http://www.flooringhq.com/This is the Flooring Headquarters Showroom BlogCopyright (c) 2012 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 04:00:02 ESTSun, 05 Feb 2012 04:00:02 EST5 Engineered wood flooring is gaining popularity as a solid wood alternative, partly due to better manufacturing and it’s greener disposition.  For homeowners who want the elegant look of solid wood, but need something a little more eco- or budget-friendly, engineered wood is a great choice....

]]> http://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/engineered-wood-a-solid-alternative.htmlhttp://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/engineered-wood-a-solid-alternative.htmlTue, 31 Jan 2012 12:45:00 EST With American unemployment rates at over 9 percent and growing concern over the state of our economy, the “buy American” movement is gaining momentum. One of the often cited problems with buying American-made products is that they are frequently more expensive due to the high cost of manufacturing in the US.  But when it comes to flooring, American-made doesn’t have to cost more.  In fact, it may even cost less....

]]> http://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/american-made-doesn-t-have-to-cost-more.htmlhttp://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/american-made-doesn-t-have-to-cost-more.htmlTue, 24 Jan 2012 12:58:00 ESTWood flooring can enhance the beauty, value and warmth of any home and is one of the most sought-after home amenities.  But it doesn’t always make sense to install wood in your home.  So the question arises: should I go with hardwood floors, or laminate?  Let’s explore. Cost Cost is usually a big factor in deciding whether to purchase hardwood or laminate.  Laminate is often significantly cheaper than wood to purchase and is less expensive to install.  Depending on your style preferences, hardwood flooring made of more exotic species of trees can be substantially more expensive to purchase and install....

]]> http://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/laminate-or-harwood-tips-to-help-you-decide.htmlhttp://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/laminate-or-harwood-tips-to-help-you-decide.htmlTue, 17 Jan 2012 04:32:00 ESTWe are becoming increasingly aware of our impact on the earth and the way that we use the earth’s resources.  As the world’s population grows, resources become more scarce and more expensive.  As a result, more and more people are seeking out products that have less of an impact on earth and more benefits to their health and their wallets....

]]> http://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/what-type-of-green-flooring-is-best-for-your-home.htmlhttp://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/what-type-of-green-flooring-is-best-for-your-home.htmlTue, 10 Jan 2012 08:18:00 ESTLet’s be real.  In 2012, we’re watching what we spend, trying to save more, and seeking products that fit our budget and our style.  We want an expensive look at a cheap rate.  And that’s not all, we expect our purchases to withstand the test of time and be the eco-friendly option.  What we want is value.  As we move into this New Year, our shopping decisions are based on the value we get from the style, functionality and cost of the products we purchase.  Luckily, manufacturers know this about us and have created a variety of low-maintenance, low-cost flooring options that meet our comfort and style preferences....

]]> http://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/2012-flooring-trends.htmlhttp://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/2012-flooring-trends.htmlTue, 03 Jan 2012 10:58:00 ESTNylon has a reputation for being the best overall fiber for residential carpet. However, New Generation polyester is giving nylon a good run for its money these days. In years past there has been a negative perception surrounding the performance of polyester carpets. It has had a poor reputation for not holding its texture (crushing/matting), for always being a staple fiber and for not being as soft to the hand. Well, now you can put those concerns to rest. With New Generation polyesters you will find a wide variety of carpet styles that have superior performance.  Texture retention has always been the biggest concern with polyester carpets....

]]> http://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/new-generation-polyester-carpets-perform.htmlhttp://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/new-generation-polyester-carpets-perform.htmlFri, 03 Sep 2010 09:43:00 ESTHow to Clean your Porcelain or Ceramic Tile Floor Porcelain and Ceramic tiles are among the most durable floors you can have in your home. As durable as they are they still have to be cleaned on a regular basic. To do this you will need: A dustpan and broom or vacuum cleaner A cloth strip or yarn coil mopA bucketRubbing alcohol and a liquid cleanerA heavy duty cleaner for stains Once you have gathered all your supplies, begin as follows: Vacuum or sweep the floor to remove all the loose dirt.Mop the tile floor with plain hot water using a mop made of coiled yard or cloth strips. This will help you clean not only the tile but also the grout that sits below the level of the tile....

