all about Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood Flooring is the preferred type of flooring for most homes in NY.

 Hardwood flooring is beautiful and super stylish.  Whether you want a sleek modern light floor, or a deep rich burgundy tone, or a rich dark ebony floor, or even a handscraped rustic cabin look from the past, the possibilities   From oak to bamboo to Brazilian Cherry and everything in between, we’ve got you covered.

Hardwood flooring is beautiful and easy to maintain.  And, it improves the value of your home in Westchester NY.

Hardwood floors can last a lifetime and then some

• Most hardwood floors can be refinished multiple times.  While hardwood usually costs more than carpet initially, in the long run, it usually saves you a lot of money since it will last so much longer than carpet.
• Hardwood flooring does not retain dust, pollen, and other allergens
• Regular sweeping is generally all that is needed to keep hardwood floors looking great
• Hardwood flooring is durable and can potentially last many lifetimes.  We have refinished hardwood from the 1,700 and 1,800′s.

 

Consult an expert when choosing your hardwood flooring

• There are many species of hardwood flooring – and some are better for some tastes and lifestyles than others.
• It’s important to understand if solid or engineered hardwood works best for your environment and budget
  

We install new hardwood floors and we refinish existing hardwood floors

• Refinishing your hardwood floors is an easy and affordable way to give your home a face lift.  Your floors will look good as new.
• You can easily change the color – go from light to dark or anywhere in between.
• We also offer a dustless machine as well.  Ask us about it.

Choosing the Right Laminate Floor

Laminate flooring is one of the best flooring options available and the type you choose can make or break the look of a room. Laminate flooring comes in many different types of patterns and colors, and determining which type to use for a particular room can be a daunting task.

Choosing Laminate Floor Color

Laminate flooring is a fashionable household feature. Praised for its stylish, contemporary feel, laminate can add an extra dimension to any room, making it feel cleaner, brighter and airier, even in the darkest of rooms. Here are the benefits of laminate flooring for your home, and the important factors to think about when choosing laminate floor color.

Bamboo Flooring Westchester NY

Bamboo flooring has been popular in the Pacific Rim for decades, and has recently become a Westchester NY and Stamford CT favorite, too. Bamboo, while often grouped with hardwood floors, is actually made from a species of grass called “Moso.”

Most bamboo flooring is created from stalks of bamboo that are four to five years old. These stalks are then sliced into strips and woven or laid into planks. There’s a lot to learn but the professionals at Floor Coverings International are here to help.

Conservationists like bamboo for its ability to replenish itself quickly, giving bamboo flooring a “green” quality that most hardwood floors don’t have. Bamboo is also harder than many hardwoods, making it resistant to most scratches and scuffs. (Its exact strength depends on the manufacturing process and other factors.)

Despite its strength, bamboo flooring can be cut relatively easily using only a compound miter or hand saw. It is also adaptable to a wide number of surfaces, and can be fixed to plywood or even concrete. While traditionally light colored, you can stain bamboo flooring to match almost any décor. As it ages, it will take on a patina that only adds to its charm. Call Floor Coverings International for solid hardwood flooring today.

Is bamboo flooring hard or soft?

Of course, this is not a simple answer.  While bamboo is technically a grass, It's usually classified as a hardwood.  If you search on the web for the Janka hardness (a rating meant to standardize the hardness of wood), you get all sorts of answers.

Janka is a scale based on measurement of the force necessary to embed a .444-inch steel ball to half its diameter in wood.  Red Oak is the standard at 1290.  I have seen bamboo classified from as low as 1,010 to as high as 3000 (but most would agree it's harder than oak and it generally seems to fall in 1350-1400 range).  Almost every other hardwood has a consistent number from site to site.  Why the discrepancy on bamboo???

Well, there are a number of reasons.
1. The first lies in the type of bamboo.  Is it "regular" bamboo or is it strand bamboo.  (Strand bamboo is much stronger and strand woven even stronger, usually 1,800+).

2. If it's "regular" bamboo, is it natural (the light color - above) or carmelized/carbonized (the tan color below)?  The process of carmelizing the sugar weakens the wood.

3. Is it vertical grained or horizontal grained? (see below for picts).  The jury is still out on which of these is harder.   Vertical is first (2 picts), horizontal is second.  Horizontal seems to be more popular in terms of look.


4. And, finally, what brand is it??? Because bamboo is imported (usually from China), bamboo, more than any other hardwood varies TREMENDOUSLY in quality.  It's really important which brand you buy.  Personally, I love Natural Bamboo (made by US Floors) and Teragren.  These are outstanding brands with outstanding reputations.  Their products come with a 25 yr warranty.

Regardless, most agree that bamboo is a bit stronger than oak, and more importantly, it looks beautiful.  It's exotic and peaceful looking - it can really give the place a zen feeling and give it a clean and modern feel.  And, it's a green product, so you're doing what's right for the environment.  Oh, and bonus, it costs a bit less than oak.

The funny thing is that most people that have seen dents/scratches in their bamboo floors generally got them from one of the big box stores.  And, I'm not surprised at all.  I buy my products directly from the manufacturer and I know I'm extremely cost competitive.  When I see some of the big box stores advertising bamboo for less than what I pay the manufacturers, I know there is something suspicious.    I especially know this since I'm usually less expensive than these same places on oak, so red flag here.

