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Flooring
May 30, 2015

Do I Need To Be Concerned With Formaldehyde In Laminate Flooring?

There has been a lot of talk in the news these past few months about formaldehyde in laminate flooring, and whether it’s a safe flooring choice for your home.

Formaldehyde is a chemical made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen that is found everywhere. It occurs naturally and can be synthesized for industrial use in products we use every day. While it is very useful and has an endless amount of potential in its uses, its also known to be dangerous and exposure can wreak havoc with your health in high concentrations

Laminate flooring is made by attaching a wood veneer with a formaldehyde based resin, and attached to various wood platforms. Laminate flooring is made from a variety of different products, and made in a variety of different places around the world. For these reasons, its important to understand what product you are buying, and ultimately what its true characteristics can be. Low end flooring made from materials you would expect to be green by nature doesn’t necessarily make it so. They can still be created with a formaldehyde based adhesive that can give off high amounts of emissions.

Before you make a decision on purchasing and installing a laminate flooring, make sure you have all the facts.

And if you have a laminate flooring installed, it doesn’t mean it’s harmful and you should be concerned. Formaldehyde is present in many consumer products – composite wood products in flooring, cabinets and furniture; wood floors and wall finishes; and it’s produced in combustion sources such as gas stoves and wood burning fireplaces. Laminate wood flooring is likely to contain some formaldehyde. However the products of today have had emissions reduced by as much as 80 to 90 percent since the 1980s, and due to mandatory formaldehyde emission standards, the the numbers continue to diminish over time.

Emissions – or offgassing from these products reduces as time goes by. However, if you feel you may have been exposed to harmful levels, testing your home for toxicity levels may be warranted.

Have additional questions about the flooring you lay in your home? Speak with one of our flooring consultants today, and you’ll find the perfect choice for your family.

Carpet, Flooring
May 27, 2015

Is Berber Carpet Still In Style?

“I’ve had Berber carpeting before and love everything about it. I’m redoing the floors in my current home and would love to install Berber carpet, but I’m worried about having my home look out of date. I may be selling it in the next year and want something that will hold its value, not take it away. Is Berber carpet still in style?”

Berber carpet is one of those timeless products where its beauty and functionality will allow it to always be in style. Once people have lived with Berber carpeting, they almost always consider it again.

Berber carpets have many advantages:

Durability – Very few carpets can compare to the durability of Berber carpets. Berber carpets can be made from different fibers, which can influence its overall durability factor. Make sure you determine the best fiber for your room choice and the amount of traffic it will receive.

Stain resistance – Berber carpet is excellent in resisting spills, keeping them on the surface for you to blot away. Certain fibers will absorb oil stains, so it is important to remove all spills immediately, and treat them appropriately.

Versatile – Berber carpeting comes in a variety of unique designs and color schemes, which gives it a great ability to adapt to a variety of interior designs. Berber is one choice that looks good in the beginning and keeps looking great for years to come.

Comfort and warmth – Berber’s looped design provides the right amount of cushion, perfect for walking, standing and playing on. Its tight weave will also serve to keep your room warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

Economical – Berber carpets offer a great value for your home. While Berber can be more expensive than many carpets on the market today, when you factor in their wearability and longevity, nothing can beat the look and feel of Berber. It can hold its value well in the event you choose to sell your home in the future.

Flooring, Hardwood Flooring
May 23, 2015

Understanding Warranties With Hardwood Flooring

In today’s world, we are trained as consumers to never buy large home improvement items without ensuring a warranty is in place. But what does a warranty really mean? And what does it do for you as a consumer? Warranties with lifetime guarantees sound great and can boost the sellability of a product; but does it truly have value to you as a homeowner?

Before you purchase hardwood flooring, it’s important to understand exactly what product warranties cover, and more importantly, what they do not.

Manufacturer Warranty

Manufacturer warranties were designed to protect the consumer if they purchase a product that is found to be damaged or defective in some way. The manufacturer guarantees that its product is usable for its intended application.

Since hardwood planks are made from natural materials, certain imperfections are naturally assumed to be a part of the final product. The industry realizes this, and thus allows the manufacturer leeway of approximately 5 percent of the total purchased planks. This includes things like finish imperfections, grading discrepancies, milling defects, color differences, and so on. If the defects are beyond this variance, the manufacturer typically agrees that it will repair or replace the defective price or offer a refund.

