5 Things To Know About Cork Flooring

Cork is one of the hottest trends in flooring. Interior designers love it for its unique looks and unmatched sustainability.


1) Cork flooring is know for it's anti-bacterial properties. It resists mold, mildew and termites unlike traditional hardwood floors.

2) Contrary to most beliefs, Cork flooring does not absorb water. A good rule of thumb is to install cork flooring anywhere you would install traditional hardwood floors. But avoid installing it in areas where there will be excess water.

3) Cork flooring works well in any room in the house. It's comfort underfoot makes it great for kitchens and rooms where a lot of standing is required.

4) Along with cork's color variations it's also becoming available in a number or plank widths and tiles.Perfect to create any design in your home.

5) Unlike hardwood floors, cork is made by harvesting bark from an oak tree leaving the lumber intact. The back grows back over time, and can be harvested repeatedly with little impact to the tree or the environment.

Hardwood-Before You Buy

OK, you’re getting close. And you probably know by now that, with the wide array of beautiful hardwood choices available today, it’s easy to suit your taste and find a flooring solution for the way you live.

Choosing the best hardwood floor covering is really about finding the right combination of aesthetics, performance and budget to best meet the needs of your lifestyle.

So you want to shop smart -- right?

That way your final decision not only creates a warm, inviting environment in your living spaces but also delivers what hardwood floors are noted for: adding value to your home.

We created this section to help you get smart before your hardwood floor is laid down -- and long before you lay down your money!

Must there be dust? Unfortunately, yes.

Since your floor is being finished in your home, please be aware that your floor will not be “dust free” as it is impossible to create a “dustless” environment. Some dust will fall onto the freshly applied topcoat of urethane finish. You may also see sanding marks, small bubbles and brush marks. However, take heart, Finish in Place floors may be screened and recoated to rejuvenate the finish and revitalize the floor’s natural beauty.

The origin of the species and natural selection.

Each species of wood has its own unique characteristics. Color is determined by what part of the tree the wood originally comes from. The grain pattern is determined by the species and how the wood is cut. Natural variations in the color and grain are normal and to be expected. Similar to natural stone, these variations create the beautiful and unique look of a wood floor. They make your floor close to one of a kind.

Wood moves. It’s a fact of nature.

Wood floors will expand and contract due to moisture and temperature changes, causing hairline cracks, slight height variations or both. Hardwood does not expand or contract equally in all directions. This is not considered a defect but a natural result of nature. So, in dry climates, you may want to consider the use of a whole house humidifier to help minimize shrinkage and hairline cracking.

Information from: WFCA
For the full article click here.

Does Carpet Gets Dirtier After it's Been Cleaned? NO

Keeping your carpeted floors looking new is easier said then done. Many turn to various companies to clean their carpets yearly. Little do they know, their carpet may turn out dirtier then before.

This is only true when the wrong cleaning agent, one that leaves soil attractive residue, is used that will make the carpet get dirtier faster. Carpet only gets dirtier faster after cleaning if a soil attractive cleaning agent is used by people who don't really know what they're doing.

This can be reversed by purging the soil attractive cleaning agent from the carpet with a plain water flushing process. If foot traffic is allowed and the carpet doesn't get a chance to dry the damp carpet will clean off the bottoms of shoe soles and cause the carpet to get dirtier. So keeping foot traffic off wet carpet after cleaning is important.

If you are cleaning your carpets with a shampooer try diluting the detergent to prevent excess detergent from remaining in your carpet after cleaning. If detergent remains in your carpet after cleaning it will attract dirt causing your floors to look dirty faster.

What's So Relaxing About Relax, It's Lee's Carpet?

Relax it's Lee's carpet has been completely redesigned to highlight all of its manufacturing improvements.  Advances in stain protection help Relax, It's Lees carpet resist life's inevitable spills to ensure a beautiful-looking carpet for years to come. Lee's has been reintroduced in the styles of today and of the future so it can continue to lead the industry in quality & beauty.

So, why is Relax It's Lees so relaxing? It offers you the the guarantee of being worry free flooring! The Relax It's Lees collection is 100% Stain Proof against 100% of stains for 25 years! That includes...

Pet Stains
Ink Stains
Grease Stains
All Food Stains
Bleach Stains
All Beverage Stains
And much more...


In fact, this stain warranty has Absolutely NO Exceptions and NO Exclusions, unlike most other carpet brands. If the carpet has a stain that doesn't come out, no matter what it is, your carpet will be replaced.

