Adding Texture To Your Hardwood Floors

Have you ever walked through a home or commercial space and wondered why their hardwood floors look a bit different? They might have texture added to their hardwood floors.

When most homeowners shop for hardwood, they pay attention to color, style, or pattern. But there’s another option you should think about that will impact both looks and longevity over time.

Texture is all about how your hardwood floors will feel once they are installed. When you reach down and touch, is it a smooth surface?

This also lends to how your hardwood floors look. Any type of texture can dramatically change the appearance, which in turn can change the aesthetics of your room. This is especially important if you have different ideas for your living space or kitchen, when compared to the bedroom.

Hardwood floor texture – what’s available?

When you visit a flooring dealer, you’ll find several different types of wood floor textures available.

Smooth – this is the most basic form of hardwood. This is where all discrepancies have been sanded away to make a smooth piece of wood. Smoothness gives it uniformity in appearance, and gives you a solid look from one side of the room to another. This is often what designers mean by giving your home a clean look. It’s also what gives a floor a somewhat unrealistic wood look. Wood without knots and blemishes? For some people, it’s not the best look.

Aged – aged wood floors have the appearance and charm of wood that has aged through time. It highlights imperfections rather than covering them up. However, this look isn’t created with age. Instead, it’s carefully manipulated, with the effects being placed in the wood floor planks either by hand or machines. The wood isn’t old, but instead is cut recently and carefully crafted to have an old-world appearance. The difference is it’s made with today’s technology and resources in mind. It’s a great way to go if you love old-world charm but want safety and security from the newest technology.

Reclaimed – want one of the most eco-friendly wooden floor options on the market today? You can’t ignore reclaimed wood. Reclaimed wood flooring uses wood from old buildings and structures, repurposing them as material for use in remodels or new homes. It’s a stunning way to get a one-of-a-kind look. What gives this wood a unique look is no two boards are ever the same. They are battered, dented, and worn through years of use. This can be an inviting look in some homes, especially if you’re going for a vintage or historic look.

Brushed – a brushed wood floor is created by using a metal brush on every board to develop deep, pronounced grain. This also makes wood floors a little more resistant to scratches as it already has natural blemishes. If you want uniqueness and character, give brushed wood a second look. This type of texture will be aesthetically pleasing in more traditional or classic homes.

Adding texture to hardwood floors – why should you do it?

The problem with having hardwood flooring grow in popularity is you’ll find it everywhere. It’s one of the most popular flooring choices you can make, and statistics show it will continue to rise in popularity in the coming years.

Hardwood looks great in just about any room in your home. It adds beauty, character, and has an appeal everyone loves. No matter what your taste in decor, hardwood floors are sure to complement it perfectly.

But when everyone selects the same finish, houses start to take on a replicated feel. One home is like another, and you lose some of that personalization you might be looking for.

If you use a textured look like brushed or reclaimed, it can give you an authentic look. Depending on your other design choices, that can add resale value, giving it a higher class look.

Another advantage is giving yourself wiggle room on damage control. With brushed wood, for example, the deep grain hides scratches better than other hardwood choices. If you have a busy family where action is the norm, this may be the perfect compromise to satisfy your sense of design along with your maintenance-free lifestyle. If you have pets or kids, this may be the perfect way to go.

Yes, there are drawbacks to using textured wood

Are you sold on installing textured wood flooring in your home? We agree; it’s a great way to add your own character to your final design. But we would be remiss if we didn’t go over a few of the drawbacks to help you finalize your choice.

One of the biggest potential issues is the fact that textured floors are more difficult to clean. Textured grain can collect dust, dirt, and other debris much easier than a smooth floor. If you obsess over clean floors, or if you hate cleaning regularly, you might want to think twice before installing textured floors.

Another disadvantage is maintenance. If you have a potential problem on most hardwood flooring planks, you can sand it out, repair it, then apply finish and have your old floors back. Textured wood isn’t smooth. If you sand out a problem spot, you’ll create a smooth finish that will no longer mesh with the rest of your flooring. That can make small repair work difficult at best, and give you more reason to either sand the entire floor, or replace it with something new.

