FloorTalk – for all the latest flooring fashions

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! to all of the loyal readers of Floor Talk! 2008 has been an exciting year for the blog and we have enjoyed an abundent amount of success helping those that are looking to buy flooring, have already made a flooring purchase or are looking to see what’s out there before deciding if a flooring purchase is right for them.

Thanks to you – here’s a list of the years top 10 most successful posts.

1. How to choose a grout color (over 5000 visits!)

2. The right way to clean ceramic tile

3. 2008 Color trends

4. The difference between vinyl and linoleum

5. What feeding the bears and ruining your hardwood floors have in common

6. Baby safe floor cleaners

7. Trends in flooring – carpet and area rugs

8. Dare to be different – trends in exotic flooring

9. Glass tiles – sizes, textures and design

10. Consideration for choosing interior paint colors

We look forward to a new year and more blog posts to help those of you that are interested in flooring, design and the latest trends. Feel free to let us know if there are any topics you would like to learn more about in the upcoming new year. What you want to read is the most important goal to us!

Question: Do you recommend any products to clean laminated floors? Our home is located on sandy soil and no matter how much I sweep you can see dog and shoe prints. Help, please. There is no information available from the manufacturer.

Answer: Normally the product that is recommended is from the manufacturer, but if there is no information available from the manufacturer, I have only heard good things about Bona Floor Care Products.

For more information on other cleaning and maintenance practices that are equally as important as the cleaner itself, refer to an earlier post on Test Your Laminate Flooring Knowledge.

Often, the problem with foot and paw prints is that the dirt was not trapped outside and is being tracked inside. One solution to help with this problem is using walk off mats at each entrance to your home.

Daily maintenance like sweeping with a terry cloth head mop (also available from Bona) will help with this problem.

The Tuftex of California division of Shaw Floors and Disney Consumer Products are launching a new collection of wall-to-wall carpet based on some of Disney’s classic stories.

The non-character based line takes inspiration from some of the most well-known Disney franchises, including Disney Princess and Disney Fairies, Winnie the Pooh, the Disney∙Pixar films Cars and Toy Story, and Disney Channel’s hit series Hannah Montana.

The collection incorporates unique patterns, color treatments and design elements that subtly bring to life these Disney properties.

Winnie the Pooh is the basis for “Friendly Old Bear,” with a silhouette of the famous bear etched into the pattern. That’s one example of many in the series.

Each assortment has its own unique color palette to compliment other Disney Home interior products.

With the holidays come lots of company and family in and out of your home. With that traffic comes potential abuse to your floors. Here are a few tips to remember during the holiday season to protect your floors from damage.

• Be sure to have walk-off mats at every entrance. This traps the dirt before it enters your home and potentially scratches your floors.
• Sweep and vacuum as often as possible. This will not only help your home look clean and bright, but it will help protect the floors as well.
• Be cautious of holiday mats on vinyl floors. Check to see if any holiday mats have rubber backings. Rubber backed mats are not suitable for vinyl flooring.
• Protect your flooring from candle wax. Candle wax can be difficult to remove.
• Sweep holiday tree needles often. They can be as harmful to your floors as dirt.
• If you feel comfortable asking people to take off their shoes, place a large basket for shoes at the front door encouraging people to remove their shoes. High heels can leave permanent marks on several different types of flooring.

Protecting your floors this holiday season can save you time and headaches after the holidays are over. Take a few extra precautions so you will have no worries about your flooring for the first of the new year!

Are you interested in new flooring for the holidays?     Did you remember to ask Santa for new floors? Do you want to start off the new year with a new look?

If you did ask Santa for new floors, here are some things to keep in mind when shopping for flooring during and after the holidays.

• New styles are coming out to be shown at the flooring show in Las Vegas after the first of the year. Why not get a new style that no one has seen or bought before? Ask your retailer to show you new styles that have just been introduced.
• What better New Year’s resolution than to give your self and your home a new look? Start off the new year with a new look in your home. Freshening up your home can refresh your attitude!
• You may have a tax refund coming up. Do your homework now for a new flooring purchase when that check comes in.
• Many new flooring selections can add value to your home. We could all use a little added value these days!
• Retailers may be willing to make deals with the state of the economy.
• Retailers may have excess inventory they need to sell by the end of the year. It never hurts to look for a deal!
• If your budget doesn’t permit all new floors this year, consider a new area rug to change the look of the room.

You still have a few days left to put your request into Santa for new floors for your home. Don’t be shy!

Need help finding a place to make your wishlist? For a retailer in your area, click here.