By Jill
Posted on Monday, October 20, 2014 6:53 PM
Why Purchase Flooring from a Specialty Store?
While national flooring retailers and big-box stores often attract customers with the promise of a great price, there’s far more involved in making the right flooring purchase than price alone.
Some customers come into our Los Angeles flooring showroom after having first gone to one of those locations, where they were left feeling frustrated about their shopping experience. Oftentimes, the sales clerks lack the knowledge to give customers the correct answers to their flooring questions. Or, the customers encountered a high-pressure sales associate who only focused on the final price of a product without really explaining the total costs. Or, maybe there was no sales associate available at all, and the customer was left feeling confused in a sea of flooring samples.
Personal Attention from Flooring Experts
There’s something to be said for the personalized service you receive at a local specialty flooring store. In fact, superb customer service is usually a small flooring retailer’s biggest asset. You like to shop where you feel comfortable and where you know you will get trusted answers to your questions.
New flooring is definitely an important investment in your home and one that is pretty permanent. So you want to get it right. Choosing a specialty flooring retailer is gives you access to the knowledge from sales professionals who are truly experts in flooring, because all they focus on is flooring. They are aware of the latest flooring styles and technologies and how different flooring types will perform in different situations. For example, there may be reasons why a floating floor is the best choice for your room, but there also are important considerations to keep in mind when choosing this type of installation. A good specialty flooring retailer will clearly explain all this.
As a specialty flooring retailer, Barry Carpet has been serving the flooring needs of the Los Angeles area since 1965. In those 50 years, we’ve learned a thing or two about the products we sell. We understand each flooring type’s unique advantages, as well its limitations. We know the quality of our products, and we can explain what is covered under the manufacturer’s warranty – and what is not. When we quote a price, we give you a true breakdown of all the costs involved in a flooring installation – comparing apples to apples so you can make the most informed decision that meets your flooring needs – and budget.
Large Selection
Specialty stores typically carry a large selection of products, often from top name brands. So while you may find an image of flooring you like on Pinterest, Houzz or in a magazine, a specialty store is where you can go to actually see and feel the product for yourself, get more detailed information about how that product performs and usually get samples for you to take home to see how the flooring works with your décor. Furthermore, many specialty flooring stores, like Barry Carpet, offer design assistance and free in-home consultations to help with your selection and ensure measurements are accurate – before you place your flooring order.
Professional Installations
Many specialty flooring stores have longstanding relationships with local contractors who are experts in flooring installations in your area. This means that they will confidently stand behind your flooring installation, often with a guarantee of 100% customer satisfaction. A specialty flooring store is also more likely to take the time to explain the proper maintenance of your new flooring and will be available in the event you have questions – long after your installation is complete.
Come See for Yourself
We invite you to
visit our Barry Carpet showroom in West Los Angeles to find out for yourself the many advantages of shopping a specialty flooring store.
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To find the hardwood flooring that best meets your needs,
contact us. We’d be happy to answer all of your hardwood flooring questions and show you the latest trend in hardwood flooring.
By Jill
Posted on Monday, September 15, 2014 1:17 PM
There’s no doubt that new flooring is made to be beautiful. Whether you choose the authentic character and rich grains of hardwood, the luxurious warmth and comfort of carpet, or the sophisticated realism of luxury vinyl tile – the right flooring can completely transform a room.
While flooring manufacturers continue to develop products that are more durable than ever before, the fact remains – not all flooring material is suited for use in all situations. For example, while certainly beautiful and durable, a solid hardwood may not be the best flooring choice for some situations as solid woods tends to swell when exposed to high humidity and moisture. For rooms prone to these conditions, a quality engineered wood floor would be the better choice.
Customers often come into our showroom looking for a specific flooring type based solely on a decorating style they are trying to achieve. But when we find out more about the room they are planning on covering, we sometimes realize that the flooring they have in mind may not be the best choice.
So as a flooring consumer, how can you ensure that the flooring choice you make will not only complement your design aesthetic but also measure up to your expectations? It all starts with asking the right questions – even before you step into the showroom. To help you get started, we’ve put together the following informal checklist of some important things to consider when shopping for new flooring.
New Flooring Checklist
Location
- What room(s) is the flooring for?
- What is the size of the room (width, length, and shape)? (Draw a simple diagram of the room layout.)
- Is the existing floor above grade (suspended), on grade, or below grade?
- Is this a remodel project? If so, what is the existing flooring?
