Month: April 2022

You’re ready to remodel. You’re ready for new floors.

But when you start looking around, you’re overwhelmed at how many choices there are.

What are today’s top home flooring trends? What is in style?

You might worry that what you pick won’t suit your tastes and needs even just a few short years in the future.

It’s expensive investing in new floors. And if you select materials that are too trendy, what if you have buyers remorse almost as fast as it’s installed?

Stop your worrying, come in, and take a closer look at today’s top flooring trends. These materials will stick around for a while.

Before you select flooring material, create a plan

We often have homeowners come in with one material in mind. After a little education, they selected a flooring product that wasn’t even on their list.

That’s because there are so many different types of flooring available on the market today, what’s best for you might surprise you.

Instead of focusing on a particular material, start by focusing on needs first. It can help point you to the best flooring product that will suit your lifestyle. Pay attention to:

Space – what location will you be upgrading your flooring? Is it defined by walls and doors, or is it an open space? Does it get lots of natural light, or is it dark and cavernous? What activities regularly take place there?

Style – this comes down to personality and taste. Are you country charm, traditional, or minimalist? You might automatically gravitate towards certain materials. They blend in with your preferences and lifestyle.

Maintenance – homeowners don’t place carpet in kitchens for a very good reason. Consider your lifestyle carefully as you hone in on what flooring material will be best for each room. What provides good looks with maintenance requirements that match your expectations? Do you want something that allows quick mopping? Weekly vacuuming? How about yearly maintenance?

Installation – are you looking for a DIY project, or do you want a professional from installation to maintenance? Do you want a flooring that can be easily repaired, pulling a plank up and replacing it with materials kept on hand? Keep in mind that traditional hardwood takes days to acclimate, be installed, as well as settle into place. If you’re looking for quick installation, laminate or luxury vinyl can often be a better choice.

Budget – flooring comes in all shapes, sizes, looks, and costs. Staying within budget can impact what flooring trends you’ll love. Be aware that budget can mean different things to different people. While carpet might need replacing every seven to ten years, hardwood can last decades if well cared for. Is it worth more expense today knowing you’ll have a floor that lasts a lifetime?

With a plan in place, what do homeowners want today?

Once you dive deeper into what you want from your flooring, you might be excited to start looking. We often recommend creating a Pinboard on Pinterest, or flipping through decor magazines or websites to get a good feel for what you’re looking for.

Today’s homeowners want two things: Natural and stylish aesthetics.

Natural – Without a doubt, natural is a word that pops up when most homeowners shop for new flooring. Of course, that can mean different things to different people. In general, people want flooring that’s easy to maintain, is durable, and blends well with their aesthetics. It can be carpet, vinyl, hardwood, stone, or even stretch into sustainable options like bamboo and cork. Whether it has texture, patterns, or a creative twist, a top choice will be to create a natural, blendable floor that works well with every part of your personality.

Style – There’s never been a time when we feel more creative in what we do and the spaces we create. Luckily, there are so many flooring options that can allow you to be as creative as you desire. By looking through design sites and following your desires, you’ll quickly see a look that stands out in your mind. You’ll determine different wants and desires: light, dark, clean, minimalist … you decide.

Of course, color plays a part in it too. But you’ll see that from the moment you start looking at your options. Today’s colors lean a little towards gray-toned. Homeowners still love dark stains with their timeless appeal. Or whitewash stains with a bright, cheerful design. Can’t decide? Why not create a two-toned look. It’s more popular than ever.

It’s not about the flooring product

Are you starting to see a pattern here? We haven’t spent any time talking about which material is trending. And there’s a good reason for that.

The reason there are so many different products on the market today is that homeowners have different desires and needs. What would work for one home wouldn’t work for another.

If you love carpet, there’s a carpet option for you.

If you’re hardwood all the way, invest in new hardwood.

If you’re looking for waterproof options, something that can withstand the abuse your family dishes out, there’s an option for you too. You might just fall in love with luxury vinyl planks and tiles – yes, it’s waterproof.

What’s trending today is individuality and personality. If you find it in our showroom, it may be the perfect choice for you.

We’re seeing planks get wider in the hardwood market. Laminate, luxury vinyl planks, and engineered hardwood are all following the trend.

Patterns are growing in popularity, not just on carpets, but the way you lay in hardwood and laminate. How about chevron or herringbone floors? You can even create it with bamboo or tile. This is about letting your imagination run wild.

