Entryway Flooring Options

Decorating any entryway requires a flooring that offers the ideal combination of durability and style. Color, style, daily maintenance, and whether or not the flooring requires professional installation or not all factor into which entryway flooring will best suit the needs of the home. All of the flooring materials listed below make a great choice for this much-used part of the home. Check out the pros and cons of each to make the best decision for your space.

Ceramic and Porcelain

Ceramic tile and porcelain tile are two of the most popular flooring options. Not only are they one of the most affordable flooring options, but they are also resistant to moisture, muck, and grime. They are easy to sweet and mop clean and don’t easily show signs of wear. When the entryway is part of an open-concept home, the same tiles can be continued throughout the living, dining, and kitchen areas for a seamless effect.

Because ceramic and porcelain tile are man-made materials, they come in a full range of color and finish options. There are even tiles designed to look like wood planks, granite, and other natural stone varieties. The versatility of design makes it easy to achieve any overall design style.

Luxury Vinyl

You never have to fear tracking in rain, snow, or mud when there’s luxury vinyl planks in the entryway. This high-end synthetic wood material offers the texture, color, and look of hardwood with the added benefit of being completely waterproof. It is easy to install over a wide variety of different subfloors, making it ideal for a quick renovation project.

This material is easy to cut to size using a sharp utility knife, making it easy enough to take on as a do-it-yourself project. Simply click the tiles together and finish the floor with new quarter-round. There’s no need to seal or grout luxury vinyl tiles. This budget-friendly flooring options I often much less expensive to install than ceramic tile, natural stone tiles, or engineered hardwood because the material is affordable and professional installation is optional.

Slate Tile

Slate is a natural stone material that is a popular choice in outdoor spaces. It’s great for decks and home facades because of its ability to hold up to the elements, which makes it a great option for use inside the home as well. Slate tile is going to be more of an investment that ceramic, porcelain, or luxury vinyl but it will also become a statement-making addition to your interior décor. It is also a great choice for resale, as many home buyers are interested in natural tile flooring.

Engineered Hardwood

Engineered hardwood floors give the look of hardwood with additional benefits built right in. Not only are they much more budget-friendly than traditional hardwood, but waterproof engineered hardwood now exists. Make sure to check the individual specifications of the engineered hardwood to determine the durability of the product in high-traffic areas of the home like the entryway floor.

Bamboo

When it comes to making an environmentally-friendly choice for a home, bamboo is an excellent choice. Not only is bamboo natural and sustainable, but it is also an incredibly durable flooring selection. The versatile design of the material makes it suitable for use in the entryway, living areas, and many other spaces throughout the home. Like hardwood flooring, bamboo comes in a wide variety of finish options, making it easy to achieve the same elegance of natural wood with much more durability. Unfortunately, bamboo is not a great choice for homes in extremely cold or dry climates. It is also prone to showing scratches, especially if pets are present. Using an area rug over bamboo floors can help prevent scratches.

Protecting Your Entryway Floors

Simply adding a welcome mat or area rug over the entryway floor goes a long way to extending the lifespan of the flooring chosen. Rugs are inexpensive and easy to change out seasonally or whenever they start to show signs of wear. Keep a rug pad under the rug to help prevent the rug from shifting or moving with foot traffic. Putting down a tray for shoes and boots will help to keep any mud and muck contained and off the surface of your entryway floors. This is especially important when hardwood floors or any other flooring options that are not waterproof or water resistant.

Each flooring material offers a wide array of color and style options from which to choose. Consider the daily use of the space, the number of rooms requiring flooring, and the overall budget of the project when making final selections. Be sure to factor into the equation all installation costs and supplies. With new flooring in place, the foyer is sure to become an inviting entryway to the rest of your home.

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Hardwood flooring offers a traditional elegance but doesn’t make a great choice for every room. Vinyl plank flooring and wood look tiles are durable alternatives that provide the look of wood while offering more versatility and less expense. When it comes to vinyl plank vs. wood look tile, they each provide similar looks, but offer their own benefits and drawbacks. Understanding the differences in the products will help you determine the best flooring for your space.

Before you can decide which product is right for the space, it is important to understand the differences in the two products. Vinyl plank flooring is a multi-layer material that provides an attached underlayment for easy installation. The vinyl top layer offers the look and sometimes even the texture of wood. Wood look tiles are porcelain or ceramic tiles with a finish that emulates the look of a natural wood. Both options are man-made and durable choices that can be run from the front door through every room in the home.

Vinyl Plank vs. Wood Look Tiles: How Each Measures Up

Durability

Both vinyl planks and wood look tiles are waterproof and pet friendly, making them ideal for kitchens, laundry rooms, bathrooms, and mudrooms. The incredible strength of the material makes it a great choice for families with pets, as their claws will not scratch the surface of either material. While both are durable, they are susceptible to some wear and tear over time.

When moving heavy furniture over vinyl plank floors, make sure to lift the feet to prevent gauges and tears. In some cases, dropping a heavy item on wood look tile can result in a crack of the tile. For the longest-lasting results, look for vinyl plank flooring designed for commercial grade use or wood look tile with a PEI rating of 4 or 5.

Styles

Vinyl plank flooring and wood look tile come in a wide array of colors to choose from, making it easy to find a product that mimics the look of any type of hardwood. Keep it classic with a rich oak-inspired finish or bring a rustic, casual look to the space with a gray farmhouse-style product. With so many different options available, it is easy to find on that elevates your existing home or business décor.

