Flooring

Choosing the right floor...

This guide is meant to help you explore your floor covering options, as well as give you a better understanding of what to look for in a particular type of floor. Let's face it, buying a new floor can be a perplexing job. We hope this will give you more confidence when shopping for flooring and make your experience a more pleasurable one.

For information about a specific product, or for information about installing a specific floor you should always refer to the manufacturer's written documents. Use the information found in this Flooring Guide as a basic resource to help you better understand how to choose the best floor for your specific needs. Be sure to consult with the floor experts at AMR before making a final decision.

Laminate Flooring Construction

Laminate floors come in either planks, or squares and are designed to replicate real flooring materials, such as wood, stone or ceramic tiles. These floors are actually several different layers of various materials that are sandwiched together to form each plank. A printed film gives the floor the look of a real wood, or tile and is protected by a tough, durable wearlayer. The resins used in the wearlayer are said to be almost as hard as diamonds and provides unsurpassed wear and stain resistance.

The inner core, which is generally made from high-density fiber board is used to form the tongue and groove. The core is also the base that all the upper layers and the backing material are fused to. Some manufacturers treat the inner core with melamine resins, or water-resistant sealers to help protect the inner core from moisture.

The planks are usually fused together in either a one, or two step process. In the two-step process several layers are first glued together and then these layers are combined with the remaining materials and than glued and fused into a plank. This method is called High Pressure Laminate (HPL). The other method is where all materials are fused together in one step. This is called Direct Pressure Laminate (DPL).

The individual planks are secured together to create the floor in a similar way to how wood floors are installed. The tongue and groove of each plank is interlocked to the adjacent planks. Laminate floors are secured together using either a specially formulated, water-resistant glue that is applied to the tongue and groove, or some sort of specially designed, glueless locking system. The two main glueless locking systems either involve a tongue and groove that is reinforced from underneath by an aluminum locking system, or a tongue and groove system that is specially designed to snap and lock the planks together.

• Backing - is usually a melamine plastic layer used to give additional structural stability and added moisture protection to the planks.
• Core - generally made from high-density fiber board (HDF), particle board, or plastic, the core adds impact resistance, and forms the tongue and groove locking system. Melamine plastic resins are also impregnated in the core by some of the manufacturers to improve the moisture resistance of the core.
• Melamine - is a plastic-type resin used throughout the construction process to add durability, and stability to the laminated planks.
• Print Film - which is also called the decorative layer gives the floor the appearance of a real hardwood or tile. Some manufacturers, have been able to replicate the old wood floors found only in some old historical buildings.
• Wearlayer - is a tough clear melamine layer with aluminum oxide particles. Using heat and pressure the wearlayer becomes an incredibly hard and durable finish. The resin-filled wearlayer is so dense it becomes extremely difficult to stain, scratch, or burn.
• Underlayment - is a clear thin plastic sheet that is installed over the substrate before the laminate floor is floated. The plastic sheet helps the laminate floor to float freely above the substrate.

Floor Care for Laminate Flooring

Laminate floors will give years of performance if you follow some regular maintenance procedures. Even though these floors are extremely durable they can be scratched so protect your floor from grit and sharp objects.

• Use felt pads, or wide based casters underneath all chair and furniture legs.
• When moving heavy objects across the floor always use extra care and place walk off mats by all exterior doorways.
• Vacuum your floor regularly using soft brush attachments and wipe with a damp cloth or mop when needed.
• Do not polish or wax these floors.
• Never try to refinish or sand a laminate floor.
• Do not use steel wool or any harsh abrasive cleaners on the floor.
• For additional care procedures always refer to the manufacturer's care and maintenance instructions and recommendations.

Laminate floors will give years of performance if you follow some regular maintenance procedures. Even though these floors are extremely durable they can be scratched so protect your floor from grit and sharp objects.

Wood Flooring

Natural Beauty!

The elegant look of a hardwood floor can add warmth and character to any room in a home. The natural characteristics of wood add depth and a visual appearance that many other types of floors try to duplicate. As the consumer demand for hardwood floors has grown so has the manufacturer's ability to produce better quality finishes and superior construction techniques. With these advancements wood floors can now be installed throughout the home and over a wide variety of subfloors.

Today, homeowners looking to use wood floors have the option of purchasing three different types of wood flooring. Although the end results may look the same there are distinct advantages for using each type under different situations.

• 3/4" Solid Wood Floors
• Engineered Plank Floors
• Longstrip Plank Floors

Once installed it is extremely difficult to tell the difference between a solid wood floor and the other wood floors. Both the engineered and the longstrip have thin layers of wood that are glued together. By gluing the plies together you get better dimensional stability within the plank itself, which allows these floors to be used on job sites that have a higher percentage of moisture content than normal. This includes basements and over concrete slabs where solid strip wood floors are considered off limits.

Another choice you have today is whether to go with a pre-finished wood floor, or an unfinished wood floor that is finished in your home. The pre-finished floors offer a wider variety of wood species and saves hours of labor and cleanup. While the unfinished wood floors allow you to have a custom, job-site finish and a completely smooth, uniform surface. You also get an extended factory finish warranty with pre-finished floors, but not with most job-site finishes.

Grade Levels
Where Is The Floor Going To Be Installed?