It’s also about creating a living environment you choose to be in. If it suits your tastes and needs, it makes the perfect choice for you.

What are the top flooring trends this year?

Glad you asked. Here’s what we know for sure.

With so many different materials, products, and styles available to you, whatever you select will be the right choice.

Whether you have something in mind, or are still exploring, stop by today and see all of your options. We’ll help you find the right flooring to suit your needs.

The post Looking For The Perfect Home Flooring Trends For 2022? first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

This post appeared first on https://pro-flooring.com

Scratches and dents are an inevitable part of keeping a wooden floor.  Even with a strict cleaning and maintenance routine, you are still likely to get some small scratches or marks.  Don’t let this put your off though.  These small marks and dents can actually add character, charm and authenticity to your floor.  What you will want to do, though, is make sure that you don’t get any larger or preventable scratches.  Here are some tips on how to keep a scratch free floor. Read More

We live in one of the most beautiful states in the U.S. We are fifth in education, were voted the fifth best state to live in and we are tenth in healthcare. Home values continue to rise with the median home price hovering around half a million dollars.

Perhaps you’d like to sell right now to capture all of the equity your home has stacked up over the past year. Homes are selling quickly, but how do you ensure the best offers and the quickest sale?

Home buyers love clean, well-maintained real-estate. According to Redfin, a nationwide home brokerage site, getting rid of stains and odors in your home is one of the top 11 things you should do to get your home ready for the market.

Redfin recommends walking out your front door and reentering your home like a buyer. Use all of your senses when you open your front door. What do you see? Are the floors scuffed? Is the carpet dingy? Do the stairs need some love?

What do you smell? Old food odors? Pet urine or mustiness? A buyer will notice these odors even more because they’re not used to them.

Getting the carpet cleaned

Now that you’re looking at your house with a buyer’s eyes, you may notice the stained carpeting by the dining room table. A Personal Touch can help.

We use a powerful truck-mounted steam cleaning system to remove tough stains and odors, including gum, tar, rust and pet stains and odors. After cleaning your carpets are groomed for a “new look” and can be protected with a Dupont Teflon carpet protector.

A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaner offers carpet spotters and groomers for sale too so that you can maintain your fresh carpeting right up to the moment of sale.

If you find you have unsightly wrinkles in your carpeting, we can restretch it for you. This can save you thousands of dollars in an offered carpet allowance to your buyer.

Refinishing the floors

If you have hardwood floors, think about getting them refinished. This usually means getting them sanded down to remove the original finish and stain, then restaining them and coating them with sealer. New, shiny floors are of incredible value when selling your home.

Examining the bathrooms

Looking at your bathrooms with new eyes can be a little uncomfortable. Do you see mold or mildew on the tile? Does the bathroom smell a little… used? We can help.

Depending on how long it’s been since your tile grout was last cleaned, what you smell just might be an odor associated with the tiling. Grout can absorb moisture over time, which ultimately results in the accumulation of mold and mildew – the things responsible for that gross smell.

You may have tried bleach to eliminate mold or other internet remedies. Have you noticed the results don’t last very long?   

A Personal Touch can clean your tile and grout in with our proven process for a great price.

We’ll apply commercial-grade grout and tile cleaner to your bathroom or kitchen tile areas.

Our trained technicians will carefully scrub your tile and grout free of soap scum, water stains, mold and mildew.

We’ll apply a top-notch sealant that will keep your grout from accumulating grime in the future. Professionally sealing your tile will make the tile easy to maintain in the future—your little gift to the next owners of your fresh-smelling home.

Peeking into the kitchen

One of the biggest selling points of a house is the kitchen. Buyers love updated, spacious, well-lit and sparkling kitchens. Do you have one? We can certainly help with the sparkle.

The best way to keep your bathrooms and kitchen areas looking and smelling their best is with regular tile maintenance. A Personal Touch can help remove set-in stains, persistent odors, grime, scum and mildew. We also clean marble and granite countertops. If they have scratches or etching from acidic drinks such as orange juice, we have a company that we recommend for restoring them back to their original beauty.

Noticing the details

Redfin recommends going through your house and making a list of all the little things you would change if you were moving in. The little things count and they don’t have to cost a lot either.

Replace all of your lightbulbs, add a mirror here or there to make a small space look bigger, clean and repair your home’s gutters and paint your baseboards. Your potential buyer will love you for all of these things and your home will sell that much faster.

