<?xml version='1.0' encoding='UTF-8'?><?xml-stylesheet href="http://www.blogger.com/styles/atom.css" type="text/css"?><feed xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom' xmlns:openSearch='http://a9.com/-/spec/opensearchrss/1.0/' xmlns:georss='http://www.georss.org/georss' xmlns:gd='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005' xmlns:thr='http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0'><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629</id><updated>2011-08-03T00:55:30.827-07:00</updated><category term='Business'/><category term='World News'/><category term='Sports'/><category term='politics'/><title type='text'>Flooring: Carpet | Horizon Carpet | Stanton Carpet | Supreme Carpet</title><subtitle type='html'>Stanton Carpet, Supreme Carpet, Southwind Carpet, Sutton Carpet, Wellco Carpet, Wunda Weave Carpet, Zenith Carpet,  Cumberland Carpet,  Gulistan Carpet,  Hollytex Carpet, Horizon Carpet</subtitle><link rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#feed' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default?max-results=100'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/'/><link rel='hub' href='http://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author><generator version='7.00' uri='http://www.blogger.com'>Blogger</generator><openSearch:totalResults>21</openSearch:totalResults><openSearch:startIndex>1</openSearch:startIndex><openSearch:itemsPerPage>100</openSearch:itemsPerPage><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-7132581871054346914</id><published>2007-11-16T06:46:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-10-20T05:19:00.145-07:00</updated><title type='text'>What Is Better For Carpet Cleaning? Steam Cleaners Or Regular Vaccum Cleaners?</title><content type='html'>by: Matthew Meyer&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Necessity is the mother of invention. &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Carpets &lt;/span&gt;were invented in the sixties and became popular very quickly. Following this breakthrough, manufacturers needed to make something to clean the carpets and preserve their texture. Thus, there came the invention of the first vacuum cleaner.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In today’s world, with the rise of pollution, dirt and grime has also become more sticky and difficult to get rid off. People have started developing asthma and other allergies, all which demand the need of a cleaner, safer environment in the home. While regular vacuum cleaners are able to remove surface dust only, carpet steam cleaners go deep into the base of the&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; carpet&lt;/span&gt; and the carpet fibers to eliminate dirt from the roots.&lt;div class="fullpost"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Features of &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Carpet Steam&lt;/span&gt; Cleaners&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The steam vacuum works by injecting superheated steam onto the &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet&lt;/span&gt;. The high temperatures allow complete removal of the toughest stains, as well as kill all dust mites and other allergens. This way the carpet is sanitized to the maximum. The self contained carpet steam cleaners are the best combination as they have inbuilt vacuum cleaners which allow the surface dust to be removed as well as the debris from the base of the &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet&lt;/span&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Rotating brushes are also part of the machine, which make sure the steam reaches all parts of the &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet&lt;/span&gt; and any sticky dirt is removed completely. Mostly, hot water has to be added to the machine, but the newer models are being manufactured with their own water heaters which keep the water at the optimum temperature allowing maximum efficacy.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;These steam cleaners are helpful in areas, apart from &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpets&lt;/span&gt; as well. They can be used to clean all types of places, from cooker hoods to the inside of ovens. Even tiling and toilet corners can be effectively disinfected using these steam cleaners. Along with domestic use, carpet steam cleaners have become the best tool for&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; carpet &lt;/span&gt;cleaning, in various industries, like hospitals, restaurants, hair salons and even trains. The quick drying of these gadgets allows continuous use, making it practical and convenient for everyone.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Carpet steam cleaners are far more superior to vacuum cleaning, when it comes to efficacy. Nevertheless, it is a time consuming activity and &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;certain carpets&lt;/span&gt; with delicate threads may get damaged permanently. Keeping these facts in mind, we can come to the conclusion, that steam cleaning is a must for every household, at least once a year, while carpets should be cleaned with a regular vacuum at least once a week.&lt;br /&gt;http://www.quickregister.net/&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-7132581871054346914?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/7132581871054346914'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/7132581871054346914'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/11/what-is-better-for-carpet-cleaning.html' title='What Is Better For Carpet Cleaning? Steam Cleaners Or Regular Vaccum Cleaners?'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-9081775945304272174</id><published>2007-11-10T06:44:00.000-08:00</published><updated>2008-09-07T02:45:16.480-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Carpeting and Stains</title><content type='html'>by: &lt;b class="author"&gt;Enrique Cleanotto&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;If you have a&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; carpet&lt;/span&gt;, you can count on spilling something on it at some point in time. Getting the stain out is a matter of timing and know how.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Carpeting &lt;/span&gt;and Stains&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Carpeting&lt;/span&gt; has come a long way over the years. The first &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpets&lt;/span&gt; would get stains from practically any contact. They were a nightmare to get out, if you could even do so. As the years passed, the quality of&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; carpeting&lt;/span&gt; has improved particularly in relation to their resistance to stains. While this makes life easier for you when a stain occurs, you still have to put in some work.&lt;div class="fullpost"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One of the biggest issues that you need to focus on in the removal of stains is time. Simply put, procrastination will kill you and your &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet&lt;/span&gt;. If you spill something on the carpet, you need to deal with it NOW. The longer the stain sits, the more likely it is to soak into the fibers of the &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet&lt;/span&gt;. If you spill it, clean it immediately even if the spill occurs during a party or some gathering. You will be glad you did so.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The second step is, ironically, not to clean the &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpeting&lt;/span&gt; per se. Instead, you should focus on removing the excess liquid. This should be done by blotting the area with a towel of some sort. To blot, lightly press up and down on the stain. Do not swirl or spin the towel over the spill. This will only spread the stain out and make cleaning it a more difficult task.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Once the excess liquid is removed, it will probably be necessary to apply a cleaning solution. Despite the claims on the bottle of cleaner, it is important to understand the cleaner may adversely affect your &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet&lt;/span&gt;, to wit, it may change the color. First try the cleaner in a small, out of the way area such as a closet. Once you apply the cleaner, look at both the carpet and your towel to see if any color has transferred. If everything appears okay, then it is time to remove the stain.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When addressing the stain, it is best to work from the outer edges towards the middle. The idea is to remove the stain, not spread it to a larger area. When rubbing the stain, do not use the bigger hammer theory. Pushing harder on the stain will not help remove it and may actually damage the weave of the carpet. Use a consistent pressure and go slowly. Getting the stain out is important, but not if it results in a patch of&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; carpet&lt;/span&gt; that looks like it was run over with a lawn mower.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you have a carpet, you will also have stains. Deal with them immediately and you should be able to keep your &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpeting&lt;/span&gt; in reasonably good shape.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;http://www.carpetcleaningyeti.com&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-9081775945304272174?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/9081775945304272174'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/9081775945304272174'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/11/carpeting-and-stains.html' title='Carpeting and Stains'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-3442670782969952077</id><published>2007-11-01T06:42:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-10-20T05:18:18.741-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Vacuuming Tips for your Carpet</title><content type='html'>by: &lt;b class="author"&gt;Greg Brandon&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt; Important when keeping your &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet&lt;/span&gt; clean is vacuuming&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Vacuum with regularity, particularly in high-traffic areas. Remember that walking on soiled carpet allows the soil particles to migrate below the area of the pile where they are a lot more difficult to remove and can deteriorate the fibers. Habitual vacuuming removes these particles from the area before this happens.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Vacuuming Tips&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For locations with infrequent use, vacuum the traffic areas twice weekly and the whole domain once weekly. Those areas with more use necessitate that the traffic areas be vacuumed daily and the entire area twice weekly. Up to three passes of the machine is ok for light soiling, but five to seven passes are necessary for firmly soiled areas. Diversify the vacuuming route periodically to help stand the pile even and minimize matting.&lt;div class="fullpost"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What type of vacuum should you purchase?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A good vacuum cleaner is vital to prolonging the beauty and life of your carpet. A bargain vacuum can eradicate surface dirt but will not effectively abstract the invisible dirt and particles embedded in the pile.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;We prescribe the use of vacuums with a rotating brush or combination beater/brush bar that beats the &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet pile&lt;/span&gt; and mechanically loosens soil for deposal by the vacuum. Note that carpet with thick loop pile construction, particularly wool and wool-blend styles, may be delicate to beating of the pile surface and may become fuzzy. For these carpets, we endorse the use of a suction-only vacuum or a vacuum with an adaptable brush lifted away from the carpet so it does not agitate the pile. You can first test a beater bar vacuum in an insignificant place first, and then clean your main traffic areas if no deformation occurs.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Replaceable paper vacuum bags seem to work better of trapping the minor particles that will pass through cloth bags back into the room. High efficiency vacuum bags, also called micro filtration or HEPA bags, trap even tinier microscopic particles such as mold and mildew spores and dust mite byproducts, commonly found to be a source of allergies. This kind of vacuum bag is available under several names, such as the "MICRO-LINED" bag available at most vacuum specialty shops, or the "MICRO-Clean" bag available at some department and discount stores, and "MICRO FILTRATION" and "MICRO LINER" brands available at Sears stores. You need to confirm that these bags hold particles smaller than two (2) microns. All vacuum bags should be inspected usually and replaced when half full.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Check to ensure the belt of the vacuum is functioning properly and that the beater bar rotates and functions properly when pushed along the &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet&lt;/span&gt;. To alter the vacuum to the correct height setting for the &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet&lt;/span&gt;, raise the beater/brush bar to the highest setting and then lower it until it contacts the pile enough to faintly pulsate the carpet a small distance from the vacuum, but not low enough to origin major slowing of the motor.