Hemp Flooring – Is It Right For You?

There’s a new flooring in town – hemp flooring is gaining in popularity.

Why? Because it’s a great product for homeowners who are looking for a sustainable, eco-friendly building material that helps make their home healthier too.

Where trees can take years to grow as a crop ready for harvesting to create hardwood flooring planks, hemp can go from seed to harvest in as little as 120 days. That makes it an incredible resource to use for creating building materials.

Yet hemp is something people are only starting to understand. While hemp flooring might not be as wildly popular as hardwood, we’re intrigued by the possibilities and wanted to share it with you. Let’s start with a little research into the industry.

The history of Hemp

Hemp is most commonly associated with the cannabis plant. When most people hear “hemp”, their mind slips back to their college days, and think of it being used for only one thing. Yet hemp is turning into a crop with many uses.

As a nation, we’re starting to accept it as a crop. Under the USDA, the 2018 Farm Bill expanded protection for hemp cultivation throughout the country. It allows the transfer of hemp-derived products across state lines, and does not restrict the sale, transport, or possession of hemp-derived products, so long as the products themselves are consistent with the law.

While CBD related products may still have varying degrees of legality from state to state, other products – like building materials – can be sold anywhere.

How hemp flooring is made

Hemp flooring is designed to resemble hardwood, yet it’s a more sustainable product that isn’t hardwood at all.

The concept of having hardwood flooring created from other byproducts isn’t new. Homeowners are already in love with materials like bamboo, which is a grass-like product, and cork, which is made from the bark of a tree.

Hemp is just another way to use a natural product and give it a useful life inside our homes. If it can do it in a better way for our environment, and healthier for our bodies, why not?

Hemp flooring is manufactured by compressing dried hemp stalks into blocks using a soy-based binder. Extreme pressure is used to seal the stocks together into 4 foot planks. These blocks are pressed together using a hemp veneer pressed onto a plywood board. The result are boards resembling hardwood planks, with a tongue and groove application system.

What makes it eco-friendly is the process used for pressing the material together. The top finish of a hemp floorboard is made from a non-toxic liquid that solidifies quickly and doesn’t evaporate like other water-based products. That means only trace amounts are released into the ozone during processing.

The curing process is also more eco-friendly. To create the boards, manufacturers use UVA and UVB light, meaning it’s a formaldehyde-free, zero-VOC process that creates a durable top coat. This process also makes a floorboard that is as much as 25 percent harder than some of the most popular hardwoods on the market.

Let’s talk more about Hemp sustainability

Chances are, if you’re reading this, you care greatly about building a home from sustainable products. You’re trying to move towards carbon neutral living and want to do so in an efficient way.

People love hardwood because of its sustainability. Yes, you need to be aware of where the wood is sourced from, how it’s produced, and how it’s installed. But with adequate research, you can use hardwood like oak and feel good about your purchase.

Hemp can make that process even better.

As we’ve already mentioned, hemp grows much faster than an oak tree used as a crop. While an oak tree can take years to reach maturity, hemp moves from seed to harvest in as little as 120 days.

If you’re aware of your carbon footprint, it’s worth looking at hemp. According to one study, a plot of hemp absorbs four times more carbon as compared to a plot of trees the same size. Given that hemp can be harvested over and over again, this adds up over time. By the time a crop of hemp is harvested, one ton of hemp will have sequestered on average 1.62 tons of CO2.

While this article focuses on hemp flooring, it is also exciting to point out that flooring isn’t the only building material being targeted by the hemp industry. Insulation, particleboard, plaster, roofing materials, and finishing products such as caulking, sealants, varnishes, and paints are all utilizing the environmental benefits of using hemp as a base.

Strength and durability 

While homeowners and manufacturers alike are excited about the potential hemp brings to the market, sustainability isn’t enough if durability isn’t also a factor. Luckily, hemp flooring has that too.

Hemp flooring is designed to look and feel like oak. Even better, hemp flooring is engineered to be as much as 20 percent harder than traditional oak wood. Tests have shown hemp to have a hardness factor of more than 2,000 on the Janka scale, which gives it a similar quality as Brazilian Cherry.

Hemp can be cut, sanded, and stained just as you would any traditional hardwood. That makes it a perfect choice for every room you would install hardwood. It also makes it the perfect choice for other building projects such as facing, furniture, and molding. As always, be sure to test the product thoroughly in the space you desire before you use it in your home.