Calling the pros

At A Personal Touch Carpet Cleaning, we can help you get ready for the big sale. We are happy to answer any carpeting questions you might have and give you a free, written estimate without cost or obligation. We would like to be the last ones in for carpet cleaning since everything falls down to the floor and into your carpets. Follow the recommendations in this article to make the house sparkle. Then contact us at 720.344.2870 or use our online form to schedule a free consultation.

The post Getting your home ready to sell appeared first on A Personal Touch.

When trying to figure out what is foot traffic, it’s important to pay attention to what activities happen in your household daily. We aren’t talking about marketing or sales foot traffic. We also don’t mean the kind of traffic that happens on your morning commute or in a shopping mall. The Carpet Guys can help you figure out if you have light, medium, or heavy foot traffic and how this will affect your flooring. Read on to find out more.

Who is in Your Home on a Regular Basis?

The first step to figuring out what kind of foot traffic your household has, you need to establish who is in your home regularly. Here is a list in order of the members that do the least damage to the most:

• Healthy adults
• Children or grandchildren between the ages of 2-12
• Teenagers
• Disabled family (using canes, walkers, or wheelchairs)
• Pets

The more family members you have moving across your floors, the greater damage they will do over time. People using devices for assistance, like a walker or wheelchair will also wear the carpet considerably. Even someone using a cane because they often shuffle their feet as they walk. This causes carpet fibers to lay flat and look matted and worn.

How Often do You Clean?

If you’re vacuuming once a week, that’s perfect according to the Carpet & Rug Institute’s carpet care instructions. If it’s necessary to vacuum more than once a week due to children or pets, that also wears down the carpet over time.  Equally as bad, is not vacuuming at all.  The dirt and particles get ground into the flooring and cause matting and wear faster.

Also, professional cleaning is required approximately once every 18 months. If you are steam cleaning your carpet more often or not at all, it causes the same amount of deterioration over time.

How Many Square Feet?

The amount of square footage your home has is also an important factor.  If you have a large home with spacious rooms, it spreads the wear-and-tear over a larger area. It will take longer for a family of 4 to matte down the carpet in a 2500 square foot home than in a 1500 square foot home.

All these factors go into play when trying to figure out if you have low, medium, or high foot traffic in your home.  If you have low foot traffic, your flooring, no matter the style, will maintain its beauty for a longer period. If your home has high foot traffic, you may want to consider hard surface floorings like wood or laminate. If you have your heart set on carpet, The Carpet Guys recommend a low pile, dense style that won’t mat as easily.  Berber is also a wonderful carpet that won’t show damage or dirt as quickly as other types of flooring. We also suggest you use a high-quality cushion under your carpet to help absorb the footfalls.

If you’re not sure what you want, call The Carpet Guys at 855-4-MY-GUYS (855-469-4897) and one of our knowledgeable Design Consultants will help you figure out what will be practical for your home and work within your budget at no additional cost to you. If you want to set up a Free In-Home Estimate with the Design Consultant, check out our scheduling link here.   

The post What is Foot Traffic? appeared first on The Carpet Guys.

If you’re looking for more ways to live a sustainable lifestyle, you might be invested in finding eco-friendly ways to do just about everything. As you remodel, what are the best green flooring options? Which is the right one to suit your needs?

With so many choices, it can be difficult to choose.

But as you finalize your decision, you may worry about experiencing sticker shock. Are green flooring materials more expensive? Should you really expect to pay more for doing the right thing?

What does going green mean?

Going green means doing things for the better of Mother Nature. It means changing your daily methods to become environmentally conscious with every choice you make.

You’re a more aware consumer.

For everything you buy, you consider what it does to the environment. From gathering materials, to production of the product, to disposal methods once the item has run its useful life, you consider it all before finalizing your decision.

If you choose to reduce your carbon footprint, there are many things you can do. You can choose to shop at local farmer’s markets. Food accounts for up to 30 percent of a household’s carbon footprint.

You can buy energy-efficient appliances. You can change your mode of transportation.

Once you get started looking for ways to save, it can become a bit of a challenge, looking for all the ways you can save.

But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on performance or aesthetics. There are ways to have both. And it doesn’t have to be at a higher cost.

What influences the cost of new flooring?

