Hardwood Flooring Archives - Page 13 of 24

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.

Hardwood Flooring
July 20, 2019

Is It Okay To Put Hardwood Floors In a Kitchen?

Nothing says “Colorado” quite like hardwood flooring. But can you put hardwood floors in a kitchen?

Will they handle well no matter how much you use your kitchen? Will they stand up to spills and messes? Will they show their wear sooner then if you installed more resilient flooring like ceramic or porcelain tile?

Is It Okay To Put Hardwood Floors In a Kitchen?

Hardwood floors provide a rigid flooring material that stands up well to high traffic situations. Yet hardwood isn’t as hard as you think. Hardwood is a porous material that accepts stain to bring out the characteristics of the wood. That also means hardwood is susceptible to moisture and liquid penetrating into the grain, and changing the quality of the wood over time. Places where moisture is a problem – bathrooms, laundry rooms, basements – aren’t the best places to install hardwood flooring.

But what about kitchens? They don’t deal with water spills on a daily basis as you jump out of the shower. They don’t have nonstop humidity from the length of your showers.

Should you install hardwood floors in the kitchen to create a space you’re proud to call home?

Are Kitchens Considered High Risk For Hardwood Flooring?

A lot goes on in most kitchens. They are usually the central hub of the home.

You gather to complete homework there. You sit back and share a glass of wine with your spouse. How many holiday parties have been planned out sitting at the kitchen island? What about the dinner party you’re planning for later this year?

There’s no doubt your kitchen is the busiest room in your home.

That means your floor will have to take a lot of punishment. Walking. Jumping. Scuff marks. Dog nails. Dropped toys. Water spills.

Have you ever dropped a glass of water onto the floor? Not only do you have 8, 10, even 12 ounces of water or more spread across the floor, but you also deal with broken glass splintering everywhere. It takes minutes to wipe up the mess and ensure the fractured pieces are cleaned away.

Now let’s talk about the pickle jar that fell and broke. Or the pot of boiling water that slipped out of your hands.

Hardwood can stand up to some abuse if you react quickly. A spill here and there that is mopped rapidly up won’t impact the looks of your floor.

But kitchens have a lot more potential for disaster than a dropped glass of water.

What happens if the line to your ice maker in your refrigerator has a slow leak? Water puddles just a little bit underneath, and you don’t notice it for weeks? What if the line to the dishwasher breaks while you’re away at work?

When hardwood floors are installed in your kitchen, they are sealed to provide a certain level of protection. The trouble is that protection often can’t stand long term abuse. Hardwood is most often installed as hardwood planks. If the seams aren’t tightly placed together, if the sealant doesn’t fully cover every inch of the hardwood material, water has the chance to seep in. And disaster is waiting.

Hardwood Comes In Two Formats

When you select hardwood as your flooring choice, you can install it into your home in one of two ways: site finished or prefinished.

Prefinished hardwood is created at the manufacturers. It’s cut into planks, stained, and sealed, before being boxed and packaged up, and delivered to your home. It’s convenient in that once it’s installed, it’s ready to go. No waiting for the staining and sealing process. It also means it’s more susceptible to damage because there isn’t a top layer that covers the seams between the boards.

With site finished hardwood, unfinished hardwood planks are installed in your home. The surface is raw wood, without stain or sealant in place as it is nailed or stapled into place. Once the flooring is completed, only then does the installer stain the wood if desired, and after the staining process is completed and dry, a sealer is placed over the top, protecting hardwood and the seams.

This means with site finished hardwood, it has a more cohesive layer that gives you complete protection over the entire floor area, including a filler for the seams.

But Is Hardwood Durable For Kitchens?

Are you still contemplating using hardwood floors in your kitchen? Depending on your lifestyle, hardwood can be a beautiful addition to your home.

In general, we see homeowners deal with three durability issues with their kitchen hardwood. If you’re aware of them and work to decrease the odds of these happening in your home, the chances you’ll love hardwood in the kitchen even more.

Scratches and dings – If you drop a can, the lip of the can may dent the floor. If you wear your high heel shoes in the kitchen, the heel may press down and dent the floor. Knowing this beforehand means you change your lifestyle just a little bit. Declare your home a “no shoe zone.” Add colorful throw rugs where you’re most likely to drop heavy objects – by the pantry, or near the kitchen sink.

Traffic – Even within the kitchen, some areas are going to have more traffic than others. Over time, you may start to see these paths worn into the wood. The good thing with hardwood, however, is you can sand it down, stain and seal it all over again for a new look.

Sun – If you have large windows or big patio doors that let the sun stream in, the sun may bleach the color out of your hardwood floors. The darker the stain, the more sun bleaching can occur. You can prevent this by protecting these areas – close blinds during the sunniest parts of the day, or use throw rugs to deter the process.

Should you install hardwood floors in your kitchen?

They make a beautiful addition to any home.

If you have a lifestyle that reduces the risks associated with hardwood flooring damage, hardwood floors might be the perfect choice for you.

Increase the durability by selecting site finished flooring, knowing you can create any look and feel.

And if you have any other questions about installing hardwood floors in your kitchen, stop by today. We’ll help you make the perfect choice for your home.

Hardwood Flooring
July 10, 2019

The Best Affordable Alternatives To Hardwood Flooring

Want to make a statement in your home? Don’t worry about costly remodels. You can make big changes without spending weeks or renovation. Instead of picking out new cabinets or gutting a room, look down to the floor instead.

