Whether you’re starting to purchase new flooring or carpets for your home, ready to start the installation, or need help maintaining them, you’re in the right place. Our flooring and carpet guide will walk you through everything you need to know to make a confident decision for your home.
If you need help planning, choosing, and maintaining your flooring and carpets. You’ll find information on everything from figuring out your budget, cleaning tips and tricks, and proper maintenance to shopping and installation. But remember, always ask for an expert opinion or hire a pro; you don’t need to figure this out alone.
Flooring
Why and how to choose the best waterproof flooring?
Waterproof flooring comes in a variety of attractive styles and is perfect for active families because it’s both durable and easy-to-clean. When your floor is impervious to water, you never worry about spills, drooling dogs, leaks in the kitchen, or muddy footprints. The best way to choose waterproof flooring is to first investigate wear layer, sound layer, and overall thickness to determine what works best for your lifestyle. Before you buy, order large samples with varying layers of thickness and test them in your home, so you can be confident you’re making the right choice according to your needs.
-Marc from Panel Town
What is the best decking which will last for a climate of all four seasons?
- Hardwood can be long lasting and beautiful, but is generally environmentally irresponsible and can be very expensive.
- Softwood is cost effective, but harder to maintain and often only good for 8-12 years before needing to be replaced.
- Plastics containing PVC are generally environmentally poor, though you can get recycled HDPE which is much better in this regard; both of these are aesthetically not to most people’s taste and uPVC in particular can appear cheap.
- Wood Plastic Composite (WPC) decking is a good mixture of price, durability, sustainability and aesthetics performing well in each category, but probably not topping any of them.
- Aluminium decking is expensive and not always the most beautiful, but if you require something long lasting and non-combustible it is the winner.
-Dr. Aidan Bell from ENVIROBUILD
What is the easiest way to clean your floors when installing them in your new house?
Installing floors in your new house is a serious makeover and ensuring they preserve their brand-new appearance is quite a challenge when it comes to cleaning. The easiest and most effective way to clean any type of flooring is to damp-mop it by using commercial products that work for your surface or opt for more natural products you can easily find at home. All you have to do is sprinkle baking soda on your floors and mop the floor with a solution of water, soap, and vinegar. The final touch consists of rinsing the surface with clean water until there are no traces of anything. Do this once a week and enjoy your clean floors that always look like new.
-Irina Tomsa from Hackrea
How to survive a flooring replacement or new flooring installation while living in the house?
One of the biggest challenges with flooring installation is the sheer scale of the project; it is pretty disruptive, so be prepared for that. Stay at a hotel, with in-laws, or with friends if you can to avoid the chaos and sawdust. A storage pod or unit is a great idea (even if you think you have enough space in the garage for all your furniture). New flooring makes all the difference in the world – once you step foot on your new floor, the whole process will be so worth it!
-Haley Holm-Pedersen from Stuga Studio
What flooring would you recommend for a family with kids – easy to clean, easy to replace, non-slip? Or would you have another recommendation?
When it comes to busy families with kids, we always recommend the best in worry-free floors. These floors are designed with kids in mind as they are ooops-proof, scratch-proof, dent-proof, and water-proof too! The floor to look for that guarantees all of these qualities is the latest in vinyl plank flooring. With real wood looks, stone looks, and commercial use ratings these floors will take you to next level in your home or office.
-Troy from Knight’s Carpets & Interiors
How to choose the best flooring for stairs? Could you give us some stair flooring tips?
When it comes to choosing flooring for your stairs, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Budget: If you’re working with a limited budget, it’s important to consider your options carefully before making a decision. That being said, there are still plenty of budget-friendly options out there – you just have to know where to look.
Compatibility and Aesthetics: It’s important to take both into consideration when making your flooring choice. Just make sure the colors complement each other. In the end, it’s all about choosing flooring that makes your home look put together and cohesive
Traffic Flow: High-traffic areas call for durable materials that can withstand a lot of foot traffic without showing wear and tear. For a little extra grip, you might also want to consider a textured surface. But if you’re not expecting much foot traffic, you have a bit more leeway in terms of material choices.
Slip Resistance: To help prevent slips and falls, you can add non-slip strips and stair treads to the edges of each step. This will give everyone a little extra traction and peace of mind. So when you’re choosing flooring materials for your stairs, make sure to keep safety in mind.
Stair Nosing: Nosing for stairs serves two important purposes: it provides a lip that helps prevent slips and falls, and it protects the stair treads from wear and tear. There are a variety of different materials that can be used for stair nosing, including wood, metal, and rubber. Each material has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to choose the one that best suits your needs.