For any product on the market today, price is influenced by:

• Production costs
• Demand
• Labor costs
• Packaging costs
• Certification costs

The more accessibility to materials, the easier it is for installation, the more competitive pricing will be.

For many green flooring materials, the expense comes from both production and availability. Because we’re just starting to become more aware of overall impact, we’re waiting for manufacturing of green products to become more popular.

If you really want to find a sustainable flooring product, you have to consider a full array of factors when finalizing your decision.

• Can it be renewed?
• Can it be recycled?
• Is it produced with responsible manufacturing processes?
• How does transport impact the final price?
• How long will the product last?
• What type of maintenance is needed?
• What happens at end of life?

A green flooring choice may cost more upfront. But if it gives you a decade more to its lifespan, does that make it a better option? It’s up to you to decide.

Today’s green flooring priorities

There was a time when homeowners paid attention to aesthetics without regard to impact.

No more.

Today’s homeowners want a careful blend of old and new priorities, ensuring they get a product they love while having it be safe and eco-friendly at the same time.

What homeowners want today is:

Durable flooring – flooring should be able to withstand all your family can dish out. That means it takes a careful blend of high-quality materials for strength as well as ease of use for everyday maintenance.

Non-toxic flooring – a lot of talk in the industry today is about reducing VOCs (volatile organic compounds) inside the home. The EPA shows that inside air quality can be as much as ten times worse than outdoor air pollution. And given we spend the majority of our time indoors, that can be a big deal. Green flooring helps you find low or zero VOC flooring options suitable for your lifestyle.

Natural – natural is a buzzword that is growing in popularity. Why? Because not only is it good for the environment, but it looks great in your home too. Natural is getting as close to the source as possible. It’s about using wood close to home, stone quarried nearby, or other natural products that have sustainable features.

Do you see yourself in any of these descriptions? You’re not alone. It’s what today’s homeowners want.

And many green flooring options aren’t as expensive as you might fear. In fact, they can be some of the most affordable flooring options available to you.

Green flooring options you might consider

With so many green flooring options available to you, there’s sure to be one perfect for your lifestyle. The best green flooring materials include:

Cork – a naturally renewable material that is harvested from the bark of a cork oak tree. It grows back multiple times, making it a truly sustainable material. It’s softer than other materials, making it more comfortable if you stand for long periods of time. It adds warmth to thwart heat and cold, and is naturally repellent to bugs, dust mites, and mold.

Linoleum – linoleum is made from linseed oil, which is produced naturally from flax plants. It’s widely available, and highly renewable. The harvesting process is becoming even more sustainable, with disposal being one of the most eco-friendly options. At the end of a long lifespan, it can be composted with other materials.

Bamboo – bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants and can be harvested in three to five years. Pay attention to where you source your bamboo flooring, as transportation costs can cause the final price to rise. Be aware of production, ensuring it’s truly a sustainable resource.

Carpet – yes, carpet can be a great green flooring material. Look for natural fibers such as wool, jute, and seagrass. Pay particular attention to production, ensuring backing is also made from eco-friendly materials.

Hardwood – hardwood is a resource that can be easily renewed. Be sure to choose hardwood from forests certified and well managed by the Forest Stewardship Council. Also pay attention to stains, finishes, and adhesives to ensure they remain green too.

Stone – stone is a natural product that is continuously being produced and harvested from the earth. It doesn’t harm the environment and can be recycled for other uses. Pay attention to import practices depending on where the stone is harvested from.

What green flooring choice is right for you?

With so many options available, which flooring is right for you?

Green flooring isn’t expensive – green flooring is a sustainable way of life.

If you’re ready to change your home environment and reduce your carbon footprint too, stop by and find the perfect solution for you.

The post Are Green Flooring Materials More Expensive? first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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Are you renovating a home for someone with a disability? Are you making the home accessible for someone in a wheelchair? Hard, smooth surfaces are generally easier for people with mobility issues.

If you’re looking for wheelchair-friendly flooring, you have many options available to you. While material is important, it isn’t the only thing. Read on to discover the right flooring choice to suit your needs.

What the ADA says about flooring

ADA requirements for public and commercial spaces aren’t the same as what you can do with residential spaces. But using their requirements as a guideline can help you make better choices.

From their guidance, it states:

Floor and ground surfaces shall be stable, firm, and slip-resistant.

