**Types of Flooring Materials**:
– Subfloor supports the flooring.
– Special purpose subfloors like floating floors, raised floors, or sprung floors exist.
– Below-grade subfloors are typically concrete, while above-grade subfloors are usually plywood.
– Flooring material choice is influenced by cost, endurance, noise insulation, comfort, and cleaning effort.
– Laminate and hardwood should not be installed below grade.
– Various sub-floor finishing options are available, including earthen floor adobe, solid ground floor, and polymer-modified concretes.
– Carpeting is a soft floor covering made of bound fibers, with materials like wool, nylon, olefin, and polyester.
– Wood flooring comes in plank and parquet forms, with hardwoods being more durable than softwoods.
– Bamboo flooring is durable and environmentally friendly, while cork flooring is eco-friendly and comes in tiles or planks.
– Laminate flooring resembles hardwood but is made with a plywood or MDF core, available in various patterns.
– Hybrid flooring combines attributes of laminate and vinyl, creating a rigid floating floor.
**Installation and Maintenance**:
– Carpet typically lasts 15-18 years, with quality measured by face weight.
– Wood flooring installation methods include plank and parquet forms, with engineered hardwood having a thin solid wood layer on top.
– Laminate flooring cannot be refinished like hardwood, with a common installation method being floating installation.
– Underlayment is required for laminate flooring for moisture and noise control.
– Proper floor cleaning methods can prolong the lifespan of various types of flooring.
– Regular maintenance helps in preserving the appearance and functionality of floors.
– Different cleaning techniques are required for different flooring materials.
– Professional cleaning services are available for specialized floor care needs.
**Specialized Flooring Options**:
– Hard flooring options include concrete, ceramic tile, glass tiles, and natural stone products.
– Resilient flooring types include linoleum, sheet vinyl, VCT, cork, and rubber, providing elasticity and resilience.
– Seamless polymer flooring types include urethanes, polyaspartics, and epoxies, providing seamless floor covering.
– Sustainable flooring is made from eco-friendly materials like bamboo, cork, and reclaimed wood, reducing demands on ecosystems during its life-cycle.
**Flooring Features**:
– Floor medallions are decorative centerpieces for floor designs.
– Doormats help keep floors clean.
– Gratings are used for drainage or to rub dirt off shoes.
– Tactile strips warn of hazards like wheelchair ramps.
– Anti-slip mats enhance traction for wheels, shoes, or feet.
**Additional Flooring Information**:
– Greatmats Garage Floor Tile Diamond is a modular polypropylene flooring tile for garages.
– Vinyl flooring comes in sheets or pre-cut tiles with varying vinyl content.
– Specialty applications for resilient flooring include trailer, garage, and marine flooring.
– Seamless resin floors are used for protection in domestic garages and commercial/industrial settings.
– Different types of seamless polymer flooring include floor seals, coatings, and flow applied flooring.
