What is the best Carpet to buy? Vol. #1 Style

"What is the best carpet to buy?" is a question that can not be answered, or at least will not have the same answer for everyone. When I began my career as a carpet salesman I received some great advice from a good friend and mentor Glen Matton of Deacon Flooring in London On. He said "Don't always sell the customer what they want, you should sell them what they need!" Oh??? I said?? "You wouldn't sell a loose looped carpet to a customer with a bunch of cats because the consumer likes that particular carpet, the cats will destroy it in no time!" he said. That was great advice from a great guy, and since then I do my best to sell customers on products that better fit their needs while certainly still respecting their wants. If you are a serious capet consumer do yourself a favor a read my next few blog posts, so that when shopping for a new carpet, you not only purchase what you want in a carpet but also what you need in a carpet.

Over the next week or so we will be posting about carpet to hopefully educate you on what is the best carpet to buy FOR YOU? 

Vol#1 Style

When it comes to carpet style these days it seems there are so many options from, however there is really only four main residential types.

.

Berber has become a very popular choice over the years because it is generally cheap and it wears very well. Berber is made with a loop construction, so if you have pets (specifically cats) I do not recommend this option. If looking at a berber carpet I strongly recommend a tight loop because it is harder to pull, snag, or run and it wears much better than a looser loop. There are several companies that make berber carpets out there, however I recommend Kraus berber because of their "Zipperlock" technology. Zipperlock has been created to guarantee the berber will not run and it works fantastic. With the Zipperlock, the carpet may still pull or snag but the pulls and snags can be easily cut off leaving a minor visual, however much better than the look of a run right through the middle of a room. Berber is a great way to spruce up a room on a budget and can last a very long time if properly maintained.

Plush is probably the most consumer known type of carpet, it is a very flat usually solid color carpet that provides a thick soft feel while you walk. Plush carpet is a cut pile carpet, so there is no fear of pulls, snags, or runs, however because it stands upright, it generally wears more than a berber because it gets crushed or matted down over time.  Plush carpet is making a huge comeback in the marketplace with the new virtually stain free Stainmaster Pet Protect fiber as well as the ultra soft Stainmaster Truesoft fiber. When made of nylon & properly maintained plush carpet wears really well, when made of a polyester it generally wears faster because nylon is naturally stronger than polyester, however we will discuss this more in Vol #2 Types of Fiber. My favorite plush carpet is the Stainmaster Luxerell and Stainmaster Pet Protect carpets because you get a nice soft feel with a great stain warranty. When buying a plush carpet that you want to last a long time go with a nylon carpet, I suggest STAINMASTER because I feel Stainmasters nylon 6.6 has proven itself to be the best over the years. A really good nylon plush carpet will range from about $4.75- $10.00 sf installed with premium under-pad. You can also buy a less expensive plush carpet made of polyester that is great for stains however will not last as long as the nylon these carpets will range from $2.75- $5.00 sf installed with a premium under-pad and these carpets will last from about 5-12 years, so if you are planning on moving soon, or you want something to last long enough to get your children out of the house or if you like frequent change in your home, this could be what you're shopping for. This less expensive carpet is also great for rentals because it looks great, is stain resistant and provides a nice soft feel on the feet and again will not pull, snag or run like a berber. Less expensive plush has its place in the market, providing the customer knows what they are purchasing.

Sculpted/Pattern carpet seems to be a fast growing type of carpet, there are so many styles and patterns and colors available these days! Pattern carpets are generally a mix between a loop and plush carpet so be cautious if you have pets! This carpet generally wears great, again a nylon generally lasts the longest but polyester does have its place in the market. A pattern carpet can really make a room look rich and give it, it's own style, I also recommend this type of carpet for stairs and area rugs because of its beautiful style as well as it's great wearability. I believe a pattern carpet is the most luxurious of the styles of carpet and they generally come with a bit higher of a price tag because of this. A quality nylon patterned carpet should cost aprox. $4.00-$9.00 sf installed with a premium underpad. Masland Carpet is a great choice when it comes to a pattern carpet because of its cutting edge high quality products. Dixie Home  is like a sister to Masland providing similar cutting edge products with a more affordable price tag, both companies use Stainmaster nylon to make most of their products so rest asure that you are purchasing a quality product. There are many other companies on the market that sell beautiful patterns, and some priced better, however know what it is you are buying and why it is so much less money, because it is difficult to tell just by looking at it. I am just a big fan of the quality you get with Masland and Dixie Home products.

