, if you want a professional look and feel, you may decide it’s best to leave it in the hands of a true professional. But it’s entirely your choice; you decide how to install it.

Can I install sheet vinyl anywhere?

Sheet vinyl is one of the most forgiving floorings to install; you can install it virtually anywhere. If you have a level subfloor in place, installing sheet vinyl is an easy task. How about the kitchen? Or bathroom? Or laundry room? It can make a great addition to your basement. Or how about the wine cellar? You’re gonna love how sheet vinyl spruces up just about any room in your home or commercial location.

How can we help you select the right sheet vinyl for your home?

Flooring, Hardwood Flooring
August 14, 2019

How Wide Should Hardwood Floors Be?

Do you love watching home improvement shows on HGTV? The ones where the hosts walk into truly ugly homes, rip it all apart, and build it back up again from the ground up?

Me too.

It’s a great way to get ideas from some of the top interior designers in the country. You can see the “in” colors for the year. Learn how to mix and match colors, styles, and patterns. And even take note of specific manufacturers, gaining valuable insight when it comes time to remodel your own home.

If you watch them as much as I do, I’m sure you’ve noticed there’s a trend in hardwood flooring. And it’s probably led you to ask a question if you’re thinking of redoing your own home:

How wide should hardwood floors be?

Because the trend is definitely moving upward in width.

In most cases, traditional hardwood planks are 4 inches in width. A narrow plank floor would range somewhere between 2 to 4 inches in width. You’ll find wide plank flooring starts at about 5 inches, and goes up from there, depending on the wood and the manufacturer.

Is one width better than another? Is there an easy way to make the perfect choice for your home? Let’s start with one of the first questions we receive when someone is considering hardwood flooring.

Are wide plank floors trendy?

One of the biggest reasons people hold back from selecting something new and different is out of fear. How will it look in the future? How will it hold up over time?

Wide plank flooring isn’t for every home. That’s where consulting with one of our flooring experts can help. We can assess your room size, your current decor, and even your personal taste. Wider planks can take center stage, adding grandeur across a wide open space. Go with a lighter shade and it can create a sleek, yet modern appearance.

The wider the plank, the more it tends to show the characteristics of the wood. You’ll see knots and grain. You’ll see more of the imperfections. Wider plank brings a lot of the focus back down to the floor. It helps give the room a one-of-a-kind appearance.

Plus wide planks mean you’ll have fewer seams between the boards. That means less interruptions of the natural lines both in the wood and the way the room flows.

Of course, you wouldn’t want to put them in a busy room, it can make the room feel cramped. And if clean and polished is your thing, the busyness of the wood can sometimes be a distraction. Those imperfections really stand out, especially if you use darker woods.

What does all this have to do with being trendy? It’s our way of saying – no way!

The purpose of flooring is to provide a foundation your decor can grow on. And if you love the way it looks, if it suits the flow of your rooms, why not make wide planks your final choice?

Let’s talk wide plank hardwood humidity levels

If you’ve done any research on installing wider planks in your home, you’ve probably noticed a lot of talk about how humidity levels can impact the structure of your floor. Considering we live in a very dry Colorado climate, it’s important to take this into consideration.

Depending on the manufacturer you choose, not all hardwood planks are created the same. When deciding how wide hardwood floors should be, you can’t overlook that wider planks will be impacted by dryness and moisture. Humid August weather patterns will affect it one way, while continually running the furnace in the dead of winter will dry everything out.

Wider planks quite obviously use more wood per plank. And therein lies part of the problem.

Inexpensive wood flooring is cut from every part of the tree. These manufacturers will use limbs, branches – any piece where they can get what they need to create a plank.

The wider the plank, the more surface area a manufacturer will need to create the plank. Most lengths run one foot to six feet, coupled with a wide width means the manufacturer will use only the thickest part of the tree.

Better wood means better results.

Yet you should still pay attention to how much humidity is in your home. Especially upon installation.

A reputable hardwood flooring installer knows it takes time to acclimate the hardwood to your home before it’s installed. Professionals will leave wood to acclimate to your home’s conditions before the installation process begins.

