The flooring industry is a fashion business. We see carpet trends change over time. Berber fades and Frieze grows. Then Frieze yields to Casual Texture, etc. Jeff Branch, a Mohawk Territory Manager, is convinced that the cut pile pin dot, also known as the precision cut/uncut (or PCU for short) is once again gaining momentum in our industry. The PCU style has been around for decades. Its classic style allows the room’s décor to be the focal point, not the carpet. The pin dot is a truly classic carpet style.

Mohawk has given our customers a new option in this category with the introduction of Decatur. Decatur is made of Resista fiber and comes in 20 great colors. This soft and durable carpet is affordably priced and comes with a terrific stain resistant warranty. Resista carpet styles will remain stain resistant to common household food and beverage substances – without exclusion – for 10 years from the date of installation.

Soft, durable, and no strain on the budget…Is it any wonder why Decatur is proving to be a snappy success in the PCU category?

Renee LeCroy is Your Local Flooring Expert at Don’s Carpet One in Birmingham, AL. For 18 years, she’s been the consumer’s in-store advocate, decoding the flooring industry and offering insider advice. Contact Renee via email.

An ounce of prevention and a sealer that protects is just what your natural stone may need. If your home has natural stone in any area, start the New Year with a quick look at how you are maintaining it – both long and short term. You may need to question whether your natural stone is sealed properly and are you cleaning it daily with a good neutral cleaner. In short, if you’re battling soap scum, dull granite countertops, or seeing surface scratches then you are probably not caring for your natural stone correctly.

Never use ordinary household cleaners to clean your natural stone. One of the worst mistakes you can make is to grab your window cleaner to clean your kitchen or bath countertops. If you have been doing this, STOP! Household cleaners can remove the sealer and possibly etch or scratch the surface. Bathroom cleaners may prove to be too abrasive.

Start by identifying what type of natural stone you have in your home. Marble, granite, limestone, travertine, slate and sandstone are the most common. Once you have identified your stone then proceed with the correct maintenance system. Remember that all natural stones are porous so a system will be required.

DupontTM StoneTech provides great guide lines on how to keep your natural stone looking marvelous. DupontTM StoneTech offers an entire system for cleaning and sealing natural stone.

DOs and DON’Ts:

• DO use DupontTM StoneTech Professional sealers to protect your stone and tile.
• DO clean up spills immediately to minimize damage to your stone and tile.
• DO use trivets or mats under hot dishes and cookware.
• DO use place mats under china, ceramics, silver and other objects that can scratch your stone’s surface.
• DO place a small rug or mat at entry ways to trap dirt and sand from normal foot traffic.
• DO dust or carefully vacuum countertops, islands, vanities and floors frequently.
• DO use coasters under glasses, especially if they contain alcohol or citrus juices.
• DO clean surfaces regularly with DupontTM StoneTech Professional Revitalizer or Stone & Tile Cleaner.
• DON’T wait to clean up spills on stone. Clean up as quickly as possible.
• DON’T use dish soap, vinegar, bleach, ammonia, or general purpose cleaners, bathroom cleaners, or tub and tile cleaners.
• DON’T use abrasive cleaners such as dry cleansers or soft cleaners.
• DON’T use alkaline cleaners not specifically formulated for stone.

Since natural stone is an expensive, timeless surface in our home make sure you follow guidelines to keep it sealed and cleaned. You’ll be glad you did.

Renee LeCroy is Your Local Flooring Expert at Don’s Carpet One in Birmingham, AL. For 18 years, she’s been the consumer’s in-store advocate, decoding the flooring industry and offering insider advice. Contact Renee via email.

Florida Tile has truly hit a homerun on this one. Is it tile or hardwood? You have to take a second look to believe it’s not hardwood. No Florida Tile has not entered the hardwood business, but has used new high-definition technology to design a new porcelain tile that would compete with the best looking hardwoods in the industry. The Berkshire series has hardwood character, but the durability of a porcelain color body tile. The color body means the color on the top of the porcelain tile goes all the way through the tile. The new high-definition porcelain is a homeowner’s answer to high traffic areas needing the warmth of hardwood color tones and the durability of a porcelain tile.

