1. INTD 50A
floor materials and coverings

2. floor coverings
major element in an interior and selection criteria deserve careful consideration:
durability required
cost of materials, installation, and maintenance
aesthetic considerations
acoustic noise control
insulative/solar absorption needs
fire/building codes

3. floor coverings—selection guidelines
hard and resilient floor coverings form a substantial part of the character of an interior
select flooring according to the following criteria:
beauty
harmony
graceful aging
subfloor preparation
life-cycle costing
upkeep
durability
safety

4. floor coverings—selection guidelines
beauty—good design merit & integrity; should be appealing even without other furnishings
harmony—as a background for a variety of furnishings—look for neutralized colors, subtle textures & lack of a definite pattern
graceful aging—mellowing of the finish through continued use
subfloor preparation—supports and enhances the finishing material

5. floor coverings—selection guidelines
life-cycle costing—total cost divided by the number of years of expected use
upkeep—maintenance frequency and ease of cleaning
durability—ability to withstand traffic
safety—slippery?, visual confusion?, avoid extremes of rugged textures or highly polished smooth materials

6. floor coverings—hard have several advantages—generally they are:
strong and durable
nonabsorbent & relatively impervious to soiling and staining
easy to maintain and clean
“timeless” classics
versatile
disadvantages:
high initial cost
subfloor preparation
rigidity

7. floor coverings—hard EXAMPLES: flagstone granite limestone marble
terrazzo
slate
travertine
ceramic tile
mexican tile
quarry tile
brick
concrete
wood planks & parquet
bamboo
laminate

8. floor coverings—resilient
have flexibility or give
advantages:
lower initial cost
warmer to the touch
absorb more sound
easier on the body
dropped items less likely to break
less damage to floor if items are dropped
wide variety of designs and patterns
moderate maintenance depending upon finish and finish durability

9. floor coverings—resilient
disadvantages:
may require more maintenance if surface has no protection
can be damaged, dented, or torn
less durable
seams will open and become worn if poorly installed
EXAMPLES:
cork
leather
linoleum
rubber
vinyl—sheet/tile
vinyl composition

10. floor coverings—soft
made in many fiber types and come in a wide selection of colors, textures & prices
selection guidelines:
understand the fibers
learn carpet constructions
look for guarantees
purchase locally
compare quality
ask for recommendations
determine quality
take sample to site

11. floor coverings—soft
made in many fiber types and come in a wide selection of colors, textures & prices
selection guidelines:
select color wisely
compare carpet’s lifespan to its aesthetics
select a quality padding or underlay
quality installation is IMPORTANT
upgrade carpeting to higher quality that standard allotment in new construction

12. floor coverings—soft carpet fibers
most are constructed of single fiber however there are an increasing number of blends
blends are popular for three reasons:
has the positive qualities of each fiber
more costly fiber can be extended with the combination of less expensive fibers
cross-dyeing effects can be created with one dye—different fibers take dye differently

13. floor coverings—soft carpet construction
woven broadloom—woven or tufted by a machine and are typically 12 ft wide
tufted broadloom—make up the majority of carpets today; constructed on a loom using multiple needles
knitted—constructed of knitted yarns held together with latex backing; few on the market
needlepunch—masses of fibers rather than yarns held together by an interlocking fiber-punching machine; inexpensive

14. floor coverings—soft carpet textures
cut pile—surfaces are sheared to one height or multi-level

15. floor coverings—soft
carpet textures
plush

16. floor coverings—soft
carpet textures
frieze

17. floor coverings—soft
carpet textures
sculptured

18. floor coverings—soft
carpet textures
deep pile

19. floor coverings—soft
carpet textures
level loop

20. floor coverings—soft
carpet textures
random or level tip

21. floor coverings—soft carpet maintenance
appearance and life span of carpet depend on the way that it is maintained
keeping carpet clean is the key to good looks and increased life span
when dirt, grit or sand settles to the bottom of the pile, wears down fibers more quickly

22. floor coverings—soft rugs add softness and warmth
provide positive acoustical properties
give character and richness to interiors
area rugs define an area

23. floor coverings—soft
rugs—can be natural/manufactured fibers, machine or man-made, designer or mass produced
authentic oriental
antique—older than 75 years
semiantique—from years
new—less than 25 years old
persian
turkish
tibetan
folk— dhurrie, navajo, rya, rollikan, rag, braided, and hooked
european handmade rugs— aubusson, needlepoint