Are you ready to use hemp flooring in your home?

While it’s still considered a new product, and isn’t yet available on the mass market, it’s only a matter of time before you see it installed in a wide variety of places.

Because it won’t warp like hardwood, and doesn’t have to be designed while avoiding knots and other blemishes, there is a decrease in wood waste.

This is one building product that homeowners and designers alike are going to enjoy putting inside remodels and renovations.

The only question left is: will you be installing hemp flooring in your home?

The post Hemp Flooring – Is It Right For You? first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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

Every remodeling or renovation job starts at the bottom – with the flooring, that is.

That’s because your room design starts with great flooring.

Can you imagine a bathroom with carpeting? Or slick, ceramic tile in the kitchen? Both would be a disaster waiting to happen.

Instinctively, we know what flooring works best in each room in our homes. But once you move past the basics – no to the carpet in bathrooms – it gets a little tricker.

Especially when your family includes dogs. As a nation, we love our furry friends. The American Veterinary Medical Association states that 38.4 households across America own a dog. That’s more than one in three!

Yet Coloradoans also love their hardwood flooring. It continues to be one of the most popular flooring choices, with hardwood flooring being one of the top requests from people out looking for a new home.

A global pandemic in 2020 didn’t change that. What it did change, however, is the type of hardwood in demand. While it’s still speculation what homeowners will want in 2021 and as we move forward, places like Hardwood Flooring Magazine are already predicting consumer demand.

Thanks to technology, you have a lot of choices when it comes to installing hardwood flooring in your home. And growth is predicted in lines where durability, upkeep, and cleanliness are all at the top of the benefits list, something we appreciate even more during 2020 as we’ve dealt with COVID.

According to Hardwood Flooring Magazine’s 2021 outlook, they are predicting an uptick in engineered and factory-finished hardwood. Both are extremely durable, easy to care for, and have hard surfaces that are especially conducive to keeping clean. They also handle well in high traffic situations, and perform equally as well when you have pets.

Dog adoptions are up.

Remodeling is booming as we get our homes ready for more staying in place.

Is hardwood the perfect choice for both situations?

Choosing hardwood flooring when you have a dog

Think about all your furry friend does during the day.

• She runs circles throughout your home
• She eats and drinks from bowls placed on your floor
• She digs in with her claws to gain traction
• She naps in the sun

Is hardwood flooring the best to handle all of that?

Fortunately, there are several choices of hardwood flooring that work well for all of those activities. Consider:

Pre-finished hardwood flooring – this offers a major benefit over unfinished hardwood where you stain and coat it once it’s laid into place: it comes with a harder, more durable surface. That’s because manufacturers have more options when they finish a product inside their production facility. Most manufacturers apply an aluminum oxide finish to the surface, which creates a stronger surface coating that can withstand more abuse from what your family can dish out. That gives it more scratch-resistant properties.

What species you’ll install – there are many different species types used for hardwood flooring, including ash to walnut and everything in between. Some species are harder than others; they’ve developed a Janka hardness scale to rate each type of wood to help you make your final decision. Soft woods are more susceptible to scratching while hard woods can sustain more impact. If you have dogs and an active household, be sure to select a hardwood on the harder side of the scale.

Surface – every hardwood has its own unique characteristics. Some have a more textured appearance, helping them hide scratches and dents more easily. For example, hand-scraped flooring has grown in popularity, and with its slightly uneven texture, it adds warmth and personality while hiding scratches and dents at the same time.

Care for your hardwood floors when you share your home with a dog

No matter what type of hardwood flooring you decide to install, it’s important to create a regular maintenance schedule to keep it looking its best. There are a number of things you can do to ensure your flooring has a long life, and looks great in the process.

Wipe your dog’s paws

While you can’t ask your dog to leave her shoes at the door, you can ensure that she leaves the dirt and debris she collects outside where it belongs. Set up a routine for when your dog comes in from the outside. On dry days, using a pet-safe towel to wipe down their paws may be all it takes. On snowy days, don’t forget to check their paws for chemicals they may have picked up on your daily walk from snowmelt and other chemicals used for snow clearing.

Use doormats

Every entryway in your home should have a doormat to help collect dirt from your shoes and boots. It will also help reduce dirt from your dog’s paws as he enters from the outside. Ensure it has a solid backing to prevent it from slipping as you both track in water, snow, and ice.

