ALL FLOORS DESIGN CENTRE

Professional flooring installation is a major investment. While obtaining a floor warranty is up to you, it is important to remember that a good manufacturer's warranty could really save the day. It is not a requirement, but something that you will decide upon based on the warranty itself and your individual needs.

A flooring warranty is a fantastic thing to have in the event that you have lots of traffic or children at home. Many companies offer this warranty for up to a hundred years. That goes to show you that a company offering such warranty really believes in their work. Why then would you go for a company who refuses to stand behind theirs? The thing is, rather you are going to get the warranty or not you will get better with a contractor or company who at least offers one. Make sure also that such warranty is written to protect against defective or faulty flooring upon installation.

With that being said, some of the flooring warranty don't cover that much. Just make sure you know which you are getting into and then don't be fooled that flooring warranty is something that you really have to have.

The benefits of concrete flooring are attracting more customers, the technological innovations now make it possible to purchase beautiful and stylish concrete options for a small amount of what other flooring costs. It now become a popular flooring choice for many people both because of the benefits that it offers as well the way it looks.

Concrete floors are found in most establishments that serve food and beverages. This is not the only places that are installing them though. The benefit of concrete floors has more and more people in homes installing these decorative and durable concrete flooring options. As a matter of fact concrete flooring has become a very in demand addition. This is not your ordinary gray concrete either; the options in concrete flooring may surprise you.

You can personalize this dependable flooring option to suit your design style and needs. It can be stained, painted and have patterns incorporated that take on the appearance of wood, brick or stone just to name some. This is a floor that will never warp, and stain worries are over. You will never have to worry about splitting or cracking either.

Nothing says luxury and elegance quite like acres of polished marble. It requires a little extra TLC at certain times of the year. Marble floors need care and maintenance, however, and knowing what they need can make them look better and last longer.

Marble floor care and maintenance can be quite tricky. Marble flooring is made from marble which is kin to limestone. With marble being metamorphic it has undergone tremendous changes beneath the Earth's surface before ever becoming our beloved marble flooring or countertops, etc.

Marble flooring comes in a wide variety of natural designs and colors. because of its genetic make up marble is actually a very porous and soft stone that is very sensitive to chemicals. Marble is the one type of Stone that will show where relatively fast if not properly cared for and protected.

Because natural stone comes out of the earth, there can be wild variations in its color and quality, so be sure to do your homework when shopping for stone tile for your floor. Order enough material to complete the job in one shipment - that will minimize mismatched lots.

Getting new flooring for the home or a particular room or area involves many decisions and the first and most important decision is what type of material to use. More and more people are opting for slate flooring because it is a natural stone and has many architectural qualities. Because it is from natural stone, there is never two pieces of this material that are alike and because of this; it is guaranteed that no two flooring will be the same.

Are you thinking of replacing your bedroom flooring? Consider the costs, benefits, and the downsides of each type of flooring before you commit. There are many types of bedroom floors but the flooring you opt for your bedroom should meet functional and visual requirements of the bedroom.

Bedroom flooring is as important as the paint on the walls and the fixtures you would love to place at strategic places. Unlike many other rooms in your house, bedroom flooring would have to be comfortable, elegant and aesthetically pleasing. You should have a warm and refreshing feel in your bedroom and flooring would play a defining role in the same.

Once you have decided on the base of your bedroom flooring, you can opt for carpets or rugs and also further enhancements of the floor. Various types of products made of vinyl, linoleum or the latest marmoleum can be ideal bedroom flooring ideas.

Solid hardwood flooring is the more traditional type of wooden flooring compared to engineered hardwood flooring. Engineered hardwood flooring is not a new phenomenon and has been around for several decades. Here, we shall take a comprehensive look at whether solid hardwood flooring is better or engineered hardwood flooring by analyzing the pros and cons of each. Solid hardwood flooring is used from a single piece of wood which is then split into various slabs (longitudinal) to fit into each other at the tongues and grooves. Engineered hardwood flooring has a specific manufacturing practice where several wood pieces are formed into layers, each one known as ‘ply’, and these plies are placed in a cross grain pattern and bonded together using heat and pressure.

Now, let us look at the pros and cons of each.

