Types of Flooring Interior Design Flooring Types

Types of Flooring Interior Design

Flooring Types Hard Soft Flooring Wood Stone Tile Carpet Rugs Resilient

Wood - Most popular • Strip Flooring – Tongue and groove – Nailed to sub floor – Pre-finished or unfinished • Random Plank – Wider than strips – Screwed to sub floor, covered with wood plugs • Parquet – Small pieces arranged in different designs – Pre-finished squares for easy installation

Stone • Marble – Various colors depending on origin – Verdigris (vər-də-grēs) : marbles that have a green color • Limestone: most common, usually white but may have cloudy streaks • Onyx: may have layers of colors or banding

Stone • Terrazzo formed using marble or chipped stones embedded in full concrete. – artistic and very reliable – best for outdoor spaces such as verandas or patios. – strong but 50% chance of breakage at quarry

Stone • Travertine: porous limestone used on floors or walls – Comes from mineral springs – Holes from escaping gas – Holes filled with resin which may or may not be same color

Ceramic Tile • • Bathrooms, kitchens, entryways Made from baked clay Durable, moisture resistant, easy to clean Can crack if not installed on even surface

Other Tiles • Ceramic Mosaic – Individual tiles mounted together to keep together and make installation easier – More often on walls • Mexican – Made from clay – Shaped by hand – Dried in sun • Quarry – Fired Earth/Clay – Warm brown to beige

Resilient Floor Coverings • Flooring with a semi-hard surface that returns to its original shape after stress • Warmer and quieter to walk on • Not quite as durable • Vinyl and plastic laminate

Vinyl • Resists stains, affordable • Sheet Vinyl – 6, 9, 12 foot sheets – Rotogravure (rō-tə-grə-vyu r) • Top layer covered with clear coating • Thin, tears easily – Inlaid • Colored chips make designs (heat, pressure) • Design all the way to backing • Most durable of the vinyl

Vinyl • Vinyl Tiles – 12 in. X 12 in. – Sticky backing – Place together like a puzzle

Carpet • • Insulates against drafts Decreases noise More comforting feel Quality – Pile (nap): visible surface of carpet – Density: how close the tufts are made together, more important than depth – Heat setting – Twist – Depth

Carpet Fibers 95% made of manufactured fibers Nylon: – most popular, – durable, – easy to maintain, – limited colors Polypropylene (olefin): – strong, – nonabsorbent, – resists stains and static, – colorfast, – cheap, – crushes easily, – limited colors, – heat sensitive

Carpet Fibers Cont. Polyester blend (PET) • made from recycled plastics, • resists stains and fading • • Acrylic: feels and looks like wool, low static level, resists mildew, subject to pilling

Carpet Fibers Cont. • • Wool: soft • moth sensitive durable • shrinkage long lasting • allergies expensive • hard to clean

Carpeting Textures / Categories • Cut Pile – Formal looking plush, velvet, smooth, may flatten • Saxony – Similar to cut but yarns have been twisted more giving less formal appearance • Frieze – Informal, curly texture, shows minimal marks

Carpeting Textures / Categories • Level Loop – Loops are all same height, may have flecks of darker color, durable • Multi-level Loop – Two or three loop heights, sculpted or embossed effect, good in high traffic areas • Cut and Loop Pile – Sculptured effect from some looks cut and some braided, very durable

Backing or Cushion • Extends life of carpet • Shock absorber • Less than ½” thick

Laws • Flammable Fabrics Act- Federal Govt. protects consumers with regulations. Must follow standards for fabrics, rugs, carpets, mattresses • Label must include: – Fiber content and percentage – Manufacturer – Country of origin – Care information