Faqs

In the manufacturing process of carpet, strands of yarn are sewn into a backing material. This process creates thousands of yarn loops.

• When the loops are cut, they create what we know as a “cut pile” or “smooth texture” carpet.
• When these loops remain uncut, they are known as a “loop” carpet.
• When these two options are combined, they create various construction patterns: “pattern loop” carpet exists when loops remain uncut but have have different heights. “Cut and loop patterns” on the other hand, exist when cut pile is combined with loops to create interesting visual effects.

For more info, visit: http://shawfloors.com/tips-trends/luxurious-carpet/carpet-styles-and-construction

Studies show that with proper cleaning and maintenance, carpeted rooms have actually a lover level of dust-borne allergens in the air than rooms with hard surface floors. It is important to understand that the mere presence of allergens does not in itself pose a hazard.  The allergen must be inhaled for exposure to occur and in order for inhalation to occur, the allergen must be airborne. Carpet, can actually help you to breathe better by acting as a trap for allergens and by holding significant quantities of soil, dust and other substances until you are ready to remove them.

For more information, visit: http://shawfloors.com/adx/aspx/adxGetMedia.aspx?DocID=1635

You may be surprised to hear that emissions from new carpet, are among the lowest of any household’s indoor furnishings and building materials. With proper ventilation, VOCs are proven to dissipate within 24 hours.

There are four basic carpet fibers and they all have their individual strengths. What’s most important, is the fact that they all make excellent carpets. Having said that, your ultimate choice will be determined by the characteristics that are most important to you.

Nylon:

Since the early 1960’s this has been the most commonly used carpet fiber. Nylon is the most versatile of all fibers, providing excellent flexibility in creating a variety of carpet styles. Nylon can be found in a wide range of both cut pile and loop pile styles. It is durable, resilient and receptive to dyeing for color versatility and uniformity. Many new nylon yarn systems are also exceptionally soft. Though not inherently stain resistant, most nylon carpets feature a stain-resist carpet treatment for protection against household spills and stains.

Polyester (PET):

Polyester offers exceptional softness and color clarity and it is also naturally stain and fade resistant. While polyester is not as inherently resilient as nylon, carpets made of polyester fiber will perform well if appropriately constructed. Thanks to technological advances in yarn processing and improved carpet construction techniques, polyester’s purported weakness as a high-performance fiber has been largely overcome. When properly twisted and tufted, today’s polyester yarns perform much better than in past years. Polyester styles are good choices for low-medium traffic settings such as bedrooms. Polyester carpet styles typically represent good value.

PTT (Triexta Polyester):

Patented in 1941, PTT is a polyester-based fiber that cannot be treated with a stain and soil resistance system. The yarn’s lack of repellency can make cleanup of spills difficult and many oil-based stains are extremely difficult to remove.

Polypropylene (Olefin):

Unlike other fiber types, polypropylene will not absorb water and must therefore be solution-dyed to impart color. Solution dyeing is a pigmentation process in which color is actually built into the fiber when it is formed, or extruded, thereby becoming an inherent part that cannot be removed from the fiber. The color will not fade, even when exposed to intense sunlight, bleaches, atmospheric contaminants or other harsh chemicals. However, since it is not as resilient as other fibers, polypropylene is normally used in loop pile constructions in which there is less need for superior resiliency.

For more information on carpet fibers, visit: http://shawfloors.com/tips-trends/luxurious-carpet/carpet-fibers

Carpet padding is a must have in order to extend the life of your carpet and increase your level of comfort. Padding will make your carpets feel richer, ticker and softer and will allow you to keep your rooms quieter and warmer (by decreasing sound and increasing thermal insulation). Using a high quality carpet underlay will also help you to keep your carpets cleaner as it allows for greater air flow which in turn will help you to remove dirt much more effectively during vacuuming. Make sure to ask your Sammy’s Designer Flooring Sales and Design Consultant about your padding and underlay options.

In solid hardwood floors, every board is made from a single solid piece of timber and installation is typically done over a plywood subfloor using a nail down system. This is the most traditional form of hardwood flooring.

In engineered floors, every board is made from several layers of wood (plywood, common softwood or even high density fiberboard) with valuable hardwood used only for the surface or “wear” layer of your floors. Each layer is stacked in a cross-grain configuration and bonded together under heat and pressure. As a result, engineered wood flooring is less likely to be affected by changes in humidity allowing you to install it at all levels of your home.

Installation of solid hardwood flooring can virtually be done in any room that is “above grade” (2^nd level or higher) with some exceptions -including in damp locations (such as bathrooms and laundry rooms) or in rooms that could potentially flood or require wet mopping.

Installation of engineered hardwood flooring can also be done in any room including “on grade” (at ground level) or “below grade” (any floor below ground level such as basements or sunken living rooms). Installation of a moisture barrier underlayment is required. Some exceptions apply. For more information, please speak with one of our knowledgeable Sales and Design consultants.

Many people choose a wood species based on its hardness, thinking that a harder wood will be more durable and resistant to wear and damage. While this is true to some extent, the fact is that all hardwoods can be dented and scratched even with the toughest finish. So it’s more important to choose a floor based on its visual appearance.

