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Best Kitchen Flooring Options For Your Home

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Before deciding to renovate your kitchen, it’s important to consider what types of kitchen floors you’re going to use. While it’s fun to pick out cabinets, hardware, and countertops, your kitchen flooring is important, too! When you think about it, the floors are the one thing that stands out the most in a kitchen. 

There are many types of kitchen floors, from budget-friendly vinyl to natural hardwood floors, there are plenty of affordable kitchen flooring options for you to choose from! It’s all about what the best kitchen flooring options for your home.

Here’s our list of kitchen flooring options to get you started:

Hardwood

Hardwood flooring is timeless and classic. It’s by far the most sought-after flooring. It brings an immediate sense of elegance and unmatched beauty to not only just your kitchen but your entire home. 

Due to their gorgeous, warm aesthetic, hardwood floors are an incredibly desirable flooring material, and this is no exception for homebuyers. Installing hardwood in your kitchen can skyrocket the value of your home. Other kinds of flooring products come close but they can never completely replicate their glowing natural beauty. They’re also durable and guaranteed to last for centuries.

On the downside, hardwood floors require a good bit of maintenance. They’re more difficult to clean and susceptible to scratches. These types of floors are also incredibly porous, so when they’re exposed to water or moisture over the long term, they can warp. Lastly, there’s the cost of hardwood. High-quality hardwood flooring runs from $ 4 – $12 a sq. ft., so expect this material to be a bit harsher on the wallet.

If you’re thinking of installing hardwood in your home but feel it may be out of your budget,  engineered hardwood is an option rather than solid natural hardwood flooring. Engineered hardwood is more water-resistant, friendlier on your wallet, and better for the planet. Plus, it looks pretty close to the real thing!

Laminate

Laminate has been a go-to in the flooring world for quite some time now. Nowadays, there are tons of laminate designs to choose from, and they’ve become the perfect cost-efficient alternative to hardwood flooring. 

While laminate flooring is not an exact match to wood, with the help of modern technology, it can look pretty close to the real thing. It’s also easy to install and takes no time at all to do as a quick DIY project, since laminate floors are made to lock together, making it consumer-friendly. 

Laminate flooring is very affordable and will usually cost around $2 – $5 per sq. foot. That comes in significantly cheaper than other flooring types, and especially hardwood. It’s also a good investment as laminate flooring is typically pretty durable and very easy to replace.

Some of laminate flooring’s lesser qualities can be justified by its affordability. Of all the downsides of laminate flooring, installing it in your kitchen could result in it having to be replaced sooner rather than later. This is because laminate is not very moisture-resistant, so spills or any sort of contact with water over time can be detrimental to your laminate floors. Unfortunately, the lifespan of laminate and the risk of exposure to too much moisture can make it undesirable for a lot of homebuyers, which means it wouldn’t add a lot of value to your home. 

In conclusion, laminate flooring is an amazing choice for someone who just wants flooring to get the job done. It’s affordable, it looks great, and it’s easy to install. However, because of its lack of durability and how prone it is to being damaged by moisture, it isn’t the most ideal material for a kitchen.

Vinyl 

Vinyl is the most popular form of residential kitchen flooring. This is primarily because it’s very low-maintenance, moisture-resistant, budget-friendly, and long-lasting. It’s also pleasant to walk on due to the ability to insulate under the material. Even better, vinyl flooring is able to look better than ever these days due to advanced technology, giving you a seemingly limitless amount of options to choose from.

That being said, vinyl flooring does have its downsides. It’s a little easier to scratch than the alternatives such as tile. It’s also vulnerable to water penetrating the top layer of the flooring (the top of vinyl is water-resistant, underneath is not), so being rough with your floors or overcleaning could produce some unfortunate results. On top of this, vinyl flooring is rather difficult to repair.

To sum it up simply, vinyl flooring is an incredibly cost-efficient option for your kitchen and it doesn’t look too bad either! On the other hand, if you have pets or you’re in general a bit rough with your floors, it may not be the right choice for your kitchen.

Tile

Tile is a great flooring option for the kitchen. It not only looks elegant and clean, but it’s also a breeze to maintain and incredibly durable. There’s a vast selection of tile options to choose from-including quarry, marble, porcelain, and ceramic. To make matters even better, modern printing technology can generate pretty much any design you can think of on your tile floor! Tile is incredibly versatile, so it’s sure to fit the ideas you may have for your kitchen.

