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The Right Flooring for Any NYC Home

No matter what type of flooring you’re looking for in your New York City home, Lane Sales has got you covered.  Whether it’s your chic Manhattan penthouse, your cozy Brooklyn brownstone, or your Queens studio, we’ve got the right flooring to fit your needs.

Modern Manhattan

Manhattan is one of the trendiest cities in the world, and the field of interior design has certainly been influenced by its modernity and minimalism.  Current fashion seems to be to scale down and build up, meaning less furniture and more space.  Carpeting is always a viable option, but try our luxury vinyl tile to switch it up a bit.  The elegant tile is totally in and creates an even greater sense of space within your apartment.  Tile is also easier to clean than carpeting, making it an obvious choice for a large and open space like your Manhattan dream home.

Old-School Brooklyn

Brooklyn has a certain charm to it that you just can’t put your finger on, but walking down streets lined with trees and brownstones certainly has something to do with it.  The soft city vibes of Brooklyn make it feel both lively and cozy, so the flooring of your home should give off that same feeling.  Hardwood floors are timeless and classic, preserving the old-world feel of Brooklyn while maintaining charm and class.  However an entire home of only hardwood could feel a little unnatural, and covering your hardwood with area rugs can do wonders for the coziness of your home.  Luckily, Lane Sales can help you out with both and pick the perfect area rug to make your Brooklyn home feel the way that living in Brooklyn should.

Queens Up-and-Comers

New York City is an expensive place to live, and new parts of old boroughs are being flocked to everyday by young people trying to move to the best city on Earth.  In recent years, neighborhoods like Long Island City and Astoria have really flourished and become popular among youth due to cheap rents and easy access to Manhattan, but what flooring is best for up-and-comers?  When making a new start, it’s always important to feel like you’re coming back to your real home, and what says home like comfy carpeting?  There’s nothing like coming home from work, kicking off your shoes, and running your toes through the carpeting that you could finally afford to buy for yourself in your beautiful new New York home.

How the Holidays Can Affect Flooring

The winter and holiday season ushers in a new era of decorating. Nutcrackers go up, along with all the lights, garland, and other various figurines. Lane Sales appreciates the hard work and dedication that go into preparing and then decorating a home to look wonderful for holiday parties and get-togethers.

One of the most overlooked aspects of holiday decorating is how it can affect the flooring of a home. The holiday color scheme will not necessarily match the flooring and furniture of the most frequented rooms in a home. If a real tree is used, it may shed on the carpet, posing a danger to the cleanliness and organization of the home. There could also be an unusually high amount of traffic across a home, posing a potential danger to wool carpet and other sensitive floors.

How to Ace the Holidays

Plan Color Schemes

One key aspect to remember during the winter months is that certain residential carpeting is going to be better for decorating purposes than others. Choosing a shade for the flooring color scheme that goes well with colors that are planned to be used during a holiday decorating extravaganza is always a good idea. Hardwood floors go well with all colors, so investing in hardwoods can pay off in the winter when the holidays roll around.

Consider Foot Traffic

Wool carpet is known for its elegance and comfort, but is also a more delicate flooring option that does not do as well with a lot of foot traffic as some other more durable flooring does. When investing in wool carpet, it is best to install it away from areas where folks may gather in the home, as well as away from any fir trees, as the shedding of the tree would require more cleaning and vacuuming of the delicate wool carpets.

Keep the Floors Clean

A benefit of hardwood floors is, unless they are very dark, they do a great job of hiding dirt and dust that may be hiding along the surface. But they not only hide dirt well, they are easier to clean than a lot of carpet as well. That is a definite advantage of hardwoods and stone and tile flooring options, their durability means they will last, but they also clean up quite easily after a gathering. The business of the holiday season means that the floor will be getting dirtier regardless of what type it is, so it is important to keep them thoroughly swept or vacuumed.

Each season has its own advantages and disadvantages, even when it comes to flooring and decorating the home. Keep these tips in mind when venturing into the holiday season, and for flooring needs in New York City, Connecticut, and New Jersey get in contact with Lane Sales today at (800) 731-3483!

Best Flooring Options for Allergy Sufferers

allergiesKeeping your interior as allergen free as possible is important for businesses and residences alike. Nobody wants to suffer through sneezing, nasal congestion, or a runny nose. The type of flooring you have is one of the biggest factors in allergy prevention and luckily, choosing the right type of flooring can eliminate a majority of allergens found inside a home or business. Let’s go over some options.

Carpet

Allergy sufferers should not fear carpets or stereotype them for a ground that catches onto dust. If you want to go with carpeting, it’s not bad news. Synthetic fibers like nylon and polyester repel water and are easy to clean. Vacuuming with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) vacuum to ensure proper removal of dust and dirt will greatly diminish the presence of allergy causing materials. Not to mention, wool is an exceptional type of flooring option! Wool provides a healthier indoor environment by removing contaminants in the air that roam around and can trigger allergies. It doesn’t help in the development of dirt, grime, or toxins.

Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood is an excellent choice for those trying to avoid allergens. Besides being aesthetically pleasing for any space, wood flooring is very easy to clean and does not trap dust or dirt.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is exceptionally easy to clean, so maintaining a low level of allergens is definitely feasible. However, you should keep in mind that laminate flooring is manufactured with adhesives which may contain VOCs (volatile organic compounds). VOCs may trigger allergy symptoms in some people, but you can always check the emission ratings of a laminate floor and choose one with low levels.