To begin with you need to look at where you plan on installing your new wood floor. Some wood floors are limited in where they can be installed. This is especially true for the 3/4" solid wood floors. Because the 3/4" solid wood floors are more susceptible to moisture they are generally not recommended for basements or installing over concrete slabs. To help you determine which wood floors you should look at see the chart below. The installation method also can determine where are floor can be used, so be sure to review the section on installation methods .

Plank Edge Styles

Hardwood floors come in either a beveled edge, or a square edge. Today, most hardwood floor manufacturers are calling their beveled edge " eased edge " because the tapered edge is dramatically reduced from the old deeply grooved edges. The beveled edges do serve a purpose. The manufacturer can produce beveled edge planks faster than square edge, which in turn lowers their production costs. Also, a beveled edge floor is more forgiving when installed over irregular subfloors and you don't have the problem of overwood.

Square Edge

The edges of all boards meet squarely creating a uniform, smooth surface that blends the floor together from board to board. The overall look of this floor gives a contemporary flair and formal feeling to the room.

Eased Edge

Each board is just slightly beveled. Some manufacturers add an eased edge to both the length of the planks as well as the end joints. Eased edges are used to help hide minor irregularities, such as uneven plank heights. Eased edge is also called microbeveled edge.

Beveled Edge

These products have a very distinctive groove in them. Beveled edge planks lend themselves to an informal and country decor. With the urethane finishes applied at the factory today the beveled edges are sealed completely making dirt and grit easy to be swept or vacuumed out of the grooves. Beveled edge floors help hide subfloor irregularities that could result in variations in board height, which is often called "overwood".

Wood Species
Relative Hardness Table

Below are listed the relative hardness for numerous wood species used in flooring. These ratings were done using the Janka Hardness Test, which measure the force needed to embed a .444 inch steel ball to half it's diameter in a piece of wood. The higher the number the harder the wood. Although this is one of the best methods to measure the ability of wood species to withstand indentations, it should be used as a general guide when comparing various species of wood flooring. The construction and finish also play an important role in the durability and ease of maintenance of any wood floor.

Solid Wood Floors

When we think of solid wood floors we generally are talking about a 3/4" thick plank that is 2 1/4" wide. This is the classic strip wood floor, although it is possible to find a narrower width or a slightly thinner guage. The strips are generally in random lengths from 12" – 84". The most common wood species used for solid strip floors are red oak, white oak, and maple.

Solid wood floors are one solid piece of wood that have tongue and groove sides and come in either prefinished or unfinished styles. Solid wood floors are sensitive to moisture and it is not recommended to install these floors below ground level, or directly over a concrete slab. These floors are for nail-down installations only. You can refinish, or recoat solid wood floors several times, which adds to their appeal and to their long life. There are solid wood floors that are several centuries old and are still in good condition today.

All solid wood floors will react to the presence of moisture. In the winter heating months, moisture leaves the wood causing the floor to contract which leaves unsightly gaps between each plank. In the summer months when the humidity is higher the wood will expand and the gaps will disappear. If there is too much moisture it may cause the wood planks to cup, or buckle. This is why it is important when installing a solid strip floor to leave the proper expansion area around the perimeter and to acclimate the wood prior to installation.

When we talk about unfinished wood we generally think of solid wood floors. Although there are many prefinished 3/4" solid wood floors too. Unfinished solid oak floors come in several different qualities. These qualities are clear, select and better, #1 common, and #2 common. The clear has no visual blemishes or knots and is extremely expensive. The select and better quality has some small knots and very little dark graining, while the #1 common and #2 common have more knots and more dark graining. When buying an unfinished solid oak floor make sure you know which quality you are buying.

Engineered Plank Floors

Engineered wood floors are generally 2,3, or 5 thin sheets of wood that are laminated together to form one plank. These floors will range from 1/4" to 9/16" in thickness, and from 2 1/4" to 7" in width. The lengths will be random and range from 12" – 60" in length. The top finish layer can be cut from a variety of domestic or exotic hardwood species.

In the construction of engineered wood floors the wood plies are stacked on top of each other, but in the opposite directions. This creates a floor that is dimensionally stable and far less effected by moisture than a 3/4" solid wood floor. This is why you can install engineered wood floors over concrete slabs below ground level, as well as anywhere else in the home. (Note: the concrete slabs must still be dry and clean.)

Wood always wants to expand in a certain direction. In the presence of moisture solid wood planks will always expand across the width of the planks, rather than down the length of the boards. To avoid this problem, manufacturers of engineered planks place each ply in the opposite direction of each other. This is called cross-ply construction. Once the wood layers are glued together the plies will counteract each other which helps prevent the plank from expanding, or shrinking with changes in humidity. If moisture is a concern, then you should strongly consider an engineered wood floor versus a solid wood floor.

The top ply, or finish layer of an engineered wood floor can be a different wood specie without driving the costs out of sight. Engineered floors come in a variety of wood species, just by changing the top, finish layer. If you a looking for some of the more unusual, or exotic wood species than you should definitely take a look at engineered wood floors.

Most engineered floors can be nailed-down, stapled-down, glued-down, or floated over a wide variety of subfloors, including some types of existing floors, such as vinyl flooring. Caution should be used to be certain the existing flooring is well adhered and that your installation application meets the manufacturer's installation recommendations.