Why does this matter?

Let’s say your floor is installed using glue-down method. Wood floors maintain their structure when your home is kept somewhere in the 28 percent to 48 percent range of humidity. But if moisture levels drop considerably, parts of the floor might not contract if the glue holds firmly in place, especially if the wood isn’t high-quality and has more movement in its structure. This can cause what is called “dry cupping.” Your floors can warp and bow.

Sometimes putting humidity back into the home can help. Sometimes it takes overhauling the wood, sanding it down and refinishing it once again, fixing any areas that were damaged in the process.

Unfinished vs Pre-finished

All hardwood flooring comes in both unfinished and pre-finished product lines. This is a matter of personal choice when you’re installing it for the first time.

Pre-finished allows for the fastest installation. With the hardwood already finished in the factory, it’s a matter of lining up the planks and putting in the finishing work.

Unfinished allows you to finish your floors on site. While it takes more time and is a bit messier, the benefits are you can finish it in any color you choose. You don’t have to stick with what the manufacturer produces.

Unfinished also means the entire surface area is covered and coated. Even the seams in the floor will be covered, making it even more water-resistant that pre-finished.

If you are considering wide plank hardwood flooring, start by giving us a call. We can help you craft the hardwood floors of your dreams. Something you’ll be proud to have in your home for years to come.

Flooring, Hardwood Flooring
August 3, 2019

Is Cork Flooring Good For High Traffic Areas?

Thinking of putting in new flooring in your home? Although cork flooring has been around for decades, it’s only recently started making waves in the flooring industry. New technology has made a viable flooring choice for just about any situation.

Why do people like cork flooring? One of the top reasons is it’s a “green” renewable resource you can install and feel good about your choice. If you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint, select only sustainable materials for your home, and not have guilt about where the product comes from, cork is your choice.

While hardwood can take years to mature enough for harvest, cork is a quicker growing product. Cork comes from the bark of a cork oak tree, and is harvested from living trees rather than chopping them down. Once harvested, cork is ground up, compressed, and bonded into sheets using resins.

Does that make it a wise choice for use in high traffic areas?

Let’s talk durability

Cork isn’t a product that is new to the market. Cork was a well-loved flooring choice in Europe at the turn of the twentieth century, and many of those floors are still in use today.

What makes cork so durable is that it’s a movable flooring material that compresses and jumps back to its original position. When you walk on it, it has “give.” As you move away, it returns to its original shape.

Cork is also waterproof and is the only wood product that has this feature. That makes it a better choice in areas where water and spills are greater risk. When harvested, cork bark contains a waxy substance called suberin that gives it its unique waterproof characteristics. It also makes the material fire-proof, insect-resistant, and antimicrobial.

Cork is considered a wood floor. And like all wood floors, they can be damaged in different circumstances. Cork floors have a wear layer that provides a defense against daily wear and tear. These flexible polyurethane layers are well-suited to cork, but they do wear down over time. Like most wood floors, they will need occasional updating or refinishing, anywhere from three to seven years is a good rule of thumb.

But where hardwood is hard and is more prone to scratches and marks, cork’s softness means it’s more susceptible to dents and dimples. When someone walks across a cork floor in high heels, for example, those tiny pressure points can penetrate down into the cork and mark the flooring permanently. Because of cork’s resiliency, some of these dents can be “ironed” out with steam or a hot compress. Add a hot towel to the area for a few minutes, and you might be able to pull the dent out.

Like other wood products, there is a “quick fix” solution for tiny imperfections. If you have a scratch or dent that deters from the look of your cork flooring, you can create a patch. Using a sharp knife, a ruler, extra cork, and wood glue. Use the knife and ruler to remove the damaged section. Creating a small, squared off area means it will be easier to replace. When purchasing cork flooring, be sure to purchase and store a few extra feet of material. Then cut the new square in direct proportion to the piece removed. Fit it into place and secure it with wood glue. You can reapply a small layer of polyurethane finish to the surface to further seal the area and protect it against further damage.