Changing out your flooring can make a big impact on your home’s decor. But what if you aren’t sold on hardwood? What if you’re looking for alternatives to hardwood flooring? Hardwood flooring isn’t the perfect choice for everyone. It’s one of the more costly flooring choices. And hardwood isn’t durable in high traffic areas, or where moisture can be a problem.

Yet you still like the look of hardwood. You want flooring that’s stylish and functional. What are your options?

The good news is you have a wide variety of alternatives that are perfect for your lifestyle. Here are just a few of our favorites.

Bamboo

Bamboo is a great alternative to hardwood flooring because it has a similar appearance to hardwood, yet it offers so much more.

One of the things we like best about bamboo is its eco-friendly origins. Bamboo is a fast-growing material that makes it more environmentally friendly than other types of hardwood.

Bamboo is denser than other types of hardwood. And because of how it is pressed and stacked together, it provides a denser floorboard that can withstand more of what your family can dish out. Today’s bamboo isn’t what you may read about bamboo from even a few years ago. Technology has improved this product to wear bamboo flooring is now a great choice in every room in your home. Whether you choose to install it with natural color, or stain it to match your decor, you’re going to love how bamboo handles throughout your home.

Cork

Love the idea of installing environmentally friendly flooring, but not sold on bamboo? Then maybe it’s time to look at cork flooring.

Cork is softer than hardwood, which makes it an excellent alternative for busy homes. If you have small children who like to play on the floor, or elderly who are at risk of falling, cork may be the choice for you.

Cork is also an excellent choice for homes that care about clean living. Cork is a natural product that won’t bring unwanted chemicals into your home. Just be sure to talk with your flooring expert about the installation process, to avoid harsh chemicals in the adhesives. Cork is naturally resistant to insects, mold, and mildew. It’s also a great insulator – creating a music room? You’ll love the qualities of cork.

Laminate

When people start looking for alternatives to hardwood flooring, one of the first places they often turn is to laminate. That’s because laminate has the same great look as hardwood, yet it’s more durable and less expensive.

Laminate is made up of four layers that give it its strength and appeal.

Back layer – the bottom layer responsible for protecting against moisture and giving the planks their strength

Core layer – a durable, high density board that increases strength and moisture protection

Design layer – a high resolution photograph that mimics the floor’s surface layer

Wear layer – a topcoat made of aluminum oxide that protects the surface and makes it durable

Laminate is great at resisting moisture and stains. If you’re looking for an alternative to hardwood for your basement, kitchen, or bathroom, the colors, patterns, and styles will delight you. You’ll find laminate that mimics every type of hardwood, and even stone and other natural materials.

Vinyl Planks

Sometimes the best choice for your flooring comes from the least expected materials. If you haven’t looked at vinyl in a while, you’ll be surprised by its looks. This isn’t the vinyl your parents used in their homes. Vinyl planks imitate hardwood beautifully, yet give you all of the benefits of hardwood flooring.

Vinyl plank flooring, also called luxury vinyl flooring, has both a glue down and interlock plank tile that lets you install your flooring in an easy way.

What gives vinyl an advantage over many other flooring choices is its water resistance. All forms of vinyl are made with materials that are waterproof. This means they are perfect in places where water and moisture can be a problem – think bathrooms and laundry rooms.

While vinyl planks may be somewhat limited in their color choices, the pros far outweigh the cons when using vinyl planks in your home. This durable and easy to clean flooring choice is one you’re going to love.

Porcelain Tile

Think tile isn’t the right choice for your home? Maybe it’s time to give tile another look.

For many Coloradoans, tile floor is synonymous with a cold floor. And in the darkest days of winter, stepping onto a cold floor isn’t something that sounds like a lot of fun.

But tile is the perfect choice if you’re considering adding radiant heating to your home. Then you can have toasty flooring anytime you choose – how does that sound on the coldest day of the year?

Porcelain tile gives you the option of installing any look, feel, style, color, or pattern into your home. And thanks to today’s technology, porcelain tile also mimics the look and feel of hardwood flooring too.

You’ll love the colors, from whitewash to the darkest wood, the grain often looks so real, you have to get down on your hands and knees to see it isn’t real.

Tile is more durable than hardwood, it’s easier to clean, and is water resistant. That means it’s the perfect choice for every room in your home. Including outdoor living. If you’re expanding your kitchen outside, and creating living rooms that give you more access to the great outdoors, why not carry your flooring outside too? Try that with hardwood – nope, can’t be done. But porcelain tile means you can carry the look anywhere, inside and out.

What’s the right choice for you?

If you aren’t sold on hardwood, yet know you want an alternative to hardwood flooring that has the same look and appeal, yet with more durability and at a lower cost, we’ve got many options for you.

The best place to start is to stop by our retail location and start considering your options. We can guide you to our favorites, and help you select your favorites too. You’ll love what any of these marvelous products can do for your home.

Flooring, Hardwood Flooring
June 21, 2019

Why Cork Flooring Is Perfect For Your Home

For some homeowners, they go searching for ways to reduce their carbon footprint, and make their homes more eco-friendly, greener places to live.

Of course, there are lots of ways to do that. But one of our favorites is with cork flooring.