]]> http://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/cleaning-procelain-or-ceramic-floors.htmlhttp://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/cleaning-procelain-or-ceramic-floors.htmlWed, 01 Sep 2010 01:47:00 ESTThe 2010 Orlando Fall Home & Garden Show is next weekend at the Orange County Convention Center. The show will be taking place on: Friday, September 10th from 10:00 – 9:00 Saturday, September 11th from 10:00 – 9:00Sunday, September 12th from 10:00 – 6:00 Flooring HQ has a large booth at the show, Booth #(647,649,651) and will be displaying a variety of flooring products including tile, wood, bamboo, cork, carpet and laminate.  Flooring HQ will be raffling off the chance to win 500 square feet of tile flooring including installation....

]]> http://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/2010-orlando-fall-home-and-garden-show.htmlhttp://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/2010-orlando-fall-home-and-garden-show.htmlTue, 31 Aug 2010 05:55:00 ESTBamboo Flooring: A “Green” way to cover your floors Bamboo floorings are gaining in popularity owing to their superior aesthetics and functionalities and their low cost as compared with most hardwood flooring. There are several types of Bamboo Flooring available: Horizontal Natural (and Spice / Carbonized)Vertical Natural (and Spice / Carbonized)Strand Woven (Natural and Spice)Stained Bamboo Bamboo is considered “Green” for different reasons. It is a renewable source and, with the standards in manufacturing today, high quality Bamboo Flooring has a low VOC and virtually no Formaldehyde....

]]> http://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/bamboo-flooring-a-green-way-to-cover-your-floors.htmlhttp://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/bamboo-flooring-a-green-way-to-cover-your-floors.htmlSat, 28 Aug 2010 01:11:00 ESTThere's nothing more beautiful than clean and polished hardwood floors. Many people are hesitant to put hardwood floors in their homes because of the added cost and maintenance involved (compared to other flooring choices).   Cleaning your floors properly is the single most important thing you can do to protect your investment. In order to clean your floors, you will need to: Use a vacuum cleaner or sweep the floors to minimize abrasive grit and dirt. Note: Do not use vacuum with beater bars.   Use a mild, low pH cleanser (sufficient to clean the surface of the wood and less costly). Always WIPE DRY IMMEDIATELY until there is no moisture visible on the floor....

]]> http://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/cleaning-your-hardwood-floors-properly.htmlhttp://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/cleaning-your-hardwood-floors-properly.htmlWed, 25 Aug 2010 08:17:00 ESTThere are many tips and tricks to cleaning and maintaining your carpet. It is always best to vacuum regularly and clean up spills as soon as possible. In addition to regular maintenance, you should steam clean or hot water extract your synthetic fiber carpets like nylon, polyester or olefin at least once a year. Natural fibers like wool, sisal or sea grass should be professionally cleaned as needed. Here are some tips on what to do in the event of a spill. Blot up as much of the spill as possible with a white cloth or white paper towel. Gently press the clean cloth/towel into the stained area to remove moisture. Blot the spot, don't rashly rub or scrub....

]]> http://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/carpet-cleaning-tips-and-tricks.htmlhttp://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/carpet-cleaning-tips-and-tricks.htmlTue, 24 Aug 2010 12:37:00 ESTPorcelain Tiles and Installation Porcelain Tiles are considered by many to be the “hardest” tile product on the market. Porcelain tiles are extremely wear resistant, making them an excellent choice for high-traffic areas of the home, especially those regularly exposed to moisture. A tile is considered porcelain if it will absorb less than 0.5 percent of its own weight in water. Typically, porcelain is very dense and strong. It is a material made by heating raw material, which includes clay....

]]> http://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/porcelain-tiles-and-basic-installation.htmlhttp://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/porcelain-tiles-and-basic-installation.htmlFri, 20 Aug 2010 09:54:00 ESTLaminate floors have come a long way since they first appeared on the flooring scene. From the once drab almost wall paper looking patterns to what we have to choose from now is an unbelievable transformation.  Piano finish, beveled edges, hand scraped, textured graining are just a few of the choices available to today’s consumer. When you add to that the realistic wood and stone patterns we find in laminates today coupled with durability and scratch resistance it makes laminate flooring a go-to solution for many people.  Along with the great look and value laminate floors afford today’s consumer, you have to add the ease of installation....

