Do you enjoy working with your hands?  Do you like providing a finished product that requires skill and knowledge?  Do you like working with people?  Flooring installation is a rewarding career for individuals that answered “yes!” to these questions.   It involves physical activity, creativity, attention to detail, and mathematics.  The rewards can be substantial for well-trained, ambitious individuals as well as the satisfaction of a job well done.  As with many trades, the flooring industry is always looking for qualified people.

Today’s consumers want someone who is prepared to provide exceptional craftsmanship for products that they have carefully selected and anticipate enjoying for many years.  Carpet Network promotes engaging the services of certified floor covering installers.  “The only way floor covering dealers can grow,” says Lenny Rankin, CEO of Carpet Network, with more than 20 years experience in the shop-at-home home flooring industry, “is to upgrade the installation process. Despite the fact that most of the installers are independent business owners, they are still the most important part of our team. By recognizing them, we are able to show them how important they are to the success of our business and their importance to our customers.   We can do this by supporting their efforts and recognizing their talents.”

There is a real need for men and women who qualify.   This trade provides an avenue for young people searching for a rewarding occupation and those who are changing careers.  The future of the business they create is unlimited.

If you or someone you know would like to investigate what programs are available in your area, contact the Certified FloorCovering Installers.

This article is brought to you by the people at Carpet Network.

But if it’s going to be a possibility for your home, don’t you need to know what laminate is, first? We thought so.

Laminate is a manufactured product that simulates the look of hardwood, laminate tile, natural stone and many other types of flooring.

Now, in the past, laminate floors have been easy to spot, but today’s technology allows manufacturers to create realistic visuals and textures for an elegant and quality floor.

We think you’ll be amazed – maybe surprised — at how faithfully and beautifully laminate flooring resembles other premium flooring. So don’t say we didn’t warn you!

In fact, many of today’s laminate styles consist of extremely authentic wood or natural stone visuals to accommodate any room in your home.

Laminate is well suited to those shoppers who want the look of real hardwood or stone but without the cost or maintenance that can be associated with natural products.

It’s a fact. Laminate flooring costs significantly less than hardwood floors or natural stone tile. And who doesn’t want to save money, right?

So, laminate seems to be popular among buyers who are looking for a beautiful, durable, yet cost-effective flooring solution for their home.

And laminate floors function well in any space with their many different styles and colors.
You can choose from natural colors and dark wood grains as well as warm or cool color tones to compliment any room décor in your home.

And if the “plank” look interests you, many hardwood plank designs are offered in laminate, including rare, exotic wood species.

Laminate stone and tile patterns will give you the elegant look of tile, but without the concerns of grout cleaning or cracking tile. Something you might want to consider.

And if yours is a busy household or a home with children, a durable, low maintenance product like laminate flooring is a great choice for your active lifestyle.

Because laminate flooring is stain resistant, it doesn’t need to be varnished or waxed. Hooray!
Laminate floors are also less likely to fade in direct sunlight, unlike aging hardwood floors.

And don’t sweat it if you feel a little unfamiliar with this product. Laminate floors are relatively new to this country, but have been used in Europe for more than 25 years.

Why Europe you ask? Since laminate flooring can be installed over many types of existing floors it has made it a natural for old European buildings.

But more and more Americans are becoming familiar with laminate flooring because they have been aware of laminate countertops for years.

By using the countertop technology and adding considerably more resin to the wear layer, some laminate floor manufacturers boast that their laminate floors are now 10 to 20 times harder than laminate countertops.

Since this resin filled wear layer is so dense, it becomes extremely difficult to stain or scratch.
And here’s something you might find interesting. Laminate floors are never secured directly to the subfloor, instead they are floated over the subfloor.

This allows laminate flooring to be used over a wide variety of subfloors, including wooden subfloors, existing floors and even concrete slabs.

Which may explain why, today, laminate flooring has become one of the best selling floor coverings in the United States.

Laminate floors offer many benefits to you and your home, including:

· Exceptional durability
· Easy to clean surface
· Superior stain resistance
· Superior fade resistance
· Install in/on all grade levels, even below grade
· Install over many different types of subfloors
· Great impact and indentation resistance
· Exceptional realism at affordable costs
· Easy to replace later on, if desired

Given all that, maybe laminate flooring is for you.