Infloormation

Since we are all starting to get conscious about how to help save our environment, bamboo is starting to become an emerging trend in flooring. The reason why bamboo is considered one of the most environment friendly materials is because it grows back so easily and does not need as many pesticides as the other types of wood.  Let us take a look at the many faces of bamboo.

To start with, bamboo flooring is not really hardwood, although it may really look like it. Bamboo is actually a woody grass that is broken into smaller strands of fiber and then cleaned through a process that is similar to paper making. Then the fibers are recombined to form boards that are made to interlock with each other to provide easier installation.

There actually are several different types of bamboo flooring. The first type is the natural bamboo, which retains its grass-like, flaxen color. The second type is the carbonized or heated bamboo. This gives the material a darker color like dark red, brown or sometimes a light honey color. When it comes to bamboo boards, it can either be created with vertical or horizontal fibers. They are sometimes woven into strands to make it stronger and more durable.

If you’re thinking about buying a home, a little planning can reduce your frustration and make sure you have a good experience. Let’s take a look at some steps you can start with to make the process easier.

The best place to start is with money. To determine how much house you can afford, take two-steps. First: meet with a mortgage representative at your bank or a broker. You may want to get pre-approved for a mortgage. This makes you a more inviting buyer. The second step is to take a look at your own budget. Just because you qualify for a certain size mortgage you may not want to spend that much. Be sure to factor in all of your expenses.

Once you decide what you can afford, start putting the difference between that and your current home expenses into savings immediately. It will be a good test of whether that amount will work for you, and the savings will be useful when you move.

The next decision is the type of home. If you want a new house, visit all the builder models to see whose style suits your taste and how much you can afford. Also take a look at neighborhoods and locations. Be sure to factor in any association fees and upgrade expenses when looking at costs.

If you want a resale, start visiting open houses. This will help you understand what type and size of house you can afford and which neighborhoods appeal to you. This is also a good way to informally audition realtors. If possible, wait to engage a realtor until you have a good idea of what type of home you want and in which neighborhoods. This avoids wasting a realtor’s time as well as yours.

Finally, when you shop homes, look beyond cosmetics. Elements such as flooring, light fixtures and paint are easy to replace. Don’t walk away from a good home just because it doesn’t match your taste.

This year seems to be flying right by!  Can you believe that Easter is only a few days away?  We hope your family and you are prepared and have started coloring those Easter eggs for the Easter egg hunts!  We thought we’d share a few cleaning tips with you, just in case some dye ends up on your carpet.  Happy Easter!

Detergent Solution – Mix one fourth (1/4) teaspoon of a liquid dishwashing detergent per one (1) cup of lukewarm water. NEVER USE A STRONGER CONCENTRATION! Thorough rinsing is necessary to remove detergent residues that may cause rapid soiling. It may be necessary to rinse with warm water several times to completely remove residues. (See Residue Precautions.) Care should be used in selecting a detergent. Never use a laundry detergent of any type, because laundry detergents may contain optical brighteners (fluorescent dyes) that dye the fiber. Do not select an automatic dishwashing detergent because many contain bleaching agents that destroy dyes and some fibers.

Warm Water – Lukewarm tap water should be used in most cases to rinse the cleaning solutions from the fiber. Failure to completely rinse the solutions from the fiber may cause accelerated soiling.

Ammonia Solution – Mix one (1) tablespoon of household ammonia per cup of water. Please note: Be aware that ammonia, if used improperly, can cause a color change. Be sure to test a hidden area.

Call a Professional – Professional cleaners have the ability and the equipment to use more aggressive cleaning solutions to remove stubborn spills. Always consider consulting a professional cleaner regarding any spot removal question. CRI – 1-800-882-8846.

Whether you’re a baker or not, how about making cookies with your children? This great family activity can involve math, measuring, and following instructions. It also provides its own built-in snacks.

The key to a successful baking experience for you and yours is preparation. First, anticipate a mess. The good news is that most kitchen floors can handle almost any spill. You may still want to have cloths or paper towels ready for spills to avoid any slippery issues with liquid or shortening.

If you want to bake cookies from scratch, make sure you have all the ingredients and baking tools ready ahead of time. For younger children, you may want to pre-measure some or all of the ingredients, using small bowls or custard cups to hold each one.

If you have limited baking skills, take a look at a mix or even pre-mixed cookie dough. You can still have fun shaping sugar cookies or decorating with sprinkles or icing. Don’t stretch your limits with this kind of activity. Make sure it will be fun for both of you by avoiding any potential frustration.

At the end comes clean up – a good activity while the cookies bake. Start with the baking implements, putting them all together in the sink. Then wipe the counters. Finish with a quick sweep or wash of the affected floor area. One final suggestion: considering how messy the combination of children and baking can be, check hands, face and even the bottoms of shoes before releasing your young ones to other areas of your home.

Because you are an important member of our online community, we’d like to extend an invitation to our Private Invitation Sale.

The sale is a one day only sales event happening on April 16th for the Billings, Helena, Missoula stores and the Bozeman store is having the event from the 21st-30th with the Carpet Mill Outlet in Bozeman. Please visit our website to register for your free pre-measure and receive an additional $50 off your purchase.

Here’s a carpet cleaning tip from our in house expert Bill:

Reader Question:
“I moved my chair and there was a rust spot.  How do I get rid of it?”

Answer:

This is not as hard as one would expect. DO NOT try to clean the spot! Instead, go to your refridgerator and get some lemon juice. Put lemon juice on the rust spot and let it sit overnight.

