From the Floors Up

Why We Love Laminate Flooring For The Kitchen

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Laminate flooring is small slice of genius when it comes to kitchen flooring. Its best attributes are all ideal for a kitchen that is a busy central hub in the home. It is the space where adults, kids, guests, and pets all converge and inevitably make some kind of mess. Children pour milk into the cereal bowl too fast and splash it all over the floor. Pets dance around excitedly hoping for a treat and add a lot of wear to the floor in the process. Dinner party guests accidentally tip their appetizer plate and the sauce creeps underfoot.  If this sounds like your kitchen and you’re getting ready to remodel we recommend you take a serious look at some of the top laminate flooring brands. Why?

To begin with, modern laminate flooring is designed to resemble real wood or tile and the effect is convincing. So if the cost to replace carpet with hardwood is too high, laminate can offer a great faux wood flooring alternative. But using laminate doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style and good taste. Next, a huge benefit of laminate is that it is very easy to clean. To care for it just be sure to quickly clean up any spills, sweep it regularly, and use a damp mop to maintain the luster of the surface. If you do this consistently, upkeep of the floor over time will be a piece of cake because laminate flooring is resistant to stains and scratches.

It happens to be exceptionally durable because of the way it is constructed. It is comprised of layers that achieve both strength and aesthetics. And these days, waterproof laminate flooring options have made this material more attractive than ever. There is one detrimental substance that compromises the integrity of the flooring and that is dirt/sand. It is very abrasive and if it is on the floor for extended lengths of time it will scratch it.

Another benefit of laminate flooring is the ease with which it can be installed! It’s amazingly simple.  Both glue-free and glue options are available.

The last reason we’ll share, although there are certainly more, is the fact that there are so many options. Once you start exploring the details of this type of flooring you’ll find that it’s available in a wide variety of colors, textures, shapes, and finishes. All things considered, it’s an excellent choice for a household where function is the number one priority in the kitchen!

Leave us a comment if you have any questions about the process or how to get started with this amazing option for your home!

Pro’s and Con’s of Hardwood Floors | Part Two

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Hardwood flooring is aesthetically pleasing, low maintenance, durable, and it can be refinished multiple times. With so many benefits, why should you not invest in hardwood throughout your whole home? Well, every up has its downs, but that does not mean these beautiful floors are not worth the investment. Hardwood may be the perfect solution your home is missing, yet having a better understanding of the product never hurts. Join us as we explore the other side of the coin and see some of the cons in hardwood flooring.

CON’s

Cost

Home investments can be pricey, and hardwood is no exception. The cost of the product, specialized tools, and installation can make hardwood flooring a more costly investment. However, the durability of this flooring and return on investment in real estate may be worth the long-term investment. And not all hardwood floors are equally expensive, either. For instance, the cost to install engineered hardwood floors is often lower than the cost to install solid hardwood floors.

Noise

Hardwood reduces hollow sounds and can improve the home’s acoustics. Therefore, hardwood is installed in dance studios. However, this allows the sound waves to travel very easily and does not dampen unwanted noise. To reduce sound, you may want to invest in a cork underlayment or area rugs.

Water

Water is not hardwood flooring’s friend. The planks will expand and contract and become damaged. It is not a good practice to put hardwood near watery areas in the home like bathrooms or laundry rooms.

Subfloor

Unfortunately, hardwood floors cannot be installed over any surface. Hardwood is an organic material and even the best hardwood floor brands can expand and contract due to temperature and moisture levels. Concrete retains a lot of moisture and can damage the floor. While some engineered hardwoods can be installed over concrete by gluing the planks down, it is not recommended.

Remember, not all hardwood flooring is created equal. All woods have different scratch resistant level, stain different, and come engineered or solid. While the pros may outweigh the cons, it is essential to understand if hardwood is the best suit for you. If you missed part one, where we talked about the pro’s, visit it here.

Pro’s and Con’s of Hardwood Floors | Part One

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Hardwood flooring is a timeless home improvement that enhances your space with an authentic, awe-inspiring look. While many homeowners love the look of hardwood floors, it is not practical in every application. Hardwood floors offer many benefits to the home, yet knowing when and where to install them will help you create your space. Explore the pros and cons of hardwood floors and decide for yourself if they are best for your home!

PRO’S

Aesthetics

The first pro is no surprise. Hardwood floors have been around for centuries for a reason: they are simply beautiful. Apart from being gorgeous to look at, they are an excellent investment. In fact, hardwood floors can also raise the real estate value of your home.

