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MAJESTIC

$7.99 sq. yd.

regularly $21.99 sq. yd.

18 patterns | 130 Gauge | 15 mils Wearlayer
Masterguard Urethane Finish | 20 Year Res. Warranty
13’2″ x 82′ Rolls | 570 Lbs. Roll Wt.

This is only a sample of the styles we carry. Call 1-800-628-2206 or contact us now!

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WONDERTILE

$6.99 sq. yd.

regularly $19.99 sq. yd.

20 patterns | 110 Gauge | 12 mils Wearlayer
Superguard Urethane Finish 15 Year Res. Warranty
13’2″ x 98′ Rolls | 475 Lbs. Roll Wt.

This is only a sample of the styles we carry. Call 1-800-628-2206 or contact us now!

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CRAFTMARK TRENDS

$6.99 sq. yd.

regularly $19.99 sq. yd.

18 patterns | 115 Gauge | 15 mils Wearlayer
Masterguard Urethane Finish | 20 Year Res. Warranty
13’2″ x 82′ Rolls | 615 Lbs. Roll Wt.

This is only a sample of the styles we carry. Call 1-800-628-2206 or contact us now!

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CRAFTMARK CLASSICS

$6.99 sq. yd.

regularly $19.99 sq. yd.

 18 patterns | 115 Gauge | 15 mils Wearlayer
Masterguard Urethane Finish | 20 Year Res. Warranty
13’2″ x 98′ Rolls | 615 Lbs. Roll Wt.

This is only a sample of the styles we carry. Call 1-800-628-2206 or contact us now!

The first thing you need to look at when choosing carpet pad is the density and thickness. Carpet pad usually ranges from 1/4 inch and goes up to about 5/8 of an inch. The thicker it is the more expensive it is and the more cushy the carpet will feel. As density increases the cost also increases but the longer the pad will last and the firmer it will be.

Another thing to consider is what the pad is made of. The most common and most affordable is called rebond and it is made up of pieces of different types of foam. This is the kind that most people use and is a great all around pad. Other types of padding include rubber, felt fiber and prime. Each has their own advantages and disadvantages so ask your salesman for details.

Lastly you should consider if you want a pad with a stain barrier. Stain barriers have a shield that fluid can not pass. This keeps you from getting those pesky stains that keep wicking back after carpet cleaning. This is especially useful if you have pets that might have accidents and you do not want the pad contaminated.

As you can see, there is a lot to think about when choosing a pad. Give it some thought and choose the one that makes the carpet work best for your situation.

Don’t let it confuse you, just give us a call at 1-800-628-2206 or email us and we’ll help make sense of it all.

Before you can make a decision between hardwood and laminate flooring, it’s important that you understand the difference between the two. This can be very confusing because prior to the introduction of plastic laminate flooring into the US, a lot of flooring dealers referred to engineered wood flooring as a wood “laminate” flooring.

The Facts About Hardwood

There are a few different types of wood flooring available to you. The first and perhaps the oldest in existence is the “solid wood floor”. These floors are generally 3/4″ thick and can be purchased raw or pre-finished.

The other style of wood flooring which is actually now becoming much more popular is the “engineered wood floor.”  Engineered wood flooring is the type of floor that is most commonly confused with plastic laminate flooring. This is a wood floor which has a top wear layer, usually 1/8″ thick on better products, and than has one or more layers or “plies.” The top layer is generally made out of oak, maple, cherry, etc…

These engineered wood floors are gaining in popularity because in a lot of applications they will be more stable than the solid wood floor, cost less than the solid wood floor, and can be refinished like a solid wood floor. Engineered wood floors are also able to be installed using methods not available with solid wood floors. They come in styles that can be glued down, free floated, or stapled.

Laminate Flooring Facts

Now we’ll talk about what is now referred to as “laminate” flooring. These days when we say “laminate flooring,” we’re talking about “plastic laminate” flooring. A lot of consumers don’t even refer to it this way, they simply say “Pergo” flooring. The reason for this is that Pergo, a brand name, was one of the first to introduce their product in the U.S.

There are now close to one hundred different brands of laminate flooring on the market worldwide. The easiest way to describe laminate flooring would be to say that it is similar to your mica counter top, only much stronger. The surface is actually a plastic type composition applied to the core using heat and pressure.

The core is usually made of high-density fiber or particle board, and the backing can be a paper or another layer of laminate. Plastic laminate floors are extremely durable; however they cannot ever be refinished or recoated once they are scratched or worn.

That is generally the main difference between plastic laminate floors and real wood floors.

Another downside to the laminate flooring is that the pattern is printed directly on the boards – and, in some cases, all of the boards are identical in appearance.

Okay, this should give you a general idea of the differences between these types of flooring. Now, let’s discuss which is better for you.