It should be gone by morning! If not, repeat. Rinsing is not required.
Now rearrange your furniture, entertain and let your home smile!

-Bill Gamsby

Do you have  a question for Bill? If so, please leave a comment and we will get you an expert answer!

Do you want to achieve a traditional look for your kitchen? How about a European country feel for your living room? Or how about a casual room for your kids?  You can easily achieve these looks by installing Tigerwood Natural Global Exotics wood flooring by Armstrong.

Armstrong has been in the business of manufacturing wood flooring for more than a century now so you can trust them for all your hardwood flooring needs. And one of their latest products is the Tigerwood Natural Global Exotics collection which you can use to create many styles of wood flooring for your home.

Tigerwood Natural Global Exotics can be of different grain and origin. If you want a subtle touch to your wood flooring, then the Tigerwood made from Sakura will best suit you. But if you want a red-brown effect to your wood flooring, then the Tigerwood made from African mahogany maybe the one for you. Whichever you choose, your flooring will have a sophisticated look as which is what Tigerwood Natural Global Exotics is all about.

Aside from the beauty that comes with the installation of Tigerwood Natural Global Exotics to your home, this wood flooring will also give great value to your money as it is very durable and will last for many years because it is made of a hearty hard wood.

So stop dreaming about having the perfect wood flooring. Check out Tigerwood Natural Global Exotics on our Pierce Flooring website and find out how to get tasteful, stylish, and enduring wood flooring for any room in your home.

The living room and the family room is where the family gathers all the time to spend some quality time together. That is why it is very important these rooms should be comfortable and inviting for this is where the family spends most of their time.

One way to create a homey feel to any living room and family room is by installing carpets. Carpets have a lot of benefits:

1. Safety. If you have kids, installing carpet will greatly benefit you as it provides cushion reducing the impact of fall or any accident.
2. Natural Insulation. Carpets also act as a natural insulator as it keeps the house warm during winter and trap cool air during summer months.
3. Sound Reduction. Carpets reduce noise because it absorbs any foot traffic and it blocks sound between floors.
4. Comfort. Since carpets are soft, it provides a comfortable walking surface.
5. Beauty. It adds additional style and concept to the room because of its varied patterns, styles and colors.

When choosing the carpet that will work well for your living room and family room, you have to take into consideration that this room is one of the busiest places in your home so you should choose a carpet color and style that can take the wear and tear. The color should not be that light that even a small drop of soda is easily noticed. The pattern should also not be too boring as it should create a very relaxing and homey feel to the room.

Pierce Flooring and Design will help you choose the best carpet for your living room and family room visit our website for more information or drop by your locale location.

Rustic country decor has always been a part of American home style decorating. This type of home decorating has a comfortable and warm setting that is why homeowners can’t resist having this setting in their home. Wouldn’t you love to be welcome in a home decorated with natural wood in rich shades? It does feel warm and inviting, right?

One way to achieve a rustic country style to your home is by using rustic wood flooring. Rustic wood is available in various textures, patterns, and species. What is nice about rustic wood is that it has unique rustic characteristics that you won’t find in new wood.  It is also very durable, thus making it one of the best choices for wood flooring.

There are a lot of species of wood that you can choose from if you want rustic wood flooring for your home. This includes, but is not limited to:

1. Hickory. Is a good choice when you are looking for rustic wood as it is a very durable hardwood. What is best about hickory is that it comes in many spectrums of colors and has very unique natural designs thus creating a vibrant and distinctive look for your home.
2. Oak. One of the best characteristics of oak is its look of sophistication. Oak also comes in many different types: Natural Oak, White Oak, Natural Dark Oak to name just a few.

Luckily, these types of wood are readily available online just like the following rustic wood flooring from Bruce: American Originals Hickory, American Originals Oak and American Vintage.

Rustic wood flooring is not limited to country and cottage style homes. Whatever type of home you have, you can always use rustic wood flooring if you want to create a warm, unique and distinctive look to your abode. Visit the Pierce Flooring website to find out more about Bruce rustic hardwood flooring.

Can you picture stepping into this inviting spa to relax your muscles after a day of walking through Naples? Maybe it will be time for a massage, or just a nice seafood dinner alfresco off the bay later.

If this is a good dream for you, think about recreating this mood in your bathroom at home. Although you probably can’t spare the room for this large a soaking tub, and it’s difficult to get those stone pillars in the U.S., you can duplicate the mood.

To start, take a look at stone in your bath. Tumbled stone tile will give you the same old-world look. Consider tumbled travertine for a light neutral with a lot of personality. Travertine comes in a wide variety of sizes, allowing you to design just the look you want.

To capture the soft light that enwraps this room, think about glass block or sheer curtains. You want something that will allow the light to brighten the stone without any glare. Either choice would soften sunlight to a cool, inviting brightness.

The pure white and inviting luxury of the chaise lounge might not work in your bathroom, but a black or wood bench with a plain white cushion would create a similar effect. Place it in a good position to stop and take a break either before or after your bath.

You can’t really expect to have a spa filled with water reflecting this clear blue all day every day. How about bringing this gentle color in with towels and accessories? A vase or a small bowl of sea glass in various tones of blue will pull this soothing tone into your space.

Most of us will never live in Naples, or even visit there, but you can bring the cool invitation of Italy to your home with a stone bathroom that recreates this inviting environment.