If you choose the sanding route, keep in mind that you might have to take the wood down a lot to achieve a uniform look. Especially with brushed wood where the indents may be fairly deep, it will cut back a lot of the wood within each plank. That means the lifespan of this type of flooring will be much shorter than a more traditional hardwood floor.

What’s your choice?

It’s difficult to ignore the beauty of textured wood floors. It’s one of our favorite looks.

But like any flooring, this is a personal choice. If textured wood floors are calling to you, stop by and take a closer look.

The post Adding Texture To Your Hardwood Floors first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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

EvoCore is our ever growing innovative flooring where beautiful designs meet home-wide suitability. With the existing EvoCore ranges seeing great success, we continue to expand with more amazing ranges of EvoCore with our new line: EvoCore Origins. More colours, more styles and at an affordable price. There is something for everyone with EvoCore Origins. 

What is EvoCore Origins?

 

EvoCore Origins is the latest range within the EvoCore brand, offering beautiful authentic wood designs for adding a natural warmth to your home. Featuring in-built underlay, home-wide suitability, high durability and a variety of colours and styles, EvoCore Origins is an ideal flooring for any home, home with any lifestyle, and what’s more, it’s budget friendly. So you can have all of this without breaking the bank.

 

In addition, this beautiful range brings a distinctive charm to your home whilst being highly durable, suitable home-wide and easy to maintain. Stunning and practical without compromising on budget, the Origins range is sure to turn heads.  

 

The Origins range is perfect for any area of any home. So whether you’ve got a house-full or populated office, you can add luxury, comfort and style to your space with EvoCore.

 

Moreover, this EvoCore range is made up of 7 layers as shown below, all coming together to create an extremely resistant and durable flooring.

 

The Benefits of EvoCore Origins

EvoCore Flooring provides many beneficial factors concerning practicality and appearance. So this flooring offers longevity like no other flooring before. Below is a bullet-pointed list of each benefit that this range offers: 

• EvoCore is 100% waterproof
• Anti-slip surface
• No expansion or contraction when exposed to heat and cold
• Pet-friendly
• Durable and hard-wearing
• No glue needed for installation, due to its easy click-lock installation feature
• Real wood look and feel
• Scratch-resistant
• Compatible with underfloor heating
• Hides subfloor imperfections
• Can be laid over existing flooring
• In-built underlay backing

Amazing, right? With a list of benefits that long, you know you’re getting a quality flooring for your home!

The Specification

 

Next up is the EvoCore Origins specification. This range is the closest you’ll get to imitation wood, incorporating a registered embossed true-to-grain real wood feel in it’s boards.

 

Thickness	4.5mm	Wear Layer	0.2mm
Pack Coverage	1.80m²	Board Length	925mm
Board Width	150mm	Species	Oak
Pack Contents	13 boards	Residential Warranty	10 years

 

Installation of EvoCore Origins

 

EvoCore Origins is quick and easy to fit thanks to a click-lock system. It is similar to installing click LVT or tongue and groove and click wood flooring, due to its similar click-lock system. However, the installation of EvoCore Origins is a quicker and easier process thanks to the built-in underlay.  

 

Furthermore, help with installing this flooring is available using our step-by-step guide. It is easy to follow and offers the best practice for a stunning finish. 

 

Shop the Range

 

Finally, the moment you have been waiting for. We’ve talked about the stunning appearance of this flooring, but let’s actually see it! Below are some of our beautiful options available to purchase in our Origins range. 

 

EvoCore Origins Gazelle	EvoCore Origins Elephant	EvoCore Origins Bear
More info	More info	More info
Add Sample to Cart	Add Sample to Cart	Add Sample to Cart

 

In summary, the EvoCore Origins range is host to a stunning range of flooring in many colours, options and styles to suit any design. 

 

If you like what you see and want any more information on our incredible EvoCore Ranges, get in touch with one of our experts who will be happy to help. 

 

The post EvoCore Origins  appeared first on Direct Wood Flooring Blog.

If you plan on installing laminate flooring in your bathroom, you may want to explore a few more options before making a final decision. Laminate flooring, though it is water resistant, it is not waterproof.

If you desire a look of wood or tile that works well with water, then we recommend Luxury Vinyl Plank or Luxury Vinyl Tile. Read on to learn why we don’t recommend installing laminate in a bathroom.