Tile flooring has a nearly impenetrable surface that’s extremely tough and durable. Tile flooring will last for an extremely long time, is water-resistance, and cannot easily be scratched. A tile floor needs very little cleaning unless something is spilled on it, making it the perfect material for kitchens. Perhaps the best part of this is that tile flooring is also cost-efficient; making it possible to get a quality porcelain tile for $4 per square feet or less!

Nothing is perfect, so there are of course a few cons that come with tile flooring. The biggest downside to tile is that it can get especially slick when wet, creating safety hazards in your kitchen, especially if your tile is glazed. Tile flooring is also susceptible to cracks and chips if heavier items are dropped on them. Lastly, older homeowners and those that suffer from knee or foot problems might have some difficulty standing tile, as they’re solid and rough surface and provide no support, unlike hardwood or vinyl flooring.

In all, tile is the ultimate option for kitchen floors. Though it has its flaws, it is still to this day the kitchen flooring option that offers the most durability, aesthetic value, and it can save you a lot of money compared to the other options!

My Affordable Flooring is Here to Help Find The Right Kitchen Flooring Option For You

There are a lot of different flooring options and making a decision can be difficult, so if you’re looking to have new floors installed for your kitchen, we would love to help! Our ultimate goal is to meet your budget needs and providing you with the best kitchen flooring options for your home. If there is anything we can do to help you, please feel free to contact us!

How Often Should I Be Vacuuming My Carpets?

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Carpets are great. They improve a room’s overall comfort and feel in a way that hardwood can’t. However, they can also hide dirt and germs that would otherwise be cleaned right away. So, how often should you actually be vacuuming your carpets? Let’s take a look to see just how to keep your carpets not just looking clean, but actually being clean.

How Much Traffic Does the Carpet Get?

Understand how much traffic each carpeted area in your house gets. For example, a guest bedroom may only get traffic a few times a month. On the other hand, the master bedroom likely gets the most traffic of all. The frequency that people enter and exit the room should be a major consideration for cleaning purposes.

A room with little foot traffic won’t get dirty as fast because no one will be tracking dirt or germs in. You only have to vacuum these rooms a couple of times a month. However, heavy foot traffic is accompanied by more dust and germs. These rooms should be vacuumed about once a week.

Benefits of Vacuuming Regularly

Busy rooms should be vacuumed often to make sure they are always in the best possible condition.

  • Improve the look of your carpets
    • Vacuumed carpets are clean and fluffy, making them look and feel better. Consider vacuuming before and after having guests over to improve your home’s overall comfort level.
  • Remove most dirt, germs, and other particles
    • Carpets harbor dirt and germs, not to mention glass. Broken glass hidden within a carpet could cause serious injury, so be certain to always vacuum, especially after an accident.
  • Extend the lifespan of your carpets
    • Regularly vacuumed carpets look better and last longer. In addition, you should always clean the spots right away if someone spills to avoid bacteria growth.

In a Serious Case, Call on the Experts from My Affordable Flooring

Vacuuming can help keep a carpet looking clean, but it isn’t always a hundred percent clean in reality. You should have all carpets cleaned by professionals at least once a year to make sure you don’t miss any hidden messes.

Call My Affordable Flooring to get your carpets cleaned by a pro (262)-653-1120

Why You Should Install Hardwood Floors in Summer

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Summer is here and the June air in Wisconsin brings so many great opportunities. One of those opportunities you may not have thought about? Installing a new hardwood floor! Why would summer be a better season than winter, spring or fall?

Of course, we consider any time a great time for a new floor. But summer months bring with them some variables that make installing a new hardwood floor easier and more convenient.

Summer Vacation While Your Floor Gets Installed

We figure that a new floor installation can be somewhat of a burden. The room is not really accessible for a while. It can be dirty, and our professional floor technicians need your space to get the job done right.

If you want a new hardwood floor, and plan on going out of town sometime this summer, why not do both at once? While you are out enjoying the summer with family and friends, we can install a new floor for you. Then, when you return, you’ll have a brand new hardwood floor waiting for you.

This way, you can avoid the inconvenience of the process. There can be some noise and smell associated with the process, the room cannot be used until the job is done, and you may be planning a trip away with your family for a week or so. Make a smart choice, and get both done at once.

Does Summer Humidity Affect Hardwood Floor?

Yes, wood floorboards are hygroscopic. That means that the wood absorbs or expels water depending on its surrounding environment. So, much like a cold, dry winter changes the appearance of your floor, so too do the humid summer months ahead. In the winter, you may notice cracks and spaces between the floorboards. This is because in winter there is less water in the wooden floorboards, so they are smaller.

