The Benefits of Hard Flooring Surfaces

Homeowners are eliminating carpet in at least part of their homes in record numbers. Hard surfaces, such as wood flooring, have become extremely popular for their good looks as well as practicality, and many of them are made for a lifetime of use. Carpeting is probably the most budget-friendly floor covering, but many find that it is not a practical surface — especially in highly used areas such as dining rooms and family rooms — and works out to be more expensive in the long run.

Many of us know the situation well: Something spills on our carpet or we find phantom spots that someone has left behind. Additionally, everyday soiling from our feet starts to grind into the carpet, and we can never quite get it out. Carpet cleaning is good, but never great, and even with diligent care, carpets begin to break down after a number of years. Dust from carpet fibers and the deteriorating pads below them (which can dry-rot and turn powdery with age) can contribute greatly to allergies and irritate asthma sufferers.

With wood and stone on the other hand, the surface can be cleaned thoroughly to avoid these irritants. Shirley Pai Hilton of Kahala Pacific Floors recommends Bona Kemi products to keep wood and other hard surfaces clean with minimal work.

“Often, the main thing is to clean up sand and other small granules, which can scratch your flooring. That does the most damage over time. A roving vacuum is ideal for this as well as normal dust and pet hair. Then all you have to do is do some light wiping with the Bona microfiber mop,” said Hilton.

Hilton has also heard customers say that their homes feel a lot cooler with a hard surface. One customer felt that the carpet seemed to retain heat, while wood flooring did not.

But Hilton is not ruling out carpet altogether. “We have wood and stone throughout our home, but we wanted the coziness in our bedrooms and opted for a deeper-toned, textured carpet so as to camouflage some of the inevitable soiling, especially when our daughter Sophia was just 4 years old at the time,” said Hilton.

Suffice it to say that the consumer has a lot of choices and everyone has different preferences. Hilton invites you to visit the company’s beautiful 3,000 square foot showroom in Kalihi, where you can view the extensive selection of wood, stone, tile, vinyl, laminate and carpet. And if you would like to learn more, get a basic education by attending one of the Wood and Stone Flooring 101 seminars, which are held monthly. The 90-minute sessions have been attended by hundreds of Hawaii consumers who always express how much they enjoyed it and how much they learned.

The next session will be held Saturday, June 15, at 10 a.m. at the showroom (926 Kohou St). Call 847-7711 to reserve a seat.

KAHALA PACIFIC FLOORS
contact // 847-7711
address // 926 Kohou St.