Basements make wonderful extensions to a home, offering space for an entertainment room or a separate bedroom suite with a kitchenette.
As you know, the recent record cold weather and heavy rains caused damage in many homes. Basements were particularly vulnerable. Why, you may wonder. Basements are a unique area of the home–below ground level and prone to high levels of moisture. Not to mention, they have a concrete subfloor that may have grading imperfections and, over time, may even experience water seepage and humidity fluctuations through the seasons. Plus, the water tanks and septic connections have the potential to flood
So with all these considerations and challenges, how do you choose the best floors for your basement?
We’ll make it simple for you. Our top pick for your basement is luxury vinyl (LVP / LVT) and laminate flooring, and here’s why. They offer the best water-resistant properties as well as sound insulation and durability. Plus, luxury vinyl can resemble anything from textured woodgrains to high-end stones and marbles. You get comfortability with a warmer material than tile or simply stained concrete.
Laminate is another smart choice. Most laminates are water resistant and are perfect for basements, bathrooms, kitchens, and mudrooms. Laminates are more scratch resistant the hardwood and LVP, and to many clients have the most realistic wood visuals on the market.
Not all laminates are waterproof, especially the entry level products. Be sure to ask when shopping. How Much Does It Cost?
There is no such thing as a typical basement! Some have only a few hundred square feet of furnished space and some are huge -- a couple thousand square feet and bigger. We just installed a CoreTec LVP in a 1067 sq ft basement of a Marietta home. The cost was a little over $7000 plus some prep/levelling that was needed. Hope this gives you an idea for budgeting purposes.
Got Pets?
Tips For Choosing The Right Rug
While your pets are important members of your household, they can also be quite destructive. You want to protect the floors underneath, and area rugs are just what you need. But your rugs can take a beating from their fur, claws, and accidents if they are not pet-friendly. Here’s what you need to know to select the best rug for your situation:
Wool Rugs -- are a great option for homes with pets for their durability and softness. However, they can be expensive, so if you’re worried about your pets ruining your rug, you might want to consider a different material.
Synthetic Rugs -- made of polypropylene, nylon, or polyester are another pet-friendly option since they are durable, soft, maintain color well, and are easy to clean. These rugs often don’t break the bank like wool rugs, so you do not have to worry as much about your pets damaging your rug.
Cotton Flatweaves -- are a great option for pets since there is not an actual pile to the rug, and cotton is a very durable and easy to clean material.
Washable Rugs — are made specifically for easy clean-up from stains and messes. With washable rugs, you can just throw the rug in the washing machine and have it look good as new!
Indoor/Outdoor Rugs -- are built to be durable enough for the outdoors but soft enough to be comfortable inside your home. With their durability, they will be able to handle any wear and tear from your pets.
These are rugs to avoid with pets:
Shag Rugs -- Dirt, dust, and fur can get stuck in the thick and fluffy pile that shag rugs are known for. Your furry friends could also decide that the shag pile is a new chew toy.
High-Pile Rugs -- While high-pile rugs are beautiful and comfortable, pet hair and dirt can easily get stuck in the pile of the rug.
Fringed Rugs -- Rugs with fringe and tassels are automatically new chew toys for your pets so it is best to steer clear.
And a few tips for taking care of your rugs:
Vacuum Your Rugs Regularly
Your rugs already hold onto dirt and dust, but pet hair is an added layer. It’s important to vacuum your rug regularly to pick up any dirt, dust, pet hair, and dander that is sitting on your rug. The longer you leave it sitting, the more it will mat down the rug, causing damage to the fibers.
Tackle Accidents Fast
As soon as you see a stain or an accident, it’s time to act fast. The longer you leave the stain unattended, the harder it will be to get the stain out.
Blot, Blot, Blot For any stains, dap a cloth on top of the stain to pick up any liquid before using a cleaning solution. Do not rub! Rubbing could force the stain deeper into the rug fibers, making it much harder to get out.
Additional tips to keep in mind:
Pick A Great Pattern
Unfortunately, pets are bound to cause a few stains on your rugs. Busier patterns can not only provide a lovely aesthetic look to your home, but they can also mask the appearance of stains and pet fur well!
Pay Attention To The Fur Color
If your pets shed most of their fur, it’s smart to try to coordinate the color of their fur with the color of your rug. By coordinating these colors, your pet’s fur won’t stand out as much against the rug. For pets with white fur, you can use cream, light gray, or other light-colored rugs. For pets with darker fur, you want to look at blacks or dark grays.
Use Rug Pads Rug pads are important to use underneath all of your rugs throughout your house, pets or no pets. But it is even more important to use rug pads with pets so you can protect your rug and floor while keeping your rug secure to the floor.
Can’t Find A Rug That Works? Enhance Floors has a nice variety of rugs in stock, and also creates custom rugs for our clients. Bring measurements of the exact size(s) that you need, and we can help you select the right carpet to have cut and finished in the size that you need. We love helping you complete your look with the perfect area rug!
Interest Rates Are Up
Except At Enhance!
We are offering 0% Interest on your flooring purchase!
Take advantage of great sale prices PLUS interest free financing* on your new floor. LVP, carpet, hardwoods, even window treatments and countertops! Come by today and find your perfect new look for the new year.
*See store for details. With approved credit, $2000 minimum purchase required
Are You Super Busy During The Week?
We get it. Our Design Center is open on Saturdays from 10 til 5. We are also offering appointments for in-home estimates several Saturdays each month. If you are ready for new floors but have a hard time scheduling a time for the measure during the week, there are Saturday options available!
Woo1 101
Wool is regarded as the premier fiber used in carpet, rugs, and stair runners. A natural fiber from sheep, wool is renewable and sustainable.
Wool carpets have a natural and soft luxurious feel, the unique fiber structure is strong and hard-wearing and provides natural protection to help resist staining and soiling. It also absorbs noise and is naturally flame retardant.
Wool's natural properties help keep your home cool in summer and warm in winter, plus wool fibers are natural, renewable and biodegradable. Wool carpet absorbs and releases moisture to help maintain a stable room temperature. This means lower energy and cost to heat and cool your home.
You will spend a little more money up front for wool, but the durability and longevity makes up for it over the years. We have wool carpets form Karastan, Godfrey Hurst, Fabrica, Stanton, and Nourison. Come in and take a look!
Did you hear about the latest tax news? New for 2023—the federal government has introduced an exciting energy tax credit, letting you save up to $1,200 on select energy-efficient Duette® Honeycomb Shades.
Designed specifically to provide year-round insulation at the window, Duette shades help you save energy when temps dip—as well as when they heat up, reducing your monthly utility bills. (An added benefit: using less energy helps contribute to a more sustainable environment.)
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Tackle Accidents Fast
Use Rug Pads
Are You Super Busy During The Week?
