Wood Plank Flooring – Surprise, It’s Tile

Here in Colorado, we love our hardwood. But in some places throughout the home, hardwood just doesn’t make sense. 

Try putting it into your master bathroom; how well does it stand up to the moisture and wet conditions? 

How about in the basement? A damp basement may be the perfect place to warp the hardwood. 

And outside living spaces? Sure, you may be able to use your covered space many months of the year. But hardwood? Nope, there’s no way you’d ever consider it. Wood Plank Flooring - Surprise, It’s Tile

Which is why hardwood plank tile maybe just the thing. 

The first thing to understand about wood plank tile is it comes in many sizes – just like hardwood. Whether you want 24, 30 or 40 inch lengths, there’s a wood plank tile for you. Prefer a more standard 6 inch width, or want a more distinct look by moving to 8, 10, even 12 inch width or more? You can find what you’re looking for. 

And when it comes to color, you’ll find tile mimics traditional hardwood in every way. Whether you want light or dark, a standard oak look or something more unique like reclaimed wood, you’ll find it in today’s tile choices. You can even mix two shades together to create a look that’s all your own. 

What’s best, is you can install them anywhere. They can withstand moisture. They can handle outside conditions. They’ll quickly become your favorite flooring throughout your home. 

And if you’re worried about them feeling a little cold on a winter day, consider radiant heating. Install this heating system before you lay your tile, and you’ll find warmth for your feet no matter what the temperature readings are for the day. 

Are you ready to install wood plank tiles in your home?

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Is Buying White Carpet A Recipe For Disaster?

We had an interesting question from a woman shopping for carpet for her bedroom. 

I’ve always dreamed of having a light, bright, clean look in my bedroom. I’ve had my eye on white carpeting for a long time, but the idea of keeping it clean has always held me back. Still, you can buy white carpeting, so someone must be buying it. Should I invest in it? Or select another color?

Carpeting isn’t something you can change out as easily as you do the sheets on your bed. For some, they will only invest in new carpet a few times in their lifetime. So it is a big decision. Is Buying White Carpet A Recipe For Disaster?

And while the color does matter somewhat, other things are more important to the decision making process. 

Choosing The Right Carpet For Your Lifestyle

Should someone invest in white carpet? If her lifestyle is such that white carpet works in her life, then it might be the perfect investment. If you live alone, white carpet can be a beautiful addition to a bedroom environment. If, however, you have a busy family with small children and several pets, a white carpet may be a disaster waiting to happen. Only you can decide what the risks are. 

Carpet Quality Isn’t All The Same

When you walk in and start evaluating different carpets, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. With so many choices, which is the best? That’s where an expert can help. A lot goes into making carpet. Fibers, backing materials, cuts, style, even warranties differ greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer. A carpet expert can help you understand the differences and select the right carpet that will meet your expectations. 

Move Past The Deals

It’s easy to get sucked into the deals you see on television or find in a flyer mailed to your home. Why not jump at the chance of having your whole house carpeted for $99? Quite simply – it isn’t true. They get their profits in some other way. They tack on hidden fees, sell you on added services, or move you towards other products when the promised one can’t be delivered. Focusing on cost puts you immediately at a distinct disadvantage because you’re looking at today’s investment rather than how much it will cost you over a lifetime. If it wears out in half the time, was it really a good deal? 

Don’t Skimp On The Things That Mean The Most

Many people push the limits of their budget with the carpet selection, only to skimp on the padding underneath. This is one of the worst mistakes. The padding is what keeps your carpet looking its best for years to come. It’s what takes the punishment every time you walk on it. It protects the backing and the fibers from wear and tear. 

Should you invest in white carpet? Our answer is: it depends. If your heart is set on it and the conditions are right, then it may be the perfect selection for you. 

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Is Summer Humidity Ruining Your Wood Floors?

Humidity in Denver? That’s probably the last thing on your mind when it comes to installing wood floors throughout your home and caring for them so they’ll last for years. 

Yet it’s true. Even here in the dry state of Colorado, summer brings in more humidity to your home than any other time of the year. Is Summer Humidity Ruining Your Wood Floors?

When you run your furnace, it dries out your living environment. When you flip on your air conditioner, it adds moisture back into your home. And if you’ve ever been around where we get brief, afternoon showers, you know after it leaves and the temperatures rise once again, muggy is the only way to describe it. 

That doesn’t just impact you. It impacts your floors too. 

Wood is a living organism. It contracts when it’s dry. It expands when it’s moist. And if it receives too much moisture, it quickly rots away. 

When you install hardwood into your home, the best place to start is with the acclimation process. The time frame depends on your home, and whether you’re installing natural wood, engineered wood, or laminate. Anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks should do the trick. It’s also important to give your wood floor a chance to breathe after it’s installed, before you apply stain and sealants too. 