First, you need to evaluate your individual situation to make an educated decision. Let’s see if we can help you make this determination.

Listed below are a few questions you may want to ask yourself that will narrow down your choice.

• What style house do I have and which floor will be better suited to that style? (e.g., Does the price-level home you have warrant the expense of good quality real wood flooring?)
• What are my long term goals with regard to a new floor? (Basically, how long do you plan on being in the house?)
• Have I established a budget and if so, do I intend to exceed that budget?
• What type of traffic do you have in the house and how much abuse will the floor have to endure?
• Does resale value have any relevance in my decision? (Am I looking for a floor that will be an investment and increase the value of my home?)

Your answers to these questions should ultimately dictate your choice.

Here are a few hypothetical scenarios that may pertain to your situation:

Regarding Question #1: Let’s say that you paid $100,000 for your home and that’s about the maximum priced home in the neighborhood. It really won’t make much difference whether you go with real wood or the laminate. Unless you plan on being in the home beyond seven to ten years, you may want to consider staying with the laminate flooring.

Chances are if you go through the expense of installing a good quality wood floor, you won’t realize any type of gain when you sell the home. On the other hand, if you paid $200,000 or more for your home, and the houses in your neighborhood fluctuate in price depending on the upgrades, then the real wood flooring may be a benefit whether you’re in the home for one year or ten years.

Regarding Question #2: Whether you’re in a $100,000 home or a $500,000 home – if you’re planning on being in that home beyond seven to ten years, and don’t want to replace the floors again for the duration of your stay, than there is no doubt that a good quality real wood floor would be the better choice. The main reason for this being that you will be able to resurface the real wood floor when it shows signs of wear and tare, whereas you will have to replace the plastic laminate floor altogether.

Regarding Question #3: If you have established a budget of let’s say $3.50 per square foot or less for material, and don’t plan on exceeding that budget, than the plastic laminates should absolutely be your choice.

I say this because although you can get real wood flooring for $3.50 per square foot or less, but the type of the real wood flooring available to you at this price level will not give you the same performance you can expect out of plastic laminate floors at this price or less.

To get a real wood floor with a good quality finish that will have a durability level close to that of the plastic laminate flooring, you should expect to pay somewhere between $3.75 to in some cases over $7.00 per square foot. An average price range for what we consider to be a good quality wood floor is $4.00 to $5.00 per square foot. As an added note, we are basing these unit prices on our own wood flooring prices.

If you are shopping retail, you would add anywhere from 15% to 30% to these figures.

Regarding Question #4: The level of traffic and/or abuse in your home will also play an important role in your decision. Let’s say you have a normal happy family with three kids, two dogs, plenty of relatives that visit often, and a lot of friends that take advantage of your big screen television and endless supply of free beer.

If this is your home, then you better make sure that you either go with a plastic laminate or a “very good” quality wood floor! If you have heavy traffic such as this in your home, a low-quality wood floor will be a mistake. It will not hold up to your expectations whatsoever.

As an added note, although the plastic laminate floors may be more resistant than inexpensive wood floors, there are also lower quality laminate floors that will not hold up well under high traffic either.

Regarding Question #5: If resale and the value of your home is a concern, then you definitely want to consider good quality real wood flooring. If you speak with any realtor who knows their business, they should advise you that real wood flooring is considered an upgrade to your home and increases the value, while plastic laminate flooring does not.

Real wood flooring is truly an investment into your home. The plastic laminate flooring, while holding up well during your stay in the home, really does nothing for the resale value. Considering plastic laminate cannot be resurfaced, it is considered temporary.

Anyone buying a house where laminate flooring is installed knows that it will need to be replaced most likely during the period of time that they will be living there.

Please understand that while I’ve listed these questions and situations as a way to help you make an educated decision, you will need to consider all these factors combined.

In some cases, your individual situation may differ from these examples. For instance, if you don’t have heavy traffic in your home, and you like the look of real wood, than there’s nothing wrong with using an inexpensive real wood floor.

This also holds true if you only plan on being in your home for a short period of time and want to increase the value for resale.

Another case where inexpensive real wood might be a good choice is if you are buying and remodeling a home strictly for the purpose of reselling it for a profit.

Summary

I’m sure that there still may be some of you who would like to ask, “okay, so I’ve read all of this and want to know what you personally think?”

My own personal feeling on this subject is that if you can afford the real wood flooring, go for it!

In the long term, good quality wood flooring ends up being not only an investment, but also a better buy since it can be resurfaced. Additionally, nothing beats the look and feel of real wood.

On the other hand, if your kids, pets, friends, and/or family are just plain nuts and love to treat your house like a war zone and you don’t want to put a lot of money into your home – then  go with the laminate flooring.

Of course, if you still have questions, just pick up the phone and give us a call. We’d be happy to help you choose the best flooring option for your home, budget and lifestyle.