However, in the summer, there’s more humidity in the air and more water within the wood floors. That means the wood increases in size. Poorly installed or old wood floors can become damaged by this fluctuation in the state of the wood. However, most of the time, a regularly heated and cooled house will not see too much change in this respect.

It is a good idea to keep a dehumidifier around in the summer just to make certain there is not excessive moisture in the air. A smart installation team will also let the wood acclimate in the house for a while to make sure it’s all uniform in size and moisture retention.

Install New Hardwood Floors Today!

Any time is a great time to get new hardwood floors. My Affordable Flooring has the best technicians in Milwaukee and the most affordable prices. We would love to talk to you about how we can make your summer vacation even better by having beautiful, new hardwood floors waiting for you when you return!

Contact us today for a free estimate!

How Termites Damage Your Hardwood Floors

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Termite infestations cost homeowners millions of dollars to rid their home of them and restore the structural damage. According to Orkin, “termites damage approximately 600,000 homes in the U.S. each year.”  In turn, knowing the signs of termite infestation and acting fast can save homeowners the headaches and money. In order to know how to identify termites in hardwood floors, check for these signs of infestation and what to do to stop them in their tracks.

What are Termites?

A termite is a light-colored insect that feeds on wood. They have wings and often occupy wooded areas. There are several different species of termites:

Subterranean

These are the most common, and according to Pest World, “the most destructive of all termites.” Subterranean termites are common throughout the United States, normally residing underground or in moist areas above ground.

Formosan

These termites are similar to Subterranean termites because of how much damage they can cause. Formosan termites produce large colonies that can chew through the wood structures at a very fast rate.

Dampwood

Common in areas along the coasts and in the southwest, dampwood termites are attracted to places exposed to a lot of moisture.

Drywood

This type of termite is unique because it doesn’t require an area to have soil in order to establish a colony. You can find Drywood termites in walls, attics or roofs.

While you might not be able to spot a termite with the naked eye, you’ll probably notice wood structures falling apart. Knowing the signs of an infestation is important for all homeowners.

What are the Signs of an Infestation?

There are many sure signs of an infestation that a homeowner should pay attention to. Orkin lists discolored drywall and wood, squeaky floors, and chipping wood as common signs of an infestation. Homeowners should pay close attention to patterns in wood structures. These patterns suggest a path that termites have chewed through the wood. Also, termites can contribute to crowning and buckling in your hardwood and laminate floors. Homeowners shouldn’t ignore the following signs: mud tubes, wing piles and piles of feces.

If you see any of these signs, it’s important to stop the infestation in its tracks.

Stopping a Termite Infestation and Long-Term Prevention

Depending on what species of termites have inhabited your home and how much they’ve damaged your home will determine what needs to be done. First and foremost, you should contact an inspector to assess your home and determine the presence of termites. After your home has been rid of the infestation, you should have professionals assess the damage done to hardwood and laminate floors.

Hardwood floors that are buckled, cupped or chipped away require replacing. Tile flooring and hardwoods such as cedar have been proven to be more resilient to damage from termites. My Affordable Flooring offers a wide range of repair services for hardwood floors. Give us a call today to give your home a fresh start with new floors.

 

 

 

 

 

Caulking and Grouting Tiles in your Milwaukee Home

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Choosing caulk or grout for tile floors can be a tough decision for homeowners. Both materials have their own benefits, but depending on the project, one may work better than the other. Here’s what you need to know about choosing caulk or grout for your Milwaukee home.

What is Caulk?

Caulk is made from either silicone, latex or polyurethane. It’s used to seal gaps between tiles and prevent water absorption. Some brands, such as Lifetime, reinforce sealants with anti-microbial properties for easy cleaning.

What is Grout?

Grout is a paste made up of water and sediments, such as cement and sand, that fills the gaps in between tiles. Like caulk, grout acts as a sealant for space in between tiles. Grout is a tough material that helps hold tile together and is easy to clean. Hardware stores sell an assortment of brands that come pre-mixed and unmixed.

What are the Benefits and Downsides of Caulk?

Caulk is a great material for working with tile. It’s super durable making the room for error is smaller. The sealant factor makes it resistant to water and pests, meaning you can reduce the occurrence of mold and inhabiting pests. According to a post from The Tile Doctor, caulk is especially helpful for sealing tiles surrounding bathtubs.