According to Florida Tile their new Berkshire is green and great for wet areas where you could never use hardwood. “With up to 40% recycled content, GREENGUARD and Porcelain Tile certified, the line meets the 0.6% wet COF and includes and 4×24 bullnose to complete any interior installation”. Berkshire would be a wonderful alternative to hardwood flooring for a high-traffic area.

Berkshire is a 6” x 24” plank, available in five colors Hickory, Maple, Oak, Olive, and Walnut. You could call the colors stains they look so realistic. The only drawback to mention is that all tile planks would all be 24” inches long not giving you a random movement like hardwood offers.

It’s exciting to see the flooring industry busy at work bringing new products to the market. It is a great time to buy really cool flooring.

Renee LeCroy is the Flooring Expert at Don’s Carpet One in Birmingham, AL. For 18 years, she’s been the consumer’s in-store advocate, decoding the flooring industry and offering insider advice. Contact Renee via email.

I have recently been given temporary custody of my daughter’s dog Gabbi. My daughter is a senior in college and her work load has proven too much for her to have a puppy running around her apartment while trying to study and go to class. So Ms. Gabbi has turned my house upside down! I can say now that she is eight months old and is 99% house trained. As a flooring expert I now know firsthand what a little 10 pound puppy can do to your floors, especially carpet.
You must act quickly when the accident occurs. Here is a tip for carpet clean-ups using household products you should have on hand.
According to Carpet One’s Carpet Floor Care and Warranty Guide, these are the steps to cleaning urine (dry or fresh) from your carpet…
1. SCRAPE or BLOT excess spill
2. APPLY *DETERGENT SOLUTIONS onto a damp towel
3. BLOT area-don’t rub
4. APPLY **WHITE VINEGAR (undiluted)- using a damp towel
5. BLOT area-don’t rub
6. WATER-apply with damp sponge
7. BLOT-finish with weighted pad of paper towels

Please notice how many times the word BLOT is used. It is very important not to rub your carpet fibers. Always blot.
*Detergent Solution: Mix ¼ teaspoon of clear, non-bleach, non-lanolin, non-optical brightening dishwashing liquid per one cup of warm water. Allow the detergent to remain on the area for eight to ten minutes. Never use automatic dishwashing detergent or laundry detergents.
** White Vinegar Solution: Mix equal parts vinegar with equal parts water or use undiluted if instructed.
The Carpet and Rug Institute provides an extensive list of household products and methods you can use to remove all types of stains. Here is a great site to put in your favorites list if you have a pet. www.carpet-rug.org

Renee LeCroy is the Flooring Expert at Don’s Carpet One in Birmingham, AL. For 18 years, she’s been the consumer’s in-store advocate, decoding the flooring industry and offering insider advice. Contact Renee via email.

I have noticed in our retail flooring industry that the manufacturer sometimes has a problem communicating to Ms. MacGillicuddy about how she can save money on her flooring purchase.  It appears the manufacture is marketing to the retail store, not the consumer “Ms. MacGillicuddy.”   Ms. MacGillicuddy is conditioned to look for savings and the awesome coupon of the day.

Don’t you just wonder how long it took Armstrong’s creative team to come up with this “Special Hardwood Promotion?”   It confused me when they posted this generic signage in our store.  You would not believe the beautiful hardwood floors in this display that may have gotten overlooked with this not- so-exciting “Promotion” posting.  Why didn’t Armstrong just say what they needed to by calling it the “Biggest and Best Armstrong Flooring Sale of the Year?”

Armstrong surely understands that the consumer, which I have always referred to as Ms. MacGillicuddy, doesn’t have time for Armstrong to explain that they really are trying to save her money and want her to buy their hardwood.   For example, they reduced prices so much during this so called “promotion” that Century Estate was on sale for $4.39 per square foot less than the regular retail price.  That’s a lot of money if you happen to be in love with this gorgeous hardwood.  

My suggestion is to quiz your retail flooring expert on how you can achieve maximum savings when you buy your new floor. 

Renee LeCroy is the Flooring Expert at Don’s Carpet One in Birmingham, AL. For 18 years, she’s been the consumer’s in-store advocate, decoding the flooring industry and offering insider advice. Contact Renee via email.

I have decided to tackle the myth that vinegar and water is the best cleaning method for hardwood floors. This method should be avoided if possible. But as a last resort, the original solution prescribe is 1 capful of plain white vinegar to 1 gallon of warm water.  There are two main problems with using vinegar on a hardwood floor… it contains acetic acid and most people don’t know how to truly damp mop. The correct way is to use 1 capful to 1 gallon of water, damp mop (never soak the wood), and use a drying towel immediately to eliminate excess water on your floor to restore the shine of the urethane finish.   

