The 2022 color palette

When it comes to colors, designers and homeowners are opting for the lighter end of the spectrum across all flooring types, with an emphasis on neutral, flexible grays, beiges, whites and blondes, whether in wood grain patterns or multifaceted stone textures. The main attraction to this palette is that it opens up the space, adding a brighter and more expansive feel. It is also incredibly versatile, and can easily be worked into any decor scheme. In addition to this overall trend, there are some popular color preferences that are specific to each of the flooring types, which we will look at in more detail below. 

Trending looks and styles

Regardless of whether people choose laminate, tile, or vinyl, they tend to ask for one of five dominant looks: stone, marble, wood, concrete, and various decorative designs. Always looking for ways to create visual expansion, designers go beyond the light color palette and focus on innovative flooring sizes, shapes and patterns. When buying wooden flooring, people often opt for the wide-plank variety, while choosing larger format dimensions for tiles. Both of these choices help make a room look bigger. Chevron and herringbone layouts also create that sense of expansion, while bringing a dynamic feel, which energizes a room and can also work as an accent to guide the eye to a room’s chosen focal points.

Materials

In general, hard, durable surfaces are very much in vogue, with engineered hardwood being a particular favorite and laminate, tile and vinyl being almost as popular. Aside from their physical qualities, these flooring materials are in demand because they are available in an astonishing array of colors, patterns, and finishes. Manufacturing technology has advanced to such an extent that imitation wood, stone and concrete looks on these materials are more convincing than ever. This factor has certainly contributed to their rising demand.

Engineered and solid hardwood

Although homeowners adore hardwood floors, they are turning away from natural hardwood because it can be more costly. Engineered hardwood is an excellent alternative as it brings that natural hardwood appearance in a product that is much more durable, hardy, and easier to care for. Here are four of the biggest trends emerging for this beautiful, high-quality flooring type:

• Weathering and texturing: Homeowners and designers do not want perfection when it comes to wooden flooring; they want variety, character and texture. This preference has led to a rise in popularity of hand-scraped, wire-brushed and distressed engineered hardwood. These techniques bring out the grain pattern of each board, and create textured, undulating surfaces for a more natural look and feel.
• Wide planks: The taste for wider planks has been on the rise for some time. As opposed to regular wooden flooring boards, which are about two to four inches in width, wide planks measure anywhere between five and twelve inches. As mentioned above, these boards make a space feel larger and more expansive. They also create a more rustic atmosphere.
• Dark hardwoods: Although the 2022 color trend is towards the lighter end of the palette, there are some exceptions when it comes to people who choose engineered hardwood. Many homeowners who opt for wooden flooring want the warm and cozy feel that comes with dark wood. However, smart designers make good use of contrast in rooms with dark wood flooring, choosing lighter colors for walls, ceilings and other features. The eye is naturally drawn to the lighter parts of the room, turning attention away from the dark floor which serves to accent the brighter elements.
• High variation designs: Hardwoods such as Brazilian walnut are much admired for their multi-hued patterns. The eclectic mix of light and dark in the same floor layout creates a more natural impression, is quite an attention grabber, and will ensure that your floor looks unlike any other. Vary the width of the boards adds to this effect. 

Tiles

Realistic looks are the trend for 2022 – as much for hardwood as for ceramic and porcelain tiles. Homeowners love having the practical benefits of tiles – durability, easy cleaning, relative budget-friendliness, and variety – together with the world of patterns, colors and finishes that can be achieved with this material. Wood-look and stone-look tiles have increased in popularity over the past few years and remain extremely popular. Tile designers have done an excellent job of achieving authentic wire-brushed, hand-scraped and distressed appearances with their wood-look tiles. One rising trend this year is the concrete-look tiles. People love the industrial, modern look that these tiles create. 

Tile buyers are also looking well beyond the traditional square or rectangular tile shapes and seeking out an impressive variety of shapes, including hexagonal, diamond, fan, round, diamond, arabesque, linear and triangle.

Carpet tiles

Carpets remain popular in 2022, although they are used much more selectively than in the past, being used in certain rooms such as living areas and some bedrooms. Carpet tiles, in particular, are making a comeback, remaining the most popular choice for basements and making an appearance in other parts of the home too. Cutting and resizing carpet tiles is a great way to create rugs and runners, while the varied shapes and designs available allow a great deal of creative freedom for making unique floor layouts.

Room-specific trends

While the material trends described above are applicable to all kinds of spaces within your residential or commercial property, there are several developing trends that are specific to particular rooms in the house, such as kitchens and bathrooms.

Kitchens

The trends in kitchen design this year lean towards the classic rather than the contemporary or modern. The primary practical consideration is water resistance. Luckily, this property can be found in a broad range of tiles with numerous colors and finishes. The most popular materials include engineered hardwood, bamboo, large-format tile and several varieties of vinyl. Grays and beiges dominate the color choices, as do the prevailing hand-scraped, distressed, and wire-brushed wood looks – both in engineered hardwood and imitation wood effects in tile and vinyl. 

While many decorators want a stone-look floor in their kitchens, they are not necessarily opting for genuine stone tiles but rather for stone-look ceramic or porcelain, such as our Salerno Coastal Travertine collection. Wide-plank white laminate and gray hand-scraped finishes are the two most popular options for wooden kitchen flooring.