A post from Sanford and Hawley, Inc. urges consumers to choose wisely when it comes to caulk. While it is highly durable and resistant to water, not all products are one and the same. For example, latex based caulk may not work well in areas exposed to high temperatures. Homeowners should keep in mind the type of room and the conditions when buying products.

While caulk is a great sealant, it works best for sealing tile on a short term basis. Grouting between tiles provides long-lasting strength.

What are the Benefits and Downsides of Grout?

The sedimentary material in grout mixes gives it a lot of strength. Grout does a fantastic job holding tiles together in the long run. If you haven’t had any luck with caulking tiles, grout could be the best solution in the long run. Homeowners should be aware of grouts limitations before they hit the store.

Grout products come both sealed and unsealed. Unsealed grout is porous and can absorb water, leading to mold buildup. Poorly sealed grout also invites pests to inhabit in between tiles. Homeowners should pick up some sealant when they’re purchasing grout.

Caulk or Grout: Which One Do I Pick for My Tile Floors?

Caulk and grout carry their own benefits and drawbacks. Homeowners who are new to tile work should consult a professional before they attempt to install tiles. If you want to leave it to a professional, call on My Affordable Flooring, providing for homeowners from Milwaukee down to Chicago.

 

The Dos and Dont’s of Cleaning Floors

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Floors are never safe from dirt, spills or grime. Whether there’s heavy foot traffic or you aren’t keen on tidying up, dirty floors happen. The seasons can really affect things too, especially with this winter weather we have been having in the Midwest! It’s important to preserve the quality and appearance of your floor. However, you shouldn’t grab everything under the kitchen sink and go to town on cleaning floors. Here are the do’s and don’ts of cleaning your floors.

Hardwood Floors

Do This

The first thing you should do is dust and vacuum your hardwood floors. This way you collect all of the dust and debris before you start mopping. After that, it’s time to bring out the mop. Be sure to use warm water, a water-based cleaner, and well-wrung mop. Allow enough time for the floors to dry before walking on them.

Don’t Do This

If you use a vacuum, you want to be sure that it can be used on hardwood floors. When it comes time to mop, don’t reach for any cleaner at the hardware store or stuff you have around the house. Be sure to look for a cleaner that is non-toxic and water-based. When in doubt, consult a professional on the best product for cleaning hardwood floors.

Laminate Floors

Do This

Laminate flooring imitates the looks of hardwood floors and is more resistant to stains. However, that doesn’t mean they are stain proof. When any type of liquid spills onto laminate flooring, you should act immediately. Quickly drying up a spill will prevent staining and damage to the floor.

Don’t Do This

According to a post from DIY Network, you should not use scented cleaners or cleaners that produce a shine. This can lead to a build-up on wax and residue that can be hard to get out.

Vinyl Floors

Do This

It’s very important that you consistently clean & maintain vinyl flooring. Vinyl floors are susceptible to damage when grime and water build up. This can cause the wax layers to buff out, compromising the tile. According to a post from Reader’s Digest, make sure you know the type of floor you have to determine whether or not it needs to be waxed.

Don’t Do This

You should use minimal amounts of water when cleaning floors made from vinyl. Excessive amounts of water will absorb into vinyl floors, causing more damage. That means wringing out the mop as much as you can. Make sure your cleaner is specific to the type of vinyl floor that you have, for example, use a cleaner specified for waxed vinyl.

For more info on the best rooms for installing vinyl flooring, see this post.

Tile Floors

Do This

It’s important to consistently sweep your tiled floors since dirt and grime can cause cosmetic damage to tiles. For a simple clean, mopping your floor with a mixture of hot water & cleaning solution will do. For stains, you can use a combination of water, cleaning solutions and household products. DIY Network has a great post explaining how to clean stains on ceramic tile.

Don’t Do This

Don’t neglect the grout between your tiles. Since grout is very porous, it can be harder to get out the grit and grime between your tiles. To preserve the look of your tile, make sure you clean the grout with specified cleaner and low amounts of water.

A Final Word on Cleaning Floors

Whether you have hardwood floors or ceramic tiles, you should make it a habit to consistently clean your floors. For more tips on cleaning your floors or new floor options, call on My Affordable Flooring!

 

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Vinyl Flooring

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Vinyl Flooring

 

When you begin shopping for a new floor for your home, you will quickly become aware that vinyl is a very solid option in most applications. A vinyl flooring installation, in both sheet and tile forms, is an extremely durable, attractive and affordable material for your home and life.

