Here’s How To Pick The Right Flooring For Every Room In Your Home

Thinking of remodeling your home? One of the best places to start is with new flooring.

If the thought of selecting a new floor has you a little overwhelmed, we have advice on how to pick the right flooring for every room in your home.

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all flooring choice made to work in every home. That’s why there are so many choices available to you. It depends on a variety of things: your preferences, your budget, and your lifestyle.

Where should you begin before you finalize your selection? How can you ensure you fall in love with your flooring from the moment it’s laid into place?

Consider your lifestyle

It’s easy to fall in love with a look when you watch your favorite home improvement show, or create a dreamboard while surfing online. But in reality, if the flooring that catches your eye doesn’t work with your lifestyle, you’ll have buyer’s remorse almost from the moment it’s installed.

The best place to start when you’re considering new flooring is to ask yourself a few questions first.

• Where will I be installing the new flooring?
• What activities take place in each room?
• Do I have pets?
• How often do I want to clean the floor?
• How often do I want to replace the flooring?

There isn’t a right or wrong answer. Where homeowners run into trouble is by following their hearts instead of looking realistically at their lifestyles. Some flooring choices just aren’t suitable for families with kids and pets. You’ll be worried about the functionality, and constantly be cleaning up messes.

Likewise, if you have a room used by seniors where tripping may be a problem, focusing on smooth surfaces and shock absorption in case of a fall may be more appropriate as you finalize your choices. Hard natural stone would not be an appropriate choice.

Consider future value

This may be your forever home, but studies show that the average duration of homeownership is right at 13 years.

If you look at your flooring choice through the eyes of a home buyer, does your flooring choice make sense?

Here in Colorado, some flooring choices make more sense than others in different rooms in your home. While porcelain tile is often used throughout a home in warm climates, it can feel rather cold in our environment. Hardwood has remained at the top of homeowners’ wish lists because it adds warmth to any room.

While you should remodel and install new furnishings to suit your lifestyle and needs, keeping an eye out for future value can help you make better choices with the flooring you install. A flooring choice may be more expensive, but if you know it can last for decades, and adds resale value too, it might be worth the stretch.

Select based on room function

Every room has different functionality and requires its own unique furnishings. Just like you’d never place a bed in the living room, placing the wrong flooring in a room will create problems from the beginning.

Kitchens should use flooring that allows for safety, cleaning, and high traffic as people cook and move about. Vinyl, tile, and laminate all make good choices.

Living spaces require comfort and style as you spend time there with family and friends. Hardwood is a popular choice, but it isn’t the only one. Laminate, engineered hardwood, and luxury vinyl planks can all bring more functionality while imitating traditional hardwood at the same time. Carpet can bring warmth into the space, and remains ever-popular.

Bedrooms are a space for relaxing and snuggling in, especially during the long winters. Hardwood or laminate can give it an intimate appeal, while carpet adds warmth, especially for those cold mornings. Kids are likely to lay on the floor playing with their toys; carpet can provide added comfort.

Entryways and hallways are high traffic areas that need durable flooring options. Consider tile, which is easy to clean and maintain, and won’t show track marks in a short period of time.

Bathrooms are high humidity areas. This is where resilient flooring works best. Whether you choose vinyl, tile, or luxury vinyl tiles or planks, water-resistance is key.

Let your personality guide you

If we had a dime for every time a homeowner comes into our showroom and says: “I want a bold color, but everyone around me says to stay neutral.”

Neutral flooring is ever-popular when it comes to selecting flooring. Neutral flooring allows you to add pops of color with your wall color and home furnishings. Sometimes it makes sense to stay neutral; after all, it’s one of the biggest investments when you remodel a room.

But that doesn’t make “neutral” the best choice for everyone.

Only you can see your vision of a room. You have to live with it. If you want bold colors, let your personality guide you into the right flooring for you.

Stay consistent

It’s tempting to want to change out different flooring options in every room in your home. With so many colors, styles, and options, why stick with the same? Yet that can create a chopped up appearance, and be an eyesore as you move through the space.

In general, designers follow the “Rule of three.” The rule of three says that you should never use more than three types of flooring material throughout the home. This means you may use hardwood in your living space, carpet in the bedrooms, and tile in the bathrooms. All of it is in the same color hue, and blends well as your eye moves throughout your home.