Sounds straightforward. Yet its not quite that simple. Hardwood flooring can be impacted by a variety of factors. Improper installation, improper maintenance, negligence, fire, water, excessive moisture, heat, pets, insects – the list goes on and on of the things that can bring extenuating circumstances to the table, and cause a manufacturer’s warranty to be deemed null and void. Look for:

Structural Warranties

These warranties will guarantee the milling, grade and moisture content of the wood manufacturer, and guaranteed the planks are stable, won’t split crack or warp if properly installed. Many top name manufacturers will offer lifetime structural warranties, and detail out specific prep and installation guidelines that must be followed to keep the warranty valid. If you as a consumer know these upfront, you can be more aware of the flooring contractor you select for help with installation, and verify criteria is met to keep your warranty active.

Finish Warranties

As the name implies, a finish warrant covers that the finish on the hardwood will not wear off under normal use. Make sure you choose residential or commercial finishes, depending on your use. Almost all finish warranties will come with a limited time factor; industry standards for residential finish warranties tend to hover around 25 years, with commercial being somewhat lower because of the heavier usage. Finish warranties often have a lot of caveats, and will not protect against scratches, dents, gouges or damage caused to foot traffic or dragging things across the floor.

The best advice to consumers is to read the fine print, and be sure to ask your flooring contractor for all the details before making your final decision.

Carpet, Flooring
May 16, 2015

Fixing Frayed Carpets At Transitions

“We recently bought a house in a neighborhood we love. The carpet is in pretty good shape and we weren’t planning on replacing it just yet, but we do have one problem. The carpet transitions into tile at one of the bathrooms and it’s fraying. Is there anything I can do? Is this a DIY project, or do I need to hire someone?”

As with any home improvement project, the quicker you are at fixing the problem, the more likely you will be at repairing it completely without a noticeable change. If the carpet is just starting to fray, its important to fix the exposed edge before the wear continues into the carpet. If damage extends more than an inch or so away from the threshold, the repair will be more noticeable.

How To Fix Frayed Carpet Transitions

Here, you will find step by step instructions for properly identifying and repairing a frayed carpet transition. As always, we at Pro Flooring are here to help should you wish to hire a professional for the job.

Step 1. Remove the threshold

Start by removing the metal threshold along the entire length separating the carpet and your bathroom floor. Be careful during the removal process to not damage the carpeting any further. You will be replacing the metal threshold, so don’t worry about wrecking it. Use pliers or a screwdriver to bend the lip up along the entire length, then carefully bend it up and remove from the teeth inside the threshold.

Step 2. Take Measurements

Take a measurement of the opening area to cut a new threshold to install. Don’t use the old threshold as measurement, as that may be bent and kinked from wear and tear. You can use a hacksaw or a metal snips to cut the new threshold for replacement.

Thresholds come in a variety of widths, so it’s important to get one wide enough to help eliminate the problem with carpet fraying. Be sure to measure both length and width when choosing a new threshold.

Step 3. Trim off frayed damage and replace threshold

If the carpet is in good shape, you can replace the new threshold where the old one was. If the carpet is frayed, you will need to trim off the damage using a carpet knife and a straightedge. Then position the new threshold farther towards the carpeting to compensate for the part trimmed off. In most cases you can move the threshold about an inch or so in order to compensate for the damage.

If you’re working on a wood subfloor, attach the replacement threshold with drywall nails. If you are working with a concrete subfloor, a heavy duty adhesive will need to be applied and given time to dry.

Step 4. Reattach carpet to new threshold

Then reattach the carpet to the new threshold. Starting at one end, use a knee kicker to stretch the carpet toward the threshold. Kick firmly by not with all your strength or you may rip the carpet. Force the carpet into the threshold teeth with a stiff putty knife. Continue moving the kicker down the length of the threshold to put the entire length of carpet into place. When you’re done, tuck any loose ends under the baseboards, and pound the threshold into place with a rubber mallet.

Related: How To Select the Right Transition For Your Flooring

About Pro Flooring Brokers

We are a one stop shop for all of your flooring and installation needs. Located in Denver, CO, we have been family owned and operated for over 30 years! Our passion is your project.

