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If you are looking for a floor that is both kid and pet friendly you may consider choosing solid vinyl plank or vinyl tile. This type of floor is pretty indestructible and is a great choice for an active home. Vinyl tile or plank is not only kid and pet friendly, it is also not affected by water. Vacuuming and using a damp mop can easily maintain solid vinyl flooring. Here are a couple of reasons you may consider this type of product. Solid vinyl floors are very durable and hold up well under most conditions; Solid vinyl is hypoallergenic, requires low maintenance, warm underfoot, and affordable. These types of floors come in a variety of styles and patterns, the wood grain and tile pattern are the most popular. What ever design idea you may have, vinyl plank flooring can add the extra touch of class to your home. There are many different suppliers of solid vinyl. Armstrong, Nafco, Flexco and Konecto are some of the more common manufacturers in the marketplace. You should expect to p...

Finishes for hardwood flooring have improved dramatically over the last several years, however one question still remains. Is a factory finish better than a site-finished floor, or vice versa? In this article I will talk about both types of finishes and then you can decide for yourself, which is better. The main benefit to having a prefinished floor is that the finish is done under a controlled environment at the factory, thus ensuring a smooth uniform finish. Factory finished floors are usually coated using a water-based polyurethane with aluminum oxide particles suspended in the finish. Aluminum oxide when added to the finish makes the finish harder and more resistant to wear. Aluminum oxide may provide some additional abrasion resistance, however I do not believe it is any more scratch resistant than a site finished floor. The downside to aluminum oxide flooring is that they can be very difficult to refinish successfully. Strict procedures must be followed in order to refinish these...

If you are looking for something a little different or want something more than a traditional hardwood floor, you may want to consider adding a custom border or medallion. Borders and medallions are custom made to order and can be made to fit most any floor. Yarema Marquetry takes great pride in producing the finest borders, medallions and custom parquets in the marketplace today. Yarema is made in Michigan by exceptional craftsman who understand your vision and can create an incredible piece of art, with Yarema the sky is the limit. This company has everything from nautical medallions to the most intricate parquet floors one can imagine and everything in between. Yarema's professional staff is eager to please and is focused on 100% customer satisfaction. Exceptional quality and outstanding customer service is what makes Yarema stand out from the competition. If you would like to see some work by Yarema visit their Website at: www.yaremamarquetry.com If you are ever in the market ...

With so many different manufacturers to choose from, choosing a hardwood floor can be a daunting task for most anyone. A person can easily get overwhelmed, confused, and frustrated by all of the choices available. In this article I will attempt to make that choice a little easier, I will also discuss why Mullican flooring can fit most any taste, budget, or need you may have. Mullican flooring is made from the finest raw materials available. The flooring is made from slow-growth lumber that is harvested from the northern Appalachian Mountains and is dried and processed using the most efficient methods within the industry. Mullican takes great pride in harvesting lumber from only sustainable forests and now has a line of FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified products. Committed to preserving the environment, Mullican hardwood flooring is helping to lead the green movement. If you are a price conscience consumer or one that likes the finer things in life, Mullican hardwood can fit th...

If you are looking for a product that is affordable, functional, fashionable and environmentally friendly take a look at Ipocork. This exciting product line brings unending value and durability to an array of applications. This product has 9 different selections to choose from, each with its own unique look and appeal. Manufactured in Portugal, Ipocork is made into 12" x 36" sheets. Each sheet has a high density, water-resistant fiberboard core and is protected with a waterproof edge sealant. Ipocork also has the patented WRT (Wear resistant technology) finish, which has two coats of UV cured polyurethane and 2 layers of ceramic beads suspended in the finish for added durability. Great impact resistance and consistent surface finishing are added benefits of the "WRT" finish. This floor has a 15-year residential finish warranty and also carries a 5-year light commercial warranty. Made as a floating floor, Ipocork can be easily installed on, above, or below grade mak...