Frieze or Short Shag is probably my favorite carpet! Frieze is longer than a plush and does not stand straight up, it kind of lays down giving it a really nice perfection in an imperfect world kind of look. Frieze carpet wears great, even when made with a polyester, I have a Phenix Flooring polyester frieze in the bedrooms in my home, I love it and would suggest it to anyone, it wears great, looks great and polyester naturally repels stains, and is ultra soft. With a polyester frieze carpet you get a luxurious feel & look with a great price tag. It's a great carpet for dogs, cats, kids etc. Frieze is an all round great family carpet. Although frieze comes with a bit higher of a price tag than a berber, it really gives you that extra soft cushion like feel under the foot, as well as a worry free family life. I do however suggest that you get at least a 40 oz. frieze. this should cost aprox. $3.65-$6.00 sf installed with a premium under-pad. There are plenty of cheaper products available now, however if you can swing it spend a bit of extra money because it will pay off a couple years down the road, and clearly if you are reading this blog post it is because you are interested in purchasing a quality carpet.

Waterproof, Scratchproof, Sunproof, Kidproof, Dogproof Hardwood Looking Flooring, Does This exist??

It seems that most flooring consumers would love to have a beautiful hardwood floor that does not scratch,  is waterproof, will not be damaged by the sun and of course  is easy on the budget. Unfortunately this product does not exist.

There is no product on the market that the sun will not fade! However there are some alternatives to hardwood that will not scratch as easy and that might handle water and sun a bit better than your traditional hardwood. This blog post is being written to help consumers choose not only the floor fashion they want, but also the floor fashion they need. Below there is a list of flooring products, how they look and how they handle scratching, water, and sun.

Hardwood Flooring is stunning! every piece of a hardwood floor has its own distinct look and there are not two pieces the same. In my opinion hardwood is the most beautiful type of flooring available on the market today and is certainly the most prestigious. However hardwood scratches and dents when dogs run on it, kids play on it, people drop things on it and people drag things on it. It is recommended that you have pads on the bottoms of all your furniture to avoid scratching and denting. Hardwood flooring is not waterproof, in fact just a drop of water left on a hardwood floor and not wiped off can wreck the finish. If you have a flood, major fridge, dishwasher, laundry tub or sink leak, your entire hardwood floor will likely need to be replaced. The sun will damage a hardwood floor, If you have an area rug in the same place for a long period of time and the sun come in through a window, you will likely have a light or dark spot in that area. All that being said there is a certain prestige associated with hardwood, people know it is expensive to buy so although it may not be ideal for their circumstances (kids, dogs, etc) they still seem to want it for their home.

Laminate Flooring has come along way! There is still a picture that repeats itself several times throughout the floor, however they seem to have made the picture larger and managed to move the pattern around on the boards. This makes for less of a pattern repeat and a far nicer appearance than the early days of laminate. In fact many people can’t even tell the difference between a good laminate and hardwood these days Certain laminates with AC3 & AC4 ratings have heavy residential and light commercial warranties and ratings. These laminates are very difficult to scratch. In fact I installed an AC4 laminate in my own home, with two dogs, one being a lab, we do not have a scratch or ding on it. There are several different brands to choose from http://www.chathamkentflooring.com/#!about/c1ger and it seems like all the brands have good, better, and best lines. Most laminates also fade less in the sun, however they are still subject to some fading. Laminate is a great choice for the young family,  however although laminate is far better than hardwood for scratching and sun fading, it is still horrible for wet areas. If laminate takes on any kind of water leak, it will be destroyed.

