ICC Floors Plus Blog

Cabinets. Countertops. Paint.

You are here: Home / Archives for Floors

Floors

Different Types of Tiles and How to Choose the Right One

by Leave a Comment

Tile has been used for centuries as a decorative floor and wall covering. Not only do many tiles offer the benefits of unmatched aesthetical appeal and substantial durability, but many tiles can be used in wet environments. This feature makes tile a very versatile flooring option. However, there are many different types of tiles on the market. Knowing some of the common tile selections and their pros and cons can better help you tailor the right selection for your home.

Ceramic

Ceramic tile has been around for a very long time. It is created by heating clay inside a kiln to harden it. It is not baked nearly as hot as porcelain, however, and is easier to chip or get damaged by frost.

Porcelain

Like ceramic tile, porcelain is clay heated in a kiln. However, it is baked at a much higher temperature, making it much more durable and less porous. Being less porous also makes this tile more difficult to stain. This is why toilets and sinks are commonly made from porcelain.

Glass

Another option to use when tiling your home is glass. Glass offers a translucent glaze, which can be very aesthetically pleasing. It is typically marketed for backsplashes or accent pieces. Additionally, glass can come in a large variety of colors and adds character to any backsplash or shower wall.

Marble

This natural stone is quarried and cut into tiles. It is full of character, with each piece being unique and individualized through their pebbly spots and veining. Marble is great; however, it is very easily stained and vulnerable to etching when it encounters acidic materials.

Mosaic

Mosaic tile is a category of tiles that are combined on a small mesh sheet for installation purposes. Mosaic tiles are typically accent pieces, which can be fun to add to walls or backsplashes. Additionally, mosaics can be made of glass, ceramic, stone, or other materials. They are very timeless and can add a charming pattern to your room.

Limestone

Limestone is a very decorative tile option with beautiful texture. Limestone is made of calcium carbonate. Limestone can also be soft and porous, which makes it vulnerable to staining or damage. However, limestone offers a beautiful, elegant look.

Quarry

Another durable option is quarry tile. This tile is made the same way that brick is formed. It is a very impervious tile, which is extremely hard. Quarry tile is not considered to be slippery when wet, which is why it is used in some outdoor places like ski resorts.

Different tiles can be used for various applications. From outside tiles for patios to indoor tiles for backsplashes, each tile can offer a distinct set of advantages. If you are having trouble choosing the right one for you, our team at ICC Home would love to assist you. We have a knowledgable staff ready to answer all and any of your questions. Visit us today, and let us help you find the perfect tile.

Solid Hardwood Flooring Pros & Cons

by Leave a Comment

Hardwood is a timeless flooring option that can increase your home’s value. Many people love the authentic look and styling hardwood has to offer. Even flooring options like tile and luxury vinyl planking mimic this highly-sought-after flooring. If you are considering authentic solid hardwood in your home, there are several things you should consider. While every floor comes with its own set of benefits or drawbacks, hardwood is a beautiful flooring option. To help you determine if it is right for you, here is everything you need to know about solid hardwood floors:

Pro – Durability

Hardwood is timeless and for a good reason. This flooring option is not only beautiful but extremely durable. While it can scratch and gouge, typical foot traffic will not damage this flooring.

Con – Costly

Hardwood flooring is a highly-desired flooring. Being made from trees, there is a process in which each plank must go through to be created. This process can make hardwood a pricey option. Therefore, if you are looking for the most cost-effective option, solid hardwood flooring will not be the best choice. Instead, you may want to consider looking into engineered hardwood.

Pro- Increases Market Value

Though the initial investment is expensive, there is still a significant return-on-investment with hardwood floors. In fact, solid hardwood flooring is a home improvement investment that can increase your home’s market value!

Con – Scratching

Hardwood floor is durable, but not indestructible. Moving heavy furniture or animal claws may scratch the floor. Be educated in the type of wood that is used. Some woods like pine can be softer than a hardwood like hickory.

Pro – Can Be Refinished

Hardwood can scratch and scuff over time. Fortunately, your floors can be sanded and refinished over and over. Solid hardwood can be refinished several more times than engineered floors, making it look brand new.

Con – Cannot Be Installed in Every Environment

Hardwood is wood and can expand and contract. Water can be a significant variable on how the floor responds to where it is installed. This factor can also be due to the humidity in the air or moisture coming up from the subfloor. If your floor is glued, it may be able to be installed over concrete. However, you need to test for dryness and perhaps install a moisture barrier. Hardwood is truly limited to the application and environments in which it can be installed.

In essence, you will want to learn what wood is used in your hardwood flooring. Each wood has its own set of benefits. Some woods are less or more susceptible to staining or damage. Hardwood is a great option, nevertheless, and will look great in any home. For more information on ICC Home‘s hardwood selection, you can view our online catalog here.

