Flooring is a very important part of any new home or remodeling project. A great new floor plays a key role in providing a satisfactory surface for you and your family to live on, but also giving your home a thrilling richness or pizazz. Quality floor coverings are not inexpensive so it truly pays to get some expert advice on how to spend your flooring budget.
If you live in Hawaii, you will be hard-pressed to find anyone who is more expert on the subject than the owner of Kahala Pacific Floors, Shirley Pai Hilton. She was dubbed the “Wonder Woman of Wood” (WWW) by a customer a while back for the help and guidance she was able to give them. While she does not don a cape or crown, she does hope that she can be your hero, too, and help you avoid the perils of a bad product or a nasty installer.
We recently sat down with The WWW to ask her a few questions:
Question: What is the most important thing that a homeowner should keep in mind when they are selecting a floor?
Hilton: The single most important thing to keep in mind when shopping for a new floor is that you love the way it looks! You will also examine practical concerns but don’t go there first; see what thrills you such as style, color, feel. Then when you have a few selections, start to think about the amount of wear and tear your floor will experience, how much cleaning you want to do and, of course, your budget. You will make compromises as you consider the latter but thrill your senses first.
Question: What is the most popular product you currently sell?
Hilton: Wood and carpet will always have a following but currently enjoying the spotlight is luxury vinyl featuring WPC — wood plastic composite or waterproof core, depending on who you talk to. This product is vinyl flooring which comes in separate planks (not in sheet form like the old days) and features a rigid core designed to save floor prep costs. You can find hundreds of different colors and patterns. Its popularity is due to a slightly lower price point, ease of installation, a waterproof product and a truly attractive look.
Question: What is the best place a potential buyer can get information?
Hilton: Well, of course we have the internet today with a wealth of information but it’s also a lot of work to read and understand the information. I would like to extend a warm invitation to all readers to attend one of my Wood and Stone Flooring 101 seminars, held each month at our beautiful Kalihi showroom. Thousands have attended in the past and they will tell you that it is enjoyable and worthwhile. I cover almost every type of floor covering, except carpet, and folks always say how much they learned. Best of all, attendees get a lifetime special sale price on all products and services.
The next session of Wood and Stone Flooring 101 will be held on Saturday, June 17 at 10 a.m. Call 847-7711 to reserve your seat today.
KAHALA PACIFIC FLOORS
contact // 847-7711
• address // 926 Kohou St.
• web // kahalapacificfloors.com
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