LVP (Luxury Vinyl Plank) is the newest product on the market and for me the jury is still out. Most of these products look similar to a laminate and they, resist scratching similar to a laminate. Most companies claim these floating products to be waterproof, however if a consumer puts it in their basement and the basement takes on water, the entire floor would need to be removed, dried out and reinstalled. So technically the product itself is waterproof because water will not damage it, however there will still be work to do if there is a water problem. The likeliness of a consumer being able to remove the floor and reinstall it without damaging the product is slim to none. So my biggest issue with Vinyl plank is not the product, it is the way it is being marketed. Vinyl also expands and contracts with any kind of direct sunlight so be very careful with these FreeFit or EasyLay floors because I have found they are not what they claim to be. If you do purchase one of these floors be certain you read the installation instructions thoroughly before you do-it-yourself. Also we find that the glue down installation method to work great, however it is still not %100 waterproof, yetCongoleum very water resistant. Therefor if you are going with a vinyl plank product, I strongly recommend a glue down installation.

Vinyl Flooring has also come a long way, this is not your grandmother's floor!!!! There are several products available that have an incredible visual and is great for scratching and wear. I generally suggest the Congoleum AirStep because it is protected with a built-in Scotchgard protector. It also has a silver antibacterial guard that protects against mold, mildew and common allergens. As far as I know Congoleum AirStep is the only sheet vinyl with these kind of protectors, therefor I believe it is the best, when it come to residential vinyl flooring. Sheet vinyl is a product that can withstand a good amount of water, however it is not %100 waterproof!

Porcelain or Ceramic Tile Can be a beautiful wood looking product, it is very scratch resistant, and in my eyes the closest thing to waterproof there is. One issue with this product is, like laminate and vinyl plank it is a picture that repeats itself several times, giving the same engineered look. Another potential problem is tile can be cold on the feet and hard on the joints. With tile you will also need a new subfloor which adds to the already high cost associated with the tile and the installation of the tile.  

Hardwood Flooring, Glossy or Dull, What Finish is Better & More Beautiful?

Well beauty is in the eye of the beholder, however "What finish is better?" is a great question. The only issue is one is not better than the other. Both finishes have pros and cons and depending on you and your home and what rooms you intend on having hardwood in, will determine which finish is best for you.

The newest trend in hardwood flooring finishes seems to be a dull, simulated oil or matte finish with perhaps a wire brush or a hand scrape to it, however there is still a demand for the traditional semi-gloss finish. So the big question is “What finish is better and more beautiful to you?”

I will start with a semi-gloss or (shiny finish). To look in a large room and see that shiny clean hardwood floor with a reflection of the sun coming in from two large windows on either side of the fireplace is many peoples dream. However a shiny dream floor can also turn into a nightmare to a consumer with pets, kids or a consumer that puts a floor like this in their kitchen or bathroom.

A shiny floor is stunning when its clean and unmarked however a shiney or semi-gloss floor will show most scratches, nicks, dings, when the light shines down on it as well as water spots. I have even heard complaints about footprints showing up when someone walks across it. Years ago I had a customer swear there was a deficiency in her finish because she had a dark very glossy bamboo she bought at another store because they told her it would be great for dogs, and believe me they were wrong. I personally cleaned her floor to perfection and after 20 min of her dog walking on it, that floor was a disaster, every time the dog put it's foot down there was another blotchy spot .

If you are a consumer that perhaps is retired with no pets, or have a family but have a living room that rarely gets used you will love the look of a clean glossy floor because the likeliness of it getting scratched, dinged or nicked is highly unlikely.

The simulated oil, or matte finish with a hand-scape or a wire brush gives the consumer a more rustic look, however in the design world it seems rustic is the new contemporary so no matter the style of home these new style seem to fit right in.