- What is your décor – contemporary, traditional, ultramodern, rustic, etc.?
- Are there a lot of other colors or patterns in the room?
- What is underneath the existing flooring (concrete, plywood, oriented strand board [OSB])?
- If looking at hardwood or tile… Is the sub-floor level?
- Is there the potential for moisture, mold, or mildew in this room?
- Does the room get direct sunlight?
- What flooring is in the adjoining rooms?
- Are there outside entrances to the room?
Function
What do you use the room for?- Do you have pets? If so, will pets be allowed in this room?
- Does anyone using this room have allergy concerns?
Questions to Ask Prior to Installation
- What is the cost of installation? What does this cost include?
- If the old flooring needs to be removed, will installers remove old flooring? If so, what is the cost?
- Who will dispose of the old flooring? If installers, will there be an extra charge?
- Do you need furniture moved? If so, will there be an additional charge?
Have questions about your next flooring purchase? Stop in our Barry Carpet showroom in West Los Angeles. Or give us a call or send an e-mail. We’d be glad to answer your questions and help you pick the flooring that best marries function and style.
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To find the hardwood flooring that best meets your needs,
contact us. We’d be happy to answer all of your hardwood flooring questions and show you the latest trend in hardwood flooring.
By Jill
Posted on Monday, May 19, 2014 5:04 PM
Luxury vinyl tile is the fastest-growing flooring technology in today’s market. But surprisingly, when some people hear luxury vinyl tile, the image that comes to mind is of those old peel-and-stick vinyl squares found at your local big-box store. Believe me, this product is far from that.
When it comes to appearance, quality, durability, and style options, luxury vinyl tile is truly luxury underfoot. In fact, many of the products we carry do such a good job at capturing the colors, textures, and grains of the natural stones and woods they replicate, that they are practically indistinguishable from the real thing.
So What Is Luxury Vinyl Tile?
Luxury vinyl tile, or LVT, uses an advanced 3D imaging technology in which a photograph of the natural material being replicated is transferred directly to the tile. The final product, which is approximately 1/8 inch thick, is made of several layers, including a protective top layer (called the wear or mil layer) and often a urethane layer for added durability. Below are a few benefits of LVT…
Realistic Looks to Match Any Decor
A big reason LVT is so hot right now is that it does an impressive job at recreating the high-end look and textures of popular luxury flooring, including ceramic tiles, limestone, marble, slate, parquet, and hardwood. And the design options are limitless. Most tiles include beveled edges and come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Wood planks can be three to four feet long, and tiles are available in very large squares. Tiles can be laid with grout, for a more authentic stone or tile look, or without grout for a sleeker, seamless look. Wood looks feature rich colors, finishes, and textures, such as handscraping, for more realism. Many manufacturers such as Karndean, one of Barry Carpet’s top LVT brands, also offer design strips and borders for more customization. You can even mix and match – a stone tile with a wood border, for example – to create a unique and stunning designer look.
Durability
Have pets or young children? Looking for flooring that will hold up in high-traffic areas? LVT is one of the most resilient flooring options available. The specialized wear layer makes these tiles exceptionally resistant to scratches, scuffs, indentations, and stains. This flooring won’t chip, warp, or yellow like many natural surfaces. LVT is also naturally water-resistant, making it a great option for kitchens and bathrooms. Another plus: LVT is much softer and warmer under foot than ceramic tile and stone flooring.
The dimensional stability and durability of LVT make it well suited for high-use rooms in the home, as well as commercial spaces. Amtico, part of the Mannington flooring family, offers many high-end LVT collections for commercial use that include a slip-resistant layer – offering the perfect balance of style and safety.
Today’s LVT is so resilient that many manufactures back their flooring with residential and commercial warranties of up to 20 years.
Easy Maintenance
Perhaps one of the biggest perks – LVT is easy to maintain. To keep it looking great, just damp mop it weekly with water and a pH neutral cleaner. Design strips generally offer the same stain resistance as the tiles and won’t discolor like grout can.
Find the Look That’s Right for You
Want to see just how well LVT captures the look of natural stones and woods? Stop in our
Barry Carpet showroom in West Los Angeles. We can show you the many beautiful design options LVT offers. And our installers are Karndean trained in LVT installation, so they can expertly recreate a custom LVT design in any home or commercial space.
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Find Out More
To find the hardwood flooring that best meets your needs,
contact us. We’d be happy to answer all of your hardwood flooring questions and show you the latest trend in hardwood flooring.