It's about flooring

On the Go

2008-11-14T02:09:36Z

I have been traveling this week and expect to be traveling for the next several weeks so posts will be sporadic. One tip for those searching for flooring information is to use the tags on the right and click on the word bamboo or formaldehyde or whatever you are interested in.

We have some bugginess on the blogs right now so the search is not helpful and the publishing is unpredictable.

But lots of great insights to share about some of the new challeges with flooring in 2009 like the new CARB1 standard and what that means to cheap imports, what does that mean to consumers. Also new product innovations and fashions are just around the corner. I will try to give you some previews to the hottest and most earth friendly looks!

Flooring Installers United

2008-11-06T21:57:19Z

Although flooring installers are often misunderstood and even at times testy with each other their ability to rise above the noise to help each other is a great thing when it happens.

The new version of flooring installer .com is finally live. For those interested in learning, participating or more - check it out.

Flooring Maintenance

2008-10-28T14:30:13Z

Here's a quick flooring tip for you:

Alot of people still don't remember how important it is to prevent sand and other build up to occur on your wooden type floors. (this would include hardwood flooring, cork flooring, bamboo flooring and really any hard surface flooring.)

It's not that people think that sand or dirt is good for floors, but we sometimes get a false sense of security about the scratch-ability of flooring due to the big warranty labels that now show on most flooring brands.

BUT ALL FLOORING, no matter how tough it is can be scratched. Sand can act as sandpaper under your feet therefore keeping the floors sand and dust free is critical. One of the best ways to reduce the sand and build up on your floor is to have mats both inside and outside your doorways (yes, all of them). These mats will protect your flooring by helping grab most of that sand off the shoes before they hit your floors. You also want to have a very regular dust mop schedule (or vacuuming) to keep those floors in tip top shape.

No matter what warranties claim, no matter what sales people promise, no matter what anyone says - FLOORING can scratch. There is no warranty against scratching. (Although there are some very resistant floors to scratching, let's all just remember that the laws of physics still apply to flooring.)

This is somewhat redundant to some past posts, but I wanted to just share this important point since this topic can never get old.

Flooring - Hardwood, Laminate, Cork, Bamboo & Exotics

2008-10-27T20:37:22Z

If you watch the news it seems like the sky is falling and certainly in housing and the financial sectors things could be better, alot better.

But the best investors like Warren Buffet know that a down market is also known as a buyers market. And I can say the team is working overtime to make the best buys that will save you the most money.

I have never seen a more lopsided advantage for buyers. As consumers you can take advantage of top quality products, with superb warranty support at remarkable prices. And to top it off if you use the iFLOOR credit card you can do it at 0% interest! That is called the triple dip if you are a savvy buyer!

If you are thinking about improving your home with new Flooring anytime in the next 18 months - NOW is the time to check out the offers. At some point the momentum will shift as demand increases, but for now the BUYER has the power. That's good for us and that's good for you!

Strand Bamboo flooring installation - Teragren Bamboo - 1 last shot

2008-10-22T05:14:18Z

I am just trying to work out some bugs in the blog. Sorry for the spotty posting schedule.

Brand Wars restored

2008-10-17T21:43:37Z

The article listed here:

Laminate Flooring Brand Comparison

has been fixed. thanks to those that have emailed to alert me.

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Strand Bamboo flooring installation - Teragren Bamboo

2008-10-17T16:21:35Z

Here is a nice photo set from a great installation crew.

This is a strand bamboo flooring job and the brand of bamboo is from Teragren. This is a glue down installation with a 45 degree angle. You can also checkout the Teragren brand website.

As you can see installing on an angle REALLY is a luxury move and makes for an AWESOME upgrade. You should anticipate about 15% waste as a result of installation on the diagonal, but i think it is worth it.

So if you want a strand bamboo that is NOT packed with formaldehyde and you want a beautiful rich floor take a look at Teragren bamboo from iFLOOR.

For some reason I can't embed the photos here directly so check them out at:

Teragren Bamboo Flooring Installation

Special Buys - Are you feeling Lucky, well are ya?

