Save Your Hardwood from Damage with These Tips

Hardwood flooring adds elegance and style to any home. If you want to preserve the appearance of your hardwood for as long as possible, you want to avoid damage. Save your hardwood from damage with these tips:

Routinely cleaning your hardwood floors can help you maintain the appearance and quality of the floors for years to come. If dirt and grit are not removed from your flooring, it can lead to nicks and marks on the surface. In order to prevent this from happening, you can vacuum and mop your floors at least once a week. Microfiber mops are best to make sure dirt is lifted.

If you live with a pet, their nails can lead to scratches on your floor. Trimming your pet’s nails or claws on a routine basis can prevent them from becoming overgrown and damaging your floors.

You may not think of your shoes as something that can damage your floors, but the sharp edges and dirt of your shoes can actually lead to marks on your floor. You should definitely avoid wearing heels or cleats in the house, and dirty shoes should be worn only on mats or rugs.

Furniture is a must-have in your home, but it can damage your hardwood floors. To reduce the amount of damage heavy furniture can do to your floors, consider placing your furniture on rugs or felt pads. This can protect your floors from scratching that can happen from the natural shifting of furniture when it is sat on.

If you’re shopping for hardwood flooring for your home, check out what we have to offer at flooring.org. You can shop our selection online and call us at (800) 689-9006 with any questions.

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Yes, you can have parquet block flooring in a kitchen. It can really look amazing and as a kitchen is one of the most used rooms in you home, you will want a floor that gives a wow factor.  You will also want a durable floor.  Kitchens usually have lots of fluctuations in temperature, especially with cooking and other electrical appliances. Engineered parquet block flooring copes with these changes in temperature as it expands and contracts to compensate for the humidity levels in the air. Read More

Unfinished hardwood flooring has been around for centuries.

Before painting, staining, and sealers, people would use wood harvested from local resources. They would cut, sand, and lay the boards into place.

A lot has changed over the years, but the natural beauty of hardwood lives on. It’s in discerning houses across the Front Range.

What is unfinished hardwood flooring?

By calling it unfinished hardwood flooring, certain characteristics come to mind. It can be a bit confusing until you dive deeper to discover what “unfinished” really means.

Unfinished is still processed flooring ready to be installed in your home. The difference comes with the final process of sanding it, staining it, and sealing the wood.

In the 1940s, prefinished hardwood found its way to the market as an option to speed up the installation process inside homes. The difficult process was handled as a part of the manufacturing process, meaning you could see exactly what the flooring would look like just by glancing at one of the boards. That was a big draw for flooring and home improvement stores, as it allowed shoppers to “see” what they would be installing before making their final selection.

That gave consumers a greater choice when shopping for goods for their homes.

• Unfinished hardwood comes without a finish applied; homeowners finish it after the hardwood is installed.
• Prefinished hardwood is ready to install, and will be completed once the final board is laid into place.
• Unfinished hardwood is laid with flat boards to create a smooth appearance.
• Prefinished hardwood has beveled edges to hide inconsistencies as it’s butted against other boards.
• Unfinished hardwood requires additional work after installation.
• Prefinished hardwood is ready to go once it’s installed.
• Unfinished hardwood may take additional cure time depending on stain and sealer preferences.
• Prefinished hardwood can be ready to walk on and have furniture moved into place right after installation.
• Unfinished hardwood gives you unlimited opportunity for style and color.
• With prefinished hardwood, what you see is what you get.

Why many homeowners think unfinished hardwood flooring is the only way

In our consumer-driven world, being able to walk into a showroom and find a perfect choice is part of who we are. It’s nice being able to see your ideas in front of you, select, and have them installed in a short period of time.

Prefinished was created exactly for those scenarios. It’s a perfect way to find your ideas easily, match colors and textures, and “see” what you’re getting before you finalize your decisions.

Yet for others, they envision a color palette that is uniquely their own. They want something only unfinished hardwood flooring has to offer.

One of a kind look

Have you ever entered a home and recognized the flooring immediately? It’s popular, and everyone is using it. While it may be popular for a reason, it’s just not your style. You want your own unique look, and you can’t get it when you see the same thing in every store you visit.

Unfinished flooring may be for you. An experienced installer can help you create the exact look you’re looking for.

