Flooring Archives - Page 28 of 58

Flooring
August 20, 2018

Can Your Flooring Control Your Home’s Temperature?

Does it seem like the summers are getting warmer across the Front Range? Even the winters appear to be drier, warmer even in the coldest months.

How does that change the way you play outside? How does that change the way you live inside your home?

Chances are your furnace works on overdrive when the thermometer dips below freezing. It may even seem as if it never turns off when the negative numbers come to light. And how about the summer months when temperatures can rise to three digits multiple days in a row? It’s not unheard of to use both your furnace and your air conditioner in the spring and fall – the days and nights can see temperature swings of 40 degrees or more.

All of that adds up to large utility bills. But there are things you can inside your home to help control your home’s temperature. Instead of looking at your HVAC system, look down at your flooring instead.

Tile

You might already know that tile is one of the most beautiful, durable flooring choices around. But did you also know tile also is a great way to keep temperatures down when it’s warm outside? And don’t worry about the winter months; consider installing radiant heating underneath, and your flooring can be toasty warm any time you choose.

With tiling, you have many styles to choose from. Travertine provides a unique texture that has been used in homes for hundreds of years. Marble is symbolic of wealth and elegance, and is one of the strongest, long-lasting flooring choices you can make. Ceramic tiles offer endless opportunity; you can find it in any style, shape, color, or pattern you desire.

Vinyl

Today’s vinyl isn’t what you remember from your youth. Luxury vinyl takes on many different looks and styles. Plus it offers you easy installation, a soft touch when you’re walking or standing, and is durable for day to day living. You’ll find luxury vinyl comes in many patterns and styles, and even can duplicate your favorite looks like tile or hardwood for a fraction of the cost.

Laminate

Laminate is already a great choice for both cost and durability. Yet did you know that laminate does not absorb heat like carpeting does? That makes it the perfect choice for long summer days when temperatures creep upward. Laminate also is durable and easy to care for; it doesn’t require special maintenance like stone or hardwood.

Before you make your final selection, make sure you understand the manufacturer’s guidelines to know how well your flooring will perform and what maintenance it will require to look it’s best. If you have any further questions, stop by. We’d be happy to show you a wide variety of options and help you make the right choice for your lifestyle.

Flooring
August 18, 2018

The Benefit Of Using Water Resistant Flooring In Your Home

Have a hot tub or pool outside? How many times have you run back inside soaking wet in search of something you forgot to bring with you?

Have an outdoor kitchen? How many platters of food have crossed the back door threshold as you entertain family and friends?

Or maybe your family is active in the Colorado sports scene. Skiing, sledding, biking, hiking, soccer, baseball – yep, you do it all. And sometimes you drag plenty of the field back inside with you.

How does all of that activity impact your flooring?

As you know, it’s not just the entry points of your home that can take a beating. It’s easy to track water, dirt, even mud throughout your home if you aren’t careful. And if you have pets, you know it happens even more than you think.

That’s why water resistant flooring is the best choice for you. Water resistant flooring works in today’s active households because:

It’s easy to clean. Nothing can be more frustrating than getting new flooring and having it ruined within the first few weeks after installation. If you select water resistant flooring, spills will be easy to wipe away as soon as they are left behind.

It’s durable. Any type of flooring that requires regular maintenance is going to be costly to upkeep throughout the years. Water resistant flooring won’t need to be replaced after a few years like carpeting, and isn’t prone to warping like hardwood.

It’s mold and mildew resistant. Soft flooring has the potential to harbor mold and mildew if moisture is allowed to settle in for long periods of time. And because it often forms in places you can’t see – corners and cracks, or underneath the flooring in the padding or subfloor – it can impact your health long before you notice it’s there.

It’s safe. If you have pets and kids, having a water resistant flooring means less worry from the daily activities you and your family live for every day. Spills won’t matter as much. Messy activities won’t fill you with worry. You’ll simply have fun and wipe the mess away.

Of course, you’ll also find water resistant flooring to be some of the most stylish and eye-catching flooring on the marketplace today. You’ll be surprised at the looks you can create using tile, vinyl, natural stone, or laminate.

Are you ready for a change in your home’s flooring? Why not give water resistant flooring a try.

Flooring
August 10, 2018

3 Advantages of Choosing Laminate Flooring in Denver

Adding new floors throughout your home can be exciting, but also a little overwhelming because there are so many different types. Here at PRO! Flooring Brokers, we want to help you figure out which flooring is ideal for your family.