The biggest disadvantage of solid hardwood flooring is the fact that they react to moisture. If the relative humidity in the room is a bit on the higher side then this type of flooring can expand. When the relative humidity drops they contract. This is regarded as instability in terms of languages used for flooring. As a result of this phenomenon, solid hardwood flooring cannot be used in basements, toilets or at any place where there is a susceptibility of moisture accumulation. Normal dehumidifiers can easily act as a prevention mechanism to such instability but the problem is inherent to this type of flooring. Engineered hardwood flooring does not have any such problems as they do not react to moisture. They can be installed in the basements, toilets or even on concrete floors. However, it has to be ensured that there is no moisture on the surface or in the room while installing such type of flooring.

Solid hardwood flooring can last for several generations. As a matter of fact, more than 50 years can be an easy task for solid hardwood flooring. Sanding, refinishing or re-coating the surface once every 20 years can be good enough to maintain solid hardwood flooring. With time, solid hardwood flooring shows the true elegance and natural grains of the wood hence enhancing the beauty and aesthetics of the property. Engineered hardwood flooring can also last for a long time and they are equally easy to maintain. They are resistive to scratches or quick wear and tear, however they do not possess the quality of getting their appearance enhanced as the wood has been made into plies rather than being used as a block. Engineered hardwood flooring is eco-friendly since the manufacturing process uses up a lot of waste which is an advantage that solid hardwood flooring doesn’t offer.

Tile flooring or ceramic flooring is the most common type of flooring that has been around for centuries. Homes, offices and commercial or public places all around the world have largely used it and still do so. Vinyl is a relatively recent development and although it has not spread massively all around the world just as yet still countries like US and some other developed nations have warmed up to the idea. Here we shall take a look at tile which is also known as ceramic flooring owing to the ceramic compound that tiles are made of and vinyl.

Tile flooring is a little costlier than vinyl flooring. The starting range of both floors can be almost the same but if you choose to use tile flooring of a bit better quality and variance then you may end up spending much more than vinyl flooring.

Both have equally variable options. You can choose exotic tiles and there are exclusive and unique vinyl designs as well. The price shoots higher in such cases with tiles but with vinyl flooring, even if you opt for the best ones in the market still you would spend less.

Tile requires a cement mixture to be applied to fix them in place. Vinyl can be applied by one using the adhesive that is already present at the back of it. Tile cannot be done by yourself while vinyl flooring is easy if you have a hand or two to help you.

Vinyl flooring is less durable than tile flooring. It is not only more prone to wear and tear but they also run for a lesser time than tile flooring. Ceramic can last for decades. It is not uncommon to find fifty year old tile unbroken, un-chipped and without a scratch. Vinyl flooring can be easily chipped or peeled. Expensive vinyl may be more robust and be able to handle more foot pressure and wear and tear but they are still nowhere close to the durability and longevity of tile.

They are both very easy to maintain. Tile floors can take any common cleaning methods and so would vinyl floors. However, some types of vinyl may be prone to quicker wear and tear with harsh chemicals which is not a problem with tile floors.

So you want a hardwood floor in your home? Congratulations it’s a great choice to make. But before you can enjoy the many benefits of this particular type of flooring it’s worth considering what finish you are going to opt for. So with that in mind, here are some tips you can think about when considering your options.

How much time do you have?

This might sound like an odd question to open with, but some finishes take longer to dry than others. For example an oil based finish is typically the one that takes the longest amount of time to dry. If you choose another type of finish for your hardwood floor – a water based option for example – you can complete the job faster. When you consider you won’t be able to walk on the floor until it is completely dry, you can see how convenient this can be if the room you are doing is frequently in use.

Can’t you get the hardwood finished for you before it is installed?

Yes this can be done. You must make sure you choose a high quality hardwood floor in this case though: otherwise you won’t get the results you want. The advantage of this method is that you can get the floor laid and not worry about staining it or waiting for it to dry. As soon as the floor is down you can start enjoying it.

Can you choose from different types of finishes for your hardwood?

Yes you can. There are surface finishes which literally sit on the surface of the wood, and penetrating finishes that do exactly what the name suggests. It is generally easier for the homeowner to maintain a surface finished floor because the upkeep is more straightforward. Indeed many floors today are protected in this way, so you may want to keep the maintenance to a minimum and opt for a surface finished floor.

One thing worth bearing in mind is that the more popular surface finished option is actually a lot harder wearing than the penetrating one. So if you have an active household this is the finish to go for.

Is there a good choice of colors in both finished floors and those that are finished after they are laid?