Bathrooms

The most striking thing about bathroom trends this year is the sheer diversity on display. Kitchen trends are relatively uniform by comparison. Authentic wood isn’t ideal for bathrooms, but people still want the wood-like appearance, so wood-look tiles are on trend. Instead of opting for monochrome tiles, decorators favor stenciled and mosaic designs, as well as a variety of geometric shapes instead of straightforward square tiles in linear arrangements. The popular wood look can be approximated with laminate flooring, which offers many different shades and patterns while ensuring a waterproof floor. Vinyl is still popular for bathrooms, offering high water-resistance and the incredible range of colors and designs we mentioned above.  
Founded in 1999, BuildDirect is North America’s leading marketplace for flooring materials. We connect homeowners and home improvement professionals with international sellers, creating a simple and reliable shopping experience and access to one of the world’s broadest ranges of flooring materials. Through our platform, you can find the flooring you love at prices that suit your budget. We offer a wide selection of top-quality flooring products across categories in solid hardwood, laminate, engineered, bamboo, vinyl, and tile products. Whichever one of the 2022 flooring trends you prefer, you will find the materials you need for your home improvement projects at BuildDirect.

The post Top 2022 flooring trends appeared first on Learning Center.

Installing new flooring in your home isn’t as simple as measuring your space, ordering materials and putting down planks at random though. For a properly installed flooring, racking is an essential step you shouldn’t leave out. Use this guide to learn more about flooring racking and how to make use of this simple process before you begin your installation.

What is Floor Racking?

Floor racking can sound like a time-consuming task that should be left to professional installers only, right? The truth is that floor racking is quite simple and pretty much anybody can do it. If you can lift a plank of your chosen flooring material you can handle racking on your own.

That’s because floor racking is simply the process of laying out your flooring planks without fastening them with nails or glue. Doing this allows you to create varied patterns and mix and match different planks for a designer-inspired look you won’t get by randomly placing your planks at installation time. While you can do this with any flooring material, racking is a pretty standard procedure when you’re working with natural hardwood, engineered wood or laminate.

Not everybody takes the time to properly rack their floors. Skipping this step is one of the most common mistakes people make when installing flooring, and while avoiding it won’t necessarily result in damage, there’s a good chance your floors won’t look as good as they could have.

Why is Floor Racking Important?

A lot of people who are installing a floor in their homes wonder if floor racking is really necessary or if it’s just a step that will eat up valuable time. While it can easily add a few hours to your overall installation, floor racking is a vital first step when taking on a new flooring project.

Here are a few of the main reasons floor racking is so important.

Thorough Inspection

Floor racking allows you to inspect each plank as you take it out of the packaging. That means you get a look at each individual plank so you can check for defects. Once installed, defective wood won’t be covered under a standard warranty. Take the time to ensure you don’t have any defective planks before your installation. Racking early also allows you to get replacement planks before your installation is scheduled to begin.

Color Variation

Racking makes it easy to achieve proper color variation when installing flooring like engineered wood or natural hardwood. By racking your floors first, you can choose exactly what your flooring pattern will look like, giving your room and home more visual depth. With materials like wood, you can also blend light and dark planks or strategically place planks with more color variation.

Length Variation

You can mix and match plank lengths to create a smart design through racking. Varying plank lengths creates a designer-inspired look for your room. Racking also helps ensure that you don’t place all long planks together before switching to shorter planks, which will be very obvious once installed.

See the Full Picture

Racking allows you to view the floor from a standing position so you can see what your floors will look like once they’re permanently installed. This provides you with the opportunity to make changes for aesthetic reasons before nailing or gluing them down.

Understanding Acclimation and Moisture Content in Flooring Materials

Floor racking is a vital step that ensures you have high-quality wood, optimal color variation and appropriate plank lengths. Before you start laying out your floor though, allowing the wood to acclimate to the temperature and humidity of the installation location is critically important.

Why does acclimation matter so much? Consider the possibility that your flooring materials may have been shipped from a region with a climate much different than yours. Your new flooring materials may also have been in storage for some time before being shipped to you. That means they may shrink or expand slightly in your home.

In general, 48 to 72 hours is an ideal acclimation time for most materials, though a longer time generally won’t cause any harm at all in a climate controlled space. One great way to ensure your new flooring material is ready for installation is to unpack it on a Friday before beginning your installation on Monday or Tuesday. That leaves ample time for even sensitive materials like natural hardwood to acclimate to your space.

You don’t have to leave flooring acclimation to chance though. Another option is to use a moisture meter to make sure your flooring materials are ready for installation. Here’s how you can use a moisture meter to check your flooring materials before you begin the installation process.

Racking 101: A Quick Step-By-Step Guide

Racking doesn’t have to be complex. Here’s a quick step-by-step primer to help you get a handle on the basics.

1. Inspect all flooring materials for damage and defects. Put aside any planks that are unfit for installation.
2. Pull planks from different boxes to ensure varied tones and plank lengths. You can sort them into “like” groups to organize your materials.
3. Allow your flooring materials proper time to acclimate to your home. Use a moisture meter to ensure your materials are ready for installation.
4. Take time to plan your layout. Give yourself a day to ensure that you love your design before committing.
5. Make sure you stagger joints correctly. You want to avoid weak spots that could lead to damage or the need for repairs down the road.