Look at other items before you settle on a flooring choice, such as lighting, furniture placement, or even natural light from windows. It all can play into how flooring transitions throughout your home.

Longevity

Are you looking for a flooring that will last as long as you own your home? Or do you prefer remodeling every few years, and are more flexible in your design requirements?

Durability may not be a factor if you know you’ll replace it in a few years. You might get more creative with your choices, knowing you’ll replace it as you grow bored with the color or texture.

It can also help you stick within your budget. Would you rather spend more upfront, knowing it’ll last for years? Or do you want an inexpensive flooring option, knowing you’ll replace it sooner rather than later?

What’s the right flooring for your space? 

There isn’t a perfect choice for everyone. When it comes time to pick the right flooring for your home, let your personality be your guide.

With so many options available to you, whatever you choose will be a beautiful addition to your home, one that allows your own unique personality to shine.

How can we help you make the right flooring choice for your home?

The post Here’s How To Pick The Right Flooring For Every Room In Your Home first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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

There’s a negative connotation with the term “fake.” Fake means: not genuine, something that is not real, or is an imitation designed to entice someone into thinking it is real or original.

This is why the term “fake wood” can leave a homeowner wondering what to select when choosing new flooring.

Every year, traditional hardwood flooring tops the list of wants when people design or remodel their homes. That’s because it’s beautiful, warm, and can last for decades. When you install traditional hardwood flooring, you know you’ll have a flooring that performs as well as it looks, one you’ll enjoy for many years to come.

But here’s the thing; traditional hardwood doesn’t always make sense. No matter how much a homeowner desires to install it inside their home, they know it’s a mistake before they ever sign on the dotted line. That holds them back from replacing existing flooring, wondering what they should do.

Traditional hardwood doesn’t work for every homeowner. It’s not the best choice for certain rooms in your home. That’s where mixed feelings start bubbling up to the surface.

What are your options?

We get it. If you’re a diehard hardwood lover, anything but traditional hardwood may feel like you’re cheating. Anything but traditional hardwood may feel like you’re installing fake wood.

But what’s really happening is you’re putting your lifestyle first. Manufacturers understand that homeowners love hardwood. That’s why they’ve worked diligently to create some incredible products that mimic hardwood, yet serve you better based on your needs and desires.

In most cases, “fake wood” usually refers to several products designed to mimic classic hardwood. They include:

• Engineered hardwood
• Laminate
• Wood-look tile
• Luxury vinyl planks

Manufacturers have worked hard at creating products that look like the real thing, yet offer functionality a homeowner could never get by installing classic hardwood.

Engineered hardwood

Whereas traditional hardwood is constructed with a solid piece of wood, engineered hardwood is created from layers of hardwood and plywood. Each layer is positioned in a different direction for added strength and durability. This unique construction prevents the engineered hardwood from bowing and warping as traditional would may in moist situations. It can stand up better in higher traffic situations.

Engineered hardwood’s advantage over traditional wood is that its solid construction will allow it to be installed in many more places inside the home where traditional hardwood may be a problem. If you want hardwood below ground, engineered hardwood may be your choice, with a protective moisture barrier installed first.

People often prefer engineered hardwood because it’s as close to the real thing as possible. That’s because the top layer is a natural wood veneer that gives the same natural wood beauty as you’d expect from classic hardwood. It’s easy to care for and maintain, and comes in all the looks and style you’d expect from traditional hardwood.

Laminate

Laminate floors are a hybrid of particleboard wood topped with a realistic image layer, followed by a wear layer that can extend the life of your flooring. While people often think of the Pergo line put out into the flooring industry several decades ago, today’s laminate is a product many homeowners fall in love with.

Laminate floors have a smooth surface area that makes them easy to clean and maintain. A broom or a mop is all you’ll need to keep this fake wood flooring product looking good for years. Its strength and durability make it a perfect choice for homes with high-impact, where high traffic, kids, and pets stay active all day long. It’s well suited for being scratch-resistant, and will stand up to the games of chase your kids and pets can do all day long.

