True hardwood flooring has many grain marks that are original and unique. Laminate flooring has many of the same markings and looks just like the real thing.

Hardwood flooring needs continuous maintenance. You need to keep it clean, keep things that can scratch it off of it, and you will need to protect it with coatings when needed. It is expensive to maintain! Laminate flooring is much easier to take care of. You simply need a wet mop to clean it up and while you won’t use chemicals on it, you don’t have to take care not to scratch it as much. It is much more resistant to damage.

Hardwood flooring that is laid correctly will last a lifetime. Laminate flooring will probably last just as long if not longer.

Laminate flooring is much less expensive than hardwoods that can cost you ten times as much as laminates.

Both can be stained in the colors that you want them to be. They can both be protected with special layers of protective coatings that will keep them looking beautiful and lasting a long time.

Laminate flooring to be used regularly, as with true hardwood floors, you will need to take special precautions to make sure that they are not damaged. Water can even damage many hardwoods.

When you are considering the purchase of laminates, make sure to look at the value that it offers to a home. Many love the look of hardwood and the no nonsense trouble that laminates afford. Which is your choice?

By: Sandy Baker

A lot of thinking has to be done before making your choices. Some of the factors that you have to keep in mind are:-

1. The size of the room/ building.
2. The color scheme of the walls.
3. The purpose of the rooms.
4. Your budget.
5. Maintenance.
6. The climate and other natural conditions of the place you live in.
7. Transportation availability and costs.

Once you have all these points considered, you can make your final pick. Marble has been the choice of many for ages. It’s white and gives a royal look. This type of flooring can be done in homes where the rooms are large and you have enough man power to maintain it. Marble needs to be polished once in two three years to maintain the shine. It is not advisable in homes where there are elderly people as there is a small chance they may slip and fall.

The other royal flooring which is black in color is granite. This is also for those buildings and homes where the rooms are big. If used in a small room it may give it a very small and stuffy look. Don’t forget to check the water in your area before opting for granite. As it is black in color if the floor is mopped with salt water there will be salt deposits which is clearly visible.

Going for tiles has been the choice of many. It is simple to maintain, is cost effective and pretty easy to replace as well. Another big advantage that tiles have is that you can pick and choose any color that you want. They come in all sorts of finishes suitable for your wet floors and dry floors. If you want to have tiles for convenience but love wood, there is no problem as there are tiles which look just like wood.

Seeing and being around nature is a rare sight. So if you want your home to be eco friendly you can always go for wood flooring. They are slightly tough to maintain and you will have to keep getting them varnished at regular intervals. They can be replaced with ease and you can feel nature right under your feet everyday every time.
Mosaic flooring has been around for ages. It is the most effective flooring for buildings where you have a lot of movement and less of maintenance. All it needs is to be polished once in a while and it will be as good as new. Mosaic is not recommended for homes where you have dogs as pets. The flooring is best suited for those who need a maintenance free floor.

KENNESAW, Ga.—December 21, 2007—On Saturday, December 22, the Stanford and Texas Tech men’s basketball teams will compete in the annual O’Reilly Christmas Classic basketball game taking place in the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. This year, however, the game is sponsored in part by local retailer Peek’s Carpet and Tile, a Wear-Dated retailer with six locations in Dallas.

A creative opportunity for a Wear-Dated retailer to reach consumers, the O’Reilly Christmas Classic not only offers a way for the Dallas/Fort Worth community to come together, but it reaches out to a good cause – the game will honor the men and women serving in the U.S. military. Military personnel are eligible for free tickets to the game, available at Dallas radio station and event sponsor KLIF’s offices. “We are thrilled to be participating with Wear-Dated in the O’Reilly Christmas Classic,” says Murphy Dykes, vice president/general manager of Peek’s Carpet and Tile. “We can’t imagine a better way to thank our service people.”

Peek’s Wear-Dated marketing and advertising co-op funds are being used to offset the cost of tickets for the military.

Through this sponsorship, Peek’s Carpet and Tile and the Christmas Classic event will receive 150 promotional advertisements on KLIF, as well as 240 ads on four other Dallas/Fort Worth stations. The Wear-Dated logo is displayed on the KLIF website and will also be prominently displayed on the message boards at the American Airlines Center where the O’Reilly Christmas Classic takes place.