Ready to update the flooring in your home? We can help you find a range of materials like natural hardwood, engineered hardwood, laminate, vinyl flooring, porcelain and ceramic tile and more. Our trained representatives can also give you more information about racking your floors before installation so you can proceed with the installation knowing you’ll love the outcome.

Reach out today to take the first step toward new floors. We can also help you plan your building project if you’re creating your dream home from the ground up.

The post Floor Racking: How to Lay Out Plank Flooring Before Installation appeared first on Learning Center.

Types of Plank Flooring

Before you can decide how you want to install your plank flooring, you must first decide what type of plank flooring you’ll feature in your home. Among the most popular options are:

• Hardwood
• Laminate
• Luxury Vinyl
• Engineered Hardwood
• Bamboo

Deciding the Best Direction to Lay Plank Flooring

Plank flooring features a rectangular shape that lends itself toward many different patterns and directions. The most popular options include:

• Vertical
• Horizontal
• Herringbone
• Diagonal
• Chevron

Aesthetic Considerations for Choosing Plank Direction

Focal Point

If you have a fireplace or focal point in your room, you’ll want to lay the flooring in a way that draws the eye to that focal point. Lay the planks so they point toward the item you’d like to feature. If you have an open-concept home, this method can be difficult because you could have more than one focal point in different areas of the home.

Cohesive Sight Lines

When you want to enlarge the look of your home and make the space seem less busy, run the flooring from the front door through the back of the house. If the home is open concept, it’s important that once you choose a flooring direction, you stick with it throughout all the rooms that open onto one another. Laying the flooring in the same direction as the pathway from the front of your house to the back of your house is by far the most popular choice. Not only does it make a space appear larger, but it also helps invite people into your home by showing them what direction to go.

Modernizing the Look

When you want to make a statement with your flooring, choosing a diagonal floor plank installation is a great choice. This look can get a little busy, so make sure to only consider this option in large rooms, as it can become overwhelming in smaller spaces.

Adding Visual Appeal

Show off your artistic style when you opt for a chevron or herringbone plank flooring pattern. This pointed way of laying flooring is a fantastic choice in large rooms or in homes where one space flows into another. Point the chevron from the front door through the back of the house to make the whole space appear larger and invite people into the space. This pattern could result in the creation of a statement hallway or passage from one space to another.

Showing Off the Flooring

When you absolutely love the look of your plank flooring and want to highlight all the colors and details of the product, run the flooring perpendicular to the light source in the room.

Material Consumption

Laying your flooring horizontally or vertically will help to get the most coverage out of the fewest materials. Any time you choose a more intricate pattern, you increase the amount of material needed to complete the job. If budget is an issue or the material is limited, this will be an important factor. Figure out just how much flooring you need to complete your project by knowing how to measure the space.

Functional Considerations

Sometimes, the needs of the space can supersede the aesthetic look of a flooring pattern. Before you make a final decision, consider the specific needs of your home. Some of the most common functional considerations include:

Floating Flooring

If you’ve chosen a floating floor, there may be a limit to how long you can extend the flooring without breaking it up with a threshold. If this is the case, the dimensions of the room may help determine which direction the plank flooring needs to be installed.

Installation Cost

There’s typically a standard installation price for running your plank flooring vertically or horizontally. If you start getting a little fancier with the design by choosing a chevron, herringbone, or diagonal arrangement, the price of installation is sure to increase.

Time Frame

When you’re trying to get your flooring installed quickly, choosing a vertical or horizontal arrangement is the most time-effective solution. The different methods used to piece together a diagonal, chevron, or herringbone pattern will also extend the time frame for installation.

Final Tips for Laying Plank Direction

If you still haven’t chosen on an ideal layout, we have a few final tips that will help you make that final decision.

Lay the Flooring in the Space

Once you have the plank flooring in the space, place a few of the planks down in the direction you’re considering. There’s no substitute for seeing the boards in the space. If you’re installing the same flooring in multiple rooms, test out the arrangement in multiple rooms, as well.

Consider the Style of the Material

If your plank flooring has intricate detailing, a simpler pattern is called for. If your flooring is more monochromatic in design, it can support a more visually interesting installation pattern.

Ask the Professionals

If you’re having the floors professionally installed, rely on the professionals to help guide your way. They have installed many floors and are sure to have seen every pattern in the past. Use their expertise as a guide to help you achieve the look you want.

When it all comes down to it, there’s no right or wrong way to direct plank flooring in your home. It really comes down to personal style preferences and what best fits the personality of your home. Check out pictures of rooms with different flooring designs and plank directions to help you determine which one will reflect your personal preferences. These tips don’t just apply to plank flooring. They can also be used as a guide for installing ceramic tiles designed to look like wood, as they often share the same rectangular design.

The post What Is the Best Direction to Lay Plank Flooring? appeared first on Learning Center.

When it comes to a new bathroom flooring installation, laminate, luxury vinyl and waterproof engineered hardwood planks are all an exceptional choice. Available in a range of different styles to match your home’s design theme and your bathroom’s existing color scheme, myriad styles from ultra-modern to simple, traditional looks are available. Flooring planks are also available at multiple price points so you can get the look you want even if you’re on a tight budget.

