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What Are Today’s Waterproof Flooring Options?

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Technical advances in flooring have come a long way.  Today it is possible to find lifestyle friendly flooring that is water resistant or waterproof without sacrificing style.Water resistant flooring options now come in many different materials and types that suit any lifestyle, look or budget.

Water resistant floors are great for high traffic kid or pet friendly spaces or kitchens and baths. When water makes contact and is left to pool on regular wood or non- resistant flooring, moisture can seep into the core of the floor and cause permanent damage to floorboards and mold and mildew.  Not the best scenario for your home flooring.

Instead, homeowners should look to these types of flooring products that can provide either water resistant or waterproofed solutions.

WPC Vinyl

WPC can mean Wood Plastic Composite as well as Waterproof Core.  WPC is the hottest thing to arrive in the vinyl market in years.  It provides you a rich, sought after expensive wood floor loos.  WCP vinyl plank flooring has it all.  High quality visuals, extreme durability, a range of beautiful colors and textures and some even come with attached underlayment.

Luxury Vinyl Flooring

While vinyl is naturally more water resistant than other options, Mohawk features its new SOLID TECH luxury vinyl tile.  SOLID TECH is the only vinyl brand on the market that is a 100 % waterproof product that offers superior performance in wet areas such as basements and bathrooms and provides easy maintenance for spills. It is easy to clean with an engineered finish that makes it stain and scuff resistant, with a rigid core for dent resistance for extreme durability in high traffic areas.  [ nsert link: https://www.mohawkflooring.com/luxury-vinyl-tile/waterproof-vinyl-plank-flooring]

Waterproof Ceramic & Porcelain Tile Flooring

Ceramic and porcelain tile flooring are more commonly used in bathrooms compared to other floors and for a good reason.  This is mostly due to how tile is constructed.  The top surface is made of a durable glaze that will not allow any liquids to seep in along with specific grouts that complete the process. This makes for idea waterproofing your bathroom.

Engineered Hardwood

Engineered wood flooring is made of high quality plywood with a veneer of pre-finished hardwood on top. In the last few years, engineered wood flooring’s stature has greatly increased and it is considered to be on par with solid hardwood.  Due to its dimensionally stable base layers, engineered wood flooring actually stands up better to moisture than solid hardwood.

Waterproof Laminate Flooring

There is a common confusion between laminate and vinyl flooring.  Vinyl has a natural resistance to water, whereas laminate is typically susceptible to damage when moisture is present. While WPC vinyl flooring has been the leading waterproof flooring option, manufacturers are now releasing waterproof laminate options in order to compete. Technically, most “waterproof” laminate is more of a water-resistant laminate flooring than fully waterproof. However, new technologies have opened the way for some new waterproof laminate flooring options.

Be sure to stop by our newly expanded Showroom and a take a look at our latest selection of flooring options.

 

 

What Is The Best Floor Tile For Your Kitchen?

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kitchen floor tiles

 

 

Tile flooring is a natural choice for kitchens. Tile is hard, durable, and water-resistant and shrugs off stains. Plus, it’s beautiful—your kitchen flooring ideas will blossom when you look through the huge array of styles, shapes and colors available.

Kitchen floor tile comes in three primary types: porcelain, ceramic and stone. Prices of each type run the gamut, from $2 to $100 per square foot, based on a report from the DIY Network.

Types of Kitchen Tile Flooring

Ceramic and porcelain tile are both made from clay mixtures fired at high temperatures to produce a hard, durable tile. Both come either glazed or unglazed. However, there are important differences.

Porcelain floor tile has sand added to the clay mixture and is made with heat and pressure to produce a tile that’s harder, denser and less porous than regular ceramic tile. It’s a good choice for high-traffic areas, kitchens and bathrooms. It’s tough enough to be used outdoors in any climate.

Glazed porcelain tile has a glass-like coating applied during firing that produces a colored surface. Unglazed porcelain has color added to the clay mixture so the color and pattern is carried all the way through the tile. Any wear or scratches won’t show on unglazed porcelain.