Studies show that the ideal atmosphere is somewhere around the 50 percent level for moisture content. If you let it drop below, the wood can dry out. And if it gets a lot more moisture, it can warp and change. This is why wood is not good for bathrooms where humidity levels can be much greater. 

Humidity can come in many forms. If your floor continually gets wet from condensation, moisture, or even puddles of water, it can seep into your wood floors causing them to expand over time. Without a place to go, you’ll find cupping or crowning between the planks. 

Cupping occurs in the middle of the board with both sides rising. Crowning creates the center of the board to rise higher than the edges. Both are caused by moisture impacting the wood from underneath. As the floor dries, it separates and causes the planks to have gaps. 

Thinking of installing hardwood in your home? Stop by today. We can help you select the right hardwood flooring for your home. 

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Want New Flooring To Cool Down In Summertime?

Does it feel like there’s a lot more summer than winter across the Front Range these days? Are you looking for ways to stay cool as the temperatures rise? Instead of looking up for a ceiling fan, maybe it’s time to look down and replace your flooring instead. 

Stone, tile, and wood all have a way of feeling cool underneath your feet. These dense materials reflect heat, allowing it to bounce off and dissipate back into the air. Carpeting and rugs insulate, meaning they hold heat better in their fibers. This is why plush carpeting feels good on your feet on a cold winter morning. Pockets of heat are trapped within the fiber.  Want New Flooring To Cool Down In Summertime?

Stone, tile, and wood have no place for heat to hide. That’s why it’s a colder material to walk on, especially with bare feet. That’s why you’ll find your pets laying belly down to the ground on a hot summer day. It feels cool!

Of course, that’s not the only way you can make your home a little cooler as the temperatures climb up and up. Color plays an important role too. How you perceive your surroundings can sometimes help change how hot you feel. Bright red or orange screams heat. Sea greens and blues, or a gray-blue slate help you think cool. Just walking into a room that’s built around a cooler color helps your mind stay calm. 

You can also use tiles to convey cooler temperatures in other ways. 

How about a glass backsplash using cool colors as part of your decor? Glass tiles work well in both the kitchen and the bathroom. And if you use a color that contrasts your floors, you can play even more into creating a look that will cool you down. 

Sold on installing a floor perfect for the summer heat waves that are quickly coming our way? Nervous about how your flooring will make you feel when a cold snap heads our way?

Stone, tile, and wood also an advantage of being installed over radiant heating. This gives you an opportunity to enjoy the cool feeling in the summertime, while being able to heat your home with this effective and efficient technology when the first snowflakes start to fly. 

Are you ready to install new flooring to help you stay cool this summer? Stop by and let us show you all the ways you can do that … beautifully. 

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What Flooring To Choose If You Want Silence

Have you ever tried to creep up the stairs, only to hear a squeak loud enough to wake up the entire home? 

Your flooring might not truly be that loud, but in a quiet home, every noise it makes can have you cringing. If you’re looking for noise reduction, it’s time to take another look at carpet. 

Wool carpet has some of the greatest noise reduction properties in the industry. Wool carpet is beautiful, durable, fire retardant, stain resistant, hypoallergenic … and offers some of the best noise reduction in the industry. 

Wool naturally captures air within its fiber, allowing it to absorb more sound deep within. Wool carpet can help eliminate walking sounds as well as up to 80 percent of other sound emission from other sources. That’s what makes a big difference, especially in homes with lots of action, working environments, even in multi-story buildings where sounds travel up and down between floors. 

The benefits of this noise reduction doesn’t stop there. Studies show that increased exposure to noise impacts your health in many ways. It can impact your sleep patterns. It can cause high blood pressure. It can impact your hearing over time. It can have cause negative psychological impact, increasing your stress levels. While complete soundproofing isn’t possible, using noise reduction techniques in certain situations can help you improve the circumstances. And wool carpets are an easy, beautiful way to accomplish that. 

Looking for noise-reduction but still love your hardwood floors? 

Then look for ways to decrease the noise levels by selecting wool rugs. 

Just like wool carpet, wool rugs offer the same durability, classic good looks, and noise reduction qualities. You can even customize your look to get the exact color, shape, and size you need. And because many wool carpet and rug selections are from sustainable sources, you’ll be proud to display it in your home, knowing you’re home is as green as possible. 

Would the noise-reduction qualities of wool rugs and carpet be a good choice for your home? 

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Why Now Is The Time To Take A Second Look At Vinyl

Why do we love luxury vinyl? Because of its endless possibilities. Thanks to technology, it’s more durable than ever. And it’s looks? It can be just as beautiful as any other flooring choice out there, including ceramic tile, plank wood, or laminate flooring. 

