We caught up with John Glista, Territory Manager in the Greater Phoenix area to get his inside scoop on the flooring industry.

What is your specialty, John?

Wood flooring and bathroom remodeling projects are what I enjoy to work with. Being from Chicago, wood flooring is the most popular surface used throughout the entire house because it creates a warm and comfortable feel. Today’s products are far more durable than years ago and are more maintenance free than ever before.

I also enjoy taking old cultured marble shower stalls down and replacing cabinets and putting granite tops on to create a SPA like feel.

What is your favorite part of working in the flooring industry?

Being able to bring the floor to a customer’s door and help them pick the perfect material for their project.

What is your biggest challenge?

My biggest challenge is preparing concrete floors for wood flooring. Although, in my 29 years in this industry, I never met a challenge that I could not overcome.

What is your favorite type of floor and why?

New carpet can give an overall feel of freshness that gives off the new car smell that we all love. Most of the time it is much less expensive than people think and creates a warm and inviting space.

What have you found is the most popular?

Wood flooring is on most people’s minds when doing a remodel project, wide boards and scraped floors are the most popular choices. Porcelain tile that looks like Travertine is over taking natural stone due to the face that they require no maintenance and look so natural it’s almost impossible to tell the difference.

What is your favorite part of working in this industry?

I absolutely love seeing the customer’s faces when they walk thru a completed project and are extremely satisfied.

What is the biggest compliment you have received?

When customers refer their friends and family, it’s the greatest compliment anyone can ask for!

When you’re not helping people with their flooring what do you like to do?

I love to fish, golf and work on home remodeling.

Thanks, John for all the great information!

Don’t forget that our flooring specialists at StarFloors are always here to answer any questions and concerns you may have regarding your area rug choice. We are available toll free at 866-503-STAR (7827) or on the web at www.starfloors.com. You can also submit your questions to us at www.facebook.com/starfloors or on twitter @starfloors_

Everything You Need to Know About Wool Carpet

The staff at StarFloors is going back to college! Wool College that is....

Godfrey Hirst recently allowed us to participate in their Wool College program which educated salespeople and team members wool fiber. So now that we are the "experts" we are here to share everything you need to know about wool carpet.

Wool is a natural fiber, shorn from the coats of sheep usually native to either New Zealand or the United Kingdom. It's biodegradable as well as recyclable so it won't spend centuries taking up space in a landfill like a synthetic carpet will. It also takes less energy to produce than synthetic carpets.

Wool carpeting typically falls well behind synthetic carpets in terms of quantity of sales. One reason might be the cost but another could just be better marketing by the synthetic carpet makers.

Regardless of the reason however, wool offers a number of benefits as a floor covering that deserves some attention when considering carpet options. A closer look at those benefits might be enough to sway you toward this environmentally friendly carpet choice, even if wool's prices tend to be more than nylon or polyester.

Not only is it good for our world as a whole, wool also helps your home's environment too. It can absorb about 30% of its weight in moisture without feeling damp which make it a cheap but efficient humidifier (and dehumidifier too). In warmer humid conditions it absorbs some of the moisture in the air making it feel cooler. When the air dries out it releases the moisture helping to humidify the air.

Wool carpeting has also been shown to be an effective 'filter'. It's natural fibers can absorb and retain chemicals such as formaldehyde (present in certain wood products and other building materials) and nitrogen dioxide, a by-product of smoking and combustion (think heaters, fireplaces, stoves, etc.).

Wool fiber has an overlapping "scaly" outer structure which looks and acts somewhat like roof shingles. This helps repel dirt and liquids by shielding the inner part of the fiber. It also helps hold the dirt and spilled liquids near the top surface of the carpet giving you a better opportunity of cleaning dirt and spills.


Wool fiber's protein-based chemical makeup readily accepts dyes and locks in the color for superior intensity and color fastness. Carpets made from New Zealand wool, which is naturally white, make an easy pallet for applying color.