]]> http://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/laminate-flooring-a-go-to-solution.htmlhttp://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/laminate-flooring-a-go-to-solution.htmlFri, 20 Aug 2010 09:04:00 EST  We’ve all seen the commercials where the Big Box Stores advertise one low price ($97 entire house) for Carpet installation. Beware of Big Box stores that offer one low price for installation. The stores that offer this deal just build the labor into the price in other ways. You have to look at the entire package price and not get caught up in the gimmick of the one low price installation. Usually when a store uses this ploy, they build the labor into the price in other ways. This is done by increasing the pad price and adding on charges like carpet removal fees and furniture moving fees....

]]> http://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/carpet-installation-flooring-hq-vs-big-box-stores.htmlhttp://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/carpet-installation-flooring-hq-vs-big-box-stores.htmlThu, 22 Jul 2010 01:20:00 EST  Porcelain Tile - Long Lasting Value  Practically indestructible from normal everyday wear, PORCELAIN Tiles are truly one of the best flooring material available.   Porcelain represents the best overall value in tile because it is: Durable - professionally installed porcelain tile outperforms and outlasts just about every other floor covering material created for a similar application. Easy care - glazed porcelain tiles resist odors, stains & dirt, plus tile can be cleaned easily with a sponge, damp mop, or most ordinary household cleaners like Spic and Span, Mr. Clean, or Top Job....

]]> http://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/porcelain-tile.htmlhttp://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/porcelain-tile.htmlThu, 22 Jul 2010 08:32:00 EST  Hardwood Floor Trends June 2010   Wood floors make a beautiful addition to any home because of their timeless beauty and because they are always in style with any décor.  There are many species and varieties of wood flooring available today so there are many options available to fit your home and design scheme.   Handscraped and distressed woods are popular with those who like a wood floor with texture and a rustic and antiqued finish.  Handscraped floors generally come in a matte finish which hides scratches better than a glossy finish and any additional nicks and scrapes that occur only add to the beauty and character of the wood....

]]> http://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/hardwood-floor-trends-2010.htmlhttp://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/hardwood-floor-trends-2010.htmlSat, 19 Jun 2010 10:35:00 EST  MAINTENANCE WOOD   Engineered Hardwood Floors are very easily maintained. No wax, no mess. Simply use a cleaner made for use with urethane coated hardwood floors and a terry cloth flooring mop.   STEP ONE: Sweep your floor to remove any particles that could scratch your floor.   Warning: Vacuums with a beater bar or power rotary brush head can damage a wood floor and never should be used.   STEP TWO: Apply hardwood surface cleaner directly to the terry cloth flooring mop, instead of the floor!   STEP THREE: Use a back and forth motion with the mop. When the terry cloth cover becomes soiled, simply replace it with a clean one....

]]> http://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/engineered-hardwood-flooring-care-guide.htmlhttp://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/engineered-hardwood-flooring-care-guide.htmlSat, 12 Jun 2010 11:01:00 EST  Laminate Floors Pros & Cons Nowadays, more than ever, people are concerned not only with finding the right floor for their home but also finding one that is economical as well. The two most economical flooring choices today are carpet and laminate. Laminate floors are designed to be less expensive than most hardwoods and natural stones while giving you the same realistic look....

]]> http://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/laminate-pros-and-cons.htmlhttp://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/laminate-pros-and-cons.htmlSat, 12 Jun 2010 09:23:00 EST  Carpet Selection Are you looking for a traditional plush carpet? A contemporary loop?  Maybe the visual impact of a pattern or print? After establishing your budget and estimating the footage required, it is time to consider carpet color selection. Carpet color was probably the very first thing that came to mind when you began to think about buying carpet. That’s because color can be manipulated to create nearly any mood or effect you wish. Carpet color also can change the feel of a room. In south facing rooms and in warm climates, a room can be made to feel more comfortable by using cooler shades such as blues, purples, greens and teals....

]]> http://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/carpet-selection.htmlhttp://www.flooringhq.com/blog/posts/carpet-selection.htmlFri, 11 Jun 2010 10:36:00 EST