The reason these big box bamboos tend to dent is for several reasons.  First, the bamboo is harvested too early and hasn't had enough time for proper growth.  Second, the products are usually air dried rather than oven dried so they are softer.  Third, they often harvest the softer part of the bamboo.

So, if you are in the market for bamboo, please buy from a reputable flooring store and buy a reputable brand.  This is one place you definitely do not want to buy on-line, esp since it's imported.
source

why laminate flooring has become so popular

Laminate flooring has been growing in popularity, and we’ve been getting more and more requests for laminate flooring in Westchester NY.  Some of our customers are choosing laminate as an alternative to hardwood and others are upgrading from carpeting to laminate floors.

So, why is laminate flooring on the rise?

1.  Laminate flooring looks like real hardwood.  It is amazing how far laminates have come these last few years, and they come in a variety of colors and styles.  They are made to mimic virtually every type of hardwood.  They come in matte and shiny finishes and some even have micro beveled edges for a very impactful look.




2. Laminate flooring can be installed quickly.  Often, if you subfloor is straight/even and secure, laminate flooring can be placed on top of the existing floor, so this reduces time and costs with rip up and floor prep.  You can often install on top of vinyl, tile or hardwood floors.  Do not install on top of carpet as germs/moisture can get caught in between, and this could create major issues later.

Installing laminate flooring is usually a bit easier and faster than installing hardwood floors.  Some home owners even try to install laminate flooring themselves, but it is usually obvious when a homeowner or inexperienced handyman has installed them vs. a flooring expert.

 
3. Laminate floors is great for those w/ allergies or those with asthma. Unlike carpet, laminate will not allow allergens or dust to penetrate and settle in.

4.  Laminate floors are easy to clean and maintain Hard surfaces are much easier to clean and you don’t need to worry about getting a professional carpet clean in annually. Because laminate is made with recycled hardwood flooring, you should treat it the same way you would treat hardwood. Hardwood cleaners will work well on laminate as well. Avoid products that have oil or glo/glow in their name as these will usually harm both laminates and hardwood flooring.

5.  Laminate flooring is kid and pet friendly. Laminates have a melamine wear layer on top so they are pretty scratch resilient and will hold up much better to kids and pets (as well as high heals and moving chairs).

6.  Laminate flooring is very affordable Laminates are a less expensive option vs. hardwood. The material and labor are generally less expensive, so this can really help those on a limited budget. While laminate flooring costs more than carpet, in the long run it will save you a lot of money. Often laminate will cost around 1.5 times the cost of carpet, so initially, your outlay will be higher. But, carpet is usually replaced every 5-7 years due to staining and spills. As soon as you replace the carpet once, you will have spent more than you did for the laminate. (Usually laminate will last 3-4 times as long as carpet). And, with laminate, you don’t need to worry about annual carpet cleaning which can add additional expense. Laminate flooring can really save a lot of money on rentals as tenants often move out quickly and carpets often need to be replaced every 2-3 years.
source :

Laminate Flooring Versus Hardwood

There’s no doubt about it: hardwood floors are elegant and beautiful. But, they aren’t always the best choice for a busy household. First, hardwood can be very expensive, depending on the plank size and grain chosen. They also aren’t always as durable as the newer laminate options now available. With today’s high-quality laminate flooring rivaling many traditional hardwoods in many homes; it is becoming more and more difficult for some homeowners to decide which to choose when instilling new flooring.

Both have their good points, and bad, according to the experts at Bruce Flooring. Here are some of the pros and cons of each:

Hardwood:
While hardwood remains the most popular options for higher-end homes due to its appearance and reputation, it does have a few drawbacks for some homeowners, especially those with pets and small children. While hardwood improves with age, is long lasting, and increases a home’s value more than laminate flooring, it does often scratch in high traffic areas and from pet nails, offers limited options in below grade stock and is not recommended for bathrooms and other high-humidity areas such as basements. It is also hard to transition from hardwood to other flooring materials such as tile and carpet. The good news about hardwood is that it looks better with age; can be recoated fairly easily when worn (no need to replace it), and is easy to care for and maintain.

Laminate Flooring:
In comparison, laminate flooring is a much less expensive alternative than hardwood, provides an extremely realistic look of wood, tile or stone; is very durable and quite easy to install – even for a beginner. It also provides an easy transition from other flooring materials, is child and pet friendly, made of recycled materials for a more earth-friendly flooring options and lasts for 15-30 years.

The downside to laminate flooring is its inability to be recoated or refinished when it finally begins to show wear and tear and an inability to replace just one or two boards as is the case with hardwood, which can be sanded and stained to match older pieces. It also adds less value to your home than traditional hardwood and can often make a hollow sound when walked on if not installed properly.

Whether you are looming for the grandeur of traditional hardwood flooring, or the durability of today’s less expensive laminate flooring options, the fact remains that today’s homeowner has more choices in flooring options than ever before. Which you choose really depends on your style; lifestyle and budget more than the quality or availability of products.