Overview Why Wool Carpet?
Wool is durable, resilient, affords comfort and safety - and wool is a renewable resource! Wool fibers are naturally superior to synthetic fibers, as well as longer lasting, inherently flame retardant and resistant to dirt and crushing.

Performance

• SUPERIOR TEXTURE RETENTION & RESILIENCE
• SUPERIOR WEAR
• NATURALLY SOLID & STAIN RESISTANT
• SUPERIOR DYE FASTNESS
• NATURALLY FIRE RETARDANT & SELF EXTINGUISHING

Value

• Slightly higher initial cost massively offset by product longevity and ease of maintenance. WOOL CARPET ACTUALLY COSTS LESS!!!!
• WOOL CARPET ADDS VALUE and is the ULTIMATE STATEMENT OF STYLE, SUCCESS, AND COMFORT.
• WOOL IS WARMER IN THE WINTER AND COOLER IN THE SUMMER. Wool naturally feels better, is more resilient, and helps moderate temperature and humidity in the home by absorbing and releasing moisture as needed.
• Wool's natural soil and stain resistance allows for wool to require LESS CLEANING THAN SYNTHETICS.
• Wool is a renewable resource and is biodegradable. Wool is a way to be kind to Mother Earth. WOOL IS GREEN AND IS RECYCLABLE.

Comfort

• WOOL'S SOFT & NATURAL FEEL to the hand and beauty underfoot simply cannot be achieved with any synthetic fiber.
• Wool is a NATURALLY DELUSTERED FIBER that is appealing to the eye and allows for a soft and comfortable appearance on the floor.
• Wool's natural luster and gentle light reflection characteristics give a home or office an ELEGANT AND PEACEFUL BACKGROUND.

Quality

• All HIBERNIA WOOL CARPETS ARE CAREFULLY TESTED for consistency, performance, and overall adherence to strict product specifications.
• Our yarns are TRIPLE SCORED to enhance soil resistance and extend the life of the carpet.
• HIGH TWIST YARNS equal higher performance and all HIBERNIA fabrics utilize higher than normal twist multiples to insure customer satisfaction.
• All HIBERNIA carpet products are PERFORMANCE TESTED and TRAFFIC RATED to insure performance and proper utilization (see product sheets).

Drawbacks

As we know, nothing is perfect. Wool carpet has its drawbacks and we feel its important to share what you can expect.

Wool fiber is by nature a staple fiber. Staple fibers are shorter filaments wound into yarn that's made into the carpet's pile. This is in contrast to synthetic fibers that are manufactured in very long continuous filaments.

Carpets made from staple fibers sometimes have the tendency to shed some of the filaments as they naturally work themselves loose from the yarn that makes up the carpet. They usually lie on top of the carpet and/or get caught up on your clothes if you've been down wrestling with the toddler or family pet.

This usually isn't a big deal and you shouldn't see continued large-scale loss of carpet pile but it may be a nuisance and something you want to consider.


In addition, highly alkaline substances like certain detergents, soaps and household cleaners can damage the wool fibers and mar the carpet.


It is important to review all of your options with a flooring specialist to weigh your options and get more specific information about your carpet choice.
You can instantly request a free quote from our website.
A flooring specialist will give you an in home consultation and help you choose the perfect carpet for your project.




One of our recommended vendors for wool carpet is Godfrey Hirst.

About Godfrey Hirst

Godfrey Hirst Carpets combines the latest colors, patterns and textures to provide you with the classic beauty, and practical beauty you expect from a versatile line of flooring that can coordinate with today's home environment.
Godfrey Hirst predominantly uses New Zealand wool for its carpets. With some 40 million sheep grazing on beautiful, lush green pastures, use of New Zealand wool ensures an environmentally sustainable fiber that is the cleanest and whitest wool in the world.


The Wools of New Zealand Brand represents the standard of excellence in wool carpets. Godfrey Hirst USA and Godfrey Hirst Carpets of Canada are proud licensed partners with Wools of New Zealand, requiring our products to meet demanding quality standards and fiber content requirements.
The name and trademark, used exclusively on products containing at least 80 percent wool, with the majority (60%) being New Zealand wool, are applied only to carpets and rugs that have met the highest performance and environmental specifications.


