Cork floor tile is very resilient, offers a unique look and is easily installed with adhesive. Maintenance is similar to wood flooring - simple vacuuming and moping. Heavy furniture or objects can hurt cork floors, so pads should be used underneath furniture legs.
Granite tile and marble flooring are excellent floor materials. They are natural stone products, very durable and stain resistant. Other options for floors include slate and terrazzo. All except for terrazzo are installed like ceramic tile.
Buying carpet can be tough because there are many variables to consider. Most residential carpet is made from one or more of four fibers: nylon, polyester, olefin, and wool. These carpets are chemically treated to resist stains, but they aren't 100 percent stain-resistant. Consider different carpet padding for your carpet's best performance.
Slate flooring is an excellent choice. Slate is an extremely durable natural stone product, and comes in many colors, textures, shapes and sizes. Slate is also stain-resistant. Installing slate floors is like ceramic tile, but the slate floor tiles should be cut with a hacksaw.
Hardwood flooring is hygroscopic. Hardwood floor absorbs and gives off moisture to become equal with the humidity in the air. Because of that, hardwood floors expand and contract, causing cracks or shrinkage. Dents in a hardwood floor from high heels are caused by the amount of pressure exerted from such a small heel.
Carpet pads, or carpet cushions, are the foundation for carpets. There are three major types of carpet padding: fiber, sponge and foam rubber. Thicker pads give softer, luxurious feels. Carpet cushions also have a wide range of insulating R values.
Laminate flooring is durable and can now be printed in many realistic patterns, making it a great flooring material. Laminate floors can be installed over almost any material and be walked on the next day. However, excessive moisture can cause a laminate floor to swell and buckle.
Cork flooring is the easiest flooring material I have ever installed. Cork floors are environmentally friendly, muffles noise and can be purchased in 12 x 12 cork floor tiles or tongue and groove panels. A cork floor comes in a variety of colors and textures from which to choose.
Inlaid wood flooring dramatically changes the look of a wood floor. These floors are usually expensive. You can opt to stain a pattern or border on your existing wood floor to achieve a similar look.
Area rugs are a great design element in a room. They are transportable, come in many sizes and you can have a custom area rug made for your room. For high traffic areas, you'll want a wool or imitation wool rug with padding beneath.
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