Colors

Wood look tile and vinyl come in a wide rainbow of hues, ranging from light and casual to deep and dramatic in tone. Lighter colors can make a room appear larger while darker colors make a big room seem more intimate and inviting. Dark floors often require more frequent vacuuming because dust is more visible against the surface. Browse the entire collection and consider the tone of existing cabinetry, walls, and furnishings when selecting the color that makes the best choice for your space.

Sizes

Because both the vinyl planks and tiles are crafted to resemble the look of wood, they are long and rectangular in shape. Most brands of vinyl are either four inches or eight inches wide and measure four feet in length. The tile is most often offered in four-inch-wide planks that can measure one foot, two feet, or four feet long. Vinyl plants cut easily with a sharp utility blade while the tiles require a tile saw to cut the pieces to length.

Environmental Impact

When ceramic tile is removed, it is taken to a landfill. Luxury vinyl flooring, on the other hand, is typically crafted of recycled materials and can be recycled after removal. Because they are both man-made, there is some environmental impact attributed to the production of both materials to consider as well.

Costs

Luxury vinyl planks have become a popular choice because of the look they offer and the inexpensive price point of the product. Not only is the price per square foot incredibly affordable, but the fact that it can be installed easily saves the expense of hiring professionals. Ceramic tile can be budget-friendly as well but requires professional installation and typically costs more per square foot than vinyl plank floors by the time they are in place.

Cleaning & Maintenance

Both vinyl plank flooring and wood look tiles can be cleaned by vacuuming and mopping on occasion. If a floating plank ever gets damage, it can often be replaced. At initial installation, make sure to reserve a couple extra planks for any repairs needed down the line. Wood look tiles exposed to direct sunlight do have the possibility of fading over time. If a wood look tile cracks or the grout around the tile starts to break down, re-grouting or replacing a tile may become necessary.

When trying to achieve the look of hardwood floors at a fraction of the price, both vinyl plank flooring and wood look floors make a fashionable choice. These strong and durable alternatives go places that hardwood flooring is not an option, including kitchens and even bathrooms. Make your open concept space seem larger and more fluid by running the same tile or plank flooring from the front door through the back of the home without breaking the visual line!

So when it comes to vinyl plank vs. wood look tile, which would you choose?

The post Vinyl Plank Flooring vs. Wood Look Tiles appeared first on Learning Center.

The flooring is the foundation for the rest of the room. It needs to be fashionable, easy-to-clean, and durable, especially in high-traffic areas throughout the home. Whether you are laying new floors in a single room or updating the flooring throughout the home, choosing the right product is a crucial first step. Understanding the differences in high-traffic flooring materials can help you determine which flooring option best suits the needs of your space.

First, consider the needs of the space. How many people pass through the room daily? Are children and pets a consideration? Use those initial considerations and the overall style of the space to choose a product that will elevate the design.

High-Traffic Flooring Options for Your Home

Luxury Vinyl

It doesn’t get more high-traffic than commercial buildings, and most luxury vinyl tile and plank products are rated to hold up to commercial use. This makes it a great high-traffic flooring option for a busy home as well. This easy-to-install product is also a great project for the weekend warrior. Vinyl flooring comes in a wide array of different colors and textures, all at a price point that works within most budgets. The cost-effective nature of this material has made it an increasingly popular choice.

This durable option holds up to high-traffic areas without scratching or scuffing. Because it is waterproof, it is ideal for wet areas of the home such as mudrooms and laundry rooms. This makes it possible to run the same luxury vinyl flooring through every room of the house, even the bathroom and kitchen. Even furniture won’t tend to gouge this long-lasting flooring.

Natural Stone

There are few materials as resilient as natural stone. Granite, limestone, and sandstone are a great way to bring the beauty of a natural product into the home. The timeless elegance of natural stone makes it a flooring that will hold up to many years of enjoyment. Of all the flooring options, natural stone is one of the most expensive, depending on which type of stone is selected. It also requires professional installation for durable results.

Some natural floors require a sealant at installation. Review the many different types of sealers available to ensure you select one designed to hold up to high-traffic areas throughout the home. Natural stone is so durable, it is even approved for outdoor and transitional spaces, such as patios, lanais, and even pool decks.

Laminate Flooring

When it comes to affordability and durability, laminate flooring is a long-time favorite among high-traffic flooring options. This material is easy to install, eliminating the need to pay for professional installation. This versatile flooring material gives you the look of wood, tile, and other materials at a fraction of the cost. This man-made material features a layered process and comes in a variety of thicknesses, ranging from about 6 mm up to roughly 15 mm. Review the specific laminate product carefully to select the one that will provide you with the best durability possible.

Engineered & Solid Hardwood

When you’re looking for traditional style, solid hardwood and engineered hardwood provide classic elegance. These products, although beautiful, tend to experience wear and tear in high-traffic areas of the home. If this is the flooring for you, there are a few strategies that will help keep the floors protected on a day-to-day basis. First, choose one of the harder, more durable wood types or engineered wood options. During installation, finish the floors with a protective top-coat.

Finally, take precautions to limit scratches and dents by trimming the nails of any pets and keeping cleats and high heels off the floors and in the entryway or mudroom. A decorative rug near the front door will provide an extra layer of protection while you’re kicking off your shoes. Of course, you can get the look of wood and the durability of tile by choosing wood look tile instead.