Find our more about Godfrey Hirst here.

Refernce for article: Godfrey Hirst



Looking For A Flooring Company You Can Trust?

About Us

For four generations, StarFloors has been providing customers with the highest quality flooring products available and outstanding customer service.
From the time we knock on your door to the moment you are standing on your new floor, our team provides the most pleasurable and positive experience possible. Our flooring specialists are the best at what they do and with our elite Showroom on Wheels we “Bring the Store to Your Door!”
With corporate offices in Dallas, Texas and flooring experts strategically located nationwide, StarFloors is one of the fastest growing flooring companies in the world.

Why We’re Different
StarFloors is a rock-solid company you can rely on. We’ve built our reputation on dependability, fair pricing, superior materials and workmanship.  Our strategically located facilities provide StarFloors managers with the ability to procure products and schedule expert installation for consistent, on-time delivery anywhere your properties are located.

Our unique business model and nationwide buying power allows us to provide a rare combination of competitive prices with the highest quality materials and personalized customer service. At StarFloors “We Bring our Store to Your Door!” saving the customer time and money and allowing customers to see what flooring works best with their existing décor.

Our turn key installations give peace of mind and offer the ultimate convenience. In addition to years of experience, our technicians undergo rigorous training, installing according to our exacting specifications and under our direct supervision. Installers clean up after every installation, removing old flooring, debris, vacuuming carpet and hauling away trash.

Our experienced flooring specialists are experts in the flooring industry. More importantly our territory managers are locals who know your housing market, the dynamics of your region (humidity, temperature, etc.) and design aesthetics. StarFloors’ territory managers are experts in their field and are prepared to exceed every expectation with their knowledge and expertise.

Customer service always comes first!  We ask each client to complete our online customer survey at the conclusion of every project and use the information to continually improve our products and services.

Our Products:
StarFloors takes care of all of its customers’ flooring needs. This includes replacing existing flooring with any grade of carpet, wood, ceramic and porcelain tile, natural stone and vinyl, as well as restoring hardwood floors and stone.

Harwood: From complete installations to repairs of worn and buckled wood flooring, StarFloors offers onsite installation of pre-finished and solid wood flooring in a range of hardwoods, finishes, sizes and patterns. We also sand and finish existing hardwood floors, restoring them to their natural beauty.
Vinyl: Our Company has a variety of versatile vinyl flooring available in a range of colors, designs and textures, including the look of traditional and distressed wood, natural stone and decorative and geometric patterns. This durable product is skid and mar resistant, easy to care for an ideal for high-traffic areas.

Carpet: StarFloors offers a range of carpet options, from Berber to Frieze. Whether you’re changing out the carpet in an entry-level home or adding plush texture and rich color to the master bedroom in a luxury home, we offer quality products and installation at the lowest possible prices.

Natural Stone: We install natural stone flooring, countertops, backsplashes and showers in any room of the home. Whether you’re replacing a travertine entry or restoring a granite tile countertop, StarFloors provides the highest quality material, installation, and restoration.  We do our own fabrication to ensure quality and reject slabs that are substandard due to fractures or fissures. Natural stone selections include granite, marble, limestone, travertine, slate, onyx and more.

Ceramic & Porcelain Tile: StarFloors offers quality ceramic and porcelain tile in a range of colors, textures and patterns. Our factory-trained installers understand the importance of correctly laying tile. We use appropriate underlayment materials under tile installed over subfloors and proper edging to ensure clean, solid connection, as well as remove and reinstall toilets.

Window Treatments
Star Floors carries a full line of high quality window treatment products uniquely engineered for value and fashion, and custom built to fit each window perfectly.  We carry everything from Faux Wood Blinds to Real Wood Blinds, Vertical Blinds, Honeycomb Shades, Shear Shades, Vertical Soft Sheers, Woven Woods, and Roller Shades.  Many of these products are available with motorization via wall control panel, remote control, or they can be integrated in to a home automation system.  