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It should be noted that many vacuum brands such as Dyson vacuum cleaners will automatically adapt themselves to your carpet height...this is a real time saver!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Diversify the vacuuming direction occasionally to help stand the carpet even and curtail matting.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Things to do and avoid when vacuuming&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you ever abuse the fine carpet cleaning powders, make sure you have a HEPA filter on your vacuum (either a HEPA bag or a HEPA bagless vacuum) this will eliminate having that fine dust from the cleaning power blown back into the room through the exhaust of your vacuum, where you will breath it!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Also, the cause of odors in vacuum cleaners is from bacteria growing in the bags (buying a 'bagless' vacuum will annihilate this problem!Bags should be changed at least once a month, or even more frequently depending on usage. Ensure and purchase vacum bags treated with a chemical that helps destroy the bacteria and odors in bags.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Don't ever pick up drywall soot or vacuum out the fireplace with your vacuum. The greatest vacuum for these types of cleaning tasks would be shop vacuums. (they are sold at any home improvement store) 'Shop' vacuums have heavy duty filters and are good for certain kinds of heavy dust and dirt.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Make sure not to maneuver your vacuum on saturated &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpets&lt;/span&gt; or surfaces, unless they are rated as damp/dry vacuums.Operating common vacuums in this form will possibly deface them and cause early wear on the motor and other open components. There is also an electrical shock danger involved with using vacuums on wet surfaces as well...the beater bar can create a static buildup, which can result in an electrical hazard to you.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Again, if you have a vacuum that uses a bag...then reverse your bag AT LEAST once a month.There is a lot of odor and bacteria problems associated with full or half-full bags. Would you just leave your garbage in bags inside your house? That bag is one of the dirtiest areas in your home, full of germs and bacteria - replace it frequently.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Cleaning performance is dependent largely on that bag. A clogged bag also puts strain on your machine and puts more strain on your motor. The few cents you save in bags is wasted on the dollars that you'll spend for machine repairs.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Never admit your vacuum bag get over half full.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Diversify your belt about every three months.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Belts are Devised to elongate and wear out, the same as fan belts on cars. As the belt stretches the efficiency of the beater bar to effectively oscillate (and hence clean your carpets) will be diminished. You should reverse your belt about every 3 months depending on abuse. Contact your vacuum manufacturer to see if this is covered in their warranty.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://vacuums-defined.com/" class="hft-urls"&gt;http://Vacuums-Defined.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-3442670782969952077?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/3442670782969952077'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/3442670782969952077'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/11/vacuuming-tips-for-your-carpet.html' title='Vacuuming Tips for your Carpet'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-1311858459809130454</id><published>2007-10-30T06:38:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-09-07T02:47:00.264-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Choosing The Right Carpet Padding</title><content type='html'>by: &lt;b class="author"&gt;James Carlson&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;If you are having your &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpets&lt;/span&gt; replaced you will be in the position to choose a new &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet pad&lt;/span&gt; as well. Read this article for some information that should help you make this decision. Hopefully it will make your decision easier.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The first thing you will have to decide is what kind of pad you want. The most common type of padding is rebond which is made of recycled material. Besides rebond there is also prime pad which is made of all new materials and several specialty pads that offer resistance to staining and odor.&lt;div class="fullpost"&gt; In most cases it is not worth the expense of upgrading to a pad other than rebond so that is normally your best choice. After you have selected the type of pad you will be using you will have to choose the thickness. The most common density is probably 3/8 of an inch and will suit most people just fine. If you want something more plush you might want to upgrade to a thicker pad. I would not suggest using a thinner pad than 3/8 because it will be very hard to step and walk on. Your last choice in pad is density given in terms of pounds. The most common is 6 pound pad which is fine for most people. The denser it is though the longer it will last so you might consider upgrading to an 8 pound pad. That is about all there is to choosing a pad. Basically if you are not picky a 6 pound, 3/8 inch rebond pad is a good all around choice. You can go up or down from there if you want a cheaper pad or a more comforatable one.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I hope this article has given you some insight into the world of &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet pads&lt;/span&gt;. It is not the biggest choice you will make when it comes to flooring but it is important. Good luck with whatever decision you make.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-1311858459809130454?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/1311858459809130454'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/1311858459809130454'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/10/choosing-right-carpet-padding.html' title='Choosing The Right Carpet Padding'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-8820075142396444775</id><published>2007-10-15T06:28:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-09-07T02:47:33.343-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Carpet Installation Tips: Top 5 Insetting Shortcuts for Custom Rug Fabricators</title><content type='html'>by: &lt;b class="author"&gt;Russell Webb&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;When insetting design elements into wall to &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;wall carpet&lt;/span&gt; it can be a challenge doing the work 'on-site', so why not plan ahead and save yourself the hassels and headaches associated with this type of installation? Here are a few tips.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As an experienced custom rug fabricator, I have been exposed to some tough on-site job requests. Admittedly, there are some projects that will demand your time 'on site' that you just can't get around with a good shortcut. You just have to grin and bear it.&lt;div class="fullpost"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I always prefer to do the bulk of the fabrication at my workshop. This of course, helps me minimize the on-site time that I spend on a job - and keeps me off my knees! Working on the floor, as any installer can testify, is a grind. It's really tough on the knees and body.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;My workshop has large 4' x 8' tables (some linked together to create really big surface areas) that allow me to stand upright and do my work. I have anti-fatigue mats that run the perimeter of the tables and cushion my feet against the cold, energy sapping concrete. Personally, I'd much rather work in my own environment listening to music at high volume levels than working on-site.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tip #1&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Find a good&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; carpet installer&lt;/span&gt; if you aren't experienced in installation. As a trained rug fabricator, it isn't necessary to be an installer too. Find the best installer that you can, plan your strategy for the project. Be there for the installation. Bring all of your gear and extra &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet&lt;/span&gt;. You want to be prepared for any last minute adjustments.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tip #2&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Have a clear understanding of your &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet&lt;/span&gt; cuts before you begin. If the whole house is facing a complete installation then this is especially important. If it's just a room that you're working on, then it's no big deal because you're ordering just enough carpet for that room.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tip #3&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When adding multiple borders around the perimeter of a room, you can pre-seam and pre-bevel the borders prior to installing. For example, if you have 3 borders, then seam/bevel the 3 borders at your workshop. Then seam once to the main field and bevel once 'on-site'. I suggest mitering the corners of your borders as you install, this is more professional and hides those corner seams better. Even single border projects can be beveled prior to seaming (it is faster).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tip #4&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Prefabricate any design details that you possibly can. Example: Your client wants a few roses in each corner of the room. You can do the bulk of this work prior to going on-location, If your design is properly planned. If you're really prepared, and the rooms aren't too large, then you can prefabricate the whole room and install it in one piece, but be careful here because you do need to allow for power-stretching and trimming.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tip #5&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When insetting into existing &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;wall to wall carpet&lt;/span&gt;. Do your research first. Examine the existing &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet&lt;/span&gt; closely. Is it in very good condition? Is it a good quality? You want the answers to these questions to be YES. You don't want to waste your time working with old and tired &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet&lt;/span&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;These are just a few tips for successful inset installations. If you do a quality job then your customer will love what you're doing and appreciate the beauty that you are adding to their home. They'll love you even more if you come in, quickly do your job, and leave a small footprint.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Working on-site doesn't have to be a chore. As you can see here, planning ahead is the key. Save yourself valuable time and money by being prepared. Do as much prefabrication OFF-site as you can.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-8820075142396444775?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/8820075142396444775'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/8820075142396444775'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/10/carpet-installation-tips-top-5.html' title='Carpet Installation Tips: Top 5 Insetting Shortcuts for Custom Rug Fabricators'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-8214979611408241589</id><published>2007-10-11T06:26:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-09-07T02:48:08.172-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Custom Rugs and Carpets: 8 Tips Before You Buy</title><content type='html'>&lt;span class="author"&gt;By:&lt;/span&gt;&lt;b class="author"&gt; Russell Webb&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;Buying a custom ordered product always has a small amount of risk involved. After all, most custom products require the buyer to take a leap of faith because they are going to buy something sight unseen. This does apply to custom rug making as well. You can minimize the risks by educating yourself and prepare yourself with proper planning.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="fullpost"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Here are 8 important tips before you commit to buying:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tip #1: Research the available custom rug fabricators in your local area or go online. Look for quality and professionalism. Do they have experience? Do they have designs to choose from? Do they have a portfolio that you can look at?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tip #2: Identify a budget for your rug project. If your budget is tight, then maybe ordering a custom rug isn't realistic at this time. If you can afford to spend extra for something unique and custom then you may be looking at $500-1000 for smaller size rugs, $1000-5,000 for larger sizes - depending on size and complexity, costs can escalate even further as rugs get larger. If you're ordering multiple rugs then politely demand a package price discount!