The list of exclusions is nauseating and these guarantees are intentionally misleading. What’s a shopper to do? Talk to a retailer you trust will properly install quality flooring products. That’s your best chance of avoiding flooring issues down the road.
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If your basement has a flood, one of the first things to ask yourself is whether you think you might have water problems again. Avoid an endless cycle of flooring replacement!
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A little Flooring FOMO is healthy. In our business, great products regularly go out of stock or, worse, get discontinued entirely. If you find your floor, strike while the iron is hot!
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Some people love the smell of new books, new cars and new carpets. Others have a more sensitive ‘schnozz’ and want the smell to go away as soon as possible.
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If you go to Florida for the winter and leave your thermostat down at 58, you may notice gaps or other issues with your hardwood floor when you return in the hot and humid summer.
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For 120 years, subway tiles have been widely used in kitchens, bathrooms, and, of course, New York City subway stations. Ken gives a quick history on the tile that never goes out of style.
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Back in the dark ages, bevels were necessary for pre-finished hardwood. Now you can choose whether or not to bevel.
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What makes Ken happy? Classical music, Italian restaurants and, yes, Schluter’s Jolly tile molding. Jolly makes tile installations easier. It hides raw edges and protects those edges when transitioning between floors.
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Glue-down luxury vinyl plank is marketed as waterproof. We label this claim as false. With that in mind, Ken gives recommendations for cleaning glue-down LVP so that your installation doesn’t fail.
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Floors are big purchases. Before you commit to a patterned carpet, make sure you see that carpet in a larger space.
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Electric heat mats are great products, but be careful where you use them. Don’t void your floating floor warranty and damage your planks.
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Install flooring AFTER cabinets—never break this rule. Pinning down cabinets on top of hardwood and luxury vinyl floors is a recipe for disaster and will lead to a failed installation.
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Luxury vinyl floors are extremely popular and can be used in almost any area of the home. But LVP on stairs? We don’t want you to trip if you’re wearing socks!
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A main visual difference between hardwood floors and luxury vinyl is the irritating pattern repeat noticeable in larger rooms. PureGrain from Engineered Floors solves this problem by digitally printing patterns directly on the vinyl. With 35 pattern variations, the finished vinyl floor looks more like real hardwood.
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Looking to visualize your dream house interior? Ken tours Design House with Lindsey Miley — a 3,500 sq. ft. Portsmouth showplace filled with countertops, cabinets, furniture, fabrics, wallpapers and so much more. We’ve enjoyed working with Design House’s team on all types of projects ranging from small jobs to whole home renovations.
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You don’t want to spend thousands on a floor that has more color or character variation than you expect. So remember, when it comes to flooring samples, what you see may NOT be what you get. The solution is simple: See a bigger picture!
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Kasey Harkin has been installing tile since she was three years old. Yes — helping her uncle at age three! Her gorgeous work speaks for itself—floors, showers, pools, backsplashes and more. She is also an expert in helping clients decide how to design their space. We’ve trusted Kasey for more than a decade and we’re excited to speak to her today about her process.
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Ken and four-legged Flossie talk British wool. Hearty UK weather leads to a more durable product that stands up to years of foot traffic. In fact, the right wool carpet can last you 20-30 years if properly cared for.
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Don’t get stuck due to a small delay. We implore you to add a “Murphy’s Day” in between when your general contractor says he’ll be done and your flooring install. Then, add a second Murphy’s Day after your flooring is finished and before furniture move in. You may thank yourself later!
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A custom stair runner can be a design focal point of your home for decades. To achieve that longevity, you’ll need to take care of your carpet. From product selection to cleaning, here are four quick tips to get your started.
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If you don’t want to pay for the real thing, we have great news - tile and stone looks in luxury vinyl have come a long way in recent years.
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We love hardwood. But Ken’s recent visit to his doctor confirmed it’s not for everyone. If you have pets or expect lots of foot traffic—particularly in commercial spaces—consider a laminate or luxury vinyl floor.
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With 70+ years of flooring experience between them, Ken sits down with his long-time friend Bill Houle. The takeaway? Choose a retailer who will help you pick the right product, execute the install and tell you how to care of your new floor.
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Oftentimes the milling of American hardwood floors leaves something to be desired. If you want less creaking and a superior furniture finish, consider our two favorite Canadian hardwood brands: Lauzon and Mercier.
