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- Concrete Includes installation & repair of concrete driveways,
patios & walks, stamped concrete, etc.
- Hardwood Includes installation, repair, refinish, etc.
- Laminate and Vinyl Includes installation & repair of sheet flooring or tiles, etc.
- Tennis & Court Surfaces Includes installation, repair, resurface, etc.
- Tile
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Featured Floor Coverings Articles
"Adding Green Flooring to Your Home"
Thinking of remodeling your flooring? Consider investing in economically friendly materials for your new floor. Cork, recycled and reclaimed hardwood, eco-friendly carpet, bamboo, and natural linoleums all offer the durability you need but with much less environmental impact than typical flooring.
When to Replace Your Floor Coverings
By Jennifer Weldon
Replacing your floor coverings can be very exciting and provide a new look for your home. To get the most money out of your floors, however, you will not want to replace them too quickly, or wait too long. There are some simple ways to tell if it is indeed time to replace your floor coverings.
Water Damage
If you have the unfortunate experience of a water leak or other plumbing problem in your home, your floors can incur water damage. Depending on the material of your floor covering, replacement of the floor may be necessary. While ceramic tile and vinyl flooring may survive severe water problems unscathed, flooring such as carpeting and hardwoods may not be so lucky. Carpet fibers will absorb any water. Even having a professional disaster contractor come to professionally clean and dry the carpets may not eliminate the odor and stains. Once a carpet has absorbed that much water stretching may also occur afterwards. In cases of severe water damage, it may be more cost effective to simply replace the carpeting and underlying padding. Likewise, hardwood flooring can undergo wood rotting, water staining, expanding and contracting, and other major problems with exposure to vast amounts of water. Have a professional hardwood contractor evaluate whether a sanding and re-staining can make your hardwoods new again, or if full replacement is necessary.
Wear and Tear
Depending upon the age of your flooring and the longevity of your flooring material, general wear and tear will occur that will necessitate replacing your floor coverings. Carpets typically will show signs of harsh wear and tear after approximately five years. Vinyl flooring that is past its prime will show signs of yellowing, curling at the edges, and will probably have some rips and gouges. Hardwood flooring has a longer life span, but will show scratches, gouges, and other surface imperfections. Hardwoods typically can only be sanded and refinished two or three times in their lifetime before new hardwoods will have to be laid down. Ceramic tile may show signs of wear and tear by cracked and chipped tiles, missing grout and a lackluster finish. If your flooring looks tired, wear and tear has taken its toll and it's time to replace your floor covering.
Remodeling
If you are planning a large remodel of one or several rooms, this may be an ideal time to replace your floor covering as well. Not only can you choose an up to date floor that matches your renovation and adds value to your home, but the room will already be out-of-order for the time it takes to complete the remodel. So while you are not using the room and contractors are already performing work there, go ahead and have your flooring replaced.
Selling your home
If you are performing repairs in order to get your home ready to list and sell, replacing your floor coverings may be to your advantage. New, light carpeting can make any room appear new, bright, and larger. New vinyl flooring will lend a clean look to a bathroom or laundry room. When replacing flooring in your home before selling, cost is your biggest factor. You want the biggest impact for your dollar, without sinking money into the home that you will not recover. A flooring contractor can help you evaluate your needs and your budget to help you achieve this.
Replacing your floor coverings is not a spur of the moment decision. It can be an easy undertaking, however, and can add value to your home. Consult a professional flooring contractor for help in any of these transition periods when considering replacing your floor coverings.
Marble, Stone and Granite Tile
There has been an explosion in the use of natural stone during the past 10 years. Homeowners are beginning to find out that using marble and granite not only makes their homes look great but the surfaces last and increase the marketability.
Both types of stone are formed in different geological circumstances. Marble, a metamorphic rock, begins with a sedimentary rock, limestone, that was formed by the settling of fine granules in water. Time and pressure turned this into travertine and, with more of the same, marble was the end result. Marble is softer than granite but hard enough for most surfaces.
Granite, on the other hand, is an igneous rock. This type is formed by volcanic activity which mixes different compounds together like mica, feldspar and quartz. The quartz gives granite its hardness.