Porcelain Tile

For the everyday lifestyle of a busy household, porcelain tile is an excellent haigh-traffic flooring choice. This dense product comes in a range of PEI ratings, with 0 being the weakest and 5 being the strongest. When shopping for porcelain tiles to lay in your high-traffic areas, look for those with a PEI rating of either 4 or 5. Porcelain tile is available in a wide range of textures, colors, and styles, making it easy to find that that perfectly coordinates with the look of your home or business.

With so many different flooring options available, it is easy to find an option that provides both style and durability. Keep it classic with a porcelain tile or utilize today’s technologies by laying luxury vinyl flooring down in the home. Once you’ve determined the right type of product, choose a color and style that speaks to the overall aesthetic of the space. Give any hard flooring an added layer of protection in high-traffic areas by considering an area rug or runner near doorways.

The post High-Traffic Flooring For Busy Spaces appeared first on Learning Center.

Cork and bamboo are both intriguing flooring options that offer an alternative to traditional hardwood. If you’re considering new flooring for your home, these are both eco-friendly options that can help you maintain a home that’s a little lighter on the earth. Learn more about the pros and cons of bamboo and cork floors so you can decide which of these beautiful flooring options is the best choice for your next home improvement project.

Similarities of Cork and Bamboo

You’ll find that cork and bamboo are often discussed together because both are eco-friendly flooring options. These products give the home a beautiful appearance while making a minimal impact on the environment. Environmentally conscious consumers enjoy these picks because they’re far more sustainable than hardwood flooring.

It takes 30 to 100 years for trees to reach the proper maturity for traditional wood flooring. Timber is harvested at maturity and replanted, at which point the lengthy cycle must begin again. In contrast, bamboo reaches maturity in just five to seven years. This grass is cut at the ground level and regrows from the roots another five to seven years after each harvest.

Cork flooring is made from wood bark, so it can be harvested without killing the tree. Cork trees reach maturity at 25 years. Once the bark is peeled away, it can regenerate on the live tree in nine to 12 years. A single cork tree will typically live 150 to 200 years, though these trees can live up to 800 years.

Cork Flooring Pros

Evora Pallets Cork – Long Plank Terra Collection – Floating Floor / SKU: 10084484

Cork is a soft flooring option that provides ample cushioning underfoot. It compresses under the weight of your body, so you’ll enjoy natural give with every step. This same feature makes cork a good insulator, both acoustically and thermally. Despite its softness, cork is still a very durable product. It’s resistant to cracks and bounces back easily from most dents.

Cork is excellent at protecting your family from potential hazards. The anti-bacterial flooring is naturally resistant to mold and mildew. It’s resistant to fire as well, and will not ignite until it reaches extremely high temperatures.

You can get cork in planks or tiles to suit your decorating style. It’s available in many hues as well. The color of the cork permeates its entire thickness, so the shade doesn’t change, even as the cork sustains long-term wear. Cork flooring will typically last for around 40 years.

Cork floor installation is quick and easy. Most tiles have self-adhesive backing so you can place them in a peel-and-stick manner. Another option is a thin-set mortar adhesive.

Cork Flooring Cons

Though cork flooring doesn’t dent easily, it can sustain scratches. Cork isn’t usually the best option for a home with pets, where sharp claws will make regular contact with the material. Pointy objects like small floor legs and high heels can puncture the floor, causing major damage.

It’s difficult to repair cork when damage does occur. The best option is to replace the entire tile, so you may need to keep some extra tiles on hand. Cork flooring must be sealed to protect it from moisture damage. You should be careful about using water on this material and damp-mop only as needed. Dust mopping is a better choice.

Some spills will stain cork flooring, and sunlight can bleach some of the color out of this product. Proper sealing will protect the flooring from minor water damage, but the material will discolor and warp if flooded. If cork flooring is regularly exposed to humidity, it may curl and expand, which can cause entire tiles to pop out of place. Cork does best in a low-humidity environment.

Bamboo Flooring Pros

Selkirk ENGINEERED Collection Engineered Strandwoven Smooth Finish / SKU: 15230516

Bamboo flooring is popular for its ability to mimic many other hardwood flooring styles. It’s available in a wide range of colors. You can find varying shades of bamboo in its natural state. The product can also be stained to provide a broader range of options to suit nearly any aesthetic preferences.

For durability, bamboo is a solid choice. It’s as hard as red oak and relatively moisture-resistant. Compared to solid hardwood, bamboo flooring contracts and expands less. Cleaning it is quick and easy with a damp mop. You can expect to get 20 to 25 years out of bamboo floors with the regular wear and tear of a family. Bamboo floors that get less wear can last 50 years or more.

There are several different ways to install bamboo flooring. You can float it over other floors or install it using nails or glue. It’s important for bamboo to acclimate to the environment before installation. Professional installation is the best option.

When you’re purchasing bamboo, it’s important to make sure the product comes from a reliable supplier. If the bamboo is harvested too early, it won’t have the optimum hardness. The best bamboo for strength and hardness is Moso bamboo that’s been allowed to mature for at least five years before harvesting.