If you’re installing a floor that will be used regularly by someone in a wheelchair, it’s a good idea to create flooring that’s:

Slip-resistant – flooring should provide adequate traction for the wheels as they move without slipping or skidding underneath. Textured flooring can offer a slip-resistant space even in locations prone to moisture, such as the bathroom.

Smooth – flooring should have some texture for ease of movement. Having too many bumps or transitions can be difficult to navigate over. Pay particular attention to transitions from room to room.

Stable – flooring should be attached securely to the subfloor to prevent movement underneath. It shouldn’t dent or compress as the weight of the wheelchair moves over it.

What flooring choices should you consider?

We have a few suggestions for flooring materials that work well for wheelchair movement. While some you may expect, others may be new to you.

Hardwood

Hardwood has been around for centuries for a very good reason: they stand the test of time. No matter what you can dish out, they continue to give back, and look their best.

Hardwood has the added benefit of extending its life by refinishing it. When it’s scuffed and worn, simply sand it down. Then reapply new stain and finish, and you’ll instantly have updated flooring. You can do this repeatedly, depending on the quality of the wood. This is where it benefits you to pay attention to quality. This will give you the ability to extend the life of your floors.

Plus, they are fairly easy to maintain. An occasional cleaning means wiping away dust and debris, and possibly running over it with a damp mop for bigger messes. Hardwood isn’t water-resistant, so don’t allow moisture to puddle.

For added traction and keeping your floors looking their best longer, consider what texture you install. A hand-scraped or distressed texture not only adds slip-resistance, but it can stand up to more abuse too.

Tile

Tile provides one of the hardest surfaces available for residential flooring. It provides both traction and a smooth surface area for wheelchairs to move freely about.

However, it is important to pay attention to transitions. If grout lines are too pronounced, it can cause friction as the wheelchair moves over it.

Be sure to install a textured tile that provides a surface area that’s easy to maneuver. Certain tiles like ceramic might be too slippery for easy movement. And if a person transfers between a wheelchair and a walker, the surface area may not be conducive for easy movement.

Yet if you work with an associate, we can suggest a variety of options that make this a viable choice. Large tiles placed close together may be perfect for your area.

Luxury vinyl tiles or planks

While traditional vinyl is considered too soft for easy wheelchair movement, today’s luxury vinyl tiles or planks may be perfect for your spaces. They are an affordable alternative to hardwood, and provide a hard surface area that’s easy to get around on.

Luxury vinyl tiles or planks take on the appearance of the most loved flooring options on the market today. You’ll have difficulty telling the difference between luxury vinyl tiles and stone tiles, or luxury vinyl planks and hardwood planks. They look that real.

Yet their hard surface area creates a durable flooring option that works well in all kinds of residential situations. What’s more, it’s a great choice for places you usually wouldn’t put hardwood. Like bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens.

Other things to consider

In general, any type of flooring that provides a cushion to your step won’t work well with wheelchairs or even walkers. Many homeowners consider carpet because it’s soft. But it’s challenging to move around on, and makes it easier to trip and fall.

If you use carpeting in the bedrooms, go with a low-pile option, such as Berber, and stick with a dense pad for added stability. Wheelchairs will also bring in added dirt and debris, so it’s a good idea to go with a darker color, possibly patterns that will easily hide stains.

Floor transitions are equally as important as the flooring itself. ADA has special guidelines in place to ensure people can move freely from one area to another.

• Vertical height – transitions between flooring types should be kept under ¼”.
• Beveled height – if a transition is between ¼” and ½”, it shall be a beveled transition with a slope not steeper than 1:2.
• Ramp height – anything greater than ½” high needs to be ramped.

Before you purchase new flooring, especially if combining it with flooring already in place, ensure you have the proper transition material ready to ensure a safe space.

Finding wheelchair-friendly flooring for your space

Finding the best flooring for wheelchairs is pretty easy to do. With ADA requirements in place, the options available to you have never been as flexible.

Understand what works best for you as you remodel your home. Look for future potential as well as what will work right now.

Remember, this is about aesthetics as well as functionality. And with today’s flooring options, you can easily have both.

How can we help you find wheelchair-friendly flooring?

The post Wheelchair-Friendly Flooring – These Materials Are Best For Your Home first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

This post appeared first on https://pro-flooring.com

Hardwood floors can be an excellent addition to any home. Aside from granting your living space the style and cozy aesthetic that so many homeowners long for, they’re durable, can improve the air quality, and can add to the pre-existing value of your home should you ever decide to sell. With old man winter leaving for another year and the spring bunny hopping around without a care in the world, spring cleaning is approaching. Taking care of your hardwood floors is important to maintain their integrity. We’ve compiled a guide to help this season.