When cork was first introduced in this industry, it’s greatest claim to fame was that it was an eco-friendly alternative. It was perfect for people who were worried about sustainability within the hardwood industry, or wanted something that was highly renewable and didn’t harm trees at all.

Natural cork fits that bill. Plus, it has the added benefits of being both biodegradable and recyclable, meaning when you decide to pull up your cork floors and install something new, you’ll have a way of maintaining the eco-friendliness of the product throughout its useful life.

Cork comes from cork oak trees native to Spain, Portugal, and Tunisia. While it’s been used for centuries in other parts of the world, and for different things, it’s only recently began climbing steadily in the flooring industry here in America, and for good reasons.

What are the benefits of cork flooring

Durability – Cork is an incredibly durable material. Cork flooring goes beyond the soft cork you use as a wine stopper or a bulletin board in your room. Cork does have a spongy quality to it, but when flooring manufacturers use cork to create flooring, they combine it with an adhesive resin to strengthen it and create a material that is resistant to dents and scratches. That means it won’t dent when you place furniture on it, it’ll bounce back instead. And if you properly maintain your cork floors over the years, you can easily expect a 40 year lifespan or more.

Comfortability – Hardwood flooring is just that – hard. And for a lot of people who are on their feet all day, that can mean back, hip, or leg pain. If you drop something on it, or fall on it, damage can be extensive. That’s why cork is a better alternative. The sponginess of cork creates a comfortable cushion underfoot. That same sponginess also acts as an insulator, meaning your room will stay warmer and quieter too.

Healthier – Do you have allergy or asthma sufferers in your home? Cork can be a great step in creating a healthier environment to live in. Cork is naturally resistant to biological growth, including mold and mildew, and can even stop termites from penetrating your home. It also has anti-microbial qualities, and when properly maintained, will not off-gas and negatively impact your indoor air quality.

Safer – Here in Colorado, depending on where you live, wildfires are something you have to consider with every building material you select. Cork is naturally fire-resistant, and will ignite and melt only at very high temperatures. What’s more, if temperatures do reach that point, because cork is an eco-friendly material, it generates less smoke, and produces less toxic fumes than other flooring choices.

Style – When you start looking at cork as a flooring choice for your home, you’ll be surprised at how many ways you can use it within your home. Use cork tiles to create a uniform look throughout a room. Or vary the tiles to create a more modern effect. Cork also comes in plank format similar to hardwood. You’ll find it in many styles, colors and patterns – if you can create it with hardwood, there’s a cork alternative. Like hardwood, cork runs through the thickness of the material, meaning it wears better over time when compared to vinyl or laminate.

Does cork flooring scratch easily

This is one of the questions we receive the most about cork flooring. Does cork scratch easily? Is it a good choice in flooring if you have dogs or cats? Will their claws hurt the cork material, or will it bounce back?

Cork is soft. And while it’s a durable material that stands the test of time well, a lot of it depends on the activity within your home. Pets included.

Some pets race around, digging in over and over throughout the day, playing chase or gaining traction. Some pets move slower. They aren’t as bouncy. They aren’t full of energy. They take life a bit slower.

Only you can truly know your pet and what it’s capable of. The only true flooring choice that can withstand constant pressure from a pet is stone – hard surfaces can’t be penetrated. But hard surfaces might not be the right choice for you or your pet.

Is cork flooring good for kitchens

Kitchens are one of the busiest rooms in a home. They are also one of the messiest. If your flooring can’t stand up to spilled water, messes from kids cooking dinner, or even a spilled bowl of food, you’re not going to love your flooring for very long.

Can cork stand up to all of that and more? Yes, it can. And while it isn’t as resistant as stone is, it can be a great alternative over other tile, and in some cases hardwood.

If cork is your choice for kitchen flooring, pay attention to the sealant. A polyurethane or similar sealant will help make the cork tiles or planks as durable as possible. These sealants should be reapplied every 5 years or so to help maintain the look and feel, and to keep moisture and stains at bay.

When spills do occur, clean the area as quickly as possible to avoid damage. The longer a spill sits, the more damage it can do. It can seep down to the backing of the tile or plank, move further into the adhesive layer and even the subfloor.

Cork flooring will continue to look great with minimal cleaning. Vacuum occasionally, and sweep on a regular basis. The key is keeping the floor free of dirt particles that can scrape the surface and leave a mark that will continue to wear over time. Wet mopping is too much; if you want a deeper clean, use a slightly damp towel or mop, making sure moisture isn’t left behind. Don’t use chemical cleaning agents, as they can wreck the polyurethane level and penetrate down into the cork material.

Is cork flooring good for high traffic areas

While cork flooring can be added to any room in your home, be aware that with higher traffic comes more chance of damage.

Cork may not be the best choice for your entryway, especially if you have guests coming and going all day.

It might not be the perfect choice if you have a home office with lots of action and activities.

It probably isn’t the best choice for commercial locations, especially if you have a lot of customers or clients. It might also not provide the wear you’re looking for if you consistently move inventory to and fro.

But cork flooring may be the perfect choice for you in many situations.

If you have any questions about using cork in your home, or if you simply want to see what’s available, stop by today and see our selection.

We know you’re going to love it as much as we do.

Flooring, Hardwood Flooring
June 18, 2019

How To Make Hardwood Flooring Installation A Success

Nothing says “Colorado” quite like hardwood floors. You’ll find them everywhere.

It’s no wonder they continually top the list of flooring choices across the Front Range. It’s also no surprise they are one of the most requested materials when people start searching to buy a new home.