It’s not just about wear and tear

When most people think about flooring choices for high traffic areas, they consider durability only. But there are other considerations too.

Depending on what you have in the area now, the room may be noisier or colder than you desire.

Cork is made up of tiny air-filled pockets. These act as barriers against noise production, and make any room quieter. If you’re tired of the echo sounds of laminate or hardwood, cork may be the perfect choice for your area.

Those tiny pockets of air also make it an excellent insulator. Just like it reduces sound from being transmitted down and throughout the room, it acts as a barrier against heat transfer as well. That means it keeps your home cooler in the summer, warmer in the winter, and the amount you pay on utilities each month lower than other types of materials.

If you have a family member sensitive to dust mites and other allergens, cork flooring is also a great choice for installation. Unlike carpet that can harbor dirt, dust, and other pollutants, cork tends to repel it. That means it’s easier to wipe away through regular cleaning. Because of this, cork flooring is often associated with a higher indoor air quality.

And because of the waxy substance called suberin that’s a natural part of cork production, cork floors are natural repellents to insects and other small vermin. That also makes cork floors more resistant to biological growth such as mildew and mold. And if these tiny organisms can’t grow, it can help you create a cleaner, healthier environment for you and your family.

Cleaning is a snap. When installed correctly, it will have a water barrier in place. Start the cleaning process with regular sweeping and vacuuming, taking care to remove dirt and grit that can damage the flooring as you walk on it. While you should always wipe up spills and messes as quickly as possible, you won’t have to worry about seepage because of the moisture barrier. However, depending on the spill and the length of time on the floor, it can be stained. Those grape juice and red wine spills can stain the flooring if left in place for too long.

Is cork flooring the right flooring for you?

Yes, there are a lot of advantages to installing cork flooring into your home. It can be the perfect choice for every room – kitchen, living space, bathrooms, and bedrooms – providing you understand the care needed to keep it looking its best.

Can cork flooring be the perfect choice for your high traffic area? Yes … as long as you understand the product and are willing to provide the proper care. It’s one of the most time-tested, beautiful choices you can make for your home. And the colors and options available will soon have you saying “yes” to new cork floors.

Flooring, Hardwood Flooring
July 23, 2019

Does Hardwood Plank Width Matter?

Are you ready to redecorate your home? Have you been longing for hardwood flooring for years?

Hardwood flooring is something many Coloradoans long for in their homes. It’s elegant. It’s beautiful. And it can up the resale value on your home if you plan on selling in the future.

But once you decide on adding hardwood flooring to your home, don’t think your decision-making process is complete. Making a decision on the right hardwood flooring also includes type, style, color and plank width. Because every decision you make will impact how your home looks. And if you select the wrong hardwood plank width, for instance, it can change the aesthetic value of your home right along with it.

What are hardwood plank widths?

Depending on which manufacturer you select, you’ll find a number of choices in hardwood plank width.

When hardwood flooring first came into style, all manufacturers kept their designs to a 2 or 3 inch width. No more. Today, you can find hardwood in a variety of lengths and widths. Known as “random widths”, you’ll find hardwood from anywhere a 4 to 10 inch width. Want wider? There are products with widths all the way to 24 inches wide. But these are considered more specialized, and aren’t often used in our modern structures.

Width often depends on what hardwood you choose – looking for oak, hickory, or other more traditional hardwood? These tend to be narrower due to the nature of the source of the wood. Hardwood trees are softer than softwood trees, which means the final product will be narrower as well.

Width also determines the cost. The wider the hardwood plank, the larger the tree needed for production. Larger trees need a longer time to grow, which increases the cost due to more extended harvesting.

With cheaper hardwood planks, they often come from the fastest growing trees. And in a lot of cases, they use every part of the tree: trunk, branches, and limbs. The wider the hardwood plank width, the more it’s produced from the thickest part of the tree. That makes it more expensive due to processing.

