If your
remodeling plans call for new
flooring, you'll be glad to know
that the folks at Bob's can help
you with that, as well! In fact,
Bob's team includes flooring
experts who can handle everything
from material selection to
installation, and do it all with
the same thoroughness and attention
to detail that Bob has built his
reputation on.
As with kitchen cabinets, there are many flooring options available (more than ever before, in fact); while this is generally a good thing for home remodelers, it can be a little daunting to find the flooring option that best suits your particular needs and situation. Bob and his team can provide all the guidance you need to help you make the best choice, and then bring your vision to reality.
As with kitchen cabinets, there are many flooring options available (more than ever before, in fact); while this is generally a good thing for home remodelers, it can be a little daunting to find the flooring option that best suits your particular needs and situation. Bob and his team can provide all the guidance you need to help you make the best choice, and then bring your vision to reality.
Here
are a few examples of the flooring
work that Bob and his team have
performed. Click on any of the
images below to enlarge them.
A great summary of the many flooring options available can be found in the Flooring section of The Short and Long of Home Renovation website, which we've reproduced here with permission.
The Pros and Cons of Flooring Materials
This article originally appeared on "The Short and Long of Home Renovation."
Copyright (c) 2009 Lisa Yannucci and Jason Pomerantz
Click on each of the material choices listed below to learn about the pros and cons of each:
WOOD -- Solid wood or engineered planks
PROS –
Beautiful, warm, soft on the feet,
fairly durable, long-lasting if
properly sealed and maintained, can be
refinished, many wood types and hues to
choose from, can be painted or stained
for more color options, helps tie
kitchen to other rooms in an open floor
plan.
CONS – Susceptible to water damage, darkens with age, expensive to very expensive, softer woods can dent easily, harder to keep clean than vinyl or laminate – water and spills need to be cleaned immediately. Dust everywhere with refinishing or new installation of unsealed wood.
Tip - Material must acclimate for 48 hours before installation.
CONS – Susceptible to water damage, darkens with age, expensive to very expensive, softer woods can dent easily, harder to keep clean than vinyl or laminate – water and spills need to be cleaned immediately. Dust everywhere with refinishing or new installation of unsealed wood.
Tip - Material must acclimate for 48 hours before installation.
STONE – Granite, Marble, Limestone, Slate
PROS –
Beautiful and durable, with many color
and pattern choices. Nearly
indestructible. Tumbled or honed
finishes give good traction. Granite is
the strongest.
CONS – Cold and hard on the feet. Very expensive. Slate is more affordable, but can be rough and can peel. Glossy finishes are slippery when wet and must be polished regularly. Tumbled or honed stone must be sealed regularly. Stone is heavy and may need a stronger subfloor. Marble will be damaged by chlorine and can absorb dirt. Limestone and Slate collect dirt.
CONS – Cold and hard on the feet. Very expensive. Slate is more affordable, but can be rough and can peel. Glossy finishes are slippery when wet and must be polished regularly. Tumbled or honed stone must be sealed regularly. Stone is heavy and may need a stronger subfloor. Marble will be damaged by chlorine and can absorb dirt. Limestone and Slate collect dirt.
TILE – Ceramic, Porcelain, Quarry, Terra
Cotta
PROS – Huge
selection of mixable colors, shapes,
sizes and patterns. Durable if well
made. Glazed tiles are moisture and
stain-resistant. Most are easy to
maintain. Mosaic tile can be laid on
uneven surfaces. Can be very
affordable. Easy for do-it-yourselfers.
CONS – Cold and hard on the feet. Can be very expensive depending upon what you choose. Can crack or chip and is difficult to repair. Glossy finishes are slippery when wet. Grout can discolor and is hard to maintain.
CONS – Cold and hard on the feet. Can be very expensive depending upon what you choose. Can crack or chip and is difficult to repair. Glossy finishes are slippery when wet. Grout can discolor and is hard to maintain.
LAMINATE – Imitation Wood, Tile or Stone
PROS –
Durable, easy to maintain,
scratch-resistant, wide range of colors
and designs, can be installed over old
flooring, can be affordable, quiet when
used with underlayment, good choice for
damp areas and below grade, easy
installation – good choice for
do-it-yourselfers, has color/grain
uniformity, many click together styles
require no glue.
CONS – Cannot be refinished if damaged. Some can be expensive – as much as wood.
Tip - Material must acclimate for 48 hours before installation.
CONS – Cannot be refinished if damaged. Some can be expensive – as much as wood.
Tip - Material must acclimate for 48 hours before installation.
VINYL FLOORING
PROS –
Inexpensive, durable, easy on the feet,
quiet, water and stain resistant, and
low maintenance. It's easy to install –
especially tiles. 12 foot wide sheets
means seamless floors in small rooms.
You can create patterns with tiles.
CONS – Prone to dents and tears. Moisture can get into seams leading to mildew and lifting. Glossy finishes are slippery when wet, and can dull easily unless waxed regularly.
CONS – Prone to dents and tears. Moisture can get into seams leading to mildew and lifting. Glossy finishes are slippery when wet, and can dull easily unless waxed regularly.
CARPET
PROS –
Warm, easy on the feet, quiet, lots of
colors and styles to choose from,
choice of wall to wall or area rugs,
slip-resistant, can be affordable.
CONS – More appropriate for drier climates. Collects dirt and moisture – which can turn into mildew. Wall to wall carpeting is not a good choice for people with dust allergies. It's hard to clean. Polypropylene or washable area rugs best choice.
CONS – More appropriate for drier climates. Collects dirt and moisture – which can turn into mildew. Wall to wall carpeting is not a good choice for people with dust allergies. It's hard to clean. Polypropylene or washable area rugs best choice.
CORK
Cork is
one of the natural, sustainable, "green"
products available.
PROS – Cork is soft and warm, wide array of colors and patterns, great texture, easy to install, can be affordable. Option of unfinished or polyurethane-sealed.
CONS – Must be sealed, not as durable or easy to clean as vinyl. May not be a good choice for "rough" families.
PROS – Cork is soft and warm, wide array of colors and patterns, great texture, easy to install, can be affordable. Option of unfinished or polyurethane-sealed.
CONS – Must be sealed, not as durable or easy to clean as vinyl. May not be a good choice for "rough" families.
LINOLEUM and MARMOLEUM (Forbo's linoleum)
Linoleum
and Marmoleum are also among the natural,
sustainable, "green" products available.
Made from linseed oil, woodflour and/or
cork dust and sometimes pine rosin, jute
and limestone.
PROS – Comes in wide range of colors, quiet, durable, biodegradable, environmentally friendly, hygienic and anti-static.
Modern linoleum doesn't wear down like the old type from the '50's. The glue is better, so it shouldn't pucker up over time.
CONS - Porous, it may need to be waxed or polished from time to time. Strong overall, but difficult to repair if there is a problem.
PROS – Comes in wide range of colors, quiet, durable, biodegradable, environmentally friendly, hygienic and anti-static.
Modern linoleum doesn't wear down like the old type from the '50's. The glue is better, so it shouldn't pucker up over time.
CONS - Porous, it may need to be waxed or polished from time to time. Strong overall, but difficult to repair if there is a problem.