Flooring FAQ: Expert Advice You Need to Know Before Buying

Let’s face it—it’s not every day you decide to outfit your home with new floors, so when it comes time to buy, you might need a little help. To give us the scoop on the latest trends, tried-and-trusted materials and what you need to know before you buy, we looked to our friends at Floors USA.

We sat down with President, Scott Erlbaum to talk all things tile, carpet, hardwood and more. Here’s some of his sage advice:

What information should you gather before you even step into a showroom?

First things first, know the sizes of your rooms. If you want to get the most accurate price projection, you’ll need to know how many square feet you need covered. Second, consider your color choices and the mood you want to set in your space.

Is there one particular product or type of flooring that withstands the test of time the best?

One of the products that’s really developed over the last two or three years is water-resistant laminate. Laminate in its original state performed very poorly in high-traffic areas. However, today, I would definitely recommend luxury laminate and vinyl. It’s scratch-resistant (hardwood is not), moisture-resistant and looks like incredibly realistic wood or tile. It’s very durable and will last a long time.

What’s the best flooring option for kids? Pets? Highly-trafficked areas?

There are multiple options for any of these scenarios. The best way to figure out the flooring that will fit your lifestyle is to come in to the store and chat with one of our flooring consultants. They have vast experience with all types of flooring and will be able to recommend exactly what fits your specific needs—whether it be budget, kids, pets, or more.

How often does flooring need to be replaced?

Most people want a floor that’s going to hold up for a long time, which is why buyers have steered away from carpeting (which needs to be replaced every 5-7 years). Instead they’re choosing hardwood, but most don’t know how to properly clean or maintain it. To help extend the lifespan of our customers’ hardwood flooring, we created a service called Hardwood Genius. It’s a cleaning technique that scrubs off surface dirt and scrapes out anything stuck in the grooves of the wood, before we add a revitalization coat to enhance the grain and overall appearance.

What are some of the top flooring trends you’re seeing in the market?

Carpet sales have been down across the board—people are putting less wall-to-wall in and more inclined to use hard surfaces and accent with area rugs instead. The past 5 years or so, grays and dark washes have been big but today trends are moving towards rustic whitewash or light oak.

Is there a flooring type you consider “timeless”?

Nice medium brown hardwoods are classic. Look for a wood that has a little brown and a little gray in it. A blend of the two is easy to decorate with and should match your existing finishes. It also helps when you’re going to sell your house—buyers appreciate classic hardwood looks with colorations that are easy to decorate with.

Thoughts on buying online versus in-store?

Shopping for flooring is an experience. There’s a touch and feel to it. How soft a carpet is won’t come across in an online photo. Textures, colors variations and shading can all appear differently online. Plus, to really understand the wealth of flooring options out there, you need to visit our 40,000-square foot flooring superstore. You will truly feel like you’ve seen it all before making the all-important decision of putting new flooring in your home.

 

Ready to refresh your floors? Visit Floors USA at KOP or online.

This is a paid partnership between Floors USA and Philadelphia Magazine