Cut your dog’s nails frequently

The American Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recommends that a dog’s nails be trimmed just as they touch the ground. When you hear a clicking noise as they walk on a solid surface, it’s time to schedule a trim with your vet or groomers, or do it yourself. Be sure to educate yourself on the procedure before you begin.

Use a dog bed

Hardwood flooring can be hard as your furry friend sleeps during the day. Instead of leaving them basking in the sun on the hard surface, invest in a dog bed to give them a more comfortable spot. As your working from home, place it nearby so she feels like a member of the family as you go about your day.

Avoid bones and other heavy objects

The younger your dog, the more they enjoy playing. Pay attention to what toys and bones you give them, avoiding the heaviest objects or reserving them for outside play. Puppies especially are prone to picking things up and dropping them repeatedly. That can quickly damage softer woods.

Do you have a dog at home? Are hardwood floors on your list of projects for the year?

It’s easy to marry the two together when you put a little thought into your project before you begin.

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

The post Dogs and Hardwood Floors Can Co-Exist Together first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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

No, you cannot float parquet block flooring.  Due to the size of the blocks and the nature of the way in which they are installed, parquet flooring must be glued down. Floating a floor means that you lay it over an underlay and do not fix it to the subfloor. Read More

What’s the one fear of every homeowner when they think about installing new carpet?

Stains.

They envision a guest in their home, dropping a glass of red wine. Or a child tipping over a juice box filled with purple liquid. Or maybe a dog running through with muddy paws.

Suddenly, your new carpet doesn’t look so new anymore. There’s a distinct color shift in the area you’ve scrubbed and scrubbed.

That can be disheartening, especially if your carpet is only a few weeks old. Now you have to live with it for years, knowing it isn’t the right color in certain spots in the room.

That’s where stain resistant carpet comes into play. But what does that really mean? Do all carpets have stain resistance? What should you look for? What’s important?

We’ll get into all of that and more. But first, know one thing: the most important part of stain resistance is selecting the right carpet material. Get that right, and you’ll love your carpet for years.

Let’s talk about fibers.

Nylon carpet

One of the most popular choices for homes is nylon carpet. That’s because nylon sets the bar for stain resistance. While nylon is humanmade, and isn’t a natural fiber, it is naturally stain resistant. It’s made with a stain resistant coating that allows spills and stains to be lifted from the carpet with little more than soap and water.

Nylon is also soft to the touch, making it a perfect choice for the family home. If you have kids that play on the floor, pets that sleep by your feet, and an active household that is always working and playing together, nylon carpet offers a world of benefits. Nylon is one of the most durable synthetic materials available, making it a great choice in every room, including hallways and high traffic areas that take a lot of abuse.

https://pro-flooring.com/whats-that-smell-it-may-be-carpet-mold/

Polyester and Olefin carpet

Polyester and Olefin are technically two distinct types of carpet, yet they offer similar stain resistance. Both offer oil-based materials that do an excellent job at repelling spills. Yet because they are oil-based, that makes both types of carpet attract oil easier.

Why are these types of carpeting popular? Price. They are at the lower end of the spectrum, making them a suitable choice in many circumstances.

Oils enter your home most often on the bottom of your shoes. It sticks as you walk across asphalt, or can even slough off from your skin. If you have an oil-based carpet, one of the first things you should do is make your home a “no shoe” zone. You should also use this type of carpet in areas where you won’t be lying on the floor and spending hours at a time. Dining rooms? Yes. Family rooms? There might be a better choice.

Wool carpet

Up until this point, we have talked about lab-created materials that offer stain resistance. But there’s one natural fiber you can consider as well: wool. Wool provides a certain level of stain resistance against many of the most common spills you’ll have in your home. Wool also offers good resistance to oils. It’s highly durable and ultra soft. Think of wool as a luxury you bring into your home.

This is why many homeowners shy away from wool. Wool comes with a high-end price tag that scares many people away. Keep in mind that wool carpet is also one of the longest lasting, and is naturally sustainable. For some, it’s worth the investment.

What is stain resistant carpet?

So what exactly is stain resistant carpet? It’s easy to assume that with any stain resistant carpet, you’ll get a product that resists the stains you’re most likely to create inside your home.

No material is one-hundred percent effective against stains. But there are ways of producing a product that repels what you drop onto it, as well as makes it easier to clean.