Multi-Layer Flooring: WPC, SPC, & LVF

by 1 Comment

Multi-layer flooring is not as complex as the name makes it sound. In fact, you can picture the flooring in layers, much like a sandwich, to help you visualize the product. As the name suggests, it is composed of multiple layers to form one flooring material. There are three categories within the multi-layer flooring family: WPC, SPC, and LVP.

Wood Polymer Composite

WPC (Wood Polymer Composite) is an extraordinary type of vinyl flooring. While traditional vinyl floors use a PVC backing, WPC flooring uses a WPC backing. This bottommost layer is composed of a variety of materials like wood pulp and foaming agents to create a soft underfoot.

Stone Polymer Composite

SPC (Stone Polymer Composite) is created with a limestone core, PVC dust, and a stabilizer. With a more heavy focus on the limestone, homeowners will discover that SPC has a dense core, making it the most impact-resistant of the three multi-layer flooring options.

Luxury Vinyl Planking

LVP (Luxury Vinyl Planking) may be the multi-layer flooring product in which you are most familiar. It is an incredibly diverse and well-loved flooring product. From Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) to Luxury Vinyl hardwood, luxury vinyl planking offers a wide variety of styles and designs. Plus, it does not fall short in durability. It is waterproof and scratch-resistant, making it the perfect choice for active households.

Why Homeowners Love Multi-Layer Flooring

Easy Installation – The installation process of MLF is incredibly simple and straightforward, giving even novice DIY homeowners the chance to install their own floors.

Waterproof/Water-Resistant – You can now have the beautiful look of hardwood without the worry of warping since MLF can be installed in areas that are exposed to moisture.

Design Versatility – MLF offers a wide variety of styles to match a homeowner’s design preferences. From wood-like to stone-like floors, you can have the look of hardwood or stone with the durability of a rigid core.

Affordability – MLF comes in a variety of different prices, each to match a different budget. The simplicity of the install helps to keep the overall price down, giving homeowners more flexibility.

Easy Care & Maintenance – While the installation leaves behind a little mess, homeowners can also rest easy that their new floors are easy to maintain and clean.

All in all, multi-layer flooring is an exquisite choice. If you would like to learn more about our MLF selection at ICC Home, please call or visit us for more information.

Flooring 101: Luxury Vinyl Planking

by 2 Comments

In the last part of our four-part series, we are going to be focusing on Luxury Vinyl Planking. Luxury Vinyl Planking, also referred to as LVP, has taken the flooring market by storm. This revolutionary flooring product adds beauty, durability, and longevity to any home design project. Loved for its superior composition, LVP is a common choice amongst households.

Today, we are going to take a closer look at LVP’s key characteristics and attributes. If you missed any of our previous Flooring 101 posts, be sure to visit their corresponding links here: Tile, Hardwood, and Carpet. For now, let’s dive deeper into Luxury Vinyl Planking.

Composition

Luxury Vinyl Planking is composed of five distinct layers. Each layer helps add to the overall construct. The five layers include:

  • The Wear Layer: On the surface, you will find the wear layer. This particular layer protects your floors from everyday wear and tear.
  • The Luxury Vinyl Print: The next layer is the physical luxury vinyl print. The print is made in high-definition with a beautiful and realistic image of hardwood, tile, natural stone, etc.
  • The Interlocking System: Beneath your print, you will discover the interlocking system. This layer is used during the install. With an easy-installation in mind, it is user-friendly.
  • The Waterproof Core: Next, you will find the 100% waterproof core. You heard that right, waterproof! Its revolutionary technology allows it to be installed in moist areas like bathrooms, kitchens, and basements.
  • The Attached Underlayment: Last but not least, you will see the attached underlayment. This layer provides a comfortable and soft underfoot.

Durability

LVP is considered a durable flooring product due to its additional thickness, waterproof features, and the external wear layer. It is the perfect flooring option for active households with kids and pets.

Styles and Designs

LVP does not fall short in designs and styles. This extraordinary flooring offers homeowners an endless selection of designs and styles that mimic the look of our other flooring favorites. From hardwood to natural stone, LVP provides a realistic, beautiful look to your floors.

Easy Installation

With its interlocking system, LVP is the perfect flooring option for experts and do-it-yourselfers, alike. It offers an easy-to-install interlocking system to make install floors easier than ever.

Are you interested in viewing ICC Home‘s luxury vinyl planking selection? If so, one of our expert sales associates would love to assist you in finding the perfect floors. Be sure to contact us today for more information.

Flooring 101: Tile

by 1 Comment

Tile has been used in homes since as early as the 8th century. From wall mosaics to decorative floors, tile is forever loved for its delicate beauty, incredible durability, and easy-to-maintain properties. That being said, while many households incorporate tile into their design, few truly understand its characteristics. In today’s part of our series, we are going to take a closer look at tile’s attributes and why homeowners select this flooring. Let’s take a look!

Ceramic vs. Porcelain

There are two types of tiles: Ceramic and Porcelain. While similar, these two types also differ from one another. Here are their key differences:

Porcelain

The key difference between ceramic and porcelain tile is that porcelain can be used outdoors. Due to its frost-resistant properties, it can be placed in environments that drop to the negatives. Additionally, porcelain has a low water absorption rate, making it the better choice for showers and pools. Lastly, porcelain is considered more durable and harder than ceramic tile, making it a great choice for households that are prone to drops and spills.

