News - PRO! Flooring

Uncategorized
March 20, 2017

Spring Cleaning – Caring For Your Floors

Sometimes the winter seems never to end. But when milder days begin to appear, and we finally get the chance to open up our homes to fresh air, you may begin to see the effects winter had on your floors.

Dust, dirt, water puddles, and salt from the winter months can cause scratches that will eventually damage your floors. While you may be in the habit of cleaning up all messes quickly, the harsh winter elements can leave harmful residue behind. Now is the time to give your floors a good cleaning.

The sealing on your hardwood floors will determine what cleaning products you can safely use. Visiting your local big box store is not the place to look for cleaning products. Instead, start with your hardwood floor manufacturer. Often the products recommended by the manufacturer are not the cheapest. But because they know what materials were used in production, they also understand the safest way to keep your floors looking their best.

Before you begin, ensure the floor is clear of clutter. Move any furniture that is easy to move. Remove stacks and other items that may cause water to puddle or hide dust and debris.

Dry mop or vacuum the floor. This gets rid of all surface dirt and debris, and ensures these tiny particles will not scratch the surface of your hardwood.

Then mop the floor, going with the grain. If your floors are polyurethaned, dampen a mop with water and a few drops of dishwashing liquid. You can also use a combination of vinegar and water for a quick cleaner solution.

Allow to dry thoroughly before putting furniture back into place. Ensure all puddles are wiped up immediately. Then buff with a clean cloth.

Using the wrong chemical based product can cause more damage and result in needing a complete floor refinish, which is a far more costly and time consuming process.

What’s the right solution for your hardwood floors?

Flooring
March 15, 2017

5 Ways To Choose The Right Flooring For Your Industry

When it comes to selecting commercial flooring, there are a few important things you should consider.

1. Traffic

Flooring needs for a warehouse retail store are different than a small, private practice in an office building. Floors can withstand a lot of abuse, from constant foot traffic, to consistent movement of heavy equipment and machinery. What level of foot traffic do you expect on your floors?

2. Safety requirements

Reducing the risk of workplace injuries is top on every businesses list. Skid and slip resistant floors are important when water and moisture is a daily occurrence. Health and medical facilities are also at high risk. What safety challenges does your business face each day?

3. Industry standards

Some industry sectors, such as pharmaceutical and food manufacturing, have strict standards in place. In order to meet guidelines, a company may have to choose a specific flooring material to control things such as dust, bacteria, moisture, and more. Are there any requirements you must follow for your industry?

4. Business standards

In some businesses, flooring can alter the manufacturing process. With electronics manufacturing, for instance, electrostatic dissipation is essential in your flooring choice. What specific requirements do you have to ensure daily functionality?

5. Hygiene requirements

In food, beverage, and medical industries, cleanliness is essential. In order to minimize bacterial contamination, floors need to withstand rigorous cleaning and endure aggressive washdown practices or harsh chemical applications. Flooring will have to be both easy to clean and withstand these consistent conditions.

As you choose your new flooring, be sure to bring up any concerns with an experienced flooring consultant. We can help you determine the right flooring choice for your situation.

Flooring, Hardwood Flooring
March 13, 2017

Not All Wood Floors Are Equal

Have you ever thought about what having a wood floor really means?

What is the difference between engineered wood and laminate? What if it looks like wood, yet is actually stone? One thing is for sure: today’s wood floors aren’t what your parents installed in their homes a generation ago.

Hardwood

In many cases, when people say hardwood, they mean a solid hardwood flooring that has stood the test of time for generations. Durable and beautiful, hardwood provides a timeless appeal that can keep your floors looking their best for years. Hardwood comes in a wide range of grains and colors, depending on the species of wood you select and how it was cut. If you are installing hardwood, be sure to ask for hardwood that is grown from sustainably grown and harvested trees.

Engineered/Laminate

An engineered wood floor consists of a real-wood veneer layered with a lower-grade wood base. Some laminates are made up of a similar base topped with a photograph of an attractive wood grain pattern. An engineered wood floor can be sanded down to remove damaged areas a few times, depending on the quality of the wood. Laminate can repair small nicks and scratches using filler, but sanding is out of the question. Both will have a much shorter lifespan than their real wood counterparts.

Bamboo/Cork

Many people are turning to more sustainable options for their floors. With that in mind, it’s difficult not to consider bamboo and cork. Bamboo looks so much like wood you’ll have trouble believing it’s not hardwood. Bamboo floors have a rich natural glow similar to hardwood and it compares favorably to maple or oak. Cork is an up and coming flooring option that is naturally moisture-resistant, warm underfoot, and is terrific at buffering noise and impact in the home. Either choice can give you beauty with long-lasting results.