It starts with the hardwood. Different species will have different variants and characteristics that shine through when stain is applied.

It also is about what stain and sealer you use. The possibilities are endless when you’re mixing colors to create the right choice to suit your needs.

Uniformity

If you’ve ever picked out prefinished hardwood before, you’ve heard the sales associate tell you to ensure all of your product boxes are from the same dye lot. That’s to ensure a similar color resonates through to all the boards used for your flooring. Even with careful mixing, color might vary over time.

When you install unfinished hardwood, all of the finalization techniques are handled on site, meaning you’ll have uniformity no matter how large or small the room size. Sanding ensures every board is tightly fitted together. Staining on site ensures a uniform color spreads to every corner of the room. And every inch of space will be properly sealed, giving you less chance of spills seeping between the cracks.

That’s one of the biggest reasons people often select unfinished. When the final sealant goes into place, it fills in the empty spaces and cracks, giving you an even structure across all of the flooring planks. You’ll have extra protection throughout the wear life of your flooring.

Remodeling and rematching

You want new hardwood floors, but you also want to stay true to some of the home furnishings you already have in place. And every time you bring home a sample prefinished hardwood board, something isn’t quite right. It’s not the correct shade. The color is a little off.

That’s where prefinishing has the advantage. Whether you’re trying to match an antique dining room set, the cupboards in your office, or the cabinets in your kitchen, you’ll never be able to match them with prefinished in quite the same manner as you can with unfinished.

That’s because an experienced installer can mix color combinations to give you the perfect look you’re vying for.

Along with color, an installer can help you match the consistency of finishes and sheens throughout your home. From high gloss to matte, when you’re in control of the final look, you can achieve anything you desire.

A quick thought on DIY

While some flooring products are great for do-it-yourselfers, unfinished hardwood flooring is best left to the pros. If you have a certain look you desire, it can be difficult recreating that look without the experience behind you.

For example, a red oak species will provide strikingly different results than maple. You may like the appearance of the wood in the store, but how will it appear after staining and sealing?

And with the sheer amount of options with stains and sealers, do you know which combination is best to suit your needs? Get it wrong, and you could find yourself experiencing buyer’s remorse almost as soon as you have your new floors in. Worse, they could be compromised with the first spill landing on the boards, meaning you might have to change the floorboards out shortly after they’ve been installed.

Finishing unfinished hardwood flooring is labor-intensive and time-consuming. As a DIYer, it’s best to choose other projects, and leave this one to the pros.

Is unfinished hardwood flooring the best choice for your upcoming remodel?

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Radiant heat is quickly becoming a popular option across the Front Range. On a cold winter morning, nothing feels better than hopping out of bed and hitting a warm floor.

However, not all flooring choices work well with radiant heating. To get your desired result, choose your flooring wisely. The right flooring choice will give you the warmth you’re looking for, without jeopardizing your safety in the process.

What is radiant flooring?

Before we get into floor selection, it’s important to understand what radiant flooring is.

There are three separate types of radiant heating: hydronic, electric, and air-heated. Of the three, hydronic and electric offer the most efficiency, making them the most popular choices.

Radiant heating doesn’t work like a gas-forced air heating system. Heat doesn’t rise, which makes it possible to cover a larger area with lower temperatures.

Hydronic systems use circulated water through tubing embedded in the concrete slab. This is usually done during construction. Hydronic systems can be powered with a wide variety of power supplies, including electric, solar, geothermal, natural gas, and oil, or any combination of them.

Electric systems use rolled cables in a looping pattern braced with mats, mesh, or film. It’s embedded in a concrete slab, installed underneath the subfloor or flooring, depending on the installation method used. This is often the best choice if adding radiant heating after construction.

While air-heated is an option, it doesn’t compare to the other two, and isn’t used as frequently. Air is pumped through a series of pipes embedded in the flooring. Because air can’t reach and maintain temperatures as well as other power sources, this is thought to be a secondary heating source instead of the primary one.

Design tips for flooring over radiant heating

Because you’ll be laying flooring over the radiant heating system, it’s important to consider your options carefully to achieve the best results possible. Why spend the time and money installing radiant flooring if it doesn’t heat your home well? Depending on what flooring you choose, you’ll experience different results.