Maybe you’ve decided that this is the year to add hardwood flooring to your home. But what is the hardwood flooring installation process really like? Read enough websites, and you might be a bit nervous about having them installed. After all, it can be quite a mess – especially if you approach it the wrong way.

Hardwood floors won’t be quickly installed and ready to walk on in hours like other flooring types. You can’t roll hardwood floors into place like carpet. Or float and click them together like laminate. It takes a little more work, but the finishing touches are well worth the wait.

What should you expect?

Where will I install my new hardwood flooring?

Hardwood can bring warmth and coziness to any room in your home. But that doesn’t mean it’s right for every room in your home.

You’ll often find hardwood flooring throughout the main level living quarters. Think living room, family room, home office, or dining room. These are perfect spaces to add warmth and style, and bring out your own unique personality by selecting a hardwood of your choice.

Hardwoods are also often extended upstairs and into bedrooms and shared space. We love the look of a grand entrance, with wood steps and risers that extend up to the second floor. Of course, you can add even more personality by adding a runner to make the steps a little softer underfoot. That only adds more charm.

Depending on your family and your lifestyle, some also choose hardwood flooring installation into the kitchen area. Just be conscious of your decision, and be quick to the draw with spills. Hardwood and moisture don’t mix. You’ll need a more detailed maintenance plan. Consider adding a protective finish that increases water resistance.

Hardwood should only be installed above grade. That means if you’re finishing your basement, opt for different flooring material. Hardwood doesn’t work well in damp environments.

What type of hardwood flooring materials will I use?

The fun part comes in selecting what hardwood material to use. You have so many choices!

First, start with the look. You’ll find hardwood flooring comes in strips, planks, and parquet. It may be finished or unfinished. That means your floors will either be ready to go once it’s laid into place, or be ready for your contractor to stain and seal it after it’s installed. Be prepared for the time it takes for all work, from beginning to end.

If you select unfinished, the final results depend on your selection and personality. The flooring will need several coats of stain to bring out the wood’s character, followed by a protective coating that helps it stand up to all your family can dish out.

The best hardwood floors are made from wood species that are readily available, sustainable, and are hard enough to stand up to daily use. Oak is one of the most popular floors, but look at other species such as cherry and maple too. One of the newest hardwoods is bamboo – it isn’t actually wood, but is grass instead. Yet it looks, feels, and performs much like hardwood. Want to go exotic? Consider teak, jarrah, or mesquite. Just be sure you learn a little about the manufacturer to ensure they use a sustainable harvest forest for their products.

What hardwood flooring installation method do I prefer?

Hardwood flooring can be installed in a variety of ways, depending on your subfloor and the material you select.

Nail down is popular for installing solid wood strips or planks, attaching them directly to the subfloor.

Staple down is similar to nailing, except it uses a pneumatic staple gun instead of nails.

Glue down is usually used on parquet flooring or if you select engineered wood.

Floating is also a popular form of installation for plank wood, especially engineered, and is installed over a layer of padding to help with noise reduction too.

When do I have plenty of time for installation?

This is usually the biggest complaint associated with the hardwood flooring installation process. If you want a good looking floor made of hardwood, it’s going to take a little time.

It takes time to ensure your subfloor is prepared and ready for the hardwood of your choice.

It takes time to acclimate the hardwood to your home.

It takes time to lay the individual boards into place.

It takes time to stain and seal your hardwood floors.

It takes time for the floor to dry and seal.

If you want your hardwood floors ready for a specific event or reason, be sure to leave enough time for this entire process to take place.

Is my subfloor and base surface in great shape?

Hardwood flooring is hard – it doesn’t have the give of carpeting or vinyl, and it won’t conform to the subfloor below. If your subfloor isn’t flat, your hardwood is immediately at risk.

Above all, the subfloor should be a dry material before the installation begins. It can be a raised plywood subfloor, with is the traditional material, but we’ve also used a cured, moisture-proof concrete subfloor for both glue down and floating installation.

Just be aware that installing hardwood flooring can raise your flooring level up a bit. That means it might not be even with other flooring materials in adjacent rooms, causing you to rethink your transition material from room to room.

Is the hardwood properly prepared for installation?

Wood is a natural product; it isn’t man-made. That means it reacts to the area in which it is installed, and needs to adjust to the moisture content and the humidity levels of your space.

The best seasons for installation are spring and fall. That’s when the degree of humidity is at the lowest, and you’re not using your furnace and air conditioner on a regular basis. Of course, you can install other times; just allow plenty of time for the acclimation process inside your home.

To ready the hardwood for installation, have the materials delivered and stored in your home before work begins. Open the package and let the wood sit inside your home for up to a week or more, to give them a chance to acclimate to your home’s conditions.

It’s also a good idea to ensure your indoor humidity levels are between 45 and 65 percent. This not only gives you a comfortable air supply to breathe, but your floors will thank you too.

Is this the year you select hardwood flooring installation for your home?

Flooring, Hardwood Flooring
May 23, 2019

What Are The Best Flooring Options For Your Home?

For many homeowners, they ignore their flooring until they can’t. Suddenly, carpet looks stained and worn. Hardwood loses its shine, and dings and scratches become glaring reminders you have to do something soon. Vinyl is scuffed and torn.

