Buying Carpet - Do You Know the Difference Between Staple Fiber and BCF Fiber? You Should!

Have you ever been in a flooring store shopping for comfort and your sales person starts shooting off all those fancy terms that you didn’t understand? Do not feel bad, a lot of these terms you would only know if you worked in the flooring industry or if a sales person decided to take the time to explain them to you. This is where a sales person can become your trusted advisor.

   Today I want to tell you about a couple of terms that you will commonly here in a flooring store while shopping for carpet; Staple Fiber and BCF Fiber.

   Staple Fiber: A staple fiber means that the fibers have been cut to certain lengths. These lengths can range from 1 1/2 inches to 8 inches, depending on the fiber and manufacturer. Staple fiber is still very common on the market today.

   What you need to know about Staple Fiber is that it will shed. Because of it being cut lengths of filament they easily come loose from the backing. The good news is that your carpet will never wear down or bald because of this, so that is one thing you do not have to worry about. But every time you vacuum, your canister or bag will be filled with fuzz because even a small amount of fibers, when heated and spun, blows up like cotton candy.

   BCF Fiber: This stands for Bulked Continuous Filament Fiber. This type of carpet is really the way to go. The fibers in a BCF carpet are not all chopped up but one continuous strand that is woven into the carpet backing. This completely eliminates shedding. It also bulks up the carpet and you get a more luxurious feel to your carpet.

Don't be afraid to ask questions about your flooring purchase. If the salesperson does not give helpful answers, you should go elsewhere. Here at Abbey Carpet & Floor, we take pride in making sure our customers are well-informed.

Know The Characteristics Of Laminate Flooring
- Make The Right Choice

   The Europeans innovated laminate flooring, but it has quickly spread to our continent and become a flooring fan favorite here in North America. Not only is it great for residential homes, but because of its strength, durability, and economic pricing compared to other types of flooring, it has also become very popular in commercial offices. Just because something is popular however does not mean that it is clearly understood; there are many mysteries and misconceptions surrounding laminate today. Many of which focus on how it is made and how it differs from real hardwood.

   Quality laminate flooring and real hardwood look strikingly similar. Some of which, when laid side by side, you cannot tell which one is which. This leads to one of the most common mistakes, thinking that laminate and hardwood are similar. Just because they look alike does not mean they are alike; hardwood gets its look from the type of species of wood it is, while laminate is a highly rendered photograph of a type of wood species. This decorative layer is coated by a resin based wear layer that makes laminate stand up to so many different things that hardwood just can't. Medium or high density fiber board makes up the central core layer that absorbs the majority of the stress that will be put upon your floor, while the backing layer is the part that binds all the other layers together; it is called the stabilizing layer.

   One of the things that sets laminate apart from other types of flooring is the ease in which it is installed. Almost all laminate on the market today is a true floating floor; no glue is required for installation. These types of laminates connect by means of a tongue and groove locking system which simply clicks together, that's right, no nails required either. The most novice of do it yourselfers can install laminate flooring with ease, and that is but one of the many reasons laminate has become a favorite here in the US. Many people choose to have laminate professionally installed to get the best job done as possible and for convenience sake. On the other hand if money is tight, you can cut out some expense with laminate flooring because of being able to install it yourself. Laminate can also be installed much faster than hardwood flooring so contractors benefit from offering this to their clients; the faster the job gets done, the more contracts they can take on.

The Janka Scale And Why It Matters When Buying Hardwood

Have you ever wondered why some hardwood flooring costs so much more than others? Well there are several things that factor into the price of the wood, but one of the main things is how hard the wood is.

   Do you know how to tell the difference in a hard wood and a soft wood? The answer is very simple, hard wood trees produce leaves and soft wood trees produce cones. So that would mean that a pine tree, for example, would be a soft wood tree and a tall oak would be a hard wood tree.

   Now different woods have different hardness ratings, and these ratings come from what is called the Janka Scale. The pounds-force Janka Rating on a certain species comes from a test that measures the wear and resistance to denting on that particular wood. I won’t bore you with the mathematical equations that are involved seeing as how I almost fell asleep reading them myself.

   If you are in the market for hardwood then you will probably want to know how the species you are looking at stack up against the competition. Want to know what ranks higher between Tigerwood or Hickory? Or maybe you want to know whether red oak or white oak is tougher. Whatever the case, check the Janka Scale out below. Remember, an educated customer always makes the right decision!

Don't Be Afraid of Carpet Seams

  Carpet seams are something that occurs when your room is wider than the width of the carpet being installed. For instance, if your room is 14 foot wide and the carpet is only twelve foot wide, there is two foot of floor that is not covered by the roll of carpet. When this happens another piece of carpet has to be attached to the main piece to cover the entire width of the floor.

   Many years ago this was done by actually sowing the two pieces together by means of a needle and thread. Technology has come a long way since then. Nowadays the two pieces of carpet are attached with a piece of seaming tape and a hot seaming iron that melts the glue on the tape causing the two pieces of carpet to become one.

   You, like many others might be wary of carpet seams in your home. If not installed properly they can be an eyesore and cause of constant irritation. You might be worried about how it will look or what would happen if it comes apart, these are very understandable concerns to be sure.

   One important factor in the visibility of the seam is the type of carpet you choose. Some carpets hide seams very well while others leave something to be desired. Any thick type of carpet with a tall pile height, especially shag carpet, hides seams especially well. If these types of carpet are installed in your home, you would probably never even know there was a seam there. On the other hand, low level loop pile carpets such as Berber and commercial grade carpets made of Olefin fibers tend not to hide seams very well. For this reason many of these types of carpets are made in 15 foot widths to try and avoid having to use a seam as much as possible.