What is Vinyl Flooring?

Vinyl flooring is made of a type of plastic called polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is a highly useful material used to produce everything from toys to home siding. The material makeup of vinyl flooring gives it a unique resiliency and allows it to “give” upon impact, where other flooring types may dent or crack, and also makes it more comfortable to walk on than other flooring types. These properties make vinyl flooring ideal for high-traffic areas of the home, particularly those with children and pets.

Advantages and Disadvantages

There are two types of vinyl flooring: sheet flooring and tile flooring. Sheet flooring is naturally more resistant to liquids, since a sheet flooring installation has fewer seams, giving liquid less opportunity to penetrate to the adhesive layer. However, many homeowners choose vinyl tile flooring because of its more elegant appearance and ability to closely replicate the look of much more expensive and less durable flooring materials.

Although vinyl flooring ranks high in durability, the material doesn’t often stand up well to heavy loads. Its flexible nature can allow for permanent denting under heavy furniture or appliances. If such items are pushed or pulled across a vinyl floor, you can expect ruts or deformation to occur. Vinyl flooring may also be inappropriate for areas that are frequently wet, as puddles and moisture can seep into the seams and cause peeling. Extreme temperatures or direct sunlight can also cause fading of colors or eventual breakdown of the surface layer.

A particular consideration before installing vinyl flooring is smoothness and uniformity of the surface onto which the vinyl is installed. Any bumps or indentations of the substrate surface will eventually be visible through the vinyl.

For a professional look and maximum life expectancy out of your floor, choose an installer with the experience and skills to get it done right. My Affordable Flooring is your best option for high-quality vinyl flooring installation in Milwaukee and the surrounding areas.

Call Today for a Free Estimate!
Are you interested in a vinyl floor for your home? Call us today at 262-653-1120 for a free, no-obligation estimate, or fill out our contact form to schedule a free, in-home visit.

5 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Hardwood Floor

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5 Factors to Consider When Purchasing Hardwood Floors

Is hardwood flooring right for your home or business? Hardwood is experiencing a renaissance and has never been more popular. What’s all the hype about? Consult this handy checklist and discover whether or not choosing a hardwood floor is the answer for your Milwaukee-area home:

  • Wood Flooring Options: Hardwood flooring is primarily available in two types: solid and engineered. Solid hardwood is created from solid logs, put together with tongues and grooves, and is available in a variety of finishes and sizes. Engineered flooring is made from a mix of plywood and composite material and topped with a layer of solid hardwood. While solid hardwood is aesthetically-classic, engineered flooring is easier to install and resistant to warping caused by humidity.
  • Wood Species Variation: Common species used in hardwood flooring include Red Oak, Hickory, Maple, Walnut, Brazilian Cherry, Brazilian Koa, and Cumaru. Different wood species are more or less hard; the harder the wood, the more durable.
  • Stylistic Consideration: Due to the large variety of species and finishes, finding a flooring option that meshes with the style of your home or business has never been easier. Popular styles include distressed, grainy, wide-plank, country, and more!
  • Selecting a Finish: The importance of a floor’s finish cannot be understated. A single wood species can look entirely different depending on the amount of gloss and technique used in it’s finish. Considering functionality, you can also select between unfinished or prefinished floors. Unfinished floors are finished on-site, allowing for a more consistent seal, whereas pre-finished floors are created in a controlled factory setting, which means they often come with a warranty.
  • Price and Installation: Hardwood flooring costs vary as much as species, style, and finish. Common prices for solid prefinished floors range from $3 to $12 per square foot. Common prices for engineered prefinished wood flooring range from $2 to $9. Installation usually involves affixing the hardwood floor to a sub-floor and often costs about half as much as the flooring itself.

If you’re considering choosing a hardwood floor, start the conversation with My Affordable Flooring. We offer free estimates and consultations for all of our services. Call our friendly sales associates today at 262-653-1120 for a no-obligation estimate or just complete our contact form to schedule your appointment.

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Contact Information

Address
1510 S Sylvania Ave
Sturtevant, WI 53177
262.653.1120

When it comes to beautiful and ornate hardwood floors in Wisconsin, there is only one answer — My Affordable Flooring. For more than 20 years now founder of My Affordable Flooring has been personally installing and refinishing some of the Milwaukee areas most beautiful wood floors. Providing wood floor refinishing services that are some of the best quality in the nation.