If you choose to install bathroom floor planks on your own it can help you save money and get the bathroom style you want ASAP. Bathroom floors do have special installation needs though, so you’ll have to follow certain procedures to make sure your floors look good and last for years in a wet environment like a bathroom.

A Guide to Installing Bathroom Floor Planks

Remove Sink and Toilet Fixtures

Many people think that laying laminate, luxury vinyl or engineered hardwood planks should be done with their existing bathroom fixtures in place. While this possible, it is not the best solution if you want a clean, professional look. Instead, you’ll want to remove your sink and toilet fixtures first.

By removing your sink and toilet fixtures before you install bathroom floor planks, you’ll get a more uniform look that’s much more attractive. Below you’ll find more information about how to remove common sink and toilet fixtures so you can begin installing your flooring.

Dealing with Pedestal Sinks

Pedestal sinks are extremely common in powder rooms and guest bathrooms. Removing these is fairly easy, and in some cases, you may not have to remove the entire fixture. If your sink is bolted to the wall, this easy removal process may be possible.

To do this, you’ll simply unbolt the pedestal portion of your sink from the wall and slide it away from the sink – which will remain bolted to the wall. This partial removal is ideal because it means you won’t have to touch your P-trap or water connections in most cases.

If you can’t disassemble your pedestal sink or you have a different type of sink the removal process is a little more involved, but still fairly straightforward. You’ll start by removing your P-trap and water connections. From there, you can unbolt the sink and pull it off the wall.

Store your sink parts in a safe place away from your workspace before you begin your flooring installation.

Toilet Fixture Removal

Removing a toilet fixture from your bathroom is a fairly simple procedure, though you’ll likely need at least one other person to do it. Here’s how you can remove your toilet fixture:

Step 1:

Turn off the water using the shut-off valve. Flush the toilet to remove remaining water. You can use a plunge to force any water remaining in the bowl out. A sponge and bucket can be used to remove remaining water from the tank.

Step 2:

Disconnect the water supply line. If desired, you can remove the tank at this point. You can do this by removing the bolts positioned at the bottom of the tank.

Step 3:

Remove the bolts that hold the toilet bowl in place on the floor. These are typically located under trim caps designed to improve the visual appeal of your toilet fixture.

Step 4:

Rock the toilet back and forth until it comes free. Remove the fixture. Now you can remove the old wax seal and wipe away any remaining wax.

Step 5:

Fill the remaining hole with a rag. This will prevent sewer gasses from entering your home while the hole is exposed.

What About the Vanity?

Installing bathroom floor planks under your vanity provides the ideal appearance. In practice though, installing new flooring in a completely empty bathroom often isn’t possible. That’s because your vanity is likely firmly in place and removing it could cause extensive damage to both the vanity and wall.

Unless you’re going for a major renovation, keeping your vanity in place and working around it is your best choice. With clean cuts, you won’t have to worry about a messy-looking installation.

Pull Up Old Flooring

You can’t install your new laminate, luxury vinyl or engineered hardwood without first removing your old floor. With your toilet and sink fixtures out of the room, removing old flooring is the next step.

Removing your old flooring is a fairly easy project as long as you take care to avoid damaging your subfloor. Here are a few informative guides to help you remove common bathroom flooring materials like laminate and vinyl.

You may also need to remove your baseboards even if you’re installing simple click lock luxury vinyl.

Ensure a Level Work Surface

With your old flooring removed, you’re now beginning first steps of your new bathroom floor plank installation. Don’t break out the flooring materials just yet though. Your first step involves ensuring that your work surface is level.

In many cases, a visual inspection will show you that your bathroom floor is not level. This is easy to fix by applying a small amount of leveling compound using a trowel. When dealing with small areas of your floor, a putty knife may work as well.

Look to feather the edges of the leveling compound to make sure it blends perfectly with your existing flooring. Light use of a hand sander or sanding block can help even out of your floors after applying leveling compound if you’ve used slightly too much and notice a ridge or hump.

Alternately, a hand sander can work very well for reducing visible high spots on your subfloor. Work slowly to ensure that you don’t sand away too much material. You’ll have to fill any low spots with flooring compound if you do.

Cut Appropriate Holes

A big part of installing new flooring in your bathroom is ensuring that you’ve got the right size holes around drains and any plumbing elements like your toilet flange. To do this, you’ll want to measure the size of the hole and cut into pieces to be placed in that area using a jigsaw or circular saw.

For your toilet fixture, you should aim for a hole that extends between 2″ and 3″ inside where the base of the toilet will rest. However, cutting a larger hole will make placement easier, so don’t aim for an ultra-exact cut.

A full-plank installation under pedestal sinks is ideal as long as you drill guide holes for the base as you go. Use silicone putty around the edges to secure your pedestal sink in place later.

How to Install Bathroom Floor Planks: Tips from the Pros

Your work surface is ready, level and all fixtures that can be removed are out of the way. The process of installing flooring in a small space like a bathroom is actually relatively simple from here, though you’ll need some specific tools and a few skills to get the job done effectively.

Plan Your Layout

Putting flooring planks in place without adhering them to your subfloor can help you get a sense of what cuts you’ll need to make and where you’ll need to make them. Doing this will also help you choose the planks to cut for your toilet flange and plumbing elements.

Start in a Corner

Use as many full-length pieces as possible before making a cut. Full-length pieces are easier to place and provide a more elegant look.