So with all the directions listed above and the fact that water and wood are not a good mix, let’s consider another method.   My suggestion is to use a hardwood cleaner made by Bona. Bona Hardwood Cleaner is a wonderfully formulated, easy to use product that assures your hardwood floor investment is cleaned correctly. Best of all, you don’t have to get down on all fours and use a drying towel to finish the job. 

Bona is a company that has been around since 1919.  Bona’s main focus is making hardwood maintenance products.  Bona doesn’t manufacture hardwood floors, just the maintenance products to keep them looking beautiful.

Tips provided by Bona to keep your hardwood floors clean and looking good….

Why Bona Cleaner?

Bona has been trusted by professionals since 1919. Their cleaners have no dulling residue and are also non-toxic and GREENGUARD certified.

How Often Should I Clean?

This varies, depending on your household and the square footage of your wood floors. Kids, pets, and environment all contribute to wear on your floor. That said, Bona recommends cleaning as often as possible. Keeping your floor free from dirt and dust helps prevents scuffs and scratches. A clean floor is a longer lasting floor. 

Advanced Tips

• Use proper tools to clean your floor – a mop paired with a machine washable, microfiber pad for dusting and cleaning. Electrostatic action attracts dirt, micro particles and common household allergens. (Use a fancy mop to dust mop.) 
• Avoid using water and vinegar solutions, soap-based cleaners, or wax or steam cleaners on your hardwood floors. Vinegar and water actually dull the floor’s finish over time, while soap and wax leave residue. Steam cleaners put heat and excessive water on your floor, which can lead to cupping and long-term damage.
• Regular dusting and cleaning keeps hardwood floors looking new. But protective mats can further your floor’s life. Use natural, rubber rug underlayments with a waffle pattern in entry ways or high traffic areas, and always use felt floor protectors on furniture.

So when you think of vinegar, it’s time to make salad, and consider using Bona Hardwood Cleaner to maintain your hardwood floor investment. 

Renee LeCroy is the Flooring Expert at Don’s Carpet One in Birmingham, AL. For 18 years, she’s been the consumer’s in-store advocate, decoding the flooring industry and offering insider advice. Contact Renee via email.

With football season kicking off across the nation last week it is a good time to talk about how to clean up spills that hit your carpet.  It is fun to have a game party, but the stains on the carpet may last a lot longer than the fun!  See the tips from Mohawk on how to clean and maintain your carpet’s beauty. 

• The best way to ensure long-lasting beauty, comfort and durability in your carpet is to vacuum it regularly, as it prevents soil from becoming embedded in the carpet’s pile.
• Depending on the type of carpet you have, you’ll want to use a vacuum with a rotating brush, a beater bar or suction only. If you have shag carpet, use a suction-only vacuum cleaner with no beater bar. 
• Consider professional cleaning every 12-18 months, depending on traffic and other use factors, frequency of vacuuming and whether the carpet is a light or dark color.
• Use scissors to clip sprouts and snags; do not pull them or you may damage the carpet.
• To remove a dent caused by heavy furniture, stroke carpet with the edges of a coin. You can also use a hair dryer or a steam iron to gently raise the dented area while you tug upward on the tufts. CAUTION: DO NOT LET THE IRON TOUCH THE CARPET.
• If your carpet is burned, remove the tops of the dark, burnt fibers with curved fingernail scissors. If the burn is extensive, the carpet may require patching or replacement.
• If a flooding occurs from a burst pipe, washing machine overflow or other leak, the carpet needs to be dried, front and back, by a professional cleaner with the proper equipment.