It’s also at the lower end of the price scale, making it a great choice for homeowners on a budget. It gives you the chance to have your “dream” flooring, with better functionality and cost features.

Wood-look tile

Homeowners may have fallen in love with natural hardwood for some areas of the home, but chances are their second choice is tile. Porcelain tile is another product that can last for decades when well cared for, and provide a quality flooring product that looks great and is easy to maintain.

So when manufacturers created porcelain tile that looks like hardwood, it was considered a win/win for everyone. These products closely mimic natural hardwood, and do it so well that even the experts have to take a second look.

What’s even better is porcelain tile works in every room in your home. If you’ve always wanted hardwood in your master bathroom or even the kid’s bath, now you can have it. It gives water-resistant qualities to places hardwood never made sense before.

What’s more, wood-look tile also makes a great addition over radiant heat. If you’ve been looking at the benefits of using radiant heating inside your home, combining it with wood-look tile may be just what you’re looking for.

Luxury vinyl planks

One of the newer entries into the “fake wood” market is luxury vinyl planks. Yet being new doesn’t take away from its popularity. People are falling in love with luxury vinyl planks because of their durability and classic good looks.

When people think of vinyl, they tend to think of the sheets installed in their parents’ homes. Luxury vinyl planks are completely different from that product line. Luxury vinyl planks are narrow strips resembling hardwood planks. They are created in layer format for strength and durability.

• The first layer is the wear layer, designed to prevent scratching and scuffs
• The second layer protects from more severe tearing and ripping
• A design layer adds the realistic quality of hardwood
• A backing layer of rigid vinyl adds thickness and durability

They are considered to be semi-rigid, in that they maintain their shape in much the same way as traditional hardwood. Instead of needing adhesive or nails to hold the product intact, they come with click-and-lock technology that makes them easy to install.

Why luxury vinyl planks are growing in popularity is that some product lines are waterproof. That makes them the perfect addition to every room in your home – you’ll never worry about the kids splashing too much in the bath with this product installed.

It’s also an affordable option, making it great for any homeowner trying to stick to a budget.

Still think fake wood isn’t for you?

While the concept of fake wood may seem a bit off-putting, don’t let the benefits hold you back.

Traditional hardwood doesn’t make sense in every situation. But if you still want the look of hardwood, there are many other options waiting for you.

 

How can we help you find the perfect flooring for your home?

The post Is It Fake Wood? Or Is It Beautiful Flooring? first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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

Laminate floors are fairly resilient, however, you should still be mindful of how to prevent scratches on the surface.  Small scratches can easily happen without you sometimes realising how.  Scuffs and scratches are inevitable but can be prevented by taking a number of small steps. Read More

One of the most popular flooring materials in the world is hardwood. Hardwood consistently tops the lists of what buyers want when they’re shopping for a new home as well as what people want installed when designing their dream homes.

Yet hardwood doesn’t always make sense for your lifestyle. Luckily, other choices offer you the classic good looks of hardwood, yet provide additional benefits that may be more conducive to your lifestyle.

Laminate and luxury vinyl are increasingly popular choices in home remodels. Which one is right for you?

Laminate and luxury vinyl – what are they?   

Depending on your age, when you think of laminate flooring, the concept of Pergo flooring may come to mind. Pergo was the entry into the laminate market, being introduced to the US in the 1990s. Today, many manufacturers sell laminate flooring, and it’s vastly changed since the original days of Pergo flooring.

Laminate flooring features planks constructed from four layers:

• A vinyl backing
• A core made from medium density fiberboard (MDF) or high-density fiberboard (HDF)
• A design layer created from a realistic photograph of hardwood
• A durable, transparent top layer that acts as a protector

The core layer is created with a tongue and groove feature that allows installers to snap the boards into place during installation. This allows the planks to float on top of the existing subfloor or other flooring material.

Vinyl flooring has changed vastly over the years. What once came only in sheet or tile format is now available as luxury vinyl planks (LVP.) Like laminate, LVP is constructed in layers:

• A backing layer
• A core center
• A design layer
• A protective coating

Early core layers were made exclusively from vinyl. More modern versions are created from several different materials, including a wood polymer composite (WPC) and stone polymer composite (SPC.) Both offer resilience, rigidity, and enhance moisture resistance.

