Why Flooring Matters in a Small Bathroom

Let’s face it—small bathrooms come with their own set of challenges. Limited floor space, minimal natural light, and cramped quarters can make even the simplest bathroom remodel feel like a massive task. But here’s the good news: the right flooring can make all the difference. It can maximize your valuable floor space, reflect light to brighten up the room, and create a cohesive look that ties the whole space together.

Plus, bathroom flooring isn’t just about looks. It’s also about durability, water resistance, and ease of maintenance. After all, a bathroom floor has to withstand daily wear and tear, from steamy showers to the occasional splash of water. So, let’s dive into some small bathroom remodel ideas that’ll help you choose the best flooring for your space.

Best Flooring Options for Small Bathrooms

When it comes to small bathroom remodeling, not all flooring options are created equal. You’ll want to choose a material that’s not only beautiful but also practical for a small and often humid environment. Here are some top contenders:

1. Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT)

Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) is a superstar when it comes to small bathroom remodels. Why? Because it offers the look of natural stone or wood, without the high maintenance or cost. LVT can be waterproof, durable, and incredibly easy to clean—a must for any bathroom. Whether you’re dreaming of a sleek, modern look or a more traditional vibe, LVT comes in a variety of styles that can suit any bathroom design.

One of the best parts about LVT is its ability to mimic the appearance of more expensive materials, like marble or hardwood, at a fraction of the price. This makes it a popular choice for homeowners looking to achieve a high-end look on a budget. 

2. Ceramic and Porcelain Tile

When you think of bathroom flooring, ceramic and porcelain tiles likely come to mind—and for good reason. These materials are classic choices for bathrooms, thanks to their water resistance and durability. But just because they’re traditional doesn’t mean they’re boring. Today’s ceramic and porcelain tiles come in a wide array of colors, patterns, and textures, allowing you to create a floor that’s uniquely yours.

One of the biggest advantages of ceramic and porcelain tiles is their ability to handle moisture. These tiles are naturally water resistant, making them ideal for a bathroom environment. Plus, they’re incredibly easy to clean—just a quick wipe, and you’re done. Whether you opt for large-format tiles to minimize grout lines or intricate mosaic patterns to add visual interest, ceramic and porcelain tiles are a solid choice for any small bathroom remodel.

3. Natural Stone

If you’re looking to add a touch of luxury to your remodel, natural stone flooring might be the way to go. Materials like marble, travertine, and slate offer a timeless beauty that’s hard to match. Natural stone brings a unique, organic feel to a space, with each tile offering its own distinct variations and patterns.

However, it’s important to note that natural stone can be more porous than other flooring options, meaning it may require regular sealing to prevent water damage. It’s also typically more expensive than materials like LVT or ceramic tile. If you want the look of natural stone without the hefty price tag, consider opting for stone-look vinyl.

4. Engineered Wood

Love hardwood but terrified of what your bathroom moisture could do to your flooring? It might sound like a recipe for disaster, but engineered wood is actually an amazing alternative to the natural version. Unlike traditional hardwood, engineered wood is made with a plywood base that’s designed to resist moisture, making it a viable option for bathrooms.

Engineered wood offers the warm, inviting look of real wood, with the added benefit of being more resistant to humidity and temperature fluctuations. This makes it a great choice for those who love the look of wood but need a material that can stand up to the challenges of a bathroom environment.

5. Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is another option worth considering for a small bathroom remodel. It’s affordable, easy to install, and comes in a variety of styles that mimic the look of natural wood. It may come as a surprise to see laminate flooring recommended for a room that will experience high moisture and frequent splashes, but many laminate products are water resistant or even fully waterproof, making it an excellent potential choice for bathrooms. 

If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option that doesn’t skimp on style, laminate flooring could be the perfect fit. Just be sure to choose a laminate that’s specifically rated for use in bathrooms to ensure it holds up over time.

Design Tips for Small Bathroom Flooring

Choosing the right flooring is just one piece of the puzzle. To truly make the most of your small bathroom remodel, you’ll want to consider a few design tips that can help maximize your space and create a cohesive look.

1. Go Light and Bright

In a small bathroom, light colors are your best friend. Lighter flooring can make a space feel larger and more open by reflecting natural light and reducing the appearance of shadows. Consider choosing a light-colored tile or LVT to brighten up your bathroom and create an airy, spacious feel.

2. Play with Patterns

Just because your bathroom is small doesn’t mean you have to play it safe with your design choices. Consider using patterned tiles or arranging tiles in a unique layout to add visual interest to the space. For example, herringbone or chevron patterns can add a sense of movement and dimension to a small bathroom floor.

3. Consider Large-Format Tiles

It might seem counterintuitive, but large-format tiles can actually make a small bathroom feel bigger. By minimizing the number of grout lines, large tiles create a more seamless, continuous look that can help expand the perceived size of the room. Plus, larger tiles are easier to clean—always a bonus in a bathroom.

4. Don’t Forget About Maintenance

When choosing flooring for your small bathroom, it’s important to think about maintenance. Some materials, like natural stone, may require regular sealing to keep them looking their best. Others, like LVT and ceramic tile, are more low-maintenance options that can be easily cleaned with a simple mop or cloth.