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tip#3: Get design ideas online by visiting area rug sites. If you find a design that you like, then try and capture the largest image that you can. You can 'right click' the image with your mouse and 'save image as' into a folder on your desktop. Start a collection of inspiring ideas.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tip#4: Consider how the rug will integrate into your interior. Do you have a fabric or theme that you can play from? Do you have a style that appeals to you; some current styles might be Old World, Modern, Tropical, Southwestern, Abstract, or even Whimsical.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tip #5: Several rugs can tie-in together from room to room. They don't have to be all the same design. Consider reversing some of the colors or changing the design elements slightly. This is a great method for integrating multiple custom rugs within the home.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tip #6: Stay clear of overly complex designs. If you want to match that busy Persian rug design in your living room, then you're better off looking for a Persian rug supplier, not a custom rug fabricator.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tip #7: Share your favorite designs with your rug fabricator. Discuss options for integrating your ideas into your own custom rug. Ask for an estimate in writing on your proposed design. Expect to pay extra for any additional artwork that may be required.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Tip #8: Choose your colors direct from carpet swatches. It's fine to see the final artwork on your screen monitor, however, screen monitors and printouts vary. Your final decision should be based on exact materials that will be used in your rug. Have swatches shipped to you for final approval if you are ordering from a merchant online.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;General rug production times should be around 4-6 weeks, depending on complexity and quantities ordered. This is an average turn around time for custom rug fabricators.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;As you can see, custom rug fabrication has some interesting benefits to consider. It's not for everybody, yet the creative possibilities are endless and the interest in customizing our home interiors is more popular than ever.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Here's a quick summary of the tips: Determine a budget for your rug purchase. Integrate the designs with your existing interior. Find designs and themes that attract you. Stay clear of overly complex designs. Get an estimate of the proposed design. Choose colors from physical swatch samples.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You can be creative and you can have fun with the whole process. The key is to have a clear picture of the proposed design before buying, which is not that hard to do. The end result should be a beautiful addition to your home interior in the exact size and colors that you need.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-8214979611408241589?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/8214979611408241589'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/8214979611408241589'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/10/custom-rugs-and-carpets-8-tips-before.html' title='Custom Rugs and Carpets: 8 Tips Before You Buy'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-8396431405370177832</id><published>2007-09-19T06:23:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-09-07T02:48:37.702-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Huge Profits In Carpet Cleaning Business</title><content type='html'>by: &lt;b class="author"&gt;Grant Callihan&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;Becoming a &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet cleaning &lt;/span&gt;business owner is a wonderful way to increase your income and make a good living. The carpet cleaning industry brings in good money all year long in good times and bad since it is recession proof business. there will always be &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet&lt;/span&gt; in the need for cleaning. This type business is quite easy to start since it requires no heavy capital, no prier experience or education.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="fullpost"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Carpet cleaning machines can be purchased for a couple of thousand dollars. You can start your search on the internet which will bring up some good results. Some machines are way to big to fit into a car so it is easier if you have a van, pick up or truck of some sort for these type machines. There are newer models of &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet cleaning machines&lt;/span&gt; on the market today that are smaller, but just as powerful as the bigger machines. Since some of the newer models are smaller they easily fit into most cars. The feedback from people who own these powerful newer models are very good. These machines save them money since they don't have to buy a van to carry it around, they are light weight, and they have new technology that makes the older bigger style machines obsolete.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;When entering the &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet cleaning industry&lt;/span&gt; you have a choice to either specialize in home carpet cleaning or do businesses either it be offices, retail or restaurants. Usually if you go the home carpet route you can clean during the day but when cleaning carpets of businesses it is usually done in the evening/night hours after the business has shut down for the day. It is really up to each person and the hours they decide they want to work. Of course there is no rules that you can't do both home and business &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet cleaning&lt;/span&gt; since the newer machines can handle the carpets of either a home or business.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One thing to take in consideration is that home owners usually don't have their carpets clean more then a couple of times per year so it might take a bigger cliental of home owners to reach the same profit as someone cleaning only a few offices. Office/businesses usually have their carpets clean much more frequently since there is more foot traffic in these places and they need to keep a nice, fresh appearance for their customers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Some of the good things about having your own&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; carpet cleaning business&lt;/span&gt; is you are free to make your own hours, there is no meetings to sit through, no boss over looking your every move, no time clock to punch, and best of all have the free time to enjoy the money you make. It is a business where you can easily earn $500 a day and $1,000's on a weekly bases working part time. Thousands of people have achieved great wealth by owning their own &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet cleaning business&lt;/span&gt; and this is because people are willing to pay good money to have fresh clean carpets in their home/business.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Advertising for a &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet cleaning business&lt;/span&gt; is really not a big deal. As long as you provide a professional service and do a great job for each of your clients the word will spread like a wildfire, you will have more then enough clients seeking you out for your services. Of course when you are just starting out you will need to do some advertising like send out some postcards, set up some flyers, hand out business cards and soon you will be receiving calls for your service. Before you know it your bank account will be filling up with a very nice income which will continue to grow as you get new clients.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Even though the newer carpet machines are light weight, powerful and easy to work with some people just don't like any kind of labored work. If you are someone who just can't see them selves cleaning carpet, that's okay, this type business can still work for you. For those who do not wish to do the labor they can simply invest in the machine(s) and supplies. and hire one of two reliable, good working people to do the actual labor. It is up to each business owner, they can pay them a nice hourly wage or split the profit from each job. Though it is known if you pay someone a good wage then they will take more pride in the job which in turn will make your business look more professional.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;I have just informed you with some benefits of starting a &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet cleaning business&lt;/span&gt;. I hope this article has shined some light on the opportunities that a carpet cleaning business can provide you. It surely has given many people the chance to live the good life. Just look how many new homes and business go up each year, each of these homes/business will have carpet that needs to be cleaned and for this reason this makes the future of carpet cleaning a very good one.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-8396431405370177832?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/8396431405370177832'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/8396431405370177832'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/09/huge-profits-in-carpet-cleaning.html' title='Huge Profits In Carpet Cleaning Business'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-1452600219769178995</id><published>2007-09-11T05:51:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-03-29T21:07:41.720-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Sports'/><title type='text'>Carpet Cleaning Tips for the Do-It-Yourselfers</title><content type='html'>&lt;p&gt; by:&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;b style="font-weight: bold;" class="author"&gt;David Marquardt&lt;/b&gt;  &lt;table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="8" cellspacing="0"&gt; &lt;tbody&gt;&lt;tr&gt; &lt;td&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;  Carpet cleaning&lt;/span&gt; is a necessity and deep cleaning on a regular basis will ensure that your carpets have a long life and look fresh and new always. &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Deep cleaning&lt;/span&gt; is mostly done by professionals but you can also do it at home. Some of you may find it unnecessary to hire a professional for something you can do on your own. &lt;div class="fullpost"&gt;Some others may feel that the cost of hiring &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet&lt;/span&gt; cleaners is higher than your budget. What next? The next step is to get your hands dirty and start the process of carpet cleaning. So if you have made up your mind and are ready to take on the do-it-yourself &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet cleaning&lt;/span&gt; job then the following tips will definitely help you:&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The first and the foremost thing that you need to do is remove all the furniture. You need to do this before you start the process of cleaning the carpet. After you have removed the furniture, vacuum the entire length and breadth of the room. The point is that if you are able to remove as much soil as possible before the carpet cleaning process, then you will get better results.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You can find most of the carpet cleaning systems on rent. Check each of the system first and enquire about its effectiveness. The cleaning requirements are different for different types of carpets. So make sure that you pick the one that is suited or recommended for your carpet. Some people ask why they can’t buy it straight from a retail store. The reason is that a rental store has powerful machines that will help in thorough &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet cleaning&lt;/span&gt; as compared to the machines available at retail outlets or supermarkets. When you rent or buy the necessary equipment, make sure that it has a maximum vacuum capacity so that the &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet&lt;/span&gt; can dry off within 12 hours after cleaning. If you are in doubt then take assistance or consult the carpet manufacturer or even the retailer regarding recommendations.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Try to avoid over wetting during &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Carpet cleaning&lt;/span&gt;. If there is too much moisture then it will seep into the fibers of your carpet and can cause considerable damage to its backing. Prolonged dampness can even lead to the growth of bacteria, fungus and mildew, which will cause health problems. The biggest concern in the do-it-yourself process is that of using too much detergent or water. Normally, it is mentioned on the detergent pack, how much to use and you can also consult the manufacturer regarding the right proportion to use for &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet cleaning.