LVP: The Perfect Bathroom Flooring

Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP) and Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) flooring succeeds in wetter areas that other flooring won’t. Since laminate flooring is made with wood components, high humidity levels from your bathroom can cause damage. LVP is made of just that, vinyl. Similar to the plastic that your water pipes are made of.

Luxury Vinyl flooring comes in many colors and styles. To achieve a wood-looking floor in your bathroom, go with an LVP. There are also Luxury Vinyl Tiles for a tile-look, without the cost and labor of ceramic tiles and grouting.

LVP is a great flooring selection for bathrooms for many reasons including:

• Water Resistance – Vinyl products resist water much more effectively than natural wood products do. The tight interlocking of the planks also prevents water from seeping down into your subfloor.
• Easy Maintenance – Keeping your vinyl plank flooring clean is simple. Mop from time-to-time, and your floors will look like new.
• Durability – Many vinyl products are durable and wear well. Your flooring will continue to stand strong against your household activity with some proper care and maintenance.
• Budget-friendly – Vinyl products are less expensive than most. You can get the wood look you want at a fair and affordable price.

It’s safe to say that vinyl products make the best flooring for bathrooms, but it won’t perform it’s best without a proper installation.

Schedule your Free LVP estimate today!

If you’re ready to have beautiful vinyl bathroom flooring installed, give The Carpet Guys a call today. 855-4-MY-GUYS (855-469-4897) or schedule a Free In-Home Estimate.

Flooring is what we do, and we guarantee you’ll get the best flooring performance with us at your side.

With The Carpet Guys, you’ll gain many benefits including:

• Free vinyl flooring estimates are available all week long
• Affordable pricing on high-quality products
• Expert installation from the best installers near you
• Complimentary decorating advice
• Multiple samples for you to view in your own home
• So much more!

The post Can you put Laminate Flooring in a Bathroom? appeared first on The Carpet Guys.

The definition of durability is:

The ability to withstand wear, pressure, or damage.

When it comes to flooring, that often tops the list of what homeowners want.

It only takes one spilled glass of red wine, one tear from a moved chair, or one ding from a dropped cast iron pan to realize how quickly your flooring can lose its new look and feel.

Yet you’re still concerned with the aesthetics of the flooring. You want it to look good with your decor, and be beautiful long into the future. What ticks all those boxes? What are the most durable flooring options you’ll love?

Glad you asked. We have some ideas for you.

Classic Hardwood

If you want a durable flooring option, you can’t avoid one of the most popular choices homeowners make: hardwood. There’s just something timeless about the look. It’s also one of the most versatile, giving you options all throughout your home.

When properly maintained, you can expect hardwood to last for decades. Although they can be susceptible to water damage, today’s hardwood is more durable than ever. They are easy to clean, and will stand up to just about anything your family can dish out.

When selecting hardwood, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Pay attention to the wood hardness – that determines how well your hardwood floors will stand up to the test of time. The Janka hardness test ranks hardwood according to its resistance to wear and tear. Pine is one of the softest hardwoods you can install, while a Brazilian Walnut is on the opposite end with one of the hardest woods available.

It starts with a base by selecting the right hardwood for your lifestyle, but it also depends on the finish. Each manufacturer selects and uses its own technology to ensure your flooring wears well over time. Pay attention to manufacturer’s guidelines for care and maintenance, and refinish your floors periodically to ensure the longevity of the floors.

Laminate

Many homeowners are in love with the idea of hardwood. Yet the more they consider adding hardwood to their homes, the more doubt they cast over having this type of flooring in place. Hardwood may not be the perfect choice in every room in your home. Its cost may also be prohibitive in some cases.

Laminate is designed to offer options when hardwood doesn’t work. If you have a high traffic area, laminate may be the better choice. It’s harder than hardwood, and handles well under pressure. In fact, some manufacturers offer as much as a twenty-five-year warranty against wear and tear. That can make laminate flooring a perfect choice in a growing, active family home.

Laminate also provides more durability than what a classic hardwood might. It’s resistant to moisture, and will not fade from sunlight. If you have a bright, airy home with lots of windows, don’t let that be your holdback when selecting your flooring.

