Carpets or Hardwood, Which Is The Better Choice For Bedrooms?

Whether you are building a new house, or renovating the flooring throughout your home, you may be considering your options when it comes to hardwood floors. Nothing is as beautiful as hardwoods; why not install them in every room of your home?

Yet something may be holding you back. Is it wise to install hardwoods in every room of your home? Is it the best choice for your bedrooms? Flooring isn’t a decision you can easily replace in a few weeks if you don’t like the looks and functionality. And if you make a decision you don’t like, it can be a costly mistake you’ll regret for years in the future.

Bedrooms are typically thought of as our own personal sanctuaries. Carpets or Hardwood, Which Is The Better Choice For Bedrooms?We want peace, warmth, comfort and style. Above all, we want a place we can retreat to and feel comfortable with, every day of the year. Will hardwoods be a mistake when it falls below freezing? Will carpet be a regret if you choose the wrong color or style? Overall, your final choice should be made based on your personality and your desires. But there are a few things that can help steer you towards one choice over another.

Benefits of hardwood floors:

  • Hardwood adds a sense of luxury. With its old world charm and appeal, you can have a prestigious look that compliments any décor.
  • Hardwood will last and last. Especially in the bedroom where you’ll never have a high level of traffic, hardwood flooring can last indefinitely.
  • Hardwood are always in demand, and will add in to the resell value of your home.
  • Hardwood is easy to maintain. With a damp mop, you can have clean floors in a matter of minutes.
  • Hardwood will help alleviate allergies, especially important if you have a family member with allergies or asthma.

Benefits of carpeting:

  • Carpeting can add style and color to your décor. With thousands of choices, its an easy way to help with your decorating plans.
  • Carpeting is an affordable choice, with options only constrained by your pocketbook.
  • Carpeting is easy to care for. With a simple vacuum every week, and an occasional steam clean to go in depth, you’ll have a flooring choice that will last for years.
  • Carpeting adds warmth. Nothing feels as good on a cold winter morning as carpet between your toes.
  • Carpeting adds both a softness and a sound barrier to your home. Something that works well with small children.

So which is the best choice for you? Let lifestyle and personality direct you towards the right flooring choice. There is no right or wrong answer; either way, you’re sure to enjoy your new flooring now and well into the future.

Read More

Maintaining Your Hardwood Flooring The Green Way

Maintaining Your Hardwood Flooring The Green WayRemember the beauty of your hardwood flooring when it was first installed? Nothing could take the place of that shine and pristine look.

Yet in a matter of weeks, life got in the way and things started to change. A spill here, a scratch there, and before you know it that beautiful shine in the beginning has turned into a dull, well used floor.

While its only natural to have floors fade under normal every day living conditions, there are a few things you can do to prolong the process as long as possible, ensuring the beautiful floors you fell in love with in the beginning.

Choose The Right Flooring

While you may love the exotic, soft wood floor on display at your local flooring dealer, is it appropriate for the way you live? A single executive living in a high rise in the city will use space differently than a family of six in the suburbs. Before you select a wood, start with your needs first. Hard woods are more durable than soft woods. A distressed or hand scraped wood won’t show wear as easily as a more uniform plank. Be completely honest with the way your family lives, and trust the flooring contractor you work with to point you in the right direction for your needs.

Prevention Is The Best Medicine

Its always easier to prevent a problem than it is to recover from it. If you have pets, brush them to avoid clumps of hair accumulating easily, and keep their nails trimmed and well manicured. Clean spills as soon as they happen. And if possible, avoid wearing shoes inside as much as possible – those tiny heels can pack a lot of pressure and dent your flooring easily. Also, clean regularly using a damp mop with no cleaning solutions. If you prefer to use cleaning solutions on occasion, check with your local flooring dealer for the best remedies.

Attack Damage Immediately

Instead of waiting for a severely damaged floor before refinishing, repair even the smallest problems as soon as they happen. Small problems can quickly escalate; by stopping them early you can add more life to your floor overall. Your flooring contractor will have options for simple repairs to small scratches. For deeper scratches or stains, it may require professional care. Once your floors are in need of refinishing, be sure to talk with your contractor about using no or low VOC stains to keep your family out of harms way.

Read More