Maintenance: It is important to take into consideration the level of maintenance when choosing flooring for stairs. In addition, dark-colored flooring will show dirt more readily than light-colored flooring. As a result, easy-to-clean and light-colored flooring is the best option for stairs, even if it means sacrificing style for practicality.
-Stevie Brown from Old World Timber
How to take care of your hardwood floors if you have pets? How to maintain them damage-free?
Pets are wonderful companions, they bring joy, responsibility and friendship into our lives. No one should be forced to choose between having beautiful, well maintained wood floor and a furry friend when you can have both. Here are some tips to help you keep your floors looking beautiful while accommodating your furry friend.
- There are some wood floors that perform better than others if you have pets. For starters, choosing a floor with more texture such as saw marks or distressing will help to mask blemishes from dogs/pets with long nails. If your pet has short nails though, you can use basically any wood floor.
- Another recommendation is picking an oil finish rather than urethane as it’s easier to repair in case of a scratch.
- Wipe their paws before they come inside, to remove any dirt, mud, or other debris that they may have picked up outside. This is really important as dirt can act as sand paper on your wood floor.
- Be sure to keep your pet’s nails trimmed on a regular basis. Long nails will scratch your floor.
- Clean up any accidents promptly, if your pet has an accident, it’s important to clean it up immediately. Otherwise, the urine or other substance can seep into the wood and cause irreversible damage.
- Water is the enemy of wood floor. Therefore, putting pet food and water dishes on a mat or rug will help to protect your floors from spills.
By following these simple tips, you can help to keep your hardwood floors looking beautiful while accommodating your furry friend.
-María Torres from Woodpecker Flooring
How to get your floors looking their best without the hassle?
Keeping your floors clean and looking their best doesn’t have to be a daunting task. With these seven tips, you can easily make sure that your floors are spic and span. Start by sweeping and mopping regularly, then move on to other techniques such as steam cleaning, vacuuming, and using cleaning solutions. Additionally, learn how to remove tough stains and deal with pet hair for additional shine. Finally, maintain the cleanliness of your floor in the long term for lasting results.
-Lisa Freire from Technos Daily
Carpets
Could you give us the most important carpet inlaying tips?
When choosing a carpet inlay, the most important tip is to think of it as an accent. Choose colors and shapes that will enhance the rest of your home and give the room a focal point. An effective carpet inlay will also help delineate the areas of the room and can give each area its own look and aesthetic. Don’t be afraid to be bold with your inlay since it is a great opportunity to do something unique.
-Michael O’Connor from Household Advice
What are the best DIY rug installation tips?
- Vacuum and clean the floor well before placing the rug and pad.
- Open and install the rug pad first. Face the textured side of the rug pad upwards, towards the rug, to create a grip effect.
- If the rug pad arrives in multiple pieces, use grey packing tape to tape the rug pads together along the sides, without gaps or overlapping. It is only necessary to tape the surface side of the rug pads, when combining.
- In order to move and position the rug in small increments after opening, pick up one or two corner(s) and fan in your direction. This will move the rug in your direction in small increments as well as straighten the surface.
- After the rug is installed and positioned, walk from the center outward, dragging your feet forward as you walk, to push the air pockets out. The air pockets will continue to dissipate with use.
- Always inspect your rug upon receipt, even if it will be stored before installation. If there are any issues or damages as a result of delivery, be sure to report to Woven Concepts, within two days of receipt, so we may immediately address and rectify any problems.
– Halleh Hakimian from Woven Concepts
How to make sure you do not harm your rug in the cleaning process? What are the best products to use?
Wool rugs are not high maintenance and can last for decades if cared for properly. It is important to vacuum your rug at least once a week to prevent dust or dirt from settling. If accidents do happen, you can use a pre made solution such as Dr Beckmann’s Carpet Stain Remover. Alternatively, a homemade solution of 50% water and 50% white vinegar can remove even the peskiest of stains. Ensure you pat any stains- do not rub, as this can spread the stain and push it further into the fibers!
How to prevent rug from shedding?
Vacuum softly : Vacuum your rug smoothly but also regularly. Use the vacuum cleaner in its lowest setting and try not to vacuum the rug against its pile direction.
Use a soft brush when dusting: Do not beat the rug with a rug beater to take the dust out. Instead, use a soft brush broom/rake. This will remove dust and release the rug fibers while not creating any minor wear and tear.
Use a rug pad: Using a rug pad is a great way to increase the lifespan of your rug. A rug pad will absorb the pressure that’s applied onto the rug over time and limit the damage to the pile in the future.
-Arda Sozen from BIEV
