Hardwood Floors
What’s the difference between a solid and engineered hardwood floor?
Solid wood is thicker, able to be sanded and refinished several times over the life of your hardwood floor. It expands and contracts with changes in indoor humidity, so installers often leave a gap between the floor and the wall that gets covered by molding. Engineered hardwood flooring is made up of layers, bonded together under heat and pressure. It’s less likely to be affected by humidity and can be installed in any room of the home, even in basements. Engineered hardwood flooring cannot be sanded and refinished the same way that solid wood can be.
Is a hardwood floor safe for a home with pets?
Wood floors are durable, especially with the proper finish, but they can still get scratched. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, either. Part of the charm of wood floors is the natural wear and tear that builds up over time. This gives the boards an added authentic look and feel that synthetic floor materials can’t quite capture. That said, if you’re concerned about scratches, you can minimize them with mats and rugs, and by keeping pet nails trimmed down. You should also keep in mind that any scratches you see are likely in the finish, rather than the wood itself. You can repair these scratches and refinish your hardwood flooring if need be.
Can hardwood flooring be installed in any room?
Both solid hardwood and engineered hardwood floors are typically suitable for most spaces in the home. It is not recommended to install hardwood flooring in rooms prone to moisture such as bathrooms and laundry rooms. Engineered hardwood flooring is the best choice for spaces more susceptible to humidity and moisture such as a basement.
Carpet
What types of carpet are available for installation?
With regard to fiber types, you have a variety of natural and synthetic fibers from which to choose, including nylon, polyester, wool, and more.
If you’re referring to the construction and texture of the carpet, there are a variety of pile heights and types (such as cut, loop and cut-loop) as well as carpets of varying densities and twist, the latter of which refers to how tightly each fiber has been twisted.
Do I really need the carpet padding to install carpet?
100% yes, you do! A carpet pad is necessary to protect your new carpet installation. The pad keeps the underside of your carpet from wearing against the sub-floor, which is often wood or cement. It also absorbs the impact from footsteps and furniture, lessening the stress on the carpet and improving the lifespan. In addition offering protection, the right carpet padding provides thermal insulation and reduces sound within the room, helping make living spaces more comfortable.
How do I choose the right carpet to be installed for my room?
First thing is to think about how the room is used. If you are installing carpet in a high-traffic area, consider a dense loop pile carpet made of durable nylon. For carpeting a room with direct passage outside, if there is a pet access, or where food and drinks are often served, you’ll want to opt for a low-pile carpet with soil and stain resistant treatments, as well as hiding the tracks from frequent vacuuming. For low-activity spaces like bedrooms and formal living rooms, a soft, plush carpet will give you superior luxury and comfort.
Does a room need to be square to install carpeting?
Not at all! Carpeting can be cut to any shape it needs to be for proper installation. Our professional team takes care to accurately measure the dimensions of each space to ensure carpeting is installed perfectly no matter the shape or size of the project.
Is there any preparation needed for carpet to be installed?
Our carpet installers work faster and more efficiently when the floor is free of small items and furniture. The best way to prepare for our team to install carpeting is to collect items and temporarily move them to another section of the building. Heavy furniture may remain to be professionally moved on the install day.
Laminate Floors
What is a laminate floor made of and how is it made?
Laminate floors are a versatile, durable flooring option that mimics the appearance of a hardwood or tile floor. These floors are made up of several layers of material fused under high pressure, one of which is usually a moisture-resistant layer topped with a high-resolution, photographic image of the desired material look. Laminate flooring is typically finished with a clear coating of extremely durable protective resin. Laminate is considered eco-friendly as well, as it requires the use of fewer trees than hardwood.
How does laminate flooring compare to solid hardwood flooring?
To compare the two quite simply, laminate is more affordable than hardwood. It’s typically up to half the cost of a traditional solid wood product. Laminate flooring is also easy to install. Thanks to its click-lock design, it can even be a good DIY project for more experienced home renovators. In many cases, installation doesn’t even require glue. Finally, unlike hardwood, laminate is often resistant to scratches and fading, and some modern styles are also waterproof.
Which flooring is waterproof?
Laminate flooring comes in different levels of water resistance. Flooring may be treated with a waterproof wear layer to add protection against spills and moisture. Contact us to discuss your project and our professional team can help shop for the best option to keep your floors looking great and free from water damage.
Is there a laminate option that looks like wood flooring?
Yes! In fact, there are many natural looking options to choose from. Plank laminate can mimic the look of natural hardwood floors, so if there is a specific species of wood desired, it can certainly be achieved through laminate planks.
Vinyl Flooring
What’s meant by the terms LVP and LVT Flooring?
These are acronyms you’ll hear tossed around when talking about vinyl flooring, and more specifically for luxury vinyl flooring. LVT stands for luxury vinyl tile, while LVP sands for luxury vinyl plank. LVT typically looks like tiles, and LVP typically looks like wood planking.