Luxury vinyl planks can be glued in place to the subfloor. It also offers the popular tongue and groove system that allows the planks to click and lock together, floating into place above the subfloor.

Laminate or luxury vinyl – what’s the difference?   

Reading through the descriptions of what laminate and luxury vinyl planks are can leave anyone a little confused. They seem to be more alike than they are different. That’s true, but there are distinct differences that make them two very separate products.

They are made from different materials. At the core of laminate flooring is a layer made from either moderate or high density fiberboard that gives it its rigidity and strength. Luxury vinyl is also created in layers. At its core is a PVC vinyl layer that makes them even more rigid. This is why you’ll find some LVP products on the market today stating they are waterproof.

They install differently. Laminate flooring only comes as a floating-floor product. You’ll never nail or glue laminate into place. LVP products come in a variety of products that can be installed in different ways. Whether you prefer glue-down, peel and stick, or click and lock, there’s a luxury vinyl product designed to suit your needs.

They feel different. If you want a product that closely resembles traditional hardwood, you’ll lean towards installing laminate. With its wood core, it feels more like traditional hardwood planks. Because of how it’s created, LVP has a smooth surface area which tends to make it look a bit more artificial.

Even though there are several differences you should weigh out before making your final selection, it is important to note that both are excellent choices when you want the look of hardwood, yet traditional hardwood won’t stand up to what your family can dish out. Both laminate and luxury vinyl are:

Easy to install – whatever method you choose, you’ll be happy with how soon it can be put into place. With a little experience behind you, you can easily turn a laminate or luxury vinyl into a do-it-yourself project.

Realistic looks – traditional hardwood doesn’t work in all rooms. That’s why both laminate and luxury vinyl planks were developed. And both provide a realistic interpretation of having a traditional hardwood floor installed.

Low cost – you can find a high quality laminate of luxury vinyl plank for a reasonable price. If you’re sticking to a budget, either can be a welcome addition to your home.

Low maintenance – you’ll only need occasional sweeping and vacuuming to keep both of these flooring choices looking their best.

Lifespans – with care and maintenance, you can easily have either laminate or luxury vinyl in your home for 10 to 20 years or longer.

When is laminate a better choice?

If you’re looking for the look and feel of hardwood without investing in traditional hardwood, laminate is the best way to go. It’s a great way of bringing the look of traditional hardwood into your home without breaking the bank.

Laminate works well in living rooms, family rooms, bedrooms, media rooms, and other parts of the home that stay relatively dry. It has a slight advantage over luxury vinyl if you are looking for a more eco-friendly flooring choice, as top brands work with recycled materials for the inner core.

If you’re looking for a quieter product, today’s laminate isn’t Pergo. With the proper underlayment, you’ll find laminate can be more comfortable and quieter than vinyl, making it an ideal choice for your living areas.

When is luxury vinyl a better choice?

Luxury vinyl is known for its durability. If you want the look of hardwood in places hardwood typically can’t go, luxury vinyl planks are your choice. Install them in bathrooms, laundry rooms, and mudrooms – you’ll love the results.

That also makes luxury vinyl the better choice in busy households. If you have kids, pets, or just love to get messy in the kitchen, luxury vinyl will stand up to all you can dish out.

While laminate and vinyl can both be installed by do-it-yourselfers, luxury vinyl can be easily cut with a knife, while laminate will need a saw for proper cutting. If you want to save even more money by laying your floor yourself, luxury vinyl might be the best way to go.

And if you’re looking for a specific color or pattern, you may have an easier time finding it with luxury vinyl. Due to its popularity, manufacturers are releasing luxury vinyl planks in abundance. Bring in your design ideas, and you’re sure to find the perfect color you’re looking for.

The post Laminate or Luxury Vinyl – What’s The Difference? first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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

Commercial carpet. Even saying it brings ideas to mind.

Commercial carpet can be durable. After all, it’s placed in high-traffic situations, and has to stand up to a lot of wear and tear.

Commercial carpet is functional. It can be easy to change out small sections due to spills.

Commercial carpet can be economical. If it lasts in a commercial application for years, just imagine how long it will last in your home.

But is it right for you?

Should you consider commercial carpet for your home remodeling project? Is it something homeowners do?