Use Wood Glue

Wood glue between your flooring planks helps with water resistance. A small bead will help join planks together and keep them in place.

Mind the Gap

Bathrooms are high humidity spaces, which means that your floors can expand over time. To combat this, you’ll want to leave a 1/8″ gap along horizontal walls to allow for expansion.

Leave a Gap Between Floor and Tub

A 1/8″ to 1/4″ gap between your bathtub footing and flooring material helps make room for expansion, which is particularly important around in this wet area. Use clear silicon caulk to fill the gap.

Install a Flange Extender

If your flooring raises the toilet fixture 1/2″ or more off the flange you’ll need an extender piece. Flange extenders are easy to install and mount right on top of the existing flange.

Go Pro

Learning how to install bathroom floor planks whether you choose modern water resistant laminate, engineered floating hardwood or luxury vinyl can be a great DIY project. Not everybody is up to the challenge though. If you’re unsure of how to begin your project or performing basic tasks like removing sinks, toilet fixtures and old flooring materials seems daunting, you may want to call in professionals to help with the job.

A bathroom floor installation isn’t a huge project, so you won’t be hit with huge costs. You can also rest assured that your floors will be durable and long-lasting, which is particularly important in high-use bathroom spaces where water and humidity can do some serious damage.

Time to update your bathroom and give it a brand new look? Maybe you just want to replace worn flooring that’s clearly cracked, damaged or unsafe? Whatever your design goals, our trained representatives can help you find the ideal flooring solution for your home or business.

We can also help you decide which flooring material is right for your bathroom if you’re still on the fence and choosing between engineered hardwood, laminate or luxury vinyl. Reach out to us today so we can help you get your new bathroom floor installation underway.

The post How to Install Bathroom Floor Planks appeared first on Learning Center.

While hickory may not be the most common choice when it comes to hardwood flooring, it should definitely be on your radar if you’re building a home, renovating your existing house or simply looking for ways to spruce up one part of your home like your living room or master bedroom suite. Use this guide to learn more about the benefits of hickory flooring for your home. You may find that hickory is the perfect pick for residential build or upgrade.

Hickory Flooring is Hard and Durable

Hardwood floors in your home can take a beating from kids, pets and even adults. From your hallways that can be scuffed and scratched to seating areas where chairs and sofas can take their toll, hickory is truly up to the challenge. That’s because hickory hardwood has a Janka scale rating of 1820, making it one of the hardest wood varieties commonly found in the country.

Janka scale ratings might look good on paper, but what do they really mean to you? When it comes to hickory hardwood, that high Janka number means that your floors will be resistant to scuffs, scratches, dings and dents – the stuff that’s basically everyday wear and tear. That makes them ideal for high-traffic spaces where you spend time with your family, friends, pets and kids.

Lots of Looks Are Available

Floors that can stand up to daily abuse are a must-have in entry areas, family rooms, dining rooms and shared spaces like kitchens and hallways. Durability won’t be wasted in bedroom and home office spaces either. You don’t have to give up the look you want to ensure that your floors will last a lifetime in your home though.

Hickory wood comes in a range of different looks. Classic, natural wood grain styles with lots of knots and imperfections are excellent for traditional or antique-inspired and rustic spaces. Sapwood options provider a lighter, more modern look with fewer knots and color variations.

Finding a balance between more rustic and contemporary looks is also possible. Unfinished hickory flooring is particularly popular since it provides some color variation and knotting without appearing too rustic or old-fashioned.

Hickory Retains Stain Well

Natural-look hickory hardwood flooring is extremely popular and can complement many different home styles ranging from more traditional to minimalist modern structures. Hickory does take stain well though, allowing you to get the ideal tone that works for your space.With many different looks available on the market today ranging from wire-brushed hickory to clean, modern blonde wood styles, pre-stained hickory is an excellent choice for residential spaces. By choosing pre-stained varieties, you’ll reduce the amount of in-home work required and ensure that you get a uniform look throughout your room or whole house.

If your floors need to be sanded and stained many years down the road, hickory will fare well and look exceptional again once your project is complete.

Engineered Hickory is an Excellent Choice for Humid Climates

Natural hardwood can swell considerably in humid climates, leading to plank separation and a less than perfect look over time. This is particularly true in rooms where you get a lot of natural sunlight or have limited climate control. Engineered hickory flooring is often the perfect answer for a humid space.

That’s because engineered hickory can be made waterproof and impervious to humidity changes that are common in the winter and summer months. This also makes engineered hickory an excellent choice for kitchens, powder rooms and bathrooms where you want the look of wood without risking water damage.

In many cases, you won’t be able to tell the difference between natural hickory and engineered hickory once its installed. Like natural hickory flooring, a range of style options are available to suit any home design.

Sustainable Options Abound

Hickory is a domestic wood that is common found and harvested in the United States. If sustainability is a concern for you, hickory is an excellent choice because it’s much less likely to be flown to your home from another continent.

The hardness factor also makes hickory a sustainable hardwood since it can last as long as your home. Properly cared for, your hickory floors should look spectacular for generations to come, making it a smart, sustainable choice if you’re looking for hardwood flooring.

Rugged Hickory is Worth the Investment

Hickory flooring is durable and stylish, and with many styles available today, easy to use in just about any home setting. This near-perfect wood does come at a price though. In some cases, hickory can cost 10% to 20% more than other types of commonly used wood like maple or birch.

