jewelrypoint

by UIC Digital Collections

Flooring Website Helps the Pocketbook as the Economy Takes a Dive

The flooring industry is feeling the squeeze of the economic downturn just like every other industry. Flooring retailers, installers and floor cleaning professionals – with few exceptions – are all struggling as jobless rates rise and people have less money to spend. Recent estimates suggest that a significant number of flooring businesses in the United States have closed their doors in recent months. It’s hard to put a smile on a number like that, but there is some comfort in knowing that there is some help out there.

“Like every industry, the flooring business has taken a hammering,” said Damien Patton, founder and CEO of FindAnyFloor.com™. “Flooring professionals who a month ago had a stable business are now lined up looking for work like so many other people. Given that, it’s gratifying that what we do at FAF can actually help them, as well as the people looking to buy flooring but not overspend.”

FindAnyFloor.com is the world’s largest flooring information website and it ranks in the top one percent of all searched sites on the Internet. Despite the woes of the economy, FAF has steadily grown in strength since it was unveiled in mid-August of 2008.

The “help” that Patton refers to comes in a variety of forms.

To begin with, the site runs very deep with information.  This is a benefit to consumers looking to save time and money by getting the right floor for their needs. And by using the site’s Find A Local™ search directory, customers can also access information on thousands of flooring professionals. By simply entering their zip code, site visitors can find the retailers, installers and cleaners nearest their home, which again translates to saving time and, very possibly, money.

Size Up That Floor or Reach Out to a Professional

The site’s state-of-the-art Quick Click Floor Estimator™ is an easy-to-use online tool for calculating the area, cost and waste factor of any new floor. By simply using the cursor to click and drag the provided flooring templates, any room configuration can be duplicated. From there, all kinds of options can be compared: for example, the cost of bamboo compared to cork; or angled tiling compared to having it laid straight across the room. So rather than taking a stab in the dark, the customer knows not only what outlay they’re looking at, but precisely what they’re getting for that outlay.

The latest addition to the FindAnyFloor.com “toolbox” is the Ask A Pro™ Live Chat. Site visitors just click on the Ask A Pro button which appears on every page, type in their flooring question, and receive a real-time response. It’s free of charge and requires no sign-up or log-in. In other words, it’s the simplest way possible to get unbiased flooring answers and get them fast. Of course, the key word is “unbiased.”

Sweet Deals and “Friendly Flooring”

Any way to save money helps these days. It all adds up. FindAnyFloor.com has developed strong relationships with the professionals listed on the site and offers a Discounts & Coupons section for those seeking flooring goods and services. Once again, it’s simply a matter of the consumer typing in their zip code to find the vendors in their area who are offering deals.

Many people have special requirements when it comes to their floors. Perhaps they have pets or they suffer from allergies. Maybe they have some form of disability or are the parent of young children. Then again, they may live in a demanding climate or be very environmentally conscious. For just such circumstances, FindAnyFloor.com came up with its Friendly Flooring™ section. Site users in the aforementioned situations can now go directly to the flooring information put together just for them.

How does this save money? That’s a long list. For example, some floors are kinder to allergy suffers than others – which can mean savings on medicines. Other floors are resistant to damage that might be caused by pets or climate swings. And in the case of, say, toddlers, well a floor that is forgiving on their tumbles and falls can save on medical bills not to mention the anguish caused to both parent and child. No other flooring site can boast anything like Friendly Flooring.

Helping You Get It Right

Few things are more expensive than mistakes. Imagine buying flooring and then finding it didn’t suit your house or your needs. Or worse still, buying it and then trying to install it and botching the job. With FindAnyFloor.com’s detailed Buying Guides, do-it-yourself Installation Guides, and handy Buying Checklists, it’s hard to go wrong. All of the guides are available specifically for each of the major flooring types: bamboo, concrete, carpet, cork, hardwood, laminate, linoleum, rubber, stone, tile, and vinyl.

The Buying Guides cover all the main areas of floor purchasing: where to buy, questions to ask, installation considerations, and more. The Installation Guides come in short form for the more experienced do-it-yourselfer and a longer, more detailed form. A printable pdf version is available too, and once again, all the main floor types are covered. The buying checklists are a great way to move methodically through the purchasing process and make sure you don’t miss any key questions or decisions.

FindAnyFloor.com is also in the process of adding a series of installation videos to the site. Used in tandem with the installation guides, they make DIY jobs easier for the savvy homeowner.

Great Discussion Forums

FindAnyFloor.com’s Discussion Forums provide a community for flooring consumers. Site visitors can join one of the discussions or start their own. Naturally, the experience of others can be a money saver – and FAF even has a forum section specifically titled “Money Saving Tips.” Open it up and you’ll find a variety of subjects that can save you more than just nickels and dimes.

They say that knowledge is power. Well, when it comes to making major purchases in a shaky economy, it’s also a great insurance policy. With over 10,000 pages of flooring information, FindAnyFloor.com forewarns and forearms flooring consumers. Whether planning a major purchase or wondering how best to repair that pet-claw scratch, FAF is the premier website for getting the right, money-saving information.

“When I started FindAnyFloor.com I wanted it to be a thorough, plain-English resource that the average consumer could use and benefit from,” said Patton. “I didn’t want to have lots of pointless bells and whistles on the site or cater only to the high-end consumers or flooring initiates. This is a site for everyone. And with the things that are going on with the economy now, I know more than ever that I did the right thing.”