2008-10-15T17:18:33Z

The unique variety of special buys that are left over from a recent Truckload event is really special.

Flooring Special Buys

The variety of species, looks and feels is really cool.

Do you need some Bolivian Rosewood? How about some stained black IPE?

These looks at these prices are really something special. If you can grab up these special buys - many of them are below the WHOLESALE COST that dealers pay. That's right you pay less than a flooring store. Check it out! I love this stuff! Yes I know it's flooring, but when you have a house full of some of these looks it really becomes like a work of art!

So if you feel lucky now is the time to capture some really really cool flooring at some spectacular values.

Indianapolis 'Bubble Boy' Gets Safe Place to Call Home - Angie's list partners with local companies to provide a healthy home for baby born without an immune system

2008-10-13T08:51:12Z

Indianapolis - When Sebastian Guarneros was born on June 11, 2007, he was the apple of his parents' eye. The second-born for Karin and Enrique Guarneros, "Sebi", as they like to call him, was a welcomed addition to their family.

But just five short months later, the Indianapolis parents found out there was something wrong with their perfect little boy. In November 2007, Sebastian started getting sick and never got better. After bouts of bacterial and viral pneumonia and months of tests, doctors at Riley Hospital for Children determined he had Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID) - commonly known as the "bubble boy" disease. This robbed him of an immune system. While their dreams of seeing Sebastian playing t-ball with other kids, or riding his bike down the street started to fade, his parents weren't ready to give up.

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"This is the largest Wishmakers project we've ever taken on," said Angie Hicks, founder of Angie's List (www.angieslist.com). "But when we put out the call for help to our highly rated service companies, within minutes we had businesses volunteering to help." Because Sebastian's body can't tolerate germs, many fibers or other pollutants, local contractors modified the home's heating and cooling system and replaced the carpet flooring with laminate floors.

Additionally, an entire room has been added to help give Sebastian as normal of a life as possible. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held Friday, October 3 to unveil the additions. "When Karin told me that he can't go outside, he can't touch the grass, I knew we had to bring the outside in. We designed a room with lots of windows to give it an outdoor feel," said Geoff Horen, President of the Lifestyle Group.

His company is just one of 21 that donated services for the project. The complete list follows: The Lifestyle Group Butz Lumber iFloor (www.ifloor.com) Shelby Materials 31-W Insulation Carter-Lee Lumber Jackson Concrete Thomas J Pearson Inc. Alpha Construction Control Tech Luther G Spears Plaster Contractor White Oak Construction Alpha & Omega Painting, Inc Exterior Home Improvement Mike Short Sherwin Williams Bullseye Fence Design Gunderman Designs & Concepts, Inc Paschal Construction Mite-E Ducts Hughes Electrical Connection, LLC Ray's Trash Sebastian has responded well to treatment and a stem cell transplant. He's now at home and doctors predict he could be out of isolation within a year.

Hicks established the Wishmakers program as a way for Angie's List to give back to the communities it serves. Since 2004, Angie's List has partnered with highly rated service providers to grant wishes across the country. Previous Wishmakers projects include: • Removing and properly sealing exterior lead paint and replacing gutters for a Rochester, N.Y. woman who operates a childcare center out of her home. • Repairing a car for a disabled retired Navy veteran in Daytona Beach, Fla. • Finishing flooring and installing doors in the home of a St. Petersburg, Fla. woman in frail health who has spent her retirement fund taking care of her Alzheimer's-stricken mother. •

Improving the kitchen and organizing the home of a Boston, Mass. woman who cares for drug-addicted and HIV positive newborns. • Improving kitchen countertops and installing a portable dishwasher in the home of a legally blind Portland, Ore. man. • Making a Kansas City, Mo. backyard safe for young children, including an infant with a congenital heart defect. • Installing a safety rail and improving gutters and trim of a home a Washington, D.C. woman with Multiple Sclerosis. • Landscaping for a widowed Bellingham, Wash. woman with two young children.