Stain resistance applies to the fiber itself. If the fibers don’t soak up the properties of the spill, it’s less likely to show the results after you clean it up. If it retains its original appearance after cleanup, it’s less likely to be ruined by the spill.

If this happens over and over, with every spill that occurs, you’re less likely to need to replace your carpets. Or at least push it out for as long as possible, giving you the looks you demand while spreading out the costs.

The most popular carpet fibers used today are nylon, a synthetic, that is made on the manufacturers’ floor. It’s made up of a plastic prized for its smooth texture and waterproof qualities. It also has resistance to things like mold and insects.

During production, carpet manufacturers add an extra step of adding a chemical coating. This adds protection against the most common household items being able to penetrate through the coating and down into the fibers.

Stain resistance products are proprietary to different manufacturers.

Stainmaster – Stainmaster is one of the most recognizable stain resistant carpet brands. They have a wide variety of products, styles, and textures, and provide one of the best warranties in the industry.

SmartStrand – SmartStrand is another product line produced by Mohawk that offers durability and stain resistance, with pet protection, and a strong warranty.

These are just two of the different types of stain resistant carpet out in the market today. You’ll find different manufacturers create their own products, and market them in different ways. It’s important to compare the benefits they offer as well as how inclusive the warranties are. We can help you compare products and offer you advice when it comes to making a selection for your home.

Which stain resistant carpet is right for you?

Without knowing much about your flooring project, it’s difficult to suggest which option is the right choice for your home.

Before you settle, spend some time listing out your requirements. What do you expect from your carpet now and years into the future?

Then stop by our store. We can show you options, educate you on what qualities different manufacturers bring, and help you settle in on the right stain resistant carpet for your needs.

https://pro-flooring.com/here-are-the-biggest-mistakes-when-buying-new-carpet/

In the end, it’s all about helping you make the right choice, one you can live with and be happy about for years.

The post Stain Resistant Carpet Is Still a Necessity first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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

Floating a wooden floor is the quickest and easiest way of installation.  The term ‘float’ refers to the way in which you lay it over an underlay.  It does not get fixed into position; it floats loosely on top of the underlay.  Although you may want to float your wooden floor, there are certain types of hardwood that cannot be floated as they must be fixed down. Read More

Phenix Microban carpeting has the latest in carpet enhancements that can better your health. This carpeting has built-in Microban technology that is infused into the backing and base of the carpet fiber. This creates an antimicrobial barrier that destroys bacteria! After that the carpet fights to keep you and your family healthy!

Did you know that in non-microban carpets, germs, and bacteria multiply in the carpet every twenty minutes? Microban is infused into the carpet and will not wash or wear away. When germs and bacteria come in contact with Microban carpet, they die immediately in the sterile environment.

Microban Carpeting Germ Protection

During our current times with all the illness and pandemic issues throughout the world this carpet adds an extra layer of protection in your home. Along with other proactive cleaning habits, his carpet can aide in keeping your family safe. Likewise, regular vacuuming and carpet cleaning is still a need just as it is with any other carpet. Regular maintenance of the carpet keeps your carpet in great shape for many years to come. 

Microban Carpeting is a zinc-based solution that will fight stain growth, odor-causing bacteria such as mold and mildew in the carpet. Phenix’s Microban technology has superior protection against microorganisms. These features yield a better product for homeowners and become the only clean carpet solution on the market. If you want a brand people trust, Procter and Gamble have been a driving force to launching this carpet brand. It is a name and brand you can trust. 

Lastly, during a pandemic we all need some reassurance that our homes are safe. Similarly we will want to have protection against the pandemic.

Call the Carpet Guys today and get your free in-home estimate. Let us help you make your home a cleaner, safer place to live. Call today!

The post Microban Carpeting, Flooring During a Pandemic appeared first on The Carpet Guys.

If you are looking for a way to add some beauty, color and space to your home, hardwood represents a wonderful way to do that. Many people think about only one type of hardwood flooring, however, there are many types of hardwood flooring you can choose from. Here is information on six different types of hardwood flooring that are popular with our customers.

Different Types of Hardwood Flooring

One of the most popular types of flooring is oak. Oak flooring is one of the most durable types of hardwood floors available. They are resistant to scratches or scuff, which makes them perfect for many homes. Oak flooring is also smooth, which means you won’t need to put area rugs down to hide the rough spots.