Vinyl has two things other flooring choices don’t: it’s flexibility and its softness. It can be installed just about anywhere and provide you with a luxurious feel underneath. 

Vinyl Works In Every Room In The Home

Vinyl isn’t just for bathrooms and mudrooms anymore. Why Now Is The Time To Take A Second Look At Vinyl

Luxury vinyl comes in tiles, planks, and sheets. Depending on your final selection, it can create any look and feel you desire, even giving you a highly functional flooring system that appears more realistic. Love the look of hardwood? Luxury vinyl planks can give you the same look and feel, yet be softer to the touch. That’s a big plus in homes with small children or elderly. 

Vinyl Is Perfect For Commercial

Because luxury vinyl has grown in sophistication, it also makes a good choice for commercial locations. We’ve installed vinyl in corporate offices, retail, hospitality, healthcare, education, and even in sports facilities with great results. 

Why? Because luxury vinyl gives you unparalleled design possibilities. You can find luxury vinyl in tile, plank, or sheet format. This allows you to customize your final look any way you choose. And because vinyl is one of the most durable and easy-to-maintain flooring choices, you’ll love it no matter where you install it. 

Vinyl Has Something For Everyone

Why do so many families and budget-minded people love vinyl? Because it’s the perfect flooring solution for many different applications. It’s the perfect choice for homes with families and pets. It’s perfect for people that want a luxury feel yet stick to a budget. It’s perfect for commercial environments that want an easy to clean and easy to maintain floor. It’s perfect for anyone looking to create a unique look. 

We love vinyl, and we’re sure you will too. Stop by today and see today’s selection of luxury vinyl. 

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Ready To Replace Your Salon or Spa Flooring?

Today’s modern salons and spas offer a lot to their customers. Whether it’s a retail chain or a privately owned business, a lot of thought goes into the look and feel you present to the outside world. 

Of course, you want it to appear clean and fresh when a customer walks in for the first time. You also need a space that is comfortable for the employees. They’ll be on their feet hours each day. 

Ready To Replace Your Salon or Spa Flooring?While hardwood creates a beautiful and aesthetically pleasing look, it can be difficult to take care of. Tiles offer endless possibilities, but they are a very hard surface. Standing on them can give employees health problems. And try dropping something on a hard surface; it can cost you big time in replacement costs. 

That’s why many salons and spas find luxury vinyl is the best choice. 

And thanks to today’s technology, you can find any look and style you desire. 

The biggest reason busy salons and spas choose luxury vinyl is because of the comfort. Stylists spend eight, ten, even twelve hours a day up on their feet. Why not give them the softest materials to balance on throughout their days? Luxury vinyl offers a cushion and is much softer than harder materials like hardwood and tile. 

Because of its softness, it also offers increased safety. Vinyl has natural slip-resistant qualities even in wet conditions. And because it’s a high-traffic area, messes aren’t always cleaned up as soon as they occur. 

You’ll also like the soundproofing qualities vinyl offers. With clients coming and going all day long, you’ll never hear the “clop clop” of feet underneath as people scurry back and forth. 

All of this also adds up to a highly durable flooring choice. Wash stations and sinks mean consistent moisture on the floor. Its nonporous surface means creams and gels won’t soak in quickly. Even scuffs and scratches can be hidden if you select the right vinyl. (That’s where we can help you select the right choice for your business.)

You’ll also love its quick installation. It can install over many existing flooring surfaces. It doesn’t require as much work ensuring the subfloor is “perfect.” That means your business can be up and running – earning a profit on a much quicker basis. 

Plus if you go with tiles or planks, order an extra box or two, and you can easily replace areas without having to replace your entire floor. That can add longevity to your flooring choice, making it more economical over time. 

Have additional questions? We’re here to help. 

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Can Flooring Have Smart Technology?

You already know that smart technology is being integrated into everything we do. It’s predicted that in just a few years, almost everything in our home’s will be connected together in some way. 

Out of milk? Your refrigerator will add it to the list. 

Forgot to turn down the heat before you left for work? Simply login and turn it down using your mobile device from anywhere in the world. 

Can Flooring Have Smart Technology?With all this innovation, it’s only natural to assume smart technology would impact flooring too. But what does that mean?

You may already be using radiant heating. Radiant heating can be installed under all kinds of flooring choices. The benefit, of course, is always to have a warm floor to step onto, no matter how cold the morning is. And on the below zero days we get a few times a year here in the Front Range, that’s a pretty big benefit. 

But that isn’t the only option anymore. 

SensFloor is a large area sensor that is installed underneath flooring and can transmit data for all kinds of benefits. It can be used in a healthcare environment, alerting staff members when patients are moving around. In can be used in retail environments, keeping track of traffic data for making improvements in the building flow. It can be used in home environments to ensure family members stay safe and secure. 