Bamboo Flooring Cons

Bamboo’s hardness is usually considered a strength, but this feature also makes the flooring noisier than a softer pick like cork. If you’re looking to minimize sound in your home, you might want a different option. If bamboo flooring is exposed to direct sunlight, it can begin to lose some of its color. Bamboo also stains easily, so it’s important to seal it properly.

Make sure you’re knowledgeable about the installation process that will be used for your bamboo floors if you’re going this route. Bamboo flooring is often installed with a formaldehyde glue. This adhesive off-gases hazardous chemicals that are linked to respiratory problems. Look for bamboo products that come with a lengthy warranty to help minimize some of the potential problems that you can encounter with bamboo.

Both cork and bamboo have great strengths that can make them strong contenders for your flooring project. If you want something soft and insulating for a pet-free home, cork is the best option. For a durable yet sustainable flooring option, bamboo may be the right pick. Factor in all your needs to decide which type of flooring is right for you.

Resources:

https://www.builddirect.com/learning-center/flooring/engineered-hardwood-versus-bamboo-flooring-what-you-need-to-know/

https://www.homeflooringpros.com/blog-guides/pros-cons-bamboo-flooring-vs-cork-flooring

https://www.floorcoveringweekly.com/main/features/millennials-spur-interest-in-bamboo-cork-18546

https://www.todayshomeowner.com/sustainable-flooring-bamboo-and-cork/

https://www.thespruce.com/bamboo-vs-cork-flooring-1821760

https://www.hgtv.com/remodel/interior-remodel/the-benefits-of-cork-flooring

https://www.thespruce.com/cork-flooring-pros-and-cons-1314688

https://www.motherearthnews.com/green-homes/the-lowdown-on-bamboo-flooring

The post Cork vs. Bamboo Flooring: What’s Better for Your Project? appeared first on Learning Center.

Yanchi Wide-Plank T&G Solid Strand Woven Bamboo Flooring / SKU: 15005473

New bamboo floors offer a gorgeous shine that you’ll likely want to retain long into the future. While a little wear and tear will ultimately add personality to your flooring, it’s important to care for your floors properly to preserve their appeal and lengthen their lifespan. Bamboo is just as strong as hardwood flooring, but it is a unique product that requires its own level of care and consideration. Read on to learn everything you need to know about keeping your strand woven bamboo floors in shape.

How to Make Your Floor Shine

The best way to make your bamboo floor shine is to make sure that you’re caring for it right. If you use the wrong cleaners, you’ll give your floor a dull appearance. Though vinegar and water is a natural choice for floor cleaning, this combination strips the floor of its beautiful luster. Using waxes or furniture polishes will dull the floors too. These products leave a greasy residue as well, which may attract dust, pet hair, and dirt.

Avoid giving your floors a dingy appearance by learning how to care for them properly. When you use the right tools and cleaning solutions, you’ll be able to keep that gorgeous like-new shine on your floors much longer than you would otherwise. Use the right cleaning schedule for your flooring so you can take proper care of your strand woven bamboo and get the sleek appearance you’re after.

• Soft-mop your floors daily.
• Capture dirt and other dry messes with a soft bristle broom.
• Wet-mop your floors for a deep clean as needed, usually weekly with family wear.
• Refinish the floors as needed to restore shine.

Soft Bristle Broom

A soft bristle broom is an important tool in your arsenal for maintaining beautiful strand woven bamboo floors. The soft bristles will prevent any type of scratching or abrasion against the flooring. Regular sweeping is a quick and easy chore that you can incorporate into your daily routine to maintain your flooring.

Designate your brooms for indoor use only. If you go back and forth between indoor and outdoor sweeping, you’ll only bring more dirt, pollen, grass, and other particles into the home. Give your broom the care and attention that it needs to stay in shape and do its job well. Clean the bristles on a regular basis, removing hair, dirt, and debris. A dirty broom will only move the mess, while a clean one can help you sweep it up.

Soft Cloths and Mops

A soft dust mop is a powerful tool for keeping your bamboo floors looking fresh. A dust mop does much of the same work as your soft bristle broom. The broader flat surface will wipe dust from the surface of your bamboo in wide swaths. A good dust mop will be your go-to tool for daily cleaning. You can quickly swipe the mop across the floors and use a small soft bristle broom and dustpan to catch the dirt that you collect.

You can also use a wet mop on an occasional basis for a more thorough cleaning. You shouldn’t wet-mop your floors too often. Reserve this for deep cleaning. Depending on the level of traffic in your home, you may need to wet-mop weekly, bi-weekly, or even monthly if you don’t have kids or pets and have light traffic through the house.

Soft cloths are something you should keep on hand to clean up spills. Never leave any type of moisture sitting on your strand woven bamboo floors. This can cause permanent staining or swelling. Repairing bamboo floors can be a costly proposition, so you should act fast when you can to minimize damage. Wipe up wet spills first and address cleaning and polishing later. Keep a generous stock of these cloths at hand, so you don’t have to waste time wondering what to grab when you overturn a glass or discover a puddle.

Floor Cleaners

Be mindful of the products you use on your bamboo flooring when you decide to wet-mop. It’s important to avoid anything that will mar the floors or leave a residue. You should not use waxes, polishes, or acidic liquids like vinegar. Avoid products with oil. While you can use a small amount of water on strand woven bamboo floors, you should never flood them.