Of course, way deep down, we know nothing changes that fast. But as a homeowner, you tend to put off noticing how bad something is until you can no longer do so.

Then you’re tasked with replacing your current flooring and making an upgrade that will hopefully last for years. That’s when you have two paths to take to select the best flooring options for your home. You can:

Jump at a flooring choice because of the price
Take the time to carefully consider what’s best for each room in your home

Sounds like straightforward advice, right? And when most people read those two statements, they place themselves in the second. Of course, you think about what’s best for you. But from our experience, many homeowners put all that aside when it comes down to price. They justify a flooring option because of the sticker, and regret their decision almost from the moment it’s installed.

You may love the look of hardwood, but is it really the right choice for every room in your home? You might be leaning towards carpet, but are you doing so for all the right reasons?

Here’s a list of the best flooring options and which rooms they are well suited for.

Hardwood

Nothing creates more style and elegance than hardwood flooring. And with so many different styles, patterns, colors, and hardwoods available, making your final selection will be the most challenging process. Here in Colorado, hardwood is a part of our culture. You’ll find hardwood is used in everything from ski lodges to shopping malls, so of course, it will look great in your home. And if you’ve bought or sold a house in the last few years, you know it tops the list of items in demand.

What’s more, hardwood flooring is easy to care for on a day to day basis. Keeping dirt off the floor with a quick sweep or vacuum is all you’ll ever need to keep them looking new. This will have to be a regular part of your cleaning routine, as hardwood can be easily be scratched if dirt or small rocks are ground into the wood when you walk.

While hardwood looks great anywhere, keep in mind that it’s most significant drawback is its loudness. You’ll hear every step someone takes, and that can become annoying in a home with small children, especially near the bedrooms. It’s also not the best choice for rooms with high humidity or moisture issues, such as bathrooms and laundry rooms. Nothing can ruin hardwood quicker than standing water.

Still, hardwood is a great choice for your main living spaces. Family rooms, living rooms, and even dining rooms will all look stylish with hardwood installed. And if you want to muffle the noise a bit, a rug will accomplish that and add to your decor in the process.

Tile

There are so many ways tile can accent every room in your home, there’s no way we can cover it in one article. You’ll have to come in and see our selection to fully appreciate all you can do with today’s tile choices.

https://pro-flooring.com/stone/

Tile comes in a wide variety of styles, sizes, colors, patterns, and materials. You can choose ceramic tile that is very durable and resistant to scratches. You can stay natural and go with travertine, slate, or granite. Or give porcelain tile a try. You’ll be amazed at the look and feel tile can mimic – how about tile that looks just like hardwood, only with the durability of tile?

Every tile selection has its own level of durability, maintenance, and care. It’s wise to talk with one of our consultants long before you make your final selection. Homes with pets and small children will require different choices than a house with empty nesters.

https://pro-flooring.com/about-us/

Tile is one of the hardest selections you can make for your flooring. It has no give when you walk, stand, or even drop something on the floor. It can create a louder room environment, and may echo depending on your decor. It can also crack, depending on the tile and how it’s treated.

And while some say tile is very cold, we often suggest to include radiant heating under tile to make it warm and inviting. That makes it a perfect choice for your master suite, where standing on a cold-winter morning will be something you look forward to, maybe even get you popping out of bed a little quicker.

All of this and more makes tile one of our favorites for best flooring options.

Carpet

No one can argue that carpet still has its place in homes across Colorado. When the temperatures dip well below freezing, you’ll be glad you took a second look at carpeting.

Carpet not only feels soft to the touch, but it also softens the appearance of the room too. It adds depth. It adds design. And it prevents that hollow, echo-y sound associated with other flooring choices.

Plus carpet is easy to install. If you have subflooring issues, or a home where uneven floors have been a problem in the past, carpet is the perfect solution.

Although a lot of advancements have been made with stain-resistant fibers, carpet will still stain over time. Even if you vacuum regularly, the simple act of living in your space will mean that carpet wears out eventually. You will have to get them professionally cleaned from time to time.

Yet even with a few downsides, nothing takes away from the comfort you’ll feel slipping out of bed in the morning. It’s also lovely in a child’s playroom, giving them cushion as they crawl and roll around. Or in a home movie theater where it acts as a sound absorber as you play your favorite movies.

Vinyl

When we make recommendations for the best flooring options for Colorado homes, we have to include vinyl on the list. Today’s vinyl isn’t what you remember your parents installing in their homes. Today’s vinyl is wild with opportunity.

Luxury vinyl can give you any look, style, pattern, or color you desire. Vinyl has come a long way in looks, and can even mimic wood planks or tile. It’s quite easy to install, and equally as easy on the feet. If you stand in a laundry room or kitchen for extended periods of time, you’ll love having the cushiony feel of vinyl under your feet.

Vinyl continues to be a great choice for laundry rooms, bathrooms, or even kitchens. You’ll love the softness and the warmth it brings.

Making Your Final Selection

We know making your final decision can be a difficult process. Because you will only install new flooring a few times in your lifetime, it’s worth some thought. It’s also worth a second look.

https://pro-flooring.com/how-to-ensure-youll-love-your-flooring-years-from-now/

Stop by today and see all of our flooring samples. Talk with one of our specialists and consider your options. Take a few samples home and see how they look in the light.

Our goal is to help you find the best flooring options for all the rooms in your home.

Flooring, Hardwood Flooring
May 14, 2019

Looking For Green Flooring For Your Home?