Media Rooms/Entertainment Centers
StarFloors’ brother-company StarPower provides clients with the finest experience in high-end custom installations of audio, video, security, and electronic automation. StarPower features the finest brands of equipment, some of which are rarely seen outside of Hollywood’s top studios.  StarFloors professionals work in conjunction with StarPower’s electronics and media room specialist to provide you with a custom designed media room to fit any space in your home. When we look at the word “customer”, the first word we see is “custom”. At StarCompanies, we put the customer first in every custom installation. We listen carefully to make sure to understand what a client is hoping for in their entertainment and media room. We pay close attention to a client’s budget, so we both know we can give them the maximum value for their price point. Our team of entertainment system and flooring experts create the highest quality entertainment rooms available- leaving no detail untouched. Our job is to create a one-of-a-kind theater environment without disrupting the existing home or business.
For more information on StarPower visit their website http://www.star-power.com/

http://www.starfloors.com/

Everything You Need to Know: Carpet Pad

What is Carpet Pad?

Carpet pad is a supportive padding placed under carpets and area rugs. The pad absorbs sound and cushions the surface so it feels more comfortable underfoot. When buying carpet padding, you’ll notice that it comes in a variety of thickness levels and materials. Foam rubber pads are a popular choice that work well in homes. Sponge padding is slightly stronger and is good for high-traffic office and commercial environments. Fiber pads are the strongest of the three, and are commonly used in manufacturing plants and other buildings with concrete floors.

Carpet Pad. Who Cares? We do!

A firm and resilient carpet pad is necessary to form a good foundation for your carpet, increasing its comfort and extending its life by acting as a shock absorber when someone walks on the carpet. The cushion, or pad, helps buffer sound and provides increased insulation, making a room quieter and warmer.

When selecting pad, discuss the best option for your carpet selection with your StarFloors Flooring Professional. A StarFloors professional will review requirements for thickness and density. Improper selection of carpet pad can negatively affect carpet appearance, cause wrinkling and buckling, cause separation of the carpet seams and can cause a breakdown of the carpet structure itself. Improper cushion selection also may void any applicable carpet manufacturer's warranties. A general rule of thumb for most residential carpet applications is to choose cushion no more than 7/16 inch thick and no less than 1/4 inch with 6 pounds per cubic feet density. If the carpet is a Berber or a low profile carpet, choose a cushion no more than 3/8 inch thick with 8 pounds density.

What is Carpet Pad Made Of?

Carpet pad is made primarily from polyurethane foam, fiber or rubber and is available in a variety of styles and constructions to fit your needs. The type and thickness of cushion you need varies according to traffic levels and patterns. For example, bedrooms, dens, lounge areas and other rooms with light or moderate traffic can use thicker and softer cushion, while living rooms, family rooms, hallways, stairs and other heavy traffic areas require thinner, firmer cushion.

Match the cushion to the carpet

Residential cut pile, cut- loop, or high-level loop carpet requires a resilient, firm cushion with a thickness of 7/16 inch and no less than 1/4 inch with 6 pounds per cubic feet density. Types of cushion may be various polyurethane foams, including the very common bonded foam product often referred to as “rebond,” fiber, or rubber.Berber carpet or thinner loop or cut pile carpet is made with large, wide loops, and it has been found that a stable, low-flexing, cushion foundation is necessary. A thicker, softer cushion is not acceptable. Cushion thickness should not exceed 3/8 inch for these type products

StarFloors Professional: Phil Kenton

"I only use a ½ inch “superstep” pad for our carpets. It is difficult to find a 5/8 thick pad anymore, and I would avoid using it anyways, because all of the mills void warranties with it.

If I were purchasing carpet for my own home and want comfort I would choose the “superstep.”

- Phil, StarFloors Territory Manager

For more information on carpet, carpet installation, carpet pad and your flooring inquiries contact a StarFloors Professional today!

http://www.starfloors.com/

(866) 503- STAR (7827)

For more detailed inforamtion visit: http://www.carpet-rug.org/