Low Maintenance

Hardwood floors are extremely low maintenance. They are more stain resilient than carpet or untreated tiles. While carpet imbeds dirt, dust, and debris, hardwood can be easily cleaned by simply sweeping the surface with a swifter or broom.

Longevity

Hardwood can last for an extremely long time. While it may be an expensive investment at first, in the long run, it is a high-quality flooring solution worth the venture. Hardwood floors can be sanded and refinished several times to make your flooring look brand new.

Enhanced Air Quality

Consider how much of a nuisance it can be for dust to get trapped between your carpet fibers. If you or your children are allergy sensitive, you may want to stray away from carpet. Dust, pet allergens, and pollen love settling in on the surface of your flooring. Even tile grout lines can create a home for these unwanted nuisances. Hardwood flooring ensures an easy to clean surface to remove these and create a high-quality air environment in your home.

Ultimately, hardwood floors are excellent for homes. They flow with virtually any design theme and enhance your home’s overall aesthetics. Make sure you carefully explore some competitive options like LVP or Tile to really make sure your floor is tailored for what is best suited for your home. From engineered to solid hardwood or oak to maple, discovering which floor is best is up to you. Ask your sales representative if hardwood will work for you and what the best hardwood floor brand is for your application. If so, you will not be disappointed with this timeless home remedy.

Building a House…I Wish I Had Thought of That! (Part Two)

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Screen Shot 2013-05-07 at 10.36.28 AMAs promised we have added more helpful tips that will hopefully keep you from saying “I wish I had thought of that!”

  • Bathroom: I wish I had thought of this one…when designing your cabinets for your bathrooms, think about longer drawers and fewer cabinets. The storage in drawers can be so efficient. Adding draw organizers is sure to make anyone happy!
  • Rounded Corners: Round corners create a smooth custom look throughout your home, which is sometimes easy to miss when you’re thinking about the design of your home.
  • Wall Texture: have you ever noticed the wall texture on homes that you have visited? Some are rough, others a little textured (referred to as knocked down), and then there is smooth. Think about the style of your home and remember there are options when it comes to wall texture.
  • Screen Shot 2013-05-06 at 1.30.12 PMHardwood or Ceramic Floors: You don’t have to pick one or the other, you can have both! Combining wood floors and ceramic adds texture and style to any home. Just remember that the transition from one material to another can make or break a design. Make sure you have a clear-cut line between the two rooms; adding a border in the wood creates a very clean look.
  • Basement Ceiling:  The average basement ceiling is 8 to 9 feet tall. To make your basement feel more open and like the rest of your house consider 10-foot ceilings. You will pay a little more but at the end you will be happy you did it!
  • Interior Doors:  Solid 8-foot wood doors throughout your home will make a statement. Larger doors bring a custom feel to your home that you will enjoy for years to come.

Building a house takes a lot of time and planning. Try to put things in perspective and prioritize what is important to you and your family.

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank Megan for spending her time and sharing her home building insight!

Putting the Family in Family Room

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7596084_SOne of the best ways to create family time is to create a family room that is warm and inviting for the entire family.  Furniture and flooring can go a long way to making the family room a place the entire family will want to hang out.

Starting on the floor, choose flooring that works for your family’s lifestyle.  Super high traffic areas like family rooms mean you’ll want a durable and stain resistant material. Given some activities like gaming and play in the family room mean sitting on the floor, you’ll want flooring that is also comfortable.  Stain-resistant carpet could be a good choice. So could wood floors or laminate flooring with the addition of an area rug in the seating area.  If you have pets, a wood or laminate floor might be the better choice than carpet.

Ample seating for watching movies, the big game or playing games is also key for a family friendly room. A mix of seating options is always a good idea. Sectional sofas or a pair of sofas in an L-shape creates a nice cozy arrangement for conversation and television watching. Portable seating like poufs, ottomans or stools can be moved around the room as needed, or stored out of the way.

Family photos on the walls and good storage to hide clutter are also good additions to a family room. Make the room inviting and you’ll find yourself and your family hanging out there more.

From the Floors Up

From the Floors Up blog was created with the goal of providing a destination for consumers, designers and those interested in the flooring, design, and kitchen and bath industries. Here you’ll find, current, accurate and informative information that is always just a click away!

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