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Plywood’s got moves—this expansion and contraction puts your tile installation at risk. Instead, choose a stable cement board for your subfloor.
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Wild swings in temperature and humidity will be bad for your floor—no matter how long boards have had to adjust to your home.
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Want to avoid carpet in the bathroom? If you have an uneven subfloor, sheet vinyl may be your only hope! (Unless you’re going to pay for expensive self leveler.)
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From waterproof wall panels to leakproof shower pans, Schluter makes sure your shower doesn’t dribble. The next time you have a tile job—ask for Schluter!
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3"x6" subway tiles come with a classic bullnose trim that seamlessly returns to the wall. But, be warned! If you choose battiscopa, you may find your trim has no pattern.
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Insurance companies are covering floods less often. As for 'flood-resistant' floors, the only real option is porcelain tile.
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Woven carpets are made of wool and their design is more intricate. We think this means that woven carpet is well worth the cost.
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If you 'ruin' your carpet, I'm offering you one last hope. Replace the stained or frayed carpet with a piece of undamaged carpet from your closet.
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Just like mom jeans and corduroy, laminate floors are making a comeback! The bottom line? Laminate is no laughingstock. It's now a real alternative to the everpresent luxury vinyl plank.
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Don't trust warranties. If you want to get ahead on possible carpet stains, we recommend looking closely at two types of fibers: Mohawk's SmartStrand and any solution-dyed carpet.
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Don’t pay hundreds or even thousands of dollars for a floor and then regret your purchase a few months later. Here are 5 easy tips to follow when shopping for floors.
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How you care for your floors will determine more about their longevity than any intrinsic quality of the product.
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Carpet has thousands of options and it can be hard to know where to start. Here's the decision tree I always follow: function, price, color, and style. If you ask a few basic questions and follow that sequence, you can't go wrong.
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Don't trust online or printed photos for product color accuracy. Take out a real-life sample and trust your own eyes! The main thing that photos are good for is showing you how patterns will lay out in a room.
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The internet is a great resource for coming up with questions to ask a professional. Don't expect it to provide helpful and truthful answers.
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Yes, viscose and Tencel are design-oriented and can give you a beautiful and unique look. However, caveat emptor—buyer beware. These materials are made from wood pulp which makes them very difficult to clean and maintain. That's putting it generously.
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Good news! You can, in fact, replace damaged click luxury vinyl planks without needing to unclick your entire floor. However, the process does take some finesse and we recommend hiring a professional installer for the work.
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It's all about what you like and what's going to make you happy. Yes, we're happy to talk to you about what is 'in style' at the moment. But don't let the industry have the final say about which floor you choose.
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If you don't like footprints or vacuum marks across your carpet, consider a nice stapled wool carpet. If you're going to choose a synthetic carpet, a loop pile will hide marks better than fuzzy carpets.
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Want the healthiest and most natural carpet? Undyed wool is the clear choice. There are also more colors and styles than you'd think. Undyed wool doesn't have to be boring!
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Follow the directions on the glue bucket. Generally speaking, don't apply glue unless it's between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Avoid surfaces that are painted or polished. Also, don't use it with concrete slabs that are full of moisture.
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Wool is a wonderful fiber in many, many ways. But if you want the most luxurious and softest carpet, look for nylon. The same goes for pure white carpets.
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Take your carpet samples home. You’ll know if you’ve picked the right color once you see it in your own home with your own furnishings and under different lighting conditions.
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Don’t get too caught up within the New Zealand vs. British wool debate. They’re both good quality wools. In short: New Zealand wool can be whiter, while British wool can be a little more hearty.
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All wood floors scratch, dent, gouge, and scuff. There’s no getting around it. They’re also not friendly to water. If you want wood in the kitchen (and sometimes it’s what makes most sense from a design standpoint) be sure to take care of it.
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They may seem boring on the surface, but linear drains allow you to have a style-friendly open floorplan in your bathroom. Functionally, they also work great for elderly people and others who are seeking an ADA-compliant bathroom.
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The imminent demise of carpet is upon us. But there's one last outpost for carpet: The bedroom. Why? It's less likely to get dirty and everyone wants something warm and fuzzy under their feet when they wake up in the morning.
