But like many of the most in-demand features in modern design, real tile or hardwood floors can be something of a budget-breaker for many homeowners. Thankfully, the abundance of high-quality alternatives means that it’s still possible to get a modern flooring look while saving some money. One of the best choices for achieving this goal is vinyl flooring. What exactly is vinyl flooring, and what makes it such a popular alternative to the real deals? Keep reading to find out.

Vinyl Flooring Types: Know the Difference

Vinyl flooring is, as its name states, a type of floor product made primarily out of the synthetic material polyvinyl chloride—better known as PVC. An incredibly versatile material, vinyl gives manufacturers the ability to mimic an endless variety of textures and styles in a durable, convenient flooring product. The wider category of vinyl flooring is separated into three subcategories: sheet vinyl, luxury vinyl tile (LVT), and luxury vinyl plank (LVP). Each type has its own unique characteristics and benefits that should be considered when choosing a vinyl floor that will best match your personal style and practical needs.

Sheet Vinyl

The most affordable of the three options, sheet vinyl is crafted in large flexible sheets that feature a repeating design. This gives sheet vinyl the look of a typical tile or hardwood floor, as well as a natural point at which to line up the seams of each vinyl sheet.

While sheet vinyl flooring is prized for its reasonable cost, it still more than holds its own when it comes to durability. Empire Today® offers some sheet vinyl products that are backed by limited lifetime warranties against fading, staining, and wear.

The biggest obstacle to a customer choosing sheet vinyl is often the unkind reputation of its predecessors. Most shoppers over a certain age will remember the linoleum flooring of yesteryear, which was a synthetic floor product known not only for being very inexpensive but also for having poor all-around quality. But thankfully, today’s sheet vinyl floors are leaps and bounds ahead of their ancestors in nearly every aspect.

One practical downside to sheet vinyl is that its large sheets don’t allow for much design customization and can limit installation orientation.

Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT)

As the name suggests, vinyl tile is a luxury option that provides the realistic look and texture of traditional ceramic, porcelain, or stone tiles. Unlike sheet vinyl—which mimics an entire floor’s worth of tiles in a single continuous sheet—each vinyl tile is a separate piece. Some LVT floor products can even be grouted to create a fully authentic tile look.

There are a few common reasons why LVT is often chosen over a traditional tile, with comfort being a popular one. Though beautiful, stone or ceramic tile floors are a very hard surface that will usually feel cold to the touch, a combo that can be uncomfortable for bedrooms or family rooms. A very hard floor can also lead to foot, back, and knee pain in rooms where you might find yourself standing for long periods of time—like the kitchen. LVT reduces both of these issues, offering a floor that feels a bit warmer underfoot while providing just enough compliance to significantly improve comfort while walking or standing.

Luxury vinyl tile floors also require less maintenance than stone or traditional tile and can often be more durable. The ultra-dense vinyl core and robust wear layer are highly resistant to scratches and scuffs, and vinyl tiles are unlikely to chip like some ceramic tiles might do when struck with a hard object. Many natural stone floor products need to be regularly treated with a sealant, as should the grouting in a typical ceramic floor. Most LVT floors are “set it and forget it,” requiring nothing more than regular cleaning for their entire lifespan.

But one of the biggest advantages LVT has over tile is that vinyl will almost always be more affordable than a similar style of porcelain or ceramic tile.

Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP)

Similar in construction to vinyl tile, luxury vinyl plank mimics hardwood flooring in style and shape. At first glance, a piece of LVP can often be indistinguishable from a plank of genuine hardwood. LVP has a realistic wood look and feel, and some models even install with similar tongue-and-groove construction.

As with the other vinyl flooring products, LVP is often chosen for its durability and low maintenance when compared to the real thing. To get even more specific, vinyl plank is prized for its water-resistant or full waterproof construction. That makes it an excellent choice for applications where genuine hardwood floors should not be installed: bathrooms, kitchens, basements, and any other spaces where exposure to water is a regular occurrence. Having LVP installed in those areas means a homeowner can still get the modern look of hardwood flooring without the downsides of wood.

And, like sheet vinyl and luxury vinyl tile, perhaps one of the biggest draws of LVP is that it offers a less expensive option that real wood floors.

How Durable is Vinyl Flooring?

Overall, even the most basic vinyl floor products offered by Empire Today® meet an impressive baseline of durability, with different products offering extra levels of protection against scratching, staining, fading, and overall wear. Many vinyl floor products in the Empire® catalog are covered by limited lifetime warranties against each of those risks.

Of course, no flooring material is totally invulnerable, and if you expect your vinyl floors to see extreme levels of traffic, it’s worth considering what happens after any damage occurs. While sheet vinyl can offer overall durability on par with LVT or LVP, it’s trickier to deal with in the event of a serious scratch or puncture. Because it’s installed as one large, seamless piece, you cannot simply replace the individual tile where the damage occurs. It may be possible to cut a matching patch from a piece of remnant, but in doing so you’d compromise one of sheet vinyl’s greatest assets: its seamless waterproof surface.

Where Vinyl Flooring can Fit In Your Home

Hard-surface floors often have expectations or requirements about where they should and shouldn’t be installed. For instance, genuine hardwood floors are a no-go for bathrooms and kitchens, because of the risk of water damage. And most homeowners will avoid putting ceramic or porcelain tile in bedrooms because it tends to feel too “cold,” and can be uncomfortably hard underfoot.

But because it comes in so many styles and textures, and doesn’t have any inherent material limitations, vinyl flooring is a great match for any room of your home, including the basement. The realistic wood look and texture of LVP can give you that hardwood aesthetic in the kitchen without any worries about exposure to moisture. And LVT is a great option to give your bedroom the look of stone or tile floors, but not the cold feet that often accompany every late-night trip to the bathroom.