You can also buy engineered floors in varying widths. They generally come in 2 1/4", 3", 5", and 7" widths and widths can be mixed, such as 3-5-7 inch planks installed side by side. By varying the board widths you can change the total appearance of the floor.

WOOD PLANK STYLES STRIP FLOORING 2 1/4" width traditional linear look PLANK FLOORING 3" width casual elegance RANDOM FLOORING 3",5", & 7" widths more patterned look

Longstrip Plank Floors

Longstrip – floors are very similar to engineered floors. These floors are constructed from several wood plies that are glued together. The center core is generally a softer wood material and is used to make the tongue and groove. A hardwood finish layer is glued on top of the center core and another softer wood ply is attached underneath the core. This top ply is also called the finish layer and can be constructed of almost any wood specie. The finish layer is really made up of many smaller, individual solid wood pieces that are laid in three rows of solid planks. Longstrip planks are approximately 86" in length and 7 1/2" in width. The finish layer of a longstrip plank will generally have between 17 to 18 pieces in the three row series. This gives the effect of installing a board that is 3 narrow planks wide and several planks long. Each longstrip plank looks like an entire section that has already been pre-assembled for you.

Longstrip planks are designed for the floating installation, but most can also be glued-down, or stapled down. Because these floors can be installed with the floating installation method they can be installed above or below ground level and over a wide variety of subfloors. Like engineered floors, longstrip floors come in a variety of domestic and exotic wood species.

Wood Floor Finishes

The days of having to wax and scrub your hardwood floors are pretty much gone forever. Manufacturers of pre-finished wood floors have developed sophisticated techniques to quickly apply hard, durable, urethane based finishes right at the factory. By using ultra violet lights the prefinished wood planks can have several coats of urethane applied within a matter of a few minutes. This is helping make hardwood floors both more affordable, and much easier to maintain. Recently, the hardwood flooring manufacturers have begun to add small chips of Aluminum Oxide directly to the floor's finish which dramatically increases the life of the urethane finish.

Most factory finished hardwood floors have several coats of finish applied to the wood's surface. As example, some wood floors are applying 6-10 coats of a ultra-violet (UV) cured urethane over the stained wood finish layer.

The job-site urethance finishes have been improved dramtically as well and will add years of performance to your wood floors.

This does not mean you should wash your floor with a wet mop, but it does mean that these wood floors won't watermark like the old waxed, strip wood floors. The the UV cured urethane wood finishes are extremely durable and much more abrasion resistant than waxed floors.

Factory Prefinished Hardwood Flooring
Wood floors that have been factory finished before they are installed.

UV-cured – Factory finishes that are cured with Ultra Violet lights versus heat.

Polyurethane – A clear, tough and durable finish that is applied as a wear layer.

Acrylic-urethane – A slightly different chemical make up than Polyurethane with the same benefits.

Ceramic – Advanced technology that allows the use of space-age ceramics to increase the abrasion resistance of the wear layer. See Award Hardwood Floors WearMax finish.

Aluminum Oxide – Added to the urethane finish for increased abrasion resistance of the wear layer, which is becoming extremely popular on the better grade wood floors.

Acrylic Impregnated – Acrylic monomers are injected into the cell structure of the wood to give increased hardness and then finished with a wear layer over the wood.

Note: With factory finished wood floors chances are your pre-finished wood trims and molding will not match your floor, rather they will be color cooordinated.

Job-site Finished Hardwood Flooring
Wood floor is installed, stained and finished at the job-site

Job-site finish means you start with a bare (unfinished) hardwood floor and than the floor is sanded, stained, and finished in the home. If you want a custom stained hardwood floor, or a wood floor to match existing trim than a job-site finish is your answer. The other advantage of a job-site finish is if you are concerned with uneven heights between planks, the sanding process will smooth out the floor.

Water Based Urethane – Water is used as part of the chemical make up of the polyurethane finish.

Solvent Based Urethane – Oil is used as part of the chemical make up of the polyurethane finish.

Moisture Cured Urethane – A similar chemical make up as solvent based urethanes but, this finish needs the humidity (moisture ) in the air to cure.

Installation Options

Nail Down – Typically used with the 3/4" solid products, however there are adapters available for thinner flooring sizes as well. 2" nailing cleats are used with a wood flooring nailer and mallet to attach the flooring to the subfloor. Solid Strip floors or Plank floors can only be installed on wooden subfloors on grade or above grade. The National Oak Flooring Manufacturers Association has complete installation instructions available on their web site.

Staple Down – 1-1/2 to 2 inch Staples are used versus nailing cleats to attach the wood flooring to the subfloor. A pneumatic gun is used to drive the staple into the wood flooring and subfloor. This procedure is easier than the nail down for do-it-yourself installations. Not all wood flooring manufacturers recommend the same staple gun. Read the manufacturers installation manual to assure you have the right staple gun and right size staples.

Glue Down – The recommended mastic or adhesive is spread on with the proper sized trowel to adhere the wood flooring to the subfloor.

Engineered wood floors and parquets can be glued down. Solid strip floors and plank floors can only be nailed or stapled. There are many types of adhesives on the market, please use the manufacturers recommended adhesive when installing their flooring. Not using the manufacturers recommended adhesive and trowel size could void any warranties you may have.