Of course, larger trees in diameter are also the tallest trees in the forest. When manufacturers create wider hardwood plank widths, they usually increase the length with it. This is partially because they have the length to work with. But it is also because longer lengths are visually more appealing when installing wider planks.

What about hardwood plank width installation?

If you’ve ever installed hardwood in your home before, you know one of the top tips is to bring in the hardwood several days before installation to acclimate the hardwood to your location. That process is needed no matter what the width, and is especially true the wider planks you choose.

Hardwood flooring does best when kept at a relative humidity range between 28 and 48 percent humidity. For wider planks, it’s even more important.

But it’s also important to remember that wider planks are created from higher quality trees. That means there’s a greater chance the hardwood was properly prepared. The timber was processed, cut and dried in the proper way, which means it has a higher chance for success once it’s laid into place.

Like every project, it’s important to understand your surrounding area before you make your selection. Does your home fluctuate throughout the year? Do you have a humidifier in place?

Humidity stability is important with wider plank widths. And while wide planks can be a challenge due to Colorado’s varying weather patterns, knowing your space well can help make installation a success.

Should you choose unfinished or prefinished?

There’s something appealing about walking through a flooring store and finding the perfect color for your floors. A lot of people like that process; that’s why prefinished hardwood choices are growing.

But it’s not always the best flooring choice for your situation.

For a do-it-yourselfer, finding the perfect prefinished floor boards can mean an easier project for you to take on. You won’t have to mess with the messy part of the project, and can have instant results as you lay each board into place.

However, factory finished flooring comes with stain and sealant already in place. They produce a hard shell for protection, but that’s more difficult to take off in the end. That means if you desire to strip and refinish your hardwood down the road, you’ll have a much more difficult time.

By going with unfinished, you can choose to finish the hardwood in any way you choose.

For wider planks, that means you can play with the look and placement before you stain and seal. That can ensure you get the flooring pattern you like before you finish off the project.

Another advantage of installing unfinished is seam filling. After the boards are laid into place, there are tiny seams between each board. Water and spills are one of the worst enemies with hardwood. Prefinished leaves these spaces open and can cause problems down the road. But with unfinished, you stain and seal the flooring after it’s installed. That means the tiny cracks will be filled in with sealant too, giving your entire floor a better chance at withstanding years of wear and tear.

What’s the right choice for you?

Selecting which hardwood to install in your home is a personal decision. It’s based on your personality, your decor, and your lifestyle.

If you choose a hardwood plank width too narrow or too wide, it’s not something you can easily change. So it’s important to spend time considering your choices carefully before you say “yes” to a plank size.

Have questions about what flooring is the best choice for your home? Want to learn more about hardwood plank width and how to incorporate it into your decor? Stop by today.

Carpet, Flooring
July 16, 2019

How To Choose The Right Carpet For Your Space

When it’s time to choose the right carpet for your home, where do you start? It’s a major undertaking. Because carpet has the biggest impact on how your room looks and feels, it’s important to take the time and get it right. It can last for years – a very long time if you don’t like it from the moment it’s installed.

At the same time, there’s more to selecting carpet than color and price. If you focus on just those two points, you might miss installing the best carpet for your lifestyle. Style, texture, pattern, padding – there are a lot of decisions to be made to ensure you get the best flooring for your needs.

Where do you start?

Where are you installing new carpet?

Your first step is to plan out where your new carpet will go. Are you installing it throughout your home? On one floor? In the bedrooms? In high traffic areas?

Let the amount of traffic the rooms receive guide you to make your decision. If you’ll regularly be entertaining in the room, ensure it can handle the foot traffic and potential spills. If your new carpet is going in the dining room, stain and soil resistance is a must. If it’s being installed in a bedroom or playroom, softness underfoot will be nice throughout the year.

How much are you willing to spend?

We realize that cost is a major factor when settling in on a floor. While it’s important to choose the right carpet for your needs, it’s equally important to realize there are other costs in your decision. Padding plays an equally important role in how well your carpet wears and lasts. Installation is also a factor in the final pricing.