Each category of vinyl flooring can be installed over a variety of subfloor types, including concrete slabs. This benefit, combined with its durability, water resistance, and ease of maintenance all make vinyl floors a common choice for laundry rooms and basements as well.

Preparing to Have Vinyl Flooring Installed in Your Home

Vinyl flooring has quickly grown from being a barebones budget material to one of the most popular flooring types being installed today. Advancements in the look, feel, and durability of vinyl have made it a worthy opponent to any other flooring products—even high-end materials. While we hope this primer on vinyl flooring styles has helped you narrow down a product for your modern floor plans, we know that any real decision needs to be based on actually seeing and handling the products. If you’re just about ready to choose your new vinyl floors, we encourage you to schedule a FREE In-Home Estimate to get a closer look at your options, all without ever leaving home.

The post Why Vinyl Flooring Might Be Your Best Option for a Modern Look appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

The Look of Laminate vs Hardwood Flooring 

When shopping for new flooring, achieving a particular look or style is the top priority for most customers. And if you’re reading a comparison of two different products whose main similarity is that they share the look of real wood, it’s safe to assume that you’d want to know everything possible about how they compare visually. So, in the battle of laminate vs hardwood floors, how exactly do looks factor in? Let’s find out. 

At first glance, most laminate flooring is visually indistinguishable from a real hardwood floor, and for good reason. Laminate products at Empire are crafted with a top layer that consists of a photorealistic wood grain image protected by a scratch-resistant wear layer. In short, the visible surface of every laminate flooring plank is essentially a photo of a real plank of wood. Close inspection will usually reveal laminate’s secret, but in regular use, most laminate floors will be indistinguishable from real wood to the untrained eye.  

Of course, the only thing more realistic than a picture-perfect copy of the real thing is…the real thing. Since every plank of hardwood flooring is hewn as one piece from a solid hunk of lumber, its appearance is as genuine as it gets. And this applies to engineered hardwood as well since the top layer of every plank of that material is also made from a solid piece of wood.  

Now, most people’s first instinct is to assume that real wood will automatically be the better choice when it comes to aesthetics, but that’s not always the case. When taking a critical look at the appearance of laminate vs hardwood flooring, we can see that each has its pros and its cons.  

Although wood laminate flooring can artificially create a visually perfect wood image on its surface, its main downside is that the grain variations are limited per product because the photorealistic image gets reused. That is, in an entire floor’s worth of wood laminate planks, there may be only a dozen or so unique grain patterns. While not usually an issue for the vast majority of customers who choose wood laminate, those who are particular about their aesthetics might find it bothersome.  

In contrast, real wood floors will have an infinite variation in their grain patterns—no two real hardwood planks will look exactly the same. But even that comes with its potential downsides. As every plank comes from a piece of solid wood, the natural variations within the lumber can sometimes be not aesthetically pleasing. It’s not uncommon to encounter knots, burls, or other irregularities. Extreme examples are discarded during the manufacturing process, but it’s possible that what passes the brand’s standards might not be up to yours. Overall, however, the unique look of a genuine wood floor is one of the product’s best features.  

Conclusion: When it comes to getting the look of wood, it’s difficult to beat the products whose surfaces are crafted from real wood. Real hardwood flooring is the winner in this category, though laminate flooring puts up a good fight. And for many customers, the slight ding in authentic visuals is an acceptable tradeoff for the many benefits of wood laminate floors. What are those benefits, you ask? Read on! 

Durability and Required Maintenance of Laminate Flooring vs Hardwood 

CARE: 

Low maintenance is one of the main selling points of wood laminate flooring. With its dense composite core and scratch-resistant wear layer, most laminate floor products from Empire are “set it and forget it” type material. Once installed, laminate floors will rarely need any attention beyond your typical cleaning schedule. As long as you regularly sweep up any abrasive dirt or debris and use care when moving heavy furniture, wood laminate floors should continue looking great through many years of typical use. As an added benefit, most laminate products at Empire are water-resistant—and there are even some fully waterproof laminate floors. This protection against the harmful effects of water has proven invaluable to many customers. 

Real hardwood floors are a little trickier. While day-to-day care isn’t all that different—just the regular sweeping and light mopping—there are a few things to be aware of. The major area where real wood floors fall short of laminate is in dealing with moisture, as no solid hardwood flooring products offer water resistance. That means that even the slightest spills, if not cleaned up quickly, can end up damaging your wood floors. It’s for this reason that Empire does not recommend installing hardwood in kitchens, bathrooms, or anywhere there is the potential for moisture collection. 

There is also an expectation that real hardwood floors will need to be refinished at certain long-term intervals in order to keep them looking their best. Usually recommended around every ten years or so, this process involves sanding off the topcoat, stain, and a very thin layer of the actual wood surface; a new stain and sealant is then applied to the entire floor. Refinishing hardwood floors introduces hassles and additional costs that you don’t get with laminate, but it does offer some serious advantages that we’ll look at in the next section. 
 

Conclusion: When considering just the maintenance aspect, laminate is the clear winner. It’s the better material for kitchens, bathrooms, or any room where you’ll expect your floors to encounter any exposure to wetness. 

LONGEVITY:  

Durability is a major factor to consider in the laminate vs hardwood flooring showdown, especially if you’re planning on staying in your home for the foreseeable future. New floors are one of the most significant renovation projects a homeowner can have completed. Updates like repainting walls, changing window treatments, or planting new greenery can be done with little planning and might happen every few years. But when you have new floors installed, it’s usually with the hopes that they’ll last a very long time. And while part of your floors’ longevity will come down to how well you care for them and how much foot traffic they experience, the material you choose will also be a significant factor. 

