How to Choose the Right Carpet for Your Concrete-Floored Basement

Don’t you think stepping onto the cold, hard floor of the basement adds up to the eerie feeling that you get when going down there with the lights off? Just imagining your basement with soft carpet already makes it so much cozier. But before you head off to the store to pick up the materials you need, you must first read the following tips:

Fiber Type

Any carpet fiber style, from plush to loop, can be applied to a concrete floor. The chosen fiber material type should be a synthetic form, such as olefin face fiber. The man-made fibers will be less susceptible to moisture absorption and can be cleaned with stronger chemicals for a long-lasting floor covering. Heavy traffic areas, such as hallways and basement entertainment areas, will have an aesthetically pleasing carpet along with functionality. Carpets that absorb moisture are prone to mold and mildew deterioration. Source: HomeGuides.SFGate

Underpad

You can’t go wrong installing a moisture barrier underlayment, especially if you live in a climate that gets a lot of rain or snow. Concrete absorbs and retains water, and the moisture can seep into the carpet padding and then into the carpet. Moisture barriers, as the name implies, set up a protective barrier to block moisture from reaching the pad and the carpet. They look similar to carpet padding, but they have a plastic film on the surface to block moisture. Source: Hunker

An Important Reminder to Consider

Please note that the above recommendations are for basements that are finished and generally dry. If you do not have an insulated basement that is protected from outside leaks, or if your basement regularly floods for some reason, then no floor covering is going to be able to withstand those conditions. In such cases, your best bet is to leave your cement floor uncovered. If you wish to have something covering the cement, opt for a piece of inexpensive outdoor carpet that is designed to withstand water—and be prepared to throw it out if necessary. Even outdoor carpet can’t survive repeated or intense flooding. Source: TheSpruce

Installing carpet on a concrete floor is more complicated than it looks. Leave the job to us so you can rest assured that your investment will be worth it. Call us!

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Floor to Carpet Transition Methods You Can Use at Home!

Are you planning to use carpet on one room of your home and a different flooring on an adjacent area? Here are some approaches that professionals use to get a flawless-looking transition:

Tuck-in Carpet to Tile

This is the method that is most often used for transitioning from carpet to tile. In this method, you make use of the often-used carpet helper, the tack strip.

It is highly recommended that you lay the tiling before you install the carpet if using this method. Carpet can easily be cut and positioned easily, or at least, it can be moved more more easily than tile, especially after the tile has been set into place.

After the tile is installed, put in a tack strip 1/4 to 3/8 inches from the edge of the tile. The next step should be to cut at the direct edge of the tile. However, you can also pull the carpet across the space between the tack strip and the tile’s edging. Then use a knee kicker so that the carpet has extra edging, allowing it to be pushed into the space. After that, use the tack strip to hold it in place. Source: DoItYourself

Carpet to Concrete

If you are working with a transition point where a concrete floor is in place, you cannot nail down the tack strips, nor should you use general construction adhesive to mount a tack strip in place. Instead, there are specialty glues sold at home improvement stores which are specifically designed to mount tack strips to concrete. They are fast-drying and some come in a hot-glue style of application; others are troweled on or applied via a caulking gun. The same rule applies: the tack strip needs to be placed at least 1/4 inch from the edge of the tile to allow room for the tuck. Existing carpet installations merely require that the tile meet up to the edge. Source: HomeGuides.SFGate

Use a Carpet Edge Gripper

A carpet edge gripper is an aluminum strip that holds the edge of carpet with sharp metal teeth. It is used to transition to any adjoining surface that is lies lower the carpet.

An edge gripper is installed by being tacked to the subfloor. Then, the carpet is forced into the toothed side of the strip, which holds the carpet backing much the way tackless strips are used to secure a carpet around the perimeter of a room. Source: TheSpruce

Carpet will always be a timeless flooring for high-end homes if installed right. So, if you’re unsatisfied with the appearance of your carpet, let us take care of it! Call us today!

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How to Prepare Your Home for a Carpet Installation

Nothing beats the excitement of finally getting the home renovation you’ve been saving for. But at the same time, you can’t deny how the whole process can quickly get stressful if you aren’t well prepared for it. So, if installing a new carpet is part of your to-do list, here’s how you can make things easier for you and the installer:

Clear the space

Move the furniture out of the space to be carpeted. You will want to put it somewhere out of the elements. If you are carpeting a single room, you can put the furniture in another room, but if you are doing an entire house or floor, you may need a garage or storage space.