Remember when the first wave of “green living” fans started making their way into headlines? The rest of us thought green living was … a little strange. Eco-friendly was anything but friendly. Who wanted natural materials that had no place in modern decor?

Well, times changed. And if eco-friendly living is one of your top demands in everything you buy for your home, you now have a lot of choices. Green living isn’t only “cool” but has a lot of advantages. What’s more, you can use green materials into almost everything you do.

Like green flooring.

Green flooring is no longer only for environmentally savvy homeowners. Now green flooring is on everyone’s wish list, it includes some of the most in-demand materials in the world, and is being used to create beautiful living arrangements. They’re durable. They’re long-wearing. They’re perfect for every room in your home.

Here are our favorites.

Cork

What do you think of when you think of cork? Maybe you picture an old bulletin board you used in school. Or perhaps as a bottle stopper for your favorite wine.

Cork has been used in a variety of ways throughout the years. Only lately as flooring.

Cork is harvested from the bark of fast-growing cork oak trees commonly found throughout the Mediterranean. This is a sustainable process. The cork tree isn’t chopped down. Instead, the bark is harvested, and will grow back every three years. That makes this a renewable resource you can be proud to put on display in your home.

Cork has antimicrobial properties that help reduce allergens inside your home. Cork is also naturally fire retardant, making it the perfect choice for homes throughout Colorado. It’s also easy to maintain, and has natural insect repellents built into it too.

Today’s cork flooring isn’t the same as cork flooring from even a few years ago. You’ll be surprised at the durability. You’ll also be impressed with the colors and patterns. Like wood, cork can be finished with paints and stains to compliment any decor or color scheme. If you maintain it properly, it can easily have 20 to 30 years of life.

Bamboo

Not sure about cork? Why not try a second look at another green flooring option – bamboo. Bamboo looks and feels like wood flooring, but it’s not made from wood at all. Bamboo is a fast-growing grass that shares similar characteristics to the hardwood flooring choices you’ve come to love.

Bamboo is a durable flooring that is easy to maintain. It comes in a wide variety of patterns, colors, styles, and choices. While bamboo itself is a light color, it varies in hue and grain, and takes quite well to customization.

Like cork, bamboo is a sustainable flooring choice. It’s made from natural vegetation, a fast-growing grass that typically matures in about three to five years. Compare that to popular hardwood choices that can take twenty years or more to grow to maturity.

Linoleum

What do you think of when you hear the term: linoleum. If you’re like many, your mind probably drifts to vinyl options that have graced our homes for the past few decades.

In truth, vinyl and linoleum have very little in common. Vinyl is made from synthetic petrochemicals that are anything but sustainable. Linoleum is created from linseed oil, cork dust, tree resin, wood flour, and ground limestone. All natural materials that produce a growing-in-popularity green flooring material.

It offers homeowners a great choice when looking for durable, easy to maintain flooring. It’s flame resistant. It’s also water resistant. If properly maintained, it will hold up to years of wear and tear.

While linoleum fell out of fashion in the 1940s when vinyl was introduced, it’s been making its comeback as homeowners continue to ask for green flooring choices. While linoleum does take a little more work to apply new sealers every so often, the work is worth it when you see the results. This is a great option for rooms where vinyl may have been your preferred choice once upon a time.

Wool Carpet

Carpet has been a popular choice for decades, especially in low traffic areas like bedrooms. It’s soft, comfortable underfoot, and comes in a wide array of colors, patterns, and styles.

It’s only recently that we’re starting to become aware of more traditional carpet materials and how they impact our health. Over the years, some carpet selections were made with volatile organic compounds (VOC) and toxins that are continually being proven to be harmful to the environment and to our health. That’s why many homeowners are returning to more natural options.

Like wool carpet.

Wool carpet is a natural resource made of wool. It’s spun into thread, woven into fibers, and tightly bound to create beautiful carpets to match any decor.

Wool carpet is one of the original flooring options, you’ll find it all throughout history. If taken care of properly, it can quite easily last for centuries. In some families, wool carpets were passed down through the generations as a family heirloom.

Hardwood

If you still have your heart set on good old fashion hardwood, never fear. There is a green option for you.

Deforestation is a problem. But if you’re aware of it before you shop for hardwood, you can consider your options. When you visit with one of our flooring consultants, ask to see hardwood labeled FSC certified. This designation is given by the Forest Stewardship Council for a manufacturer that promotes the use of responsible management of forests. They ensure that the manufacturer adheres to both high social and environmental standards throughout the process.

Another option is to use reclaimed wood. Reclaimed wood reuses existing hardwood resources that have been used in many ways before. They are often salvaged from other projects; it can be a great way to use and reuse materials from other places in your home.

Are you ready to find the perfect green flooring choice for your home? If going green is on your list of to-do’s this year, work with one of our flooring consultants to find the perfect look for your home.

Hardwood Flooring
May 10, 2019

7 Things That Destroy Hardwood Floors

Hardwood floors are a thing of beauty. And here in Colorado, they’ve become the norm.

When you purchased your current home, it’s probably one of the first things you noticed as you walked through the front door. Hardwood creates the right amount of ambiance. It sets the stage for the way you decorate your home.

It doesn’t matter if you go with traditional oak, you select an exotic cherry, or lighten things up with a modern whitewash, nothing compares to hardwood.