Consider how much time and effort you’re willing to invest in maintaining your bathroom floor, and choose a material that fits your lifestyle.

Bathroom Flooring Installation: DIY or Hire a Pro?

Once you’ve chosen the perfect flooring for your small bathroom, it’s time to think about flooring installation. While some homeowners may feel comfortable tackling a bathroom flooring installation as a DIY project, others may prefer to hire a professional to ensure the job is done right.

If you’re unsure about your abilities or simply want the peace of mind that comes with hiring a pro, it’s worth considering professional installation. Empire Today® offers comprehensive installation services, ensuring your new bathroom floor is installed correctly and efficiently.

Transform Your Small Bathroom with the Right Flooring

When it comes to small bathroom remodel ideas, flooring is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. The right flooring can enhance your bathroom’s design, make the space feel larger, and stand up to the unique challenges of a bathroom environment. Whether you choose the durability of LVT, the classic appeal of ceramic tile, the luxury of natural stone, the warmth of engineered wood, or the budget-friendly nature of laminate, your bathroom floor should reflect your style and needs.

Empire® offers a wide selection of flooring options that are perfect for small bathroom remodels. From guidance to professional installation, we’re here to help you create the bathroom of your dreams. So, what are you waiting for? Schedule an in-home appointment to start on your bathroom transformation today!

The post Small Bathroom Flooring: Your Guide to Transforming Tiny Spaces appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

Before we begin, let’s get a quick refresher on what exactly a subfloor is. The subfloor is, as the name suggests, the floor that is or will be immediately below your finished floors. In typical residential situations, the subfloor will be made of plywood or OSB (oriented strand board). Wood subfloors are durable and affordable and make an ideal surface for affixing a wide range of flooring products. These wood subfloors can be attached to flooring joists, or often laid down over a concrete slab. However, adding that wooden subfloor can lead to additional costs and complications when having new floors installed on concrete. For this reason, many homeowners find themselves searching for a floor that can be installed on concrete without needing additional preparation.

Carpet on Concrete?

Believe it or not, you can have carpet installed directly onto a concrete floor without any additional subfloor material. Depending on the area of your home that you would like carpeted, there are a few things to consider. If your goal is simply to spruce up a three-season room or unfinished basement, you might consider indoor/outdoor carpet. This rugged carpet is built to withstand exposure to the elements, making it more it an excellent choice for anywhere that regularly deals with lots of dirt or water.

A key part of its outdoor-ready construction is that it’s designed to be installed directly onto a concrete slab. However, it’s important to note that because it doesn’t use any carpet padding, indoor/outdoor carpet won’t be a huge upgrade in comfort. But it can still go a long way towards making a sunroom or dingy unfinished basement feel more welcoming.

Carpet tiles are another option. Though typically used in commercial settings like offices, they are perfectly suitable for use in areas of your home where you want a simple yet rugged soft surface floor. One of their main advantages is that carpet tiles can be installed directly onto concrete. Their modular nature also makes them great for oddly shaped spaces as well as areas likely to see higher traffic—if one area of the floor becomes severely damaged or stained, you’ll only need to have a few carpet tiles replaced instead of the entire floor.

If your primary goal is to maximize comfort on those cold concrete basement floors, then you’re in luck. Thankfully, you won’t be limited just to indoor/outdoor carpets. In fact, the most common styles of carpet, like plush or Berber carpet, can also be installed onto a concrete floor. When selecting a carpet for concrete floors, you’ll also often have the option to choose from a variety of carpet pads to be used during the installation. Opting for a thick, dense rubber carpet pad can greatly increase how soft the carpet feels underfoot, as well as help insulate it from the cold concrete flooring below it.

Vinyl Flooring is an Ideal Concrete Covering

While traditional carpet over concrete is a viable option for many homeowners’ needs, it isn’t a good choice for certain spaces, like a basement that deals with persistent dampness or a mudroom that will see, well, lots of mud. Situations like these are best served by floors that are easy to keep clean, and which can endure exposure to water. In areas like these, your best bet will be some type of vinyl flooring. Sheet vinyl, vinyl plank, and vinyl tile all offer options that are rugged, waterproof or water-resistant, and also still look great.

One of the great benefits of having vinyl flooring installed over concrete is the vast array of visuals available across its multiple formats. Luxury vinyl plank floors offer the convincing look of hardwood; vinyl tile is an affordable alternative to porcelain or ceramic tiles; and sheet vinyl is available in a mix of both aesthetics. While vinyl flooring can be installed directly onto concrete, you can also choose to have an optional underlayment used during the installation. This underlayment will help insulate your new vinyl floors from the concrete slab below, and can also add a bit of cushion to make it a more comfortable surface

Tile Floors are a Great Choice for Concrete

And there’s always ceramic or porcelain tile, the stalwarts of basement flooring. Both types of tile can be installed on concrete floors. Tile will provide much of the same feel and functionality as a bare cement floor—it will still a hard surface that will feel cool underfoot and won’t do much to improve the comfort of a room. But tile’s similarity to a concrete floor means it also shares many of the benefits: a tile floor is typically very durable, resisting scratches and chips; it’s easy to maintain, requiring little more than regular sweeping and mopping; and it’s a floor that can stand up to the spills and dampness that a basement might typically encounter. Plus, tile floors are a great way to improve the look of a bare space without adding worries about complicated upkeep.