Price

One of the main reasons people select laminate flooring is the budget. Laminate flooring is affordable, and it looks incredible. You can save money while still getting the specific flooring look you want throughout your house. Many people prefer laminate flooring in Denver because it looks identical to hardwood floors.

Durable

Whether you have children, pets, or just need durable flooring throughout the home, laminate flooring should be your go-to choice. This sustainable flooring option is ideal because it is scratch resistant. You do not have to worry about the floor getting scratch because you dropped something on it.

Moisture Resistant

Spilling liquids on floors is inevitable, so you need to choose flooring that is moisture resistant because you do not want to cause additional damage.

If you are interested in learning more about our selection of laminate flooring in Denver, you can give us a call at (303) 788-0113 and schedule a time to tour our showroom to see first-hand our stunning laminate options for your home.

Flooring
July 24, 2018

Is Natural Stone Tile The Right Choice For Your Home?

We love watching people walk into our store and taking in all of their choices. In many cases, they automatically move towards the natural stone displays. It’s beautiful. It adds a touch of elegance. And it’s impossible to ignore the styles and patterns that come with natural stone.

What’s more, you can install natural stone in so many rooms, in so many ways. Why not consider it for your home?

Yet there are a few things to consider before you make your final selection.

Learn all you can about the type of stone you are considering

It’s easy to get sucked in by the beauty of natural stone. But every selection has its own characteristics. Granite is beautiful as a countertop, but would it work equally well in the bathroom? Or how about travertine; is it the right choice for your kitchen floors? Be sure to consider how you’ll use it, and what’s the most practical choice to ensure everyone in your home has a good experience.

Understand the details

It won’t take you long to discover each type of stone has its own pros and cons. Sizing also can have an impact on the final appearance. Large tiles are becoming all the rage right now. It means less grout, which can give you a cleaner appearance. Or maybe you use complimentary tiles and colors and continue the look from your floor to the counter, to the backsplash, and even into the shower. Don’t forget mosaics and other designs to create a unique look.

Are you prepared for the maintenance

Every flooring choice has its own unique maintenance routine. Natural stone is no different. Some require a specific maintenance routine while others may require a once a year sealant to keep it from staining. Just because the manufacturer recommends something, doesn’t mean you should keep an eye out for updating the routine – a home with several kids and pets may need more maintenance than an individual whose only home on weekends.

Is natural stone the right choice for your home?

Flooring, Hardwood Flooring
July 21, 2018

The Trouble With Some Hardwood Flooring Contractors

Home maintenance and construction products can sometimes bring out the worst in people. Ask your neighbors about jobs-gone-wrong. Everyone seems to have a story about a remodeling project that cost them dearly. You hire them. You pay them. They disappear before the job is finished. And they leave with a big mess in their wake.

But it doesn’t have to be like that. Many flooring contractors are experienced, trustworthy, and will do a great job. They offer you a fair price and follow through on every promise made.

How do you find them? Research. Never jump at the first “great deal” you find. Instead, step back and evaluate the offer. “Great deals” are most often a little too good to be true. And you’ll pay the price.

What should you watch out for?

A contractor that is easily offended by questions. A reputable contractor will answer every question you have and encourage more. They will be available before, during, and after installation to ensure you are fully satisfied.

A contractor that is vague about licensing and insurance. If they can’t prove they have the proper credentials to be in business, they won’t have the protection necessary if something goes wrong. It’s not a matter of offending the contractor – it’s a matter of protecting your home. It’s your home, and if something goes wrong on the job, it could be you that pays the price. If an unlicensed contractor leaves you with a mess, your homeowner insurance won’t pick up the tab to correct the problem.

A contractor that doesn’t mention moisture testing with hardwood installation. Depending on what hardwood you select for your home, it’s important to test your home’s conditions for proper performance. Wood should always be acclimated to your living space before it’s installed. If a contractor doesn’t discuss this with you ahead of time, don’t trust them to give you the best service possible.

A contractor that pushes the sale. Installing new flooring should always be based on the best time for you. If they try and push it because a flooring is on sale, or there’s a reason to act fast, it’s better to let the “deal” go. A reputable contractor knows that new flooring is a big decision. This will be in your home for years to come. They won’t push or hurry you based on their desires for a sale. Instead, they’ll take their time to ensure the final flooring is right for you.

Flooring, Hardwood Flooring
July 18, 2018

Have Leftover Stone or Wood Flooring? Here’s What To Use It For

Did you overestimate for your DIY stone or wood flooring project? Do you have enough extra materials that you’re wondering what to use it for?