Where can I install luxury vinyl tile and luxury vinyl plank flooring?
Just about anywhere! Vinyl floors are easy to install, and many products are specifically designed to withstand moisture, wear and tear in any room. You can install vinyl in entryways, kitchens, living rooms, laundry rooms, mudrooms bathrooms, bedrooms, basements and more. Just be aware of the specific limits of the product you choose.
Is Vinyl a durable option for floors?
LVP and LVT flooring are both durable choices. To add protection for high traffic areas it is important to choose plank or tile with the proper wear layer. A thick wear layer offers wide protection against spills, stain, scratches and overall wear from foot traffic.
What is the difference between a WPC floor and a SPC floor?
WPC and SPC stand for Wood Plastic Composite and Stone Plastic Composite. These engineered luxury vinyl planks are both 100% waterproof and incredibly durable.
Wood Plastic Composite features a waterproof core at the center of the plank. During the installation process, the WPC planks are connected through interlocking ridges. The waterproof layer connects seamlessly for complete protection without the need for glue. Using new technology, WPC planks are engineered to look exactly like natural wood in every species and shade.
Stone Plastic Composite is similar to WPC, the most notable difference being the special rigid core. The SPC rigid core is completely waterproof and extremely durable. Favored for commercial projects, the rigid core will protect well against denting. The drawback to SPC is there are some applications where SPC flooring may feel too tough stand on for long periods – resulting in discomfort. WPC is recommended for the home and retail spaces as it offers similar protection to SPC, but feels softer and more comfortable.
Tile
What types of tiles are there?
There are many different types of tiles to choose from. The most popular tile types include: ceramic, porcelain, glass, mosaic and stone.
What’s the difference between porcelain tile and ceramic tile?
Ceramic tile is very durable and made from clay. It is heated under pressure until hard. Porcelain tile is actually a specific type of ceramic tile, made from porcelain clay that’s been subjected to extremely high heat and pressure. This gives it noticeably more strength and moisture resistance.
Which type of floor tile should I choose for my space, natural stone, or ceramic?
You’ll often see stone tile cut to show the natural rock texture, with all of its variations and “flaws” (which are part of the appeal). This unique, natural beauty is tough to match with a manufactured product like ceramic tile, which lends itself to a more uniform appearance. In short, two ceramic tiles in the same style will be roughly identical, while two stone tiles in the same style may vary significantly. Stone is also more porous than ceramic tile, meaning it may be susceptible to stains. Finally, natural stone, especially more exotic varieties, tend to cost more than ceramic tile.
Which floor tiles are best for a kitchen?
A kitchen floor is typically subject to quite a bit of activity and exposure to water. Ceramic floor tiles are glazed with a protective outer layer to keep your floor free from water damage. While ceramic tiles are a great floor option, high activity kitchens may require a stronger floor tile. Porcelain tiles are stronger and less porous than regular ceramic – an excellent choice for protection against floor damage from accidents and heavy equipment use. Both glazed and unglazed porcelain floor tile can be used in any environment.
Another attractive and durable option for kitchen floors is stone tile. Natural stone presents an opportunity for a beautiful and unique personal touch. Two aspects to keep in mind are maintenance and practical use. Stone floors require a new seal finish every 2-3 years and tend to be slick when polished.
Can tile be used for projects other than floors?
Absolutely! Tile can be incorporated in a number of different ways. Wall projects are the most popular use of tile after floor installation.
What kind of tile is best for a shower wall?
Picking out wall tile for a shower project is exciting! The most important factor to shop for in wall tile is water resistance. With so many waterproof options to choose from, there is no need to sacrifice style for practicality. Ceramic and porcelain tile are solid options both for a variety of styles and durability. For an easy to clean, modern design, glass tile is the way to go. Finally, stone tile will give shower walls a natural look which may be polished or left alone to retain the stone’s texture.
Waterproof Flooring
Are waterproof floors difficult to clean and maintain?
Waterproof floors have no grime or dirt traps, making it exceptionally easy to clean. It can mimic the look of your favorite floors including wood and tile. We recommend using the manufacturer’s cleaning products to keep your floors looking their best.
Are water resistant floors susceptible to scratches or scuffs?
The top layer of water resistant flooring is called a wear layer. Any wear layer will help protect against high traffic wear, pets and furniture. The thicker the wear layer is, the better protection the flooring will have against scratches and scuffs. In the case of commercial use, a thicker wear layer is preferred. Thick wear layers are also standard for retail stores, offices, hotels and much more.
Which flooring protects best against stains in case of frequent spills?
When an area sees high spill activity, nothing can compare to wood plastic composite flooring. Not only does WPC add the most protection from water; since the material does not absorb water, spills can be easily wiped up. Although it may not be necessary, for especially staining liquids such as wine or coffee, a mild cleanser is recommended.