What flooring type is best for your home?

What kind of floor should you have in your house? If you think that it does not matter and pick a random type of flooring without any thought you might end up regretting it in future. The sheer number of options can make the right choice difficult to make but do not hesitate to spend as much time as you need to make an informed decision. If you feel that you lack the necessary knowledge, simply contact a flooring company with years of experience. They are sure to have dealt with every possible type of flooring and will be able to tell you which one will be the best suited for your house. Not only the size and location of the house, but also the style of your interior is important for making the right choice. Different interior design styles are complemented by different floor types. If you are planning to remodel your house in the future, you should make sure that the floor you are planning to install will not clash with the future style of your house. Fortunately, the large amount of flooring types means that there are numerous option for you to choose that can fit any budget.

Hardwood floors - good choice for everyone

When it comes to flooring options, a hardwood floor is a reliable and attractive choice. It has been a popular flooring choice for centuries and definitely worth considering for many reasons. Hardwood floors are very easy to clean as they do not accumulate a lot of dirt, dust, and debris. Simply vacuuming, mopping and keeping the floor dry weekly suffices to keep your floor clean. Hardwood floors offer a wide range of appearances. There are many colors, styles, stains, and species available. In addition, you can choose between pre-finished and unfinished hardwood floors. No matter how diverse and unique your needs are, there are many hardwood flooring options available. Choosing hardwood floors increases the value of your property. It is a great long-term investment and can actually become a strong resale argument, exceeding the initial installation cost of the floors. Unlike conventional hardwood, which comes straight out of a tree and into your home, engineered hardwood is a more complex product that consists of several layers. The outermost is a hardwood veneer, a thin slice of wood of whatever species you desire. The inner layers are made of plywood, high density fiberboard, or hardwood. The core layers make the product more stable than regular hardwood, while the outer veneer surface adds beauty and authenticity. Engineered hardwood flooring is designed to reduce the moisture problems associated with conventional hardwood. Its layers block moisture and provide added stability to your floor. Engineered flooring will not swell or warp, making it very low maintenance. Hardwood trees grow much more slowly than the trees used to make engineered flooring cores. Because more surface area is produced, making veneer, installing traditional hardwood uses many times the amount of slow growing tree. This makes the replenishing time much longer. Because of this, among many other reasons, choosing engineered flooring is considered more environmentally-friendly than traditional hardwood. Bamboo is a natural surface covering material that has many of the properties of hardwood flooring, even though it is actually produced from a type of grass. It shares many of the positive benefits of a hardwood floor, as well as the drawbacks and vulnerabilities. Bamboo is made from natural vegetation. The bamboo plant is a highly renewable resource that is able to grow to maturity in as little as three to five years. This is much faster than hardwood trees which can take upwards of twenty years or more to reach maturity. Therefore, bamboo flooring is a very ecologically friendly type of flooring. This material is slightly more resistant to water damage, stains, and warping than hardwood materials, although it is still a concern. Bamboo is relatively easy to maintain. You just have to sweep or vacuum it regularly to remove small particle debris. You can also occasionally damp mop it, or clean it with a non-wax, non-alkaline, hardwood or bamboo floor cleaner. No matter what type of wood flooring you end up choosing, remember to hire a reliable company that is experienced in installing hardwood flooring in Glenview.

Before you start cleaning your hardwood floor, you should find out how it was sealed – what kind of finish was used. The type of finish used determines how you should clean and care for your floor. Most new wood floors are sealed with urethane, polyurethane or polyacrylic. Surface-sealed floors are stain- and water-damage resistant and therefore the easiest to clean. All you need to do is use a bucket of water and a mop. A penetrating seal or oil finish will soak into the wood grain and harden. This type offloor must be pampered and protected with liquid or paste wax. Although technically surface finishes, lacquers, varnishes and shellacs are not as resistant to moisture, spills and wear as the other sealants mentioned. Treat floors with these finishes with liquid or paste wax. If you are not sure what kind of finish you have, there is a way to tell the difference. Simply rub your finger across the floor. If no smudge appears, the floor is surface sealed. If you do create a smudge, the floor has been treated with a penetrating seal, oil finish, shellac, varnish or lacquer. For surface-sealed floors do not use oils, waxes or furniture sprays. The oil leaves a residue, furniture spray creates a slippery surface and wax takes time to apply and makes re-coating difficult. Moreover, you should not use straight ammonia, alkaline products or abrasive cleaners because they are liable to dull or scratch the finish. In high-traffic areas, like the dining room and kitchen, you should sweep daily if possible and mop once or twice a week. Mop less-trafficked areas once a month or once a season. Remember to use a damp mop rather than a soaking wet one – water is the worst enemy of wood floor. For seal-treated, oil-treated, shellacked, varnished, lacquered or untreated floors it is best to use stripper to remove old wax buildup. Use liquid wax designed for wood floors or paste wax when cleaning such hardwood floor. Liquid wax is easier to apply, but it leaves a thinner coat - it provides less protection than paste wax. Acrylic and water-based waxes can turn floors white, furniture wax creates a slick surface and one-step waxes can trap dirt so avoid using such products. Do not mop waxed floors. Just vacuum and sweep the surface regularly. Once or twice a year, strip the old wax and apply a fresh new coat. If a high-traffic area gets dull in between treatments, you can spot-wax the area. After removing all of the dust with a vacuum, strip the old wax using a stripper. Wait for the floor to dry before you begin to lay fresh wax.  After the floor has dried, apply a thin coat of wax, using an applicator or a cloth. Let the wax dry. For added protection, apply a second coat of wax. If you have any questions regarding the proper way to maintain your hardwood floor, simply contact an experienced company like Teddy Hardwood Flooring Northbrook, IL.