While it’s great to keep a few extra pieces of stone or wood planks for damaged areas of your flooring, any more isn’t necessary. Fortunately, you don’t have to leave it stored in your basement collecting dust. There are many uses you can use it for.

Create an accent wall

When most people think of accent walls, they tend to think of paint or wallpaper. They use a different color or pattern to add “wow” to the decor of the room.

Instead of paint, consider adding wood or stone instead. Wood can bring out a rustic flair to any room in your home. Add wood planks behind your bed. Or continue the look of stone from the floor into the shower stall in your master bath retreat. You can also add uniqueness to a mudroom or laundry room – it’s a great way to carry your theme from room to room.

Just be aware that not all materials work in every room. You wouldn’t want to use wood planks on a kitchen wall where they might be damaged from splatters and grease.

Add curb appeal

Do you have too much stone from a recent upgrade to your outside walls? Or from adding an outdoor kitchen in the backyard? Why not continue the look to your front yard and add to your curb appeal too.

By stacking stones, you can create planter boxes, mailboxes, even lamp posts that accentuate your landscaping. You can get lots of ideas online. And when you find looks you love, head over to Pinterest and create a pinboard with your favorites. Then you’ll have inspiration any time you have a few extra hours on your weekends.

Add household decor

Depending on how much wood and stone you have left, you can continue your quest for making individualized and personalized decor for every room in your home.

Extra stones or pebbles from a shower install can be transformed to knobs or pulls on your vanity.

Wood can be transformed into wall hangings or even small pieces of furniture.

Want to make a grand entrance? Try combining stone and wood for an original look to your entryway.

The possibilities are endless when you do a little investigating online. You’ll quickly find many ideas to use all of your leftover materials. And maybe even a few ideas where you’ll need a little bit more.

Flooring
July 14, 2018

Underlayment: The Most Important Choice For Giving Flooring A Long Life

When most people shop for new flooring, they rarely come in with a concept of underlayment and which is the best for their flooring choice. Yet in reality, it’s an equally important decision.

Underlayment is the layer between your flooring choice and the subfloor of your home. You’ll usually find underlayment made of rubber, cork, felt, or foam.

Unless your flooring comes with an attached underlayment, you’ll have to select the right product for your choice in flooring. Underlayment does a lot for your home: it adds softness, it creates a warmer room, it protects your flooring product and can add longevity to its life.

It provides support – it provides a stable environment for your flooring to reside on
It helps resist moisture from creeping through your home
It helps smooth out imperfections in your subfloor
It minimizes noise
It increases the longevity of your flooring

With all of that going for it, it’s worth a few extra minutes to consider your choices and invest in the best for your room.

You should also consider where the underlayment will go. Different rooms have different needs. Living spaces need softness and long wearing choices. Top levels of your home may need noise reduction. Bathrooms, kitchens, and basements may need moisture protection. Adding a vapor barrier will help protect your new floor from moisture.

Foam is the basic underlayment and is used with all kinds of flooring. It’s versatile and can be used in many ways. It’s easy to install and makes a good choice to go along with carpet, vinyl, and even some wood.

Rubber is good at helping protect against mold and mildew. It also protects from the hollow sound you find with some flooring. It’s most commonly used under wood, tile and carpet, and is an excellent choice over both wood and concrete subfloors.

Cork is an eco-friendly choice that offers mold and mildew protection as well. Because water can damage cork flooring, it isn’t the best choice where water is a problem, such as in your basement or bathrooms or other flood-prone areas. Cork with a vapor barrier or using rubber will be a better choice.

Felt is made from recycled fibers and is great at absorbing noise. It’s also great at adding softness to your flooring. You’ll find this works well under laminate, vinyl, hardwood, and more.

What underlayment is right for you?

Flooring, Hardwood Flooring
July 10, 2018

What Plank Size Should You Use In Different Room Sizes?

We see it happen a lot. Someone selects a wide plank for their hardwood floors, installs it, and hates the look almost immediately. Why does this happen?

In truth, a lot goes into deciding how wide your planks should be. As a professional installer, we look at a variety of things before making recommendations: the overall dimensions of your room, the width and the length of the room, what rooms the hardwood will be installed in, and how your rooms flow.

So what is considered wide? How do you know what width is best for you?

For traditional wood floors, most standard planks run between 2 ¼ to 3 inches in width. When you see a traditional oak wood floor, chances are it was installed using this width. It works well in any decor – from country to rustic, to modern. If you want clean, consistent lines, nothing can be more beautiful.