Mahogany is usually not everyone’s choice for a flooring option, largely because of the price. Mahogany flooring can be expensive. However, mahogany is just as durable and smooth as oak. There’s also an added advantage to mahogany flooring. It is water resistant, which makes them a great choice for your kitchen or bathroom, where floors tend to get wetter than in any other area of your house.

Often, people who live in the northern areas of the United States already know about ash flooring, but it may not be as recognizable to Southerners. Ash is an extremely dense, hard wood, which makes it a great choice for hardwood floors in your home. One drawback to ash is that it is light colored, so you need to make sure it fits with your color scheme.

Hickory is another hardwood choice you may want to think about. Like ash, it is very hard and durable. However, like ash, hickory wood is lighter than other woods in this list, so make sure it is the right color for you.

Pine is a great choice for some homes, because it is softer than other hardwood choices. However, because it is softer, it is not as durable, and is prone to scuffs and scratching.

You may also want to think about maple flooring. While it is a very hard flooring, it is not a lightly colored as ash or hickory.

When you are ready to order your next hardwood floors, you can always find the help you need at Flooring.org. You can also call us today at 1-800-689-9006 or reach out to us at [email protected].

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

Floating floors are increasingly popular in homes across Colorado. The term “floating floor” doesn’t represent a specific type of flooring or material; rather, it refers to a method of installation. You’ll find many different materials utilize floating floor technology as a means to go in quickly into your rooms: laminates, engineered hardwood, and luxury vinyl all can be installed using click and lock technology.

Floating floors come in individual plank or tile format, with interlocking edge-to-edge form that creates a mat-like surface that lays or rests on the subfloor or underlayment.

It’s quite different than glue-down or nail-down flooring you may have in the rest of your home. It takes time to adhere tiles or planks using glue, ensuring you lay it correctly and it has ample time to dry. Get it wrong, and you’ll be prying it up, replacing it with brand new materials. That can be a waste of time, money, and resources.

Floating floor technology is easier, and is often the perfect choice for do-it-yourselfers. It’s a favorite method because it’s also forgiving. You should have a perfectly prepared subfloor for a solid base, yet it’s easier than ever to lay each plank or tile down, and click it into place.

What does it mean to have a floating floor?

The term “floating floor” can be a little misleading, as it doesn’t so much as float as it does rest on the subfloor. With a floating floor, you don’t apply adhesive before you lay each tile or plank into place. Instead, you lock each piece in similar fashion to a jigsaw puzzle, building a tight bond as you combine piece after piece. The floor is stable if you prepare the subfloor and it’s free from blemishes and debris. The only difference is it rests on top of the subfloor, stretching across your room from edge to edge.

The benefits are many, including ease of installation, as well as easy maintenance. If you damage one plank, for example, you have the possibility of replacing just the impacted area, rather than prying loose an entire area and having to redo it. That can be a big bonus in busy households where your flooring receives high impact traffic.

Types of floating floors

In every home, the floors you walk and stand on all day are comprised of several layers. The base was designed when your home was built. It has a network of boards and joists that support the overall structure of your home. The subfloor layer protects the base, as well as provides support for the flooring you install on top. The top layer is the flooring of your choice. This is the part you’ll walk on, place your furniture on, and live with for years to come.

Many flooring choices attach the flooring to the subfloor. It stays attached until it is torn out and replaced. Floating floors are different in that the floor and subfloor remain two separate layers. Floating floors are placed on top of the subfloor without being fixed into place.

You’ll find floating technology exists in three separate types of flooring:

Engineered wood – engineered wood is constructed using multiple layers for added strength. Each layer is made out of wood, with the top layer created from a solid wood veneer. This makes engineered wood planks lightweight, durable, and easy to install. The bottom layer is often made from recycled or a pressed wood, which makes it an eco-friendly option.

You can find engineered wood in glue-down and nail-down methods too, but it’s floating floor technology that makes it easy to install, and a particular favorite of do-it-yourselfers.

Laminate – laminate flooring is rarely glued or nailed into place. Instead, it relies on tongue and groove technology to build the floor into one level surface area. Laminate isn’t wood like engineered wood, and isn’t plastic as some people believe. Instead, laminate is created from four core layers:

• Back layer – a product designed to protect against moisture, and used to help balance the flooring
• Core layer – a durable high-density board that further protects from moisture
• Design layer – a high-resolution photograph that gives the product its appearance
• Wear layer – a clear coated layer that protects the surface

Luxury vinyl – luxury vinyl is created in two separate categories, luxury vinyl tile (LVT) is meant to resemble tile, and luxury vinyl plank (LVP) is meant to imitate wood. Both of these products work similarly to engineered wood and laminate in that the planks or tiles float above the subfloor and use tongue-and-groove or click-lock systems to lay the flooring into place. While these products can be glued, floating technology gives you ease in both installation as well as replacement down the road.

