Types of Flooring
Flooring Types
Hard Soft
Flooring Flooring
Wood Carpet
Stone Rugs
Tile Resilient
Wood - Most popular
Strip Flooring
Tongue and groove
Nailed to sub floor
Pre-finished or unfinished
Random Plank
Wider than strips
Screwed to sub floor, covered with wood plugs
Parquet
Small pieces arranged in different designs
Pre-finished squares for easy installation
Stone
Marble
Various colors depending on origin
Verdigris (vr-d-grs) : marbles that have a green
color
Limestone: most common, usually white but
may have cloudy streaks
Onyx: may have layers of colors or banding
Stone
Terrazzo formed using marble or chipped
stones embedded in full concrete.
artistic and very reliable
best for outdoor spaces such as verandas or
patios.
strong but 50% chance of breakage at quarry
Stone
Travertine: porous limestone used on
floors or walls
Comes from mineral springs
Holes from escaping gas
Holes filled with resin which may or may not
be same color
Ceramic Tile
Bathrooms, kitchens, entryways
Made from baked clay
Durable, moisture resistant, easy to clean
Can crack if not installed on even surface
Other Tiles
Ceramic Mosaic
Individual tiles mounted together
to keep together and make
installation easier
More often on walls
Mexican
Made from clay
Shaped by hand
Dried in sun
Quarry
Fired Earth/Clay
Warm brown to beige
Resilient Floor Coverings
Flooring with a semi-hard
surface that returns to its
original shape after
stress
Warmer and quieter to
walk on
Not quite as durable
Vinyl and plastic laminate
Vinyl
Resists stains, affordable
Sheet Vinyl
6, 9, 12 foot sheets
Rotogravure (r-t-gr-vyur)
Top layer covered with clear coating
Thin, tears easily
Inlaid
Colored chips make designs (heat,
pressure)
Design all the way to backing
Most durable of the vinyl
Vinyl
Vinyl Tiles
12 in. X 12 in.
Sticky backing
Place together like a puzzle
Carpet
Insulates against drafts
Decreases noise
More comforting feel
Quality
Pile (nap): visible surface of carpet
Density: how close the tufts are made together, more
important than depth
Heat setting
Twist
Depth
Carpet Fibers
95% made of manufactured fibers
Nylon: Polypropylene (olefin):
most popular, strong,
durable, nonabsorbent,
easy to resists stains and static,
maintain, colorfast,
limited colors cheap,
crushes easily,
limited colors,
heat sensitive
Carpet Fibers Cont.
Polyester blend
made from recycled plastics
resists stains and fading
Acrylic:
feels and looks like wool
low static level
resists mildew
subject to pilling
Carpet Fibers Cont.
Wool:
soft moth sensitive
durable shrinkage
long lasting allergies
expensive hard to clean
Carpeting Textures / Categories
Cut Pile
Formal looking plush, velvet,
smooth, may flatten
Saxony
Similar to cut but yarns have
been twisted more giving less
formal appearance
Frieze
Informal, curly texture, shows
minimal marks
Carpeting Textures / Categories
Level Loop
Loops are all same height, may have flecks of
darker color, durable
Multi-level Loop
Two or three loop heights, sculpted or
embossed effect, good in high traffic areas
Cut and Loop Pile
Sculptured effect from some looks cut and
some braided, very durable
Backing or Cushion
Extends life of carpet
Shock absorber
Less than thick
Flammable Fabrics Act- Federal Govt.
protects consumers with regulations.
Must follow standards for fabrics, rugs,
carpets, mattresses
Label must include:
Fiber content and percentage
Manufacturer
Country of origin
Care information
