Shop at home carpet, hardwood, vinyl, tile, pergo, laminate – Northern Virginia, DC, Maryland.

Shop At Home Flooring Service. Serving the DC metro area for nearly 40 years.

Hi, I’m Chris. Are you interested in a Shop-At-Home appointment for your flooring? If you have a pretty good idea as to what you are looking for, we can bring samples within that range to your home. The convenience can’t be beat because our Shop at Home service brings the showroom to your home!
Email me and we’ll get you on your way to a very user-friendly experience.

Working around your schedule, we will help you match samples to your room, lighting and style.

In fact, color is crucial in making a flooring decision and, more often than not, the decision is not final until the samples are seen in-home, where lighting is as it will be and existing furnishings can be matched more exactly.
The business I had for over 10 years was built on the shop-at-home principle and it helped my customers save time and ensure they’re making the right choice by making it in the area where their new flooring will be installed.
If you think you may be interested in an appointment, give us a call or send me an email to set one up.
All the best!

Chris Moline
Residential Group Manager
email
703-370-0000

Local flooring/carpet company & homeowners insurance claims

If you’ve had to file a homeowners claim that includes floor replacement or repair, we want to talk with you. For years we have worked with many providers to undo some unfortunate accidents in local homes. We are well-versed in working with many different companies and have a streamlined process that includes quick turnaround, guaranteed labor and special pricing for you.
If you have chosen to find your own flooring contractor, I’m sure you’ll like what you see when you visit us.
We are ready to work with you to get your home back in shape quickly so you can get back to enjoying your home and your life.

All the best,

Chris

Horses That Heal, Horses For Heroes & Wounded Warriors – an organization worth supporting

At Commercial Carpets of America and Alexandria Carpet One, we routinely support organizations that do good. This one, however, is close to my heart as my oldest son benefits from the use of horses in specialized therapy.  With the rise in the number of children diagnosed with conditions in the autism spectrum, this type of therapy shows promise, but it benefits more than just that segment.
According to Maryland Therapeutic Riding, using horses for therapy is a growing and widely-accepted treatment for rehabilitating a range of physical, mental, and emotional disabilities. Conditions served include: cerebral palsy, spina bifida, neuromuscular disorders, post-traumatic brain injury, autism, ADHD, and cognitive disorders. Riders experience increased self-confidence and improvement in strength, balance, coordination, attention span, language and social skills. I hope you enjoy the following videos and consider supporting these worthwhile causes:

NBC Nightly News Video on Maryland Therapeutic Riding.

Horses For Heroes
Horses That Heal – Maryland Therapeutic Riding
NARHA – North American Riding for the Handicapped Association

All the best,

Chris

Martha Stewart endorses SmartStrand carpet… a green choice and a great endorsement

Click HERE to see the video

I’ve said it myself, but it looks like Martha has more clout.  In the video, you see Martha actually pour red wine onto the carpet and blot it out… that’s taking a chance. Between Martha Stewart and HGTV’s endorsement of SmartStrand fiber, I can understand why we are so busy selling this great carpet.
Not only is it incredibly stain-resistant, it’s quite green, requiring much less energy to produce than its nylon contemporaries. I’ve installed a large section in my showroom and it’s held up amazingly well. Stop by and check it out!
All the best,

Chris

LEED for Homes – the environmentally-friendly home certification system

by Chris Moline, LEED AP

I was talking with a manufacturer’s representative in my office a few weeks ago about “green” carpet cushion. The information I got was, to put it mildly, wrong. Had I been working on a project with LEED certification as the goal, reliance on this one bit of mis-information could have cost me endless hours and many thousands of dollars, not to mention failure to get certified. In my case, I could have relayed that incorrect information to a customer and caused them to lose faith in me and my company, or worse.
As retailers, both commercial and residential customers may approach us with LEED-specific questions. The LEED for Homes certification program impacts homeowners directly and in this economy, savvy builders can stand above the crowd by building a LEED-certified homes. Retailers can stand above their crowd by taking time to get certified or at least understand where the products and services they offer tie in to specific rating systems.
Our customers are growing in their eco-awareness and we stand out by knowing what we’re talking about. They can, and frequently do, verify what we say, most often online. Get it right, and we’re on the road to a deal. Get it wrong and we lose credibility, making it more difficult to work with a client on all fronts.
Since most knowledgeable end-users have been exposed to green-washing (unrealistically stretching the green attributes of a particular product or service), they understand and trust the information they’ll get from us. It can make our job easier in that they may approach us with one less guard up.

If you are interested in the LEED for Homes process, this video may be useful.

LEED for Homes Certification Process Video
GreenHomeGuide.org site

Please feel free to email or comment with any questions on this worthwhile certification system.
All the best,

Chris

Beautiful flooring options for your home

by Chris Moline, LEED AP

Some homes can make you stop in your tracks. And there is an entire industry based on giving you just that look for your home… just ask Martha Stewart. But how do you describe the look you want if you are dealing with someone who has no concept of style or even seems to be focused solely on performance?

The answer? Speak up and don’t waste your time. In our showroom, we have many different experience levels and senses of style reflected in our people. If at any time you don’t feel comfortable, be gracious and ask the manager to step in (unless you get the perfect sales person who realizes it first and offers to direct you towards someone with a vision more in-line with yours. It’s more than “ok,” it’s the best way.

The manager should know the people on the floor well enough to discern who will work best with whom. If you can answer a few questions, you can make sure you get just the right service. And it will only make your shopping experience more pleasant.

If you are not getting this kind of service, call or email me. It’s what we do here, it’s our pleasure.

Chris

Now, here are some pictures of beautiful homes we’ve had the pleasure of working in.

My own sunroom with cork flooring installed over radiant subfloor heat.