When it comes down to it, if you’re looking to have finished floors installed onto concrete, you’ll have more choices than you may have imagined. There are even some wood laminate and engineered hardwood floors that are suitable for installation directly over concrete, though they often come with a few more maintenance concerns and may not be a good choice for basements. But Empire® offers a great variety of carpet, vinyl, and tile floor products that can be installed on concrete, improving the look and feel of your home while still keeping some of the low maintenance of bare concrete.

If you’re hoping to have flooring installed onto concrete in your basement, three-season room, or other area of the home, give us a call or click any of the “Schedule In-Home Appointment” buttons on the site to set up a free, no-obligation consultation with a flooring professional today.

The post The Best Floors to Have Installed onto Concrete appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

Cut Pile Carpet for Cats

Pile type is one of the most important factors to consider when trying to choose the best carpet for cats. Every cat owner has, at some point, had to deal with their scratching at anything they can get their paws on. While they’ll commonly go for couch arms, table legs, and other pieces of furniture, it’s likely that your floors will also end up a victim. Opting for a cat-friendly carpet is integral to both your pets health and the survivability of your floors, and that starts with choosing a cut pile carpet.

Carpet fibers are finished in one of two ways: loop pile and cut pile construction. As their names suggest, loop pile fibers form a loop at the carpet surface, while cut pile carpets are trimmed so the ends are loose. When a cat scratches at a loop pile carpet, its claws are likely to snag on the looped fibers, often pulling the fibers from the carpet base, causing the surface to look uneven and leading to premature wearing. 

One way to prevent this is to opt for a carpet that has cut fibers. With no loops to grab onto, it’s less likely that your pet will be able to rip the fibers from a cut pile carpet, which will help to extend its longevity. Think of the difference between combing hair that’s full of knots compared to a smooth, well-groomed mane. Your comb will get hung up on every knot, pulling at the hair, instead of gliding smoothly through it.

And a cut pile carpet isn’t one of the best carpets for cats just because it’s more likely to endure their playing—it’s also safer for the pets themselves. In addition to being a good way to damage the carpet, clawing at looped fibers can can also hurt your pets’ paws. It’s not uncommon for a cat’s claws to get stuck in the carpet loops, which can cause them anything from minor discomfort to serious injury. So instead of a Berber or pattern carpet, try a plush or frieze style for a comfortable, cat-friendly carpet. 

High-Density Carpets

The density of a carpet greatly affects its level of comfort, with denser carpets typically offering a springier, more cushioned feel underfoot. It can also play a significant factor on the stain-resistance of the carpet by helping limit how deep a typical spill will seep into its fibers. As a pet owner, you may not catch every spill or accident your cat has on the carpet. And the longer that accident goes unnoticed, the deeper it will penetrate into the carpet backing and even the padding below.

But the denser a carpet is, the less quickly liquids tend to soak in, helping give you more time to address the mess. The extra time can help you clean up more of the accidents before they fully soak in and cause permanent stains or long-term damage. Aim for a high-density carpet to lower the risk of accidents ruining your flooring. 

Polyester Fibers

An extremely popular choice for homes with pets, polyester fibers are used in many of the best carpets for cats. Polyester fibers are non-porous, which means they won’t absorb liquids. That makes them more stain-resistant than other carpet materials, and also less likely to absorb the odors that tend to linger from a cat’s accident long after you’ve cleaned up the liquid. If you’re looking for a stain-resistant carpet for cats that is easy to maintain, polyester fibers are the way to go. 

Carpet with Darker Colors 

Of course, even with all of the best materials and technologies in place, there’s no way to completely pet-proof any carpet. Stains, whether from missing the litter box or those tiny paws tracking mud in from the yard, are an inevitability in any pet-friendly household. One simple way to mitigae their impact is to skip the white or light carpeting and instead opt for a dark-toned carpet. Dark carpets, or even multicolor carpets with a mix of dark and medium tones, can help conceal minor stains.  

Pet-Protected Carpet

In addition to seeking out each of these specific technical specifications, one easy way to ensure your floors can better stand up to life in a pet-friendly household is to choose a carpet that is specifically crafted to deal with pets and their accidents. Empire Today® offers a range of pet-protected carpet, which is specially designed to help protect against pet urine.

Carpets with PUP® (Pet Urine Protection) are built specifically to resist the penetration of pet urine. These carpets will usually also have additional protective features, like SureBlok Stain Protection for overall resistance against soiling; or Microban®, which inhibits the growth of mold, mildew, and other odor-causing bacteria. These carpet features will all help ease your worries when your cat misses the litter box, and go a long way to letting your carpet and cats peacefully coexist. 