Ceramic

On the other hand, ceramic tile is less expensive than porcelain tile. This is due to the way porcelain tile is manufactured. If you are looking for an affordable tile option, ceramic tile may be your way to go.

Durability

Tile floors are typically considered durable due to the way they are made. While being exposed to extremely high temperatures during creation, tile is incredibly tough and often difficult to crack; therefore, homeowners love the durability and reliability of their tile floors.

Hypoallergenic & Sustainable

Many homeowners choose tile because of its hypoallergenic properties. In fact, parents of children with asthma or allergies love tile floors because they cannot hold common household allergens. Because tile is an impervious surface, homeowners can rest at ease that their household floors will be free of bacteria, fungi, mold, and other dust mites.

Curated from natural and sustainable materials, tile is the most environmental-friendly flooring choice on the market. In fact, it can help moderate the temperature throughout your home and create a more energy-efficient space.

Water-, Slip-, and Fire-Resistant

While many homeowners are probably aware of the fact that tile floors are water-resistant, since they are frequently used in bathrooms, many homeowners may not know that tile floors are fire-resistant. In fact, its fire-resistant property can help homeowners feel at ease with their flooring decision. Since tile is a non-flammable material, if a fire were to happen, it will not produce smoke or burn toxic fumes, helping to give you peace of mind.

In addition to being fire-resistant, tile floors can have slip-resistant properties to keep your family safe. Some tile designs offer a slip-resistant barrier through their different textures and finishes, which works well in pool areas to help avoid any accidental falls.

All in all, tile is a very diverse and beautiful flooring choice. From pools to backsplashes to floors, tile can add a touch of elegance to any home design. For more information on ICC Home’s tile selection, please visit us here.

Additionally, if you missed the previous posts in our series, be sure to visit their corresponding links here: Carpet and Hardwood. Also, be sure to check back next week for our final part of the series on Luxury Vinyl Planking.

Flooring 101: Hardwood

by Leave a Comment

Loved for its effortless beauty and timeless nature; hardwood floors are a flooring staple in households across America. While hardwood floors are commonly used in households, some homeowners still do not understand its characteristics and properties. To help consumers understand their flooring properly, we are going to do a series on the four most common flooring types: Carpet, Hardwood, Tile, and LVP (Luxury Vinyl Planking). Today, we are going to take a closer look at hardwood and all it has to offer. Let’s take a look!

Solid Vs. Engineered

Hardwood flooring comes in two types of compositions: solid and engineered.

Solid Hardwood

Solid hardwood flooring is the type of floor that probably comes to mind when you think of traditional hardwood. It is composed of a single piece of wood and can be sanded or refinished as often as the homeowner sees fit. While solid hardwood is loved for its traditional beauty, it can contract and expand due to its single-piece nature. This means that solid hardwood would not do well in areas with a variety of temperatures and humidity like the kitchen or basement.

Engineered Hardwood

Engineered hardwood floors, on the other hand, are composed of several pieces of wood (approximately three to five). The topmost layer of engineered hardwood is typically composed of plywood with other types of wood underneath it. Since it is composed of less expensive materials, engineered hardwood typically is not as expensive as traditional, solid hardwood floors. Additionally, homeowners gear toward engineered hardwood because it does not contract or expand due to temperature or humidity, giving it installation versatility.

Hardwood Finishes

Hardwood has two types of finishes: factory-finished and site-finished.

Factory-Finished

Factory-finished hardwood floors are often considered more convenient and less expensive in the eyes of a consumer. Additionally, since they are already finished prior to the installation, it gives homeowners a clean home, free of chemicals, odors, and excess dust. That being said, factory-finished hardwood floors do feature grooves on the sides of the boards. This means there will be a small gap between the boards, and it can make cleaning a little more challenging.

Site-Finished

On the other hand, your hardwood floors can be finished onsite. Often times, this is homeowners preferred method since it is more customizable and offers a flawless finish. Additionally, they are easier to clean, durable, and offer personalized craftsmanship. That being said, there is the presence of odors and dust as well as the need for an allotted time to cure and dry.

Types of Hardwood

Luckily, there are a wide variety of wood species. While wood species can vary in density and durability, experts recommend choosing one in terms of your color and grain preference.

Plank Width

In addition to a variety of wood species, there is also a wide selection of plank widths. Again, it all comes down to personal preference when choosing the width of your hardwood planks. That being said, some homeowners do lean more towards a wider plank because it shows fewer seams. But homeowners should be aware that the wider the plank, the more money you may spend.

At ICC Home, we understand that choosing the right flooring choice can feel overwhelming at times. We would love to help make the process easy and efficient. Be sure to visit us at ICC Home to make all of your design dreams come true. Also, do not forget to check back next week where will discuss tile. Thanks for reading!