Marble is great for bathrooms, kitchens and main walkways in the home. However, think twice about using it in foyers as it needs to be sealed to protect it form dirt and salt in the winter. There are many grades and its not worth it in an entranceway.
Granite is impervious to acids, orange juice and other maladies that can stain marble but it can stained if immersed in these substances long enough. It is much better in foyers but make sure that it is sealed with a neutral pH sealer twice a year to prevent any discoloration.
Terrazzo is a composite of marble mixed with acrylic and polished to a beautiful sheen. It requires the same treatment as marble.
Slate: Another metamorphic rock slate is hard but requires sealing.
Common stone sizes are 12" X 12" and they are installed very much like tile.
Flooring Choices
Text by Jennifer Weldon
The flooring in a home takes the most abuse, punishment and day to day activity than any other part of a home. Daily foot traffic, paw traffic, dirt, dust and humidity eventually take its toll on a floor, and replacing the flooring becomes a necessity. Fortunately, there is a multitude of flooring choices available.
If the flooring is wood, refinishing the floors is a viable alternative. Most flooring planks are ¾" thick, allowing for sanding and refinishing. This process will eliminate most scratches and dings and bring luster back to the hardwood floors. You can even select a new floor stain to create an up-to-date look and added depth.
If your home was built in the 1960s or 1970s there is a good chance you have an old wood or linoleum floor covered by wall to wall carpeting. This was a popular solution for homeowners in that time period that had grown weary of their wood or linoleum. The carpeting of that time was very stiff and unforgiving; not the plush, soft carpeting you can sink your toes into these days.
Flooring choices today are plentiful and there are many low maintenance floors that also boast longevity. New technologies in installation and products have made the project of floor replacement much easier, as well as less costly. Reputable flooring contractors can provide estimates on replacing your floor with different materials.
Wood has always been and will probably always be a popular flooring choice. Many people associate wood flooring with the dark wood floors of their old school or grandparent's home. But wood flooring has received a facelift. With the variety of colors, grains, plank width and wood types you can create many different looks and match various decors. New urethane finishes also make today's wood flooring much easier to maintain.
Pine wood flooring is softer than the more often used oak or maple floors. But if you are seeking a rustic look, or lodge cabin feel, pine is a great option. You can even find distressed pine finishes or reclaimed pine boards that are refinished to be used again.
In the past tile flooring was only seen in bathrooms or foyers. Tile flooring today is a whole new world, offering various sizes, patterns and materials. Natural stone, granite, marble, travertine, slate and even tiles that look like wood are on the market. Larger 24" tiles are available, as are small 4" tiles, all which can be used to create unique looks. Tile is now being used on shower walls, backsplashes, and throughout the house. A popular flooring choice for bathrooms has been using tiles with an in-floor heating system. Tiles are great heat conductors and facilitate a consistent spread of warmth throughout the floor.
Laminate is a flooring choice that provides the look of wood with less maintenance. Laminate was first produced 15 years ago in Sweden. Today, you can find laminate offerings of every color and style from just about any manufacturer. Easy installation has made it a do-it-yourselfer favorite. Laminate flooring is also known as a floating floor. A slim foam pad is laid on the floor with interlocking laminate planks laid on top. Laminate flooring is actually pressed wood, so it is susceptible to water. For this reason, it is not a good flooring choice for bathrooms. However, you can glue laminate flooring down if you would like to install it in the kitchen.
Engineered hardwood flooring is a stronger flooring choice than laminate flooring. Engineered flooring is manufactured at a factory using plywood covered with a hardwood veneer. You can install engineered flooring as a floating floor or gluing it in place. Engineered flooring also gives you a wide variety of colors and styles since just about any wood can form the veneer. The plywood used as the bottom layer is more resistant to water damage than solid hardwood floors, thus it can be used in bathrooms, kitchens, and basements. New trends include cork and bamboo which are both very hardy and provide a beautiful finish.
Vinyl flooring emerged after linoleum and is a popular sheet flooring choice. Today, you can even purchase individual "press and place" vinyl flooring tiles. The styles and designs of vinyl flooring are vast and can take on the appearance of tile and stone. Vinyl flooring is a heavy paper product coated with a melamine finish, producing a tough finished product.
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