And this is where hardwood flooring really gets a chance to shine in comparison to wood laminate. Real hardwood flooring is typically considered to be one of the longest-lasting flooring materials a homeowner can choose. Its solid construction lends the material a certain durability and removes any chance of delaminating that can happen to laminate or vinyl flooring. While its surface is still as prone to knicks and scratches as laminate, those blemishes can often be easily repaired and touched up on a wood floor. In comparison, a significant chip in a laminate floor plank will reveal the fiberboard core and will usually not be possible to repair—requiring instead an entire new plank to be put in. 

Another benefit that hardwood has over laminate flooring is the way it wears its scars. Most customers don’t mind the patina that a hardwood floor will develop over years of use. In fact, many people actually look forward to seeing their hardwood floors age, with every scratch or scuff adding a unique bit of character to their home. And if those accumulated scratches get to be too much, the ability to fully refinish a hardwood floor becomes one of the material’s greatest assets—and a major perk when it comes time to sell your house.  

Now, this is not to suggest that wood laminate flooring isn’t capable of lasting the long haul. Wood laminate products at Empire are covered by some of the industry’s best warranties, and with integrated features like scratch-resistant wear layers and Aqua Defense waterproofing, they’ll have no problem enduring life in a typical household. With proper care, it’s not out of the question for wood laminate floors to last upwards of 20 years. However, unlike real wood floors, a laminate floor cannot be refinished when it starts to look worn. 

 
Conclusion: In a typical household, you can expect real hardwood flooring to last much longer vs. laminate flooring. Both materials should give you many years of use, but real wood’s ability to be repaired or refinished, combined with how it wears its scars, makes it the better choice for anyone looking to get the longest life possible out of their floors. 

 
The Costs of Laminate vs. Hardwood Flooring

Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, is the expected cost of laminate vs hardwood flooring. By and large, a laminate wood floor will almost always be significantly more affordable than a genuine hardwood floor. While the most basic hardwood might cost less than the most advanced laminate products, when comparing equal grades of each product (say, the most affordable laminate vs the most affordable hardwood floor), the laminate floor installation tend to be less expensive.  

However, for many homeowners, the price premium of real wood is worth the benefits. Those who have found their “forever home” are often attracted to the idea of having floors that last for a long time, aging with the home and becoming almost an heirloom in the process. Many people feel that there is a certain character in real wood flooring that simply can’t be recreated by synthetic products, and the extra cost is worth it. Plus, there is the practical value of real wood’s ability to be refinished. When the time comes, whether due to accumulated wear or simply the need for a stylistic refresh, refinishing a hardwood floor can be much more affordable than completely replacing the floor—even if you replaced it with a low-cost material like sheet vinyl flooring.  

And finally, it’s commonly accepted that a real hardwood floor can add value to your home. When it comes time to sell your home, buyers are more likely to react positively to old hardwood floors than to old laminate floors. 
 

Conclusion: We’re going to call this one a draw because it is the one aspect that is greatly dependent on your personal needs and preferences. Based simply on the initial investment, laminate flooring will hands-down be the better value. But if you plan to spend decades in your current home, or are already thinking about maximizing your resale value, hardwood floors can be the better long-term investment. 

So which material wins overall? Like just about any major decision in life, there’s no clear-cut winner when comparing laminate to hardwood flooring. If your initial budget is a major factor, you prize versatility and easy maintenance, or you know you may want to completely change your floors out in just a few years, wood laminate will be the better choice. But if you’ve settled into your forever home and are willing to make a bigger upfront investment for floors that could last a lifetime while aging gracefully, hardwood floors might be exactly what you need. 

Still having trouble deciding between laminate and hardwood flooring? We’re here to help take the guesswork out of getting new floors. When you Schedule a FREE In-Home Consultation, a flooring pro will walk you through every facet of new flooring, from helping you find the right product to making sure your home’s current subfloors are suitable for having new floors installed. Give us a call or click any of the “Schedule Now” buttons on this page to set up your appointment today. 

The post Laminate vs Hardwood: Which Flooring Should You Choose? appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

For a wealth of reasons, laminate and luxury vinyl plank are among the most popular choices for wood-look flooring. But, what’s the difference between these types of floors? Keep reading for our full comparison of the two products, and to learn which may be the best choice for your next project. 

Laminate vs Vinyl Flooring: The Similarities 

While we’ll be focusing mainly on the differences between laminate and vinyl flooring, it’s important to note that there are also quite a few similarities between these two flooring types. Let’s do a comparison of those first. 

Both Alternatives are More Affordable than Genuine Hardwood 

Genuine hardwood has a timeless appearance that can add long-lasting style and warmth to any home. But it’s not without its disadvantages, and cost is at the top of that list. Real wood floors will typically be significantly more expensive than wood-look alternatives. So, to get the look of wood without the price premium, many customers opt for either laminate or vinyl plank flooring. If you have a tight budget but are hooked on the hardwood look, these two flooring options will be your best options. 

Lower Maintenance and Fewer Worries 

Both laminate and vinyl flooring are stain-and scratch-resistant. This means they’ll be easier to clean than hardwood floors, and you’ll probably be a lot less stressed next time something is spilled or dropped on your floors. Of course, it’s still possible to damage both laminate and vinyl flooring with very heavy wear, so we wouldn’t suggest you try testing the limits of either material’s durability! 

Another advantage offered by both vinyl plank and laminate flooring is that each is available in fully waterproof options. That’s right—you can enjoy the look of genuine hardwood flooring, even in water-prone areas of your home, like your bathrooms, kitchen, or laundry room. Some of these products are even rated for installation directly onto a concrete slab, making them suitable for the basement. Even if you select an option that isn’t 100% waterproof, most laminate and vinyl floors today are water-resistant, making them less susceptible to damage from light exposure to water and moisture. 