Porcelain tile can be difficult to install and requires special tools and should be installed by a professional installer.

Regular ceramic floor tile is sometimes called “non-porcelain” to clearly differentiate it from porcelain. It’s softer than its porcelain cousin and glazed to create a hard wear surface in virtually any color. Because it’s softer, it’s easier to cut and install, but it is recommended to use a professional installer. Although it’s more porous than porcelain, the glazing creates a surface that’s impervious to kitchen spills and splashes.

Stone floor tiles are made from natural stone including slate, granite, limestone, travertine, and marble. Most stone tiles are porous and need to be resealed with a quality stone sealer every two to three years.

Stone can be polished or honed. Polished stone surfaces are slippery when wet, but the polishing lets the full beauty of the stone show through. Honed stone tiles provide more traction but have a less vibrant look.

While tile can be a great choice for kitchen floors, the hardness that makes tile so desirable as a kitchen floor surface can sometimes be a drawback.  If you are a serious cook be sure to wear comfortable shoes or use a floor mat at the work center, i.e sink, range ,cooking because standing on tile for long periods of time can tire out legs and strain your back.  Tile is also cold on bare feet and if you tend to be clumsy in the kitchen, dropped dishes, mugs and glasses will break on impact.

With today’s many designs and tile selections to choose from you are sure to find the best option to suit your kitchen.

Be sure to stop by our newly expanded Showroom and a take a look at our latest selection of tile for your kitchen project.

2018 Kitchen Flooring Trends

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2018 Kitchen Flooring Trends

Is there anything more fun that remodeling your kitchen?  Despite the disruption to daily like, a kitchen re-do can be exiting as you select new appliances, countertops, accent pieces and of course flooring.   Plus investing in a kitchen upgrade can impact the bottom line when it comes to resale of your home.

With so many options in kitchen flooring you want to be certain you not only select what is trending today, but also styles that have longevity in the marketplace.  For starters, wood is in!  Or at least floors that look like wood.  With modern technology, just about any floor can mimic the look of real wood, without the maintenance issues.  Based on FooringInc.com, these are a few trends to look for.

Waterproof Vinyl Kitchen Flooring

WPC vinyl planks usually resemble an upscale laminate floor, giving a modern, convincing wood look. Basically, WPC vinyl is the best of all worlds for your kitchen floor. They are durable, low maintenance, 100% waterproof and on trend

Tile Kitchen Flooring

Tile is durable and easy to clean and has been a flooring staple for year. The wood-look tile kitchen flooring trend is very popular right now.Tile manufacturers are keeping up with the times and following the trends of contemporary wood and stone.

Laminate Kitchen Flooring

As technology improves, so does laminate flooring. You will see even more convincing wood looks and all of the current wood trends including hand scraped wood looks, distressed wood looks and even high color variation.

Engineered Wood Kitchen Flooring

Engineered wood is a relatively new kid on the block. A step up in durability and perception from laminate, engineered wood is the only option (aside from solid hardwood, obviously) that is made from real wood.

Blonde Wood and Wood Look

As more homeowners embrace the light, airy feel in their home, you will see a huge resurgence in blonde wood (and wood-look) floors. Blonde floors, in particular, can give you that light and airy timeless feel.

Espresso Wood and Wood Look

Dark floors are still very popular. In the kitchen, you’ll see these dark floors balanced against bright white cabinets, colorful accent walls and contemporary kitchen decor. Dark floors offer a sleeker look that sets the perfect tone for contemporary lines and minimalist decor.

Gray Kitchen Flooring

Gray flooring, particularly gray wood, has grown quickly over the last decade. Although gray tiles, particularly in stone looks, are also very popular in the kitchen. Gray has quickly become the most popular trend,not just for flooring, but also for kitchens and homes in general.

Stop by our newly expanded and renovated showroom and learn about the many flooring options available for your home.