Stain Removal Tips

• A wet/dry vacuum cleaner is the best way to effectively remove stains. Use the attachment with the best suction and vacuum as much of the stain as possible, continuing to add water to the stain as you go.
• If detergent is required, use it sparingly and gently rinse the area with water while moving the vacuum wand back and forth. Use a towel to absorb all moisture.
• If spot removal solvent is necessary, apply several drops to a clean white cloth and blot the carpet in an inconspicuous area. If a color change occurs or color transfers to the cloth, consult a professional carpet cleaner. Place towels or cloth over wet area and weight with a heavy, colorfast object to absorb moisture. Leave overnight.
• If stains remain after cleaning, moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide and let stand for one hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain-free. No rinsing is necessary. Apply a pad of paper towels and weigh them down, allowing carpet to dry.
• Some stains cannot be removed because they permanently alter the carpet’s color. These stains include acid toilet bowl cleaners, acne medication, alkaline drain cleaners, chlorinated bleaches, hair dyes, iodine, insecticides, mustard with turmeric and plant fertilizers. For these types of stains, call a professional.

Tips for Removing Common Stains

Beer, wine, coffee and tea
Blot and neutralize with a white vinegar solution, then work a small amount of a detergent solution into the spot (1/4 teaspoon detergent per 1 qt. of water). Continue applying detergent and blotting until spot is completely removed. Using a spray bottle, rinse with tap water and blot to remove excess moisture. Apply paper towels and weigh them down, allowing the spot to dry.

Blood, catsup, cheese, chocolate, cola, cough syrup, mixed drinks, soft drinks, soy sauce, starch, toothpaste, white glue
First, note that all solutions for removing blood must be cool in temperature. Blot and neutralize the spot with an ammonia solution, using a spray bottle to saturate the spot. Next, work a small amount of a detergent solution into the spot (1/4 teaspoon detergent per 1 qt. of water) and continue applying detergent and blotting until spot is removed. Using a spray bottle, rinse with tap water and blot to remove excess moisture. Apply a pad of paper towels, weigh them down and allow to dry.

Mud and dirt
Allow mud to dry completely. Shatter the dried mud with the handle of a knife, then vacuum. For dirt, apply a small amount of a detergent solution to the spot (1/4 teaspoon detergent per 1 qt. of water) and blot with a white paper towel to work the detergent into the affected area. Continue applying detergent and blotting until spot is removed. Using a spray bottle, rinse with tap water, and then blot to remove excess moisture.

Renee LeCroy is the Flooring Expert at Don’s Carpet One in Birmingham, AL. For 18 years, she’s been the consumer’s in-store advocate, decoding the flooring industry and offering insider advice. Contact Renee via email.

Here is a really cool idea marketing all three types of hardwood construction.  Home Legend has designed a display board that tells the whole story about the various hardwood constructions using one board to show On/Above/Below Grade hardwood construction.  We are not talking species, but construction types.  Highlighted on this 3-IN-1 display are the Solid, Engineered, and High Density Fiberboard (HDF) Core constructions. Solid ¾” hardwood can’t be installed everywhere in the home.  This system makes it possible to start on the main level and finish with the same hardwood in the basement.  Think of it like this… same hardwood, stain, and finish but different installation types. 

While out shopping for hardwood, the first question should always be, “Where is the flooring being installed?”  There are strict limitations on where a ¾” thick solid hardwood floor can be installed.  You can’t install solid hardwood in a below grade situation, because of the moisture content. Keep in mind that you should be able to nail solid hardwood to the subfloor.  Solid hardwood will not perform on concrete slabs and basements, and special attention should be paid to homes built with a crawl space.  

3-IN-1 SOLID HARDWOOD – Solid ¾” construction. System: Tongue and Grove. Installation: ON/ABOVE GRADE.

3-IN-1 5-PLY –Engineered ½” construction. System:  Tongue and Grove.  Installation: ON/ABOVE/BELOW GRADE.

3-IN-1 HDF CORE– Engineered 3/8” construction. System:  Seal-Lock ^TM Click System. Installation: ON/ABOVE/BELOW GRADE.

Notice the main difference between Engineered ½” and HDF Core 3/8” is that you would float the HDF core instead of gluing. 

You can have your hardwood anywhere you want but just remember to think about the construction before the installation begins.

Renee LeCroy is the Flooring Expert at Don’s Carpet One in Birmingham, AL. For 18 years, she’s been the consumer’s in-store advocate, decoding the flooring industry and offering insider advice. Contact Renee via email.

According to DIY websites, the basic building block of any entertainment system is sound, both in terms of sources and displays.  For most media rooms, the sound or audio system is a combination of an audio-video (AV) receiver plus five or more loud speakers and a subwoofer.  I am going to add flooring to this category because without the perfect flooring your media room could fall short of great entertainment.