Realistic Hardwood Visuals 

Today’s wood floor alternatives have evolved to closely mimic the look and feel of genuine hardwood. When it comes to laminate vs vinyl flooring, most people can’t tell the difference between the two, and without close examination, they often won’t even realize that the floors are not actual wood. The grains, textures, and looks of laminate flooring and vinyl plank flooring have been designed with incredible detail, giving homeowners the real feel for less cost—and with less long-term worries. 

Differences Between Laminate and Vinyl Plank Flooring 

Laminate vs Vinyl Flooring Construction and Appearance 

Homeowners tend to choose vinyl plank flooring or laminate flooring for the same primary reasons: they want wood-look flooring but need a product that’s more affordable and durable than genuine hardwood. Both alternatives offer water resistance, resistance to mold and mildew, scratch and stain resistance, and are durable enough for high-traffic areas. But although they offer similar advantages and a similar look and feel, each product is crafted from very different materials. 

So how do laminate and vinyl plank differ when it comes to achieving their realistic wood looks? Let’s break down what the two are made of: 

Laminate flooring is built on a core of dense wood composite (also known as hardboard or high-density fiberboard). This wood composite core gives laminate flooring its impressive durability, and when compared to vinyl plank flooring, it provides more of a wood “feel” when you walk or knock on it. Atop the core is the photographic grain image, which looks nearly indistinguishable from the grain of a real plank of wood and allows laminate flooring manufacturers to reproduce the appearance of nearly any wood species. The final component of wood laminate flooring is the wear layer. This clear topcoat gives laminate its resistance to staining, scratching, fading, and overall wear, helping it look great for years to come. 

Vinyl plank flooring is constructed in similar layers but with one key difference—its core is made of dense vinyl, a type of plastic. But vinyl flooring is also finished with a realistic wood look top layer that closely mimics the look of real hardwood. Plus, vinyl plank flooring often features a textured surface that matches the wood grain pattern, offering a convincing replica of the real thing. 

In the past, laminate was the gold standard for mimicking the genuine looks and textures of hardwood. However, with updated technology, vinyl plank styles now also achieve a look and feel that is very close to real hardwood. As a result, when pitting laminate vs vinyl flooring in a battle of aesthetics, the result is essentially a draw. 

Vinyl Plank Has Better Durability 

Long-term durability is often at the top of shoppers’ wish lists when searching for new flooring. Overall, both vinyl plank and laminate flooring are highly durable and built to stand up to the traffic typical in a busy home. And within each category, different products will offer different levels of durability. Many laminate and vinyl plank floors are covered by limited lifetime warranties for staining, fading, wearing, and more.  

However, overall, vinyl plank is commonly considered to be more durable than laminate flooring. If your household is consistently filled with the sounds of active kids, energetic pets, and a generally dynamic atmosphere, vinyl plank flooring will probably be the better option for long-term durability.  

Water Resistance Can Make a Difference 

This is one area where vinyl plank truly shines. While laminate flooring is often water-resistant, and there are even some waterproof laminate styles now available, you’ll find a deeper selection of water-resistant or fully waterproof flooring if you choose vinyl plank. An important point to consider is that it’s not just surface water that can be harmful to flooring, but also the moisture in the air. In fact, because the core is made from a wood product, some laminate products can swell and buckle in extremely humid environments. Vinyl plank’s non-porous synthetic core is more likely to hold its shape when exposed to excessive moisture. 

This means that vinyl plank floors are usually the superior choice for moisture-prone areas, such as humid basements, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens. And if you live in a high-moisture area of the country, vinyl will probably be a better choice—unless you select a waterproof laminate. 

Care and Maintenance

Both laminate and vinyl plank are known for being easy to clean. It’s one of the top reasons that homeowners have increasingly been opting for these products over solid or engineered hardwoods. 

However, when it comes to cleaning wet messes, each flooring material requires slightly different care. While cleaning laminate flooring, you generally need to be more mindful of how wet a mop you use, because even water-resistant laminate can still be damaged by excessive water buildup. It’s recommended to use only a damp mop and never let any liquids stand on a laminate floor. You should also use specific laminate flooring cleaners to ensure you don’t damage the topcoat. For more flooring care and maintenance tips, see our laminate flooring care page. 

Since vinyl plank is inherently more resistant to water, you can use a slightly wetter mop for cleaning. But you should still be careful to not totally soak the floors because water can seep underneath the planks and deteriorate the adhesives. Additionally, vinyl plank floors generally don’t require special cleaners, which makes vinyl plank slightly easier to maintain. Just remember not to use ammonia, bleach, detergents, or abrasive cleaners, as these may leave a dull film on your flooring. For more vinyl flooring tips, check out our page on vinyl flooring maintenance and care. 

Where Can They Be Installed?

Laminate or vinyl plank floors are both prized for their versatile installation capabilities. Both can be installed on stairs, below grade, directly onto a concrete slab, or over a standard subfloor material. The wealth of water-resistant and waterproof options means that there are laminate and vinyl products appropriate for the bathroom, laundry room, or basement.   

Wrapping It All Up

We hope this was a helpful comparison of laminate and vinyl plank flooring options. If you’re looking for a more affordable and versatile alternative to hardwood flooring, you’re on the right track. And if durability and ease of cleaning and maintenance are of high importance to you, then laminate or vinyl plank may be great choices worth looking into. For even more personalized recommendations we welcome you to schedule a free in-home consultation, and a flooring professional will come and talk you through all your options. 

The post Laminate vs Vinyl Plank Flooring: What’s the Difference? appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

With the right basement floors, décor, and furniture, a remodel of your lower level can add a whole new dynamic to your home. Whether you want to create a welcoming space for guests, a fun entertainment zone, or a super comfy gathering area for the big game, here are six basement remodel ideas worth considering.