Stone

Nothing compares with the durability of stone. And with today’s technology, you’ll find stone that has the appearance of real wood flooring. It comes in a variety of colors, styles and patterns. And because it makes it possible to add radiant heating throughout your home, it’s a perfect choice to add warmth as well as beauty throughout your living space.

What’s the perfect wood choice for your home?

Flooring, Hardwood Flooring
March 8, 2017

The Right Flooring Choice For Our Climate

Denver has seen its fair share of growth in the past few years. And who can blame them? Denver has a lot to offer.

But whether you’re moving in from the coast or the midwest, you may find we do things a bit different here.

You would never expect to find a beach house right here in the heart of the city? And no matter how much you enjoy the beach, that look and feel might not be the perfect choice for our long winters. Sure, we have one of the highest levels of days of sunshine in the States. But hardwoods and stone may be more our style.

Living here in Denver means the weather can change quickly. Other cities might say it, but here, it’s a reality. Can it hit 80 degrees in the afternoon, and dip down into the 20s late in the evening? Yep. Just stick around. No telling what will blow into town.

All of that means you have to be prepared for just about anything.

Sun beating into your home and impacting your flooring many hours of the day? Yep.

Feet of snow being dragged into puddle on your floors? That too.

What should you choose?

Hardwood

We love our hardwood. But here in Denver, it needs a little TLC. Natural flooring is affected by extremes of moisture and dryness, and we can have both here in short order. Try to keep your indoor relative humidity between 35 and 60 percent. Be aware of where your hardwoods are installed. Instead of hardwoods in the mudroom, think stone or vinyl instead. That’ll be one less thing to worry about when the kids or pets come in from outside.

Vinyl

Vinyl is a practical choice for floors in just about any climate. You can find luxury vinyl that in many cases mirror more sophisticated flooring choices. You can install it over concrete slabs or over a crawl space. Be sure to use a vapor barrier to protect against moisture.

Ceramic or Stone

Ceramic or stone tile is great for any floor in your home. A moisture barrier or underlayment beneath the tile will properly seal and safeguard it for long enjoyment. Tile does tend to be cool underfoot, which is why many homeowners add radiant heating to keep your rooms warm in the winter. You’ll love the effect, especially in bathrooms.

What flooring do you prefer in your Colorado home?

Flooring, Tile Floors
March 4, 2017

Why We Love Mosaic Tile In The Bathroom

Have a small bathroom and looking for ways to make it appear bigger than it really is?

Consider mosaic tile.

Mosaic tiles are mostly made from pieces of stone, colored glass or other materials, and are small, flat, roughly square pieces. They are frequently used in design in many rooms in your home, including kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and home bars or wine cellars.

While they are versatile and stylish in many applications, one of our favorite areas is in the bathroom. If you use mosaic tiles the right way, they will make your small bath look bigger and liven it up with a fresh, modern look.

Use Them To Accent

Choosing paint isn’t the only way to put focus on a wall; use mosaic tile to brighten up a wall too. In a small bathroom, there usually isn’t a lot of space to work. Getting fancy and building in vivid colors or intricate patterns won’t be as costly as it could be in other rooms of your home. If you start with a white foundation under the tiles, it will help keep your final design lighter and brighter. Also, consider amplifying natural light and mirrors to complete the look.

Build In A Border

A border is another effective way to make a room look bigger. It also adds style and class anywhere you choose to incorporate it into the design. To keep the project budget friendly, cover large areas of the bath with less expensive, larger tiles. Then use mosaic tiles to add a border to make your eye flow from one area to the next. You’ll see this a lot in showers, where a small border is used about eye level, to add a pop of color and accents to a neutral color.

Build A Backsplash

A backsplash can take as much or as little space around your sink and vanity as you desire. Choose horizontal glass tiles to bring out the color of your room. Or go more neutral and expand the design up the wall. The tile will catch your eye, and you’ll have less time processing and analyzing the size of the bath.

Turn Tiles Vertical

Instead of planning your layout with thin, rectangular glass tiles running horizontally, why not run them vertically instead? Orienting a tile pattern vertically emphasizes the height of the space instead of the width. It can help lift the size of a compact bathroom by drawing the eyes upward. Start with a dark floor leading to a light ceiling. Then use the glass tiles to continue the trend upwards, using more dark tiles closer to the floor. It doesn’t always take color to turn things from boring to Wow either. Even hues of black, white and gray come together to form elegance and sophistication.

