Help on Carpet upgrade!
newtexasmom
Hi,I have a regular basic carpet in my new house which the builder put-in. They didn't let us upgrade it at the time of buying the house.I have 2 kids (4 and 1) with whom i always struggle for removing stains like crayons, markers, food, liquids etc.We are planning to upgrade this carpet to either a berber quality carpet or hardwood/laminate wood floor.Can anyone give me their experiences about which would be a good and reasonable option to choose & why?ThanksPavani
ju-ju
I too have small children, and find that having hardwood flooring surfaces on the main floor of my home is a blessing. It's easy to clean any drink or food spills, mud, finger paint etc. Prefinished hardwood is great and the finish is very durable. If your budget doesn't allow for hardwood, there are some wonderful, less costly alternatives, such as laminates or bamboo. The laminates come in a broad range of price and finishes. Do it! You'll love it!
newtexasmom
Hi Ju-ju,can you please also suggest what stores are good to look at these stuff?I mean apart from the HD, Lowes are there any speciality stores that offer good deals?Also, how difficult or easy it is to do this on ur own & how long would it take?ThanksPavani
ju-ju
I would probably start at the HD and Lowes, but, do you have a lumber liquidators near you? If so, check it out. I would definitely pay a professional if laying down real hardwood floors. And I think that pre-finished is the way to go...no sanding and staining and polyurethaning, which can keep you from walking on your floors for DAYS! But, most of the laminated flooring is more home owner friendly, as some simply snap together while others require glue or fasteners. The sales people, I am sure, can help to guide you through the process of whatever product you choose. The timeline for your project would depend on how large or small the space, and whether you do it yourself or hire someone to do it for you.
catwoman708
We have berber carpet now, and it wears well, is easy to clean, and looks smooth and uniform. But, you have to make sure the seams are fitted well, because if you get a snag, it unravels, leaving a bare spot! Kids, animals, and vacuum cleaners seem to be drawn to the snags. If you catch them soon, you can glue them back in to camauflage the spot and to keep it from unraveling any more, or again.I don't care for **** or sculptured carpet, they are trendy and may go out of style before they wear out. Pile carpet is nice and plush, uniform looking, and if in a neutral color it will go with many different redecoratings, but the traffic patterns wear down even if you keep it cleaned regularly. Regular vacuuming and having the carpets cleaned at least once or twice a year will make it last and wear much better.Unless you live in a cold climate and need the warmth of carpet as an insulating factor, I'd hightly recommend hardwood or ceramic tile floors, with large area rugs. At least in the high traffic common areas. They are more expensive, but as an investment it will last for years and years to come without wearing out or going out of style. It's a much more classic look, versatile, and will not wear out like carpet.
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