Build A Home Theater

Some basements may not have much natural light, but that’s perfect for a home movie theater! For in-home cinema, many homeowners love a thick plush carpet to add the kind of comfort that you can’t find in actual movie theaters. Kick off your shoes, recline in that over-sized theater-style seat, and enjoy your favorite show.

Some ideas to consider for your basement home theater:

• Install an actual projector and screen for a true widescreen feel.
• Use floor lighting to help you navigate the space in the dark.
• If you’re a movie collector, build a display case to show off your collection.
• Decorate the walls with classic film posters.
• Don’t forget surround sound and easy-to-control, dimmable lighting.

Your Own Private Gym

When it comes to home gyms, some people prefer that clean, minimalist look with neutral grays, whites, and blacks. Go with luxury vinyl tile for some added comfort under foot, and mix in that corner TV to keep up with the latest scores. A simple combination of resistance training, cardio equipment, and free weights doesn’t need to take up a lot of space but can create an atmosphere that’s great for a mind-clearing calorie burn any time of day.

With a home gym, you can also keep it simple and go for an industrial look by taking advantage of already exposed concrete floors and walls. Add artwork from your favorite sports teams or action movies, and roll out a commercial grade carpet for free weight and stretching areas. Some homeowners even make their basement home gyms into a yoga or dance studio with wall-length mirrors, hardwood flooring, and plenty of open space.

The Ultimate Gathering Space

In larger basements, you can create a multi-faceted entertainment room. Incorporate a bar with vintage, iconic art on the walls for mixing up the latest cocktails. Add a widescreen TV and a large sectional nearby for an ideal spot with friends and family or to host a small party. Add to the inviting vibe with a durable wood-look vinyl plank floor in a rich red or white oak color that looks great and feels comfortable.

If there’s room for it, basements are also excellent places for a billiard table and darts. With a large space, you can create entertainment zones—where one group is immersed in a television show, another competes for bragging rights in a game of darts, and others chat at nearby bar stools.

Create a Loft-Style Apartment

Basements can also make for great guest rooms, a mother-in-law quarters, or spaces where friends can relax, hang out, and spend the night. We suggest modeling your space after a loft-style apartment with light-colored hardwood or wood laminate basement flooring.

Embrace open space with some contemporary or minimalist furniture. Consider adding in futons or sleek pull-out couches that use space efficiently and have multiple uses—during the day, the bright, airy space can double as a relaxing gathering area before your guests tuck in for the night. A cute corner kitchen and small dining table for two are also perfect welcoming touches for a loft-style guest space.

Go For a Cozy Cabin Look

With exposed wood in the ceiling, a basement can naturally offer some rustic elements. Some homeowners will add decorative wood beams overhead, along with wooden wall paneling for a cozy cabin look. Add to the cabin look and vibe with a low-maintenance wood laminate basement floor to offer more warmth and texture.

Big couches with puffy pillows and a TV are essentials in a space like this. And don’t forget a corner kitchen to brew up some coffee or tea! For flooring, consider going with more of a classic look by using thin hardwood slats.

Build a Creative Space or Art Studio

Sometimes you just want that getaway space where you can create something uniquely your own. Whether you paint, record music, write poetry, dance, or sing, a safe retreat to nurture your inner artist can be found with the perfect basement remodel.

Install blinds for a window well to shed light on your canvas in the early morning to get those creative juices flowing. You can also add sophistication with a vinyl tile or vinyl plank floor that has a wood look but offers the water resistance to handle that messy art project, too.

Throw in a workbench with years of creativity scars, add a separate couch and sitting space alongside your personal creative zone, or paint the ceiling stark white or a vibrant color. The best thing about making your basement into a creative space is that it truly starts and ends with your own imagination. You make the décor rules, and can choose to follow them or not.

Considering a basement remodel? Let a professional help you find the right type of floor for you. Schedule a FREE In-Home Estimate to see how easy the whole process can be!

The post 6 Ideas for An Epic Basement Remodel appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

These wood textures can add an even more authentic hardwood look, and—dare we say—can even add the “feel” of wood under your feet, too. Here’s a look at some of the wood floor textures out there and how they show up in different design styles.

The Smooth Wood Look

Let’s start the conversation with the least-textured example: smooth wood-look floors, which are most commonly seen in wood laminates. A natural hardwood can be sanded to the point where its surface is smooth, but you’ll always see or feel a bit of a grainy texture to it. A smooth texture on a wood-look floor is completely without waves or imperfections. Some laminate floors will have a slight graininess built into them, but they’re still considered a smooth texture.

Smooth textures preserve the wood grain look without the rigidity and subtle roughness of a piece of sanded wood. A smooth texture may feel almost tile-like when walking on it, but not quite as cold.

Smooth textures, especially in laminates, are more likely to have a glossy sheen, although you can also find them in a matte finish. If your smooth floor is glossy, you may consider using it for a room with plenty of natural lighting. A matte finish is a more muted tone and tends to be better for rooms with less overall lighting, giving it more of a relaxing, subdued feel.

Seams can also affect how a smooth texture influences design in a room. For example, floors with more pronounced seams designed into them in a medium to darker tone, such as a hickory or cherry wood, can give more of a polished, elegant look to a room, especially if there’s a glossy sheen.

The Hand-Scraped Wood Look

Some refer to hand-scraped floors as having a “wave” texture. Hand-scraped hardwood flooring actually looks like the floor was skimmed in sections during the wood milling process, giving it a wavy look that’s easy to see if you look at the surface at an angle with a light shining on it. Some hand-scraped textures also have natural scuffs designed into them for more of a vintage look.