Floating – With the floating installation method the floor is not mechanically fastened to to any part of the subfloor. There is a thin pad that is placed between the wood flooring and the subfloor. A recommended wood glue is applied in the tongue and groove of each plank to hold the planks together. The padding protects against moisture, reduces noise transmission, softer under foot, and provides for some additional "R" value. Some engineered floors and all Longstrip floors can be floated. This is a very fast, easy and clean method of installation. Please consult the manufacturer installation instructions to see if your flooring can be floated.

Wood Floor Care

• Don't Damp Mop - Water and wood floors don't mix! Use only the manufacturer's recommended cleaning products on your hardwood floor.
• Vacuum Regularly - Small stones, mud and gritty dirt tracked in from outside can scratch the finish of your wood floor's finish. To help combat this use long bristle welcome mats placed at all outside entrances for people to wipe their feet on before entering onto the floors. Also, vacuum using a soft bristle brush attachment.
• Use the Proper Chair Glides - Narrow wheels, sharp wooden legs or metal furniture legs can scratch and dent hardwood floors. Any furniture that rests directly on top of a hardwood floor should have felt protectors, or furniture coasters under all it's feet. For extremely heavy objects such as a piano, use wide, non-staining rubber cups. Purchasing floor protectors is cheap insurance for protecting your hardwood floor investment.
• Don't Use Oil Soaps - There are many over the counter oil-based soaps and wax based cleaning products that may damage or dull the finish of your wood floor. The best suggestion is to only use the manufacturers recommended cleaning products on your hardwood flooring.
• Never Wax a Urethane Floor - If your hardwood floor has a polyurethane finish never use a paste wax on the floor's surface. A paste wax may form a sticky film on your floor and allow tracked in dirt to stick to your wood finish. Polyurethane finishes will not adhere to any wax and adding a fresh coat of polyurethane to your floor will be very difficult.
• Wipe Spills Immediately - when accidents happen and some liquid gets spilled on your hardwood floor, you should use a slightly damp white cloth, or paper towel to immediately clean up and dry the effected area. For more difficult spots, follow the manufacturer's recommended cleaning procedures.

Vinyl Flooring

Floors with style!

No other floor covering category offers the variety of colors and patterned styles as vinyl flooring! Thanks to some great advancements in styling and technology, today's vinyl floors have been changed forever.

The unique manufacturing processes used today can replicate the look and textures of real ceramic tile, stone and wood grains. Plus, the resilient manufacturers have created new manufacturing processes to make vinyl floors more tear and stain resistant.

Once you have paged through the various web pages in the vinyl flooring section you should have a better understanding of how these new generation vinyl floors have changed forever the way we think of vinyl floors.

For information about a specific product, or for information about installing a specific vinyl floor you should always refer to the manufacturer's written documents. Use the information found here as a basic guide to help you better understand vinyl flooring. See your flooring retailer for expert advice.

Vinyl Construction Overview

Homeowners are offered two types of residential sheet vinyl flooring. The older construction type is called inlaid construction and the newer, more common construction type is called rotogravure construction.

The inlaid process uses solid colored vinyl chips that are laid on top of a carrier sheet and then bonded together with heat and pressure. The inlaid process has been around for years and generally results in geometric type patterns and designs. Residential inlaid floors have a clear wearlayer placed over the top of the chips to make the floor's finish easier to maintain. It is important to note that you are not walking directly on the inlaid chips, instead you are walking on the clear wearlayer that was placed on top of the chips. The appearance of your inlaid floor is dependent on how long the clear finish will last.

The rotogravure printing process is the most commonly used method for making residential vinyl floors and offers unlimited possibilities in pattern and design. This involves a print cylinder that spins around while the vinyl's core layer (called the gel coat) passes underneath. The cylinder systematically prints various colored ink dyes to create the pattern. After the print dyes are set a clear wearlayer is applied to the surface. Like the inlaid the appearance retention of a rotogravure floor is dependent on the durability of the clear wearlayer.

Understanding Vinyl Performance

The wearlayer is critical to the performance of a vinyl floor. The thickness of the wearlayer varies with each manufacturer's collection, or series and is generally measured in mils. The thickness of a mil is about the same as a page in your telephone book. So a 10 mil wearlayer would be comparable in thickness to about 10 pages in your telephone book.

The more expensive vinyl floors generally will have a thicker wearlayer and a much better finish. Your expectations for how long your vinyl floor will look like new are usually based on the wearlayer's performance. To help you understand wearlayer construction we need to define what the performance characteristics are we are looking for in a vinyl floor. These performance characteristics can be broken into several key areas:

• Easy to clean
• Stays looking like-new
• Resists staining from normal household products
• Doesn't show scratches easily
• Easy to cleanup spills

The easy to clean relates to how tough it is to remove soiling and other marks from a floor's surface. When a floor begins to look old and drabby it is usually caused by hundreds of fine hair-line scratches in the wearlayer. The fine scratches come from dirt, girt, and sand laying on the wearlayer's surface. Another problem low-end floors and older vinyl floors have is staining of the wearlayer, which can happen from asphalt driveway sealers, Kool-Aid, plant food, marking pens, etc...

The new, high-end vinyl floors have better technology to help resist showing wear and staining far better than any of the middle to low-end vinyl floors made today. The special urethane finishes used on today's residential, high-end vinyl floors will give you a richer looking floor, better designs, better tear-resistance and much better performance!