The Bottom Line on Carpet for Cat Households 

So many pet owners think that just because they have a cat, they can’t also enjoy the comfort of carpetted floors. But you can have both, with minimal headaches, simply by choosing a cat-friendly carpet for your home. Choose a carpet style that will accommodate their habits and mitigate their occasional bad behavior, and both you and your cat will be happier in the long run. The Empire® selection of cat-friendly carpets runs the gamut of styles, so you don’t have to compromise on your design goals either. Schedule a FREE In-Home Estimate today to see a selection of carpet that would be ideal for your kitty.

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What is Indoor/Outdoor Carpet?

First things first. What exactly is special about this type of carpeting, and how is it different than traditional home carpets? To the surprise of many shoppers, indoor/outdoor carpet is actually quite similar to the soft stuff you might have installed in your family room. Indoor/outdoor carpet is closest in construction to Berber carpeting, the low-pile carpet most often installed in busy areas of a home. Like Berber, indoor/outdoor carpet is a loop pile carpet—the fibers are formed into low-profile loops of a consistent height. This lends the carpet a dense feel and uniform look while giving it extra durability and resistance to crushing and matting.

There are two main differences between this outdoor carpet and normal indoor carpet, however. First is the fiber material. Indoor/outdoor carpets are constructed of extra-tough synthetic materials like olefin or polyester, which prioritize fade and moisture resistance. While both indoor and outdoor carpets share a similar need to be resistant to wear and fading, the carpet outdoors will be exposed to all manner of precipitation and long days in direct sun. Using materials that can endure this exposure helps ensure that the carpets won’t start to deteriorate after a season of intense weather. The water resistance also helps make outdoor carpets highly resistant to mold and mildew formation.

In addition to the material differences, outdoor carpeting is not installed with a layer of padding like your bedroom carpet is. Most carpet padding is made from porous foam or rubber materials, and having an absorbent material under an outdoor carpet would compromise its weather resistance. So it’s important to know that, while it will add significant comfort to your porch or patio, outdoor carpet won’t feel quite as cushy as the Berber carpet in your home.

Indoor/Outdoor Carpet vs Artificial Turf

Much of the confusion about indoor/outdoor carpet comes from it getting mixed up with other popular outdoor flooring options like artificial turf and grass substitutes. Though they’re both soft surfaces suitable for outdoor spaces and they may look the same from a distance, indoor/outdoor carpeting and artificial turf are actually quite different.

Unlike indoor/outdoor carpet, artificial turf is crafted specifically to replicate the look and feel of natural grass. That means instead of looped fibers, turf is constructed of thousands of individual blades of fake grass. These are free-standing blades, generally much thicker than carpet fibers, and not looped at the end. This construction gives artificial turf a loose, flowy feel similar to natural grass—but makes it much more likely to show crushing and matting marks than low-pile indoor/outdoor carpet.

Where can Indoor/Outdoor Carpet be Installed?

As the name suggests, indoor/outdoor carpet is suitable for a wide range of spaces inside and outside the home. The most popular application is in transitional spaces like a sunroom, three-season room, or covered porch. These spots are not directly exposed to the elements but will typically get indirect splashing from rain or outdoor messes tracked in on shoes that would quickly destroy a regular carpet.

And yet these spaces value comfort enough that a hard-surface floor often feels too cold—both literally and figuratively. Indoor/outdoor carpet strikes the perfect balance between durability and comfort, while also improving the look of a space. It’s built to last and helps make these rooms feel like a main part of the home.

Of course, indoor/outdoor carpet works just as well in fully exposed areas, like a typical concrete backyard porch or front patio. The simple act of having carpet installed on these hard surfaces can have a profound effect, transforming them from cold and sterile into welcoming gathering places.

Can I Have Indoor/Outdoor Carpet Installed in Rooms Inside My Home?

Yes! Indoor/outdoor carpet can actually be an ideal flooring option for certain spots that are completely indoors, like the basement. Many homeowners keep their basements in a semi-finished state—oftentimes the space has enough issues with dampness or water seepage to keep it from being a fully livable area of the home. But they still want to outfit it with enough creature comforts to make it welcoming as a man cave, workshop, or other usable room. Indoor/outdoor carpet adds a bit of style and comfort to basement floors without the worries that traditional carpet would bring with regard to occasional basement seepage.

Or perhaps your basement is fully unfinished and used only for storage and laundry. Though no one actually hangs out down there, you still need to pop down a few times a week to grab something or put a load in the washer. Having indoor/outdoor carpet installed on just the stairs can help increase safety by adding a bit of traction and goes a long way to keeping your shoes clean from any of the dust, dirt, and dampness they’re likely to pick up while downstairs.

How is Indoor/Outdoor Carpet Installed?

Unlike a typical patio rug, indoor/outdoor carpet is permanently affixed to the floor—just like your indoor carpet. While the carpet in your home is installed using tack strips, indoor/outdoor carpet is typically secured with an industrial adhesive. This method works well on the most common surfaces you’d want outdoor carpets installed, like a concrete patio.

Securing indoor/outdoor carpet this way helps keep it from blowing away in a strong wind, and keeps the carpet surface looking and feeling smooth regardless of how much traffic your space sees.

Is it Right for My Space?