Darker colors can add rustic charm—an almost log cabin look and feel—to a space. This texture looks great in front of a fireplace and in sitting areas. Some hand-scraped textured floors even come with varied plank widths for added sophistication. Hand-scraped hickory, white, or red oak wood-look floors look great and can warm up a study or den, offer a homey country touch to a dining room, or bring a welcoming feel to a living room or great room.

You may hear other terms such as “subtle scraped” or “heavy scraped” when talking about hand-scraped floors. These terms are often used to emphasize how much or how little of a scraped look you’re getting. Generally, heavy scraped is closer to a distressed look.

The Distressed Wood Look

This distressed texture is sometimes called “wire brushed” as well. A distressed floor looks as if the surface is aged; it embraces its imperfections and has a well-worn look. If you were to actually “distress” natural wood, you might use chemicals or tools to add imperfections to the surface. With a wire-brushed wood texture, no two pieces look alike.

A wire-brushed oak flooring is one of the most popular floors out there today. A white oak wood-look floor with a distressed texture and matte finish, it offers a subtle elegance and is great for transitional design that might merge vintage, industrial, classic, and contemporary styles.

You can even find the distressed white oak wood-look in porcelain tiles. With the natural wood look and grout lines, it adds sophistication with design flexibility. These floors work great just about anywhere. Install them in a home with a country theme, an urban loft, or anywhere in between.

Distressed looks in general are pretty design versatile. They can make a game room fun and lively while leaving the door open to different themes and wall coverings. They can absolutely set the tone for a great room space that flows to other areas of the home. Distressed floors are a go-to in minimalist design, and they look great in large, uncluttered areas where they can stand out.

Generally speaking, you can’t think small with a distressed texture. This statement-making flooring shouldn’t be contained to a small room. It’s best in large rooms and throughout a home.

Considering a wood-look floor for your home? Let a professional help you find the right floor for you. Schedule a FREE In-Home Estimate to see how easy the whole process can be—and in some cases, you can even have your new floors installed as soon as next day!

The post Understanding Wood-Look Flooring Textures appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

Flooring Type: Luxury Vinyl Plank

Product/Color: Sterling Hill/Eminence

Rooms: Family Room

For a floor that’s durable, functional, and looks and feels like real wood, these homeowners made a great choice. Sterling Hill luxury vinyl plank has board-to-board variation, replicating the look of genuine hardwood, but with resistance to moisture, mold and mildew. Another great feature is the foam backing, which reduces sound and makes this a softer, more comfortable floor to walk on.

Looks like real wood, but with all those added benefits? This was a great choice all around. Take a look at how these floors look in their new home!

Curious what floors may be the perfect fit for your home and lifestyle? Schedule a FREE In-Home Estimate now and have an Empire sales professional come to your home to walk you through all your options!

The post Functional Vinyl Plank Is Perfect Solution for this Family Room appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

You’re Buying Unmatched Water Resistance

One of the greatest selling points of vinyl plank flooring when it first came out was its ability to resist water, sometimes even being 100% waterproof. Today, you’ll notice vinyl planks in bathrooms, kitchens and other areas prone to moisture, dampness, humidity and spills.

Since vinyl planks can endure large amounts of water, you may go from thinking of installing it only in high-traffic areas to other areas of the home as well. This versatility means fewer flooring types in a home, which gives it a more unified look and feel and reduces the likelihood of having floor mismatches that turn off future homebuyers.

A Wood Look with Design Flexibility

Homeowners often comment on how a vinyl plank looks exactly like hardwood, giving it a timeless appeal and design flexibility. Vinyl planks typically come in six to eight-inch widths and 36 to 48-inch lengths. Wider planks are preferred for a modern design but can also work in rooms with more of a classic touch.

Vinyl planks can also come in scraped textures and their deep embossing allows for better, more realistic, graphics, which is what makes these great looking floors appear so natural.

With vinyl planks, you can let a gray oak pull together whites, blacks, grays and sleek straight lines in an office, kitchen, or bathroom. Or use a natural oak to keep the warmth in a traditional space that has darker wood accents and more ornate furniture and accessories.

You Can Feel and Hear the Difference

Vinyl plank flooring looks like hardwood, but given the soft nature of vinyl itself, buyers also talk about the added softness and comfort they feel under their feet as compared to other durable floors.

Vinyl planks are manufactured in up to 8 mm thickness. Some are installed with an underlay while others have materials like foam or rubber built into them for further cushioning and noise reduction. If you’re shopping for a vinyl plank floor, consider the thickness of it and ask a salesperson if there are other materials used in manufacturing and how they impact performance. Some thinner product may have an attractive price, but you get what you pay for, as the trade-off may be an echo-y room or hard, uncomfortable surface.

It’s Perfect for Pets

Certain vinyl plank floors manufactured with high-grade coatings are also among the most scratch-resistant floors out there. A dog’s or cat’s nails may pose problems for certain hardwood and laminate floors, but with high-quality luxury vinyl planks your floors can look just as great as they did on the day of installation for years to come.

Know Your Installation Capabilities

Because most vinyl planks are designed to interlock, they are popular among do-it-yourselfers. As is the case with laminate and hardwood, a professional team that understands the product and subfloor brings peace of mind for any buyer. Ask yourself the following questions before considering installing vinyl planks yourself:

• What material is my subfloor?
• Does the subfloor require unique preparation such as height adjustment, repair or build-up?
• Is it a floating floor installation or does it need to be glued?
• Am I installing it over another floor? What special preparation might that require?

Any one of these scenarios may require unique tools, equipment or expertise. Some jobs are simply best left for a professional installation team.