That’s also why you’ll cringe when you find the first scratch, and feel the pain when you notice the first stain. You wish your hardwood floors would last forever. And in many cases, they can last for a very long time. But there are some things that will destroy your hardwood floors quickly, and cause repair and replacement bills to escalate.

Sharp Objects

The quickest way to destroy your hardwood floors is with sharp objects. And it doesn’t take you long to figure that out. One pull across the floor with a dining room chair will teach you that. One game of chase with your pet will clue you in.

All of a sudden, your hardwood floor has a line across the planks, and your love for your flooring choice begins to wane.

The best way to avoid this is to make conscious choices long before they become problems.

Keep your pets’ nails short and neatly trimmed
Be sure to put felt pads on the legs of chairs, sofas, and other furniture
Avoid wearing high heeled shoes
Leave shoes by the door to avoid tracking in dirt and small rocks

A little preventative maintenance goes a long way.

Rugs

While you may love the look of hardwood flooring throughout your home, chances are you’ll want to add a pop of color, or warm up the rooms you use most with decorative rugs. Whether you use small rugs for accents, or stretch them out to room-size – underneath a dining room table, for instance – to help protect your flooring, rugs are a great accent to every room.

However, it’s equally important to think about what’s underneath the rug too. If you select a rubber-backed mat, or a rubber mesh pad, they can easily dull your floors finish. If left in place too long, they can cause discoloration that might not even go away if your restain. For full protection, be sure to use a combination of felt and rubber pad to keep your rugs in place.

Sunshine

Colorado boasts well over 300 days of sunshine a year. And if your house accentuates the sun with big, beautiful windows, the heat can feel great especially on a cold, winter day.

But as much as we love the sunshine as Coloradans, your hardwood floors do not. As the sun streams across your hardwood floors day after day, it can cause a change in the color of the wood.

The best way to combat this is to be aware of how the sun flows into your home. Keep in mind it changes throughout the year. Keep blinds closed when the sun is the strongest. Be sure to limit exposure to limit discoloration and drying out of the wood’s finish.

Vacuuming

Today’s vacuums are designed for every flooring you have throughout your home. With the touch of a button or a twist of a knob, you can adjust the brush’s rotation to pick up dirt on carpet, and just as quickly change to clean up messes on your hardwood.

Or so the manufacturers say.

That rotating brush can be very abrasive to the finish of your hardwood floor. While you can use a vacuum, just be aware of what makes contact with the finish. Avoid using harsh rotating brushes with stiff bristles that beat against the floor. Look for hardwood attachments that use softer processes for picking up dirt and debris.

While it is important to pick up dirt and dust particles quickly, if you use the wrong tools for the job, the cleanup can be worse than the mess.

Mopping

Our natural reaction to cleaning up a mess is to use water and a cleaning solution to really get it clean. But your hardwood floors don’t need it. Unless they get a lot of foot traffic, and your family brings in a lot of dirt and debris, vacuuming will keep them clean. Spot cleaning messes will take care of the floors just fine.

Mopping can actually do more harm than good. Every time moisture comes in contact with hardwood, it runs the risk of seeping into the fibers of the wood. Water and hardwood don’t mix; it can quickly dry out and even warp the finish. When in doubt, don’t use water.

Floor Cleaner

If you shop at the big box store looking for the perfect home cleaning solutions, you’ll find a lot of products promising to be gentle on hardwood floors. Don’t believe them.

Floor cleaners have chemicals in their solutions. Even the ones that promise “natural” products or “gentle” solutions can be harsh and abrasive to your floor’s finish.

Just like you should avoid mopping and using water as much as possible, continue that avoidance on to using chemical solutions. We’re happy to make recommendations for the perfect cleaner to use when things get a little messy around your home, and water just won’t do.

Steamers and Professional Cleaners

Have you ever received an ad in the mail, promising a sparkling shine if you use professional cleaning or steaming on your hardwood floors? We’ve seen the ads too. While they might be believable, as flooring specialists we know they simply aren’t true.

Steam and hardwood don’t mix. Water and wood flooring causes problems.

Like water, steam adds humidity directly to the wood. The longer steam is applied, the more it can penetrate the fibers. And that means your wood floors can suffer anything from discoloration to warping of the planks and boards.

When in doubt, don’t to it. Simple is always better to keep your hardwoods looking new.

Now that you know what not to do with hardwood flooring, we hope you’re excited about the opportunity of adding this wonderful flooring choice to your home. Nothing says Colorado more than hardwood flooring. Nothing adds warmth and elegance more than wood planks. And no matter what color, pattern, or style you’ve been dreaming about, we have a solution for your home.

Flooring, Hardwood Flooring
May 6, 2019

Should You Invest In Traditional Hardwood Plank Floors or Tile Planks That Look Like Hardwood?

Here in Colorado, we love hardwood. And nothing gives your home more style and ambiance then installing hardwood plank floors throughout your home.

Yet even though it’s a classic look, one that is popular throughout the Rocky Mountain region, it’s not necessarily the right choice for everyone.

Do you have pets that live and play inside your home? Do they race around chasing one another? Do they love to play catch with a ball?

A few hours of that on a traditional hardwood plank floor will leave you regretting your decision to add this flooring choice to your home.

Or maybe you have small children learning to crawl, walk, and jump. They drop their toys. They love to bang things together just to hear the noise.