Indoor/outdoor carpet is a great choice for most outdoor areas and many traditional spaces within the home, but it won’t always be the best choice. If you’re on the fence about having it installed and still need some guidance with your decision, we’re here to help! Contact us via phone or any of the “Schedule In-Home Appointment” buttons on the site to set up an in-home consultation with a flooring pro. In addition to samples of the indoor/outdoor carpets available from Empire Today®, they’ll bring a variety of products that might work well for your situation—helping ensure you end up with floors that fit all of your needs.

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The good news is that these days there are quite a few eco-friendly flooring options, including products like bamboo wood floors, which are made from a fast-growing, easily renewable natural resource. Ceramic and porcelain tile also get high marks for eco-friendliness because they’re long-lasting flooring products that are made from a plentiful raw material. But what about homeowners who want something a little softer? The common soft surface options, like synthetic fiber carpets, would seem to be among the worst choices. But believe it or not, carpet can be one of the most eco-friendly flooring options that you can choose. Read on to learn more about the eco-friendly carpet options available from Empire Today®.

It’s true that most of the carpet on the market today is made from synthetic fibers like nylon or polyester, which are petroleum-based products. And on the surface, that would seem to make them one of the worst choices when it comes to the environment. But what many consumers don’t realize is that a growing number of those new carpets are actually made from recycled materials. Some carpets are made with small amount of recycled material blended into their existing manufacturing stream, while the most eco-friendly carpets may use up to 100% recycled consumer products.

Eco-friendly carpet: the comfortable, Earth-conscious choice

Empire® is proud to carry a selection of carpets crafted using a proprietary manufacturing method called the Continuum Process. This process takes discarded plastic bottles, transforms them back into a raw material that is purified and formed into soft fibers. Those fibers can then be woven into gorgeous, comfortable carpets that are indistinguishable from carpets made from raw polyester or nylon stock.

According to Earthday.org, Americans buy around 50 billion plastic bottles of water a year. The Continuum process prevents some 3 billion of those bottles from ending up in our oceans or landfills every year, and turns them into a useful product for your home. Each square yard of carpet made this way contains the plastic of about 63 recycled bottles. This manufacturing process itself also uses less energy than the act of making the fibers from scratch, leading to additional environmental benefits.

 And the Continuum process has fringe benefits that are more immediate to homeowners. Carpet made with Continuum fibers are often more durable and easier to maintain that traditional synthetic carpets. In fact, some of these carpets include limited lifetime warranties against staining.

Empire’s selection of eco-friendly carpet spans a wide range of colors and styles, offering options that will match nearly any interior design scheme. With a look, feel, and durability that matches traditionally made products, you’ll get everything you love about new carpet—all while helping do something good for the earth. Contact us today to speak to a flooring professional about our eco-friendly carpet or any of the other green flooring products we offer.

The post How Eco-Friendly Flooring Can Reduce Your Environmental Impact appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

Tile Water Absorption Rate

In our previous post about the differences between ceramic and porcelain tile, we briefly touched upon this concept. The water absorption rate of a tile is a way to quantify the water resistance of that particular model of tile in a standardized, objective way. The test works like this:

Five small fragments of a tile—usually just a few inches square and taken from the centers of the full-sized tiles—are baked in a lab oven until their weight no longer changes. Fragments are used to increase the amount of exposed porous surface area of the tile, while the baking process assures the testers that there is absolutely no residual moisture in the pores of the tile.

After baking, the starting weight of each fragment is recorded. The tile fragments are then boiled in water for five hours and then left to soak in water for another 24 hours. Once that time is up, the fragments are weighed again. The finished weight is compared to the starting weight and expressed as a percentage; that percentage is the tile’s water absorption rate.

The lower the water absorption rate, the more resistant to moisture a tile is. This is also one of the key defining characteristics of porcelain tile in comparison to ceramic tile. In order to be officially classified and sold as porcelain tile, The Tile Council of North America mandates that the product must be at or below a 0.5% water absorption rate. Ceramic tiles, in contrast, are not bound by any industry standards for water resistance. While some ceramic tiles do get down to just above a 0.5% water absorption rate, most are in the low single digits, but others can get up into the double digits. So while most ceramic tile still offers good water resistance, porcelain tile will be the better solution for areas that see high levels of water exposure. Interested in the finer details of the testing process? Read more in this article from the TCNA.

PEI Rating

This is a term you’ll probably encounter on your tile shopping journey in a list of technical specifications for a particular tile model. Established by the Porcelain Enamel Institute, a trade organization that supports the development and use of porcelain across many industries, the PEI rating of a surface describes the hardness of a porcelain glaze. The harder the glaze, the more resistant to surface wear that tile is, and the better suited it will be for high-traffic areas of a home or business.

The PEI scale comprises 6 classes that fall on a scale of 0 to 5. At the low end would be completely unglazed tiles, with the high end reserved for the tiles with the toughest surface glaze. The most common household tiles will usually have a PEI rating of 3 or 4. Lower ratings don’t automatically designate a lower-quality tile, just one that shouldn’t be used in areas seeing lots of foot traffic. For instance, some high-end tiles may be designed to be used exclusively as a strong visual element on walls or backsplashes and simply were not constructed to deal with lots of wear.