The good news is yes – you have a great choice in both situations here. There are wide ranges of colors and shades that have a nice warm finish. Some are much darker than others so you should consider which shade would look best in your home. If you are going to have a hardwood floor laid throughout your home you should pick a shade that will look good in every single room.

As you can see there is a lot to think about when considering what type and finish of hardwood floor you should get. But if you spend a little time considering the options now you will be rewarded with a better floor in the end.

Nothing looks quite as impressive as a newly laid hardwood floor. You may have spent some considerable time looking for the right color and shade of hardwood to put down in your home, so you get the effect you wanted.

But now you have it to enjoy, how do you actually protect it and take care of it so it will have a long life without getting damaged? Here are some tips and advice to help ensure you still have the best looking hardwood floor around in several years from now.

Stick to some simple care tips on a regular basis

Some people are under the misapprehension that they have to work hard to take care of their hardwood floors. In fact nothing could be further from the truth. There are some simple one off measures you can take that will help prevent damage in the future (we’ll cover those in a moment) but there are also some simple things you can do frequently to make sure nothing damages your floor.

For example, take the time to sweep it every day and pick up any noticeable grit or other items that could scratch the floor if they’re not removed. Not only does this keep it looking good, it prevents you or anyone else from treading anything into the wood itself. It’s also a good idea to have a ‘no shoes’ rule in your home, to further reduce the chances of damaging your floor.

Finally make sure anything that is spilled on the floor is immediately mopped up. This will minimize the odds of any damage occurring from food or drink spillages.

One off measures

Here are some good things to do when you first get your hardwood floor that will pay dividends for a long time to come. Consider which areas are going to get a lot of foot traffic as these will be most prone to damage. Invest in some runners, rugs or mats to help reduce the amount of grit and dirt that can get on the floor itself. Just make sure you add some special underlay underneath the rugs so they don’t slide on the floor when you put your foot on them.

Another thing you can do is to put pads on the undersides of any feet on your furniture. Even if you don’t move your furniture around very much at all, it only takes a slight movement back and forth to cause scratches. They’re cheap and easy to fit so it’s worth putting them on every item of furniture you have.

Finally if you have pets – especially cats – make sure they aren’t tempted to scratch the floor. As far as cats are concerned, if you can find a hardwood floor cleaner scented with lemon that should put them off.

As you can see it is worth putting these few simple measures into practice so you can enjoy a better looking harder wearing hardwood floor for a long time to come.

Despite the wide range of flooring types we can now choose from when putting new flooring down in our homes, a lot of us still opt for carpet. It is certainly really warm and cozy underfoot and feels pretty good no matter what time of the year it might be.

But that doesn’t mean choosing a carpet is an easy matter. In fact you’ll need to put a lot of thought into the carpet you choose, because the chances are you’ll have it for a good few years.

Consider color

Color is very important. You can change the color of your walls very cheaply and easily simply by painting over them. But you don’t want to change your carpet every few months! This means choosing your color very carefully indeed. Make sure that even if you decided to change the walls, the décor and the furniture, your carpet would still fit in and not look out of place.

Do you want a pattern?

Carpets come in all kinds of patterns. Some of them have a very distinct pattern, using different colors to achieve the finished effect. Others have a more subtle pattern, using different shades of the same color. Still more create patterns by cutting the pile of the carpet to different lengths.

So you have to consider all of these possibilities, as well as thinking about whether a plain carpet would be the best choice for the room you are re-carpeting.

What about stain protection?

Stain protection will make the carpet more expensive to buy. But it is well worth considering because it will protect it for longer. If anyone spills something on it, there won’t be a mad panic to try (and maybe fail) to get the stain out.

Stain protection is arguably even more important if you’re going for a plain carpet. There is no hiding a red wine stain on a nice beige carpet!

What about the finish?

Even when you’ve decided on all these factors, you still need to consider the actual finish you’re going to opt for. Deep pile carpets are great underfoot but the pile will eventually squash down in highly trafficked areas so this is something to consider. Carpets with a shorter pile look good too, and can be more practical in busy areas like utility rooms.

Bear the cost in mind too, because this is likely to tell you a lot about how well made the carpet is and how long it might last. You can normally tell the difference in quality between a cheap carpet and a much more expensive one, so think about the room it is going in and how long you want it to last for.

As you can see there is a lot to think about here. Choosing your ideal carpet is not a simple process. But spending a little time going over all the points raised above will ensure you end up with the best possible choice.