What pushes individual flooring choices into the “good” or “bad” for use with radiant heating centers on the thickness of the flooring, and the conducive nature of the flooring materials. Thicker choices are harder to heat, and dissipate the heat quickly after heating. Mineral-based flooring are excellent thermal conductors. Some flooring materials expand and contract based on inside conditions, while others maintain their shape in all kinds of situations.

While virtually all flooring materials can be used with heated floors, there are special considerations to keep in mind depending on your final selection. Flooring options have different R-values, which impact how much heat you’ll receive by using them in conjunction with radiant heating.

The worst at meeting all of these needs is carpet. While it can be used with radiant heating, you won’t be as happy with the results compared to other flooring materials.

Porcelain or ceramic tile

Choosing a flooring that already has thermal-conducting properties, such as stone, marble and ceramic tile, will hold more heat than other choices, making them preferred flooring choices over radiant heat. Ceramic tile consistently tops the list for bathroom choices because it stores heat well. If you’ve dreaded cold mornings in the master bath before, filling your room with plush rugs, radiant heating can change the way you look at tile, and make your bathroom warm whenever you desire.

Porcelain and ceramic tile are ideal for use with radiant heating because it conducts heat well. Its thin structure means it’s easy to lay over the heating system, and will continue to hold heat without a lot of work. Tile will heat up rapidly, and retain the heat longer once the system is turned off. Tile is also the perfect choice to use when moisture can be an issue, as it will not rot when used with hydronic systems.

Natural stone

Like porcelain and ceramic tile, natural stone is also a good choice for use with radiant heating systems. Like tile, it will warm quicker and retain heat longer after shut-off. Natural stone is thicker than tile, and will take longer to warm to the touch. Yet it has a lot of other qualities of tile in that it won’t be impacted by moisture, and won’t degrade over time.

Laminate

If you want the look of hardwood, many homeowners lean towards laminate because of the additional benefits it offers. If moisture may be an issue, laminate will hold up better than traditional hardwood. However, laminate is still wood. Water will impact the structure quickly to the point of no return.

If you want hardwood in your home, and love the thought of heated floors too, laminate is the way to go. Its thinness makes it a good choice when installing over radiant flooring. However, you will have to take added precautions depending on the type of radiant heating you use. If a hydronic system allows moisture to escape, your laminate would be permanently damaged.

Most laminates also have a maximum temperature point; check with your manufacturer before combining with radiant heating. Still, laminate naturally feels warmer to the touch than other flooring choices. When combined with a radiant flooring system, it may be the perfect choice for keeping your home warm.

Vinyl plank and floating floors

Vinyl plank flooring is growing in popularity for a variety of reasons:

• It’s affordable
• It’s easy to install
• It comes in a wide array of colors and patterns
• It’s beautiful
• It’s waterproof
• It’s a DIYer’s dream

Vinyl planks come in click and lock technology, which floats above the subfloor without the need for adhesives or nails.

All of that and more makes vinyl plank a great option to install over radiant heating. It adds waterproof features that make it handle well in bathrooms, laundry rooms, and even the basement.

Just be sure you follow manufacturer’s guidelines when heating. Many manufacturers recommend staying under 80 degrees Fahrenheit. If you exceed the limits recommended, you can compromise the integrity of the flooring.

What flooring should you install over radiant heating?

With so many choices, you’ll have the ability to select the right flooring for your needs, and get the latest technology to keep your home warm at the same time.

Stop by today and see our full line of flooring products. We’ll help you find the perfect choice to suit your needs.

The post What Flooring Should You Install Over Radiant Heating first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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We love how our customer has used our Oak parquet block flooring in his elegant and traditional style home.    The flooring has been installed in a herringbone pattern and runs throughout the ground floor of his home. Read More

People choose different flooring options for a variety of reasons.

Some want something new, something durable, sustainable.

Some have been dreaming about a certain material for years. It’s their dream flooring.

Others look for the latest trends.

Do you see yourself in any of those? For all those reasons and more, now may be the time to give bamboo flooring another look. It’s growing in popularity, and makes an excellent flooring choice anywhere in your home.

How bamboo flooring is made 

People love hardwood flooring. But one of the downsides to using hardwood is its sustainability. It can take decades to grow a tree. Depending on the species, there may be other risks associated with harvesting, such as deforestation issues.

