News
Floor Shopping Guide – Part 4
Floor Care & Maintenance Congratulations! Your floor’s been installed, and it looks all shiny and new. Let’s keep it looking that way! Start by following these basic floor care tips: Read the flooring warranty. Know what your flooring warranty covers and what it doesn’t. Follow the floor care instructions included with your warranty. Cleaning laminate floors or hardwood floors usually requires cleaners that are specifically designed for those types of floors. First, use a dry mop, then follow the directions on the...
read moreFloor Shopping Guide – Part 3
The Installation Process This is where you get to see your vision for your room come to life! If you plan to install your own floors: Check your flooring manufacturer’s website for installation tips. Visit an online DIY Center for helpful articles and videos. Look at YouTube how-to videos. Read DIY online forums and blogs. When you’re ready to begin installing your floor, follow the directions closely – don’t cut corners! If you plan to hire a professional installer: Talk to friends and neighbors to find a...
read moreFloor Shopping Guide – Part 2
Prepare for Your Shopping Trip Now that you have your measurements and an estimate, you can start shopping. Just remember to stick to your budget! If you’re shopping at a bricks-and-mortar store, don’t let the in-store displays derail your purchasing intentions. You can shop for flooring in three places: online or in person at a retail store or home center. Shopping online is easy – you don’t have to leave your couch! But you may prefer actually visiting a flooring store and talking to a salesperson to get their advice about the...
read moreFloor Shopping Guide – Part 1
Choosing a Floor Could your bathroom use a new look? Is the vinyl floor in your kitchen in need of an update? Maybe you’ve been dreaming of replacing the family room carpet with hardwood or laminate flooring. A new floor is a big investment that requires careful consideration and pre-planning. Start by choosing a flooring type. There are lots of flooring options available today – from the new players: luxury vinyl and bamboo – to the more familiar flooring types: hardwood, laminate, vinyl sheet, vinyl tile and linoleum. Read about the...
read moreHardwood Flooring vs. Laminate Flooring
Trying to figure out if you should install a hardwood or laminate floor? Let’s say you’ve done some research and heard great things about both. How do you choose which option is the best one for your space? We’ll break it all down for you, so you can decide. Why you should choose hardwood flooring: Simply put, it’s genuine wood. If you want the real deal, hardwood flooring is the way to go. Hardwood flooring increases the value of your home more than laminate flooring. It’s more expensive, yes, but consider it a long-term...
read moreSolid Hardwood Flooring vs. Engineered Wood Flooring
Did you know there are actually two types of hardwood flooring: solid and engineered? Solid hardwood flooring is just that – flooring made of a solid piece of hardwood. Engineered wood flooring is made of supporting wood layers underneath a top layer of hardwood. If you aren’t sure if solid or engineered is a better option for your home, take a minute to consider what features matter most to you. Think about what room the hardwood flooring will be installed in and the amount of traffic in that room. Then read on to learn more about the...
read moreLinoleum vs. Vinyl Flooring
Linoleum vs. vinyl? Homeowners often confuse these two flooring types, and it’s easy to understand why: for many years, people thought vinyl was another name for linoleum. They believed linoleum was what Grandma had; vinyl was what Mom had. Below, you’ll find info on both so that you can make a more informed flooring decision. Style: Both linoleum and vinyl flooring can complement the original design of an older home, or shine with radiant colors and beautiful patterns in a modern home. Vinyl flooring is available in a variety of...
read moreUnique Flooring Looks
Your floor may be the hardest working surface in your home, but that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice unique flooring looks for the sake of utility. Flooring options today offer an incredible selection of colors, materials and characteristics that will leave a lasting impression with each and every footstep. What do you want your floor to say about you? Contemporary, traditional, urban, rustic, exotic, shabby chic – what design style suits you best? Let’s consider several unique flooring looks that communicate distinct styles...
read moreGot Allergies? Lose the Carpet!
If you suffer from allergies like one in five people in the U.S., you may want to think twice about that carpeted floor before romping with the kids or playing tug with the dog. The allergens that drive you crazy with watery, itchy eyes, runny nose and sneezing are embedded in the soft surfaces all around you. Upholstered furniture, bedding, curtains and especially carpeting can make up to 75 percent of the surfaces in your home! Carpeting is a reservoir for dust mites, pet dander, mold spores and other allergy-causing substances that lurk...
read moreThe Best Flooring for Fido & Friends
We want our homes to be comfortable, safe havens for all inhabitants . . . and that includes our four-legged housemates. Pets pose a unique challenge when it comes to interior decorating. At the top of the list is finding the best pet-friendly flooring. You want one that is beautiful, comfortable and easy to clean, yet durable enough to stand up to pet nails and those inevitable accidents. While you might think carpeting is softer and more comfortable under paws, a hard surface is actually the best flooring for dogs (and cats!). Carpets...
read more