Whether you are converting your basement into a home theater or you are designing an elaborate multi-purpose family room, the floor is definitely an important factor.  As I researched this topic, I found that 9 out of 10 photos of media rooms have been adorned with carpet on the floor.  Sound bouncing and echoing off the walls and floors just doesn’t set the desired mood when entertaining guests.  Melinda Hedrick, a local Interior Designer who has worked with many clients on media rooms, said that carpet is best in media rooms because it provides the correct balance of acoustic value, while also providing a wonderful pattern or graphic design. 

Brenda Howell of Foote Brothers Furniture in Sylacauga, Alabama shed interesting light on media room furniture.  She said that our family rooms are now, in fact, media rooms.  The flat screen televisions have added a new dimension to furniture selection.  The TV is the “center stage” of most homes so the furniture and flooring must follow suit.  Foote Brothers carries a Scandinavian Design Furniture – comfort leather, Ekornes, www.ekornes.com.   Ekornes has trademarked the Stressless® recliners – Stressless® sofas.  The word “stressless” just grabs your attention, doesn’t it?  It certainly does mine! 

So before you buy that huge flat screen, install that sound system, fire up the amplifiers, and pick out the furniture, make sure you have fully pulled the room together by paying close attention to the details – especially the FLOORS!

I hope you all have a blast this fall watching the never ending football games or enjoying wonderful Sunday afternoon movies..and I hope you do so with beautiful carpet under foot!

 I want to offer a special “Thank You” to Brenda Howell (brenda@footebros.com) and Melinda Hedricks (mh4dzn@yahoo.com) for their contribution to this blog.   Thank you for your insight.

Renee LeCroy is the Flooring Expert at Don’s Carpet One in Birmingham, AL. For 18 years, she’s been the consumer’s in-store advocate, decoding the flooring industry and offering insider advice. Contact Renee via email.

I have been researching a topic I think you are all going to enjoy – Entertainment Rooms.  There is so much to consider on that topic and I am really close to having a blog for you all.  In the meantime, I thought it might be nice to revisit a topic that is still as relevent today as it was when we first posted it a little over a year ago.  Check out the below and look for our Entertainment Room blog next week… 

From June 2010:

This week, I’ve been in class learning all about SmartStrand® by Mohawk®. Partnering with DuPont™, Mohawk® began making carpets with this fiber in 2004. It has since become the number one selling carpet in all of Carpet One, our parent company. There are plenty of good reasons why.

Customer’s surveyed after installation gave rave reviews on: comfort, durability, easy maintenance and spill, stain and crushing protection.

From the field to the floor
SmartStrand® is also much kinder to the environment than most carpets. Sugar produced from corn is processed to become a key ingredient in SmartStrand®. We learned that every seven yards of Smart Strand® carpet used in a home saves enough energy and resources to equal a gallon of gasoline. That’s 10 million gallons a year!

Why now?
You’re thinking, “It’s been around for 6 years. Why all the fuss now?” Fair question. First off, we have now had time to see that it’s tried and true. They said it would resist stains, soiling and crushing. We’ve seen it in action. It does.

The bigger news is that the Federal Trade Commission recently determined that the Dupont™ fiber used in Mohawk SmartStrand® carpets, previously classified as polyester, now merits its own subclass. It’s superior to nylon. Wow! The fiber got a new name, “Triexta” which DuPont™ markets under the trademark Sorona®.

The FTC based its decision on testing of residential carpets, which demonstrated that triexta significantly outperforms carpets made from polyester in resilience and durability.

The 3 main things that set the SmartStrand® carpets apart.

• Instead of being a coating, the stain protection is built into the fiber. It doesn’t wash or wear off.
• The molecular structure of the fiber is much like a spring. It bounces back, reducing crushing.
• This is one of the few carpets that has a pet stain warranty. That’s a rarity in this industry!

And the cost?
Well, it’s just like your mama said, you get what you pay for. SmartStrand® is a premium fiber and the price tag reflects just that. Weigh the added cost with longevity when deciding if this carpet is right for you. I can say we just installed SmartStrand® carpet in my parent’s home and they absolutely love it!

Renee LeCroy is the Flooring Expert at Don’s Carpet One in Birmingham, AL. For 18 years, she’s been the consumer’s in-store advocate, decoding the flooring industry and offering insider advice. Contact Renee via email.