Whatever preconceived ideas you have about commercial carpet, it may be worth a second look for certain rooms in your home.

The differences between commercial and residential carpet

In the flooring industry, carpet comes in two general grades: residential and commercial. The differences are many:

Color and texture – you’ll find more color options in residential carpet because that’s where homeowners let their personalities run wild. Commercial applications tend to be more subdued, able to blend in with a design palette any business owner will like. Office settings tend to have darker colors with more patterns to show less wear and tear, and to hide dirt from the surface.

Durability – while residential carpet only has to stand up to what your family can dish out, commercial carpet may experience hundreds, even thousands of visitors daily. Typically, commercial carpet can last up to 15 years, depending on a few factors. Most often, commercial carpet uses nylon fibers which are easy to clean and long-lasting. Commercial carpet is also denser with a lower pile, which keeps it intact for more activity. Commercial carpet uses extra padding to ensure a long life.

Comfort – because commercial carpet is more durable, comfort isn’t a top priority. You’ll never find the thick, plush carpet you’ll have with residential designs. Commercial carpet is built for walking on, not playing on. It focuses much more on sustainability rather than comfort. However, there are many commercial applications that are designed to create the illusion of intimate spaces. These can be great additions for certain rooms in your home.

Maintenance – residential carpet can be effectively cleaned with periodic vacuuming. Commercial carpet often undergoes professional cleaning regularly. It withstands more vacuuming (sometimes daily,) and is subjected to steaming and cleaning to maintain its looks. Commercial carpet is designed to mask dirt, which can make a great addition to certain rooms where spills might be a problem – media rooms.

Types of commercial carpet

With residential carpet, you may be used to installers bringing in a carpet roll and rolling it into place. While that’s possible with commercial carpet, there are other choices.

Carpet tiles – commercial carpet tiles give people the flexibility of installing carpet in a quick and easy solution. It allows you to create intricate patterns with different colors and patterns. Stick with the same tile, turn it, and create varying textures. Select several different colors and create a checkerboard variation. People love carpet tiles because they allow you to peel up tiles whenever they are stained or damaged. Replace it with a new one, and you’ll prolong the life of your flooring.

Carpet planks – square tile shaped isn’t your only choice. You’ll also find carpet in plank format, giving you a different shape to play with in your final design. It’s a perfect way to create herringbone patterns, and allows you to play with both color and texture.

Carpet rolls – the most traditional carpet comes in roll format, where you roll it into place. It’s less expensive than tiles and planks since it’s easier to install. It’s a great choice for someone who wants flooring installed quickly and economically.

Pros and cons of using commercial carpet in your home

If you’ve read this far and are still considering commercial carpet for one or more rooms in your home, here are a few pros and cons that can help you determine if it’s the right choice for you.

Pros include:

Durability – it’s the most popular reason homeowners move to commercial-grade carpet. They have a room in their homes where they want increased durability. Commercial carpet will ensure you have flooring that can handle heavy traffic, and will stand up to all your family can dish out.

Economical – commercial-grade carpet allows you to get more mileage from your flooring. Commercial carpet can last 10 to 15 years, even longer in home settings, and continue to give you classic good looks for the carpet’s life.

Maintenance – because commercial carpet is low-pile, it continues to look new without the wear marks or crushed fibers wearing thin. They offer stain resistance to make clean-up an easy process.

Installation – while you may still opt for professional installation if you select large format carpet, tiles and planks are self-adhesive and easy to install. Do-it-yourself has never been so easy. And it makes repair work a snap – just peel up the old one and press the new into place.

Cons include:

Lower comfort – commercial carpet is designed for high traffic situations. It’s constructed to focus on wearability, not comfort. Commercial carpet isn’t for you if you frequently lay on the floor to play with the kids, or expect to run your toes through the fibers.

Style – if you have specific colors or patterns in mind, you might be held back by the lack of options. Commercial carpet is designed with businesses in mind, and doesn’t have the flexibility in style like residential carpet offers.

Is commercial carpet in your home the right solution for you? 

With so many options available to you today, the toughest decision may come from having to make a choice.

Commercial carpet may be the perfect choice for high traffic areas where you want something softer than tile or hardwood. Media rooms, home theaters, wine cellars, or even a downstairs living space may be the perfect place for commercial carpet.