Don’t Forget Commercial Uses

Vinyl planks aren’t just for kitchens, baths, and living rooms. Merchants and business owners are also finding that commercial vinyl planks are great for high-traffic areas and offer a realistic wood look. Commercial vinyl planks are slip resistant and are a fraction of the cost when compared to their hardwood counterparts. If you’re considering vinyl planks for your home, don’t be surprised if what’s in your house make its way to your workplace as well.

Are you considering a vinyl plank floor for your home or even your business? Schedule a FREE In-Home Estimate today!

The post What You Need to Know About Vinyl Plank Flooring appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

Solid Hardwood Flooring

This option may appear a bit obvious. If you want the natural wood look, why not go with the real thing? Today’s solid hardwood flooring brings an unmistakable rich look.

Solid hardwood is milled from a single piece of wood and you can pick from a variety of natural wood species like oak, maple, cherry, hickory and plenty of others. You can go for a hand-scraped look and some people even like the natural changes in hardwood as it wears and is exposed to the elements. And once a hardwood floor looks like it needs some sprucing up, you can sand and refinish it, in some cases multiple times.

Chateau Solid Hardwood. Color: Cabernet

Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Busy households often appreciate the durability and natural look of engineered hardwood floors. This option is actually made with a real hardwood surface but has a uniquely engineered core to prevent it from expanding with temperature and moisture changes. It can be installed on a variety of different subfloor types, too.

Engineered hardwood flooring comes in wire-brushed, distressed or hand-scraped finishes and is versatile enough to add classic or contemporary touches to just about any space in a house.

Because of its durable construction, engineered hardwood is a popular option for areas of the home that can see heavy traffic. Engineered hardwood can stand up to the punishment and moisture in these parts of the home. While some are designed to handle extreme moisture, a lot of people stop short of putting them in bathrooms.

Whether you love a classic hickory or oak, or a muted gray for contemporary cool settings, you can rest assured, an engineered hardwood flooring option is available to you.

Encore Engineered Hardwood. Color: Gunstock

Laminate Flooring

If you’re looking for some amazing wood looks that are budget-friendly, wood laminate may be the choice for you! Like engineered wood, laminate offers a variety of plank widths with great stain, scratch and fade resistance.

With wood laminate, you can find hand-scraped textures, traditional oak, Brazilian Cherry and other popular colors and styles. There are even some 100% waterproof options available too! With so many styles, it’s easy to add sophistication to a den or study with an aged oak or enliven a living room with a contemporary ash gray. Only your imagination can stop you as far as real wood look options on this one.

Ellington Laminate Wood. Color: Huntington

Vinyl Plank Flooring

For many people looking for a very realistic wood look, but who are on a budget, vinyl plank floors have been the answer. Today’s vinyl plank floors come in a wide range of unique grain patterns, colors and textures.

This super durable option will get you the wood beauty any room wants with tremendous stain and water resistance, even having 100% waterproof options. Busy families love how they can add a natural look to a kitchen space and not need to worry about the floor being able to handle a large spill. Some options also come with unique backings that dampen noise in a room and some people also appreciate a vinyl plank’s softness compared to hardwood for added comfort.

Studio Reserve Vinyl Plank. Color: Canyon

Vinyl Tile Flooring

To many people’s surprise, vinyl tile floors are another budget-friendly way to add a realistic wood aesthetic to a room. Dark and light gray and greige shadings are sometimes used to add an industrial or farmhouse look to a space, and certain homeowners really love that unique creative touch of having a grout line with a wood-look tile.

Vinyl tile is great at resisting stains and water, so busy households love it in kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms, but you don’t need to limit yourself to those areas of the home.

Canal Pier Vinyl Tile. Color: Farmhouse Linen

Sheet Vinyl Flooring

You can still enjoy the scuff, stain and scratch resistance of vinyl sheet flooring and a natural wood look, too! Today’s designs can look like you just had a fresh wood floor installed in your home. When looking down at the floor, the wood can look so real, the eye can be tricked into seeing actual wood plank seams and a wood grain look.

Today’s vinyl sheet flooring can give the look of real hardwood and it’s still as budget-friendly as ever, and very easy to clean.

Wood-Look Porcelain Tile

When you think of porcelain tile, the first rooms that may come to mind are the bathroom or the kitchen. However, wood-look porcelain tile means you can add ceramics to other spaces such as the living room. What makes this wood look so special? Well, you get the beauty of hardwood with the high durability and easy maintenance of porcelain tile, giving you the best of both worlds.

Timber Falls Porcelain Tile. Color: Apache

Many people will start with the idea of transforming one space in their home, then they realize that the wood look they fell in love with actually looks great in other rooms. With so many great options, you don’t have to stick to just one type, style, or color. Assess each room and pick the flooring that’s best for those specific needs.

The post Wood-Look Flooring Types & Ideas appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

Flooring Type: Wood Laminate

Product/Color: South Gate—Antique Barn Oak

Rooms: Dining Room, Hallway, Staircase + Landing, Living Room

Looking to update the look of their home, these New York homeowners called on us to help them get beautiful new floors. An Empire flooring professional came to their home for a free in-home consultation and showed them several samples that would work for their home, explaining each choice, as well as the pros, cons, and factors they should consider when making their choice. They ultimately decided to go for the wood laminate South Gate in the Antique Barn Oak color and style.

With an extremely realistic wood look, this laminate is high quality and made in the USA, so it lacks lots of those harmful chemicals you’d find in an imported product. It’s also moisture-resistant, so can be used in pretty much any room. And if it’s installed in a high-traffic area, it’s easy-to-clean, so no worries about these beautiful new floors getting ruined or looking shabby.

Clearly these homeowners made a great choice, as these new floors look just flawless in their home!

Looking for floors like these in your own home? Schedule your FREE In-Home Estimate now to see what flooring types may work best in your home!