Floor Care Guide

The new vinyl floors are extremely durable and long lasting, but like any floorcovering they still need regular maintain to stay looking like new. Follow these general guideline for vinyl flooring. For more detailed information always refer to the manufacturer's written floor care procedures.

Care After Installation

• For the first 24 hours after your new floor is installed protect all the seamed areas and don't walk on the seam sealer.
• Keep the room at 68* F or greater for at least a 2 days after installation to allow the adhesives to setup properly.
• Do not roll heavy objects directly on to a newly installed vinyl floor for at least 5 days. This can cause the vinyl and adhesive to become compressed, once the adhesive sets up any compressed marks will become permanent. Always lay plywood or underlayment to disperse the weight of a heavy objects being moved across your vinyl floor.
• Allow 5 days before thoroughly washing your floor. This will give time for the adhesive to cure.
• Before placing chairs or furniture on your new vinyl floor check the condition of all casters or rollers before setting them on your floor. Replace any worn casters or rollers.

General Floor Care

• Vacuum regularly to remove grit and sand. Wash your floor occasionally with the manufacturer's recommended floor cleaner, such as Armstrong's Once 'n Done No Rinse Cleaner, or Mannington's Award Cleaner.
• Wipe up spills immediately. If needed clean with the manufacturer's recommended cleaner. You can also clean with luke warm water and clear ammonia.
• If you floor becomes dull looking you may need to add the manufacturer's recommended floor polish to restore the orginal gloss level. First, try cleaning with luke warm water and clear ammonia to see if there is a film on your floor causing the dullness.
• Never use abrasive cleaners, soaps, paste waxes, or solvents on your vinyl floor.
• Place non-staining, walk-off mats at every outside entry to your room. This will help keep sand and grit from being tracked on to your floor.

Floor Care Tips

• If your floor gets a cut or gouge in it, cover the area immediately and call your professional floorcovering store. A professional installer can repair the area, but if the cut is filled with dirt it may be difficult to repair correctly.
• If you purchase an inexpensive PVC vinyl floor you should consider placing 2-3 coats of the recommended floor polish on the floor immediately. Any vinyl floor with a PVC wearlayer will show scuffs, scratches, and other marks very easily, by adding the coats of floor polish you will make the floor easier to maintain.
• If you have a seam open, cover it immediately, do not wash that area, and call a floor covering professional to come and repair the seam.
• When moving heavy objects across your floor place plywood, or underlayment sheets down first and move the object over the plywood sheets.

Ceramic Tile Flooring

Glazed Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tile has been around for centuries and with today's technology manufacturers have created new design and application possibilities that were not available a decade ago. If you have never used ceramic tile before or it has been a long time since you have done so, you will be amazed at the wide selection of colors, sizes, shapes and new textures that are now available.

Ceramic tile is a natural product made up of clay, a number of other naturally-occurring minerals, and water. Glazed ceramic tile has a ceramic coating applied to the tile body, which gives the tile its color and finish. Glazed ceramic tile is the natural choice for your interior floors and walls. It is:

• Durable - a properly installed ceramic tile will outperform and outlast nearly any other floorcovering product created for the same application.
• Easy care - glazed ceramic tile resists stains, odors, and dirt and can be cleaned up with a damp mop or sponge or common household cleaners such as Mr. Clean, Top Job or Spic and Span.
• Scratch resistant - Grade III and Grade IV glazed ceramic tiles are extremely resistant to scratching and you never have to worry about a cut or tear like you do with some other types of floors.
• Environmentally friendly - ceramic tile is manufactured using natural materials and does not retain odors, allergens, or bacteria.
• Beautiful and Versatile - modern ceramic manufacturering technology has created virtually an unlimited number of colors, sizes, styles, shapes, and textures that will add rich beauty and character to any room decor.
• Fire Resistant - ceramic tile doesn't burn nor emit toxic fumes. A lighted cigarette, when dropped on the floor, even if allowed to sit, will not do any damage to ceramic tile. Even hot kitchen pans or skillets will not scorch or melt the surface of glazed ceramic tile.
• Water Resistant - most glazed ceramic tile has a dense body that permits little or no accumulation of moisture. This means spills from common liquids found in a kitchen are not a big concern.

Porcelain Tile- commercial version of ceramic, much harder and more durable than conventional ceramics.

Unglazed Floor Tile (Pavers) – There is no glazing or any other coating applied to these tiles. Because these tiles are porous it is recommendeded that a special penetrating sealant be used to maintain this type of floors and to help prevent stains from seeping into the pores of the tiles. Their color is the same on the face of the tile as it is on the back resulting in very durable tiles that do not show the effects of heavy traffic.

Marble – Marble is a natural product and is not made in a factory. For this reason no two pieces of marble look the same and the veining is a natural characteristic in all marble. There are special marble sealants to help protect from staining of the face. Extra care should be used when cleaning and all abrasives and acidic cleaners should never be used when cleaning. Even colas, some juices, and possibly ammonia may destroy the marble finish.

Granite – This is another natural stone and is not manufacturered in a factory. Granite can be used indoors or outdoors and is less porous than marble. It is still recommended that you use a sealant to protect the finish from staining.

Grout – Grout is a mixture of cement and a color additive. For tile floors with wider spaces between each tile sand is added to the grout. Also, a liquid latex additive can be added to the grout to give better resiliency to the grouted areas. For ease of maintenance a penetrating sealant should be used on the grout. It should be noted you may see a change in color of your grout over time.

