Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Easy Options In Flooring Renovations


Redoing any room in the house is stressful, exciting and a lot of hard work. The same can be said for flooring renovations as well.  It is often more work than anticipated and over budget but the final result makes homeowners stand back and ooh and ah.  The options in flooring renovations are abundant. The choices once you have decided upon hardwood, carpet, tile, etc… are even more plentiful.  That can be the most stressful part of the entire project; just deciding what option would fit the lifestyle, budget, style and wear worthiness homeowners are looking for.
One option in flooring renovations is engineered wood plank flooring.  This is a great option for budget consciences homeowners who are looking for the warmth and look hardwood give to a room without the hassles of sanding and finishing.  Engineered wood plank flooring is durable, long lasting and is “easy” to install.
Engineered wood flooring is an option that floats above a thin rubber underlayment.  It is composed of wood material but is not solid wood.  Think of plywood and that is a lot like what happens with the construction of engineered wood planks.  They are interlocked with a tongue and groove joint so no nailing or glue is involved in the installation.  A major advantage to this type of flooring is the options available to homeowners in color, wood types and of course price.
Another option in flooring is vinyl.  Floating vinyl sheets are an affordable popular option with in kitchen, baths and laundry room renovations. Unlike its predecessors vinyl flooring of today no longer needs to be glued to the floor, which was a hassle in itself.  Today the vinyl sheeting floats.  The steps involved in laying vinyl basically include removing the floor molding, mark out the floor layout, cut the floor, lay the floor onto a sub floor and put the molding back into place.  You can still find peel and stick options however this is not a durable option.
Laminate is another flooring option.  It closely mirrors the engineered wood planks.  The major differences are that the flooring is plastic. This makes the flooring incredible durable and scratch resistant, stain resilient and fade resistant.  Many laminate flooring options come with thirty year warranties the product is that durable.
Carpet and carpet squares are popular options as well.  Carpet comes in a ton of styles, colors, textures and budgets.  Carpet is a traditionally popular item in homes.  It adds warmth.  Carpet needs to be properly cared for to have a long lasting life.  Without proper care including vacuuming and regular professional carpet cleanings homeowners will find themselves with dingy carpet that is unappealing.  With a bit of maintenance and upkeep carpet can last well over fifteen to twenty years.
Another option that is becoming more and more popular is cork.  Cork is attractive, durable and is affordable.  It also has one quality not seen in many other flooring options; it is one hundred percent renewable.  The cork is harvested from the bark of live Oak trees. Cork is soft and provides a good source of sound proofing.  The options are endless with color and patterns available.  Installation can be a bit trickier than other options but is becoming easier as cork becomes a substance that is used more frequently.