Mosaic tiles are one of the most popular, eye catching materials you can incorporate into your interior design. If you’ve always wanted to experiment and were nervous about covering a large area of your home, start small instead. A small bathroom is the perfect place to refocus your attention on the beauty of the room.

Flooring
March 1, 2017

Coconut Palm Flooring: An Eco-Friendly Alternative

Looking for an eco-friendly alternative for the flooring in your home?

How about installing coconut palm flooring?

Coconut palm flooring is made from reclaimed plantation-grown coconut or sugar palms. They are past their fruit-bearing years, and are harvested to provide a second commodity rather than being burned or dumped in totality in a landfill. Many of these trees are 100 years or older and can reach heights more than 100 feet tall.

This felled timber has no secondary market, but as a few flooring manufacturers are moving in and creating flooring products, it’s providing a smart way to use this unused resource. If the trees are reclaimed for use in flooring, it will help keep more of the rainforests intact by becoming a viable resource of income for the farmers.

Think of coconut flooring in a similar manner to hardwood. The tongue-and-groove planks are made by laminating multiple layers of palm wood together using non-toxic adhesives. The final product can be cut and placed similarly to any other flooring product. You can order flat grain or edge planks, in similar fashion to bamboo flooring choices. It also comes in prefinished or unfinished options.

What makes this product unique is its clean design. Palm wood trunks only grow to a certain diameter, and the tree only grows upward. There are no branches, and therefore will be no knots in the wood. Palm wood comes from both the outer hardwood and the softer inner core to produce different grades. Color, grain, and shades will vary depending on what is used.

This flooring can also earn LEED credits if your building project is a green project. It also qualifies for low emitting materials for flooring systems.

Is coconut palm wood the perfect choice for your flooring needs?

Area Rugs, Flooring
February 26, 2017

Mats and Floor Runners As Safety Issues

When you purchase proper floor mats and floor runners, they can be an effective way of creating a safer and more secure environment for pedestrian traffic within your commercial location. However, improper or poorly maintained mats and runners can be hazardous and cause slipping and falls.

While floor mats and runners are widely used in retail and commercial applications to improve pedestrian safety in places where water and other outside contaminants may cause flooring to become dangerous, many facility owners simply don’t use them in the correct manner. Mats and runners have the sole purpose to remove moisture and soil from the bottom of pedestrian’s feet, control the spread of moisture throughout the building, and provide a slip-resistant surface in areas where falling can be a problem. However, they can pose a dangerous hazard when best practices are not followed.

Mats and runners have the same purpose, are different only in their size. A runner is a floor mat that is at least several times longer than it is wide. Both are flat, commercial grade pieces of material that are used as temporary floor coverings.

When used properly, mats and runners can protect the flooring underneath and provide a safe way for accumulating high amounts of water and debris. When possible, mats should be recessed into the floor to prevent tripping hazards. Where recessing isn’t possible, mats should be constructed with wide beveled edges and should be a contrasting color to stand out from the flooring below. It should be made of such materials as coconut fiber or heavy corrugated rubber, and be thick enough to absorb.

Aged, worn, or improperly placed mats all have potential tripping hazards. If a mat doesn’t lie flat against the ground, curls, has ridges, or puckers, it can be a hazard. Lightweight mats, in particular are susceptible to more damage, and have the potential of excessive wear in shorter periods of time.

Mats and runners should be of suitable size to reduce the potential hazard without becoming hazards themselves. A minimum of 12 to 15 feet of mat coverage should be provided to remove most of the tracked in soil and moisture. Mats should be placed by the door threshold at the entry end and cover the width of the door opening. Mats should be changed out during the day in heavy traffic areas, or where they become easily saturated.

Have questions about your commercial flooring applications? Just ask.

Flooring
February 23, 2017

Stress Resistant Flooring

Looking for flooring for your commercial building? There are a lot of things to consider.

Flooring can come under a variety of different stresses, all of which require different applications to ensure safety and good looks. A parking garage requires different flooring than an entryway to a commercial building. Medical facilities have their own needs and requirements. A warehouse may have a variety of needs, from excessive forklift use to withstanding hundreds, even thousands of pounds of materials being stacked on at any given time.

