The more you know
There are so many flooring choices…Carpeting, Ceramic Tile, Hardwood, Laminate, Vinyl, area rugs, the list goes on and on. Our carpet and flooring Showrooms turn too many decisions into endless options. We'll help you choose the discount flooring that best fits your lifestyle and installation requirements.
Carpet
Carpeting offers a broad price range and selection to meet most decorating styles and budgets. Our carpet suppliers and distributers provide fibers varying in make (nylon, olefin, polyester or wool) and corresponding degrees of wear and stain resistance, resilience and cleanability. We also offer many carpet style options, including saxony, plush, texture, cut-loop, level loop, multi-level loop and frieze.
Fiber Type | Wear Resistance | Stain Resistance | Resilience | Cleanability | Comments |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wool Carpet | Very Good | Low unless treated | Excellent | Good | Standard by which other carpet fibers are judged; low resistance to static unless treated; expensive. |
Nylon Carpet | Excellent | Most are treated to enhance stain resistance | Very good | Very good | Most popular carpet fiber; good static control; suitable for almost any application |
SmartStrand Carpet | Excellent | Built-in stain resistance; won’t wash off or wear off | Very Good | Very Good | Crafted from cutting-edge, natural based fibers; exceptionally soft and durable. Withstands heavy foot traffic and repels liquids/spills. |
Polypropylene Olefin | Very good | Excellent inherent stain resistance | Test | Test | Second most popular fiber; best suited to loop pile constructions or high, very dense, cut piles |
Polyester Carpet | Very Good | Built-in-stain resistance to certain types of acid dyes | Fair | Good | Better suited to low traffic areas such as bedrooms and living room. |
Laminate
High-performance laminate has the ability to simulate wood or tile floors, and is extremely durable and easy to clean with either a damp cloth or vacuum. Laminate flooring can also be praised for what it doesn't do: scuff, wear-through, burn, get scratched by pets, indent from normal family wear and lose color. This is a solid choice for moisture and family-prone areas as well as design appeal.
Ceramic tiles, stone floors, and glass flooring
This group of flooring combines nature and elegance with easy maintenance and indestructibility. The wide array of style choices, from glazed or unglazed ceramic tiles to various textures and colors of stone floors these flooring options provide a distinctive look perfect for moisture-prone and heavy-traffic areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, foyers and laundry rooms.
Vinyl
Vinyl is enjoying a fashion resurgence due to their easy maintenance and durability in widespread applications throughout the home.
- Sheet Vinyl: Available in 6 foot, 12 foot, and 13.2 foot widths and in any length
- Vinyl Tile Squares: Rich, luxurious and perfect for the finest interiors
- Colors and Styles: From warm and subtle to bold and bright and available in an extensive variety of color combos, patterns, designs and textures
- Performance: Great for busy areas and years of carefree beauty, vinyl is available in good, better and best categories to meet every budget
Hardwood
Create a rich, elegant look with natural hardwood. Whether solid or engineered, hardwood brings a warm, inviting look to any room in the home.
- Solid Wood: This popular hardwood choice consists of one-piece boards typically nailed to a subfloor. Solid wood comes both unfinished and in a variety of pre-stained color options to suit any taste.
- Engineered Wood: Consists of two or more layers of wood laminated together; the top layer a veneer and the lower layer a softwood backing. Most engineered wood floors are prefinished and glued rather than nailed down. Or, they can be installed as floating floors with the panel edges glued together rather than attached directly to the subfloor. It can also be glued directly to concrete making it more suitable for below-grade applications.
Either option is available in three formats: wood strip, wider width planks or parquet squares.
Area Rugs
Area rugs bring instant, long-lasting warmth to hard surface floors. The almost infinite range of sizes, colors, patterns, textures, area rugs also help to cut down on noise level and bring an entire room together. From Persian to Oriental and traditional to contemporary, rugs protect hard floors and enhance your decor.
Cushions
Visit our floor cushion page to choose your floor cushion type: Rubber, Urethane or Fiber.
Many types of cleaners are available, including dry cleaners, spray-on foam cleaners and wet shampoo. Make sure you choose a cleaner specifically made for carpets. Always test cleaner in an inconspicuous area of the carpet before use. Avoid any products meant for hard surfaces such as wood or tile. When choosing a professional carpet cleaner, ask for a reference and/or a firm estimate.
Treating spills
The number one rule in treating spills: Act immediately! Don't let the spill set or it may never come out.
Follow these three steps to remove even the toughest stain
- Apply-a damp, white paper towel soaked in a cleaning solution to the spot (see list of solutions below); never wet the carpet through to the backing.
- Blot-press straight down with a white paper towel-DO NOT RUB; place a 1/2" thick pad of white paper towels with a weight on top and leave overnight if necessary.
- Scrape-from the outside edge of the spot toward the center
Treat spills with one of the following approved cleaning solutions:
- Detergent: Mix 1/2 tsp. clear dishwashing detergent with one cup warm water
- Pre-soak: Mix 1 tsp. enzyme laundry product (such as Axion or Biz) with one cup water
- Hydrogen Peroxide: Mix 1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide (3% strength, available in drug stores) with 1 tsp. household ammonia. Use within two hours.