While bamboo looks like hardwood, it isn’t harvested from trees. Instead, bamboo flooring comes from the stalks of a bamboo plant, which can be harvested in a matter of years, with the added benefit of being able to produce stalks again and again, without being chopped down at the core.

The bamboo plant is cut into thin strips, then bonded together in layers using an adhesive resin. These layers can be layered horizontally to reveal the plant’s natural shape, or vertically to reveal a striated pattern. Another option is to shred the stalks into fibers, pressing them together with adhesive into “strand woven” bamboo flooring, which is one of the most durable bamboo products on the market.

Like hardwood, you can select solid bamboo made from one of the three mentioned processes above. The planks will be made entirely from bamboo fibers. Or select engineered bamboo, which offers a thin solid strip of bamboo placed on the top of a plywood or fiberboard core. Like engineered hardwood, engineered bamboo has the benefit of being easy to install, as the planks can be floated into place using click and lock technology. No glue. No nails.

People love bamboo’s sustainability

Green living. Eco-friendly design. Sustainable materials and production.

While homeowners once paid attention only to how products looked, they are now looking beyond to determine how they are made.

And in some cases, flooring materials are created from less than earth-friendly resources.

It’s hard to ignore the sustainability factors of using bamboo flooring.

To start, bamboo grows and reaches maturity in a fraction of the time it takes a tree to reach maturity. While a bamboo stalk can be harvested in just a few years, trees can take decades to reach the same point.

Once you chop a tree down, your only option is to plant a new one. The growing process starts all over again, with decades to move from seed to maturity. But a bamboo plant starts to regrow new stalks from the moment it’s been harvested. This means you won’t have to replant a bamboo plant every time you cut down a stalk.

This process is also more earth-friendly to everything around it. Because you’re only taking the stalk and not the entire plant, it leaves the forest more intact. Less disruption for the wildlife in the area that depends on it. It also leaves the forest floor more stable, meaning it’s less likely to cause soil erosion and other environmental damage.

Bamboo is stylish, versatile, and showcases its own unique beauty

While many homeowners pay attention to sustainability first, a product wouldn’t grow in popularity if it didn’t look good too.

Luckily, bamboo checks all the boxes a homeowner looks for when selecting new flooring. The bamboo stalks give bamboo flooring a unique beauty that many homeowners are demanding. Yet because it looks and feels like hardwood, it’s a flooring choice that can easily be laid into place and enjoyed for years to come.

https://pro-flooring.com/not-all-bamboo-floors-are-created-equal/

Like traditional hardwood, bamboo flooring comes in a wide range of colors and styles. From there, it extends to unique patterns that can only be found with bamboo. If you’re looking for a specific color choice, a certain texture, or a look that screams your personality, we think you’re going to love bamboo flooring.

Bamboo is durable too

When bamboo first hit the market, there was some question about its durability. It was softer than some hardwood, and didn’t stand up to an active family home life.

No more. With today’s technology, you’ll find bamboo floors can be just as hard, if not harder than some hardwood choices. Strand woven bamboo flooring is woven together and compressed to be even harder than oak flooring.

Are you looking for a flooring product to lay over radiant heating? Bamboo flooring fits the bill there too. The stability of strand woven technology means it has the right structure for laying into place.

With a hardness factor that moves up the Janka rating, you can install it in commercial applications if you select the right bamboo flooring. It stands strong to even heavy footfall, making it a reliable choice in some office settings.

Low maintenance makes it an even better deal

We all lead busy lives. That means when it comes to selecting the right flooring, it’s important to do so with daily upkeep in mind.

Do you really want to be fussing over your flooring when there are better things to do? Luckily, that’s another reason bamboo flooring will meet your needs.

Because of bamboo’s durability, it requires little more than an occasional sweep to remove dust and debris from the surface. Wipe up spills right away, and it will continue to look great throughout the year.

Bamboo also provides moisture resistance. As long as you wipe up spills in a timely manner, they shouldn’t penetrate the floor. That makes it a good choice for areas you’ve been leery of installing hardwood before. While it’s not waterproof, it still does a pretty good job of keeping moisture on the surface, and not having it impact the individual planks.