• If you are unable to get enough help from friends or neighbors or if you have health problems, you may want to hire furniture movers to take your furniture in and out of the house. Source: WikiHow

Make a path for the installers

Sure you’re getting new carpet, but not at the risk of your other interior flooring. As contractors move in and out of your house, they will naturally leave behind footprints, dirt, mud, sweat, and tears. Also, they may be carrying heavy equipment behind them that could otherwise damage your other flooring. Therefore, always lay a trail from the contractor’s entryway to the area that is being refurbished. Use old towels, cardboard, or drop cloths. Or you can use old carpet squares; if you’re replacing your carpet during this new installation, and you’re just going to throw the previous flooring away, you may as well use if for this particular purpose.

It’s a good idea to adhere these materials though. Tape down the cardboard or drop clothes in order to avoid any slipping when walking or carrying heavy materials. There is no point in saving your floors if you’re actually creating more hazards to the contractors themselves. On hardwood floors or tile, you may want to be careful about how you adhere items: tape may cause damage to the finish, so possibly carpet padding would be a better resistor. Source: HomeAdvisor

Install the carpet last

You want to be sure that all other remodeling projects (wallpaper, new trim, painting, subfloor repairs) have been completed before your carpet installation date.

After your new carpet is professionally installed, the installer will remove small scraps. Any large pieces will be left behind for you. Some people have these pieces cut into small rugs for their home. Binding can be applied to the edges of these carpet pieces for a nominal fee to keep them from fraying.

After all this, there is one thing left to do: Admire your new carpet. Source: AngiesList

Finding the right professional to do the job for you is crucial to the success of your home projects. If you need anyone to handle all carpet-related issues for you, simply give us a call and we’ll be there!

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5 Things You Must Do to Prevent Carpet Beetles from Coming Back

Have you started to notice bald patches on your carpet’s surface? The culprit might be the tiny insects that feed on its fibers. Get rid of them and stop future infestations by doing these simple tricks:

Keep your pet’s area clean

Furry pets are the first choice of carpet beetles. They feed on the dead skin of your pets and use their body as their hiding place. If you spot any carpet beetles on your pet’s bedding, clean and wash it in hot water to kill larvae or eggs. Don’t forget to give your pet a shampoo bath.

Don’t store fabrics or cloths for extended period

You must regularly clean and wash cloths, fabrics, rugs and carpets in hot water or dry clean them. This is particularly applicable for cloths and fabrics which were not used for some time. Source: DoItYourself

Watch out for dead bugs

Constantly be on the lookout for dead insects in the cracks of the walls and flooring of your home. Try removing dead bugs by vacuuming over them or picking them up with a paper towel. Cracks are one of the more subtle living spaces that carpet beetles can thrive within.

Go synthetic

Choose synthetic materials over organic fabrics when possible. Get products made of synthetic fibers instead of natural ones as often as you can. Carpet beetles don’t feed on synthetic fabric. Keep this in mind when purchasing furniture, rugs, and carpets. Source: WikiHow

Sprinkle boric acid

Boric acid, which acts as a poison on insect metabolism, is only hazardous to humans if ingested or inhaled in large quantities. Find it at pharmacies and sprinkle it in powder form lightly and evenly on carpet, then use a broom or brush to distribute it into the fibers. Wait several hours and vacuum thoroughly. You may also prepare a larvae-killing spray by adding one tablespoon of boric acid to two cups of hot water and stirring until the powder dissolves. Fill a plastic spray bottle with the solution and mist curtains, upholstery, baseboards, and dark nooks and crannies where carpet beetle larvae hang out. Source: BobVila

Let us help you repair those ugly spots on the carpet so you won’t have to look at them anymore. Call us anytime to get a free estimate!

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Improving painting skills – training never stops

We believe you never stop learning, which means our training never stops.

Recently our Growth & Training manager, Nestor, put 2 skilled foremen, 8 employees, and one older house together to give valuable training. We specialize in managed properties, so work on this single family home was an exception for training purposes. Nestor S and Jordan provided key skills training for proper surface preparation, priming, and painting. The challenges of COVID-19 and work scheduling delayed this training opportunity until fall.

Jordan brought his focus on details to the training, showing how small improvements like properly holding a brush helps create a clean line between soffits and siding, what’s known as ‘cutting in’. Painting paneled entry doors is a unique skill that takes patience and learning the right order to paint each component.