Some of the other important things we can help with when selecting a tile floor is the slip-resistance, the size and color of the grout joints, the thickness of the tile, height variations from room to room, size of the tile, suitability of the subfloor, and cleaning of the tile.

Ceramic Tile Definitions

A mixture of clays that are pressed into shape and fired at high temperatures which gives the tile it's hardness. The bisque, or body, of ceramic tile may then be glazed, or left unglazed depending on it's intended use.

Classifications of Ceramic Tile

P.E.I. Wear Ratings from the Porcelain Enamel Institute

Group I:  Tiles that are suitable for residential bathrooms with light foot traffic. Generally wall tile products fall into this group. Some wall tiles can be used on the floor. Consult the manufacturer of the tile for their recommended areas of application.

Group II:  Tiles that can be used in residential traffic areas, expect areas with high traffic, such as in kitchens, foyers, laundry rooms, etc.

Group III:  Products that are recommended for all residential installations.

Group IV:  Tiles that are suited for all residential and light to medium commercial.

Group V:  These tiles can be in heavy traffic areas and are recommended for wet areas where safety is a concern, such as in food service areas, exterior areas, shopping malls and swimming pools just to name a few.

Types

Glazed – The most common style today in floor and wall tiles, as well as for residential and commercial applications. A liquid glass is applied to the body of the tile and fired at high temperatures. The glazing becomes hard and non-porous resulting in a flooring that is:

• Stain Resistant
• Scratch Resistant
• Fire Resistant
• Doesn't Fade from Sun Light
• Slip Resistant
• Easy to Clean

Shiny glazes are softer, can be scratched easier, and can be slippery than the satin or rustic finishes.

Unglazed – There is no glazing or any other coating applied to the tile. Their color is the same on the face of the tile as it is on the back resulting in very durable tiles that do not show the effects of heavy traffic. The most common unglazed tiles are the red quarry tiles or the granite looking porcelain ceramic tiles used in heavy commercial areas.

Tile density and moisture absorption

Tile Density – As the weight or the density increase it becomes a stronger tile.

Moisture Absorption – Again as the density increases the amount of moisture that a tile can absorb becomes less.

Tile density and moisture absorption have an indirect relationship to each other. As the density of the tile increases the moisture absorption rate becomes less. Tile density and moisture absorption are important to understand when selecting the tiles for different applications.

Non-Vitreous Tiles – tiles that absorb 7% or more moisture. Suited for indoor use only.

Semi-Vitreous Tiles – tiles that absorb from 3% to 7% moisture. Suited for indoor use only.

Vitreous Tiles – tiles that absorb less that 3% moisture. Referred to as frost resistant tiles but can not be used in exterior areas where freeze thaw conditions could cause tile cracking.

Impervious Tiles – tiles that have less than .5% moisture absorption. These tiles are frost proof and can be used in exterior areas or on the outside of building facades.

Production Methods

Bicottura - It is an Italian word meaning "double fired". The clay body is fired on the first pass through the kiln, and the glaze is applied and fired on the second pass through the kiln. This process is only being used today for decorative wall tile products.

Monocottura – It is an Italian word meaning, "single fired". The tile passes through the firing process one time at a temperature of 2200 degrees. Monocuttura tiles have denser bodies and harder glazes than Bicottura tiles.

White Body Tile versus Red Body Tile

The color of the body is determined by the color of the clay used by the manufacturer that is available in their geographic region. Look at the body of the tile to see if the color is red or white. The quality of the tile is more related to the quality of the manufacturer not the color of the body.

Wall Tile Trims

Bullnose – This is the most used trim shape for wall tile installations. Wall tile bullnose is sometimes referred to as surface cap . It has one rounded finished edge on the tile and can be used horizontally or vertically. For a 4" x 4" tile the industry number would be S4449.

Corner Bullnose – It has two rounded finished edges on the tile to be used to complete the corner where the horizontal and vertical bullnose meet. Generally you use only 2 – 3 pieces for a bathtub enclosure. For a 4" x 4" tile the industry number would be SN4449.

Stack-on Cove Base – This cove base provides a coving on the bottom and a flat edge on top to continue with more wall tile up the wall. For a 4" x 4" tile the industry number would be A3401.

Rounded Top Cove Base – This cove base has a rounded finished top like bullnose and is used as a cove base in areas that will not have wall tile installed above it. The industry number would be S3419.

The above trims are the most commonly used. There are many other specialty trims available that will only confuse you. Your tile installer will be able to look at your installation and know what trims will be needed.

Floor Tile Trims

Some manufacturers do not provide trim pieces for their products. There are many other ways to finish off the job; Corian, Marble, Granite, Wood, Metal and plastic trim accessories.

Bullnose – It has one rounded finished edge on the tile to give a nice finishing touch. Sometimes it is also used as a substitute for cove base.

Corner Bullnose – It has two rounded finished edges on the tile to be used to complete a corner.

Sanitary Cove Base – It has a rounded finished top like a bullnose to cover up the body of the tile.

Glazed Ceramic Tile Care

Although glazed ceramic tile requires less floor care than most of the other flooring types, there are things you need to do to maintain the beauty of the ceramic tile floor.