Luxury vinyl

If you’ve started looking at flooring, you’ve probably noticed one of the fastest products on the marketplace: luxury vinyl. It comes in luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and luxury vinyl plank (LVP). Both products are durable, inexpensive, and more stylish than ever.

What draws people in is their classic good looks, and their waterproof features. Yes, waterproof. This isn’t your mother’s vinyl. It’s designed to take on the appearance of other flooring products you’ve come to love – like natural stone and hardwood flooring. But it adds all the features you want in a flooring, such as durability, wearability, and lower cost.

Luxury vinyl is designed to closely mimic all types of hardwood planks and natural stone tile. When it doesn’t make sense to install these classic flooring options, luxury vinyl steps up to the plate. Want to install it in the bathroom? Go ahead. Want to install it in the basement? It makes a perfect choice.

And that’s really why we’re seeing such growth in this product line. If you’re looking for an affordable option, yet want the classic look of hardwood or stone tile, this may very well be your choice.

Tile

One of the oldest flooring choices is tile. There’s a good reason for that. Tile is durable, waterproof, and provides classic looks throughout your home. You can install it in the entryway, mudroom, laundry room, bathroom, or kitchen, and never tire of the way it looks or feels.

Plus, it’s difficult to ignore its good looks. Want to go bold and beautiful? Want sleek and sophisticated? Or maybe a minimalist look that blends in with the surroundings? You can create all that and more with the unlimited options you’ll find with tile.

Different tiles provide different aesthetics. If you have an area prone to moisture, spills, or a lot of foot traffic, tile can be the perfect option. Work with your flooring consultant to ensure the tile you select is up for the job. You’ll also be happy to know that tile handles well against fading, staining, and has longevity that can keep its good looks for years to come.

Cork

When most people think about cork, they immediately think about the little stopper in their favorite bottle of wine. Cork flooring differs dramatically. If you’re looking for durable flooring that is environmentally friendly too, give cork flooring another look.

Because it’s soft by nature, it’s one of the quietest and warmest options you can make. That means you won’t hear people coming the way you do with choices like tile or laminate, and in the heart of the winter, it can help hold in the heat. Because it has a little spring in the quality of the material, it also bounces back as foot traffic continually moves over it.

If your daily activities include walking in high heels, dragging furniture across the room, or continually using sharp instruments for your hobbies or work, cork may not be the perfect choice. But if you treat it with care, cork flooring is an easy choice to care for over the years. Regular vacuuming and mopping are all you need to keep its good looks.

You should also re-seal your cork floors on a regular basis to ensure they stay looking their best. Check with manufacturers’ guidelines to understand how often you should schedule this process.

These are some of the top durable flooring choices available today.

What choice are you leaning towards?

The post What Are The Most Durable Flooring Options first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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

Caramel coloured flooring can add a fantastic twist onto the more traditional golden tones associated with Oak floors.  The rich tones will add warmth and character to your home, while still giving you a natural, elegant floor. Furthermore, Caramel tones will easily complement most styles of interior, transforming your room completely.  We have many different shades of caramel-coloured floors to choose from.  So, here are some of our favourites: Read More

The dining room is one of those places that might not get a lot of use, but when you do use it, you want it to look spectacular.

It’s a place where you greet guests and share a meal. The last thing you want to worry about is a spill.

Or maybe thanks to staying closer to home, you’re using your dining room more than ever before. Why not make every meal spectacular … without the worry, of course.

Whether your dining room is a once-in-a-while place, or you use it all day, every day – hello, home office – we have a few flooring design options to make it your favorite room in your house.

Every room begins with great flooring. If you get the flooring wrong, you’ll avoid the room for lack of functionality and personality. But if you get it right? Let’s start there.

Upgrade to hardwood

If you look through our site, you’ll notice a lot of our content is based around the idea of adding hardwood flooring to your home. There are reasons for that.

First, Coloradans love hardwood. All you have to do is head into any commercial space, restaurants, or resorts and you’ll notice this trend. Maybe it’s the Rocky Mountains right in our backyard that has us yearning for a great mountain lodge.

Second, people pay more money for a house with hardwood floors. When you walk inside a house that greets you with hardwood, you can’t help but think “ah, clean.”