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Actually, it is always recommended to consult the &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet manufacturer&lt;/span&gt; before you start with do-it-yourself carpet cleaning. The carpet manufacturer and even the retailer can provide you with detailed information regarding the products that you can use for your &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet&lt;/span&gt;. It is advised to double check the detergent for its pH value, which should be less than 10. Also find out if the detergent will leave any sticky residue or not. Carpet cleaning of woolen carpet or those made from natural fibers will need a special cleaning solution that has been formulated only for them. Follow up the detergent cleaning with a clear water rinsing process so that all remnants from the detergent or cleaning solution can be removed.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Some carpets are stain resistant while others are not. If you have a stain resistant carpet then you will have to use specially formulated solutions. One very important thing is that if you have a stain resistant &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet&lt;/span&gt; then you will need to hire professional &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet cleaners&lt;/span&gt; as otherwise the warranty will become void.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is better to avoid cleaning solutions, which contain brighteners or bleaches as they can lead to discoloration of your carpet. Try and avoid the use of silicone-based &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet cleaning&lt;/span&gt; treatments as they don’t have any long-term benefits and are capable of causing permanent damages to your &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet&lt;/span&gt;.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Last but not the least; dry your carpet as soon as possible. You can turn on the fan, air-conditioner or de-humidifier for pulling out the moisture from the air. The sooner the &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;carpet &lt;/span&gt;can dry, the better it will be. Proper drying of your carpet will help to maintain the color and fabric of the carpet and also increase its lifespan.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Carpet cleaning&lt;/span&gt; can be done at home but always consult your carpet manufacturer before you start the process because if your carpet get damaged then it will not be possible to restore it to its original state. So you need to be extremely careful while doing it at home.&lt;br /&gt;Source: http://www.articlecity.com/&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/td&gt;&lt;/tr&gt;&lt;/tbody&gt;&lt;/table&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-1452600219769178995?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/1452600219769178995'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/1452600219769178995'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/12/test.html' title='Carpet Cleaning Tips for the Do-It-Yourselfers'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-5690763676584102744</id><published>2007-08-26T07:07:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-03-29T21:07:41.720-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Sports'/><title type='text'>Hardwood Flooring: Ancient Yet Modern</title><content type='html'>by: &lt;b class="author"&gt;Simon Harris&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;Although for most of its history human beings have lived in dwellings with dirt floors, wooden flooring has existed for many centuries. In the past, before modern appliances and electricity, wood floors were handmade, it being a very labor-intensive activity. Today, modern technology has made it possible for even the homeowner of modest means to enjoy the benefits of a hardwood floor.&lt;div class="fullpost"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Why Choose A Hardwood Floor?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;With so many other choices available in flooring materials (most of them synthetic), why are many people choosing to install a hardwood floor?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One reason is their durability. Unlike cheap, synthetic materials that crack and crumble over time, natural hardwood floors stand the test of time. They are also very durable - they can be used in the kitchen, the family room, bedrooms, even high-traffic areas like hallways and stairways.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Where many people are ill-informed today is in thinking that hardwood floors are expensive. Although the initial investment can be significant, hardwood floors actually increase in value as your home increases in value. Properly cared for, hardwood floors can dramatically increase the value of your home!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What Types of Wood Floors Exist?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are two main types of hardwood floors -- the solid floor, which is manufactured from a solid block of wood, and the engineered hardwood floor, which is essentially a layered wood product that has a veneer layer on the very top.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Hardwood flooring products today can be purchased in strip form, planks (like a strip, except longer), and parquet (where the wood is arranged into a design that is pleasing to the eye).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For your convenience, modern hardwood flooring products are available prefinished, which eliminates the need to sand and apply finish to the wood after installation (a great convenience for the DIY enthusiast), or they can be purchased unfinished, in which case the wood will be sanded and finished by professionals after installation in the home.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;How Does Foot Traffic Affect The Choice of Hardwood Floors?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You should carefully consider the amount of foot traffic received by the area that you intend to lay floor in. In general, darker wood colors will show the wear due to foot traffic quicker than the lighter colors. In addition, high-traffic areas will need some additional maintenance about once a year - including a light sanding and application of additional coats of finish.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is also true that a hardwood floor with a high-gloss finish will show traffic wear more quickly than hardwood floors with lower-gloss finishes. Rugs and mats are always a good choice to help protect these areas - particularly at the entrances of doors and hallways.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Some woods - notably hickory, oak and maple - with a higher density will take wear and traffic better than woods like pine that are less dense. Again, the denser woods may be more expensive, so consider your needs carefully.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.cleaning-hardwood-floors.com/" class="hft-urls"&gt;http://www.cleaning-hardwood-floors.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-5690763676584102744?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/5690763676584102744'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/5690763676584102744'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/08/hardwood-flooring-ancient-yet-modern_26.html' title='Hardwood Flooring: Ancient Yet Modern'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-8086827142623985941</id><published>2007-08-25T07:07:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-09-07T02:50:41.179-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Hardwood Flooring: Ancient Yet Modern</title><content type='html'>by: &lt;b class="author"&gt;Simon Harris&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;Although for most of its history human beings have lived in dwellings with dirt floors, wooden &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;flooring&lt;/span&gt; has existed for many centuries. In the past, before modern appliances and electricity, wood&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; floors&lt;/span&gt; were handmade, it being a very labor-intensive activity. Today, modern technology has made it possible for even the homeowner of modest means to enjoy the benefits of a &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floor&lt;/span&gt;.&lt;div class="fullpost"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Why Choose A &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Hardwood Floor&lt;/span&gt;?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;With so many other choices available in flooring materials (most of them synthetic), why are many people choosing to install a&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; hardwood floor&lt;/span&gt;?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;One reason is their durability. Unlike cheap, synthetic materials that crack and crumble over time, natural &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floors &lt;/span&gt;stand the test of time. They are also very durable - they can be used in the kitchen, the family room, bedrooms, even high-traffic areas like hallways and stairways.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Where many people are ill-informed today is in thinking that &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floors&lt;/span&gt; are expensive. Although the initial investment can be significant, &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floors &lt;/span&gt;actually increase in value as your home increases in value. Properly cared for, &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floors &lt;/span&gt;can dramatically increase the value of your home!&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;What Types of &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Wood Floors&lt;/span&gt; Exist?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;There are two main types of &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floors&lt;/span&gt; -- the solid floor, which is manufactured from a solid block of wood, and the engineered&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; hardwood floor&lt;/span&gt;, which is essentially a layered wood product that has a veneer layer on the very top.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Hardwood flooring &lt;/span&gt;products today can be purchased in strip form, planks (like a strip, except longer), and parquet (where the wood is arranged into a design that is pleasing to the eye).&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;For your convenience, modern &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood flooring &lt;/span&gt;products are available prefinished, which eliminates the need to sand and apply finish to the wood after installation (a great convenience for the DIY enthusiast), or they can be purchased unfinished, in which case the wood will be sanded and finished by professionals after installation in the home.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;How Does Foot Traffic Affect The Choice of &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Hardwood Floors&lt;/span&gt;?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You should carefully consider the amount of foot traffic received by the area that you intend to lay&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; floor&lt;/span&gt; in. In general, darker wood colors will show the wear due to foot traffic quicker than the lighter colors. In addition, high-traffic areas will need some additional maintenance about once a year - including a light sanding and application of additional coats of finish.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It is also true that a &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floor&lt;/span&gt; with a high-gloss finish will show traffic wear more quickly than &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floors&lt;/span&gt; with lower-gloss finishes. Rugs and mats are always a good choice to help protect these areas - particularly at the entrances of doors and hallways.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Some woods - notably hickory, oak and maple - with a higher density will take wear and traffic better than woods like pine that are less dense. Again, the denser woods may be more expensive, so consider your needs carefully.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.cleaning-hardwood-floors.com/" class="hft-urls"&gt;http://www.cleaning-hardwood-floors.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-8086827142623985941?