Hardwood/Laminate

The perfect flooring can be right at your feet. Great interior design starts from the ground up. Although wall colour is most often perceived to play the major role in creating a room's mood, flooring rivals it in impact. The right flooring succeeds on a number of levels: style, function, durability, even price point. From stately stone tile to lush, velvety carpet, handsome hardwood and laminate, the flooring options are limitless. Selecting the perfect flooring for your home is more simple than you might think.
When deciding what flooring would work best in your home, consider things such as:

• Is the room a high-traffic area? Tile will hold up well under years of wear and tear. Hardwood will probably last the lifetime of your home.
• Do you have pets or children? Laminate is more forgiving than tile, should a child take a tumble. Carpet, of course, is even softer--and has sound-muffling capabilities. Today's carpets also have advanced stain-resisting properties.
• Are you in your home for the long-term? Hardwood or granite tile is worth the investment in the right room.
• Do you want a low-maintenance floor? Laminate and vinyl are easy to clean.

Once you've answered these questions and are starting to zero in on your flooring choice, you can further investigate your options.

Laminate

• What are the benefits of laminte? Laminate flooring offers affordability and style. It has the beauty of hardwood at a lower price point. It's easy to look after and clean.
• What is the colour and style range? Laminate comes in a range of finishes and styles to recreate the look of various types of hardwood, from the lightest maple to the deepest mahogany, while hardwood is probably the most popular look.
• Where should it be used? Gleaming faux hardwood is gorgeous over a large, expansive space as in open-plan homes and lofts. It looks beautiful in kitchens, living rooms and bedrooms (where it can be softened with area rugs). Use it anywhere but in the bathroom, where it can be damaged by moisture and humidity.
• How much will it cost? Laminate comes at an intermediate price-point. But don't forget the under-padding and accessory pieces, such as reducer strips (to join laminate flooring to slightly lower flooring), connector strips and their appropriate attachment hardware. It is less expensive than genuine hardwood.

Hardwood

• What are the benefits of hardwood? It's beautiful and will probably last the lifetime of your home. Today's products are pre-finished, so once you've put the floor down, you're ready to go.
• What is the colour and style range? Hardwood comes in a range of shades from light maple to deep teak or mahogany. It comes in strips 2 1/4" or 3 1/2" wide, or in the new-again planks over 4" wide that characterized many 19th century homes. The major advancement in hardwood is engineered wood, which fuses a hardwood veneer to a laminate base. It's more stable than hardwood and less likely to warp, making it ideal for below-grade installations. The flooring pieces come pre-finished and with trim accessories for a unified look.
• Where should it be used? Pretty much anywhere! Area rugs can soften it in the bedroom or living room.
• How much will it cost? A moderate to high-end option, costing more than laminate.

From the sublime to the unique is often how it is referred to. Hardwood flooring gives any home a distinction beyond words. The overall effect from traditonal flooring, such as carpet or lino offers so much more in appreciated value and equity in your home. Many home owners are realizing the benefits of having hardwood and are opting to install this remarkable product. Hardwood can be purchased as a prefinished product or can be "site installed" and stained to your choice of colour. The question of prefinished vs site installed is best asnwered by revealling the process of installation. Prefinished generally does not disrupt the home in the same way that a raw finish installation would. There is no sanding or laquer applied to a prefinished product and thus the home may be fully functional while the install is on going. On the other hand, a raw finished floor will involve several sanding applications and several coats of a polyurethene which may NOT be walked on for several days. Clearly the latter is one a home owner should choose if building a new home or if you are going to be away for an extended period.

Tile

• What are the benefits of tile? Tile is versatile and classic. It is long-wearing and comes in so many styles, you're bound to love one. It's unmatched for its superior moisture resistance and good looks.
• What is the colour and style range? From mini 1"x1" ceramic mosaic tile, to oversized 18"x 18" natural stone tile, tile comes in sizes galore. Colours? Ceramic and porcelain tile come in every shade under the rainbow, while stone tile such as slate, marble and granite offer a full range of natural tones.
• Where should it be used? Natural stone is a showstopper in the foyer. Ceramic is a favourite in kitchens, bathrooms and entryways for its moisture resistance. Porcelain tile holds its own with the elements and is ideal for indoor/outdoor living spaces such as patios and decks. If the tile is going to be exposed to water, choose a rough, tumbled finish to avoid slips and falls.
• How much will it cost? Tile runs the gamut--from economical to deluxe. Basic ceramic field tile is inexpensive while stone and decorative accent tile is higher-end product

For your next project, be sure and contact us for a free estimate.