For more information about the event, visit www.klif.com. Doors open at 2:30 p.m. and the tip off is at 3:30. Ticket prices range from $10-$225 and can be purchased at any Ticketmaster location.

# # #
Notes to Editor:
• Wear-Dated is a registered trademark of Solutia Inc.

Wear-Dated® Carpet Fiber
Carpets made with Wear-Dated carpet fiber are tough tested and certified for unsurpassed durability, assuring carpet that looks better longer and is backed by full five-year normal wear and full seven-year stain and soil warranties. For more information, visit http://www.weardated.com.

Corporate Profile
Solutia (http://www.Solutia.com) uses world-class skills in applied chemistry to create value-added solutions for customers, whose products improve the lives of consumers every day. Solutia is a world leader in performance films for laminated safety glass and after-market applications; chemicals for the rubber industry; specialties such as heat transfer fluids and aviation hydraulic fluid; and an integrated family of nylon products including high-performance polymers and fibers.

Solutia … Solutions for a Better Life.

Solutia Inc.
Kennesaw, Ga.
T/W

Combining article / news publications with links in the Flooring News directory will positively impact any flooring company’s traffic.

Shag area rugs are one of the most popular floor coverings around.

Caring for your shag area rug properly can extend its usable life indefinitely.Typical maintenance can include regular cleaning with a vacuum and occasional cleaning with a steam machine. Using your vacuum on a regular basis is important with shag area rugs because the vacuum picks up particles that can damage the carpet fibers. As well as reducing the level of dirt caught under the fibers, vacuuming helps to keep up the look of the shag area rug. It is essential to vacuum at least once a week. You should vacuum twice per week in areas that have heavy foot traffic.

Additionally, it is important to keep your vacuum in good working order to maintain a higher level of clean.Because the vacuuming can only catch surface dirt, your shag area rug may need another method of cleaning periodically. A wet cleaner, like a steam machine, is best to remove deep carpet soil like oil or grease. This can be done through a small rental machine or through a professional service. The level of frequency you complete this type of cleaning depends on the shag area rug you have purchased. For most, though, you should complete a deep cleaning every one to two years. Shag area rugs are a nice addition to any home with the proper care.

About the Author: Adam Peters contributes adding content continuously to http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com, a free online magazine for interior design and decorating ideas.

Generally the price of a carpet is figured out by the amount of labor and art put into the rug. When considering a rug you will want to consider the quality of the wool and the dyes used in the construction of the rug.

Some carpets that are passed off today as oriental carpets are actually machine made. Experts can tell the difference by looking at the nap of the carpet. A machine is not able to tie knots as a hand is, therefore a machine made oriental rug will have the nap of the carpet stuck between the base and the wefts. Another way to tell if a carpet is machine made is to check the back of the rug. If the nap is of polypropylene, polyolefin or synthetic wool it is most likely machine made. Also, on a machine made rug the fringe is usually sewn directly to the carpet backing and is not a part of the rug as it is with a handmade rug. Make sure that you are dealing with a reputable carpet dealer who specializes in handmade rugs. This is one of the ways to avoid paying more than you should.

When you purchase an oriental rug there are a few do’s and don’t’s. First, a good quality padding will help to protect the rug, it will also help to prevent it from wrinkling or moving. Generally oriental rugs are placed over hard flooring. A good quality pad can add many years of life to a rug. Rotate the rug frequently. This will help prevent any obvious over-wear on one part of the rug. Try to keep the sun off the rug as much as possible to prevent fading. Remember, this rug will probably outlast any other furniture or rugs you have in your home, and twenty or twenty-five years worth of strong sun can fade wool rugs.

Cleaning your rug is also a consideration. Never have your rug dry cleaned. Never have an oriental wool rug steam cleaned. The steam will remove the essential oils from the carpet which will make it brittle and cause it to wear faster. If you find your rugs needs something other than a mild surface cleaning with water find an expert to do the cleaning for you.