How well will your hardwood floors hold up to all of this action? Only time will tell.

Luckily, there’s a new option in town. And it’s an option we really think you’re going to love.

It’s tile flooring that looks like wood. If you’ve never seen it before, we think you’re going to be pleasantly surprised.

It’s exactly what it sounds like – porcelain or ceramic tile that looks like traditional hardwood plank flooring. It comes in a variety of patterns, styles, and colors. It includes wood grain look with all of its perfect imperfections. You get all that and more – without the hassle and maintenance of traditional hardwood plank floors.

Of course, there are pros and cons to both. There isn’t a “right” choice for every home. Only you can know which is the best choice for your situation. That’s why we’ve devised a little “pro and con” list to help you make your decision.

Pros To Traditional Hardwood Plank Floors

Let’s start with the obvious. Hardwood plank flooring has been around for a very long time. It’s the most popular choice in homes all across the Denver Metro area, including homes up in the mountains. Can you imagine an elegant home in Evergreen with glorious views without hardwood flooring?

Hardwood floors are timeless. They’re beautiful. They have a natural glow that you can’t duplicate. They are universal, and will never go out of style.

And that means if you have hardwood plank floors throughout your home, it will improve your home’s value as well if you ever decide to sell. And because hardwood can last for decades if it’s well maintained, it’s the perfect investment to make when you’re remodeling your home.

If you’ve ever walked on hardwood flooring, you know it’s also one of the most comfortable flooring choices. It stays warmer in the winter, it’s softer when you stand in place. That’s because wood has a little give in it. And that can be a good thing at the end of a very long day.

And let’s not forget that because hardwood has been around for a long time, it’s also easier to match. Do you already have hardwood in your entryway? Or maybe a dining room? Or your kitchen? If you choose to extend hardwood plank flooring throughout your home, chances are it’s an easy match.

Cons To Traditional Hardwood Plank Floors

If you have hardwood floors throughout your home, expect to spend time properly maintaining them. They don’t take water well, which means you’ll have to jump every time there is a spill.

If you drop something, or have pets tearing through your home, expect scratches and dents to form quickly.

You should also be aware that in some homes, hardwood flooring simply isn’t doable. Do you live in a condo built on a cement slab? Solid hardwood flooring needs proper subfloors, and there might not be clearance to make it all fit. If the floor rises too high, it may be impossible to open doors. And the sound may be something you (and your neighbors) simply can’t stand.

Pros To Tile Plank Floors

If you’re ready to make the switch to tile plank floors, you’re going to love the durability. No more worrying about your pets destroying your flooring. No more worrying about your kids denting the wood. You also won’t have to cringe every time a guest scrapes a dining room chair across the floor.

What’s more, when you spill a glass of water onto the floor, you won’t have to be concerned about the damage it causes. And if your kids “forget” to tell you about the bathtub overflowing? No worries; it won’t damage tile plank floors. (If water sits too long on any flooring, it can penetrate baseboards and seep down into the subfloor.)

If you haven’t looked at this new line of tile plank flooring, you’re going to be pleasantly surprised. They are stylish, and have more color options than anything you’ll find in wood. Why? Because some colors are easier to make in a factory. Hardwood is a natural product, and you can’t change its makeup. But with tile, the whites will be whiter, the whitewashed look will give you exactly what you’re looking for. Even the graining may be more “perfect”, giving you the ability to create any look at all.

And tile plank floors can be installed anywhere. No more worries when placing it in your bathrooms, your laundry room, or the basement.

Cons To Traditional Hardwood Plank Floors

Tile can be cold on the feet. You can solve that problem by installing radiant heating too. But that adds additional cost.

And tile is harder than traditional hardwood plank flooring. You can’t change that.

Installation may be more expensive, as the subfloor may need more work. Because of how tile is installed, you need to make sure the subfloor is perfectly installed. Tiles will crack and break if the floor is uneven, so precautions need to be made to ensure its flat.

There’s also the chance that tile plank floors will become outdated and no longer the top choice for home remodels. We have no idea what future technology will look like, or what will be possible in the decades ahead.

What’s Your Preference?

With all that said, you’re probably starting to see a clear winner in your mind. What will it be? The timeless beauty of hardwood plank floors? Or the versatility of tile plank floors?

We have them both. Stop by today and see the difference.

Flooring, Hardwood Flooring
February 27, 2019

Why Choose Our Team for Hardwood Floors?

Are you ready to start another home improvement project for your house? When it comes to residential flooring in Colorado, PRO! Flooring Brokers is the go-to choice because we help our clients throughout the entire process. Discover why so many people are coming to us when they are searching for new floors including laminate, hardwood, carpet, porcelain tile, luxury vinyl, and more.

Diverse Selection

With many options to pick from including solid or engineered to the different stains, your possibilities are endless for your home. We carry various styles of wood including oak, maple, hickory, teak, and cherry. Create unique flooring option for your home when you turn to our helpful team.

Match Your Current Hardwood Floors

Our team will help you through the process of matching your new hardwood floors to the ones that are currently in your house, so you can have a seamless transition from room to room. We will start by determining the thickness, species, width, and color of your current floors and provide you with options that’ll allow for smooth transitions.

Once you have selected your hardwood floors, we will provide you with a free on-site measurement to ensure the correct amount is ordered for your project. Give us a call at (303) 788-0113 when you need help matching hardwood floors in your home or business.