The best choice for cleaning your floors is one that’s formulated specifically for bamboo. There are many commercial options on the market that take the unique needs of bamboo into account. Once you’ve chosen your cleaning product, you should pour it into a shallow bucket. Dip your cloth or mop into the solution and wring it out completely before you proceed to clean your floors. The goal is to get a damp cloth or mop, but not one that’s dripping.

Preventative Maintenance

Selkirk ENGINEERED Collection Engineered Strandwoven Smooth Finish / SKU: 15230516

Maintaining clean bamboo floors begins with prevention. The more dirt you can keep off your floors, the more damage, staining, and abrasion you can avoid. Keep your floors dirt-free with well-placed rugs to capture dust, dirt, and moisture before these hazards get to the bamboo. This is especially important in front of your doors, where you’re most likely to track these troublemakers in. Have everyone drop their shoes by the door to minimize the chance of bringing dirt in further.

Place felt pads under furniture legs to keep them from denting or scuffing the floor. Lift furniture when you move it to prevent scratches. Simply taking the proper steps to keep dirt away will instantly make your floors more appealing. If you care for your floors properly from the beginning, you’ll enjoy the longest possible lifespan from this product.

Keeping up with a regular cleaning routine will make a huge difference in the appearance of your bamboo floors. Sweep and mop regularly so you’re always on top of dust and dirt and avoid any type of significant build-up. This approach to floor care will give you a like-new shine for your bamboo flooring long into the future.

Resources:

https://www.bambooflooringcompany.com/bamboo-flooring-blog/maintaining-the-beauty-and-shine-of-bamboo-floors/

https://www.bobvila.com/articles/how-to-clean-bamboo-flooring/

https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-clean-bamboo-flooring-1314825

http://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/334974/file-682940659-pdf/Docs/Technical/Strand-Woven.pdf?t=1405515061077

https://www.hunker.com/12328233/what-cleaners-can-be-used-on-a-bamboo-floor

http://www.brightfields.co.za/blog/2013/3/7/how-to-care-for-your-strand-woven-bamboo-flooring

The post How to Clean Strand Woven Bamboo Floors appeared first on Learning Center.

Choosing a new floor for your home can be an exciting experience, but actually committing can be a bit nerve wracking. It is a great idea to test flooring samples – several of them – before settling on the one. Engaging with your flooring samples while you’re at home will help you understand how the flooring will look and feel in the space, and whether it fits with your design scheme and lifestyle. We offer up to 5 free flooring samples of many of our flooring options. Whether you’re looking into laminate, hardwood, or vinyl, let’s take a look at how you can test flooring samples to decide on the floor of your dreams.

1. Discover Look and Feel

Experiment With Lighting

Put your flooring samples near a window in the room you want to redecorate. As the daylight changes, look at your flooring samples in every light. When it gets dark, use different accent lighting combinations like overhead lighting and lamps. Consider taking pictures of the floor in each type of light to help you decide. We also recommend that you move your sample around the room as the day goes on to see it in all areas and all lighting.

Use Your Hands and Feet 

Run your fingers over your flooring samples to see how they feel. Put them down and try standing on them in bare feet and in socks. Intentionally stand on them while you get ready in the morning. It’s not the same as walking across an already installed floor, but you’ll get an idea whether you like the feel of the carpet, laminate, or hardwood under your feet.

2. Test Durability

Spray Water

Will your hardwood or carpet react well to moisture? Spray or drip water on your sample twice. The first time, wipe it up immediately. The second time, let it sit.

Create Spills 

Repeat the water experiment with the beverages your family drinks the most, like juice, coffee, or red wine. Use the cleaning products you typically use, whether that means homemade cleaner or bleach wipes.

Drop Things 

Test flooring samples with simple, everyday actions. Drop your keys on the sample. Walk across it wearing your favorite pair of boots or heels. Try scuffing it with your tennis shoes. If you have pets, grab an old fork or a key to mimic the scratches pet claws may leave behind. Get it muddy or sandy to mimic the detritus that’ll track in on your shoes. You want to mimic the wear and tear your family will create to see which flooring holds up best.

3. Assess Style

Compare With Your Curtains

Lay each flooring sample beneath your curtains one at a time to see if they match. Try this in different lighting to see which one matches your window dressings best. If you’re redecorating the entire room, compare the flooring samples with the curtains you’ll be hanging up. Take the samples with you to the store to see how they look with your curtain options.

Match Your Paint

Will your flooring look good with the paint on your walls? Even if you’ve got a neutral color like white or beige, you’ll find that each flooring sample has specific undertones (especially exotic hardwoods), some of which will match better. If you’ll be repainting the room, think about painting a small section of wall near the floor so you can test flooring samples with the new color.

Check Your Accessories 

How do your flooring samples look with your furniture? For example, testing hardwood samples with wooden furniture is essential because you may end up clashing, or you could decide that the room has too much wood in it. Hold your flooring samples up to your accessories, accent pieces, and artwork. You may discover a sample you thought would match clashes with one of your favorite pieces.

BONUS: Explore Your Options

Even if you have your heart set on hardwood, it’s a good idea to test similar options like laminate or engineered. Sometimes what we think we want doesn’t end up working well in a particular space. We offer up to five free flooring samples, so you can try different tones or materials to find out which works best.

The last thing you want is buyer’s remorse for such a large and long-lasting investment. You want to love your new flooring, so if your favorite sample didn’t do as well in the coffee-spill test, that doesn’t mean you have to choose something you’re not crazy about. Keep exploring until you discover the right flooring for you and can make a confident decision.