When you’re ready to compare options and select the right carpet to suit your needs, stop by and see our entire selection.

We’ll help you fall in love with the commercial carpet of your dreams.

The post Can You Use Commercial Carpet In Your Home? first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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

Hardwood flooring can transform the appearance of your home, raise your property value, and help your space feel more “you.” When you are shopping for hardwood flooring, you will come across solid and engineered options. To learn which is the right choice for you, keep reading.

Solid hardwood flooring is hardwood flooring made from one solid piece of hardwood. On the other hand, engineered hardwood flooring is hardwood flooring made with several layers of wood. The top-most layer is made from high-quality wood and provides a structurally stable floor.

Solid hardwood flooring is the most long-lasting option of the two. This is because the wood is so thick that it can be sanded and finished several times without wearing it completely down. Because of this, solid hardwood allows for more customization for future home makeovers.

Meanwhile, engineered hardwood floors are more flexible and durable in certain conditions. If you live in an area where the climate changes throughout the year, you may lean towards engineered hardwood because it expands and contracts less than solid hardwood. There will be less seasonal gapping with this flooring option.

When deciding which type of flooring option is more ideal for you, you want to consider your unique circumstance. If you live in a consistent, non-humid climate, solid hardwood may be more suitable for you. However, if you live in a humid climate where the weather changes throughout the year, engineered hardwood is more appropriate for you. The subfloor, or the type of flooring that is below your hardwood, can also affect which selection is more suitable for you.

Additionally, consider if you plan to change the appearance of your floor over time. While engineered hardwood flooring is available in a wider range of customizable options, solid hardwood flooring is easier to change after installation.

Consider all of this information as you shop for hardwood flooring with Flooring.org. You can browse our flooring options on our website and email us at [email protected] with any questions. We are also available by phone at 1-800-689-9006, and we look forward to helping you update the flooring in your space!

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

Guest post by Teri Silver, Featured Image source.

Deciding which home services you can do yourself and when to hire a professional will save you a lot of grief (and some money) in the long run. Make a list of the improvements, maintenance, and upgrades your home needs and whether you can realistically DIY any of them.

When to Hire a Professional

The rule of thumb is measure twice, cut once, then call in a professional. When it comes to dangerous tasks, you may want to skip the first two steps.

Electrical Needs

Circuitry is technical, confusing, and potentially dangerous work if you don’t know what you’re doing. High and low-voltage systems are nothing to fool with, especially in older homes. Before signing a contract for electrical services, get cost estimates in writing. The actual costs may be higher or lower, depending on the “official” diagnosis.

Write down the specific problems before calling the technician. You can sometimes lower the cost by making things easy on your service professional.

• Provide easy access to the electrical panel box
• Be ready to pay the bill at the time of service
• Get the final bill in writing.

Heating and Air Conditioning

Unless you have professional training and certification, heating and air conditioning are not something to DIY. Sure, it’s OK to change a filter in your system, but furnace flue pipes that transfer toxic gases may become corroded and leak. Combustion chambers can shut down.

If you don’t know what you’re doing, the cost of fixing your mistakes can be much higher than if you hired someone in the first place.

Central air conditioning systems are made up of coils, fins, filters, and other components that can drive a novice crazy. Maintaining window air conditioners is easier for DIYers, but it’s best to hire an HVAC company that will: 

• Clean and tighten terminals and connections
• Add refrigerant
• Inspect for leakage and dried seal ducts
• Measure airflow
• Adjust the thermostat
• Grease up motors
• Replace cracked belts.

It may seem strange to fuss with the AC during a cold and snowy Colorado winter. Calling a technician sooner than later — when they’re not so busy — can save you money and have your system ready for the summer.  

Plumbing

Changing a toilet seat or tweaking the flusher is easy, but messing with heavy clogs, broken pipes, sewer odor, water leaks, and the lack of hot water is a job for a professional. Frozen pipes can lead to serious damage. Be ready to hire a plumber when you hear loud noises in the pipes.  

