Guides
Straight answers, before anyone quotes you.
What things cost, what holds up, and how to check the numbers yourself. These apply wherever you live. Both stores work from the same ones.
All guides
How much does new flooring cost in Alabama?
Most central Alabama flooring jobs land between $3 and $12 per square foot installed, and a typical whole-project cost runs around $3,500. Carpet is the cheapest at roughly $3 to $6 installed; luxury vinyl plank runs $4 to $9; hardwood is the most expensive at $8 to $15.
What is the difference between luxury vinyl plank and laminate?
Luxury vinyl plank is PVC all the way through and cannot absorb water at all. What used to be sold as laminate has been replaced by waterproof wood-based flooring, sold under names like RevWood: it still has a wood-fibre core, but the plank is sealed at the edges and perimeter so water cannot reach it. Both are waterproof in a normal house now. LVP is softer and quieter underfoot; the wood-based product is harder and more scratch-resistant.
Should I refinish my hardwood floors or replace them?
Replace if the wood has cupped from water, if pet urine has soaked through to the grain, if the floor is engineered with a veneer under about 2mm, or if you want a lighter colour than the wood you have. Refinishing is still the cheaper answer on a solid floor that is flat, sound and only tired on the surface, and we will tell you when that is what you have, even though we do not do it.
What is the best flooring for homes with pets?
Luxury vinyl plank with a wear layer of 20 mil or thicker is the best flooring for pets. It is waterproof so accidents cannot damage it, scratch-resistant enough for claws, and softer underfoot than tile so older dogs can get up more easily.
What is the difference between porcelain and ceramic tile?
Porcelain is a type of ceramic that absorbs 0.5% water or less, which is what makes it dense enough for floors, wet rooms and outdoor use. Other ceramic absorbs more, chips more easily and is often rated for walls only. So for a floor, the number to check is not the name on the box but the water absorption and the wear rating.
How do I measure a room for flooring?
Multiply the room's length by its width in feet to get square footage, then add 10% for waste on a straight layout or 15% for a diagonal or herringbone pattern. For an L-shaped room, split it into rectangles, measure each, and add them together.
Bring the numbers
Work out your own square footage first, then have us check it. The in-home estimate is free and comes back itemized, so you can see what is material and what is labour before you agree to anything.