Third, it gives you more functionality. Dining rooms are meant to share food and be with friends, not worry about the stain on your carpet. Hardwood gives you the option for easier maintenance while giving you classic good looks.

If you’re reading this to confirm hardwood as your choice of flooring for the dining room, you won’t get any argument from us. It’s what people want; and we meet people every day selecting new flooring for their home.

Maybe laminate is more your style

Of course, there are just as many people that love the idea of hardwood, yet are skeptical about maintenance. Hardwood can be a little more difficult to care for. And if moisture is a problem, you will have trouble with hardwood.

That makes many homeowners go looking for a better option. Maybe laminate is better suited for your needs.

Laminate is a stain-resistant, water-resistant, low maintenance option for people that want the look of hardwood with less worry. Laminate gives you the look of hardwood with a strong core of hard plastic. The top layer is real wood – for some homeowners, that’s important. But included in the layers is a hard plastic that makes it more durable than real wood options.

Because it’s not solid wood, it’s also more budget-friendly. It’s also easy to install, a perfect choice if you’re looking for a DIY option.

Don’t ignore luxury vinyl flooring

If you’ve looked for even a short time in the new flooring market, you can’t miss one of the latest players in the “hardwood” game, and that’s luxury vinyl. Technology has made it possible for luxury vinyl planks (LVP) to take on the look and feel of real wood, but with all the benefits of vinyl.

It’s waterproof. If you drop a glass of water and don’t clean it up immediately, no worries. It won’t harm your flooring. That’s because LVP is made from several layers of vinyl, giving it unparalleled strength and durability.

And thanks to technology, the print layer – the one that gives it its classic good looks – it’s more real than ever before. It’s so real that even experts have to give it a second look to determine if it’s hardwood or LVT.

If your dining room has turned into an office space, a school, a workout room, as well as a place to eat, luxury vinyl might be the perfect choice for your remodel. Plus you’ll be amazed at all the different looks, textures, and styles that are offered. You can truly find any look you’re craving for your home.

When in doubt, go with tile

If you want to stretch beyond traditional, maybe it’s time to give tile a second look. Tile isn’t just for bathrooms and kitchens anymore.

Today’s homes often apply open concept to new levels. Are your kitchen, dining room, and outdoor living space all blended into one? Rather than blending multiple flooring options and trying to make it look good, why not select tile and create a better flow?

What we love about tile is the unlimited possibilities in creativity and looks. If you still want a wood look, only with tile functionality, tile has you covered. Today’s technology has created a tile that compares with both wood and stone looks. It gives you a traditional look with modern flexibility. And you can continue the look well beyond the door.

We also see homeowners laying tile over radiant heating. That means your feet are never cold, even on the coldest day of the year.

Tile is also easy to maintain, and virtually indestructible. Of course, that depends on the type of tile you select, and ensuring it’s properly installed. We can help with all of that.

Carpets and rugs

We know everyone has a different design style, and personality dictates what you choose to install in each room in your home.

If you love hardwood, but want to marry it with carpet, how about a new rug to place underneath the table? We have a complete selection of rugs that can suit any style, and need.

If you love carpet, we can show you a broadloom or Berber carpet that handles very well in busy rooms. It’s especially great for multipurpose rooms, where action is the name of the game all day long.

What’s your style?

What’s the perfect flooring for your dining room?

If you have questions, we can help you narrow down your selections, and make the right choice for your home.

The post Remodeling Your Dining Room? Go With These Flooring Options first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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

In the past year, we have spent more time at home than we have in decades.  The flooring in your home needs to withstand the impact from additional wear and tear.  The rooms most often used during the pandemic were kitchens and bathrooms.  So, one of our most asked questions now is which laminate flooring is best for kitchens?

Check out this quick video by Joe Zago, of The Carpet Guys. Which laminate flooring is best?

Do you have kids or pets?

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Mohawks RevWood Plus laminate flooring is an excellent durable product if you have kids or pets!  Hardwood, though beautiful, scratches easily.  And due to moisture levels, carpet is not practical for kitchen use.  Laminate flooring is a scratch-resistant and dent resistant product.  It can withstand your son throwing the ball into the kitchen just so he can watch Fido slide across the floor.  Don’t forget! If the kids “accidentally” color on your new laminate with a permanent marker, it wipes off easily with a bit of cleaner.

