Choosing Your Floor

When decorating your home, there is one thing that brings an entire room together:

YOUR FLOORING!

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Your Floors Are…

The largest design surface of any room
The first thing people see when they walk in
The foundation of your room’s entire design
The costliest design element to replace

We Get It! Selecting flooring for your home is a BIG decision.

From the cost of the materials
To the time spent on installation
To the ongoing future maintenance requirements

…it’s easy to understand why our clients want to be absolutely certain they’re making the right choice before signing on the dotted line.

Choosing your flooring is far more complicated than just finding what looks good. Several other factors… durability, moisture, costs, and more… will greatly influence your decision.

You must also find a style that suits your taste
and your home.

We believe the flooring we sell is much more than something for you walk on…it is an integral part of your home, and highlights your decor and your lifestyle.

We know every lifestyle is different…

Some have active kiddos running in and out…
Others are adult only and do lots of entertaining…
Others have a home that is now multi-purposing (office | gym | school)…
And on and on…

We will help guide you to the flooring products that best fit your needs, decorating tastes, and budget.

As you make your decision

Think about function

How — and where — your flooring will be used needs to be your first point of consideration. For example, some materials may be well-suited for high-trafficked areas while others would not stand up as well to the same level of wear and tear. Then there are those flooring options that are optimal for providing comfort while others may seem lacking in comparison.

Make sure to reflect YOUR design and Style

Of course, you want a floor that looks fantastic and fits your own style sensibilities. Floors Etc. has an extensive variety of options in Hardwoods, Carpet, LVT, Laminates, etc. We’re an ASID Industry Partner and can help you with whatever look you want to achieve. Our showroom is filled with samples – book your Custom Design Consultation today!

Pets or no Pets? A Very Important Question

Pets can bring a lot of life and love into the home – and for some of us, they are like our kids! And they can also take a toll on certain types of floors. Whether you have a dog, cat, or other animal friend in your home, finding the right type of flooring and knowing how to take care of them with your fur-babies is important.

Keep maintenance in mind

Since most rooms in your home could be served equally well by more than one flooring material, you should also consider how much floor maintenance you’re willing to perform. Be honest with yourself. Over time, the right maintenance is what ensures you get the most out of your investment.

Remember your budget

As always, you need to take into account the cost of your flooring materials and flooring installation. Floors Etc. will help you determine which flooring options meet your allotted budget and will provide you with a detailed pricing proposal of your selected flooring option(s) once we meet with you and learn more about your project.

Learn More Below

For an overview of different types of flooring, click an option below.

Solid Hardwood Flooring

An excellent choice for longevity, solid hardwood is known for its durability, authenticity and timelessness – the gold standard of flooring. Can be sanded, refinished, and repaired over and over throughout the course of its life. Offers countless combinations of widths, grades, species, stain colors, finishes, etc.

Functionality

Must be installed on screeds with black mastic if slab has been recessed or over a wood subfloor, with each board positioned and individually nailed or stapled to the screeds or subfloor.
- EXCEPTION: Glue-down shorts, which are no longer than 22”
  - These can be installed on concrete slab, just like an Engineered Hardwood floor
Usually sanded and finished at jobsite
- Also available in Prefinished flooring
Extremely durable; can be sanded and refinished many times.

Maintenance

Follow a few simple rules and use the right cleaning tools and products – and you’re set!
Once you start to notice scratches and the surfaces begin to lose some of their shine, consider professional cleaning (Wax and Buff for wax finish; Spray Buff or Screen and Coat for polyurethane finish) or full refinishing services – Floors Etc. can help!

Pets

A solid choice for pet parents – just follow our tips for Floor Care With Fur Babies
- Be sure to clean up potty oopsies Quick! Quick!! Quick!!!

Budget

Price varies greatly based on the type and specific grain of wood, plank width and thickness, installation method and/or pattern, finish, etc. – this is a labor intense process, which definitely adds to the price.

Luxury Vinyl Tile or Plank (LVT / LVP) | Resilient Flooring

Definitely NOT your grandmother’s vinyl flooring, today’s Luxury Vinyl Tile / Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVT / LVP) has more depth and texture today than it did even a generation ago – much sturdier and more durable – it can look like hardwood, tile, leather, or stone – with a more affordable price tag. LVT / LVP flooring is also extremely low maintenance and is considered one of the easiest types of flooring to clean. One of the most distinguishing features of LVT / LVP is it is water-safe flooring. Considering we live in Houston, no wonder it’s become so popular!