By Mark Freeman

The Importance Of The Furniture

The kind of furniture in the room is also very important when choosing an area rug. Most people that want to compliment any room of their houses with a rug, know what are looking for before start. For example, if your room features dark wood furniture, probably your best choice might be darker colors in the mood of the area rug. No matter what pattern you have chosen, you will be totally surprised on how the feeling of the room has changed. Anyhow, there exist a wide range of colors, patterns and sizes that reflect all possible styles for enhancing your home. Just choose the correct one and your house will seem totally different.

The most winning rugs

There are as many rugs styles as colors or designs. However, Oriental styles are the most demanded for current houses. Oriental area rugs, including Persians are those compliments in which colors are nearly dark, featuring no spots that keep the attention of the visitor. Small rugs are also becoming very popular. Even hang rugs, sometimes called tapestries, which are showed on the wall to be put on view for everyone who pass around. The most important thing for buying an area rug is to find the most suitable as well as the one that more fits into your own decoration.

Find Discount Area Rugs Online

Area rugs have been popular during years. They are relatively easy to take care of, there are many styles, textures, materials and sizes to choose from, so why don?t buy one? It?s time to replace some old furniture, all that you need is some creativity and money. First of all you need to establish a budget before start searching. You can check many internet websites in order to get an idea of the prices. There are some net online that sell discount rugs at affordable prices.

What to look for online discount area rugs? The first and most important thing when search online is the quality; Make sure that you purchase good quality items as well as durable that last at least some years, especially whether you have small children around. If so, think about the durability of the offered discounted area rugs. You should do a deep research around internet before decide on your purchase.

You should study all possible affordable types of materials. Probably, you already have a rough idea of the material that you would like your new rug to be. No matter what style, color or material is, area rugs are a necessity for households. Everyone should have a great rug for her or his home. Surprise everyone by adding a new compliment to your entrance, your friends will be amazed with your new style, do not hesitate about that.

By Matthew Anderson

Matthew Anderson writes for a decorating site which can be found at http://www.home-decorating-reviews.com. A guide on home decorating and how to choose from hundreds of decorating ideas and tips.

Generally darker color rugs hide dirt better than lighter colors and be sure and keep in mind the overall decorative theme of the room your placing the rug in.

Originally rugs were woven to protect the body from cold, to be spread on a dais or before a seat of honor, to cover a table, couch, or wall, or to form the curtains of a tent. There is evidence of the existence of hand-woven carpets in antiquity. Evidence of the early use of rugs is seen in the drawings on the ancient palace walls of ancient cities.

In North America the Navajos and other tribes have for generations produced substantial rugs without pile, woven somewhat in the manner of tapestry on simple handlooms.

Be sure to choose from only the best rugs and area rugs representatives who offer quality, elegance, quick delivery to your home and, of course, great prices!

By Mike Yeager

But hold on for a minute…isn’t electric radiant heat also utilized to melt snow off of driveways, walkways, and other surfaces as well as for managing the problems caused by snow and ice on roof surfaces? The answer is absolutely, positively, yes!!!!! As a matter of fact, when it comes to energy consumption, efficiency and comfort, electric radiant heat, electric radiant snow melt, and electric radiant roof deicing products are real winners.

What about the energy consumption of electric radiant heating products relative to their competitors? Single energy source electric radiant snow melting and radiant roof deicing products are more economical to operate than their radiant hydronic or hot liquid competitors because they do not need to idle or cycle during extended time periods when they are not actually needed to melt snow or ice.

Is electric radiant heat energy efficient? Electric radiant floor heat is more efficient than forced air or convection heat, for two reasons: first, because comfort can be achieved at a lower set point on the thermostat (typically 65 to 67 degrees F for electric radiant heat as opposed to 71 to 74 degrees F for forced or hot air heat); and, second because electric radiant heat does not heat the air, but rather it heats objects, including human beings, in the same manner that the sun warms objects behind a window on a cold winter day.

Will I be comfortable with electric radiant heat? While it is true that “hot air rises” it is also true that “heat has a propensity to go to cold.” The hot air produced by a forced air convection heating system, carries the heat with it towards the ceiling where it is not needed, resulting in wasted energy and a higher set point at the thermostat to achieve comfort.