### Angie's List is where thousands of consumers share their ratings and reviews on local contractors and companies in more than 340 different categories. Currently, more than 650,000 consumers across the U.S. rely on Angie's List to help them find the right contractor or company for the job they need done. Members have unlimited access to the list via Internet or phone; receive the Angie's List magazine, which includes articles on home improvement and maintenance, consumer trends and scam alerts; and they can utilize the Angie's List complaint resolution service. Get more information about Angie's List at http://www.angieslist.com Read Angie's blog at http://www.angiehicksblog.com

iFLOOR was provide to help on this important project by donating laminate flooring and we applaud AngiesList for making a difference!

Contractor's Choice Laminate Flooring

2008-10-10T09:54:51Z

The demand for Contractor's Choice laminate flooring has been incredible. In fact it has been so high that we have struggled to get enough produced at the factory to keep up!

Although some would call that a "Cadillac Problem", I know that our customers need the products to complete their projects. I am happy to report that the Contractor's Choice laminate flooring is in stock right now in both distribution centers and available online or at any store with quick delivery!

Teragren Bamboo Flooring

2008-10-09T08:50:38Z

If you have ever shopped for Bamboo flooring you may have already heard of one of the premier names in Bamboo - Teragren Bamboo. Check out the Teragren Bamboo flooring line up at ifloor.com today.

Not only does Teragren have highly styled very durable products, but they also have very unique and patented technology that is the foundation for some of their newer products. They really have made a big impact in the bamboo flooring category!

Karastan Month

2008-10-08T09:47:50Z

If you have ever shopped for carpet or rugs you have heard the name Karastan.

During this month you can save BIG $$ on Karastan rugs - but only for a limited time. These rugs are great gifts and I can tell you they look great in your home. I have 2 Karastan rugs in my house.

And if you find a lower price ANYWHERE call us - we have a low price guarantee that always protects you!

Carpet Tiles - A different kind of flooring

2008-10-07T08:42:20Z

The carpet tiles made by Milliken are really a very nice frieze styled look, but in an easy to install tile format. The padding is already attached thereby making this a super simple installation. Although this is not appropriate for stairs it can be used effectively to create patterns or simply offer you a high quality carpet with a simple installation method. Do not confuse these HIGH quality products with some of the stuff you see at home centers. They are not the same and will not perform the same.

Check out the carpet tiles if you have that area that needs a little love, but you want it to be a soft flooring and easy install!

Patio deck tiles - Check 'em out!

2008-10-06T09:13:43Z

I saw a customer with a great BLOG of his own with a recent entry about his patio tiles.

Check out his great photos:

http://bombarger.blogspot.com/2008/10/patio-complete.html

$49 Shipping - We're doing it for you America!

2008-10-05T08:05:51Z

With the cost of gas prices these days isn't time you did your shopping online and let the product come to you rather than having to spend all of your time driving from store to store and shopping 'till you drop?

In our case, shipping is a big deal. Not only does it weigh a lot, but it takes up a lot of cubic footage. Then you have the man-power, fluctuating gas prices, logistics and ... ugh. Let's just say it would be much easier for us if you came to get it, but it's not about what's easy for us.

When we started iFLOOR, affordable shipping was one of our biggest hurdles. Sure, we could save you 20 to 50%, but the savings were a little offset by the additional cost to ship. Our customers still came out ahead, but not as much as we had hoped.

As time went on, our volume grew, we leveraged our buying power for quantitative shipping discounts, and before we knew it, we could offer $49 shipping (which is exactly what we're doing this week!) For only $49, we will deliver your floor to your doorstep. So now you'll get the best price on the perfect flooring and have it sent to you for less than the cost of a tank of gas (and if you drive an suv, less than a half tank.)

How can we do it? Sorry, it's a trade secret. The ever watchful competitor would love to figure it out, believe me. There are only a couple of exclusions: It's on minimum orders of $1,200 or more, your order must be shipped within the 48 contiguous US states and of course Clearance/Odd lot items are excluded.

This sale ends Friday, but I'd urge you not to wait until the last day. Despite a lagging economy, our inventory has been flying out the door and I'd hate you to miss out on the right floor because we're sold out of a particular item. The sale is limited to available inventory, so snap it up if you like it!