WILL MY HARDWOOD FLOOR SCRATCH?

Will my new hardwood floor scratch?  It is a common question we hear when people are looking to purchase wood floors and the answer is, unfortunately, yes. Hardwood floors are a natural material and may very well scratch when wear and tear is excessive.   You can do your best to try and prevent the scratching from happening by putting pads on furniture legs, insisting people remove their shoes, constantly sweeping up dirt and purchasing area rugs to cover the areas most affected by traffic. However, unless you happen to live alone without kids, pets and visitors scratches are inevitable.  Does this mean you should steer clear of hardwood?  Absolutely not!  Hardwood floors are beautiful and timeless.   Hardwood floors add natural character to a home as well as warmth and elegance and scratches don’t affect those qualities.  You can also use the newer hardwood styles and find many finishes that will camouflage any damage caused from wear and tear.  Distressed finishes such as wire brushing or hand scraping give a rustic appearance and help to disguise scrapes and scratches that occur over the lifetime of the floor.  Manufacturers are also adding stronger finishing glosses to their products allowing for a stronger and more resistant floor. 

So, if you are really concerned about the damage your floors will endure from your family, pets and friends but love the look; consider purchasing a hardwood with a distressed or hand scraped finish.  Any damage will be camouflaged.  Keep your dogs’ nails trimmed, sweep often, and wipe drips as you see them and use area rugs in the busiest areas and relax! Wood floors are always a stunning addition to any room.  

 
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to read this article and hoped you enjoyed it.  If you’d like more information on laminates, hardwoods, bamboo, carpet, tile, natural stone, vinyl, linoleum, or any other types of flooring, please contact ProSource of Columbia at 803-933-9088 or visit our website at www.prosourcefloors.com/columbia.

Add A Little Style to Your Tile

 

Before you start shopping for new tile flooring, take a look around.  Tile is always a beautiful choice for any room but adding a little accent can take your tile from nice and ordinary to extraordinary.  Adding a tile accent to your floor or wall is much like how the perfect accessory can make a simple. Floors can also use a little help accessorizing. 

Beautiful crystal glass tiles in diamond shapes and jewel tones will make your floors a piece of art.  ProSource of Columbia carries the stunning Napa Collection, a selection of beautiful crystal glass tiles in wonderful jewel tones sure to make a gorgeous impression in any home. As an accent to your bathroom or wet bar or as a stunning backsplash for your kitchen, these fantastic tiles come in many different sizes and rich colors.  They are inexpensive but add posh touch to any room.  

So stop by and visit ProSource to see the beautiful Napa glass collection and many  more fabulous flooring and cabinet products.  ProSource is like a candy store for the home improvement sweet tooth! Your personal, dedicated Account Manager would love to be your tour guide and show you all the cool flooring and cabinets selections!

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to read this article and hoped you enjoyed it.  If you’d like more information on laminates, hardwoods, bamboo, carpet, tile, natural stone, or any other types of flooring, please contact ProSource of Columbia at 803-933-9088 or visit our website at http://www.prosourcefloors.com/columbia.

NEW TRADITIONS

ProSource is carrying a new Tradition.  Traditions hardwood flooring  that is.  This beautiful hardwood floor comes in ½” x 5” planks in 9 styles in both Hickory and Maple.  The four hickory choices are all chattered or hand scraped and all incredibly beautiful.  The five maples include four that are distressed and one that has a French bleed in addition to the distressing.  A French bleed is a dark edge around the plank that creates a dramatic look.

The nine styles of the Traditions series have a plywood and HDF core which provides many advantages. With this HDF core there is less time needed for acclamation and the durability is increased, as is the overall life of the hardwood product.  The benefits of Traditions also include a 50 year warranty, the ability to be glued down or floated and it can be installed above grade or below grade.

Traditions is 100% exclusive to ProSource.  So stop in and take a look.  You won’t believe the outstanding quality, amazing beauty and the incredible wholesale price of this hardwood product.
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to read this article and hoped you enjoyed it.  If you’d like more information on laminates, hardwoods, bamboo, carpet, tile, natural stone, or any other types of flooring, please contact ProSource of Columbia at 803-933-9088 or visit our website at www.prosourcefloors.com/columbia.