Through Body vs Color Body

This term is used to describe the visual similarity between the surface glaze of a tile and its interior construction.  A “through-body” tile will have a consistent tone throughout the thickness of the tile, all the way through the visible surface. Most porcelain tiles have a through-body construction, while most ceramic tiles typically will not. Ceramic tile is usually crafted with a method known as “color-body,” in which the surface design or glaze are a different shade than the rest of the tile body. Imagine each tile as a piece of cake. The through-body tile would be a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, while the color-body tile would be a white vanilla cake with chocolate frosting.

What does this mean in practical applications? In daily use, there won’t be any noticeable difference between the two types of tiles. The major benefit of through-body only becomes apparent when the surface is chipped. If we go back to the cake example, imagine running a finger through the frosting of the chocolate cake. The results of your sneaking a taste probably won’t be visible except under close inspection. Now do the same thing with the vanilla cake, and the white dough underneath will likely alert the rest of your party that you’ve sampled the sweets. In the same way, a chip on the surface of a through-body tile will be much harder to notice from a typical viewing distance than a chip on a color-body tile.

If you expect your floors to need to endure abnormally high traffic or situations that may lead to chips, it may be a good idea to seek out products with a through-body construction while you’re tile shopping.

These were just three of the many mystifying terms you might encounter while perusing flooring products online. Whether you’re just beginning to consider what type of floors you might want to have installed in your home, or you’re already deep in the tile shopping process, Empire Today® is always here to help. From our award-winning customer service team to our free in-home consultations, Empire® is dedicated to helping you find the best floors for your home with as little hassle as possible.

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The Basic Differences Between Porcelain and Ceramic

Both porcelain and ceramic tile are in the broader ceramic family. The difference is that porcelain is a type of ceramic that is made by a fusion of clays while ceramic tile is a class of material itself. Also, ceramic also isn’t fully vitrified, unlike porcelain tile. Now that you know the basics, you can get down to the nitty-gritty of what qualities each tile possesses.

Porcelain vs Ceramic is All About Durability

Both options are durable. However, the key difference between porcelain and ceramic tile is the level of water absorption. Denser and more impervious due to being fully vitrified, porcelain tile tends to be the tougher choice. Keep in mind that porcelain’s higher density also means it’s heavier. Ceramic tile is a durable option when you factor in scratch, stain, and scuff resistance. Yet, it’s not as resistant as porcelain and doesn’t do as well in high traffic areas. But, no matter the choice, you’ll be getting reliable and functional flooring.

What About Costs?

In general, ceramic tends to be less expensive than porcelain tile due to manufacturing costs. However, you must also weigh style options and features. In the end, when comparing porcelain vs ceramic costs, you need to consider what you value more. If you have room in your budget, you may not mind spending a little more for tile that’s better suited for your household’s needs.

Where Can Each Tile Type Be Used?

Of course, the durability and ease of maintenance can make a difference in where each tile type should be installed in your home. Generally, both ceramics are popular for bathrooms, kitchens, and other rooms that are faced with everyday moisture. However, porcelain tile’s lower absorption rate means it has less of a chance of being damaged by water and moisture. This doesn’t mean you can’t have ceramic in these moisture-prone rooms. If you’re looking for a more affordable option that still can be water resistant, it’s a great choice.

Installation Can Be Easy

The difference between porcelain and ceramic installations is that ceramic is easier to cut because it isn’t as dense. However, installing tile can be tricky overall. When it comes to installing new floors, it isn’t just about porcelain vs ceramic. It’s best to have your floors professionally installed, so you can save yourself the headache and have floors that will last. No matter which type of tile, you can damage your floors by making common DIY mistakes. Let Empire Today help make your life easier while you sit back and enjoy your new look.

Overall, both porcelain and ceramic tile are great options for almost any room in your home. If you really want to know which is better, it all depends on your preferences and what you hold important. Porcelain tile may be more durable, but if you’re remodeling a room with light traffic, ceramic’s lower costs may be more imperative. The most important thing is that you get what’s best for your home and style needs. Still haven’t decided which is best for you? Schedule a FREE In-Home Estimate to have a flooring professional come to your home and give you the full scoop.

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While you don’t need to be an acoustical engineer to understand the benefits of particular surfaces and their influence on noise levels, a basic background on how sound travels will help illustrate why certain rooms can “feel” much louder than others. Sound travels in waves of energy which, like a tennis ball, bounce off of hard, flat surfaces with predictable strength and direction. Throw it straight down at a concrete driveway, and it will bounce straight back up with nearly as much force as you used to throw it.

But try to bounce it on a lush lawn, and it will either simply stop with a thud in the grass, or bounce a tiny bit in an unpredictable direction. In short, the harder a surface is, the more easily a soundwave will bounce off of it. A bounced sound wave becomes an echo and contributes to a louder sounding room. But soft materials greatly cut down on the reflection of sound waves by absorbing the energy or scattering it in many different directions at once.