For five years I worked in a retail-flooring store while attending college full time. During those five years I sold a lot of floor covering and learned a lot of things about flooring contractors in general. From time to time on this blog site, I will share some of those experiences with you. Some of these stories are quite funny some are not. Several years ago I had a sub-contractor install carpet for a customer in which I had sold. During the morning of the installation, I remember thinking that the sub-contractor was going to screw my job up and that I was going to regret hiring this man. As I was leaving school that morning I received a phone call from the installer. The first thing he asked me was: "What rooms does this carpet need to be installed"? I had already given this man some specifics, however he failed to remember them. I immediately drove to the job-site to check on him. When I got there he had all of the small breakables and furniture moved out of the wrong r...

If you are considering installing engineered hardwood, there are a few things you should know. First I am going to to talk about the tools necessary to do the job, then I will get into the installation process. In this article I am going to cover the glue down installation method. The tools necessary for installation are: 1.) Hand-scraper (used for scraping up adhesives and other contaminates from the sub-floor.) 2.) Broom and dust pan. 3.) Door jamb saw. (this tool is used for under-cutting the door facings) 4.) Trowel (used to spread adhesive) 5.) 6-8 foot straight edge. (used for checking the sub-floor for imperfections or undulations.) 6.) Chop/Miter saw. 7.) Table saw. 8.) Adhesive (Urethane is preferred) 9.) Pry-bar 10.) Rubber Mallet. This tool may or may not be necessary, this will depend on how well the product goes together. A rubber mallet may damage the finish; so be careful when using one. 11.) Floor leveling compound or floor patch. 12.) Wood chisel. 13.) Chalk line 14.) ...

Trying to find a legitimate company to buy flooring from can sometimes be very difficult. In this article I will discuss the pros and cons from purchasing at outlet stores. Outlet stores are supposedly known for having the best deal in town. What you have to realize is that, what you are about to purchase may or may not be first quality material. Another problem you may face is that, all sales are final. Many items purchased at outlet stores are not returnable. Outlet stores are also famous for purchasing odd lots of materials. Here is a scenario. You measure your home for ceramic tile and find that you need 700 square feet. You go to the local outlet store and purchase the material. As you are about to finish up the job you realize that you miss-measured and need an additional 80 square feet. You go back to the store only to realize that there is none left and you are not able to get the additional 80 square feet you need. Do not be fooled, there is a reason this stuff is so cheap. A...

This month, the floor of the month award goes to Ua Floors engineered reclaimed heart pine. If you are looking to recreate the look of years past, or you are looking for something unique and different, you may want to consider purchasing this floor. If you have an old historic home, a hunting lodge or you just want to make a bold statement; this floor is a great choice. This material has been reclaimed from old textile mills across the U.S. and is over 100 years old. With this product, no two floors will be the same. This floor is available in 4 3/4" wide and also 7 1/2"; this makes it desirable for an alternative width installation. This product is 1/2" thick, has a 3mm wear layer, and has 7-ply birch plywood backing. The product comes width a 25 year, oil modified aluminum oxide finish warranty and a lifetime structure warranty. The average lengths of this product range from 40”-56” long and have plenty of 6-7 foot boards in each box. Thank you for taking the time to ...

In this article I will cover the difference between engineered and solid wood flooring. I often get asked; is engineered hardwood actually real wood? The answer to that question is: Yes! There are some who think that engineered wood is inferior to its solid counterpart. Solid wood has its benefits, however it is not necessarily better than engineered. Actually, the opposite just may be true. Engineered hardwood has a cross-plywood construction, with a solid wood veneer laminated to the top. Solid hardwood is just that, solid. Both styles range in thickness from 5/16 to 3/4 inch. Both types of floors come prefinished or unfinished and come in a variety of widths and styles. There are several benefits to engineered hardwood. Here are just a few. Engineered hardwood is more dimensionally stable than solid wood flooring. Engineered floors can be glued down directly to concrete, floated or stapled. They can be installed above, on, or below grade. Engineered floors are less prone to cupping...