HOW TO PICK YOUR GROUT!

Are you looking forward to new tile floors? Beautiful and elegant ceramic tile floors can really define a room or space in any home.  While your main concern will be choosing the perfect tile for your home, you don’t want to forget the grout. Choosing the right grout color means more than just matching colors.

There was a time when white was the most popular of grout colors. It gives a clean crisp look but there are so many more colors to play with when choosing grout and for so many good reasons. Colored grout can make a tile floor look seamless and create an elegant flow to a room. Colored grout can also camouflage dirt and grime in some heavy traffic areas and prevent mildew and mold in moisture prone areas.

Grout consists of a mixture of water, sand and cement.  It is applied as a paste or mud like liquid that will harden.  A variety of colored tints can be added to the mixture and as the grout dries the color will vary slightly from when it is wet. Tile edges tend to crack and chip so the function of grout is to protect the tile’s edges.

When you choose your grout color, look at the four corners of your tile. Use grout samples and place several different colors next to your tile to help you make the correct choice. Be sure to seal the grout that is in heavy foot traffic areas to maintain its color.  Grout can be stained again if there is a color loss due to fading from the sun or discoloration from strong household cleaners.

Choosing the right grout color can change the way your whole tile project looks.  Choose a dark color grout and light tile to create a dramatic effect.  Choose a color that compliments or matches the color of the tile and it will create a uniform look in some cases practically making the grout invisible. A contrasting color in grout can help neutralize a multi-colored mosaic tile.  Accent some of the colors in your tile by choosing grouts that match those colors. Have fun with your grout choice!

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to read this article and hoped you enjoyed it.  If you’d like more information on laminates, hardwoods, bamboo, carpet, tile, natural stone, or any other types of flooring, please contact ProSource of Columbia at 803-933-9088 or visit our website at www.prosourcefloors.com/columbia.

Choosing Carpet to Fit Your Needs!

Are you in the market for new carpet?  Here is a tip–start at home.  Before you head off to purchase your new carpet ask yourself a few questions.  Qualifying your needs before you leave your home will make the process quick and painless.

To start this process, think about your family and your family’s lifestyle. Your new carpet needs to adhere to your family and your family’s lifestyle and not vice versa.  Being realistic about your family’s needs will ensure you get the right carpet for your home.

Is the area you will be laying the carpet a heavy traffic area or hardly used? This is important as you will need to choose whether stain resistance, wear patterns and colors will make a difference. A busy family room might need a durable, stain treated carpet in a darker fleck-tone to stand up and hide the effects of heavy carpet. A room that is barely visited, like a formal dining room, may be more receptive to a velvety plush carpet or even something with an intricate design.

Do you have pets and/or children? There are carpets made specifically for pet owners and families as well as padding that will help prolong the life of the carpet from the damage that small children and beloved pets may provide.

Stain protection can also assist in extending the life and beauty of the carpet.  Most carpets come with wear warranties so be sure to ask about which one would best fit your family’s lifestyle and traffic patterns of your home.  Discuss what the warranty covers before you select the carpet as it may be a factor in your final decision. Some warranties are voided by excessive or specific type of chemical cleaning treatments so be aware.

Is the room dark or light? Some colored carpet can fade so if you desire a bold colored carpet be sure to ask about fading or if a warranty will cover any fading from sun damage.  You may want to choose the color of the carpet to enhance a small room or warm up a large room and the right color can really help.

Answering these questions will help you qualify the type of carpet you want to look at and help the sales person guide you to the carpet you want in no time at all. There may be a vast selection of carpet to choose from but there is a carpet perfect for you and your family.

ProSource of Columbia has an amazing selection of carpet in variety of styles, colors and textures as well as many other types of flooring. Your dedicated ProSource Account Manager can assist you in finding the perfect carpet for you and your family. Our knowledgeable staff is constantly updated with the latest in styles, warranties and more.
Thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to read this article and hoped you enjoyed it.  If you’d like more information on laminates, hardwoods, bamboo, carpet, tile, natural stone, or any other types of flooring, please contact ProSource of Columbia at 803-933-9088 or visit our website at www.prosourcefloors.com/columbia.