Even when planning out specific uses for specific spaces, different requirements may come into play. For instance, in a warehouse that uses forklifts all day, certain areas may be more prone to accidents due to the nature of an area. Are some place more prone to moisture, making them slicker and dangerous? Are some areas tighter in space, requiring the forklift to backup and turn again and again? All of this amounts to stress. And if the wrong flooring is used, it can crack and break quickly.

In every situation, there is a solution. The key is understanding the requirements of your flooring before you make your selection, and choosing the best flooring for the use. If you need flooring:

That is skid and slip resistant
That withholds weight and pressure
That can take shifting and movement
That is resistant to salts, oils, grease, chemicals, even acids

Be sure to work with a commercial flooring representative that can point you in the right direction.

There are products available that can offer you the best of both worlds: look great while withstanding all the abuse you put out.

Let’s assess what you need most in a stress resistant flooring option.

Flooring, Tile Floors
February 19, 2017

How To Clean Tile Floors and Grout

Want an easy floor to clean and maintain? Chances are you’ve considered tile. Tile is one of the most versatile flooring choices available, which is probably why tile flooring has been used in homes for centuries.

In most cases, tile floors are easy to clean and won’t take up much time in your daily chore list.

Sweep your floors once a week.

Vacuum your floors once a week.

Mop your floors with warm water once a week.

Wipe up all spills immediately, even excess water.

With just these few simple rules, your tile flooring will maintain its look and feel for years to come.

But sometimes simple cleaning isn’t enough. Sometimes your flooring needs a little bit more to maintain its looks. It might be easier than you think.

But before you head to your local big box store to purchase a cleaner, you might want to consider these choices instead.

Vinegar and Water

Mix equal parts vinegar and very hot water. The acidity in vinegar acts as a degreaser and can remove those spots of grease you may have in your kitchen. After you mop your floor with the vinegar and water combination, be sure to mop again with clean water to rinse the floor. Mop from side to side, then up and down to get into all corners of the grout. Be sure to give your floor ample time to dry before heading back into the room for action.

Tip: Don’t have vinegar in the house? Plain rubbing alcohol can be a substitute for vinegar.

Dish Detergent and Water

Dirt and grime on the floors often stretches beyond greasy messes. And you can’t always see the grime that exists on the floor. Another great option to keep your floors clean is using a solution of dish detergent and warm water. Mix equal parts of both in your cleaning bucket and mop the floor. Make sure you work backward, not stepping on cleaned areas. Let floors rest at least 20 minutes before walking back in.

Baking Soda

Grout is a porous substance that is not stainproof or waterproof. Grout is made from water, sand and cement, which tend to absorb grease and dirt faster than tiles. As a result, they may discolor faster and appear dirty.

Much like tile cleaner, great home solutions can be used. You can make a grout cleaner with any combination of baking soda, vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide. Avoid bleach as that can further discolor your grout. Once you have your solution, place it on the grout lines and let it sit. Then scrub with an old toothbrush to get the stains off.

Tip: Acids like vinegar and other cleaning products can erode natural stone. If you have natural stone tile in place, use dish soap, hydrogen peroxide or baking soda instead.

Flooring
February 19, 2017

What Flooring Choices Add Value To Your Home?

One of the most popular remodeling projects homeowners take on is the kitchen. It’s one with the biggest payback when it comes time to sell. It’s also one of the costliest.

If you’re planning on living in your home for several more years, select a flooring that suits your needs and tastes. If you want to add resale value, examine your community and take notice of flooring choices others in your neighborhood have made. This will drive expectations when it’s time to sell.

Vinyl

Vinyl or linoleum flooring is a basic option for kitchen flooring. It’s inexpensive and comes in a variety of colors and designs. It’s easy to install, and it provides a comfortable choice for standing. If you’re touching up a kitchen and improving its looks for sale, this inexpensive choice can be the perfect addition to show your home was well taken care of throughout the years.

Laminate

Laminate wood floors are a great alternative to hardwood. The look and styles have improved over the years, and at first glance gives the appearance of wood. Laminate can warp under high moisture or water leaks, but is comfortable when standing on for long periods of time.

Hardwood

You can never go wrong with hardwood; it’s always in demand throughout the Rocky Mountain region. Wood flooring can create a dynamic look in your kitchen, especially when it spills over into the other living areas in your home.

Stone

Natural stone like marble, granite, soapstone, slate or limestone can add dimension to your home. They are also an excellent choice for underfloor heating options. Stone can last for decades, with can increase your home price when trying to sell.

What flooring choice is right for your kitchen remodel?