Stunning treads, white risers and railing.

What you need to know before making a carpet, hardwood, laminate or tile flooring purchase

by Chris Moline, LEED AP
University of Maryland College of Journalism Graduate

I’ve been in the flooring business for over 15 years. It never ceases to amaze me when I or my sales staff ask clients what type of pad they currently have under their carpet. That’s just one of the glaring errors of “professional omission” I’ve seen in competitors. There is a lot to know when making one of the top 5 most expensive purchases of your life (some flooring projects cost more than a new car).  Below is a brief list of things you need to know when shopping:

What type of pad is best for your carpet and application?
2-pound FHA base-grade foam or 22-pound slab rubber? And… what thickness is best?
If you don’t know what kind of pad you are getting, it’s time to stop and ask some questions.
Did you know that the wrong pad can void the best carpet warranty?

This answer is most definitely a “no”, but do they have field service supervisors who monitor installations in-progress?
We do.

Who is doing the installation?
Are the installers CRI-certified professionals?
What is CRI anyway?

Will the company be there to stand behind the sale?
How long have they been in business and are they going to last?

What are the different types of carpet fiber and what makes them different?
Nylon, Olefin, Triexta, PET, PTT, Wool, 6,6 Nylon, Solution-Dyed, Stapled, Continuous-Filament… etc.

What is radiant subfloor heat and can it save money on heating?
Did you know that radiant heat is the most efficient room-heating method? It’s too late once your job is done, but wouldn’t you love to have had the choice?      And, can they help you understand how much you can save and the value-added to your home?

What types of warranties are offered?
Abrasive wear
Stain (what types are NOT covered?)
Texture retention
Labor – is it guaranteed for the life of the floor?
Satisfaction guarantee

Will they put everything in writing or do they get nervous when you start asking questions?
If you get that “deer in the headlights” look from the sales person, please give me a call or send an email. I and my team have been doing the right things in the flooring business for years and we’re ready to work with you.

All the best,

Chris


Email Chris

Lomax carpet backing: An eco-friendly choice

Using natural methane gas to power the backing process.

With the help of Lomax Technology from the Dow Chemical Company, Mohawk is the first manufacturer in residential carpeting to use renewable energy in producing latex backings for all Mohawk SmartStrand and SmartStrand with DuPont Sorona carpet.

It all starts in a Dalton, Georgia, landfill, where a surprising solution is found in an unexpected place.

The decomposition of solid waste inside the landfill creates bacteria which in turn generates 50% methane, 50% carbon dioxide gas. A system of pipes and blowers will collect the gas and then direct it to a central location.

This landfill gas, which was an otherwise unusable pile of waste, has now become a renewable energy source. It will replace the natural gas, precious fossil fuels, that were previously powering the plant used to make the latex backing for Mohawk carpet.

Now in addition to the creation of an eco-friendly carpet with beauty and durability, Lomax Technology has developed an equally environmentally-sound creation process to match.

Armstrong’s acrylic-impregnated hardwood floor line, in Alexandria, Virginia

Why choose Armstrong acrylic-impregnated hardwood flooring?

Acrylic-impregnated products are exceptionally durable—twice as resistant to indentation as non-impregnated wood. Acrylic impregnated floors are the toughest, most durable hardwood floors ever made. Stain is injected through the wear layer, for consistent color that lasts a lifetime. Liquid acrylic
fills and supports the open cells of the wood for an unprecedented level or indentation and wear resistance. Acrylic impregnated hardwood is over 50% more crush proof than un-impregnated hardwood flooring. Armstrong acrylic impregnated floors feature a 25-year commercial wood layer wear warranty.

Armstrong injects stain pigments completely through the wear surface of each acrylic impregnated hardwood board. The result is brilliant, consistent through-color that stays true over time. This is color that won’t wear down, walk out or wash off. It’s color you can count on for the life of the floor.
Acrylic-impregnated products are exceptionally durable—twice as resistant to indentation as non-impregnated wood.
For the toughest end-use applications… even your foyer or kitchen… this cannot be beat.
Call or email for more information. We have what you need and provide certified installation service to back it up.

703-370-0000 Email

Here are answers to some frequently-asked questions about hardwood floors:

Should I expect color variations in my floor?
Yes – wood is a product of nature; therefore, you will see variations from board to board in all categories. No two boards are ever the same.

My wood is denting. I thought I was buying hardwood?
Hardwood contains a cell structure; therefore, if enough pressure is applied, the cell wall will collapse and a dent will appear. Acrylic impregnated products help reduce indentations in wood.

I moved our area rug and my wood is lighter where my area rug was. What happened?
Wood goes through a natural aging process called patina. Bright sunlight can also accelerate this condition. Moving area rugs or other items that may cause this effect from time to time is recommended.

When I walk across my hardwood floor, I hear popping sounds. Why?
There are a number of reasons for this condition. Usually it is caused by uneven sub-floors (see manufacturer’s instructions for sub-floor tolerances). Improper trowel or improper adhesive could also cause this.

Can I have hardwood installed in bathrooms?
It is not recommended, due to the high moisture associated with those areas. It may cause unfavorable conditions for hardwood flooring.

What does “edge treatment” mean?
Edge treatments refer to the amount of reveal on the edge of each board – square, micro or eased edges, or beveled edges.

Removing furniture indentations from carpet

If you have carpet installed over pad in your home, chances are you’ve moved your furniture to find indentations that just don’t go away. You may have tried to rub it with your fingers, vacuum it, all to no avail. Before giving up, try ice cubes.

I’m not kidding… a simple ice cube allowed to sit atop the indentation will almost always do the trick.

Check out this video by Martha Stewart showing just how easy it is.
Good luck!