However, it’s important to remember that hickory is an investment in quality flooring for many years to come. Resistant to scratches, scuffs, dents and dings, hickory will look exceptional in your home for many years. Easy to refinish, hickory will also adapt to style changes over time, allowing you to update your space as you see fit. Natural hickory floors can easily be sanded and stained two to three times or more.

Engineered hickory provides much of the same durability as natural hickory, but is often a better choice for humid climates and wet spaces like kitchens and bathrooms. Like its natural brethren, engineered hardwood is available in many styles and finishes.

Hire Pros for Hickory Flooring Installation

Hickory is incredibly hard and durable. That makes it a smart pick for family homes and spaces where longevity and sustainability are concerns. It doesn’t make hickory a very good candidate for a do-it-yourself installation unless you have a vast amount of experience installing wood floors though.

In general, hickory floors should be left to the pros. The hardness of the wood makes it tough to cut, particularly around corners, angled walls and architectural elements like columns. Adding hickory to a staircase or other home feature is also an extremely difficult task that requires a lot of on-the-job experience to handle correctly.

From proper acclimation time to installation in uniquely-shaped rooms, wood floor professionals will know how to handle hickory properly. With a big investment like hickory flooring, hiring pros to ensure that your floors last for many years is a sound choice.

Ready to add natural hickory or engineered hickory flooring to your home? Whether you’re taking on a major home upgrade, updating one room or building a house from the ground up, BuildDirect is here to help you get started right.

Reach out to our trained professionals today to learn more about natural and engineered hickory flooring for your home. We can help you find your preferred style and choose the flooring material that will last based on your lifestyle and durability needs.

We’ll also ship your flooring materials right to your door so you don’t have to do any hauling on your own or pay professionals to pick up your wood. Contact us today to order samples so you can get your project underway.

The post Hickory Flooring for the Home appeared first on Learning Center.

If you suspect water damage to your floor, here’s what you need to do:

1. Look for Signs of Moisture Damage

If you’ve experienced flooding, leaks or any water incident, you need to check your floor for signs of damage. Damage to hardwood floors is the easiest to spot. Wooden floors may show peaking, buckling, cupping and discoloration.

Telltale Signs of Damage in Different Floor Types

Hardwood Floors

The most common sign of floor moisture in hardwood floors is cupping. The board edges curl upward, leaving the midsection with a slight dip. In addition:

• Crowning or when the center of the wood gets higher than the edges
• Discoloration
• Dark spots (mold or mildew)
• Buckling or when the wooden planks detach from the subfloor (foundation for a floor) beneath it

Laminate Floors

Moisture isn’t a laminate floor’s friend. While it is considered more durable than hardwood floors and vinyl flooring, laminate floors give way when exposed to water or moisture.

Common indicators of water damage to laminate floors:

• Cupping
• Warping, swelling and separation
• Splitting, cracking
• Mold

Tile Floors

Tiles, especially those constantly getting wet (ex. bathroom tiles) also get damaged over time. Water can infiltrate the grout cracks and affect the subfloor beneath the tiles. This can cause the tiles to move and detach from the subfloor. Signs of tile floor damage include:

• Loose, moving tiles
• Cracked and/or discolored grout
• Hollow sounds when tapped
• Stains
• Mold and presence of pests (ex. Termites, ants)
• Musty odor

Vinyl Floors

Vinyl flooring is waterproof but it’s still susceptible to damages due to flooding or extreme moisture. Water-damaged vinyl floors may appear:

• Discolored (and/or moldy)
• Bulgy
• Warped
• Buckled

2. Fix the Leaks

Before doing repairs, you must eliminate the source to keep your new floor from getting waterlogged the next time. Excess moisture can come from:

• Clean water (rain, leaks)
• Gray water (waste from appliances and clean toilets)
• Black water (contaminated water, ex. sewage)
• Groundwater

Clean water leaks are safe to clean and with basic plumbing know-how, you can manage the leaks by yourself. Contaminated water leaks, however, need extra care. You can hire experts (ex. general contractors or plumbers) to get the leaks cleaned up and repaired safely. 

3. Prep the Floor for Repair/Replacement

Usually it’s best to have professionals perform both the cleanup and repair. However, you may do this by yourself.

Step 1. Remove the surface water. Use a shop vacuum to remove as much water as you can from the floor’s surface. Using a sponge/squeegee may also help, but don’t forget to wear a pair of rubber gloves!

Step 2. Clean the floor. Mix your preferred detergent with a mild disinfectant. Using a stiff brush, scrub the entire floor with the solution. Make sure to scrub away dirt, grime, silt or any organic material from the floor. If there’s mold, treat the affected area with trisodium phosphate.

Step 3. Let it dry. Allow the floor to dry naturally. Open the doors and the windows to maximize airflow.

4. Make the Necessary Repairs

The decision to repair or replace your water-damaged floor is entirely up to you. Light damages will only need repair, but floors with extensive and obvious damage will need replacement.

Special Tips for Recovering Different Types of Water-Damaged Floor

Hardwood

Simply screw or nail boards that appear slightly lifted back into place, but remove the water-damaged floor planks. Using a saw, cut the damaged floor planks. Lift the damaged section and remove it with a pry bar. Next, nail the new boards to the floor. Before staining, sand the old and the replacement boards so they match. Apply stain and a polyurethane finish.