The post 3 Ways to Test Your Flooring Samples appeared first on Learning Center.

Advantages of engineered bamboo flooring

Engineered bamboo flooring has advantages that surpass that of a solid bamboo floor, such as a greater resistance to the effects of moisture and changing temperatures. These types of bamboo floors are designed to contract and expand without warping. Engineered to be stable, this type of bamboo flooring can be installed in a number of ways, using either glue down, nail-down, or floating methods.

Environmentally-responsible bamboo floors

A sustainable and eco-friendly material, bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants in the world. Because it grows so rapidly, it can be harvested frequently without damaging the ecosystems of bamboo forests. For engineered options, the layers that lie beneath the bamboo top layer are made from sawdust, and other leftover materials, making a greater usage of natural resources. Choosing bamboo floors like this is a great choice for those interested in green building materials.

Combining the beauty and strength of bamboo with the stability of engineered construction, engineered bamboo flooring is a great choice for flooring in a number of applications.

Click here to check out our online selection of sustainable and stylish bamboo floors. Discover the right surface for your next renovation project.

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For some, it is odd to think that bamboo, a type of grass, would serve as a durable flooring surface. And yet, bamboo flooring is becoming known as an attractive, long lasting and environmentally friendly alternative to the more conventional choice of hardwood flooring. The bamboo plant is extremely well adapted to its environment, unaffected by poor soil quality and other outside influences. Bamboo is a very fast growing type of grass, one of the fastest growing in the world, and the vitality of bamboo plants is not harmed by harvesting. The shoots of the harvested bamboo plant remain alive and quickly re-grow new stalks, making bamboo a highly renewable resource. As such, bamboo has become a popular choice of flooring by ecologically minded consumers, perhaps the “greenest” flooring of flooring materials as well as one of the most aesthetically pleasing.

What happens after harvesting

Once the bamboo is harvested, the green outer skin of the bamboo is removed and the bamboo stalk is cut lengthwise into strips or “fillets.” The filleted strips of bamboo – still curved because they are a section of a round stalk – are milled along their outer edges to make a flat strip. (The excess trim is turned into “strand-woven” bamboo, a separate process which we discuss later.) The flat strips are kiln dried to remove the bamboo’s natural moisture, and then boiled to eliminate natural starches and sugars. Boiling the bamboo actually serves two purposes. By removing starch and sugar, the bamboo flooring is rendered unattractive to termites and other pests that can infest many wood products. This termite resistance makes bamboo an especially suitable material for certain geographical areas. In addition, bamboo flooring is less prone to expanding and contracting due to climate changes, specifically temperature and humidity, than many traditional hardwoods. The other reason for boiling the bamboo is for its aesthetic purpose.

Carbonized Bamboo

By boiling the bamboo for a longer period, the material turns a darker color than its natural blonde appearance. The darker “brownish” color, known as “carbonized” bamboo, along with the light-blonde color of the earlier stages in the process, provide a choice of natural bamboo flooring colors that work with any decorating scheme. There are also different surface patterns in bamboo flooring that are created in the manufacturing process.

Horizontal and Vertical Styles of Bamboo Flooring

After the bamboo strips are boiled, they are again kiln dried, and glued together into one of two styles. By gluing a number of strips together with their narrow edges (the thickness of the bamboo stalk) facing up, the flooring pattern is an attractive bamboo edge grain with thin lines between the laminated strips. This style of bamboo flooring is called “vertical style.” The bamboo strips can also be glued together along their narrow edges so their wider surfaces face up. In this style, the strips would also be laminated in three layers so the thickness of the floor is the same as the vertical style. The three-layered style, with the wider flat surface of the bamboo strip showing on top, is called “horizontal style.” The unique aesthetic feature of horizontal style bamboo flooring is that the natural growth rings of the stalk, the “knuckles” as they’re also known, are visible in a randomly scattered appearance on the floor’s surface. Both these styles of bamboo flooring receive a final pressing after lamination to ensure their structural integrity before proceeding to the final steps of milling and finishing. Both horizontal-style and vertical-style bamboo flooring are available in blonde or carbonized coloring, and both are enjoyed for their particular, naturally attractive features.

Strand-Woven Bamboo Flooring

In addition to horizontal- and vertical-style bamboo flooring, one other style of bamboo flooring is also manufactured. This style is known as “strand-woven” bamboo flooring, and is produced from the excess strands trimmed at the stage of milling the curved bamboo fillets, as mentioned earlier. Not only is strand-woven bamboo another particularly attractive bamboo floor style, it also demonstrates another environmentally responsible feature of bamboo as a flooring material. Nothing is wasted in the making of this durable line of flooring. Instead of discarding the excess trim from the bamboo stalk, bamboo innovators discovered these long, thin strands of bamboo created a beautiful pattern when intertwined and manufactured into anther bamboo flooring product. Thus was born strand-woven bamboo in a process that compresses the strands with an environmentally safe resin into a new piece of “timber” which is:

• Scratch resistant
• UV resistant
• Moisture resistant

The newly constituted bamboo timber, with its own uniquely attractive strand-woven bamboo pattern, is a strong and durable material that is then sawn into attractive planks, and turned into its own unique style of bamboo flooring. Because strand-woven bamboo is already compressed at extremely high pressure at the timber-making stage, it does not receive the final pressing applied to horizontal- and vertical-style bamboo.