Carpet is King for Quieting a Room

From that very brief science lesson, you might guess that a carpeted room will sound quieter than a room finished in ceramic tile or real hardwood floors—and you’d be correct. A fully carpeted floor can help reduce ambient noise levels by upwards of 20 decibels compared to tile or vinyl floors. That can mean the difference between being able to hear someone who is in the same room whisper vs them needing to speak loudly. In general, the thicker and more dense the carpet, the better its sound-reducing characteristics will be. So, you can usually expect a frieze or plush carpet to be a more sound dampening floor that a pattern or Berber carpet.

Another factor to consider is what type of carpet padding is used. Based on the same scientific principles as before, the thicker and denser the carpet padding is, the better its noise reduction properties will be. And here’s where auditory and tactile comfort converge: those thicker and denser carpet pads will also be more comfortable to walk on. This combination makes carpet the ideal flooring for gathering areas like the den or a dedicated playroom. After all, the benefits of having an isolated home office or a dedicated playroom for the kids aren’t as great if noise still becomes a distraction.

It’s also a smart choice for kids’ bedrooms that are on the upper level of a home, as the noise-insulating properties of carpet will help keep more of the ruckus from coming through the floor and reaching the rest of the home. This is one of the main reasons that many multi-level buildings in major cities have an “80% carpet rule,” which stipulates that the majority of hard floors should be covered by rugs or carpet in order to help isolate noise within a unit.

But even with the practical noise-reducing properties of carpet, for many people, carpet simply will not fit into a décor scheme. And even if a quieter home is a high priority. Recent industry surveys have shown that if homeowners could choose their “dream floors,” they would overwhelmingly opt for hardwood flooring. So what can those shoppers do if they’re caught between their desire for a quieter home and the floors of their dreams, which are made from wood—a notoriously “noisy” floor material? That’s where WhisperHome® from Empire Today® comes in.

WhisperHome®: An Engineered Hardwood Sound Dampening Floor

WhisperHome® is an engineered hardwood flooring material that has been specifically optimized to prioritize quietness. In a typical use case, a WhisperHome® sound dampening floor can absorb almost as much noise energy as a carpeted floor. That means much less of the clacking and tapping that often comes from typical foot traffic on a genuine hardwood floor.

And because WhisperHome® is an engineered flooring material, you still get many of the benefits of genuine hardwood floors: the real wood top surface with its truly unique grain patterns, and the ability to be refinished one or more times in its lifespan.

There are, of course, other variables to consider when shopping for new floors if controlling noise levels is a high priority. The type of subfloor already installed in your home and the multiple types of available underlayment materials can help create a more sound dampening floor. With all of the options to consider, it can be nearly impossible to come to any solid decision on your own. And that’s why the Empire® In-Home Shopping Experience can be so valuable. Being able to see and feel hundreds of samples of carpet or other flooring types while picking the brain of a season flooring professional—all in the comfort of your own home—takes all of the guesswork out of buying new floors. Click the link or give us a call to set yours up today and you’ll be enjoying the benefits of sound dampening floors in no time.

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So, What Exactly Are the Differences Between Luxury Vinyl Tile and Luxury Vinyl Plank?

Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) and luxury vinyl tile (LVT) flooring are two high-end subsets of the larger vinyl flooring category. Both are light years beyond the flimsy vinyl floors of yesteryear, with significant advancements in durability, versatility, and style. And they both offer notable improvements over even modern sheet vinyl.  Though they are quite similar in construction and tend to offer nearly identical feature sets, there are a few key distinctions that might affect your decision when choosing between LVP and LVT.

The most evident differences between these two products are the shape of each flooring piece and the surface visuals.

As the name suggests, luxury vinyl plank is built to mimic the look of a wood plank. That means it will be manufactured in a rectangular form factor, with one dimension significantly longer than the other—just like a plank of real hardwood flooring. Additionally, the photorealistic image that graces the surface of the luxury vinyl plank will be that of wood. Thanks to its man-made nature, just about any wood species, grain pattern, and “stain” color can be recreated in a piece of vinyl plank.

Luxury vinyl tile, as you can probably guess, is a vinyl floor product that replicates the appearance of traditional tile or stone flooring. LVT’s surface image will often feature the artisan aesthetics of ceramic tile or the colors and veining of fine stone materials like marble or travertine. When it comes to dimensions, vinyl tile will often be crafted in a square format, though there are also some LVT products offered in rectangular formats that may be closer in dimensions to a vinyl plank but still feature the look of tile or stone.

How is Each Type of Luxury Vinyl Installed?

Though not always visually evident, there is often a difference in how LVT and LVP are installed. Luxury vinyl tile is installed with an industrial adhesive. Each individual vinyl tile gets glued directly to the subfloor in a method similar to traditional tile installation. If a customer chooses, LVT can also be installed with gaps between each tile to allow for grouting, again, just like a ceramic or porcelain tile floor. This option is almost entirely an aesthetic choice.

In contrast, luxury vinyl plank flooring typically uses a click-and-lock construction that interlocks each plank to its neighboring planks and does not require adhesive, nailing, or any type of securing to the subfloor. This installation method tends to be more efficient and cost-effective and allows for easy installation on nearly any type of subfloor material, including existing tile or hardwood floors.