It’s OK to be a Doormat

If you’ve ever owned carpeted flooring, then you’re probably aware of all the unsightly items that get tracked into the house from people and pets. While stains and other things of the sort don’t usually get tracked in with a hardwood floor, you still have to be on the lookout for scuff marks and spills. One of the best ways to combat this is the use of doormats. Taking a few seconds to wipe your feet or remove your shoes before walking around will alleviate the issue.

(Don’t) Cut a Rug

While doormats can certainly lower the amount of ugliness that gets tracked into your home, the traffic that crosses your floor every day is another thing to think about of you own a hardwood floor. One of the best ways to combat this problem is by placing some strategically placed rugs throughout your house, especially in the high traffic areas to minimize scuff marks.

Avoid Using Cleaning Products

Despite the clever advertisements from many companies promising the various benefits of using their products, it’s important to remember that cleaning products are best kept away from hardwood floors. Bleach and ammonia-based cleaners have chemicals that do more harm than good and can even cause irreversible damage resulting in costly repairs.

Refinishing to Cross the Finish Line

Refinishing your hardwood floor is one of the best ways to take care of unsightly scuff marks and abrasions. You’ll find that doing so will have them looking as good as new. Depending on who you use, it’s good to do it once every one to two years. It’s recommended that you hire a professional and don’t attempt to take care of it yourself.

Flooring.org

When it comes to hardwood or laminate floors, Flooring.org is the last place you’ll ever need. From supplies, info, and much more, we have it all. For more information, visit our website or give us a call at 800-689-9006.

This post appeared first on http://www.flooring.org

Engineered hardwood flooring is an amazing choice of flooring.  It will instantly add style and elegance and is a great investment to your home. You will not be disappointed with choosing this type of floor, it can transform any size or style of home. There are many reasons to choose engineered hardwood flooring, and here are some of its benefits. Read More

Have you set your sights on installing bamboo flooring in your home? Are you a little confused by what you’ve been reading online?

You’re not alone. Depending on what resource you read, bamboo is either the best or worse material for residential flooring.

We fall into the category that thinks it makes a great addition to any home. However, like any flooring choice, you have to understand how to care for and maintain it over time to truly fall in love with it, and enjoy it for years to come.

We get a lot of questions about bamboo flooring as people are trying to narrow down their choices. We thought we’d share them with you here to help you make up your mind as you’re deciding if bamboo flooring will make a welcome addition to your home.

Are there different types of bamboo flooring?

Yes, and this is where a lot of the confusion comes from. Bamboo flooring is usually broken down into two categories: solid and strand woven.

Solid bamboo is more traditional, where strips of bamboo are glued together to make a solid and stable floor covering. It’s made similarly to a traditional oak floor.

Strand woven is newer and more innovative in technology. Bamboo is shredded and woven together to create a stronger and more versatile floor. Strand woven is twice as strong as more traditional oak flooring.

Are there different kinds of strand woven bamboo flooring?

Yes! Innovation never stops, and you’ll find that once you start looking at strand woven bamboo flooring. The most common include:

Solid strand woven bamboo – this is twice as strong as traditional hardwood flooring, where bamboo strands are compressed under heavy pressure to create durable planks. They’re milled with a tongue-and-groove structure that allows them to be glued or nailed into place. Like hardwood, they can be refinished several times, giving you a long lifespan.

Engineered strand woven bamboo – this provides a thick strand woven bamboo wear layer over the top of a durable core. Like engineered hardwood, engineered bamboo gives you a tough, durable product that’s even easier to install with click-and-lock technology.

Rigid core strand woven bamboo – want an even stronger core? This may be your answer. These floors provide strand woven bamboo on the top layer, with a rigid polymer composite (SPC) core. This makes bamboo functional in places like kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms where moisture may be a problem. Some rigid core products also come equipped with a padded base that serves as a vapor barrier. This means it can be floated directly over concrete subfloors without need of an underlayment. If you’ve debated about what to install in your basement, rigid core strand woven bamboo may be your solution.

Is strand woven bamboo flooring eco-friendly?

Yes! That’s what leads a lot of homeowners to look at bamboo as a flooring option.