Final Stages in Making Bamboo Flooring

In the final manufacturing stages, all three types of bamboo flooring boards – horizontal-style, vertical style, and strand-woven – are milled and finished to complete the process of producing refined flooring products. With precision milling, the tongue-and-groove connection on each bamboo flooring board ensures the snug fit and smooth surface that you expect from a quality product. The clear coating that finishes your bamboo flooring will also enhance its natural beauty and provide an extra-level of protection for years to come. A quality product will be finished with as many as six coats of aluminum oxide, giving your already extremely hard bamboo floor even more protection against surface wear or damage.

And there you have it! A common grass turned into an exceptionally attractive and exceptionally durable flooring option. Bamboo flooring is a tough, beautiful, and environmentally friendly flooring material quickly being discovered as an excellent alternative to traditional hardwood flooring.

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Grain Types

When it comes to different grain types of bamboo, there are three main choices: horizontal, vertical, and strand-woven. Each one has different characteristics that will help buyers decide which type of bamboo to purchase and install in their home or business. The grain type to purchase depends greatly on the overall look the buyer is trying to achieve.

Horizontal Bamboo

Horizontal bamboo refers to planks placed next to one another facing in a horizontal direction. They are attached to each other this way before being pressurized and finished, randomly displaying the knuckles, or growth rings, of the stalk.

Vertical Bamboo

Vertical bamboo refers to planks placed next to one another facing in a vertical direction. They are attached to each other this way before being pressurized and finished, creating a smooth uniform look.

Strand-Woven Bamboo

Strand-woven bamboo refers to bamboo planks made from the remaining strands of the stalk trimmed away from the long bamboo fillets. These are compressed together with an adhesive before being pressurized and finished. Strand-woven bamboo is twice as hard as horizontal and vertical bamboo.

Installation Types of Bamboo Flooring

Choosing bamboo flooring for your home or business based on the installation type first is a wise decision because some installation types are more complicated and thus more costly than others. There are a few different installation methods for bamboo flooring. These include nail or glue down process, glue-seam floating installation, and glueless-click installation. Regardless of the installation type chosen, be sure to purchase more bamboo flooring than required to finish the job. You need to account for mistakes in measurement, imperfection in boards and future repairs.

Nail Down/Glue Down

This process is similar to installing a hardwood floor. Since the flooring is very hard, it is nearly impossible to get the nails flush with the flooring using a standard hammer. The use of special, specific tools for the job, including an electric hammer or stapler, is very important to the success of completing this job correctly. Installation instructions and guidelines depend on the sub-flooring. DIYers that are very experienced in this area can install this type of bamboo flooring, otherwise it is best to have a professional install the flooring.

Floating: Glue-Seam

This kind of installation requires an underlayment to protect the bamboo from the sub-flooring material. You may require a moisture barrier as well. It is important to lay out the flooring before adding any glue adhesive, because with how quickly the adhesive dries, it will be impossible to separate the flooring planks and correct any mistakes after just a few seconds. It is best to lay out the complete floor design and go back in sections with the glue. You can do this as a do-it-yourself job, but for the inexperienced, it is best left to professionals.

Floating: Glueless-Click

The simplest of bamboo installation methods, the glueless-click method does not require any glue or nails, so it is easy for those new to floor installation to do. The planks simply click together and fall into place. For those who are looking to install their own flooring and do not boast a lot of DIY experience, this is the best way to do it. There should be no concern about whether or not the floor will come apart after the installation is complete because the pieces will fit together very snuggly. The finished product will appear much like the other installation methods.

Color Types

When it comes to color types, buyers have several options: natural, carbonized, stained, and direct print. Each one of these options has distinct properties about it to help homeowners decide which one to use. Regardless of which color type chosen, the strength and durability of the bamboo remains the same, with the exception of carbonized which is softer than the other types.

Natural

Natural bamboo has no colorants or stains added to it. It has a very light, blonde type color to it. This type of bamboo is easy to find and goes with most décors.

Carbonized

Carbonized bamboo allows for the sugars in the plant to caramelize. The bamboo is boiled for a longer period of time. The caramelized sugars therefore add color to the bamboo. Depending on the length of boiling time, the shades of bamboo will vary. Carbonized bamboo is softer than other types of bamboo.

Tiger

Tiger bamboo is made using a combination of natural and carbonized strips. This creates a unique “tiger stripe” pattern.

Stained

Stained bamboo is treated with a wood stain to change the coloring of the material. It is available in multiple shades, from light, to dark. The variety of stain options makes it easy to find one that matches any décor.

Direct Print

For homeowners who want the appearance of another kind of wood – such as oak, cherry, or maple – while still having the other benefits of bamboo, direct print bamboo flooring prints the patterns seen on other hardwoods onto the bamboo before it is pressurized and sealed.

Surface Texture Types

For surface texture types, homeowners and builders have three main choices: smooth, hand scraped, and hand sculpted. Each one will provide a unique look. Look at various samples of texture types before deciding which one to use.

Smooth

Smooth bamboo flooring is machine coated with several layers of sealant. It helps to keep a dust free surface that is easier to clean and recommended for those who suffer from allergies or hay fever.