Relax it's Lee's also has a 25 Year Soiling Warranty. That means it's easier to clean because it is engineered to REPEL dirt! How can you tell the difference between Staining and Soiling?  Simply put...

Stain = Oops

Soil = Every day dirt




Relax it's Lee's has its 25 Year Texture Retention Warranty - even on Stairs and in Hallways!  This means that your Lee's carpet will not mat or crush (even on stairs and in hallways) for 25 years.

With Lee's superior construction & quality, we know that you'll Love your new carpet.  We even provide you 120 days to decide if it's the perfect floor for you & your lifestyle with the Beautiful Guarantee.

With the Beautiful Guarantee, If you do not LOVE your new Relax it's Lee's flooring for any reason... the color is wrong, it's not plush enough, or even because you decided you liked another Carpet One product better, you have 120 days to let us know and we will help you select a replacement for free! 

The Benefits of Cork Flooring

Let's take a quick look at some of the benefits you receive with cork:

Comfort & Softness
The air trapped inside the cellular structure of cork provides a natural shock absorbing feel to the floor. It's great for applications where you are standing a lot such as in a Kitchen providing relief for your feet, back and legs.

Beauty
Cork has a natural beauty rivaled by few other natural materials. It comes in many colors and different manufacturers provide various tile shapes and patterns as well.

Noise Reduction
The same cellular structure that makes the floor comfortable also reduces noise and vibration. Unlike hard materials like tile, wood or vinyl, cork is quiet and reduces impact noise such as something dropping on the floor or the sound of walking by people or pets.

Healthy and Safe
Cork has natural properties that are anti-allergenic and resistant to insects. A naturally occurring waxy substance in cork called suberin repels insects, mites and mold and protects cork from from rotting when wet for a long time. In addition, suberin is naturally fire resistant and cork doesn't release any toxic off-gassing when it burns. These natural properties plus the coatings used to seal cork flooring make it healthy and safe for adults, pets and baby.

Durability and Ease of Maintenance
Durability is a strong trait of cork and cork floors have been used in public buildings such as churches and libraries since 1898, long before residential applications.

Article found: About.com
To view original article click here.

Top 5 Enemies of Hardwood Floors

Hardwood is a favorite choice for many, but did you know it has enemies? Here's how to protect for beautiful floor form everything it hates.

Enemy #1: Dirt 

- ALWAYS have doormats inside and outside the entryway to help trap dirt and grit. Clean them regularly
- Vacuum regularly with a canister vacuum cleaner (no beater bar!)
- You can also do a quick dust mop with a DRY terry cloth/microfiber






Enemy #2: Dust

- Clean all rugs and mats them regularly
- Vacuum frequently, using a canister vacuum with special hardwood floor attachments (Never use a beater bar)
- Air purifiers and filters (as long as they're kept clean) are great at keeping dust and other impurities out of the air




Enemy #3: Water 

- NEVER put hardwood in a full bath

- ALWAYS clean up spilled and pooling liquids immediately
- NEVER ever use a steam cleaner or slightly damp mop on hardwood
- In rooms where spills are prevalent (kitchen, mudroom, half-bath, etc) use mats and/or rugs to catch any moisture that is tracked in or spilled
- In essence, just keep water away from hardwood. It will cause warping and eventual rot






Enemy #4: High Impact Points

- Check the bottom of shoes for anything that might be lodged (like stones) these will scratch or put dents in the floor
- Take shoes off at the door (especially high heels)
- Install felt pads or coasters on the bottom of furniture that is heavy (couches) or is moved around a lot (chairs). Clean them often to ensure grit doesn't become embedded causing scratches





Enemy #5: Sunlight


- Protect your hardwood floors with blinds or drapes, at least when the sun is shining directly on the surface.
- Cover the area that gets exposed for the most time with a mat or some furniture that will take the beating instead.

If I Have Allergies is Carpet A Bad Choice?

Studies have actually shown that carpet is better then a hard surface for those with allergies. This is because dust particles become airborne with hard surfaces and stayed put in carpet. The carpet acts like a filter trapping the particles and doesn't allow them to become airborne. Result: cleaner air in your home.

If these pollutants stay trapped in the carpet fibers they are likely to return into the air when disturbed. To prevent this you must vacuum regularly, at least once a week making sure to spend extra time in high traffic areas.

Next time you have your carpet replaced, have it installed with a healthier installation method: Healthier Living Carpet Installation System

Defining a Healthier Way to Install Carpet