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If you've broken a tile and need to replace it, you'll want to find a tile that matches the existing floor. Don't focus on color and style. The problem is that most tiles have very subtle size differences. Even small differences will stop your repair job in its tracks. My advice is to start with tile size and figure out the rest from there.
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Want an authentic stone look? You don’t need to buy stone. Consider porcelain tile with a stone look—which can also be more durable.
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98% of the world agrees that engineered wood is the best performing wood product. The other 2% live in New England.
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Less is more. Forget mops, soapy cleaners, vinegar, and more. Stick to a microfiber mop with the cleaner that the manufacturer specifies.
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There are many benefits to wool carpets, including that they are durable, a fire retardant, and environmentally friendly. You should avoid them, however, if you are especially concerned about stains.
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The less you do, the better. The best thing to do is call me.
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Stair carpeting can make stairs less slippery and reduce injury risk for dogs, children and older people. It also helps protect the stairs!
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Chair mats are ugly. But, they’re also needed to protect your carpet!.
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Begin with the countertop. Countertops are very expensive and an important part of the bathroom. That will give you a good starting point to select other tiles and to coordinate everything.
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Ounce weight doesn't have anything to do with standing up to wear and tear. Don't listen to the story that they tell you at the big box store. It's only important if you want something fluffy under your feet.
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My favorite stain-protection system is solution-dyed fiber. If you're concerned about the stains that kids and pets make, it makes sense to get a carpet that has the color go all the way through the fiber.
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Sisal carpets are beautiful products that come with a litany of annoyances. But, fear not: There are 'fake' sisals that are dimensionally stable, stain-resistant, and cleanable. If you want the real sisal, you've got to take the bad with the good.
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Flooring transitions can reduce the chance of falling and help make sure that your floor wears properly. Double check that your installer uses them everywhere they are needed!
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Don't worry. If you have a looped carpet, this can be a common occurrence and is easily solved with a pair of nail scissors.
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With most LVP/LVT (luxury vinyl plank) products, it's true water won't harm the product. But there's more to consider here, including the possible presence of mold.
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There are a number of important steps to take when ordering natural stone to ensure that you're truly happy with the product. First of all, get all your stone from the same lot. Second, order a single box from the lot you plan to order. This helps ensure you like how that lot looks.
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My advice to you is that when it comes to warranties on floor coverings you should take them with more than a grain of salt.
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The “hard” truth about hardwood warranties are that they’re long and complicated. Basically, they’re not worth paying attention too!
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75% off your flooring or 'free labor' are not truly possible. In fact, it's a red flag that the business may not be reputable. Flooring is a big investment: Make sure you shop with a legitimate company.
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Don’t trip and fall! Learn about the importance of moldings, including reducers, stair noses, and, my favorite molding, the quarter round.
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Previously, matching old and new hardwood floors was a real mess. Thankfully, we now have a more elegant solution by offering a huge variety of pre-finished hardwoods that match old-fashioned oak strip floors.
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If you have a looped carpet that's woven, and not tufted, beater bars in vacuums can pull the fiber apart and ruin your carpet.
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If you’re looking for convenience, choose click LVP. If you want something that’s more flexible and allows you to replace damage planks, choose glue down.
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Remember: Your floor should be firm and flat before you install a rigid hard surface product.
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No wood is safe. If you want to reduce the amount of color change, staining the wood will help. However, color change in wood is a fact of life, so plan accordingly.
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Colorful and environmentally responsible, linoleum has a variety of benefits. It was also used on battleships—so you can be sure that it’s durable too.
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Asbestos is scary. But the best solution may be to simply cover up your existing floor. If you have questions, make sure to contact a professional.
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A chipped floor is a chipped floor! I don't care what color the chip is. Instead, save a few extra tile pieces and do a proper repair if you run into issues down the road.
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It's not a 12' wide world anymore. You've got choices. Many mills have finely woven carpets that come 16' 4" wide. Ask your local showroom about extra-wide carpets!
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Don’t listen to anyone who says you won’t see the seams in your carpet! However, there are ways to minimize the appearance of seams, such as putting them under beds or larger furniture.
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If you're concerned by little scuffs and scratches on your floor, go with LVT. If you don't care about those little marks, feel free to choose hardwood.
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