Most of the world’s bamboo is grown in China. Bamboo is a regenerating grass, so it grows much faster than hardwood trees. That makes it more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

This regenerative grass matures within five years. Once harvested, it has self-regenerating properties that won’t require replanting.

To be truly eco-friendly, pay attention to growth and harvesting practices. Look to ensure the manufacturer follows best practices, and allows healthy harvesting and regeneration qualities. Certification by organizations such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) will ensure best practices.

Is strand woven bamboo flooring better than hardwood?

Like all types of flooring, it’s a personal choice. Many homeowners have installed bamboo flooring and are very happy with the results. The more research you do about the product to ensure it fits your lifestyle, the better chance of being pleased with the results.

Hardwood and strand woven bamboo flooring are both made from natural materials, can be refinished several times, have a similar feel and comfort level, are easy to maintain, and are installed in similar fashion.

The differences include:

• Bamboo is made from a regenerative grass, while hardwood comes from trees
• Bamboo matures in five years, while hardwood can take up to 60 years to reach maturity
• Bamboo is often more affordable than hardwood
• Strand woven bamboo usually has a Janka hardness rating of as much as three times that of traditional hardwood

Does strand woven bamboo expand and contract like hardwood?

Both bamboo and hardwood are made from hygroscopic material, which means they absorb moisture from the air in the environment. Both products do well in a balanced moisture environment.

When relative humidity decreases, there is less moisture in the air. This causes the final product to contract, which can cause gaps in the planks.

As relative humidity rises, it brings more moisture to the air. More humidity can cause buckling as the final product expands.

No matter which product you choose, acclimating it to your home’s environment is an important part of the process. If moisture is a problem, look towards engineered or rigid core.

Is strand woven bamboo flooring durable?

Yes! If you’ve grown to love hardwood, but want something even more durable, you’re going to love what strand woven bamboo brings to your home.

Strand woven bamboo is a robust and durable product. But like any flooring material, it can be damaged over time. If you drag heavy furniture across it, you’ll notice light scratches. Drop heavy pans or sharp objects, and you may notice dents. It can withstand a lot of pressure; it just depends on what hits it, and the amount of force behind it.

The key to its success is maintenance. Luckily, the process to keep it clean doesn’t take too much effort. Use a dust mop or a vacuum with soft, non-rotating bristles to keep dust and debris away. For extra dirty floors or a more deep cleaning, a simple solution will do the trick. Check with manufacturer’s guidelines before using any cleaning product to ensure it doesn’t damage the finish. Never use a wet or steam mop to ensure best results.

What questions do you have about strand woven bamboo flooring? 

If we can answer any of your questions, give us a call. Whether you’re finalizing your flooring choice, or still have general questions, we’re happy to provide you with solid advice.

How can we help you?

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With so many people spending time at home, customers are asking what is the best flooring for home gyms? The Carpet Guys can help with some great flooring options no matter what conditions your home gym will be created in. Read on to find out more.

Basement or Concrete Floor Gyms

Most home gyms are set up in a basement, garage, or other concrete floor areas. Though this is the ideal flooring to support heavy exercise equipment, it has other drawbacks. For example, it is not recommended to install hardwood or laminate in a room with high humidity. Concrete slabs or poured flooring are often where moisture seeps from the ground beneath the home. This could cause the warping of wood or laminate flooring. Luxury vinyl floor planks are better for high humidity conditions but are more susceptible to scratching and dents from fitness machinery.

Need Some Cushion?

One of the best floors for an at-home gym would be carpet tiles. They can be installed over cement and provide a cushion for exercising. It’s durable for underneath heavy equipment and easy to replace if there should be spills or damage. Carpet tiles are also noise dampening. It’s the cheapest and easiest type of flooring to install so can work within almost any budget. If installed properly, this is ideal.

Need Easy to Clean?

A second flooring type if you’re creating a gym at home would be sheet vinyl. Again, it can easily be installed over concrete and comes in a roll instead of squares like carpet tiles. This would be an easy to clean style. It withstands high moisture flooring but does not provide much padding for high-intensity workouts. Sheet vinyl is also a very low-cost flooring type.

The Carpet Guys suggest adding a fan and rubberized mat along with your flooring of choice. Call 855-4-MY-GUYS (855-469-4897) to set up your Free In-Home Estimate with one of our professional Design Consultants and we can help you create your best home gym.

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