• Wash Regularly - Wash the floor regularly to remove any dirt or grit. Use a mild, diluted detergent solution, such as Mr. Clean or Spic & Span. If in doubt, research the internet to get the tile manufacturer's cleaning recommendations.
• Vacuum Regularly - Sweep, or vacuum your glazed tile regularly.
• Avoid Ammonia-based Cleaners - ammonia-based cleaners may discolor some types of colored grout.
• Always Rinse - After washing with a mild detergent you should thoroughly rinse the floor with clean, warm water.
• Never Wax a Tile - The glazed ceramic finish should never be waxed.
• Wipe Spills Immediately - If some liquids gets spilled on the floor you may use an all-purpose cleaner like Fantastic, or Top Job to clean up the effected area. This will help the grout joints from becoming discolored from spills (Non-epoxy grout joints should be treated with a silicone sealer twice a year to ensure stain protection.)

Carpet Flooring

Warmth and comfort under foot

There is no doubt that carpet offers homeowners more warmth, softness and is much quieter than any other floor covering. Todays carpet styles, colors and textures blend well with any home decor and with a variety of other flooring products. From traditional, to country, to formal you can always find a carpet that will enrich any interior setting and give you years of performance.

Listed below are some of the advantages to using carpet in your home:

• Carpet adds warmth and is soft under feet and easier on children's knees.
• Carpet is much quieter than hard surfaces floors.
• Carpet comes in a wide variety of color tones and hues.
• Carpet is easy to decorate with and offers many solid color tones for rooms with patterned wall coverings.
• Carpet can hide many subfloor irregularities that would not be permitted with hard surfaces floors.
• Carpet can go over a variety of substrates and on all grade levels, even concrete slabs in basements.
• Carpet is economical and the installation costs are much less than some of the hard surface products.

Carpet Construction Types

Below is a brief overview of the common carpet construction types sold in floor covering stores.

	SAXONY Smooth, soft cut-pile surface Versatile in performance & in appearance Works well with traditional rooms Used a lot in formal areas
	TEXTURED SAXONY Textured surface helps hide footprints Great casual appearance Extremely popular style Ideal for active families, used in any room
	VELVETS Fine, tip sheared surface Elegant style, very formal Not as popular as some of the other styles
	FRIEZE Textured surface, with knobby appearance Extremely durable, and long wearing Great for active rooms Not as popular as some of the other styles
	CUT AND LOOP Distinctive carved appearance Cut and loops give a variety of surface levels Multi-colors helps hide stains, and traffic Can really spice up a room Fits a variety of room settings
	MULTI-LEVEL LOOP Several different levels of loops Creates a unique looking pattern effect Has a casual appearance Very durable, hides traffic well
	LEVEL LOOP Loops are all the same height Usually made with Olefin fiber Casual appearance, but extremely durable Great for active family rooms, or basements

Special Note About Berbers:  Berbers are really big bulky yarns that are either produced in a level loop, or multi-level loop carpet construction. Although many Berbers are made out of olefin fiber, some are made with nylon, or a blend of various carpet fibers.

Carpet Fibers

Nylon: This is the most popular synthetic carpet fiber used today. It offers tremendous value, performance, and ease of maintenance. Nylon provides brilliant colors and hides soil and traffic well.

Olefin: This fiber is also called polypropylene, and is extremely popular in Berbers and level loops. Olefin carpets are highly stain, static, mold, and mildew resistant. They can be used for indoor or outdoor carpets, including outdoor turf. Their resistance to matting and crushing are not as good as a nylon fiber.

Polyester: Gives excellent color clarity with a soft feel to the carpet. Lacks the durability of a nylon carpet.

Acrylic: Has a real wool look and appearance. Used mainly in level loops, bath mats, and some velvet carpet styles. Offers good mold and mildew resistance with low static levels.

Wool: Although somewhat expensive wool still offers great bulk, performance, and an elegant look.

Carpet Buying Tips

Many homeowners choose carpeting because it is warm, and soft under foot. When you select a carpet you generally buy it with the expectations that your new carpet will look just like the sample in the store for many years. Having some general knowledge about the different characteristics of carpeting will help you choose the best carpet to meet your expectations.

Below are a few things to help you understand why certain carpets perform better than others.

YARN TWIST - When it comes to carpet "tighter is better" . In general terms, the tighter the twist the longer the carpet will perform before it begins to crush and matt. By taking lots of fine fiber strands (called filaments) and spinning them into a tightly twisted yarn and then locking them all together with heat you get a much more resilient yarn for making carpet.

SHORTER NAP - The height of the carpet's nap is also important to the overall performance of the carpet. The higher the yarn stands above the backing of the carpet the more difficult it is for the manufacturer to make the carpet crush and matt resistant. So the shorter the pile height the more crush resistant and the longer the like-new appearance of your carpet will last.

STITCHES PER INCH - Like most fabric materials, carpet that has more yarn (or stitches) per inch will also be more crush and matt resistant. Some carpets are so dense that it is nearly impossible to push your fingers in between the yarns. Obviously, the carpets where the yarns are so crowded and packed together will have a easier time resisting crushing.

CARPET CUSHION - A good quality carpet cushion will extend the life of any carpet, regardless of the quality of the carpet. Carpet cushion serves a vital purpose which is often over looked. Good quality carpet cushion acts as both a shock absorber and a spring which helps improve a carpet's overall performance. Review the carpet manufacturer's cushion recommendations prior to purchasing a carpet.

