Why you don’t need luck to choose the right floor
Throw your four-leaf clover away. You don’t need the luck of the Irish
to choose the right floor, or a rabbit’s foot. What you do need is a bit of research and advice to choose the flooring that works in your home—even with all the foot traffic, water spills, kids or pets. Where should you start your research? By taking these factors about the room that needs the flooring into consideration:
• Water. An educated decision now can save you the headache of a warped floor later. Water can be your worst nightmare on laminate and wood floors, so a bit of planning now eliminates the hassle of replacement or repair. If you have a room where water may splash or form puddles, such as a bathroom, mudroom or kitchen, plan ahead. Consider vinyl plank flooring which has the look of wood, or any kind of tile floor which handles water like a pro. A room with the chance of a spill doesn’t mean you can’t get a wood floor—it just means being mindful of wiping up the water as soon as possible.
• Traffic. Is the room a busy walk through? An area where your family plays, runs and tromps? Is it a room where your pet spends most of their time? Is the traffic that comes through full of mud, snow, sand and lord-knows-what-else? Use that knowledge to determine what kind of flooring would work in that particular area.
• Maintenance. You don’t want to purchase a floor, have it installed and then end up with damage because you don’t care for, clean or vacuum it properly. Find out what kind of cleaning and maintenance the floor needs, what products you need to purchase to keep it in great shape—and realistically how much of that maintenance you can take on.
• Budget. If you have a small area that needs carpeting—a small office, hallway or bedroom—consider purchasing a carpet remnant. Because there is a limited supply, a carpet remnant is discounted. Know the square footage of the room you need flooring for and the price you can afford per square foot. Factor that into your purchase decision.
• Sub flooring & slab. Are you installing radiant floor heating under the flooring? Read our post about what kinds of flooring work over radiant floor heating. Are you installing this flooring over a concrete slab, like in a basement? Here’s information on what floors work in basements. Sometimes knowing what is under the floor is just as important as knowing what is going to be on top of it. Make sure you mention what’s under your floor to your sales professional when you get to step two of your flooring purchase.
Once you’ve decided the types of flooring fit the bill for your new room, visit a Y’s Way Flooring for more information. Describe the room to the salesperson, and what you’ve found in your research. Ask for advice about what they’ve seen in local Wisconsin homes. Once you’re satisfied with the look, feel and functionality of the best flooring, ask for a quote. Then sit back, stand on and enjoy the feel of the perfect flooring you didn’t need luck to find.