What are the pros and cons?

We’ve eluded to the biggest pro for using floating floors: ease of installation. Because they float into place, you don’t have to worry about adhering a board in the wrong area, and having to pry it back up and wasting resources if you change your mind. This can be a cost-effective way to install a floor, no matter what your skillset. Do it yourself, or hire a professional to do it for you; it’s an easy job either way.

While it is important to have your subfloor primed and ready for a new floor to be installed, floating floor is more forgiving as it isn’t permanently attached. Depending on what is currently installed, you might be able to install floating floors directly over what’s already in place. That can save both time and money.

It’s more economical and more eco-friendly. A lot of the materials used in floating floor technology can be made from recycled materials. If sustainability is important to you, pay attention to how the product was created. There are a lot of great options for using this technology.

If you’ve ever walked on a floating floor, you may have noticed it has more give. That’s because it creates an air cushion between the flooring and subfloor. While this can have more give as you stand and walk, it does make the product wear faster than more solid flooring choices. You may notice warping or pitting faster than with solid options.

It also comes designed with a sealed finish, meaning once the seal is broken, it cannot be replaced. Hardwood is designed to be sanded and finished again and again. With these floating floors, you’ll replace the entire flooring rather than refinishing.

Is floating technology right for your home?

If you’re looking for a DIY project, or you want a beautiful floor that can be installed quickly, look no further than one of these products. Styles, colors, and patterns are plentiful, and offer you beautiful choices in making your house a home.

What flooring is right for you?

The post The Ins and Outs of a Floating Floor first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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

When it’s time to stretch, we are one of the only companies that use power stretching.  A power stretcher doesn’t use electricity.  It uses leverage to stretch the carpet and alleviate the chance of wrinkles.  Carpet will expand and stretch with traffic and usage.  This causes wrinkles.  When stretched properly carpet wrinkles are less likely to develop down the road.  Another reason we can provide a Lifetime Installation Warranty.  When we provide the power stretching service then our experts trim away any excess flooring and tuck it under the drywall. This provides a seamless finish that leaves your room looking good as new. 

It’s a very similar installation for sheet vinyl, though they do not need to stretch it.  Also, glue is used instead of the tack strip. First, glue is applied to the floor. Then, the sheet vinyl is placed.

Power stretching is important for many reasons. First and foremost, safety reasons. A carpet full of ripples, wrinkles, and bulges can create a fall risk to those in your home. This is also the same for loose carpet. If you want to protect the loved ones and guests in your home carpet stretching is a great option. Let us not forget too, if you trip on the carpet and are holding a glass of wine, or a plate of food…now you have a whole other mess and stain on your hands as well. 

Power Stretching Gives Your Carpet Life

The longevity of your carpet’s life is also especially important. Power stretching is also particularly important for the life of your carpet. If you see that your carpet is pulling away from the tack strips, stretching may be able to reverse the issue and put it back in place. Obviously, power stretching would be a much more cost-effective way of fixing the issue rather than purchasing a full room carpet replacement. 

Carpets aesthetic beauty is also equally important. The sight of carpet wrinkles and lumps is an unpleasant sight in any home. A smooth, clean carpet surface creates a warm, cozy feel. Walking into a room with carpet with bumps and lumps throughout it creates an unpleasant sight. No one wants to look at that, right?

Call today and talk to our experts about power stretching! Whether you have questions about installing new carpet and the benefits of power stretching, or power stretching existing carpet in your home- we have you covered! Be Wise and call the Carpet Guys at 855-4-MY-GUYS or schedule a FREE in-home consultation.

The post Power Stretch Carpet- Why We Do It appeared first on The Carpet Guys.

You’ve been working from home all through 2020. Will work-from-home be your new normal? Has your office already closed down its commercial location, ready to keep its remote workers happy for years to come?

There are a lot of good things about working from home. You can skip the commute time – that can add an hour or more to your day. You can also be more present in your family life. Why not have lunch dates with your spouse … every day of the week.

