Wood Flooring

Solid Wood flooring is just that… a solid piece of wood from top to bottom.  The wood plank has tongue and groove sides and can come pre-finished or unfinished. One of the many benefits of solid wood is that it can be sanded and refinished many times.  Solid Wood floors will react to the presence of moisture more so than engineered wood. In colder weather when the heat is on, moisture leaves the wood causing the floor to contract.  In the summer when the humidity is higher, the wood can expand. Too much moisture can cause the wood to cup or buckle. Because of this fact, it is important to maintain the proper humidity level in your home in order to protect your solid hardwood floor. Because of the moisture issue, Solid Wood flooring cannot be installed below grade (such as basements).

Engineered Wood flooring is made of real wood. It is manufactured using multiple layers of wood veneers with each layer running perpendicular to the other resulting in a flooring product that is dimensionally stable and more durable than Solid Wood.  Because of its construction, Engineered flooring will expand and contract less than solid wood flooring when humidity and temperature levels fluctuate. Therefore, Engineered Wood flooring can be installed below or above grade.  An asset of some Engineered Woods is an aluminum oxide finish which results in a hard protective finish. Note, a flooring professional should be consulted when considering sanding and finishing an Engineered Floor.

Carpet is an ideal choice for almost any room.  There is nothing like the soft feel of Carpet under foot. It adds a warm and cozy feeling to any space as well as acting as an excellent noise buffer. Today’s carpeting comes in such a wide variety of colors and textures it can enhance any design style and décor. Carpet is relatively inexpensive compared to other flooring products and is one of the easiest types of flooring to maintain. Vacuum regularly and clean up spills promptly and have carpets professionally cleaned every 12 to 18 months. Today’s advanced stain resistant carpets allow your floors to remain beautiful for years to come.

Vinyl flooring is very cost effective as it provides the look of natural materials but a much lower cost. The multiple specialized wear layers allow it to be scratch, stain, dent and scuff resistant. Vinyl flooring is inherently water resistant and fairly impervious to wet spills.

Laminate flooring is a highly durable and long lasting flooring product.  Its aluminum oxide surface one of the hardest substances on earth. The Laminate core is high density fiberboard which allows this product to be extremely dent resistant. With minimal maintenance, Laminate floors will last a very long time.

Travertine is an extremely durable flooring material that if properly maintained can last for centuries as exemplified by ancient ruins in Europe. This beautiful stone possesses a unique look comprised of subtle monochromatic tones. Travertine is a resource that is naturally hypoallergenic and antimicrobial which makes it an environmentally friendly product.