Is bamboo flooring the right choice for you? 

To see our entire line of bamboo flooring, stop by today. We can answer your questions, show you which lines meet your specifications, and help you select a new bamboo floor you’ll be happy with for years to come.

The post Why The Popularity of Bamboo Flooring Is Growing first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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

Hardwood flooring is one of the most preferred flooring options for homes across the Front Range.

A National Wood Flooring Association survey found that just over 50 percent of homeowners had wood in their homes. But when they were asked what kind of flooring they would install in their dream home, 66 percent said hardwood.

We love hardwood. And right here in Colorado, we love it even more. Maybe it’s because we love being outdoors, enjoy all the Rocky Mountains have to offer. And when we want flooring that stands up to both our summer fun and winter activities, what could be better than having hardwood flooring?

But all of that activity can sometimes take a toll on hardwood. If you’ve been enjoying your hardwood floors for years, maybe it’s scratched, looking a little dull, and in need of repair.

You were excited when you moved into your home because you knew hardwood would last for years. But now, all you can do is see age, and signs of wear. What should you do? Is it time to replace your hardwood flooring? Here are a few ways you can tell.

There are deep scratches and marks across the floor

Hardwood holds up great to a variety of family activities. But every once in a while, something impacts the flooring, and there’s nothing you can do to change it. You see it all across the floor.

• The place you drug the chair across, and it made a deep gouge.
• The area where the dog loves to scratch and play.
• The space where the Christmas tree goes each year – it’s clearly marked by a ring.

A few scratch marks might not be of concern. But it might be time to replace it when you start to notice the scratches more than you do the flooring. If a scratch is deep enough to move through the stain and finish and into the wood, the surface area is more vulnerable to staining and water damage. This is especially true in the kitchen or near entryways where it’s more likely to receive moisture.

The wood is soft and spongy

When you walk across a hardwood floor, it should be hard without give. When you hit soft or spongy spots in your floor, it’s a sign the wood underneath is starting to decay.

This impacts your entire hardwood floor. It’s a sign there’s something underneath the flooring, something that may affect the subfloor as well as your hardwood floors. You can’t buff out rot. The only way to fix your flooring is to get to the root of the problem. And most often, that means taking up the hardwood flooring materials, and fixing the subfloor before installing something new.

Certain sections have water damage 

One of the drawbacks to installing hardwood throughout your main living space is that water damage quickly shows up on the flooring. While engineered hardwood does a better job of staving off water damage, wood and water generally don’t mix.

When spills occur on hardwood, wiping up the moisture quickly prevents it from soaking into the wood. If you have hardwood near outdoor entrances, placing a rug at the entrance can help soak up moisture before it’s tracked onto the floors.

But if water settles in, even in small amounts, you’ll begin to see it over time. You might see warping or separating between the planks. This is something refinishing can’t correct. If you begin to see water damage in separate places, it’s time to replace it.

Nailheads are peeking through

As the years roll by, and wear starts to take its toll on your hardwood floors, a common occurrence is nail heads peeking through. This is especially common in high traffic areas such as living rooms, family rooms, or kitchens.

One or two nails might not be of concern. A lot depends on where they start to appear. Do you consistently snag your socks when you walk over them? Do they injure you or a family member if you step the wrong way?

If you’re starting to find more nailheads peeking through a larger section of your floors, it might be time for replacement. Sanding the surface area will only make the nailheads more pronounced.

You’ve already tried refinishing

The average lifespan of hardwood varies according to species and household activity. Homeowners live installing hardwood because you can refinish the flooring when it starts to look worn, and then years later, finish it again.

How many times have you refinished the floors? If it’s been a few times, it might be time to consider a total replacement. Refinishing makes the floorboards thinner. If they become too thin, the structure of the floorboards may be compromised, making them even weaker. They won’t stand up to your daily activities even after refinishing. You’ll notice scratches and dings more frequently even after they are redone.

Why spend the time or energy needed for refinishing flooring that will look dull and dingy in a short period of time?

There’s movement every time you walk across the floor

If walking across your hardwood floors becomes a sporting event, wondering which boards will creak and which will move underfoot, it’s time to replace your hardwood floors.