Can’t stand the heat? Then get out of the kitchen!

Hardwood flooring is…wood!  But laminate will withstand higher than normal temperatures. RevWood Plus is flame retardant.  This makes it a unique solution to use in your kitchen where heat from a running refrigerator or frequent stove use are a daily occurrence. Also, if your laminate is installed properly, it will allow for the expansion and contraction that happens with warm to cold climate changes.  Additionally, if your kitchen is full of windows, have confidence that your RevWood Plus laminate will not fade in the sunlight like most other floor coverings will.

Open the flood gates in your kitchen

Another exceptional quality of RevWood Plus Laminate is that it’s water resistant.  In a kitchen, where you’re washing your hands constantly, cooking, carrying pots of water, running a dishwasher, etc., you want something on your floors that will repel water damage.  Hardwood absorbs water and begins to buckle. Carpet is not recommended for high humidity levels. Laminate flooring cleans easily and holds up in most wet situations.

If you’re looking for the best laminate for your kitchen, call The Carpet Guys!  We guarantee our installation for the life of your flooring.  Call 855-4-MY-GUYS (855-469-4897) or set up a Free In-Home Estimate today.  One of our experienced Design Consultants will bring our showroom of Mohawk’s, American-made, RevWood Plus laminate to your home so you can see which color and style goes well with your furniture and lighting.  Don’t replace your floors every 3 years.  Get it done right, with the best product, and do it once!

The post Which Laminate Flooring is Best for Kitchens? appeared first on The Carpet Guys.

Let’s face it, there are certain rooms in your home where you spend more time. You gather as a family. You bring friends in for the big game. You have parties so you can talk.

And in those rooms, the last thing you want to do is spend all of your time worrying about your floors. Do you really want to spend time cleaning it each day? Or repairing damage after your guests leave?

Why not go with low-maintenance flooring options instead.

What does low maintenance mean?

Before we get into a few flooring options that might be right for your home, let’s discuss what low maintenance truly means. In fact, it’s different for every homeowner.

For one, it might be easy cleaning. With a broom and an occasional mop, they want a flooring that makes any spill easy to clean up. For another, they might be willing to put in a bit of extra effort. Regular vacuuming isn’t a chore, because they like the looks.

And that’s what it really comes down to – what is your definition of low maintenance?

What are you willing to give up in exchange for aesthetics and good looks?

Today’s flooring options are better than ever. Carpets have stain resistance, hardwood has durability layers, and vinyl can be waterproof if you so desire. Whatever flooring you choose today is going to have top technology, and be more durable than ever before.

And if you have special needs, just ask. We can help you select a low-maintenance flooring that makes sense given your situation.

While you’re contemplating your choices, we have a few suggestions for you. These are some of our top sellers, some of our favorite flooring choices. Homeowners all across the Front Range are selecting these every day, and loving the freedom they bring to their active lifestyles.

Vinyl

First on our list is vinyl. But don’t think we’re talking about the vinyl you might have grown up with a decade or two ago; you’ll be surprised at how beautiful the product is and how well it holds up.

Vinyl is a human-made material that has resilient properties. Depending on your selection, your new flooring may be waterproof, and stand up to all your family can dish out.

The newest product on the market is known as LVT and LVP – luxury vinyl tile and luxury vinyl plank. These are created to resemble materials homeowners have come to love, yet may not be suitable for their lifestyle.

Luxury vinyl tile can resemble stone, marble, even concrete. Luxury vinyl plank resembles hardwood, and can bring out any grain and pattern you desire. Yet they both offer something the other materials can’t: affordability and durability.

If you’ve had your eye on exotic wood, but can’t handle the high price that goes along with it, give LVP a look. If you love the look of marble, but want something that handles better in day to day living, give LVT another look. They are so realistic that even experts have had to give it a second look.

And by installing LVT or LVP, you’re also gaining a low-maintenance flooring that stays clean and requires little work to keep it looking good. Homeowners love it because it’s waterproof. Those occasional spills can easily be wiped away without worrying about staining, warping, or other damage.

Stone

Not completely sold on vinyl? Want something more natural in your home? You can’t go wrong with natural stone.