Economists aren’t predicting light at the end of the economic tunnel for some time yet. So if ever there was a time for doing the right thing with your “dollars and sense,” it’s now. It’s still possible to purchase within your means…with a little help from your Internet friends.

Aquarius is a new technology that combines the benefits of Laminate Flooring and Vinyl Flooring. Easy to install. Check out the video. For more details, this link will take you directly to our Aquarius page: www.floorstoyourhome.com

by ground*floor

Versatile Wood Flooring With Click Technology For Easy Installation

Wood flooring is becoming increasingly popular amongst homeowners due to its versatility, low maintenance and high quality appearance. Unfortunately, installation can be reasonably difficult; this often puts people off opting for wooden flooring.

For individuals that are new to DIY, this can be particularly daunting, especially if they choose to purchase their new flooring from an online retailer. However, there are specialists that have a solution to this problem, click wood flooring. This innovative product is simply clicked into place with no need for nails or glue.

The click wood flooring that they supply is incredibly easy to install yet it offers the same look and feel as standard wooden flooring. They even provide solid wood click flooring, so customers do not have to compromise on quality.

What’s more, as they are primarily based online they are able to keep costs low, meaning that customers do not have to pay over the odds for their wood flooring. Prices start from just £26.79 m², almost half of the usual retail price.

Wood flooring can add a touch of luxury to any home; it can add a traditional look to new-build homes and enhance the appearance of older properties. Their click wood flooring is available in both lacquered and oiled varieties, and in rustic forest or brown oak.

In addition to click wood flooring these specialists also offer a range of flooring to suit many different styles and budgets including engineered wood flooring, laminate flooring, karndean and solid wood flooring.

If you are looking for a stylish new floor that is relatively hassle free to fit, even if you are a DIY novice, take a look at the wood flooring available from online suppliers, or give them a call to discuss the products that will suit your home best.

More Click Flooring Articles

by J. Star

Installing Your Own Click Bamboo Flooring

If you are interested in installing bamboo click flooring yourself, you will need to know how to do this. Installing your click flooring yourself will give you a great feeling of accomplishment and you will save money in the long run. However, before you can begin installing the flooring yourself, you will need to know how to do it. There are many places that you can go for resources to learn how to install click flooring. Most of the instructions that you will find will be the same, however, you may find some different techniques that you can try. The first place that you can go for information on installing your bamboo click flooring yourself is the internet. By simply doing a search online you will find that the internet is full of information on this subject. You will want to use instructions that come from a reputable site, and preferably that has pictures and illustrations along with it. When you have pictures that you can refer to, you can be sure that you are getting the job done right. You may even find that you will want to print some of the instructions for easy access when you are actually installing the flooring. Another great place for you to go to learn how to install bamboo click flooring yourself is the library. When you go into the library to find information on installing floors, you will find a lot of information. However if you seem to have problems finding the information that you need on click bamboo flooring, you can always use a similar kind of floor installation instructions to guide you. Most of the click lock floors are installed all the same, so you should not have any problem adapting the instructions to suit your floor type. As you can see that there are many places that you can look for guidance on installing your bamboo click flooring yourself. You will want to be sure that you get accurate information, and maybe even try out a few techniques. If none of the above resources help you in your search for instructions, try visiting a bookstore and purchasing a few books so that you can learn how to do this the correct way, a good place to start may be the internet, i’m sure when you did a search on Bamboo Flooring, alot of results were returned.

How-To Instructional Video on installing Marmoleum Click Flooring Product. Demonstration.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

by Chris D 2006

Do It Yourself with Bamboo Click Flooring

Do-it-yourselfers have a new reason to celebrate. Bamboo hardwood floors are now available in bamboo click flooring systems that allow even the novice to install a beautiful hardwood floor. These click flooring systems make it practical for consumers on a fixed budget to avoid the cost of a professional installer and at the same time have beautiful hardwood floors in their homes.

Bamboo click floorings are engineered bamboo flooring systems that are designed to be installed primarily as a floating flooring system. These click flooring systems fit together much like a jigsaw puzzle and require little more than the ability to cut the planks to fit if necessary.

Bamboo click flooring is the natural choice in bamboo flooring if the installation is being done by the consumer and also if the subfloor is made of a surface that wouldn’t be nail or glue friendly. With bamboo click flooring the main subflooring concern is that it be level, otherwise the flooring will not click together without bowing and warping. Bamboo click flooring can literally be installed over current flooring and theoretically removed without damaging the old flooring. This makes bamboo click flooring basically portable flooring should the consumer decide they want to take it with them when they move.

Bamboo click flooring does require some of the same prep work as other bamboo flooring installations in order to have a sturdy floor with longevity. The subfloor should be smooth and level. The presence of dips can make the flooring impossible to fit together. The subflooring should also be tested for moisture. The presence of moisture can cause damage to the bamboo flooring that cannot be repaired. If moisture is discovered a moisture barrier can be installed to prevent it from seeping through to the floor.

Additionally, some manufacturers suggest the additional of a soft underlay material to help absorb some of the noise associated with click or floating flooring installations. Because these floors are not attached to the subfloor they tend to have more noise associated with them than other types of flooring.

Do-it-yourself bamboo click flooring is the ideal project for the homeowner who wants to add the beauty of hardwood floors without adding the cost burden of a professional installer.

Find More Click Flooring Articles