Scanalytics takes the retail application one step further. Sensors are installed in different places throughout retail and commercial applications to determine the functionality of the space. It provides both real-time and historical reporting to help you make better decisions that can impact ROI. 

Of course, if you just want to keep things simple, introduce smart technology into your home by helping you clean up. A robo vacuum uses smart technology to move throughout your home and clean up, even when you aren’t there. 

How are you using smart technology in your home?

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The Pros and Cons Of The Top Flooring Choices

Renovating your home? One of the most difficult choices you’ll make isn’t the cabinets in the kitchen or the color of paint you select for the walls. Your flooring will impact how well your new room performs for years to come. 

Flooring impacts everything from the way it feels on your feet to the way it performs with everyday use. It’s a balancing act to ensure you get everything you need, from a floor that’s easy to maintain to one that performs well with all the wear and tear your family can dish out. 

The Pros and Cons Of The Top Flooring ChoicesHardwood continues to be a popular choice. People are using it in every room in the home. 

But hardwood does have its drawbacks. It can be easily scratched by rough play from the kids or your pets’ nails as they play a game of catch. You can move to engineered hardwood for the same look, but they can’t be refinished as often as hardwood. 

Carpet is a popular choice, especially in family rooms and bedrooms. It has the comfort factor if you spend a lot of time on the floor. And if you’ve ever stepped out of bed on a cold winter morning onto a cool tile or wood floor, you can appreciate the warmth of carpeting underneath your bed. 

A lot of flooring choices is dependent upon the climate. Here in the Rocky Mountains, we have cold winters and warm summers. We often prefer the rustic appeal of hardwood because it reminds us of our roots from the forests of the mountainside. You’re more likely to see a home full of hardwood than tile because of the look and feel. 

But that’s also changing. A popular design trend is tile with the look and feel of hardwood. It comes in planks and can be equally as beautiful as the hardwood you’re used to. It has the advantage of being more durable and easier to maintain. It can also be warmed with radiant heating, making it the perfect choice for every season of the year. 

Not sure what flooring choice to include in each room? Designers say that using the same flooring throughout the entire house, or at least in the public areas, will make your rooms appear bigger. It gives you a unified look from the front to the back, upstairs and down. 

But you wouldn’t want to use carpet in the bathroom. That’s where today’s luxury vinyl come into play. For bathrooms, basements, and laundry rooms, it’s a great choice to continue your look while upping your performance factor as well. 

Whatever your choice for flooring, it’s important to keep an open mind as you’re making your final decision. If you haven’t considered all of your options, now’s the time to stop by and see what would make the perfect choice for your home renovation. 

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Decorate Your Home With Patterned Flooring

Thinking of introducing a pattern into your flooring design? Want something unique, something no one else will have? Luckily there are many materials you can use to create a look that is unique to your personality and style. There are many ways you can make your room stand out. 

Decorate Your Home With Patterned FlooringTry Creating Patterns With Stone and Slate

One of the easiest ways to create a unique look is with stone and slate. We’re not just talking about tiles; you can achieve a beautiful look with vinyl sheet, vinyl tile, or laminate too. Today’s vinyl has incredible realism and depth to the color patterns that emerge from the top layer. And what’s best, vinyl doesn’t have the same cold feeling as tile – plus it adds cushion where you need it most. 

Of course, if you want natural stone tile, it can be a wonderful addition to any home. And here in Colorado, if you’re worried about the coldness of tile, try installing it with radiant heating. It makes your floors the perfect temperature no matter what time of the year. 

While some homeowners choose one pattern and one style, and install the tiles throughout their rooms for a uniformed look, you can stagger the design by using multiple materials for a perfect look. How about two different sized tiles in random placement? Or two different pattern – herringbone and basketweave – to create a checkered pattern? The possibilities are endless when you put a little imagination into the process. 

It’s Easy With Natural Hardwood or Laminate

We live in the Rocky Mountains, and nothing says “mountain living” more than hardwood flooring in your home. 

Hardwood stretches beyond traditional materials such as oak. You can up the “wow” factor in your home by utilizing exotic woods. How about Cherry? Or maple? How about selecting a hardwood with an interesting grain pattern? Or switching it out and installing a darker wood?

You can also create dramatic appearances by using two hardwoods and variating the design. This can give you a flooring with light and dark shades throughout, with interesting patterns as the grains change, mix, and intertwine. 

We’re also seeing homeowners dive into hardwood flooring of variating size. Mix wide plank with standard plank size for more depth to your entire room. 

Whether you choose vinyl, engineered tile, laminate, or hardwood, there are options for everyone. And with just a little imagination in ingenuity, you can create a flooring for your room you’ll love for years to come. 

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