Though the installation methods may differ, the range of applications does not. Anywhere one can go, so can the other. Both LVT and LVP are suitable for all areas of the home, including below-grade floors and directly onto a concrete slab. That means you can choose either for your bathroom, mudroom, or even the basement.

LVT vs LVP: Under the Surface is What Matters

When it comes to practical aspects like materials, durability, and flooring features, most luxury vinyl plank and luxury vinyl tile products from Empire Today® are practically interchangeable. If a vinyl tile product has particular features you are interested in, there will almost certainly be a vinyl plank model that offers the same set of features.

Beyond the superficial differences, luxury vinyl plank and luxury vinyl tile are essentially the same product by all other metrics. Both are constructed around a highly stable vinyl core, which gives them excellent overall durability, and they are both finished with a specialized wear layer that resists scratches, scuffs, and staining. And both vinyl plank and vinyl tile will usually be embossed with a texture that matches the wood grain or stone patterns on the surface.

All LVT and LVP flooring products from Empire® are built with Aqua Defense technology, which makes them a fully waterproof flooring choice. They will all also typically be resistant to mold and mildew formation. Their robust construction makes them equally easy to take care of, with neither requiring any routine maintenance beyond regular sweeping and mopping up of any larger messes.

Overall, the similarities between luxury vinyl plank and luxury vinyl tile tend to outweigh the differences. In the end, if you’ve heard about LVP and LVT but weren’t sure which would be better suited for your needs, the answer will usually be simple: pick which one you like the look of! Nearly any functional flooring need you have can be solved equally well by each product type. In the end, the main decision you’ll really need to make is what kind of look you want in your home. Schedule an in-home estimate with Empire and a flooring professional will bring a full catalog of LVT and LVP samples directly to you, to make the shopping process even easier.

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After coming to this conclusion, many shoppers will automatically opt for porcelain or ceramic tile. These flooring stalwarts have been the go-to choice for bathrooms and kitchens for ages due mostly to their durability and high level of water resistance. And they are a great fit for these rooms, with a large variety of styles and features to choose from. However, though tile is an incredibly popular choice for moisture-prone areas of the home, it can come with its own set of disadvantages.

The properties that make ceramic or porcelain tile such a durable waterproof flooring option are also the source of its main downsides, and those downsides are especially evident in the rooms where you most want waterproof floors: the bathroom and the kitchen. If you’ve ever stepped barefoot onto a cold tile floor during a middle-of-the-night trip to the bathroom, you know that they can get uncomfortably cold. And while ceramic and porcelain’s incredible material hardness is a huge advantage when it comes to durability, that same asset can become a source of discomfort if you spend a lot of time walking or standing on a tile floor. Many home chefs (or dishwashers!) can relate to that point. Lastly, tile can make a room sound echoey and harshly loud.

Luxury Vinyl Tile and Plank Are Stylish, Durable Waterproof Flooring Options

Thankfully, there is a type of flooring that solves each of those nits without sacrificing water resistance or style—and it may even fit your budget better. That miracle material? Luxury vinyl flooring. While not a new product, luxury vinyl flooring options have continued to fly under the radar because of their association with the flimsy products many remember from decades past. But today’s luxury vinyl plank and tile are a far cry from the rolled linoleum that graced the floor of Grandpa’s basement.

Thanks to Aqua Defense technology, both luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and luxury vinyl plank (LVP) are fully waterproof flooring products. They offer incredible durability—on par with or better than ceramic or porcelain tiles—with many luxury vinyl products from Empire Today® covered by limited lifetime warranties against wear. But aesthetes need not worry that LVT and LVP are some kind of homely utilitarian flooring materials that prioritize function over form. In fact, the truth is the exact opposite.

Advanced construction methods lend luxury vinyl floors a high-end look and feel that, in many cases, can be nearly indistinguishable from real tile or hardwood floors. The photorealistic surface image accurately recreates the appearance of tile, stone, or hardwood, while the embossed textures convincingly mimic the feel of those materials. Many people don’t realize that LVT and LVP are man-made materials, even when they’re standing right on the floor. And as the product category has continued to grow in popularity, the selection of LVT and LVP available from Empire® has come to offer significantly more style options that traditional tile.

Best of all, as waterproof flooring products, they match tile’s best qualities while avoiding the aforementioned downsides. Though it is a hard surface flooring, there is a small amount of flexibility inherent to the vinyl material, which goes a long way when it comes to underfoot feel. Luxury vinyl flooring will be noticeably more comfortable to walk barefoot or stand on for long periods of time. The synthetic surface will also feel warmer than a tile floor when the temperatures dip. That flexibility also tends to make rooms with vinyl floors a bit quieter than if the same surfaces were covered in porcelain or ceramic tile. Additionally, a variety of underlayment choices can further augment each of these benefits—an option not possible with traditional tile, which needs to be installed on a totally rigid surface to prevent the risk of cracking.

Overall, vinyl products offer perhaps the most comprehensive solution when having waterproof floors is your main goal, but also strongly value style and comfort. If you’ve been debating new floors for your kitchen, bathroom, or anywhere else where water damage is a risk, but aren’t thrilled by the idea of ceramic tile, then luxury vinyl flooring might be exactly what you need.

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