The matte finish or dull hardwood flooring scratches every bit as easy as the semi-gloss floor, however it does not seem to show up as much giving the consumer a floor that seems to stay nice longer without having to refinish it as soon as they would if it were a semi-gloss. If our customer is very family oriented and has children playing and dogs running, like at my house, we generally suggest a laminate floor, however if they are stuck on a hardwood we strongly suggest a low luster matte finish.   

Therefor we believe one finish is as good as another and depending on how you the customer lives on it will depend on what product best fits your lifestyle. For more pictures of recent hardwood jobs in Chatham-Kent check out Recent Hardwood Installations on facebook. To see more photos of the latest hardwood trends across North America, check out The Hardwood Flooring Product Board on Pinterest.

Why Engineered Hardwood? The Pros and Cons to Hardwood vs. Engineered Hardwood!

Hardwood is one of the top choices when it comes to choosing a floor covering for the home. When choosing a hardwood floor there are many different things to look for and the decision of choosing a hardwood or an engineered hardwood is an important one. For some people choosing between these two flooring options is an easy decision, however this blog is written to inform you the consumer of the pros and cons of each product, to ensure you make an educated decision before investing in your beautiful new floor.

www.owenflooring/engineeredhardwood/video 

Hardwood Flooring	Engineered Hardwood Flooring
Construction Is made out of solid wood generally ¾” thick with a tongue and groove construction that is designed to be nailed down to a wood subfloor above grade.	Construction Has a plywood base with a solid wood top and can be made anywhere from ⅜” to ¾” thick with a tongue and groove construction designed to be nailed down to a wood subfloor, floated over any subfloor above or below grade or glued down to any subfloor above or below grade.
Can it be refinished? Solid ¾” hardwood can be sanded down several times and refinished!	Can it be refinished? Certain engineered hardwoods can also be sanded down, however others may not be sanded down depending on the thickness of the solid wood top layer.
Humidity Solid hardwood is a natural product and  should maintain a relative humidity of 45-55% or cupping, bowing, shrinking and growing is likely to occur.	Humidity Because of the plywood base and cross grain engineering, an engineered floor moves far less than a solid hardwood does with humidity constantly changing.
Will it Scratch and dent? Is made out of wood, it will scratch, ding and dent if things are dragged across it and or dropped on it.	Will it Scratch and dent? Is made out of the same wood as solid wood is. It will scratch, ding and dent if things are dragged across it and or dropped on it.
Cost Solid hardwood is a natural product that has high costs to milling and finishing.	Cost Although some people think it should be less than solid, engineered wood is often the same or more money as there are cost associated with engineering it as well as milling and finishing it.
Finished Look When installed you have a natural looking product with no two board the same, giving you the natural look you have always wanted.	Finished Look When installed it looks identical to solid wood, the real wood layer on the top gives you the very same look you get from a solid wood
Wide Plank We do not suggest you purchase a solid wood over 5” wide, because the wider the board, the more likely it is to cup or bow.	Wide Plank We have engineered flooring 9.5” wide that we stand behind and have very minor cupping if any.

So visually there is no difference between a hardwood floor and an engineered hardwood floor, the cost is about the same, certain engineered hardwoods can be refinished like Mirage Engineered both products will scratch and dent..... So what is the big difference?? The difference is Engineered hardwood is designed to move much less than a solid wood! MY WOOD FLOOR CAN MOVE? Yes it can and it will! In winter months your wood will dry out, shrink and bow and in summer months your floor will moisten up, expand and cup, your floor will move with the humidity level in your home. The wider the wood plank the more it will move!

Therefor I always recommend if you are purchasing a new wide plank hardwood floor product to choose an engineered hardwood floor. I also recommend you purchase a Mirage Engineered Floor because there is a big difference from the average Chinese made product to the absolute best Canadian quality made product that is Mirage. For more info on why you should choose Mirage check out my blog post What Hardwood Flooring Brand Should I Choose?