When boards creak as you apply pressure, it’s a sign the wood is rubbing against another plank or the subfloor. This often comes with aging hardwood, but it can also be a sign of compromised integrity. The only way to get to the root of the problem is to start taking up boards and finding the heart of the problem.

Movement in floorboards is also a sign of integrity problems within the hardwood. It can be something as simple as water damage to one or two boards, or a compromised structure to the entire subfloor. Usually, a flooring expert can help you analyze the situation, and help you make the right choice for replacing your flooring. If you fix it early enough, you might be able to save your flooring.

Or maybe it’s time for something new

You don’t always need to find a problem with your hardwood in order to change out your flooring.

Maybe you’ve lived with your hardwood for years, and it’s time for something new. A new species. A warmer tone. Or wider planks.

Changing out your hardwood flooring is the perfect way to transform your home.

How can we help you with your flooring?

The post Notice These Signs? It’s Time To Replace Your Hardwood first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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

What is carpet tracking and how can I avoid it?  An age-old question that has been around as long as wall-to-wall carpet.  The Carpet Guys can steer you in the proper direction to avoid tracking on your new floors.

What is Tracking?

Tracking is a term used for the flattening or crushing of a cut-pile style carpet.  If often occurs in high-traffic areas or with new carpet that has not sprouted yet.  Sprouting is the process where cut carpet fibers open and untwist to allow a more uniform appearance.

The most common type of carpet that this occurs on is a dark or medium-dark, single color, long, cut pile, plush carpet.  When the fibers are bent (from walking, vacuuming, moving furniture, etc.) it is reflected in the light differently from the non-crushed fibers.  This makes it appear lighter than the surrounding fibers.  It is sometimes referred to as shading, pile reversal or even pooling.

How to Avoid Carpet Tracking

Some people like the look of the vacuum lines in their new carpet.  If you are not one of those people, there are a few other options.

Choose a loop style carpet like Berber.  The loop styles are low height and will not show any foot traffic.  They are great for high-traffic areas for this reason. Or make a selection of a textured carpet with various loops and cut-loop patterns. Textured carpets are an elegant choice and will not show any traffic patterns.

Choose a multi-colored carpet like a frieze that has different color fibers twisted together.  So, when the fiber is laying down, it shows less of the shade variance and more of the color selection.  Another thing to remember when choosing the color of your new carpet, lighter colors show less tracking than dark colors.

Another great option is to make sure you choose a low-cut pile with a dense weight.  The higher the weight of the carpet, the more fibers that are packed into a small area.  This higher density of fibers will be less likely to crush or lay down when walked on.  If it is a shorter length cut fiber, it will not have room to bend like a longer, more plush carpet.

We also recommend, vacuum your carpet every day for a week after it is installed.  This will help your carpet fibers sprout, as mentioned above, which will hinder the appearance of tracking.

Call The Carpet Guys

If you’re looking for a carpet that is less likely to show tracking, our knowledgeable Design Consultants can help you.  They are well-versed on our vast selection of styles and colors.  Make sure to tell them what you are looking for when you schedule your appointment so they can have the proper samples with them.  Schedule your free in-home estimate today and we may be able to get your new flooring in before the Holidays.

The post What is Carpet Tracking? appeared first on The Carpet Guys.

Shopping for new flooring can be an overwhelming process. Enter a flooring store, and you’ll walk into thousands of choices. Even after you select material, color, pattern, and style choices can leave you thinking and comparing for days.

But once you make a decision, flooring associates will dive in deeper into material selections. It’s not just what flooring you choose that determines longevity. Your subfloor materials impact lifespan too.

Subflooring? Do you really need to understand subfloor materials? There are many advantages to selecting the right subflooring. Choose wisely, and it can improve energy efficiency, make your living space more comfortable, and make your flooring choice look better, longer.

So what do you need to know about subfloor materials before you start shopping for flooring?

Your flooring is multi layer

When you walk across the floor, you tend to focus on the top layer – the layer you can see and feel. But there are one or two other layers as well.

Many flooring choices need an underlayment. Underlayment is put into place to provide a sturdy, durable layer for your flooring to sit on. Underlayment can be made of many different materials, but the goal is to provide added support for your flooring.