Natural stone refers to flooring material that is extracted from the earth and processed into tiles to be used inside your home. Depending on your final selection determines how the look will be laid into place in your home.

For kitchens and bathrooms, you can’t go wrong with natural stone. Slate and granite, for instance, are hard surfaces that handle well to daily happenings in these busy rooms. With a sealer, they can be resistant to water and other spills that may damage the surface area.

Their hardness factor also means they are resistant to scratches and divots. Keep in mind that they can crack if you drop something heavy, or if the tiles are improperly installed.

But for a truly low-maintenance flooring option, one where you can create one of a kind looks, you can’t go wrong with natural stone.

Linoleum

Linoleum is another low-maintenance flooring choice that gives you the classic good looks of vinyl, with the natural, sustainable option found in natural stone. Linoleum is one of the most eco-friendly flooring choices on the market today. It’s manufactured from linseed oil, it’s a renewable, biodegradable, all natural product that’s quickly increasing in popularity. It also has the benefit of being able to be recycled at the end of its lifespan.

You’ll love the colors, patterns, and styles you’ll find available to you. Plus linoleum is resilient flooring that has many of the durable properties you’ll find in vinyl products. That makes it a great choice for the messiest rooms in your home like kitchens and bathrooms. Just be sure to have it professionally installed to ensure it’s put into proper placement.

Tile

Don’t ignore the classic good looks of tile. In fact, tile can take on any shape, any size, and be incorporated into your final design in many ways. The look is truly unlimited when you’re installing tile in your home.

Tile also has another benefit that can make it worth a second look. Are you expanding your kitchen outdoors? Do you have indoor/outdoor living and are designing it for use year-round? Tile may be the perfect choice for you to continue the look throughout your home, even to the great outdoors.

Plus we love the fact that you can install radiant heating underneath, and have warm toasty flooring on the coldest winter days. With a flip of a switch, your home will feel warmer no matter where it’s located inside your home.

What’s the right choice for you? 

We know that today’s homeowners are busy and want flooring that can withstand all your family can dish out. If you’re looking for low-maintenance flooring, let’s talk about your needs and desires.

We have a full range of flooring options, and we’re sure we can help you select the right flooring for your needs.

The post Tired of Cleaning House? Go With These Low Maintenance Flooring Option first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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

Now that you have a hardwood floor–whether you just bought a home with an existing hardwood floor, or you just had a hardwood floor installed–you need to know how to take care of it. Here are some important tips for caring for your hardwood floors.

Hardwood floors are made from a single piece of wood. Each plank of hardwood floors comes from part of a tree. Engineered hardwoods are different. They are strips of wood with plywood underneath. There are many different types of hardwood flooring. The flooring is separated by color, grain and hardness. Hardwood floors require different care than other types of flooring, such as laminate.

First, if you have hardwood floors in high traffic areas, you may want to put rugs on these floors to protect them from contant strikes from shoes. You could also request family members and guests take shoes off to walk across floors.

Second, any moisture on the hardwood floors is a bad idea. If you are thinking about putting hardwood floors in your kitchen or bathroom, you may want to opt for engineered hardwoods that are less likely to absorb moisture. If you do spill something on your hardwoods, clean it up immediately.

If you need to move furniture on your hardwoods, you need to pick it up and move it rather than sliding it across the floor. You can also put scratch-resistant pads on the legs of your furniture to further protect your hardwoods. You may also want to consider sealing your hardwoods as well, because this gives your hardwoods additional protection.

When you’re ready to talk to someone about your floor, you need to contact Flooring.org. Call us anytime at 1-800-689-9006.

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Do a search online and you’ll likely find various articles on installing floors in a home with pets. But different kinds of pets present different levels of potential destruction. Arguably, cats can be one of the most destructive pets you’ll ever have in your home.

Just one cat can leave your new floors looking old and worn after the wrath of claw marks, urine, and vomit, for starters. If you’re planning on purchasing new floors, what should you look at to ensure you install cat friendly flooring?

Protection from cat claws

If you have brand new flooring, watching your cat stretch and scratch their claws across carpet or hardwood can send chills down your spine. You know instantly that your flooring will never be the same.

Declawing may not be an option for you. Many cat owners are forgoing the practice and allowing cats to live as naturally as possible. You can train them to use a scratching post, but they can still wreak havoc on your floors as they tread across the surface daily.