Gutters and Roofing

Is your life insurance policy paid up? Because climbing a ladder to clean out the gutters is a safety risk. Consider purchasing a protective system to keep fallen leaves and debris out of gutter lanes. If that’s not in the cards, hire a handyman (who’s  bonded and insured) to do the job.     

Roof surfaces are angled; even the slightest tasks are dangerous. Roofing inspectors will check on and repair loose rubber, damaged flashing, shingles, and missing mortar.

Do It Yourself?

Inside Cleaning

Deep indoor cleaning is something most people can do themselves. Washing windows, scrubbing bathrooms, and polishing appliances is something you can accomplish in an afternoon.

But when it comes to getting your home ready to sell, having the carpet or hard floor surfaces professionally cleaned lets your buyers see themselves in a more pristine environment. Besides, it’s easier than renting one of those heavy machines you don’t know how to use. Those machines often leave a film on your carpet that attracts more dirt.   

Lawn care

Hiring a company to treat your sod for weeds is cost-effective, especially if you have more than an acre of grass to cover. And lawn care mistakes like applying too much fertilizer can be expensive to fix. 

You can save more than a few bucks by weeding flower beds, pruning bushes, and mowing your lawn before bringing in a pro to take care of the edging, aerating, and fertilizing.

Doing small household chores yourself (or getting your kids motivated to earn a few bucks) is a way to save money. But sometimes, it’s better — and safer — to let the pros handle the big stuff. 

Teri Silver is a journalist and outdoor enthusiast who spends her weekends mowing her 5-acre lawn. She’s an avid do-it-yourselfer who refurbishes anything she can get her hands on. 

The post Home Services: Which to Spend Money on, Which to Add to Your DIY List appeared first on A Personal Touch.

I was sitting in a reception area the other day, waiting for my appointment, when I looked down and noticed how the hardwood was installed. From the entryway, the hardwood appeared to move vertically into the office space. Yet the hallway back to the individual meeting rooms sat at an angle. The pattern moved into a diagonal flow to keep the flow from the entryway.

I loved it!

But I started thinking about which direction was best when installing hardwood. Are there rules? Do flooring experts provide specific guidance to help homeowners and commercial property managers finalize their decisions before installing hardwood into their spaces?

Where to begin when installing hardwood 

Every space is unique. You can’t start at the front and work to the back – that philosophy can get you into trouble in oddly-shaped rooms.

There are several factors to consider when deciding which way to install hardwood into any room.

Focal point – what’s the first thing you see when you walk into the room? Where is the focal point of the room? If you lay the planks in that direction, it gives your eye a reason to flow towards that focal point. It might be a large fireplace. Or stunning architectural detail that makes the room. Your hardwood plank direction will lead every visitor to the most important aspect of the room.

Overall design – if you have one square space to add hardwood to, laying the planks into place is easy. Yet most people install hardwood into multiple rooms simultaneously, and rarely are they perfectly square. Instead, you’ll have odd shapes and a layout that rarely makes sense when you start to lay the planks into place. To avoid sudden cutoffs and strange designs, it might be time to install them in a diagonal pattern. If you have multiple rooms with distinct cutoffs, you can install a thin wood strip at the threshold to make the transition.

Light source – here in Colorado, we get a lot of natural light flowing in. If you have large windows to take advantage of the view, how does light fall into your home throughout the day? Use that pattern to dictate the direction you install your hardwood planks.

Floor structure – the subfloor and floor joists are installed to add strength and durability to each room. If you lay hardwood planks in the same direction as the joists, you can weaken the overall structure of the flooring. Instead, install them perpendicular to add strength and prevent the planks from sagging or buckling.

Sightlines – in many cases, flooring direction jumps out at you from the moment you walk through the door. Sightlines guide you from the front to the back. It gives you a natural flow. Don’t fight that flow. Work with it instead as you’re looking for which direction to install your hardwood planks.

Directions to run your hardwood flooring planks

We these general installation rules in mind, there are several main design options when it’s time to install your hardwood floors:

Vertical – the most common way to install hardwood is vertically from one end of the room to the other. It flows naturally as you enter the room, providing elegance and a contemporary feel as you move into a room. It’s a go-to pattern because it’s one of the easiest to install. It makes good use of the hardwood planks without having to trim boards to get them to fit.