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/8086827142623985941'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/8086827142623985941'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/08/hardwood-flooring-ancient-yet-modern.html' title='Hardwood Flooring: Ancient Yet Modern'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-609360358834465331</id><published>2007-08-21T07:05:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-09-07T02:51:17.794-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Engineered Hardwood Floors: A Wood Flooring Information Overview</title><content type='html'>by: &lt;b class="author"&gt;Rob Jones&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;p&gt;When looking to invest in long-lasting and attractive &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;flooring&lt;/span&gt; in areas where humidity is an issue, one of the things to look out for is a&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; flooring &lt;/span&gt;material that is likely to respond to environmental changes without losing any of its structural stability, or its attractiveness. A solution that many have discovered for versatility, attractiveness, and with a robust design noted for structural stability is engineered &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood flooring&lt;/span&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;div class="fullpost"&gt;&lt;p&gt;Engineered &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Hardwood Flooring&lt;/span&gt;: Anatomy Lesson &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Engineered hardwood &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;flooring&lt;/span&gt; is made up of two main elements: the top layer and the core. The core is made up of stacked layers of medium or high-density fiberboard, or sometimes plywood, which most often range from 3 ply to 7 ply construction. This stacking design acts as a means to allow the &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;flooring &lt;/span&gt;to counteract the effects of humidity on the natural wood, allowing each board to expand and contract without warping or cupping. The top layer of engineered &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floors&lt;/span&gt; is a species of real wood. In this sense, engineered floors are as “genuine” as any &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floor&lt;/span&gt;, with real wood that lends a space a decorative dimension that most people interested in hardwood are looking for. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Locking Systems For Engineered &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Hardwood Flooring&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Most types of engineered hardwood feature a tongue and groove locking system. These are designed for a level of precision that makes for a refined flooring surface that is free of unsightly gaps between the boards. Once again, versatility and practicality are the distinguishing features of engineered &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood flooring&lt;/span&gt;. Often, these types of locking systems allow you to take up the boards at a later date when necessary, if you’ve chosen a floating &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;floor&lt;/span&gt; option. So, you can take your floor with you when you’re moving house, or allow you to more easily replace any damaged boards. When making a purchase, it is a good idea to ask whether your chosen line of engineered &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood flooring&lt;/span&gt; allows for this feature. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Radiant Heat and the Engineered &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Hardwood Floor&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For solid hardwood, radiant heat can have a significantly negative effect; the radiant heating can severely dry out the hardwood, which in turn causes the boards to warp and cup as they would if they were exposed to excessive moisture. Luckily, engineered hardwood has been designed to counteract this tendency, just as it has in the case of humidity and dampness in a below-grade or non-environmentally controlled interior. Once again, the core of the engineered floor expands and contracts accordingly, while preserving the structural stability of the board and the attractiveness of the top layer. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Engineered &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floors&lt;/span&gt; allow you all of the beauty and organic feel, as well as a greater range of options as far as the location of your installation. Along with the functional benefits it offers, engineered &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floors&lt;/span&gt; are often less expensive than their solid hardwood counterparts, making them worth serious consideration on a budgetary level. &lt;/p&gt;   &lt;a href="http://www.builddirect.com/" target="new"&gt;www.builddirect.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-609360358834465331?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/609360358834465331'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/609360358834465331'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/08/engineered-hardwood-floors-wood.html' title='Engineered Hardwood Floors: A Wood Flooring Information Overview'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-1108010177250782267</id><published>2007-08-18T06:59:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-03-29T21:07:00.785-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='World News'/><title type='text'>Ten Things You May Not Know About Selecting Hardwood Flooring</title><content type='html'>by: &lt;b class="author"&gt;Doug Bolton&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;p&gt;1) Red Oak is not the only choice &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you want your home to look like everyone else’s, this is a great choice. If you want your home to be unique try hickory, cherry, walnut, white oak, maple or many others. Go to&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; flooring&lt;/span&gt; retailers or search the Internet and see what is available. If you really want red oak try using wider widths or character grade for variety and uniqueness. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;2) 2 1/4 inch is not the only size available &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If all you ask your builder for is a &lt;div class="fullpost"&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floor&lt;/span&gt; – you are going to get a 2 1/4 inch red oak floor. Why? It is the most common, most produced, most stocked, cheapest option available. You can buy sizes in 3” through 12”. You can put down a single width for a uniform look or multiple widths for a more random look. Typical random flooring patterns are 3”-4”-5”, 3”-5”, 4”-5”-6”. Have fun! Make your home unique! The wider the floor the more seasonal separations between the flooring planks can occur. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;3) Import Species don’t support jobs in the United States &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;While there are vast amounts of imported species available, there are fantastic, interesting species of flooring available right here in the United States. Not all countries have managed forests and renewable resources. This is an important time to support our own economy. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;4) All flooring is not select (clear) grade &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The most common floors are select grade. These &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;floors&lt;/span&gt; contain none of woods naturally occurring character marks. Look around your&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; flooring&lt;/span&gt; showroom, almost every display is showing clear &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;flooring&lt;/span&gt;. There are warm and inviting options. Look at a character grade or other grades. Make sure to see a photo of what the floor looks like, not just one piece. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;5) Prefinished &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;flooring&lt;/span&gt; is convenient &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Have you ever been forced to leave your home for three days while the &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;flooring &lt;/span&gt;contractor sands, stains and recoats your&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; floor&lt;/span&gt;? If not ask a friend who has had it done. A professional flooring contractor will leave your home spotless, others can leave dust on all your furniture. Today’s factory finished&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; flooring &lt;/span&gt;can be installed today and entertained on tonight with very little mess. With prefinished &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;flooring&lt;/span&gt; each plank is allowed to move independently with humidity changes in your home. This makes those seasonal separations (cracks) in your &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;floor&lt;/span&gt; less noticeable. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;6) Colors can be cool – but mother nature is hard to beat &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Some species of &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;flooring&lt;/span&gt; are so beautiful in their natural color, they do not require any added color. Look up hickory, cherry or walnut&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; flooring&lt;/span&gt; on the Internet and you will see what I mean. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;7) Prefinish warranties are a gimmick &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;50 year warranty – WOW! Lifetime warranty – fantastic! Oh really? These are wear-through warranties only. Your floor will loose its “sheen” or luster and require refinishing long before you ever wear through the finish. The best way to make a&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; floor&lt;/span&gt; last is to vacuum it often to keep away abrasive material that might scratch your &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;floor&lt;/span&gt;. Remember a lower sheen floor shows less wear. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;8) Not all &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;flooring&lt;/span&gt; is smooth – texture is popular &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hardwood&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; flooring&lt;/span&gt; does not have to be smooth. Many companies are offering hand scraped, distressed and reclaimed &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;flooring&lt;/span&gt;. These floors have a classic look and add great value to upscale homes. They do not show much wear or scratches since they have a great deal of character interest to draw attention to different parts of the floor. These floors will be a guaranteed conversation piece with your friends and neighbors and are often the focal point at luxury home tours. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;9) In a basement use engineered &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;flooring&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Most people use engineered flooring to glue down to concrete or in higher moisture areas. This flooring has a thin layer of hardwood with a cross banded plywood base. This makes the &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;flooring&lt;/span&gt;  more stable and does not require nailing like a solid &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floor&lt;/span&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;10) &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Laminate flooring&lt;/span&gt; is not &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Hardwood flooring&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A great steak does not taste the same as a picture of a great steak. If you want the beauty and warmth of &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood flooring&lt;/span&gt; in your home – buy the real thing, not a cheap imitation.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.homerwood.com/" target="new"&gt;http://www.homerwood.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-1108010177250782267?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/1108010177250782267'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/1108010177250782267'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/08/ten-things-you-may-not-know-about.html' title='Ten Things You May Not Know About Selecting Hardwood Flooring'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-5172876180569381920</id><published>2007-08-12T06:55:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-03-29T21:07:00.785-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='World News'/><title type='text'>Why The Best Flooring Idea Is To Install Hardwood Floors</title><content type='html'>by: &lt;b class="author"&gt;Andrew Caxton&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Hardwood floors&lt;/span&gt; have been around for hundreds of years. Wood&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; floors&lt;/span&gt; were probably the first type of floor covering besides dirt. &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Hardwood floors&lt;/span&gt; can be one of the essential elements in designing your home. They offer a level of value and comfort no other flooring choice can. There are a number of benefits to owning and installing a &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floor&lt;/span&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One of the best things about &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floors&lt;/span&gt; is the lack of problem with regard to &lt;div class="fullpost"&gt;maintenance concerns. Because technology has allowed for the finish or stain of &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floors&lt;/span&gt; to require only sweeping for typical cleaning purposes, your floor will stay beautiful without the backbreaking scrubbing hardwood floors used to require. While the use of an appropriately recommended professional cleaning product will be required sometimes, a simple broom will take care of most of your cleaning concerns. It is important to note, though, you should never use anything on your &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floors&lt;/span&gt; that has not been manufacturer recommended. This helps to ensure your flooring will last a lifetime. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Durability means &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floors&lt;/span&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Another great reason to invest in &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floors&lt;/span&gt; is that they are environmentally friendly. Wood can not only be recycled, it is also a renewable source of material. Many of the products of yesterday like barns and old homes are recycled as &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floors&lt;/span&gt;. Moreover, wood products are incapable of harboring or collecting dust and other allergy particles. This means your family will suffer less risk of allergies or allergy induced medical conditions. Several health organizations endorse &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;wood floors&lt;/span&gt; for people with health risks. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Additionally, &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floors&lt;/span&gt; are an excellent financial option. While some of the flooring is a bit more costly than the cheap alternative, hardwood maintains its value over time. It does not show the wear and tear that synthetic products do. This will only serve to increase your home's value in the long run. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;There are many great reasons to invest in &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood floors&lt;/span&gt;. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Finally, hardwood floors can come in a large range of shapes and sizes. In the past, there have been few choices in the hardwood floor market. Today's market, though, offers styles, colors, and species that will fit any décor. &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;Hardwood floors&lt;/span&gt; make an excellent addition to any home.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-5172876180569381920?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/5172876180569381920'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/5172876180569381920'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/08/why-best-flooring-idea-is-to-install.html' title='Why The Best Flooring Idea Is To Install Hardwood Floors'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-5925636287169608671</id><published>2007-08-11T06:49:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-09-07T02:52:50.685-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Hardwood Flooring Dos and Don'ts: A Selected Hardwood Floors Checklist</title><content type='html'>by: &lt;b class="author"&gt;Rob Jones&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;p&gt;Overall,&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; hardwood flooring&lt;/span&gt; is not just an option which relies upon tradition, although hardwood flooring has been relied upon for centuries. What &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood flooring&lt;/span&gt; offers is the luxury of choice and an ease of integration into an interior design. Along with the advantages of appearance, hardwood is and continues to be a choice in &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;flooring&lt;/span&gt; that can add structural strength to a residence or office. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do: &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Choose a species of hardwood which will stand up to the type of foot traffic you expect in the area you wish to have it installed &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Consult the terms and conditions of your purchase, including warranty information &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Hire a professional installer if you have little or no experience in installing a hardwood &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;floor&lt;/span&gt;.  &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• With an unfinished &lt;div class="fullpost"&gt;&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood flooring&lt;/span&gt; option, consult with contractors or local retailers about which finish or stain is most appropriate for your choice of &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood flooring&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Choose an appropriate moisture barrier to rest between subfloor and &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood flooring&lt;/span&gt; in order to add another level of protection &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Expect color variations, as hardwood is a natural material.   &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Use DRY mops and vacuums to keep your new &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood flooring&lt;/span&gt; clear of dirt and dust &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• See to your pets – nails, spills,“accidents”, and other issues &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Don’t: &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Install &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood flooring&lt;/span&gt; in an area that will be subject to excessive moisture. This also means avoiding an installation “below grade” (in a basement for instance) or in bathrooms &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Install hardwood flooring in an area that is not environmentally controlled all year long – say, in a cottage or summer home that is not constantly maintained &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Use wax-based cleaners or harsh detergents that will dull the finish of the &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood flooring&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Use steel wool or any other abrasives to clean a hardwood &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;floor&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Use excessive water when cleaning a hardwood &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;floor&lt;/span&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Walk on your hardwood flooring with athletic spikes or high-heels &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Install&lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt; hardwood flooring&lt;/span&gt; over radiant heat. For this, it is best to consider engineered &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood flooring&lt;/span&gt; which is designed to allow for the temperature variations resulting from radiant heat &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Leave damp rugs on the surface of &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood flooring&lt;/span&gt; for an extended period. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For a more comprehensive list of dos and don’ts, and for more details in general, it’s always best to talk to the professionals directly. Contractors and sales reps that specialize &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Learn more about &lt;span style="font-weight: bold;"&gt;hardwood flooring&lt;/span&gt; and buy: &lt;a href="http://www.builddirect.com/Hardwood-Floors-Solid.aspx" target="new"&gt;http://www.builddirect.com/Hardwood-Floors-Solid.aspx&lt;/a&gt;   &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-5925636287169608671?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/5925636287169608671'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/5925636287169608671'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/08/hardwood-flooring-dos-and-donts.html' title='Hardwood Flooring Dos and Don&apos;ts: A Selected Hardwood Floors Checklist'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-477393109699054478</id><published>2007-08-01T06:52:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-03-29T21:06:25.539-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Business'/><title type='text'>Hardwood Flooring Basics to Beautify Your Home</title><content type='html'>by: &lt;b class="author"&gt;Larry Johnson&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hardwood Flooring Basics to Beautify Your Home Hardwood flooring can beautify a home like almost nothing else. By following a few simple rules you can install and maintain hardwood flooring that will look magnificent for decades to come. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;With all of the many different types, styles and colors of flooring available today it can be a monumental task in choosing the right flooring for your home. Hardwood floors, laminate, vinyl, linoleum, bamboo, antique, prefinished, which one is right for you? Oak, maple, cherry and birch are popular types of hardwood &lt;div class="fullpost"&gt;flooring, but there are many others. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Cheap flooring or the wrong style or design of hard wood floor can clash with other home interior design features. But a well-chosen hardwood floor can accentuate and beautify almost any style or design of a home. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Carpeting has a few advantages over wood floors, the main one being softness when walked upon. But hardwood flooring can be accented with durable and beautiful rugs that have that same cushy feeling. So if it’s a soft comfy feel you’re after don’t think that hardwood flooring is not an option. It’s possible to combine the functionality of a carpet with the beauty, durability and shine of a hardwood floor. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Hard wood floors come in all different sizes and colors. And there are also many different types of wood grains that you have available to you. When deciding on the type of hardwood floor to install in your home you must first choose the color and type of wood. This is usually the most important consideration. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The color must be complimentary to the furniture, wall hangings, plants and other items that you intend to furnish your home with. But choosing a color of wood is not necessarily a straight forward and easy task. Different types of wood stain differently. Some wood flooring will stain darker than others, some lighter than others. So when choosing color you must consider the stain in combination with the type of wood floor you want. Do your homework and you will lessen the chance of installing a floor that has a different color and look than you expected. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Another major factor concerns functionality. A pine floor may look great, but pine is a soft wood that will dent very easily. This would certainly be a poor choice in a high-traffic area. When considering woods for flooring you want to install a floor that is long-lasting. Your flooring should last a lifetime and that means choosing a floor that will be durable, easy to keep clean and will continue to look new without a lot of labor on your part. If you are uncertain go with flooring that will be harder than you think is necessary. Hardness rankings according to the Janka scale can help you decide on which type of wood you need for the amount of traffic you expect to have. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The most popular styles of hardwood flooring are parquet, strip and plank. Parquet flooring is a series of wood flooring pieces that create a geometric design. Strip flooring is linear and is usually between 1 ½ inches to 3 ¼ inches in width. Strip flooring often gives the room the appearance of being larger than it actually is. Plank hardwood flooring is usually wider and is typically 3 to 6 inches in width. Wider planks may be used, but often have issues with moisture. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You must choose the style and size that you think looks most attractive. Take your time and view all styles, designs, sizes and colors of wood floors before making your selection. Once it’s installed it is not a cheap job to tear out and replace. It’s also a good idea to get different samples and lay them out in your home. Without actually seeing the floor next to your own furnishings and wall colors it’s near impossible to make a smart choice. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you are interested in installing your own hardwood floor be sure you have enough knowledge and experience before attempting to do so. You must know what type of subflooring to install, whether it’s wood or concrete. You should learn about humidity and temperature and what affect they have on floors. To prevent warping it is important to keep your floors well-ventilated with regulated temperatures throughout the year. When the weather gets too cold it can cause the floor boards to separate. Before installing it yourself talk to some professionals in your area and find out what precautions you need to take that will help ensure a lifetime of satisfaction with your new wood flooring.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;Visit &lt;a href="http://www.my-hardwoodflooring.com/" target="new"&gt;http://www.my-hardwoodflooring.com&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-477393109699054478?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/477393109699054478'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/477393109699054478'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/08/hardwood-flooring-basics-to-beautify.html' title='Hardwood Flooring Basics to Beautify Your Home'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-9123825278612178893</id><published>2007-07-30T07:19:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-03-29T21:06:25.540-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='Business'/><title type='text'>How To Select Laminate Wood Flooring</title><content type='html'>by: &lt;b class="author"&gt;Peter J. Mason&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;p&gt;Laminate wood flooring is a fairly new alternative in home flooring options. It is made to resemble natural hardwood floors. The quality has improved in recent years and today’s materials are very durable and beautiful. It can be difficult to tell them apart from real hardwood. Most major manufacturers make these floors including Armstrong laminate flooring, Mannington flooring, Shaw laminate flooring and Bruce flooring. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Selecting Laminate Wood Flooring &lt;div class="fullpost"&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You have a wide variety of choices in both style and color for laminate floors. Styles are available that mimic natural hardwood or ceramic tile. Wood styles come in every tone from very light to darker tones. Choose darker tones for a formal environment. Keep in mind that dark colors tend to make a room look smaller, while lighter colors make the space appear larger. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Laminate flooring can be found in most flooring stores and home improvement centers. Discount flooring can be found in stores or on the internet. Once you have decided on the color and style of the floor material you want, you can start shopping around for the best price. If you are doing a very small room, look for left over materials. Sometimes these are available in smaller amounts at an affordable price. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Installing the Floor &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Laminates are not attached to the floor below. These are also called floating floors. The slats have tongue and groove designs. Slats are attached by slipping the tongue inside the groove. They are held in place with special adhesives that are made for laminate flooring. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;These floors can be installed right over your old wood, tile or vinyl flooring. You will need to remove carpeting and padding prior to installation. Once removed, make sure the concrete or wood subfloor is level before you start the installation. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;You can hire a professional to install the floor for you, or you can do the job yourself. Installation is fairly simple and an average size room can be finished over a weekend. For larger areas, you may want to save the job for when you take some vacation time. Your floor will cost more if you opt for professional installation. However, if you aren’t handy around the house or don’t have the time, you may find this extra expense worth the money. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Read the instructions from the manufacturer before cleaning your new floor. To remove dirt and debris, use a broom or vacuum. If the floor becomes very dirty, you can clean it with a slightly damp mop. Other than this, very little care is needed. Due to the laminate finish, the floor won’t need any waxing. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Use only very little water. Excessive water can damage the laminate coating on the surface of the floor. Soaking the floor can damage the paper backing. Moisture can get trapped under the laminate and damage the floor or cause the growth of mold, which is not healthy. For this reason, these floors aren’t the best choice for use in a bathroom. Moisture tends to build up in this room and will damage the floor over the long term.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.inside-woodworking.com/" target="new"&gt;http://www.inside-woodworking.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-9123825278612178893?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/9123825278612178893'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/9123825278612178893'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/07/how-to-select-laminate-wood-flooring.html' title='How To Select Laminate Wood Flooring'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-7250313066416737023</id><published>2007-07-20T07:16:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-09-07T02:54:23.902-07:00</updated><title type='text'>What is Laminate Flooring</title><content type='html'>by: &lt;b class="author"&gt;Jason Ashby&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;p&gt;Laminate flooring mimics the look of traditional woods while offering easy installation and lasting durability. At first glance, it can be difficult to spot the difference between hardwoods and laminate flooring. What appears to be a natural wood grain pattern is really a thin layer of decor paper (a photographic image) under a tough-as-nails protective film that is glued and pressed to a high-density backing board. Laminate Flooring comes in an array of wood effects as well as stone and ceramic effects. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Laminate floorings main advantages are that it is easy to install, is very hardwearing and relatively inexpensive compared to real hardwood flooring. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Laminate flooring is a floating floor, which means it does not fasten directly to the sub-floor. Instead the planks are clicked together. This &lt;div class="fullpost"&gt;enables the floor to be fitted fast and with no real mess. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Laminate flooring has been around in Europe for around 15 years and has seen massive growth in the past few years. In 2004 over 750 million square meters of laminate flooring was sold worldwide this was an increase of 13% on the previous year. The biggest growth market is in the US with an impressive growth rate of 25%. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What is laminate Flooring Made From? &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Laminate flooring is made up of four layers: &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;1. Overlay (wearlayer) &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;2. HPL (decroative paper + high strength paper) &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;3. Core layer &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;4. Stabilizing layer &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The bottom layer is the stabilizing layer; this is what gives the laminate floor its stability. It is made up of moisture resistant resins &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Above this there is the core layer; this is made up of high density fibreboard (H.D.F.). This is saturated in resins to make it extremely hard. Most manufactures also add a moisture resistant resin to the core. This is important as it helps keep the flooring protected against moisture penetrating the boards. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;On top of the core layer is added a high strength paper along with the decorative paper. It is this decorative paper which gives the laminate flooring its individual appearance, ranging from highly authentic wood reproduction, ceramic or stone designs. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The top wear layer is provided by the melamine resin, a highly wear resistant material that makes laminate flooring so hard wearing. This top layer is very similar to the top layer on counter or kitchen work tops but is usually around 40% stronger. This makes the laminate flooring highly resistant to scratches, burns, dent’s, stains, etc. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Most laminate floors today fit together with a click system with the most common being the UNICLIC system as used by Quick-Step. This is extremely easy and fast to fit. The ingenious UNICLIC-system has a special shape of tongue and groove. You simply place the tongue of one plank into the grove of another at an angle and press down. Their sophisticated and very accurate milled shape makes it possible to create a very tight connection during the installation. The floor can be walked on straight away.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.ukflooringdirect.co.uk/" target="new"&gt;www.ukflooringdirect.co.uk&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-7250313066416737023?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/7250313066416737023'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/7250313066416737023'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/07/what-is-laminate-flooring.html' title='What is Laminate Flooring'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-6168960490428341500</id><published>2007-07-10T07:15:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2008-09-07T02:54:49.816-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Laminate Flooring Defined: Characteristics of laminate floors</title><content type='html'>by: &lt;b class="author"&gt;Rob Jones&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;p&gt;Laminate flooring is becoming more and more popular today in North America and all over the world, although it started as a European innovation. However, despite the fact that laminate flooring is popular, there are a great many misconceptions and mysteries surrounding it in terms of how laminate flooring is made and how it differs from solid hardwood. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One of the first mistakes people make is to confuse laminate flooring with solid hardwood flooring. The two should never be thought of as similar, despite the obvious visual similarities that makes quality laminate flooring such an attractive choice. Laminate flooring is not comprised of any real hardwood species at all. &lt;div class="fullpost"&gt;In fact, the surface of a laminate floor is actually a highly rendered photograph, often of a hardwood species. This top layer, or decorative layer, is sealed by a resin-based coating which gives the laminate flooring board its resistance to many forms of abrasion. The two remaining layers of laminate flooring are the core layer and the backing layer. The core layer is most often made of high-density or medium density fiber board, which serves as a means to absorb the stress of footfalls and other forms of impact. The backing layer, otherwise known as the stabilizing layer, is the layer of the laminate flooring which binds all of the others together. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tongue and Groove and Locking Systems &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One of the key characteristics of laminate flooring, and one that is kept in mind when it is manufactured, is how easy it is to install when compared to other types of flooring. Of the many designs, some of the more efficient and mess-free laminate flooring lines are the “glueless” variety. With this variety, the laminate flooring is generally fitted together by means of what is called a “tongue and groove” design, with interlocking elements that slide into place and are made secure as each row is laid down. Unlike hardwood, no nails are required. Some types of laminate feature more sophisticated locking systems, designed to be put down and taken up again where necessary. With some fairly limited skills in carpentry, laminate flooring can be installed by do-it-yourselfers in most cases. Choosing to install laminate flooring commonly cuts down on expenses, as it is rarely necessary to hire an installer, although many homeowners do for the sake of convenience. For contractors, offering the option of laminate flooring to clients is often a time-saving option, as laminate flooring is more quickly installed than hardwood flooring, allowing them to take on more contracts. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For households and offices which require a low maintenance flooring solution, laminate flooring has been known to be an effective choice for its attractiveness, durability, ease of installation. It is also noted for its reasonable price when compared to many other flooring options. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Learn more about laminate flooring and buy laminate floors here: &lt;a href="http://www.builddirect.com/Laminate-Flooring.aspx" target="new"&gt;http://www.builddirect.com/Laminate-Flooring.aspx&lt;/a&gt;    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-6168960490428341500?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/6168960490428341500'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/6168960490428341500'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/07/laminate-flooring-defined.html' title='Laminate Flooring Defined: Characteristics of laminate floors'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-5751085478085446494</id><published>2007-07-05T07:13:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-03-29T21:05:34.222-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='politics'/><title type='text'>Laminate Flooring Dos and Don'ts: A Checklist for Laminate Floors</title><content type='html'>by: &lt;b class="author"&gt;Rob Jones&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;p&gt;Generally speaking, laminate flooring is a low maintenance option that is easily installed, but there are a few things to keep in mind before purchasing laminate flooring as well as once they’ve been installed. Here are a few pointers when looking to maintain a laminate floor. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Do &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Consider the area in which you intend to install your choice of flooring. Judge it for foot traffic and moisture levels in particular to be sure that your choice of flooring is &lt;div class="fullpost"&gt;appropriate. This is where it is handy to check the AC rating of your chosen laminate floor. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Choose a quality underlayment to protect against moisture coming from the subfloor &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Read any installation instructions you have very carefully. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Hire a professional if you are unsure how to proceed &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Ensure that your subfloor is level, clean and dry &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• When installing, leave a 10mm gap around the perimeter of your installation area as well as any fixed objects in the center. You will need to allow room for expansion as the laminate will respond to temperature changes over time &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Once the laminate flooring has been installed, be aware of any spills on your laminate floor and clear them up as soon as they happen &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Use a dry mop or a vacuum cleaner to keep the laminate flooring clear of dust and dirt &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Use protective pads on the feet of all furniture to reduce the risk of scratching the laminate flooring &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Don’t &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Install laminate flooring over carpet &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• install laminate flooring in areas subject to excessive moisture &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Continue with your installation if your first row is not straight. The first row is the basis for the entire installation. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Use wax, polish, or abrasive cleansers on your laminate flooring. This can ruin the finish and the overall look of the laminate &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Try to seal, lacquer, finish or sand your laminate floor &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;• Flood the floor when cleaning. It is important to minimize moisture levels on the laminate floor. If excessive moisture finds its way underneath the flooring, it can cause the boards to swell &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This is by no means a comprehensive list, but is certain comprised of some of the key points in making sure that your choice of laminate flooring is one that is wisely considered. In all areas, it is always best to consult the experts directly when thinking about your flooring options. Contact your local flooring contractors who maybe able to point you in the right direction in terms of installation and usage. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Learn more about laminate flooring and buy: &lt;a href="http://www.builddirect.com/Laminate-Flooring.aspx" target="new"&gt;http://www.builddirect.com/Laminate-Flooring.aspx&lt;/a&gt;    &lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-5751085478085446494?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/5751085478085446494'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/5751085478085446494'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/07/laminate-flooring-dos-and-donts.html' title='Laminate Flooring Dos and Don&apos;ts: A Checklist for Laminate Floors'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-8218820726950131749</id><published>2007-07-01T07:10:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2011-03-29T21:05:34.223-07:00</updated><category scheme='http://www.blogger.com/atom/ns#' term='politics'/><title type='text'>The Supposed Virtues Of Laminate Flooring</title><content type='html'>by: &lt;b class="author"&gt;Rebecca Garland&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/b&gt;As the poster child of the flooring industry, laminate floors have generated a great deal of hype. Is laminate really the wave of the future or simply another product that fails to deliver?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In the world of flooring, laminate can do no wrong. It is perfect for every project, it is durable, it looks nice, and it will make your home a showplace worthy of awards and accolades. Of course, like all hype, this isn't exactly the case.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;div class="fullpost"&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Indestructible?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Of course laminate is not indestructible, it's not even close. As much as we would love to believe it, there is no such thing as a floor that can not be harmed. Even finished concrete floors aren't impervious to scratches and stains. Laminate flooring does tout the benefits of its prefinishing, but that finish can only keep out so much.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The top coat of laminate flooring protects the floor from basic scrapes, scratches, and stains. There are industry standards and ratings designed to give consumers a better idea of how tough a particular brand of flooring is. If all laminate floors were indestructible, of course, there would not be a need for a rating system.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;AC1 and AC2 laminate floors are basically wimps. The AC1 and AC2 ratings indicate that those types of laminate should only be used in areas with light foot traffic, such as a bedroom or dining room. Wait a minute. If I can't even walk on it that much, why should I believe it won't end up scraped and damaged?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Actually, according to the industry, this is right on the money. Not all laminate is created equal, and if you are looking for the indestructible kind, you need to focus your attention on AC3 and above. In fact, AC5 really is the toughest flooring around. AC5 is used commercially in places like car dealerships and department stores. If laminate can withstand SUVs and Christmas shoppers, it can certainly withstand your Chihuahua.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Waterproof?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Is laminate waterproof? This is a definitive Maybe. Upon closer inspection, only some brands of laminate manufacturers offer moisture protection in their warranty. So for those brands, keeping water out of the seams is a big deal. It might not be an area of interest for other manufacturers however.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;In general all laminate is water resistant, but that doesn't make it water proof. To be sure of how much moisture protection your brand of laminate has, simply consult the warranty information. No company will offer coverage on a product they know is not watertight.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Attractive?&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Consumers are split about the attractiveness of laminate. A vast majority find it very attractive, especially the products at the high end. The wood grain (or tile) on a section of laminate is quite simply a photograph of real wood sealed to the layers of backing. This offers the appearance of real wood along with the, if not indestructible, certainly strong, protection of laminate sealants.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;So, as with all things, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Laminate is not real wood, but the higher end of the laminate selection can certainly fool the eye for a moment. Laminate appearance improves along with quality and price. The least expensive laminates might not be as attractive or wood-like in their appearance, but it is wrong to judge an entire product line or industry by the cheap generic version. Test drive the deluxe model before making up your mind.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;- Bottom Line&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Laminate is certainly a wonderful product, but the responsibility falls on the consumer to be sure he is selecting the best laminate for his needs. Like any product, not all laminates are of the highest quality, and some do not do justice to the market as a whole. Consider laminate flooring with an open mind, and regardless of your initial skepticism, there is certain to be a laminate floor perfectly suited for your needs.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.laminateflooringco.com/" class="hft-urls"&gt;http://www.laminateflooringco.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-8218820726950131749?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/8218820726950131749'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/8218820726950131749'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/07/supposed-virtues-of-laminate-flooring.html' title='The Supposed Virtues Of Laminate Flooring'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry><entry><id>tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-653922526965532629.post-7393037795847080439</id><published>2007-05-03T22:31:00.000-07:00</published><updated>2009-04-19T23:40:11.385-07:00</updated><title type='text'>Privacy Policy for Flooring: Carpet | Horizon Carpet | Stanton Carpet | Supreme Carpet</title><content type='html'>If you require any more information or have any questions about our privacy policy, please feel free to contact us by email at kedarah@hotmail.com.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;At Flooring: Carpet | Horizon Carpet | Stanton Carpet | Supreme Carpet, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us. This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by Flooring: Carpet | Horizon Carpet | Stanton Carpet | Supreme Carpet and how it is used.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;Log Files&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Like many other Web sites, Flooring: Carpet | Horizon Carpet | Stanton Carpet | Supreme Carpet makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;Cookies and Web Beacons&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Flooring: Carpet | Horizon Carpet | Stanton Carpet | Supreme Carpet does use cookies to store information about visitors preferences, record user-specific information on which pages the user access or visit, customize Web page content based on visitors browser type or other information that the visitor sends via their browser.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; &lt;b&gt;DoubleClick DART Cookie&lt;/b&gt;&lt;br /&gt;.:: Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on Flooring: Carpet | Horizon Carpet | Stanton Carpet | Supreme Carpet.&lt;br /&gt;.:: Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to users based on their visit to Flooring: Carpet | Horizon Carpet | Stanton Carpet | Supreme Carpet and other sites on the Internet.&lt;br /&gt;.:: Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy at the following URL - http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Some of our advertising partners may use cookies and web beacons on our site. Our advertising partners include ....&lt;br /&gt;Google Adsense&lt;br /&gt;        &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;These third-party ad servers or ad networks use technology to the advertisements and links that appear on Flooring: Carpet | Horizon Carpet | Stanton Carpet | Supreme Carpet send directly to your browsers. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. Other technologies ( such as cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons ) may also be used by the third-party ad networks to measure the effectiveness of their advertisements and / or to personalize the advertising content that you see.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Flooring: Carpet | Horizon Carpet | Stanton Carpet | Supreme Carpet has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices. Flooring: Carpet | Horizon Carpet | Stanton Carpet | Supreme Carpet's privacy policy does not apply to, and we cannot control the activities of, such other advertisers or web sites.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;If you wish to disable cookies, you may do so through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;hr /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;b&gt;&lt;a href="http://www.serprank.com/privacy-policy-generator/html-policy.php?url=Flooring:%20Carpet%20%7C%20Horizon%20Carpet%20%7C%20Stanton%20Carpet%20%7C%20Supreme%20Carpet&amp;amp;emailaddress=kedarah@hotmail.com&amp;amp;cookie=does%20use%20cookies%20to%20store%20information%20about%20visitors%20preferences,%20record%20user-specific%20information%20on%20which%20pages%20the%20user%20access%20or%20visit,%20customize%20Web%20page%20content%20based%20on%20visitors%20browser%20type%20or%20other%20information%20that%20the%20visitor%20sends%20via%20their%20browser.&amp;amp;adsense=Google%20Adsense,%20&amp;amp;cj=&amp;amp;kontera=&amp;amp;adbrite=&amp;amp;wb=&amp;amp;clickbank=Clickbank,%20&amp;amp;azoogle=&amp;amp;chitika=&amp;amp;linkshare=&amp;amp;amazon="&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;div class="blogger-post-footer"&gt;&lt;img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/653922526965532629-7393037795847080439?l=flooringcarpet.blogspot.com' alt='' /&gt;&lt;/div&gt;</content><link rel='edit' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/7393037795847080439'/><link rel='self' type='application/atom+xml' href='http://www.blogger.com/feeds/653922526965532629/posts/default/7393037795847080439'/><link rel='alternate' type='text/html' href='http://flooringcarpet.blogspot.com/2007/05/privacy-policy-for-flooring-carpet.html' title='Privacy Policy for Flooring: Carpet | Horizon Carpet | Stanton Carpet | Supreme Carpet'/><author><name>Speedway</name><email>noreply@blogger.com</email><gd:image rel='http://schemas.google.com/g/2005#thumbnail' width='16' height='16' src='http://img2.blogblog.com/img/b16-rounded.gif'/></author></entry></feed>