Using our know-show-do training method each employee had a chance to hear how to use a sprayer safely, see Nestor S spray a section, and then try their hand at spraying the siding of the house. With Nestor’s feedback, each one gained confidence and the first level of competence.

As an added bonus, we were able to provide the work at no charge, with valuable donations from Cloverdale Paint and Dulux Paints. And a shout out to Tony Orantes for many hours of hard work to help make this happen.

A big thanks to all of those involved for giving their time and effort. One small way we can give back to the communities in which we work, serving others and bringing beauty and renewal.

 

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Replacing Your Carpet? Here Are 4 Ways to Reuse the Old One

Installing new carpet does not necessarily mean that you’re ditching the old one straight to the recycling facility. If you want other eco-friendlier ideas that you could use at home, here are some tips to consider:

Single-use beds for your fur baby

We sure do love them, but those furry friends at home can make quite a mess in their living space. While buying new beds and mats can become pricey over time, a quick and easy, money-saving solution is to cut up a few squares of your old carpet to change in and out of their pens or bedding.

Durable car floor covers

No matter what kind of vehicle you are driving these days, consider cutting up your floor covering to use as mats inside your car. Help protect your existing mat by placing a freshly cut square on top. Plus, during the worst of weather seasons, which are always just around the corner, your old carpet will take the beating, leaving your car flooring unscathed. Source: RecycleNation

Welcome mat

Old carpets make the perfect material to create a new door mat. Cut the carpet into the size and shape you desire for a door mat. Then, you can even paint the carpet with latex paint in order to give it a whole new look. Use stencils to personalize it as needed. These even make great gifts for friends and family members moving into a new home, or you can easily create a holiday themed door mat on the cheap this way. Source: DoItYourself

Garage wall cushion

If you’ve been known to park a little too close to the wall of your garage, attach a strip of carpet to the wall so that you don’t ding up your car door when you swing it open. A simple solution to what could have otherwise been an expensive car repair. Source: LittleThings

Are you thinking twice about replacing your old carpet? We can still probably make it look as good as new. Let us take a look! Give us a call today for a free estimate.

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Carpet Scams to Watch Out For

There are good and bad people in any industry or market. No matter how strict the regulations are, you have to be wary and cautious with every deal you’re signing so as to avoid getting ripped off. Keep your eyes peeled for the following scams when you’re buying carpet or having it installed.

Overpriced Quotations

You call a professional to give you a quote for your carpet installation. He starts measuring the surface that will be covered, while having a nice conversation with you.

After he’s done measuring, he will give you the quote: “let’s say a promotional $9/ square foot, for all your 200 coverable square feet. That means $1,800.”

You decide to be smart and think it is a good idea to shop around to see if there is a better best price, so after he leaves you start looking for another quote and find out the average price is $12/ square foot – so your man was the best!

What you haven’t realized is that your coverable space is only 100 square feet not $200, which means only $1,200 at the average price (the scammer is actually charging you $18/ square foot).

How to avoid:

Buy a tape measure and measure the length and breadth of the surface yourself (multiply them together to get the measurement in square feet). Then ask around for quotes for carpet installation for that measurement. Source: Scam-Detector

“Free” Installations

In this scam, carpet dealers advertise greatly reduced installation rates or even free installation. But the advertisements neglect to mention that this only apply to “basic” installations, which can mean as much – or as little work as dealers want. Any additional installation comes with hefty fees. Buyers should not sign anything until they know just what the basic installation entails – or the amount a dealer would impose for the rest of the installation process. Source: DoItYourself

The Private Label

It starts when you find a carpet sample you really like on a contractor’s board but think the price is just too high. You go looking for it elsewhere, but with no luck. He tells you the carpet is actually a “private label,” and no one else sells the exact same brand. In fact, he’s lying. The carpet is available at any retail or big-box store, just under another brand name. Because it’s been rebranded (sometimes by the suppliers themselves) finding a match becomes difficult.

Don’t believe any company that tells you they’re the only ones who can carry a specific color or type of carpet, unless you’re looking for something extremely specific and high-end. If you spot a bad rebrand, move on. Source: AngiesList

Have your carpet repaired or installed by someone who has a good track record and has been in the business for a long time. Give us a call to get a free and honest estimate of your carpet needs.

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