Electric radiant heating is comprised of a family of technologies that heats surfaces, or radiant panels, that in turn radiate or transfer heat to the occupants and other objects in a room, the snow and ice on a roof, or the snow on a driveway, walkway, or other surface. The technologies in the electric radiant heating industry include high voltage products, self-regulating products, and Heatizon Systems’ low voltage Floorizwarm, Tuff Cable and ZMesh products.

Heatizon Systems Radiant Space Heating or Radiant Heat, Radiant Roof Deicing, Radiant Snow Melting, and Radiant Floor Warming products are listed to U.L. Standards and carry the ETL label, come with an industry leading 25 year warranty, and have been “Warming America’s Cold Spots Since 1979.”

By Steven D. Bench
Managing Member
Heatizon Systems

For additional information on Heatizon Systems products please visit www.heatizon.com

Comfort: Let your bare feet soak up the warmth of soothing heat without the dust and noise associated with other heating sources. Enjoy evenly distributed heat throughout your home kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and basement.

Custom Designed: Whether for supplemental floor warming, or total space heating, every system is custom designed to fit all rooms independent of their shape or size. These systems will heat under any surface including marble, slate, carpet, hardwood and tile. The compact Control Box will hang on the wall of your garage or in a utility room. No heating vents or ducts will be seen, and no furnace or boiler is required.

Perfect for Remodeling and Additions: The simplicity of the low voltage heating element makes this system incredibly easy to install in your remodeling or room addition application. No floor buildup is necessary and no additional construction costs are incurred. The unique heating element can also be installed in between floor joists to heat an existing floor or room.

Safe: So safe, in fact that nails, water, and even touching the heating element during operation will have no harmful effect! You will have peace of mind while loved ones play as the systems are tested to UL standards and run on worry-free, low-voltage energy (8 to 32 V.).

Reliable: The solid-state heating systems are virtually maintenance free and the heating element is backed with a 25 year industry-leading warranty. With no moving parts and advanced self-diagnosing technology, there is no need for yearly maintenance or service checks.
Efficient: Radiant heat is the most efficient form of heat available. Significantly less operating time is required to maintain the desired warmth compared to furnaces and other radiant heat systems, keeping operational costs to a minimal. Low-voltage radiant heating systems run 98% to 100 % efficiency at any elevation as they evenly heat every area of the room.

Convenient: Our accurate thermostats allow you to easily adjust the floor or air temperature of your space heating or floor warming system. You also have the option of programming the exact time of day you want your system to operate. Simply relax, enjoy the comfort, and know that your system will work for decades to come.

So lets compare to other heating applications. Radiant Heat versus other applications:

Radiant Heat vs. Hydronics at a Glance

Both electric and hydronic radiant heat systems have certain advantages for specific applications. The following highlights the advantages low voltage radiant heat systems have:

A Boiler Room is required to run a hydronic radiant heat system. A 17″x12″x7″ Control Unit is required to run low voltage radiant heat system.

Gypsum or concrete slab is required for installing a hydronic system. It is estimated that it costs approx. $4.00 or more per square foot to install a hydronic in-floor heating system than it does to install a in-floor heating system.

The ZMesh heating element is installed directly under the floor surface without any floor buildup. The 12″ wide ZMesh is rolled out over the area to be heated then nailed and/or stapled to the wood subfloor.
Electric radiant heat warms your floors evenly because it uses 100% of the system’s energy. A hydronic system, however, heats the floor less the further away the hot water gets from the boiler (see illustration below). Hydronic systems use only 65-85% of the system’s energy. At higher elevations, electric radiant heat still is 100% efficient, where as hydronic systems are even less effective than at sea level.

Radiant Heat vs. Forced Air at a Glance

A room with floor Radiant In-Floor space heat will have a very uniform temperature from the ceiling to the floor. Heating a basement floor is the ideal application for our radiant heat systems. If you’ve lived in a house with forced air, you can crank the heat up, but the basement floor is still chilled. Installing a floor warming system will add comfort and warmth to your lifestyle.

A room heated with a forced air furnace will have cold floors and the warmest air at the ceiling. Although the air may be heated, the floors will be chilled and uncomfortable, especially for children playing on the floor.
Radiant Heat: click for more information

http://www.heatizon.com