Hand Scraped

Hand scraped bamboo flooring is scraped by hand to give the floor and aged, “antique” look. It offers a unique approach to bamboo flooring in appearance in a home or business, and is available in a variety of styles and colors. This texture option typically makes the flooring more costly because of the manual labor involved in its creation.

Hand Sculpted

Hand-sculpted bamboo flooring is similar to hand scraped, but provides a less distressed look. This kind of bamboo is usually hand worked to look older, or antique, so it too, will cost more.

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What is Bamboo?

While technically a grass, bamboo is quickly becoming an industry favorite for environmentally friendly wood flooring. Bamboo is a sustainable plant that grows quite quickly, up to four feet per day, and is able to grow well in soil of poor quality. Some of the largest varieties of bamboo can grow to have a diameter of 13 inches and a height of 120 feet within three years. The most common form of bamboo found in Asia is self-propagating and does not need to be treated with herbicides or pesticides to flourish.

While bamboo is usually found in Asia, it is becoming a more common crop throughout the world. With about 1,000 different species thriving in a variety of soils and climates, bamboo has a presence in many areas. As the popularity and demand for this versatile crop increases, the areas where it can be found will also likely increase.

Harvesting Bamboo

Photo Credit: Augupfel

Unlike most hardwood, trees that take decades to be harvestable, bamboo can be harvested in as little as three years, but ideally in four to six years. Harvesting the bamboo does not damage the grass; rather it remains healthy and continues to produce an abundant crop for future harvests. Ideally, bamboo harvests begin in the fall or winter, as this is when the moisture level is lower. Summer harvests can cause the bamboo to fracture during the curing process.

After the Harvest

Photo Credit: Ben Burkland/Carolyn Cook

Once harvested, the difficult work of transforming the bamboo from grass to flooring begins. The green outer hull of the bamboo is removed and the stalk is cut into long strips called fillets. At this point, the bamboo strips retain the natural curve of the plant. Milling the bamboo along the outer sides creates a flat strip more suitable for future flooring. The strips are then dried and boiled to remove moisture as well as natural sugars and starches. There are two benefits of boiling the bamboo. The first is that it makes the finished product less desirable to insects such as termites that often infest other wooden products. This termite resistance makes bamboo flooring even more desirable in areas with high termite populations. Secondly, boiling the bamboo makes it less likely to suffer expansion and contraction than hardwood floors in humid climates.

After the boiling and drying are completed it is then possible to darken the bamboo through a process of carbonization, if a color more similar to hardwood flooring is required. Carbonization relies on steam and pressure to darken the bamboo. Colors range from a deep coffee to a light amber. Increasingly, however, consumers are choosing bamboo flooring that has the natural coloring, either stained to retain its natural color or stained to the color of their choice.

Once the initial refinements are completed, the bamboo is then inspected. Inspectors grade the bamboo as either A or B.

Strand-Woven Bamboo Flooring

Strand-Woven Bamboo, Natural

During the milling stage of the bamboo processing, the strands that remain are trimmed from the long bamboo fillets. The use of a byproduct of processing, or what would be considered a waste product from another type of wood, is part of what makes bamboo flooring so environmentally friendly. Intricate patterns are created by weaving the thin strands together and compressing them with a resin to create beautiful flooring. The strand-woven flooring is strong, durable, scratch resistant, UV resistant, moisture resistant, and is about twice as hard as other forms of bamboo flooring.

Vertical and Horizontal Bamboo Flooring

The bamboo fillets are what make up the greatest portion of bamboo flooring. After the boiling process, the strips are again dried in a kiln and then glued together into an either vertical grain or horizontal grain.

Vertical Bamboo Flooring, Natural

The narrow edges of several strips of bamboo are glued together to create the vertical bamboo flooring. These strips are combined and have a thin layer of lamination between them. The finished product has a smooth uniform look, much like traditional hardwood flooring.

Horizontal Bamboo Flooring, Natural

By gluing the wider surfaces together, facing up, horizontal bamboo flooring is created. This style of flooring also uses lamination. The laminating process makes the thickness of the flooring uniform throughout. The finished horizontal flooring randomly displays the knuckles, or growth rings, of the stalk.

Final Stages

With all three types of bamboo flooring, vertical grain, horizontal grain, and strand-woven grain, the final stage involves milling the boards to refine the flooring. The popular tongue and groove system traditionally used in wood flooring is used with bamboo as well. This ensures a smooth surface and snug fit, and creates a product that is comparable in style with hardwood flooring. Several coats of finish with aluminum oxide are applied to the flooring to make the durable material even more resistant to damage from daily use.

Quality Stages

While the best quality of bamboo flooring is made with environmentally friendly practices, some companies do use methods that are less than ideal. These companies may use premature bamboo, which is less than four years old, and use high levels of additives like formaldehyde in the gluing process. While these practices do result in lower prices, they may also reduce the quality and negatively impact the environment.

When deciding on which type of bamboo flooring to purchase, pay attention to the construction of the materials, the ends of the board to ensure there are no gaps in the layers of bamboo and that no fillers have been added to shore up gaps. The finish on the flooring should be coated evenly with a smooth and uniform texture.

Learning about the process that is used to make the various forms of bamboo flooring makes it easier to understand how a grass is transformed into a durable and attractive option for flooring. Bamboo flooring is a wonderful alternative to the more traditional hardwood flooring options.

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