As a child, our doctor told my parents to rip out all the carpeting in our home. Like many folks, I am very allergic to dust-allergens. And it’s very difficult to keep wall-to-wall carpeting allergen free, especially a thick pile or shag. But, I grew up on the East coast, where except for the bedrooms, most homes had hard wood floors throughout.
As an adult I moved to Boston, where many of the homes I saw, had linoleum lain over original oak floors in the kitchen. In the 60’s and 70’s, wood floors were considered to be old-fashioned or outdated. But it was still shocking to pull up on the edge of a deteriorating linoleum floor that had come unglued, and find gorgeous, inlayed oak or maple underneath.
In the late 80’s, a friend of mine, tired of the tacky linoleum in his kitchen-ripped it out, then sanded and polished the wood flooring underneath. A few weeks later, he invited me over to admire his handy-work. The result, I will never forget. By resurrecting his old wood floors it gave his kitchen a warm classic and cozy look. Wood floors have character. And a beautiful wood floor speaks to our innate love of nature and the great outdoors.
In the early 90’s, when I moved out west, it seemed that every apartment or home I lived in had wall-to wall carpeting. With new construction–it is a lot cheaper to install carpet then wood. These carpets needed regular professional cleaning to keep them looking nice. And if I didn’t keep up on vacuuming my allergies would worsen.
Today, with more awareness of indoor air-quality, allergies, and a desire to have more of a natural look in our homes, hardwood flooring is gaining popularity. There are so many types of wood species to choose from today. Of course, you have your classic oak or maple-with hi-and lo-gloss finishes. But now, homeowners can also choose from exotic woods like Brazillian Cherry, Mahogany, gorgeous Hickory or Swiss Pear. Some wood is available in wide plank-for the look of an old farmhouse.
For budget conscience buyers, today’s’ laminate floors offers a huge variety for a fraction of the cost. And with laminate flooring you also have a layer of foam installed underneath, giving it a quiet layer of cushioning. Laminate also has a variety of designs-which perfectly mimic stone, Mexican tile, hickory, granite or marble. You can turn your home into a virtual palace with a laminate update. We’ve come a long way from the tacky linoleum of the 70’s with technological advances in design and materials.
And for the eco-conscious floor buyer, cork flooring is a unique alternative to traditional flooring. Bark is stripped from a 9 to 10 year old oak tree-without destroying the tree and compressed with glues at very high pressure. Cork provides natural noise insulation due to 100 million air cells per cubic inch of cork. Cork flooring is also hypoallergenic making it a wonderful choice for folks with allergies. Most of this wood is imported and the process is quite expensive so cork flooring has a higher price tag.
Or maybe your original wood floors just need some sanding and refinishing. Enormous variety of stains and finishes are available to choose from. Regardless of your situation, wood or laminate flooring is much easier to maintain and keep clean than wall-to-wall carpeting.
Many excellent local flooring specialists and home restoration companies have already built up a great reputation, through word of mouth–you may have a name already. It’s worth it to call a reputable local flooring company, one that specializes in custom work as well as gives free estimates. They should also have a well-stocked showroom, with a variety of samples and photos of exemplary work. These points are standard, when looking for a successful flooring company where-craftsmanship is key.
Top Gun Restoration, Inc.
5925 Paonia Court
Colorado Springs, CO. 80915
phone:719-572-5130
FAX:719-597-4035
http://www.topgunrestoration.com/
“One Call Does It All”
Absolute Hardwood Floors (A Division of Top Gun Restoration, Inc.)
719-572-5130
http://www.absolutefloorco.com/
“Constructing beautiful hardwood floors in Colorado since 1999.”