The post Wood Laminate Floors Beautifully Update this NY Home appeared first on Empire Today Blog.

Light-Toned Wood Look Flooring

Choosing paint colors for light wood floors is simple—keep it light! If you originally chose light floors in an effort to brighten up your space, you should stay on that track when picking a paint color to match the floors. Pairing light floors and walls can help amplify that clean look that gives the illusion of extra space. Try these wall paint colors to help you achieve your open, airy aesthetic. 

White Walls can Add Visual Space

When you think of light colors, white probably stands out as the obvious choice. Not only is it great for ash or white oak floors, but it will also help simplify coordination with all of your other décor. And white doesn’t have to be as simple as you think. Like other paint colors, there can be an entire universe of subtle tone variations that still fall in the white color family while adding a little extra character—so have fun finding the perfect shade for your space. 

Add Flavor with White Alternatives

If white is too vanilla for your taste, try colors that are close but not as bright. Cream and off-white colors can have the same effect while offering yellow undertones for a bit of color. 

Neutrals are Simple Yet Stylish

Between gray, beige, taupe, or greige, neutrals are a great way to match your light wood floors while still giving your walls character. Avoid darker variations of brown and yellow as they can be too much of a contrast from your floors, causing a clash. 

Gray Wood Look Flooring

Gray wood floors have been a popular choice for homeowners for years. And with the growing prevalence of alternative wood-look materials that be crafted in just about any imaginable shade, we expect that trend to continue. But what paint colors look good with gray wood flooring? Well, rule number one is to not choose a shade of gray for your walls. While certain monochromatic palettes can look sophisticated, when a room is done in all grays it often ends up being devoid of any character, giving your room a sterile appearance that doesn’t feel very welcoming. Instead, walls with some color are a great match to gray wood floors. 

Go Cool with Blues

Cool and relaxing, blue easily complements gray flooring. But you want to stick with cool tones to keep the contrast to a minimum.  Think ice and navy blues. This is also where you can experiment with a quasi-monochromatic look, with many paler blues or blue-grays offering a similar coolness as your gray wood-look floors but still adding character to your room. We suggest avoiding aqua or turquoise for your walls, as they have too much green in their hues.  

Pure White Paint Colors for a Refreshing Appeal

Similar to how they match light-toned flooring, white wall paint colors also harmonize well with gray hardwood floors. This combination will create that clean, open look, but still have enough contrast to add a touch of style. As before, when choosing a white paint to match your wood floors it’s important to know which shades to avoid. White walls with yellow undertones—including paint colors like cream or off-white—should be avoided. Instead, stick with cool and pure whites. 

Dusty Greens for a Calm Touch of Color

While aqua and turquoise should be avoided because of their rich green undertones, choosing a less verdant shade of green isn’t a bad idea. Aim for sage or pale greens with gray undertones to create a cool-toned dynamic in your space. The gray takes away the warmth, while the green adds a touch of color to the room. 

Dark-Toned Wood Look Flooring

Dark floors can add a chic, sophisticated feel to a room, and are commonly chosen by modern homeowners. However, those rich tones can quickly turn from elegant to overwhelming when paired with the wrong wall color. Combining dark walls with dark wood floors can make a room feel stuffy and unwelcoming.  

Instead, go with light walls to liven up the space. This contrast will actually help highlight the beauty of your dark flooring, while keeping rooms from feeling too dark and claustrophobic. So unless you’re shooting for haunted house aesthetics, go for light wall paint colors. What color you should choose varies depending on the stain and undertone of your floors, but try to keep your walls at least 3 shades lighter than your flooring. 

Things to Remember When Picking Wall Paint Colors

Don’t Overlook Undertones

Focusing on your flooring’s undertone is a quick and easy way to create a cohesive design that doesn’t clash. There are two ways to coordinate your walls with your floors’ undertones: make them match or make them complementary. With warm undertone wood floor colors, you can choose wall paints that match their warmth. This gives an alluring design with a smooth transition. However, wood floor colors with yellow undertones look amazing with blue walls or yellow undertone floors go perfect with purple or purple-gray walls.  The contrast gives the room flair without the colors clashing. Remember, complementary colors are opposite each other on the color wheel. 

Accent Walls Give the Perfect Balance

Apprehensive about committing to any one color or feel like an entire room with green or blue walls just isn’t your thing? Choosing just one wall to paint as an accent wall is a nice way to explore your design dreams without going too far over the edge. Just a pop of color on one wall will give your space most of the same benefits of a full-scale repaint, letting you make a statement without making a huge commitment.  

Furniture and More: Consider All Décor

Of course, interior design is about much more than determining the paint colors that go with wood floors.  You’ll also have to consider your furniture and accent décor. If you have furniture you’re really attached to and expect to keep for the foreseeable future, it’s a good idea to make sure it doesn’t clash with your flooring, particularly in the case of wooden legs on tables or sofas.  

This is where you want some contrast. It can look awkward if there is only a slight difference in the wood colors of your furniture and your floors—like wearing a suit jacket and pants that are the same color but don’t quite match. And having furniture that is exactly the same color as your floors can look equally as strange, creating too much monotony in a room. 

If you’re dead set on floors and furniture that don’t look great next to each other, one way to avoid clashing or too much uniformity is to use rugs to add a visual break between the two elements.  

In the end, figuring out how to match wall color with your wood floor doesn’t have to be a complicated undertaking! Just remember a few key basics about color science: and make sure to consider the undertones and avoid combining wall and wood floor colors that will either clash or depress your space. You can start by letting Empire Today®  help you choose wood floors that match not only your design goals, but also your budget and lifestyle. 

The post How to Match Wall Paint Colors with Wood Floor Colors appeared first on Empire Today Blog.