But in the last several years, boards have been getting wider. Think 4 inches, 6 inches, 8 inches and beyond.

When you increase the width, you’ll also have to make another decision: do you want all of your hardwood the same width? Or do you want to lay your floor using random widths? This is a personal choice; there is no right or wrong answer. All one width tends to have a more elegant look and feel, while mixing and matching widths tends to be more modern and contemporary.

The wider you go, the fewer seams you’ll have on your flooring. If you move from a 3 inch to an 8 inch plank, you can reduce the number of seams in your room by as much as 80 percent!

Wider width creates drama throughout your room. It can turn an average room into Wow.

Are you ready to update the hardwood flooring in your home?

Flooring
July 6, 2018

What’s Making You Sick? It Might Be Your Flooring

Feeling a little ill? For most of us, we settle into bed and wait for the cold of flu-like symptoms to fade away. But what if they don’t? For some, the symptoms linger for days, weeks, even months. Eventually, they start a hunt to find out the root cause. It may lead straight to your flooring.

Lumber Liquidators reached a settlement for their formaldehyde filled flooring.

It’s not just laminate flooring at risk. Some vinyl flooring has been found to have high levels of phthalate, an ingredient used to make plastics more pliant. They are also known carcinogens.

Think carpeting is at less risk? Think again. Selecting a synthetic carpet may make your carpet more durable and stain-resistant, but it can also contain more VOCs – volatile organic compounds. These toxic fumes can put your health at risk.

What’s a homeowner to do?

First, pay attention to what is installed in your home. Think natural instead of synthetic. Think sustainable. Think organic.

Any time you install natural products in your home, you’re more likely to breathe a little easier. But don’t stop with your flooring choice; pay attention to the installation process too. What glues will the installer use? Keep every part of the installation process as natural as possible.

Next, be conscious when caring for your new flooring. Don’t bring in any more chemicals than necessary. Use natural cleaning solutions. Better yet, make your own. Vinegar and water is a natural cleaning solution you can use at any time without the harsh chemical smell associated with some cleaning products.

You should also ensure that your home has proper ventilation throughout. Be sure your home’s heating and cooling system is properly vented. Use a dehumidifier to ensure your home has proper humidity levels to prevent mold and mildew from forming.

Flooring, Tile Floors
July 3, 2018

Maybe It’s Time To Tile The Bathroom

If you’ve decided now is the time to upgrade your bathroom, you can’t help but notice all of the things you can do with tile. Tile isn’t just for the floors anymore. In fact, tile is the perfect material to use throughout your bath. It’s perfect to use for the floors, for the walls in your shower, even for the backsplash by your vanity.

What tiles are the best to use in each situation? What are today’s trends, and how well will they stand the test of time?

Think Large

Because tile has grown in popularity, you’ll find today’s choices are greater than ever. Instead of using traditional tile sizes, think big instead. And when we’re talking big, we mean 18×18, 24×24, or even larger for floors, and 8×24 or 10×30 for walls. These larger sizes can make your space appear bigger. And by using larger tiles, you’ll have fewer grout lines to worry about down the road.

Concrete

The latest rage is concrete – it’s poured as a floor, even used on countertops. Why not try concrete tile too? In a bathroom, it can give you a warm and contemporary look and feel. And the tone allows you to mix and match any earthy color combination you choose.

Subway

Subway tiles will never go out of style. Depending on how you use them, they can give your space a retro flair or push the edge of contemporary. While traditional white might be perfect for your home, it’s by no means your only choice. Subway tiles also look wonderful in traditional brick tones or mixed with your concrete tiles.

Wood Tiles

Yep, it’s hard not to get into the newest look for tiles: wood plank. So many homeowners have tried to put hardwood in the bathroom, only to be quickly disappointed. Now you can, thanks to wood tiles. They have a distinct look that are inspired to carry on your wood theme into the most difficult rooms in your home. Whether you like traditional hardwood, prefer an updated whitewash, or settle on reclaimed wood-look, you’re going to like wood tiles.

Don’t Forget The Details

When you’re installing tiles in the bathroom, details count. Luckily there are unlimited possibilities when putting together the final touches to your bathroom decor. In the shower, you can mix and match tile to cover the floor, the walls, drains, storage areas for bottles and soap, benches, even create eye-appealing trim running around your fixtures. You can make tile stand out or let them blend in.

Your idea potential is unlimited. And you’re going to love the results. Just be sure you select an installer who is experienced in working with tile. Bathrooms experience high levels of humidity and moisture. For that reason, make sure the job is done the right way the first time.