The subfloor lies beneath the underlayment. A subfloor is the foundation of the entire flooring structure. It’s secured to the baseboard joists to provide structure to your flooring. Subfloors are usually made from plywood, particleboard, or oriented strand board (OSB).

Though the different types of subfloors are often treated similarly in building, they are quite different. Plywood is made from thin strips of wood veneer, layered at 90-degree angles, glued, and hot pressed together. Particleboard is composed of small wood particles that are glued and pressed together, and formed into sheets. OSB consists of 3 to 4-inch strands of wood layered and configured into a cross pattern, then glued and pressed together.

OSB is the newest entry to the market, and has a lot of benefits, depending on what flooring material you are using.

OSB is considered to be more structurally sound as it uses smaller strands of wood than plywood. Because plywood is pressed sheets of wood veneer, if any one sheet is weak or compromised, it can leave a soft spot in the flooring. OSB creates a denser product because of the smaller strips of wood.

OSB is better at warding off moisture. Once wet, plywood does a better job at drying out. This makes OSB weaker at the edges, where moisture has a better chance of seeping through.

OSB often costs less than plywood because of its method of construction. Because plywood depends on larger pieces of wood, it can fluctuate in price depending on the wood market.

Concrete subfloor is also an option in some cases. Tile and stone flooring can be installed directly over concrete, but most other flooring materials require some kind of underlayment, as well as a waterproof barrier for added protection.

Ensuring is subfloor is the right thickness

Depending on what material is used for the subfloor, ensure the proper thickness for the right support for your flooring choice.

The minimum suggested thickness for plywood is about ⅝ inch. OSB won’t hold fasteners as well as plywood, so it’s recommended to increase the thickness level to ensure a quality subfloor. These are minimum suggestions. When making a final decision, it’s important to consider the flooring materials selected to provide the proper support.

Joists are the horizontal structure beams used to frame in the open space beneath the floor. They serve to provide the stiffness and structural support that lies just beneath the subfloor material. The farther apart these supports are, the greater thickness needed in the subfloor material to ensure a durable floor.

For example, if the joists are 16 inches or closer, the contractor may have installed a ½ inch plywood subfloor. This will handle well with many different flooring options. In an older home where the joists are farther apart, using a thicker plywood of ⅞ or more may be required for the same stability.

The stiffness of the subfloor also matters. While you might have more wiggle room when laying carpet into place, tile and wood planks need a flat surface to ensure a smooth, even flooring once everything is laid into place.

Selecting flooring material thickness will also provide an R-value, or insulating qualities for your home’s comfort level. R-value is the ability to keep heat from escaping through the floor in the winter, while preventing it from seeping up into the home during the summer. A thick, wool carpet would have high R-value, while a thin laminate would have lower R-value.

This also applies to subflooring. Plywood has a lower R-value than OSB because of the way the subfloor is structured during production. While you can often get by with a thinner subfloor, it may make sense to increase the thickness for more warmth and protection to ensure insulation qualities.

Select the right subfloor material for your needs

It’s easy to ignore what’s underneath your flooring choice, and let contractors install the cheapest option out there. But that may not be the best choice to keep your home safe and comfortable.

With a basic understanding of subfloor materials and how they contribute to better insulating your home, you can take the next step in ensuring you select the right flooring materials for your home. An experienced flooring associate can help you select the right floors for your personality and living space. With that step chosen, you can make a more informed decision about what goes underneath – and helps with both structure and insulation of your home.

Whether you know exactly what you want for your home remodel, or aren’t quite sure about how to change things up, we have a wide variety of options that will make perfect additions to your home.

Stop by or give us a call. We can help you select the right floors, and the right subfloor material, for your needs.

The post Is Your Subfloor Made From The Right Materials? first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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According to the National Safety Council:

• Over 1 million injuries occur each year as a direct result of falling down the stairs
• Falling down stairways or staircases is the second leading cause of injury, just behind motor vehicle accidents
• Over 12,000 deaths occur from accidentally falling down the stairs

If you have a two-story or multi-level home, stairs are a part of your normal routine. If the stairs are covered with the wrong material, they may be slippery and dangerous. If carpet is worn, they could be tripping hazards putting you at greater risk.

When was the last time you took a long, hard look at your stairs? Is it time to make them safer?