Now that you’re settling into your new work environment, you might be realizing that the dining room table simply won’t do. It can get loud if you and your spouse are both trying to talk to clients simultaneously. And if your kids are home and add to the daily commotion, it might be time to rethink the rooms in your home.

It’s time to build the perfect home office. But skip moving out the bed in your guest bedroom and using it as-is. Instead, design your space just for you. Design it from the ground up. That means starting with the home office flooring.

We realize you have a choice in design. Why not make your home office a place you want to spend time in? Because it’s designed exclusively with you in mind.

What’s your goal? What’s your desire?

Start by building the base with these home office flooring ideas.

Hardwood

“I have hardwood throughout the first floor living space. But our upstairs is carpeted. Since I’m turning the spare bedroom into an office, can I use hardwood in just that one space?”

That’s a question we frequently see these days. The short answer is: Yes!

Hardwood is classic. It’s stylish and sophisticated, yet warm and easy to maintain. Honestly, we can’t say enough about using hardwood in your home. It’s always been one of the most popular flooring choices we sell, and that’s not going to change.

Whether you work by yourself with just an occasional Zoom call with people from the office, or you’re on video chat all day long, it’s important to set the stage for your position. Why not feel like you’re the CEO of your own space?

With hardwood, you can create any look you desire. Carry the mood from your main living area by replicating what you use in your other rooms. Or start with a clean palette – design your home office any way you choose. Go a little crazy. Let your wild side out in your design. Grab a can of paint and have fun decorating your unique space all for you. Hello, hot pink, it may be the perfect choice.

Yet while you can have fun with the paint, and change up colors every season if you desire, the thing about hardwood is it allows you to have a base you’ll love for years to come.

It can set the stage for all of your design personality. And be a durable platform in the process.

Tile

If you’ve ever walked into a flooring store and had tile instantly pop out because of the colors, you’re not alone. That’s why tile remains ever-popular.

You can go elegant and invest in slate or marble. Go whimsical and choose ceramic. Use a basic color that goes with everything. Or play it up and select a wilder color.

One of the best reasons to use tile is how well it works in an office environment. Roll your chairs over it. Place that heavy filing cabinet and work table without a problem. That coffee spill you didn’t notice for days? Not a problem. Simply wipe it up. It’s water-resistant, durable, and easy to clean.

Need even more reasons to install tile into your new home office setting? How about placing it over radiant heating. It’s a way to be toasty warm throughout your workday without having to heat your entire home.

Luxury Vinyl

If you’re interested in bringing the hardwood look into your home office, without all the fuss of installing real hardwood, it’s time to give luxury vinyl a look. It’s durable, water resistant, softer and warmer underfoot when compared to traditional hardwood and tile.

Plus, it’s one of the easiest flooring products you can install. It’s a perfect choice for the DIYer who wants to take on a weekend project. With click and lock technology, the pieces snap together and lay into place quickly. It’s a floating floor, meaning you don’t have to nail or glue it down.

That also means it’s easy to take back up when you’re ready for a change. Change jobs? Go back into the office? Change out your flooring once again.

With luxury vinyl, you’ll have choices galore. You can find the perfect color of hardwood to match what’s laid in the rest of your home. Or change it up and find a color that’s uniquely your own. You’ll love the color and pattern choices you find, and will enjoy it even more when you see the results in your home office.

If your job has you getting messy and creative on a regular basis, luxury vinyl is for you. It’s one of the few flooring choices that touts being waterproof. Just make sure you talk with one of our associates about your needs, and we can point you to the right manufacturer. Then when you spill or make a mess, it’s merely a matter of cleaning it up. And your floor will still look great.

Carpet

Of course, we can’t talk about home offices and not mention carpet. It’s still a practical flooring choice for office space because of its warmth and softness.

Let’s face it, in a home office, shoes are optional. And hardwood floors can be cold on bare feet. Dig your toes into the carpet and you’ll feel the difference.

And if all you do is sit behind a desk and type away on your computer all day, new plush carpet may be the perfect design choice.

Remodeling your home? Creating a new home office just for you?

This is a place you spend hours each day. Don’t skimp on the design.

Instead, select your home office flooring with your needs in mind?

Have questions? We’re here to help. Stop by today, or give us a call.

We’ll make your home office a place you’ll love.

The post Flooring 101: Designing The Perfect Home Office From The Ground Up first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

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