The final cost often increases because homeowners forget about the little things that impact price. Have you considered closets, hallways, door frames, and other protrusions that require carpet too? Have you considered repeating patterns, seams, and furniture placement that will impact how much carpeting you need?

How do you pick styles and colors you like?

Wall to wall carpet has a big impact on the overall personality of your space. It can stay quiet and subtle, or pack a punch and be put on display.

Still, a lot of homeowners are nervous when it comes to color. They often shop with one thought in mind: I want it beige-y but not too beige-y. Have you ever thought that?

Looking at the vivid colors and patterns on display might capture your eye. But how do you make a final decision? How do you choose the right carpet for your room?

Start by talking with one of our flooring consultants. We can help you narrow down selections that would work well for your lifestyle.

Also, realize you won’t be making your final selection in just an hour or two at the store. You’ll want to live with your choices before you narrow in and make your final one.

We suggest narrowing in on three to five carpet sample boards. They usually are arranged with multiple choices, from darkest to lightest in descending order. Looking at them, you can probably eliminate most of the colors. But there will be several that are contenders. These are what you should focus in on.

Lay the sample board down in your room. Then cover up the samples you won’t choose, and compare the others and how they look in your home. Keep in mind that carpet usually looks about half a tone lighter once it’s installed because of the way the natural light will hit the fibers.

Live with your samples for at least a full day, watching the way the light changes. How does it look in morning sunlight? How about midday? Or evening light?

Then settle in on undertones. When you look at certain color choices, you’ll see certain colors. Maybe one color has too much grey, while another has too much brown. Compare it with your other decor – does it blend or contrast with your new couch? How about the wallpaper? Or the new drapes being installed?

If you get it down to two or three and still can’t make a decision, come back in. We can even order larger swatches for you to bring home and compare once again. A larger piece means you can move it more freely around your home. Butt it up against the baseboards, or throw it out in the middle of the room. You’ll be living with this for a long time; taking the time to order larger swatches and live with it for a few days is worth the hassle and time.

What carpet is right for each room in the house?

While there isn’t a set guide for what carpets work best in each room, we do have a few guidelines we suggest.

For living rooms, we feel plush or Saxony will hold up well. Well-constructed nylon will bring years of service to one of the most functional rooms in your home.

For family rooms, your best bet is a dense carpet that holds up well under pressure. Might we suggest a Berber in a neutral color? This will give you years of functionality and will stand up under pressure.

For dining rooms, ensure a stain-resistant carpet. Don’t go too light; instead, choose a shade darker. You might even want to focus in on texture and patterns to keep your carpet looking good for years to come.

For bedroom living, these are the lightest traffic rooms in the home. Yet don’t skimp on comfort, because nothing feels as good as scrunching your toes into the carpet on a cold winter morning.

Of course, beneath it all is equally important. A good padding minimizes wear and tear on the carpet. When in doubt, bump up the level of padding and decrease your choice in carpet. You’ll be glad when you see how well your carpet handles under the pressure.

Is this the year you upgrade your carpet?

Are you ready to choose the right carpet for your home? If you’ve decided that this is the year, it’s time to take action. Stop by today and let us help guide you towards the right carpet selection. With hundreds of styles, colors, and patterns, there’s a perfect choice waiting for you.

Are you ready to find it?

Carpet, Flooring
July 2, 2019

Is Carpet Bad For Your Health?

Carpet is one of the most controversial flooring types within the industry.

On the one hand, you’ll find a lot of people touting how bad carpets are. They can trap pollutants like dust mites, dirt, pet dander, particles, mildew, even mold. Toxic chemicals and gases in the air can settle into carpet fibers or on pollutants themselves. They sit there waiting for vacuums to make them airborne once again, or your pets or kids to lie down and become exposed to them as they play on the floor. Some carpets and carpet pads are made with chemicals and glues with volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. These are also known to harm your health.