Laminate

Water-damaged laminate boards show signs of swelling and separation. In this case, you may replace the damaged boards individually. However, in the case of extensive water damage (ex. flood), the usual option is to replace the whole floor. 

Vinyl

Make sure the floor is dry before attempting to replace or repair buckling on your vinyl floor. Cut out the damaged vinyl then pry it off the floor using a screwdriver. You can replace the damaged part or reuse the vinyl.

Tiles

Water-damaged subfloors expand and cause the tiles to crack or detach from the subfloor. To remove ceramic tiles, lift the loose tiles and pry them up from the floor. You may reuse the tiles (unless they’re cracked or broken) after cleaning them. To reinstall, make sure to use a matching grout. If you want to make sure the installation is water-tight, seek expert help.

DIY or Professional Repair/Replacement?

Depending on the extent of water damage, you can choose to do the repairs by yourself or you can hire general contractors to do them for you.

If you have the time and if there are minimal issues, you can save money by doing the repairs on your own. However, if your floor was exposed to water for long and if there’s visible mold infestation or decay, it’s better to leave this to the experts for the best outcome.

The post 4 Tips on How to Recover Your Water-Damaged Floor appeared first on Learning Center.

High humidity in the home can cause serious problems with your flooring. If you live in a humid location, choosing the right high humidity flooring option is essential for protecting your investment and enjoying beautiful-looking floors year in and year out, despite the humidity level.

Why High Humidity is a Problem for Your Floors

High humidity–and rapid changes in humidity–can cause flooring materials to expand and contract, which may lead to gaps where the flooring joins together. Floors can also warp, buckle, crown, cup, or discolor in high humidity. And if you don’t have the proper underlayment beneath your floor, the subfloor can also become compromised. Mold and mildew growth on and beneath the flooring can become a problem if your home humidity is too high. 

Ideally, if you have high humidity, you should choose a flooring material that can withstand the humidity without becoming damaged or discolored. This includes choosing appropriate flooring for wet areas, such as the bathroom or basement. Here, then, are the four best flooring options for humid locations.

The Best Choices for High Humidity Flooring

Waterproof Engineered Hardwood

Engineered hardwood flooring consists of multiple layers of pressed materials that are finished with a thin layer of real wood veneer. The materials used to make engineered hardwood are moisture-resistant, and the layers are pressed together with their grains alternating directions, which results in less expansion, contraction, and warping than natural hardwood. 

Engineered hardwood is more stable than solid wood and is ideal in environments where the humidity exceeds 50 percent. It’s also less expensive than solid wood floors, but it can’t be sanded down and refinished like solid hardwood floors can.

Luxury Vinyl Planks

Vinyl flooring is waterproof and won’t expand and contract with changes in temperature or moisture. Made from PVC that’s topped with an extremely high-resolution photograph of wood, stone, or another material, luxury vinyl flooring mimics these materials very convincingly. The final wear layer is scratch- and dent-resistant for optimal durability, and it won’t grow mold or mildew. Luxury vinyl planks snap together to create a floating floor over the existing floor, making installation a fairly straightforward DIY project.

High-Pressure Laminate

High-pressure laminate flooring is excellent for high humidity applications, because it’s made with a special glue that reduces the absorption of moisture. Laminate flooring is inexpensive, comprised of wood composites that are pressed together for high strength and water resistance. Although it’s not waterproof, high-pressure laminate flooring experiences little expansion and contraction related to moisture. 

Like luxury vinyl flooring, laminate floors are topped with a high-resolution photograph that gives it a vivid, lifelike appearance that mimics wood, stone, tile, and other materials. High-pressure laminate floors can be installed as a floating floor over an existing floor.

Porcelain Tile

Porcelain tile flooring is highly water-resistant, and it’s durable and easy to clean. Porcelain tile is ideal for humid areas like the bathroom and basement. It’s ideal for humid climates, since it helps keep your rooms cool and it won’t grow mold or mildew.

In humid locations, the grout between porcelain tiles needs to be sealed periodically to strengthen its water resistance, since grout is naturally porous. 

Don’t Forget the Subfloor

The subfloor, or the surface over which your flooring material is laid, can also be affected by high humidity. This, in turn, can affect the floor on top. Before you lay your floor, install an underlayment, which covers imperfections in the subfloor, dampens sound, and acts as a vapor barrier. 

The type of underlayment you need depends on the type of flooring you’re installing and the type of subfloor you have. For example, laying tile over concrete requires a different underlayment than laying luxury vinyl planks over a plywood subfloor. 

In general, tile floors require a solid underlayment, such as cement board or a polyethylene membrane. Foam underlayment is generally ideal for laminate and engineered hardwood flooring, although laminate flooring often has an underlayment pre-attached. A combination foam underlayment is made with a moisture barrier built in and is ideal for humid locations.

When choosing underlayment for your high-humidity flooring, refer to the manufacturer’s recommendations for the best possible results.

How to Maintain Optimal Home Humidity

A hygrometer is a simple tool that measures the temperature and relative humidity in your home. Investing in one enables you to monitor the humidity in your home and take action when the humidity rises too high or falls too low.

