3 Reasons to Replace Flooring in the Spring

Industry experts agree that Spring is the best time for home remodeling and to revitalize your home’s interior, including replacing your flooring.  Spring is a time of increased sunshine, new blooms of color with shrubbery and flowers and makes for a great time to spruce up your home.  Not only will you feel a need for some basic spring cleaning, but replacing your floor during Spring time is the most advantageous time of year for a few reasons.

Temperature and humidity affect flooring installations.

There is a good reason why flooring must acclimate to the room and environment in which it will be installed, days prior to actual installation.  If flooring is not acclimated to the environment, serious problems will become evident during and after installation with warped and ill fitting planks or tiles.  Wood flooring is especially susceptible to problems if not fully acclimated.

The cold, dry air of winter weather can dry out the flooring, which will shrink after installation causing cracking or the planks will pull apart.  Wood flooring that has been stored in hot, humid conditions will dry out and must be acclimated in an air-conditioned environment prior to installation.

The heat of a hot sweltering summer may also affect flooring installations if acclimation is not properly conducted and installed with adequate ventilation.  Which brings us to the next best reason for installing in the spring, you can open your windows.

Open the windows and ventilate the room.

Spring time is the perfect time to open the windows and air out the house, this is mandatory when installing flooring.  Ventilating the room with the outdoor air during cold winter or hot summer months could affect the flooring installation, causing planks to swell or contract. 

Install Your Flooring in Comfort

All of this opening and closing of doors to bring material in and out, using a saw to make specific cuts in the garage going back and forth and opening windows for ventilation are all good reasons to replace flooring in the Spring.  You won’t be wasting heat in the winter or AC in the summer, not to mention what allowing cool dry air or hot humid air in would do to your acclimated floor. You’ll want a nice comfortable temperature for your own benefit as well as the outcome of your wood flooring installation.

So, go ahead and plan your new flooring installation this Spring, open the windows, enjoy the fresh air and the look of your beautiful new floor.  Contact your experienced flooring and tile center for more ideas on sprucing up your floor this Spring.

Great Western Flooring is the leading flooring and tile center serving Chicagoland with free design consultations, quality products and professional installation.  We offer a wide selection of the best names in flooring products and experienced design ideas.  Contact us to learn more about replacing your flooring in the Spring for a beautiful floor with successful installation.   

This article was originally published at https://www.greatwesternflooring.com/flooring-blog/3-reasons-to-replace-flooring-in-the-spring/

What is the Janka Hardwood Flooring Test?

The Janka hardwood flooring test is a scale developed by Gabriel Janka to test the hardness of various species of wood.  This measuring scale was derived from the hardness test created for metals by J.A. Brinell.  The Janka test is a hardness test applied to various wood flooring products by flooring professionals to reveal how long the wood floor should last without showing wear or denting.

The Janka hardwood flooring test is the industry standard for testing wood flooring and meets all requirements of the American Society of Testing and Materials, ASTM.

How Does the Janka Hardness Test Work?

The Janka hardness test is based on the pounds of force required to drive a .44” steel ball halfway into a piece of wood flooring.  The best results are derived when the ball is driven into the wood grain with perpendicular force, and leaves an indentation of 100 sq. mm.  The hardness level will vary depending on the direction of the wood grain.

Most wood species will have similar ratings with only a 10% deviation within a species so that flooring installers have a good idea of the hardness of wood they’re using.

The Janka hardwood flooring test is important to hardwood flooring installers and homeowners who want to know the durability of the wood flooring choice.  In areas of heavy foot traffic, a wood with a  higher Janka rating may be desirable.  Knowing the Janka rating of your hardwood floor will help you determine the best hardwood flooring for your home.

Hickory provides a decent Janka rating and is a popular choice in heavy traffic areas.  Patagonian Rosewood receives the highest Janka rating, although Hickory, Maple and Red Oak also provide extremely durable wood flooring which holds up well in heavy use areas.

Contact your flooring specialists at Great Western Flooring to learn more about the Janka hardwood flooring test and with help in determining the best wood flooring for your home.

Great Western Flooring is a leading flooring and tile company offering quality products and professional installation. We provide complimentary design consultations from any one of our convenient locations in Naperville, Oswego and St. Charles.  Contact us to speak with a flooring specialist and learn more about the Janka hardwood flooring test.

This article was originally published at   https://www.greatwesternflooring.com/flooring-blog/what-is-the-janka-hardwood-flooring-test/

Laminate Flooring: The ABC's of VOCs

Volatile organic compounds, VOCs, are a chemical compound that can be found in many manufactured products.  Consumers and the home improvement industry have become increasingly aware of these hazardous compounds and have made great efforts to reduce or eliminate VOCs in home improvement and flooring materials.  VOCs have an extremely low boiling point, which means that they readily evaporate at room temperature and may release harmful chemicals in the air.

Most VOCs are harmless, although some may be extremely hazardous to your health such as formaldehyde.  This is particularly true for people with respiratory and breathing issues or even severe allergies.  Laminate flooring has been known to contain harmful VOCs although with increased awareness and improvements in flooring technology, this has been significantly reduced or eliminated. 

Components of Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring has been a popular choice of flooring for many years as it offers the desirable look of hardwood floors at a much more affordable price.  Laminate floors typically come in planks to resemble hardwood, with each plank constructed of high density fiberboard with a printed layer on top with realistic images of oak, cherry, maple or other wood grains.

While laminate flooring has offered many benefits with realistic wood looks at a fraction of the cost, easy maintenance and long lasting beauty, flooring manufacturers have recently responded to consumer demand for a more eco-friendly and safe manufacturing process.  The chemical components contained in the ink, adhesive used during installation or the fiberboard itself has tended to release harmful VOCs in the past. 

New flooring manufacturing technology is focused on changing that, with low- or no- VOC containing laminate flooring now available.  To learn more about the ABCs of VOCs in laminate flooring, contact your flooring specialist at Great Western Flooring.

Great Western Flooring offers quality flooring and tile products with professional installation.  We provide free design consultations from our convenient design center locations in Naperville, Oswego or St. Charles.  Contact us to learn more about laminate flooring with low or no VOCs.

This article was originally published at  https://www.greatwesternflooring.com/flooring-blog/laminate-flooring-the-abcs-of-vocs/