Cork Flooring

One of the most ideal flooring materials for allergy sufferers, cork is naturally resistant to allergy causing materials due to the presence of antimicrobial suberin. You might think that since cork is a porous material, dust and dander would have a place to hide, but that’s not the case. The finish on a cork floor will prevent this.

If you’re in the market for new floors, our Lane Sales representatives are ready and willing to answer any questions you have. We are here to help guide you to the floor that suites all your needs, so contact us today by giving us a call at (800) 731 3483 or write us a message and we’ll get right back to you.

How to Measure a Room for Hardwood Flooring

Chances are if you are reading this, you are shopping online looking for new hardwood flooring. If you are looking for an estimate, one of the first things you will need is the total square footage of the area you are looking to have done.

Measuring for Floor Installation

Below is a quick method you can use to find an estimate for total square footage. Of course if you are going to have the job done, a qualified contractor will come to your home and measure first. This method is only to get a rough estimate during the sales process.

For the purpose of this post, let’s imagine an area that looks like this:

how to measure a room

In this illustration, you have a main room area, a closet and a hallway. This is sometimes referred to an “L shaped room.” Instead of trying to measure the “L” itself you want to block off each section into its own square.

  1. Begin by “squaring off” each room, hallway or closet. Imagine each room is a square or rectangle. When measuring for flooring do not go outside the boundary of the room, closet or hallway.
  2. Measure each area length x width and write it down. For a room similar to the illustration, you will have 3 numbers: e.g. – 48×128, 24×48 and 60×128 for example
  3. Add all numbers together: 48×128 (plus) 24×48 (plus) 60×128 (equals) 132 x 304 or about 278 square feet.
  4. We recommend adding another 5% for extra pieces

Also make sure you don’t mix up the length and the width. Be sure to always keep the numbers in the same column.

calculate measure a room
Example calculation, always be sure to keep the lengths and widths in the same column (don’t mix them up)

Once you have this number you are ready to get a flooring estimate. When measuring always remember to measure in a straight line. If your tape measure slides to the left or right you are going to get an inaccurate measurement.

Please keep in mind that the number you came up with might vary depending on the type of room you have, baseboards, and any other room features you might have.

Flooring is also sold in different widths. So if you have 278sq ft room and boxes are sold in 100 sq ft you might have to order 300 sq ft. Remember it is always better to over order than to under order.

Also a lot of families and businesses order an extra box or case of flooring in case something happens to the floor or it gets damaged. For instance if there is water damage, something heavy drops on it or some other floor damage happens it is always good to have a few extra pieces on hand just in case.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please don’t hesitate to give Lane Sales, Inc. a call at 800-731-3483, or visit us on our website.

How to Choose the Right Commercial or Residential Flooring

Choosing the right flooring can be tricky because there are many considerations. Are you purchasing flooring for commercial use or will you require it for your residence? Knowing about durability, high-traffic versus low-traffic areas and more will help you make a more informed decision on flooring.

If you are in the market for residential flooring, consider the type of room you will be covering.  Is it your living room, dining room, bedroom, office space, kid’s play room, etc? Even though each of these areas is located in one space, your home, they can require a different type of flooring to maximize your return on investment through budget and wear and tear. Because there are varying flooring options that can correspond with a room, we have outlined a few guidelines to help you determine the best flooring for you and your family’s needs.

Step 1: Determine whether an area is high-traffic or low-traffic.

Residential Low-Traffic Flooring Options

Low-traffic areas are any places where foot traffic is light and includes traffic that is mostly sedentary as well. For example, while you may spend most of your time in the living room, chances are it is still a low traffic area since most of your time is spent sitting.  

Other areas that are low-traffic include kitchens, dens, dining rooms and bedrooms. In low-traffic areas you can get away with flooring that is less resilient and more comfort-based. High-quality carpet is perfect in low-traffic rooms for this reason. However, carpet in kitchens and bathrooms is not practical from a cleanliness standpoint. For those areas, laminate, tile or sealed-wood flooring is generally resilient enough to handle food and water spillage, while remaining cost-effective and durable.

Residential High-Traffic Flooring Options

Watch any home improvement show and you will notice that the area with the most worn flooring is always located in the home’s hallways or entryways. In a commercial unit, common areas like public restrooms, elevators or stairs qualify as high-traffic areas.

To sustain flooring over time in high-traffic areas, select flooring made from harder materials. Tile, wood, and bamboo are a few examples of great high-traffic flooring options. While hard surface flooring can be more expensive, in many cases you can tailor your options to meet your budget without sacrificing quality or durability in the long run. Industrial strength carpet exists for commercial units as well. We do not recommend this flooring type for residential use because the feel and texture of commercial carpet is much rougher and less desirable for the function of a home.

Commercial Heavy-Traffic Flooring Options

If you are exclusively in the commercial market then there is an additional category: heavy-traffic. Heavy-traffic areas in commercial units include office “war rooms”, break rooms, cafeterias, and lobbies.

This type of flooring requires a unique approach and can often include a bit of customization. For example, for a room with multiple office spaces, the flooring will need to withstand the wear and tear of stationary objects that can settle in one area as well as mobile objects like roller chairs. To better maintain flooring in a commercial unit, consider carpet tiles instead of traditionally installed carpet. This options lowers replacement costs, as you can replace a few squares at a time in areas that are more worn than others.

There are many other kinds of commercial and residential flooring options for you to choose from. If you are ready to make your flooring selection, feel free to speak to one of the specialists at Lane Sales. Our team would be happy to walk you through your options to help you settle on the one perfect for you.