Don't Stain Your Carpet With a Stain Remover!

Everyone loves the look and feel of a nice thick clean carpet beneath their feet, however after a carpet is subjected to a stain it no longer has that nice clean appearance. For years people have been staining and ruining their carpets and believe it or not it is often times the cleaning product they use on a potential stain that actually stains the carpet. Often times homeowners mistakenly use a cleaning agent containing bleach to get the potential stain out of their carpet, unfortunately leaving a bleach spot behind on the carpet that will never come off.

Below is an instruction list from StainMaster, I have tried it myself with red wine and it works! If for some reason this process does not work contact a professional carpet cleaning company and ask about their hot water extract system.

1. Scoop up as much of the spill as possible, with a towel or a spoon.
2. Blot the spot, don't rub or scrub. Gently press clean cloths into the stained area to remove moisture. Scrubbing can damage the fiber and set the stain into the carpet.
3. Apply warm, not hot, water to the stained area and blot until the stain stops transferring to the cloth.
4. If you can still see the stain, make a Detergent Solution by adding 1/4 teaspoon dishwashing liquid to one cup warm water. Don't use too much soap, because it's difficult to rinse out of the carpet.
5. Apply the detergent solution, let sit five minutes, then rinse with clear warm water. Repeat until all the detergent is removed.
6. Place layers of white paper towels on the spill to absorb the liquid. Weight down the towels with a non-staining glass or ceramic object. You can let them sit overnight.
7. When the carpet is dry, vacuum to restore the texture.
8. If you can see the stain after all this, repeat steps 3 through 7. It means the stain penetrated deep into the pile and has wicked up to the surface.

If you have past stains and traffic marks that can not be cleaned out with a professional cleaning company and you are interested in new carpet, I suggest buying a StainMaster carpet or a polyester carpet that naturally repels stains http://www.chathamkentflooring.com/#!about/c1ger there are plenty of products to choose from, however that is a whole new blog!  

Don't clean your million dollar hardwood with a two dollar cleaner

For many years people have told me that cleaning with vinegar and water is the best and cheapest way to get all the dirt and grime off the finish of a hardwood floor and that may be true, however vinegar is an acid that could eventually eat your beautiful floorings finish.

Hardwood flooring is a lifetime investment for your home, and after investing thousands of dollars to have the everlasting look of hardwood beneath your feet, do you really want to maintain that investment with the cheapest option? Do you really want to rub a product that is made up of an acid and designed for something totally different all over your new flooring investment? After all, we don't use vegetable oil to replace engine oil in our vehicle right?   

The best cleaner to use on your hardwood floor is…….Well it depends?  There are a couple different finishes that could have been used on a hardwood floor that require you to use different cleaners. Polyurethane finish is probably your most popular one, and most straightforward to clean. I always recommend cleaning your with the product the manufacturer or flooring store recommends, however with a polyurethane finish any hardwood floor cleaning kit from a hardware store or flooring store will work just fine.

If you have an oiled floor it is very important to follow the manufacturers instruction. If you do not know who the manufacturer is keep in mind OIl and Water do not mix never use water or a cleaner made for a polyurethane finished floor! So clean your flooring with a damp mop (not wet) if you get water on this floor you should try to dry it immediately. 

So how do you clean your hardwood floor?

Step one- Ask your flooring retailer what type of flooring and finish you have and what does the manufacturer recommended to clean it? (if you did not purchase the floor and do not know the brand of it, a good family oriented flooring salesman www.owenflooring.ca would be glad to stop by take a look to help you.)

Step two- Purchase the product or similar product to what the manufacturer or flooring store recommends and follow the cleaning instruction given.  

Your hardwood flooring is a great investment that can last a lifetime when properly maintained, enjoy it for the rest of your life! Remember Don't clean your million dollar hardwood floor with a two dollar cleaner.