Waterproof flooring is an exciting new development in the flooring industry. It offers superior durability, water-resistance, stain resistance, beautiful styles and above all, peace of mind.We want to help customers understand the best uses for this cutting-edge flooring technology, so we wrote this  guide to what Waterproof flooring is and, more importantly, what it is not.Waterproof Flooring IS:An excellent investmentHighly effective in resisting overflowing sinks, flooded dishwashers, and other daily life messesSuitable for use anywhere in your house, including bathrooms and basementsWaterproof Flooring IS NOT a leave-alone solution to flood-prone basements: That is, if your home floods, you will still need to lift your waterproof flooring and dry the subfloor underneath. When both the flooring and the subfloor are clean and dry, you may REUSE your waterproof flooring – there is no need to purchase new flooring materials.  However, ANY flooring you purchase will require that you clean and dry the subfloor. Unfortunately, no matter how water-resistant your flooring is, flooding often comes from underneath and will seep through your subfloor first.Don’t despair! A flooded basement is not the end of the world, and waterproof flooring will make managing those unexpected problems that much easier and affordable. Check out some of our waterproof flooring products here.At Great Floors we make customer service and satisfaction our utmost priority. We want you to understand exactly what you’re getting when you choose a floor. We believe that’s what a responsible business does. Feel free to send us your flooring questions – you might see them answered in

This may be a very daunting task to many. Only because the options are endless and it’s the final piece that completes that beautifully remolded or brand new kitchen of your dreams. No one wants to mess it up as it literally can make or break the kitchen. You can treat it like a piece of art and find something that really becomes the centre of attention or one that effortlessly completes your kitchen in a subtle and subdued manor. Either way this is something that most people struggle with. I think the biggest thing is that what you choose is timeless. Replacing a backsplash isn’t always fun or easy so a lot of time and care does need to be taken into selecting it. You might pick a bold choice with a ton of movement, which looks amazing with your counters and cabinetry, but will you LOVE it in like 2 years? You have to think of the longevity of it.Subway Tile – This size and shape of tile is really making a comeback and I truly think it’s a very timeless and classic look. Gone are the days of just a simple white 3 x 6. You now can get it in different sizes, textures, and a huge assortment of colours. I personally still love the classic white as shown below. This is the Liverpool series from Ceragres, which is a glossy 3 x 10 with a slight pillowed edge that just adds a beautiful finish to the tile. Check out

What is a Dream Home?Most people would describe this as a home that exceeds people’s wildest expectations, that is personal and creative and that has that “wow” factor from the moment you step in the front doors.This year’s Bridlewood Dream Home is just that. You are surrounded by beauty and timeless finishes in every room you enter!Flooring played a huge role in this homes “wow” factor. Throughout the home are beautiful hardwood floors from Parquets Alexandra. These Canadian made floors are a classic element that can be found throughout the main floor and into the upper level of this home. These floors create warmth with the rich colour and soft texture that only an oiled floor can provide. Parquets Alexandra’s president, Alexandra Fortier, said “her goal was to design elegant and sophisticated floors that were renowned for their quality and durability.” These floors are easy to maintain, remarkably beautiful, warmer to for the feet, and are made with all natural oils that are eco-friendly and have no emissions. Check out the full Parquets Alexandra line here.The tile is another great aspect of this house. Unique shapes, bold patterns, colours and textures were all used to give this house its edge. Tiles found in the laundry room, Jack N Jill Bath, guest bath and basement bath were provided by Ceragres®. A Canadian company based out of Quebec, Ceragres is a leading competitor in the tile world. From the timeless look of the Mate Series in the Laundry room, to the wild patterns and colours of the Mix

Carpet tiles are a stylish and modern alternative to the broadloom that we are use to putting into our homes. It’s a fun DIY product if that is something that interests you. I love the fact that the colour and pattern options are endless for anyone who loves pushing the envelope when it comes to design. Another great feature is that if you ever need to replace a damaged area it doesn’t get any easier than pulling up an old carpet tile and putting in a new one in its place – which is where broadloom fails to perform in comparison.There are some brands such as Interface that feature a completely glueless installation. They have developed a glue-free installation system that uses the inherent strength of their backing to create a dimensionally stable “floating floor.” Interface is one of the largest carpet tile companies in the world and they continue to push the envelope in recycled products while not sacrificing the design.  One of their collections is called Human Nature. “Can interiors inspired by nature make the world a more beautiful place? That is the premise behind Human Nature™, a new, global carpet tile collection of 25cm x 1m skinny planks from Interface.”Another great way to use the skinny plank and probably one of my favorites is laid in a herringbone pattern. The options are endless as you can choose the same colour and pattern giving it a classic look for a bedroom or living space or you can do different shades and colours

We are constantly getting asked about the “new vinyl” flooring options available. We all know vinyl or resilient floors are nothing new. Although many of us possibly relate it to our grandmas old kitchen flooring which might have us thinking twice about going down that path we need to not let it spoil how far vinyl has come. Resilient flooring looks a whole lot different then any of us might remember. LVP (luxury vinyl plank) or LVT (luxury vinyl tile) are 2 really great new options that people are curious to know more about. Thanks to digital technology giving them a very realistic visual and even feel of stone and or wood it can confuse even those of us who look at flooring all day long, let alone the end consumer.LVP is a great option for basements; so many people have experienced water in their basement and no longer want to go with carpet in case of it happening again. Then laminate seemed like the next best choice, but like hardwood if water sits on laminate for any period of time it too will swell and become damaged and will need to be replaced. In comes Vinyl Plank, it’s a great water resistant and extremely durable option. We now are seeing people put this throughout their whole home. If you have a pool outback or have a growing family with pets, there is truly no floor that will better perform in those areas. This floor is part of the Moduleo

These days it seems like every customer we are working with is leaning towards hard surfaces throughout the whole house. Whether you’re renovating or building from scratch, most homes are choosing hardwood throughout most of the home. It’s definitely on trend right now, and I don’t see it slowing down. With all of these cold, hard surfaces, I think it’s more important now then ever that your home has some bold carpet to warm up the space and add an element of design. Whether it’s the staircase that invites guests into your home or your open concept living room, a patterned carpet with tonal or contrasting colours is sure to add some dimension, warmth, and character to your home.One of my favorite carpet lines right now is Tuftex. Its Shaw Floors’ premier brand, designed in California. With its west coast style and adventurous colour palette, Tuftex has created its own segment in the market place and continues to push the limits in style and sophistication. Below is one of my favorite patterns called Taza. The sleek arabesque pattern works well in any style of home and would make a beautiful area rug. It’s a broadloom carpet, which means it comes in 12’ wide rolls, allowing you really to customize a size that works best for your room.All of Tuftex’s patterns come in a wide array of colours and different construction types, so you can select it depending on which room it’s going in and what type of traffic it’ll need