In most cases, buyers of hardwood products aspire to bring a natural, high-end look to their homes. When it comes to selecting the texture or finish of a new hardwood floor, it is quite common for people to lean towards selecting a smooth finish for their floors. The reason for that, is simply because a smooth finish hardwood floor will reveal the silky touch and natural grain of each wood species much better than others and contribute to the overall luxurious, flawless look of your floors. While this is true, you must keep in mind that over time, the regular wear and tear of your floors (dents and scratches) might become more noticeable with a smooth finish hardwood.

Choosing a hand scraped, wire brushed or a distressed-look hardwood is an ideal alternative for counteracting the imperfections in your floors that may arise over time. A hand scrapped or distressed floor will also add to the character of your home and provide a warm and welcoming feel to your space. If you have a young family or pets living at home or if you want to ensure that your floors maintain that high-end, brand new look over time, a hand scrapped, wire brushed or distressed hardwood floor is the way to go.

Other specialty hardwood finishes include antique finish, were gentle sculpting is applied to the surface of the wood which gives it a slightly distressed look. Special stains may also be applied in order to provide a more rustic, vintage look to your floors.

There are four basic installation techniques for hardwood flooring:

• Nail down: Occurs when the boards are fastened to a plywood subfloor using cleats or staples
• Glue down: Occurs when the boards are glued to the subfloor with a special flooring glue
• Floating:  Occurs when the boards are glued to each other (but not to the subfloor below) floating over a cushioned underlay.
• Glueless: Known as a popular variation to the floating installation, in which the boards have a specially designed joint system that allows the boards to be “clicked” together without glue or fasteners.

Most styles of engineered hardwood floors are approved for use over radiant heat (certain wood species such jatoba and maple, are not suitable for use with radiant heat systems). However, there are some special considerations when installing over radiant. Please speak with one of our knowledgeable Sales and Design consultants or visit https://kentwoodfloors.com/sites/default/files/TKC-RHSpecialIns.pdf for more information.

Yes. Many strata councils have specific regulations regarding the installation of hardwood flooring in their suites. One of the most common requirements is that an acoustic underlay must be installed under the wood flooring in order to minimize sound transmission between floors. Please check with your strata council to find out about the specific requirements they may have.

Yes. A hardwood floor can usually be refinished in two ways.

A “buff and recoat” is an effective way to refresh a floor on which the finish has become scuffed and scratched over time. It involves a very thorough cleaning followed by a new coat of polyurethane finish (sometimes a bonding agent is required to ensure the new coat of finish adheres to the old one). With “buff and recoat” the floor’s original finish is not compromised in anyway and the finish warranty remains in effect.

If the finish has been completely worn away or otherwise damaged, the floor can be refinished. This involves sanding away the entire finish until the hardwood is exposed, then applying several layers of new polyurethane finish to the entire floor. The number of times a floor can be refinished depends upon the thickness of the hardwood wear-layer, but most floors can be refinished two or three times at a minimum. Once a floor has been refinished, the original finish warranty is no longer valid.

Both of these procedures should only be performed by qualified professional wood flooring refinishers.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international non-profit organization dedicated to encouraging responsible management of the world’s forests. Established in 1993, FSC has become one of the most respected and recognized certification programs in the world. The familiar FSC logo (found in many of the wood products that we carry) indicate that the product that you are looking at, has been made with wood that is certified by the FSC to have been responsibly and sustainably harvested.

Before selecting tile, you must ensure that the tile style that you choose, is suitable for your project. Please review the list of questions below and make sure to speak with one of our Sales and Design consultants about your requirements:

• Resistance to abrasion: Are the tiles going to be installed in areas of intense commercial traffic or heavy traffic residential areas such as kitchens, entryways or stairs?
• Water absorption: Where are the tiles going to be installed? Tiles with a water absorption rate of less than .5% of their weight (such as porcelain tiles) will be much more suitable for applications such as pools, saunas and bathrooms. Porcelain tiles are very dense and have a very low absorbency rate. Ceramic tiles on the other hand are more porous and generally less durable than porcelain tiles as they have a less dense body composition.
• Resistance to frost: Are the tiles going to be installed indoors or outdoors? What type of climate are they going to be exposed to? Frost resistance is directly related to water absorption. If tiles absorb water and freeze, the tiles may fracture (or break) as the tile expands.
• Chemical resistance: Decorative tiles –such as those with a metallic, frosted or textured finish- can’t be exposed to acid or abrasive cleaners; otherwise, the distinctive finish will wear off. We recommend avoiding installation of these products in areas that will be heavily used or areas that are likely to be exposed to oil splatters or harsh chemicals.

We do not recommend installation of glass tiles or high gloss tiles on your kitchen countertops or any work surfaces as the high gloss will eventually show scratches.

Each glass tile product that we sell will have installation instructions that are specific for that line. Please follow those directions exactly. Important general guidelines include: a) glass tile must be scored with a glass cutter and cut with a diamond blade wet saw; b) glass tile must be installed over a crack suppression membrane using an inorganic tile adhesive or white thin-set; c) each glass tile piece must be back buttered.