   So, should you be afraid of carpet seams in your home? If you choose the right type of carpet, absolutely not! Shopping at Abbey Carpet & Floor of Anniston gives you even more confidence because we offer a lifetime installation warranty on any type of carpet you choose. If you are unhappy with the seam or it ever starts to come apart for some reason, we will come out and fix it for you at no charge. So don't shop scared, shop with confidence and let our installation professionals worry about your seams.

Solid or Engineered, That is the Question

  To be or not to be, that is the question. So starts one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, Hamlet. Now while I am not writing to question the nature of action, or life and death, I am writing to discuss one of wood floorings most prominent quandaries. I will assume that since you are reading this you have already chosen to be, as Hamlet put it and are now shopping for new flooring. There are several things to consider when deciding between solid or engineered wood, let’s talk about some facts and fictions of hardwood flooring:

FICTION: THICKER IS BETTER

   While bigger and thicker are often signs of a product being of better quality in the world we live in, this is fiction when dealing with hardwood flooring. While solid woods are usually ¾” thick, being much thicker than most engineered woods, that has no bearing on how your wood floor will perform. The thickness really offers only one benefit; it can be sanded and refinished up to three times. Most engineered wood can only be sanded down one time, but with the hand scraped and distressed looks that are on the market today why would you want to? Yes you do lose any special finish or texture if you decide to sand your floor.

FACT: ENGINEERED WOOD WILL NOT CUP

   This is one of the big plusses to getting engineered wood. Have you ever walked into some ones home and noticed that their floor isn’t smooth anymore? That the strips of wood have actually begun to curl up on the sides, forming a U shape? This is what we in the industry call cupping; it is caused by moisture which is very bad here in the south. Your floor will expand and contract, and when it does those solid pieces of wood have nowhere to go, so over time they eventually cup leaving you unhappy with your floor.

  

   Why does engineered wood not do this you may ask? Well the answer is simple, instead of being a solid piece of wood; engineered wood is made in plies, or layers, each one turned in the opposite direction. You probably know how plywood is constructed; well engineered wood is basically the same except that it has a real wood veneer on top. With this product installed, when your floor decides to expand and contract, those layers push against each other causing the wood to remain in the same position, therefore no cupping and you a satisfied customer.

FICTION: ENGINEERED COST TOO MUCH

   While it is true that engineered wood can be a high priced item, so can solid wood. Just like anything in the world we live in you can find low and high price points on any item. With the price of solid wood steadily rising, you can find engineered wood for the same price as solid if not cheaper.

FACT: ENGINEERED CAN BE INSTALLED OVER CONCRETE

   Many people have been disappointed when they find out that they can’t install the solid wood they want because their subfloor is concrete. Well engineered wood solved that problem. It can easily be glued down over concrete with a proper wood flooring adhesive. In fact all engineered wood can be stapled or glued, and most can be floated provided that you run a bead of glue down the tongue and groove.

   So while your home’s subfloor may make the choice of solid or engineered for you, the decision is entirely up to you. Both will add value to your home and make you a beautiful floor. I’m not writing to tell you to pick one over the other; I just want to provide you with enough information so that you can make an educated decision.

  

   Shakespeare was a phenomenal poet, a true professional of the written word but when it comes to floor covering I think I might have the upper hand. So solid or engineered, that is the question. The answer will be different for every home and every individual, which one is right for you?

What You Need To Know About Carpet Cushion

What most people do not realize is that the cushion they select to put underneath their new carpet REALLY MATTERS. The common perspective is to save money by purchasing an inferior pad so that you can buy a better grade of carpet. The reality, however, is that the cushion you select to go under your carpet has a serious effect on how your carpet will perform.

   Take 6lb. pad for example. It is the most common carpet pad you see installed in homes simply for the fact that it holds up well for the money that you put into it. However the one thing that most consumers are not made aware of is the fact that any liquid that is spilled on the carpet, no matter what quality the carpet is, will leak down through to the pad. If 6lb. pad or a lesser grade is installed the liquid will soak into the pad and actually stain the pad itself. When this occurs, even if you have your carpet professionally cleaned, the pad cannot be cleaned. Therefore the stain tends to reappear over time in your carpet causing an eye sore and you to be disappointed in your carpet when the carpet is not to blame.

   If you invest just a little bit more in pad you can solve this problem. Make sure your pad has an Aqua Guard layer on both sides. It makes your pad mold and mildew resistance and by not allowing any liquid spilled on the surface seep into the pad, reoccurring stains become a thing of the past.

   In addition to Aqua Guard treated pads there are heavy ounce rubber carpet cushions available in today’s market. Not only do they give you mold and mildew resistance, but they are also hypo-allergenic and give you the most luxurious feel you could ever want out of your carpet.

   At Abbey Carpet & Floor of Anniston we stock basic 6lb. pad, a 9lb pad with Aqua Guard, and an 80oz. rubber cushion called Chateau. Whatever product you choose is entirely up to you but think about this: If you went out and purchased a Cadillac Escalade to drive you and your family around town, would you put inferior tire underneath it? I don’t think so. The same reasoning applies to your carpet; if you purchase a high quality carpet don’t use an inferior pad. Invest in a quality carpet cushion and get the luxurious feel that you want and deserve. Your feet will thank you.