On the other hand, some will tell you the exact opposite is true. Carpet can actually make a home a healthier place to live, keeping fine dust and other particulates out of the air supply. On smooth floors, these particles are always being recirculated into the air as your furnace or air conditioner turn on, or even as you walk by. A carpet will trap them and keep them low until you vacuum and pull them away. And with the increase in technology and awareness about the harm of VOCs, manufacturers today are producing high quality carpets with low or even zero VOCs. If you select natural fibers like wool, and pay attention to both carpet pad and installation, you can have one of the most eco-friendly flooring choices around.

Which should you believe?

Let’s start with a few statistics

Studies have been performed all around the world looking for a definitive answer.

A study commissioned by the German Allergy and Asthma Society showed that using smooth flooring markedly increases the risk of finding dust throughout a home, while homes using carpet minimizes the risk. And in homes with smooth flooring dust pools and is located in higher concentrations than in homes with wall to wall carpet.

For people with respiratory problems, fine dust is a problem. The more dust inhaled, the more it triggers irritation and causes breathing problems over time. The fact that carpet traps fine dust and holds it down close to the ground means there is less likelihood it will be up in the air supply. And that can be a good thing.

Or how about a study performed by the European Community Respiratory Health Service, an international organization that surveyed over 19,000 people in 18 countries, that showed homes that have carpeting in their bedrooms have a lower incidence of having a family member with asthma symptoms.

Carpet can lower the accumulation of dust within your home

Here in Colorado, most of us rely on gas-forced heating and cooling systems to keep our homes comfortable. And because of the unpredictability of Colorado weather, either one or the other is operating almost all of the time.

Have you ever sat in a home and watched dust and pet hair blow around every time the furnace or air conditioner turns on? If you can see that, imagine what’s happening to fine dust particles that are microscopic or hard to see. This fine matter is stirred up even with the most gentle breezes, putting all of that into the air supply, and ultimately inhaled.

Carpet fibers trap all of this, and keep these particles down near the floor.

When you have carpet, part of the regular maintenance routine is to vacuum them regularly. Modern day technology dictates that you’ll have a vacuum that uses HEPA-filters, which trap allergens and dust mites and permanently remove them from your carpets.

Of course, some carpets do this better than others. That’s where quality comes into play. Spend the time finding the best carpet for your situation.

What about VOCs?

VOCs – volatile organic compounds – are found everywhere, not just in carpet or adhesives. You’ll find VOCs in things you use every day:

Cosmetics
Deodorants
Cleaning supplies
Dry cleaning
Polishes and waxes
Drapery
Furniture
Office equipment
Cigarette smoke
Air supply from outside

You can’t escape it. But you can be conscious about it.

VOCs can be in any type of flooring. The key is in paying attention to the manufacturing process. Also, ask questions about installation, and select only those products that are carefully analyzed for lowering VOCs.

And statistics show that the use of VOCs is decreasing rapidly. Here in the US alone, in 1970, there were over 35 million tons of volatile organic compounds released into the air. In 2017, it was reduced to 16.2 million tons.

Being aware can greatly improve your ability to select things that won’t harm your health, and can actually make your home a safer, more comfortable place to live.

In can increase safety too

In some homes, safety is a top concern. Do you have an elderly relative who lives with you? Or a small child learning to walk?

Falling is one of the most frequent reasons people end up in emergency. And for an elderly person, the results can be catastrophic.

If someone falls on a hardwood or tile floor, the damage can be substantial. Carpet softens a fall, and can reduce the amount of injury.

Carpet has also been known to help reduce stress. There’s just something about squishing your toes into soft fibers, something that makes you relax and say: ah.

It might also be because of noise levels. Have you ever experienced the hollow sound with hard flooring in place? You can hear the echo as you talk or walk around the room. Carpet is a natural insulator, with improves noise control. That too, can have a lot of positive benefits, depending on the situation.

So, have you reconsidered your desire for carpet in your home? Are you looking for quality carpeting solutions that can help you create a non-toxic, breathable, sustainable living environment?

If so, we can help. We have many wonderful carpet brands that will perfectly suit your needs and taste. Stop by today and take a few samples home. You’ll love what new carpet does to your home.