Everyone knows the list of things to do to keep your hardwood floor in pristine condition, from not dragging furniture across it to instituting a ‘no shoes’ policy. No matter how careful you try to be, eventually something will happen to scratch your hardwood floors. However, this doesn’t have to be the end the world. In most cases these types of scratches are barely noticeable to anyone but the homeowner. (more…)
Options for Indoor and Outdoor Carpeting The weather in New England can be an ever-changing mix, making it even more important for homeowners to take advantage of those beautiful days. Whether a warm summer afternoon or crisp, cool fall day just enjoying some fresh air can be enough to recharge anyone. Many homeowners are turning to their own porches and decks to enjoy the beautiful weather days. (more…)
Let’s face it no matter how hard you try the floor of your home will get wet, whether from an over-zealous child in the bathtub to a spill in the kitchen. And quite honestly, some flooring is more resilient to water than others. Another concern that many homeowners have is the best flooring for their entryways and mudrooms, which unintentionally see a lot of moisture, particularly during the winter months. (more…)
Area rugs are great for adding a warm, cozy accent to a room. These floor coverings can also move around and slide causing a fall risk, unless proper precautions are taken as one Goffstown homeowner discovered. Proper Padding Keeps Area Rugs from Sliding With kids running in and out of the house, this homeowner’s area rug would never stay in place and she was concerned about one of them falling as they ran across it. While she loved her hardwood…
Unlike that coveted ‘new car smell’, a new carpet odor is something that many homeowners do their best to get rid of. In most cases that new carpet smell is actually a VOC called 4-phenylcyclohexene (4-PCH). 4-PCH is a byproduct of the latex used to secure the carpet fibers to the backing. Not surprisingly, the cheaper the carpet, the more noxious the smell can be. In most cases this off-gassing of the carpet does little more than make you uncomfortable, occasionally…
Advantages of Adding a Carpet Runner on Your Stairs A carpet runner, or stair runner, is a section of carpet that runs the length of your stairs but does not cover the entire width. This is an ideal covering for hardwood stairs in a home. Wood flooring can become slippery, increasing the risk of falls, particularly for children and people with mobility issues. Carpet runners provides a safe place to walk on the stairs. (more…)
Matching Hardwood Flooring - Some Helpful Tips A big challenge for homeowners putting down new hardwood flooring is to match the wood to the rest of your home. This is particularly important if the room where you are installing the hardwood flooring flows into other hardwood areas of the residence. While realistically an exact match may not be possible, with a little attention to detail you can ensure that the flooring is as close to the existing hardwood as possible for…
You have probably walked on carpet that just feels good and comfortable on your feet, even with shoes on. This may not necessarily be because of the carpet itself, but the padding that is hidden underneath. One of the main roles of carpet padding is to absorb the impact walking on the carpet can cause over time by cushioning the blow. This prevents the carpet from being damaged and deteriorating over time. (more…)
The new carpets have been installed they look, and feel, great. No eating, no playing, no shoes, no pets on the carpet because you want to keep them looking and feeling like new. But is this really possible? Of course not. (more…)
‘Going Green’ is here to stay. The latest green trend is with homes and office buildings. You have probably heard the term low-VOC or VOC free, but do you really understand what this means? VOCs are volatile organic compounds. They are commonly found in paint, but can also be found in carpeting. Products containing VOCs release gases in the air that are proven to cause adverse health effects, from headaches and dizziness to nausea and respiratory infections. (more…)