Functionality

A good fit in most rooms
Can be installed over most subfloors
Durable, low maintenance, and easier on the budget than its hardwood counterparts.
- Resistant to water, and it doesn’t easily dent, scratch, stain or fade.
- Many vinyl flooring options are imbued with antimicrobial protection to resist bacteria, mold, and mildew.
Resilient
- Comfortable and soft underfoot – easy to stand on for long periods
- Dropped items less likely to break
- Warmer to the touch than hard surfaces like tile

Maintenance

EASY!!
Remember: NOT your grandmother’s vinyl! No waxing and/or polishing required!

Pets

A WINNER! Stands up to pets’ nails and messes better than most surfaces
- Be sure to follow our tips for Floor Care With Fur Babies

Budget

Can be a more affordable option to solid hardwood and most engineered hardwood flooring, depending on selection made.

Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Engineered Hardwood flooring typically comes prefinished from the factory and is also available in unfinished. Engineered Hardwood floors are manufactured with multiple layers of real wood veneers. The top layer is the hardwood you select for look and style while the other layers may be made of plywood or other materials. Once installed most people cannot tell if the wood floor is Solid or Engineered Hardwood. You will find some designs made possible only with Engineered Hardwood, such as softer exotic species, specialty textures, certain surface treatments, color effects, etc. Engineered Hardwood flooring (usually – depends on wear layer) can be sanded and refinished, but not as many times as Solid Hardwood flooring.

Functionality

Can be installed over most types of subfloor.
Prefinished
- Once installed, you’re done!
- Quite durable (typically aluminum oxide crystals embedded in a UV-cured urethane coat)
Unfinished
- Allows client to select stain color and finish on jobsite.

Maintenance

Just a simple regimen and the right products – and you’re good to go!
If your surface becomes a bit dull or dingy, consider professional cleaning (Spray Buff) services – Floors Etc. can help!

Pets

A great choice for pet parents – just follow our tips for Floor Care With Fur Babies

Budget

Can be a more affordable alternative to solid hardwood, price varies greatly depending on selection.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring simulates the look of wood – with benefits of its own. With its realistic graining, authentic coloring, and tactile textures, laminate can look like: wood, stone, ceramic tile. Easy to install and often budget-friendly, laminate floors are easy to clean and less likely to scratch.

Functionality

A good fit in most rooms
Requires an underlayment to serve as a moisture barrier and muffle sound (sometimes attached to product at mill)
Resistant to scratches, stains, fading (UV protection integrated into the surface to help protect against fading in direct sunlight) and moisture; it also won’t harbor mold, mildew or allergens, moisture

Maintenance

Keeping it clean is easy – a few steps and a few products

Pets

A top choice among pet parents – just follow our tips for Floor Care With Fur Babies
- Be sure to clean any liquid potty messes immediately (to avoid seam seepage)

Budget

A more affordable option to solid hardwood and most engineered hardwood flooring.

Carpet

Offering a vast variety of pile, color and density combinations, this quiet and cozy option can fit most any design style. Soft and comfortable, carpet makes a good choice for bedrooms and family areas.

Functionality

A good fit for bedrooms, living and family rooms, playrooms, and dining rooms
Can be installed over any type of subfloor.
- Proper underlayment is vital to extend carpet longevity and add cushioning and to keep your home quieter and carpet cleaner.
  - Floors Etc.’s standard carpet pad on each job is an 8# pad
Durable
- Resilient and Safe
- Comfortable and soft underfoot – easy to stand on for long periods
- Dropped items less likely to break
- Nonslip, soft surface
  - Perfect for stairs, can be custom cut and installed as a carpet runner or on the full stair.
Carpet is a good thermal and acoustic insulator.
If you don’t want wall-to-wall carpet but want to add a little warmth or a splash of color here or there, add a rug for a dose of color, pattern and softness – Floors Etc. can help you with custom bound rugs and stair runners to suit your style and needs.

Maintenance

Choose a stain-resistant and soil-resistant style to simplify maintenance.
- Remember – occasional deep cleaning will be required.

Pets

Carpet can be the most prone to damage from messes and traffic – follow our tips for Floor Care With Fur Babies

Budget

Price varies greatly depending on selection.

Commercial Carpet

The two types of commercial carpets available are broadloom, which comes in large rolls, and carpet tiles, which come in pre-sized squares with an integrated backing and base.

The advantage of carpet tile is that it’s perfect for heavy traffic applications and it’s easy to replace only what’s damaged – in just a few minutes.