To avoid that, it’s easier to select the right flooring that will stand up to all your cat can dish out. What kind of flooring works well to prevent cat claw scratches? Two of the best choices today are luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and luxury vinyl plank (LVP). They are created using the latest technology, designed to prevent things like scratching, scuffing, and staining.

LVT comes in the more traditional tile squares, and will give you a surface texture that resembles tile, stone, or even concrete. It can take on a realistic look, and can even be set with grout if you wish, for it to resemble traditional tile.

LVP comes in plank shape and offers you the look of traditional hardwood, albeit with many benefits not found with hardwood planks. It’s harder, more durable, and can stand up under pressure to scratching too.

Both LVT and LVP are constructed using several layers. There’s a durable wear layer, a design layer that features its classic good looks, a PVC core, and an attached backing that provides added comfort and support as well as creating a more quiet flooring underfoot. Pay attention to thickness levels as that’s where your true protection will be over time.

Protection from cat urine

Training your cat to use the litter box is high on your list of to-do’s when you bring a kitten into your home. But it takes time to train a kitten properly. Accidents will happen.

If you have an older cat, incontinence problems may also be a part of your life. Cat urine could become a major problem if you don’t have the right flooring installed. If you’ve ever walked into a home where cat urine is present, you know it’s a smell that will never go away.

To prevent this problem, we turn once again to the latest technology in vinyl flooring. LVT and LVP look like real hardwood or stone, yet is more durable and makes clean-up a snap.

LVT and LVP are waterproof – yes, waterproof. That means if your cat has an accident, you can simply wipe it away. Keep in mind that while your flooring may be waterproof, your flooring can still be susceptible to problems. If moisture seeps along the baseboards, or if cracks between planks or tiles aren’t properly sealed, there is a risk urine can penetrate down into drywall or subflooring, and become a permanent part of your home. The faster you clean it up, the better the results.

There is another type of flooring that works well in this instance as well – vinyl sheet flooring may be the perfect choice in this situation. Because vinyl sheets can often extend throughout the room without seams or cracks, it provides a surface area that can stand up to accidents even better than LVT and LVP.

How about the perfect flooring to prevent cat hair and other stains?

Cats shed. You’ll find hair all over your home if you’ve added a cat to your family.

Once again, that makes vinyl a perfect flooring to simply sweep the hair away. It won’t get trapped in the fibers of carpet, and will be easy to clean daily.

Yet we also know that vinyl isn’t the perfect choice for every homeowner. Want something more natural? Something that looks as good as vinyl but has more natural qualities to it? Give linoleum a second look.

Linoleum is one of the longest lasting floor options on the market today. It’s been known to last forty years and even longer with careful cleaning and maintenance.

Linoleum has a protective layer on top that protects it from scuffing or scratching. It’s water resistant, meaning it can stand up well to those occasional accidents as long as you wipe them quickly away.

It also comes in large rolls like sheet vinyl, making it a snap to install in large rooms. Just roll it into place, and depending on the width of your room, you can hide seams in inconspicuous places.

The price of linoleum is also a plus. It’s one of the most economical choices you’ll find, making it easy to install now, and replacing it as needed without breaking the bank.

It’s all about proper maintenance

As a pet owner, extra maintenance is a part of the job. With a cat, it’s important to go into it realizing you’ll have to stay on top of daily maintenance items to ensure your flooring stays in good condition for years to come.

The good news is, if you make the right choice, you’ll have cat-friendly flooring that will last for years. Cleaning is relatively easy, have a vacuum to clean up dirt and hair, and a mop for spills and accidents. Pay attention to the cleaning products you use, to ensure they don’t strip the finish from the floors. Most manufacturers make suggestions as to which products are safe. You can always use a natural cleaner of vinegar and water to keep things fresh.

Well-known manufacturers often create products that are especially tough at handling what homeowners can dish out. If you’re worried about how your cats will damage your floors, let’s talk. We can show you which flooring products make the best choices, and show you the available options. You’ll be surprised at how durable today’s flooring lines are, and how they’ll wear even in active homes.

The only question now is: What cat friendly flooring choice is right for your home? 

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