Have a Flooring Project in the Denver Area?

Commercial and residential customers love our huge selection of carpet, hardwood, porcelain tile, natural stone, luxury vinyl tile/planks, laminate flooring, and sheet vinyl flooring. Check out our products to learn more. Visit our showroom, meet our team, and let’s start your flooring project together. We offer:

Complimentary on-site measuring
Flooring estimates based on floor plans or blueprints
Installations performed by trained and qualified installers
Full one-year guarantee on all workmanship (in addition to manufacturer’s warranty)

Flooring and installation are made easy with the PRO! Flooring Brokers. Contact us, visit our showroom, or call today at 303.788.0113. We look forward to helping you.

Carpet, Flooring
May 13, 2015

What Does Carpet Stretching Mean?

Have you ever noticed bubbles, wrinkles, ripples or other bunched up areas in your carpeting? And once you notice a small problem, have you ever wondered why it seems to increase in size very quickly?

It’s because carpeting is meant to be stretched tight. And once it begins to loosen, and forms any type of ripple, it needs stretching to bring it back into shape. As you walk on a small bubble within the carpet, it moves up and down far more than it should. And as it moves, it continues to loosen up the carpeting even more. Pretty soon small bubbles turn into large waves that are not only noticeable, they can quickly become a tripping hazard too.

When bubbles begin to form, the sooner you stretch them back into shape, the easier the process will be. In smaller places, a knee kicker may be all that is needed to put carpeting back into place. However, the larger the room, the more necessary a power carpet stretcher becomes. Power stretchers reach all the way across, butting up against both walls. One side will be flush against the wall, the other end has a head with a lever. When the lever is pushed down, the carpet is stretched. This is a very powerful tool; if too much pressure is applied it can rip or pull the tack strip off.

Loose carpet doesn’t mean you have a poor quality carpet or that it wasn’t installed correctly. Carpeting can come loose from a variety of reasons:

Heavy traffic – If your carpets get a lot of use above the norm – heavy foot traffic, wheelchair activity, kids playing – even a great carpet can eventually need stretching.
Moving heavy furniture – If you slide heavy furniture across your carpet, it can cause it to ripple and loosen at the edges.
Wrong padding – In many cases a homeowner will put all of their budget and research into choosing a quality carpet without thinking about the padding. Padding is equally important; if you choose a carpet and padding combo that don’t work together, it can allow the carpet to loosen and become rippled.
Poor installation – If your carpet was improperly installed, it may need stretching. In some cases it may not have been stretched into place during installation, or was improperly secured in place.

Once your carpets begin to ripple, it will only keep getting worse. Carpets are intended to lie flat, and once they begin pulling up, even normal walking on it will only exacerbate the problem. The only way to keep them looking their best, and help extend their useful life, is to fix the problem as quickly as possible.

Carpet, Flooring
May 9, 2015

4 Carpet Installation Problems and How To Avoid Them

Ready to have new carpet installed in your home this year?

Carpeting isn’t something you select every day, so it’s easy to be overwhelmed with the process. Carpets are meant to last for years, and give you worry-free living you can enjoy. And if you don’t choose the company you do business with wisely, or worse, try and do it yourself, you can wind up with poor installation, and a carpet you are anything but satisfied with.

Measuring incorrectly
In many cases, homeowners attempt to measure their rooms on their own, without taking into account the little nuances that can make the installation process a little tricky. Since most homes don’t have perfect squares or rectangles, it can be easy to miss the little details that add to the amount of carpeting you’ll need. Like closet space. Or hallways. Measuring the flow layout and adding up every detail in the space that will be carpeted means ordering the right amount of carpet the first time.

Lack of equipment
It may seem easy to buy a remnant or have a friend help you lay a piece of carpeting you got on sale. But installing a carpet required the right tools to get the job done. Buying the right tools can cost a fortune; yet even renting the proper tools can be a headache. Getting the wrong size trowel, for instance, for laying down the carpet adhesive can make your installation process much more difficult, and may create errors in the way it is mounted.

Improper padding
The carpeting is what shows; its what gives your room its style. Which means it’s where most people put their focus. However, it’s the padding that will give your carpeting longevity, and make it wear better overall. Make sure you select the proper padding for the style of carpeting you choose, and choose the highest quality for your room’s situation.

