1. Creating Interior Backgrounds
Chapter 14

2. Flooring Material Wood Offers beauty and warmth
Some resilience and durability
Can scratch and dent
Cost is moderate to high
Hardwoods include oak, maple, beech, birch, hickory, mahogany, cherry and teak
Softwoods include redwood, cedar, cypress and white pine

3. Flooring materials Two types of installation
Unfinished
Prefinished
Must acclimate to the interior temperature due to humidity and temperature
Multiple steps to finishing
Engineered wood can be installed over concrete and has more stability

4. Flooring materials Tile
Feels cool to touch and more popular in sunbelt areas
Can be expensive to install
Ceramic
Harder, more durable and more expensive
Quality and cost can vary
Glazed ceramic tile is water and stain resistant
Seal the grout

5. Flooring materials Porcelain Tile Quarry Tile Highest quality tile
Can withstand freezing temperature
Smooth surfaces can become slippery
Ceramic tile color is only on the surface
Quarry Tile
Made from terra- cotta
Very strong and durable
Glazed or unglazed

6. Flooring Materials Natural Stone Concrete
Beautiful and durable, but costly
Limestone, travertine, granite, marble, slate
Texture may be rough or polished
Easy to maintain
Concrete
Color can be added
Sturdy and durable, but uncomfortable to stand on
Inexpensive

7. Flooring Material Brick Costly, beautiful and durable
Wide variety of pattern

8. Floor Coverings
Floor coverings are surfaces placed over the structural floor
Last several years, are expensive, but not as expensive as flooring materials
Include soft floor coverings and resilient floor coverings

9. Soft Floor Covering Carpets and rugs
Made from natural or manufactured fibers
Insulate cold floors
Provide sound control
Walking comfort
Add color and texture
Can cover the entire floor or only a portion of it

10. Soft Floor Covering Wall to wall carpet Room-size rug Area rugs
Makes a room larger
Hides damage or faults in the floor
Room-size rug
Exposes border on the floor
Requires two cleaning methods
Area rugs
Vary in size
Used to define areas, add interest, serve as focal point

11. Resilient Floor Covering
Nonabsorbent, durable easy to maintain
Fairly inexpensive
Provide some cushioning for walking
Vinyl, laminate and cork

12. Vinyl Floor Covering Available in many colors, pattern and textures
Quality varies with cost
Available in tiles or sheet
Solid vinyl floor covering is made totally of vinyl rather than a thin layer
Have appearance of hardwood, marble, stone granite or geometric pattern

13. Laminate flooring Product made by uniting one or more different layer
Best have four layers that are fused under heat and pressure
Resistant to traffic, stains and fading

14. Cork Flooring
Must be covered with protective coating to be water resistant, durable and easy to maintain
Rich appearance
Good walking comfort