If you live in a very humid climate, a whole-house dehumidifier can help keep your home’s humidity at optimal levels. A whole-house dehumidifier is built into your HVAC system and pulls moisture from the air that moves through. Portable dehumidifiers can also help keep your home drier. However, portable units are louder and require frequent emptying, and they only dehumidify nearby air. 

Your best defense against flooring problems caused by high humidity is to install a floor that can withstand moist air. Whether you choose engineered hardwood, luxury vinyl, high-pressure laminate, or porcelain tile, opting for high-quality flooring, installing an appropriate underlayment, and using the right tools and materials will help ensure your floor still looks great years down the road.

The post The Best High Humidity Flooring Options appeared first on Learning Center.

Wood flooring has long been considered a luxurious way to bring warmth and timeless style to a space. This traditional flooring option isn’t usually considered an appropriate choice for kitchen design because it is highly susceptible to water damage. Before you count beautiful hardwoods out as a flooring option for your consider, weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the product and check out a few finishing options that help it stand up to the daily wear and tear of this heart of the home.

Wood Flooring in the Kitchen: Advantages

Hardwood flooring is revered as luxurious because of the many benefits it brings to a space. It is lovely to look at, timeless in design, and easy to refinish whenever styles change. Consider all the advantages of using hardwood flooring in your kitchen when deciding which flooring to install.

Appearance

Solid hardwood floors showcase the natural beauty of wood grain and make any room appear warmer and more elegant. Hardwood flooring can be purchase prefinished or unfinished and come in a wide range of different hues, making it easy to find a finish that coordinates with any kitchen design. If you have an open-concept home, running the same flooring from the front door throughout the living areas and kitchen can help make the space appear more expansive and cohesive.

Durability

Hardwood is considered a generally durable product. The thick and solid construction of the planks make it easy to sand them down and refinish them whenever they start to show signs of wear. Using pads under stool legs and dining chair legs will help to prevent scratches, dents, and dings on wood flooring in the kitchen. In particularly high-traffic areas, such as just inside a sliding glass door or under a dining table, area rugs can also provide an added layer of protection.

Warm Underfoot

When it comes to the level of hardness, hardwood flooring falls somewhere in between ceramic tile and linoleum. The warmth and softness makes it comfortable to walk on. Choose a finish with yellow undertones and it will provide visual warmth as well.

Refinishing Options

When deciding to use hardwood flooring in the kitchen, it is essential to finish the floors with a highly durable polyurethane designed to hold up to light spills and splatters. The same oil finishes you use for hardwood floors in a living room just aren’t strong enough for kitchen use. Instead, opt for a polyurethane designed to keep spills from penetrating the wood, reducing the chance of water damage and food stains. A polyurethane makes the floor easy to wipe up as well.

Wood Flooring in the Kitchen: Disadvantages

As with any type of flooring, there are drawbacks to choosing hardwood floors for a kitchen. Before selecting any flooring, make sure to consider the daily use of the space. How many people are in the household? Hos frequently and to what extent do you cook? Weigh all the pros and the cons of the product to see if it makes a suitable choice for your home.

Not Water Resistant

It is no secret that water and wood don’t mix. Prolonged exposure to moisture can cause hardwood flooring to swell, warp or even split. If there is ever a leak from the dishwasher or sink that goes unattended, a section of flooring may require repair or even replacement. Do not wet mop hardwood floors, as too much moisture can seep in through the joints and seams of the flooring.

Regular Maintenance

If you do choose to feature hardwood flooring in the kitchen, some daily maintenance will help them hold up. First, make sure to wipe up any water spills from melting ice or sink splashes immediately. Sitting water is the worst enemy of hardwood flooring. Protect them from grease or light splatters at both the stove and the sink by adding padded orthopedic mats in the areas you frequently stand to work.

Because the kitchen is one of the most-used rooms in the home, expect to need to refinish the floors somewhat regularly. Fortunately, hardwood floors can be sanded and refinished in the course of their lifetime.

Expense

Hardwood flooring is one of the more costly flooring options in any room of the home. It is often more expensive than ceramic tile or luxury vinyl flooring, both of which make popular kitchen options.

Alternative Options

You can enjoy the look of hardwood floors in your kitchen without any of the drawbacks by choosing wood-look ceramic tile or luxury vinyl wood planks instead. Both ceramic tile and luxury vinyl come in designs that offer the look of wood but they provide the added benefit of being completely waterproof. Cork and linoleum floors are also good choices for kitchens. Cork is naturally antimicrobial and linoleum is one of the most affordable of all of the kitchen flooring options.

Choosing the Right Hardwood Flooring for Your Kitchen

If you have decided on hardwood flooring for the kitchen, there are a couple of ways you can ensure the new floors will look great for many years to come. If you are choosing new hardwood floors, look for a wood species with a higher hardness scale rating. The stronger the wood species, the more resistant it will be to the daily traffic and moisture a kitchen sees.

Fir and pine are soft, making them a poor choice for kitchen floors. Brazilian walnut and Patagonian Rosewood are two of the hardest and most durable Consider the finish of the cabinets and dining room furniture and choose a finish that complements the existing colors and tones in the space. With so many different wood species and finishes available, it is easy to find just the right one for any home.

The post Wood Flooring in the Kitchen: Pros and Cons appeared first on Learning Center.

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.

The post Entryway Floor Options That Can Withstand Heavy Traffic 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.