Improper fitting
Depending on the size of your room, seams may be a part of the landscape. Where those seams fall can increase or decrease the longevity of your carpet. Make sure the carpeting is laid to give functionality to your room without risking exposing the carpeting and having it fray around the seam lines.

Flooring
May 7, 2015

How To Blend Your Flooring With Kitchen Décor

Designing and remodeling your kitchen isn’t as easy as picking out the things you like best from your home improvement store. It also takes a lot of coordination to allow your kitchen design to seamlessly blend in with your overall house design and style.

In order to create a well designed kitchen, it’s important to focus in on the three major components of the kitchen: the coutertops, the cabinets and the flooring. These three areas dominate your kitchen’s look and feel; it’s important their colors and styles play will off of each other.

Create a Plan
Theme is important when making your final selections. Are you a classic design or a little bit country? Do you like a clean, sleek look, or do you have a more relaxed style? First and foremost, its important to select a color scheme and stick with it throughout your kitchen. One of the most classic patterns is to begin with two dominate colors, and bring in a third for accent. Remember, your three dominate areas are your foundation; the rest is meant to blend.

Countertops
Many people today looking at remodeling their kitchen have their hearts set on granite, and with good reason. Its classic style and durability means you’ll have a highly functional and highly durable countertop for years to come. Yet there are many other options available as well – marble, butcher block, stainless steel, even concrete. Because countertops set the stage for your kitchen design, and are often one of the most expensive pieces, its important to choose a style that will help you enjoy your kitchen for years to come.

Cabinets
A solid color in your cabinetry will give you a timeless look and feel. Choose cabinets that will bring out the color in your countertops, and will blend with your flooring without overpowering the space.

Flooring
When choosing flooring, bring in a sample of your countertop to help blend the two together. This will allow you to place the two colors side by side, and allow you to choose colors that blend well and will give you a classic look for years to come. A good rule of thumb is to coordinate your finishes rather than letting them compete and overpower one another. A flat floor design will compliment a textured countertop; or a matte floor will look great with a glossy countertop.

Want help in making the final decision? Just ask. We help people make these types of decisions every day, and can offer you tips and guidance on what you’ll be happy with now and well into the future.

Carpet, Flooring
May 2, 2015

What You Should Know About Carpet Ratings

When it comes time to purchasing carpet, we all want the best quality we can afford. After all, we’ve all lived with sub-par carpeting in a rental unit, or visited a home with threadbare carpets that looked anything but appealing.

We want quality
We want plush
We want a great color
We want something that will last for years

Yet your first visit to the store to look at carpeting can leave you completely overwhelmed.

If you visit a big box store, you’ll wander the aisles looking at a few select carpets without a lot of facts surrounding the samples you’ll see. Are they good? Are the priced reasonably? Does the salesperson have any clue about what good carpet really is?

As you leave in frustration, your next stop might be a retail flooring center. But if you were slightly confused by a big box store’s samples, adding hundreds more will only add to the confusion.

When you begin looking at carpeting samples, you may notice that they have a rating system in place. The ratings are usually used to gauge their durability and appearance. Sounds like a good way to determine which carpets are best, right?

The carpet rating scale has been designed by the manufacturers themselves based on in house testing. So the rating is only relevant to the test conditions at each manufacturer. Most rating systems rate carpet performance on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the top rated carpet for performance under heavy duty testing. Which means for high traffic areas in your home, a 4 or 5 rated carpet would be best used in areas of your home with the highest traffic, like hallways and stairs.

Keep in mind that the rating system is subjective, and is usually assigned with averages in mind. You know your home and your situation better than anyone. If you run a day care out of your home, a 5 rated carpet would be a must in your living space where action takes place every single day. Likewise, a bedroom filled with 3 year old triplets would require a very durable carpet to keep up with the daily activities.

When you have specific needs, and need answers that will leave you loving your carpeting for many years into the future, the best place to start is with a consultant. We’ve helped many homeowners find the perfect carpeting for their situation. Give us a call today.

Flooring, Hardwood Flooring
April 29, 2015

How To Choose Flooring From A Small Sample

When you’re ready to install a new floor in your home, it can be exciting thinking about the potential. Maybe you’re replacing old carpeting with a new color. Maybe you’re installing natural stone tile throughout. Maybe you’re finally installing the hardwoods you’ve dreamed about for years. In any case, the change will be warm and welcome.