What about tiles?

Another popular flooring choice characterized by the sheer variety of options is tile flooring. The many different types of tiles can let you find the one that works best in your home. Using a mix of differently sized and colored tiles can let you create amazing arrangements on your floor. Interesting designs or beautiful mosaics can be created to make give your living space a unique look. Mosaic glass tiles on floors can imbue a room with a sense of lavish luxury. These tiles can come in virtually any size and are available in standard as small as 1/2 x 1/2 inch. Squares and rectangles are the most common shapes, but specialty tiles come in a variety of forms. Some installations will combine glass mosaics with tiles of other types, such as metal or stone, using the glass as accent pieces. Glass tiles are resistant to stains, mold, and mildew.They tend to show dirt very easily, so you will always know when it's time to clean. They are resistant to chemical damage and they aren’t porous, so you don’t have to worry about grime sinking into the tile. They are also very easy to clean and can be wiped down with a damp cloth or mopped up with warm water. Ceramic tile is one of the most popular flooring materials in homes and offices throughout the United States and around the world. They are made from clay, sand and glass. Many ceramic tiles are made from recycled and/or recyclable content. Ceramic tile can also help to reduce your energy use by keeping your house cooler in the summer. They even add some insulating qualities to your home for the winter. They are a great choice for the more environmentally conscious people. Marble tiles have been used for centuries in homes to create a luxurious, unique look. There are variations in the color of each tile, creating a one-of-a-kind design which many homeowners prize, while others prefer a more consistent look, like ceramic tile. Marble tiles are porous and must be sealed. Porcelain tile is a type of ceramic tile with two basic differences between them. Porcelain is made from finer-grained clay than ceramic and it is fired at a higher temperature. These factors make porcelain tile denser, less porous, and more resistant to moisture and stains. As a result, most porcelain tiles are suitable for both indoor and outdoor installations. Porcelain tiles are hard to cut due to their density and hardness, so the cost and labor involved is often higher.  In recent years, though, prices have become closer to those of ceramic tile. Porcelain tiles are available in matte, unglazed or high-polished finishes. No matter what type of tile you are interested in, you should find the right flooring contractor that deals with tile installation in Arlington Heights, IL. This way you can ensure that the tile floor that you receive is of the highest quality possible and without having to spend a fortune on the floor installation.

Tiles on the walls

The tiles can be used for more than simply your floor. They can also be used to cover your walls in kitchen or bathroom. Kitchen tile backsplashes can provide added beauty and style to your kitchen, as well as make it easier to maintain your kitchen. It is important when choosing tile for a backsplash that you use a tile that has been glazed. The glazing will protect the tile from kitchen grease and smudges, and it will make it easier to be cleaned and will last longer. Both porcelain and ceramic tile are excellent choices as a backsplash because they do not stain, making for easy cleanup. Another choice in tiling is glass. Just like ceramic and porcelain, glass tile is a great choice because of its waterproof nature. Glass does have a unique appearance in that it will reflect light, making your kitchen backsplash seem as if it has tiny, sparkling gems. The grouting used for glass is a specialized mortar, or unsanded grout. You may even wish to consider adding some glass tile as an accent with your choice of tile. Chrome, copper, and aluminum tiles can also add an interesting and attractive addition to your kitchen. These tiles can create a contemporary look and can be a good match for a traditional kitchen. Depending on the overall effect you wish to create with you metal tile, you can choose between a shiny or brushed appearance. Stone and marble countertops are a popular choice for both countertops and backsplashes in today’s market. With marble, you will find a variety of styles. The same tile can be used for both kitchen and bathroom backsplashes since they have to fulfill the same purpose – protect the walls from water damage. The very best tile installers in Chicago are the best choice for installing your tile wall or backsplash