CONTINUOUS FILAMENT NYLON (CFN) - If you see on the back of a carpet sample a label that says "CFN" , or "BCF" , that means this carpet is made from continuous filament nylon. Continuous filament nylon starts out as one long continuous strand before made into yarn. The other type is called staple nylon , which means each fine filament starts out as a short strand about 7 inches long before it is spun into yarn and then tufted into carpet. As the short, unsecured pieces of staple nylon come loose from the yarn pile you get pilling on the surface of the carpet. This does not happen with a continuous nylon carpet.

LOOPED CARPETS - From level loops to berbers there is an important factor to look for when buying a crush resistant looped carpet. This is the density of the loop and how much free space is in the middle of the loop. Like all carpets the more filaments that are packed in the yarn and the tighter the loop the better the performance will be.

Carpet Care

Carpet Stain Removal

Treatment of the affected area should begin immediately upon discovery. The more time that elapses before treatment, the more difficult a stain will be to remove.

First scrape the food spill gently with a spoon or dull knife, removing as much as possible.

Always work from outer edge of the stain towards the center to avoid spreading. Blot , do not rub or scrub, as the carpet may fuzz.

When using a mild detergent, use a clear, non-bleach laundry detergent. Do not use cloudy detergents as they can leave a sticky residue. Use only 1/4 teaspoon of detergent to 32 ounces of water. Follow detergent cleaning with clear water rinsing and then blot dry as much as possible.

For any stain removal, use a white cloth or paper towel for cleanup.

* Find further advice on stain emergencies by clicking here for 3M's Stain Database, see also DuPont's Stainmaster.

Vacuum Regularly

Most dirt, and even dust, takes the form of hard particles. When left in the carpet these gritty, sharp particles abrade the pile of the carpet. Regular vacuuming not only prolongs the life of the carpet, but will enhance its appearance as well. Most soiling in carpet is of the dry, particle type which can be removed with a vacuum cleaner.

Vacuum high traffic lanes daily, medium to high traffic areas twice weekly, and the entire house at least once a week.

Use a vacuum with a rotating brush or beater bar. Change the bags often and check the beater bars for burs and gouges so as not to damage the surface of the carpet. Some thick loop pile carpets will fuzz if a rotating brush vacuum is used. In this case we recommend a suction vacuum only.

Preventative Maintenance

The use of mats or runners at all home entrances and on uncarpeted areas adjacent to carpet will reduce soil and moisture in traffic areas. Clean mats and any other rugs placed over carpet regularly.

The use of furniture coasters to distribute the weight of heavy items is also recommended, especially for furniture with wheels. Take care when moving furniture with wheels by putting a protective barrier between the wheels and the carpet.

To extend the beauty of your carpeting, close drapes or blinds during hours of direct sunlight.

Exercise extreme caution with all bleaches, tile cleaners, mildew removers, oven cleaners, drain openers and plant food. They are strong chemicals that can permanently discolor or dissolve carpet fibers.

Cleaning Recommendations

Even with regular vacuuming, soil particles and oily dirt will cling to the carpet fibers. With foot traffic these particles and oily dirt are driven deep into the carpet. We recommend professional hot water extraction every 18 to 24 months. Periodic cleaning, using the hot water extraction method performed by a professional cleaner, will refresh carpet appearance.

The most used areas, such as entrances, doorways, traffic lanes, and in front of chairs will collect dirt faster than other areas. Clean these areas as they begin to show soil. This will stop dirt from spreading, and will extend the time between professional cleaning.

We carry the manufacturer's maintenance products so you can be sure when shopping with us to get the right floor care product for your new floor. So why not stop in and let our friendly, knowledgeable sales staff help you protect your flooring investment.

Choosing The Right Floor

Choosing the right floor that will give you years of performance and enrich the charm of any room can be difficult if you don't understand your floor covering options. Use the comparison chart on the next page to help you decide which floor covering types may be best for your situation.

Please remember this is just a general guide to help you to better understand your floor covering options. Always consult your local flooring retailer for more specific help before choosing your floor.

After reviewing the Flooring Guide, if you have any specific questions, or comments feel free to contact us.

Product Comparison Chart

The comparison chart was developed as a general guideline to help you when choosing a residential floor covering. These ratings will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer and you should always refer to the specific manufacturer's written documentation before purchasing a floor. Always read carefully the manufacturer's warranty to see what is covered under the warranty.

Note:

• * The Price Range is for material only and the prices are just meant to be general guidelines. These prices will vary from region to region, as well as store to store.
• All the ratings are based on "normal household" usage.
• The "NR" represents "NOT RECOMMENDED".
• "Stain Resistance" is based on "Normal household" chemicals.
• If moisture is present below grade you should consult a professional flooring contractor to see if the room is suitable for floorcovering.
• "Fade Risistance" is based on resistance to direct UV sunlight.
• The Vinyl floor category is for all types of residential vinyl floors.
• The Solid Wood represents pre-finished solid wood, not unfinished. The Engineered Wood is for both engineered plank and longstrip plank, pre-finished floors. Job-site finished wood floors are not included.
• The Ceramic category represents glazed ceramic tile only for indoor use.
• The Carpet is grouped as all residential, indoor carpet fibers, styles and construction types.