Yet one trip to the flooring center can leave you overwhelmed. With thousands of choices, where do you start? Even if you have a pretty good idea of what you want – hardwoods for instance – the selection process can still be a daunting task as you scan the aisles of different manufacturers, different types of woods, different color choices, even different styles and sizes.

How do you take all of those concepts and visualize them in your home, on your floors?

The best place to start is by taking flooring samples home to see how they look in your home. Yet that can still be a difficult task. If you will be adding 1,000 square feet of hardwood to your main floor living area, how do you tell if you have made the right choice from a two foot sample?

Know Your Tastes
There are many ways to get a feel for styles and color choice before you start the floor buying process. Visit model homes, look through remodeling and décor magazines, even consider the homes of friends and family as you are narrowing your choices. If you consistently lean towards one color or style, use that as a guide as you finalize your choices. Yet leave wiggle room for options. Maybe you’ve had your mind set on a light colored hardwood, only to find the bamboo suits your needs and your tastes better.

Don’t Overwhelm With Possibilities
We’ve run across the homeowner who takes a half dozen samples home, only to return them and choose a half dozen more. With hundreds of possibilities, they can quickly begin running together. Trust your instincts in the store, and choose three or four top favorites. Once you’ve narrowed it down to these select few, focus in on finding the best from these possibilities.

Live With Your Choices
Once you have your samples at home, live with them for a few days. Place them side by side; put them in different spots in the room. View them in the day. View them at night. As you eliminate one possibility, remove it and focus in on the remaining.

Select With Confidence
Trust your instincts. When you eliminate a choice, you do so for a reason. Don’t go back and second guess. Once you make your final selection, select with confidence. If you’ve spent the time evaluating your needs and how the sample fits within those guidelines, you’ve made the right choice. As you are waiting for installation, focus in on décor and other remodeling tasks that will help you complete your project, and allow you to begin enjoying your new environment right away.

Flooring
April 26, 2015

Tips For Choosing Flooring In Your Home’s Entryway

Snow boots in the winter. Grass and water from the summer. Mud and dirt from every season. The entryway to our homes take a beating all year through.

Yet it’s also the place where we welcome guests, where people make a first impression about the home that lies beyond. It’s how we showcase who we are, express our style, and set the tone for all that enter. It’s a place designed for entry; but in reality it does a whole lot more.

When you decorate an entryway, the best place to start is at the bottom: your flooring. An easy to clean, easy to maintain flooring can allow you impress without the fuss, and be ready for whatever life brings your way. You may also want to consider these tips.

Think Replaceable
Because your entryway will get the most wear and tear out of any room in your home, its important to be able to change it up as the need arises. Flexibility is key.

Tiling is always a good choice, because of its hardness and its durability. And with thousands of color and pattern choices, the options are endless. Yet tile isn’t your only option.

You can also go with many other flexible options. Cork squares have been increasing in popularity because of their sustainability factor, and the fact that they can handle moisture, and are a natural sound barrier. And because the squares can easily be lifted and replaced as needed, it’s a great way to keep your floors looking new.

Vinyl plank tile is also another flexible option. They are thin, durable inexpensive tiles that are easy to install, and therefore also easy to replace as needed. The planks attach to one another with sticky strips, and can be laid in place and replaced as needed. Plus they look great and can add visual appeal from the moment a person enters.

Think Removable
There are more than one way to keep your entryway looking great all year through. Instead of constantly having to clean and maintain your floor, protect it instead. Rugs can be a great way to add appeal to the entryway, while protecting it from the elements as well. Choose a rug carefully and you’ll be able to pick it up and wash it whenever you choose. And if you have many styles and colors available to you, you’ll be able to change up your look any time of the year.

Think Durable
Whatever direction you choose to go with your entryway, durability is key. Not only will it have to withstand the elements from reaching it every day, it will also have to endure the hardships of whatever your family can throw at it. Like dropping your car keys over and over again. Or throwing a backpack or two, sports equipment, or even supplies for that next home improvement project down as you make your way in and out of your home.

Have any additional questions about the best materials you can use for your entryway? Give us a call or stop by today.