Apart from sounding like marmalade, many of us have never heard of marmolueum flooring. What is it, and where can it be used?

Marmoleum is manufactured in England and is an all-natural product. Made from wood flour, pine rosin, linseed oil, jute, and limestone, it is a biodegradable form of flooring. Similar to linoleum, it is easy to clean and very durable. Linoleum was first popular in the 1950s, and is now considered to be more of a lower-end product. Marmoleum is in the linoleum family, but offers a greater amount of design and color choices. Because of its newness and novelty status, it is becoming a popular choice for many homes. Young families especially enjoy the easy to clean, soft and durable material. …continue reading Marmoleum Flooring, What is it?

According to Hardwood Experts manager and president Dorn Gal, the requests for distressed wood floors are streaming in. Distressed wood enhances rustic, country style themes, Old World sentiments, or even the eclectic or contemporary bent. Gal says it can be achieved with any type of wood, and homeowners usually elect to have it installed throughout the entire house.

Like most distressed finishes, this wood type has an aged effect that adds a lot of character to the room. The distressed look is typically achieved by hand scraping, which has a smooth finish. Other types of distressed wood are antique or time worn aged, with distinguishing character markings and dark color staining. To bring out the grain, wire brushing offers a visible as well as tactile result, though not as rough in appearance as hand hewn or rough sawn wood. Pegged floors give a decorative accent to distressed wood. …continue reading Distressed Wood: The Latest Trend in Hardwood Flooring

Justin Crimmins knows his hardwood flooring. Founder of Crimmins Hardwood Flooring, which opened in October of 2003, he services residential clients, as well as high profile clients such as Harvard University, Bagel Works, Home Depot, and GAP. One reason for the company’s success is that Crimmins and his crew don’t shy away from perfection. “We strongly believe, and it has been proven true, that one job completed to perfection always gets you a second job through referral,” Crimmins explains.

One critical step toward perfect hardwood floors is finish. I recently interviewed Crimmins on this important step, to help homeowners determine which type of finish to choose. Here, Crimmins talks about factors such as pricing, drying and accuracy of the two primary finishing options.

…continue reading Hardwood Flooring Expert Justin Crimmins on Oil- versus Water-Based Finish