- Ammonia: Undiluted household ammonia
- Dry powder cleaner:
- Dry cleaning solvent: Non-oily, non-caustic type sold for garment spot removal (caution: may be flammable)
TREATING STAINS ON VARIOUS FLOORING SURFACES
Use the following charts as a general guideline for treating stains on various types of flooring.
Carpet
- Beverage
- Detergent solution, ammonia solution or white vinegar
- Blood
- Cold spot setting solution followed by ammonia solution and warm water rinse
- Candle Wax
- Run an iron on low setting over a clean, white towel or dried wax, , repeat with clean sections of towel until wax is gone.
- Chocolate
- Dry-cleaning fluid, white vinegar, detergent or ammonia
- Coffee
- Warm white vinegar or light detergent and water.
- Crayon
- Dry-cleaning fluid or detergent solution
- Gum
- Soften with hair dryer and use plastic glove to lift from carpet. Use dry-cleaning fluid to remove any remaining residue.
- Ink
- Nail polish remover, dry-cleaning solution, detergent or white vinegar solution
- Latex Paint
- Detergent or ammonia solution
- Lipstick
- Nail polish remover, dry cleaning fluid, or a mix of detergent and water, ammonia and water or white vinegar and water
- Nail Polish
- Detergent solution or Nail polish remover
- Pet Stains
- Detergent solution, white vinegar or ammonia solution
- Rust
- Mix a solution of equal parts light detergent or white vinegar and water
- Shoe Polish
- Nail polish remover, dry-cleaning fluid or detergent solution
Vinyl Flooring
- Candle Wax
- Allow to dry and scrape with a thin, plastic spatula
- Crayon
- Mineral spirits or commercial cleaner
- Grape Juice
- Undiluted Bleach.
- Heel Marks
- Non-abrasive household cleaner, rubbing alcohol, or pencil eraser.
- Magic Marker
- Mineral spirits, nail polish remover, or rubbing alcohol
- Paint
- If wet, use mineral spirits. If dry, scrape with a thin, plastic spatula
- Pen Ink
- Mineral spirits, rubbing alcohol or citrus-based cleaner.
- Rust
- One part oxalic acid to 10 parts water (follow mfg's instructions)
- Shoe Polish
- Citrus-based cleaner or mineral spirits
- Tar
- Citrus-based cleaner or mineral spirits
Laminate Flooring
- Candle Wax
- Allow to dry and scrape with a thin, plastic spatula
- Crayon
- Mineral spirits or commercial cleaner
- Grape Juice
- Undiluted Bleach.
- Heel Marks
- Non-abrasive household cleaner, rubbing alcohol, or pencil eraser.
- Magic Marker
- Mineral spirits, nail polish remover, or rubbing alcohol
- Paint
- If wet, use mineral spirits. If dry, scrape with a thin, plastic spatula
- Pen Ink
- Mineral spirits, rubbing alcohol or citrus-based cleaner.
- Rust
- One part oxalic acid to 10 parts water (follow mfg's instructions)
- Shoe Polish
- Citrus-based cleaner or mineral spirits
- Tar
- Citrus-based cleaner or mineral spirits
Ceramic Tile
- Cigarette Burns
- Gently scour with steel wool. Polish clean tile with paste wax.
- Grease
- Commercial spot lifter
- Gum
- Harden with ice, then remove with thin, plastic spatula
- Ink, Blood, Juice, Coffee
- 3% hydrogen peroxide or a non-bleach cleaner
- Nail Polish
- Nail polish remover
- Oil-Based Products
- Mild solvent followed by solution of poultice and household cleaner
- Rust
- Commercial rust remover made for fabric. Remove any remaining residue with household cleaner.
Hardwood Stains
- Blood
- Gently scour with steel wool. Polish clean tile with paste wax.
- Dye
- One part chlorine bleach, two parts water
- Grease/Oil
- Use newspaper or paper towels to remove excess, then place cloth saturated with dry cleaning fluid on stain for five minutes. Wipe area dry, wash with detergent and water.
- Ink
- Warm water and mild detergent
- Rust
- Commercial rust remover
- Urine
- Hot, damp cloth and mild scouring powder. Use 10-1 solution of diluted liquid bleach
Hardwood Surface Repair
- Bubbles
- Gently sand and recoat light damage. For heavy bubbling, sand, stain and refinish
- Cigarette Burns
- Rub with fine steel wool or scrape burned area. Wax or sand, stain and refinish
- Dents
- Cover with damp cloth and press with electric iron
- Heel Marks
- Wood cleaner or wax
- Mold, Mildew
- Floor cleaner. Remove and refinish stained wood fibers
- Pet Stains or Ink
- Wood cleaner followed by mild bleach or household vinegar
- Scratches
- Wax area or use a thin coat of dusting spray rubbed into scratch
- Seasonal Cracks
- Use a humidifier during dry seasons
- Water Spots
- Buff lightly with finest grade steel wool, then wax. For stubborn stains, use fine sandpaper, stain and recoat.