Start with material

The reason many people leave stairs carpeted is that it’s one of the safest materials for staircases. If you get the right carpet, it can provide safety and reduce slippage, while looking great at the same time.

Stairs are synonymous with high traffic. How many times do you go up and down each day? Multiply that by every member of your family. That makes the carpet you add to your stairs. That makes it even more important to focus on material, and ensure you select a fiber that can stand the test of time.

Carpets come in many materials. Synthetic is one of the most popular choices, and offers many benefits for covering staircases. This includes nylon, polyester, triexta, olefin, and more. Of these, nylon is a top choice to increase safety, stain resistance, and durability on stairs.

Want something more natural? Wool is always a good choice anywhere in your home, including the stairs. If you want the best of both worlds, consider a blended carpet for the stairs, one with both wool and synthetic to give durability and resilience.

Pay attention to how the carpet is made

Carpet is constructed in one of two ways: bulked continuous filament (BCF) and staple.

When you look at cut pile and loop carpets like Berber, you’re looking at BCF construction, which means an entire section of carpet is woven from one long piece of fiber. It offers more versatility because the fibers will be tighter, won’t shed, and will be more durable over time.

To make stairs safe, choose a low pile – ¾ inch or less to ensure resilience and stable grounding underfoot. It will also stand the test of time with high traffic moving up and down several times a day.

A synthetic plush style with twisted or cut pile is always a good bet. Depending on your family, Berber is also a good choice, though the short loops can be a problem with pets if they catch their nails as they travel up and down.

Rather than relying on sight alone for the height of the fiber, pay attention to the carpet density rating. This tells you the fiber thickness and how tightly the strands are woven together. Face weight will tell you the amount of fiber in ounces per square yard. In most cases, a higher face weight will give you a better quality carpet, all other things being equal. Look for a 35 ounce face weight or higher combined with a lower pile height.

You should also pay attention to the number of tufted rows per inch, which tells you how compact the pile is. The higher the number the better, which signals the carpet will handle well in high traffic situations.

Tuft twist ratings give you how many times fiber twists are in a one-inch length of carpeting. High fiber twists hold its shape longer, so select one with a five or higher rating.

When you have a good piece of carpet, select color for even more durability 

Homeowners often start by selecting color first. We recommend starting with quality, and following up with color choice. Because when you have a high quality fiber and construction, selecting the right color further enhances how well it will handle once it’s installed on your staircase.

While you may love neutral creams and beiges for the rest of your house, for a staircase, it won’t do. With high foot traffic every day, light colors will show wear quickly no matter how well you care for them.

Staying neutral is a good choice, but move to medium tones like taupe or coffee. This may be the time to look at blends of several colors to further camouflage dirt and high wear marks.

Have hardwood throughout your home and not sure about carpet on the stairs? How about a stair runner? These highly durable carpets can add durability and safety to your staircases without taking away looks. Plus, with the color choices, you can add a pop of color to your interior, bringing out your personality in any way you choose.

It’s not just about the carpet

While it’s easy to get caught up in the color and style, there’s another part of carpet selection that’s equally important to the process – choosing the right padding. What’s underneath the carpet will enhance durability and longevity as much as selecting the right carpet in the first place.

While we’re happy to help you select the right padding for your needs, be aware that for stairs, a thin, firm carpet pad will handle better than a thick, spongy one. You won’t feel the softness or bounce you do when you lay carpet into a bedroom, for instance, but it will handle better over time. Your goal is to create a stable surface that makes it safe to go up and down at all hours of the day.

Experts state that for stairs, ⅜ inch thickness should be maximum, with an 8 pound density to compliment the low profile carpet you install on the stairs. Choose a high grade – this is going to be one of the highest wear areas in your home. You can also follow manufacturer’s guidelines for the carpet you select, which usually makes recommendations for the perfect pad to use in different situations.

You can also focus on warranties. Look beyond the large numbers you see attached to the front of the samples. A manufacturer may promise a 25 year warranty, but what does that really cover? In some cases, they only cover defects for the full time period, and won’t cover normal wear and tear. Ensure you select a carpet that will leave you covered at least for the first few years you have your carpet installed.

Are you in the process of selecting carpet for the stairs? What’s the right choice for your needs?

The post The Only Guide You’ll Need To Select Carpet For Stairs first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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