Horizontal – another popular installation pattern is horizontal, where the boards flow freely from side to side. This is a good choice if your design space is narrow as you walk into the room. Short, vertical planks might make it feel choppy, more closed in. By running them horizontally, it draws the eye side to side, adding more openness to the space.

Diagonal – give any room a classy finish by installing the planks diagonally. Instead of vertical or horizontal placement, kick the planks to a 45-degree angle to the wall as they run across the floor. The look can be stunning and just different enough to add your own personality to your room.

Herringbone – this is another classic design that has been used for decades. It’s a step up from diagonal, creating a zigzag pattern instead. Install each board in a different direction, giving any room a more modern feel.

Parquet – parquet hardwood has been used in homes for centuries. It involves laying planks in repeated geometrical patterns that give the floor visual appeal. Think of it as a checkerboard of intricate patterns, with wood squares dominating the design. They can be quite beautiful, adding richness to any room in your home.

Random – today’s homeowners often look for something unique to bring into their homes. If you’ve had your eye on multiple sizes, colors, and patterns, why not incorporate them all into the final look? A random pattern mixes lengths, widths, and colors to create flooring as unique as you.

Which direction is right for you?

Want new hardwood floors? That’s only the beginning of the choices you’ll make.

Today’s hardwood planks come in many different styles, colors, patterns, widths, and lengths. With so many choices, it’s often difficult to know where to begin narrowing down to your final selection.

We often recommend people spend some time on design sites, or setting up a pinboard on Pinterest. Find different layouts you like, really focusing on why you like them. Do you like the color? The pattern? The flow?

As you find more examples of things you like, you’ll start to see a pattern in your tastes and desires. This is when you know you’ve found a choice that’s right for you.

Bring your ideas in and let’s talk. We can show you a variety of flooring choices that meet your demands. We can help you narrow it down to a final selection, one you’ll love for the life of your floor.

Installing hardwood in different directions can give you classic designs or a modern finish. There isn’t a right or wrong way to lay it into place.

What you settle on will look great on your finished floors.

You’ll love how it accents your home’s decor. 

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Hand scraped flooring will give you a rustic and textured surface.  This extra definition is added when the planks of flooring are scraped by hand before the protective oils or lacquers are added.  As each plank of Oak wooden flooring is scraped by hand, no two planks are the same, so you get an authentic and aged looking floor.  You are still getting the natural beauty of Oak, with its distinctive grain and knot patterns, but with an added twist of uniqueness. It is a perfect choice for anyone looking for a beautiful hardwood floor with added character and charm. Read More

If you have hardwood flooring in your home, you likely already know that your floors experience wear and tear over time. This wear and tear can make your flooring look dull, boring, and uninspiring. If you want your aged hardwood floors to look like new, you can refinish them. Here is how you know when it is time to refinish your floors:

If your home is old, your floors are probably old too. Old age can cause your flooring to look dull, worn out, and unattractive. Over time, hardwood flooring can lose its shine due to heavy traffic, wear and tear, the buildup of dust and debris, and so on. You can breathe new life into your home by refinishing your floors. The refinishing process helps floors return to their original state and look brighter, more vibrant, and more eye-catching.

Are you feeling uninspired by the flooring in your home? If you are, try refinishing your hardwood. You may have a craving to install carpet, tile, or a new type of hardwood in your home, but doing so is time-consuming and expensive. Instead of getting new flooring altogether, just refinish your floors in a stain that better matches your personal style. There are a variety of stains you can use when refinishing different types of hardwood flooring to get the color you want. Not only is this option more affordable, but it is also more sustainable.

It may be time to refinish your hardwood floors if your floors experienced damage caused by routine wear and tear. Unfortunately, grazes, scratches and marks are part of owning hardwood floors. These scratches and marks can be unsightly and dull the appearance of your flooring. Additionally, these marks and damages can lower the value of your home. To boost your home’s value and improve the appearance of your space, have your hardwood floors refinished. Refinishing helps get rid of scratches, marks, and grazes caused by furniture, pets, children, and accidents.

If you are in need of hardwood flooring or accessories, shop with Flooring.org. You can browse the products on our website and email us at [email protected] with any questions. We hope you will shop with us for all of your hardwood flooring needs.

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