Empire Today®, Makes Beautiful New Floors Easy. Call 833-429-0167 for Carpet, Laminate, Hardwood, Vinyl, or Tile flooring. Empire is the easiest way to get the best value and a professional experience. Call 833-429-0167 to Schedule an In-Home Estimate and samples will be brought right to your home. Get professional room measurements and an all-inclusive price estimate. We offer professional installation when you want it around your schedule. Empire’s convenient shop-at-home service and professional installation let you skip the hassles of home improvement store shopping. We carry quality name brand floors from industry leading brands. Because of our national footprint and manufacturer relationships, Empires great prices include your floor, installation, materials, and more. Empire Today is dedicated to customer satisfaction and has been a leading provider of installed home improvements and home furnishings for over 55 years. Call 833-429-0167 NOW to schedule your In-Home Estimate. For more information, visit EmpireToday.com. ...read more
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By Sarayam April 27, 2013
Debbie is a true professional in every sense of the word! She and her team were punctual, friendly, and knowledgeable every step of the way. The last time I used FCI I had carpeting installed ...read more
By Lauren June 02, 2011
It was a great experience from start to finish. I look forward to working with them in the future. they are true professionals and I find them to be absolute leaders in their industry. Well done FCI!!!! ...read more
By Elenore D. at Judy'sBook April 12, 2011
"A great team from concept (Debbie) to execution (Fabio) who provide what the customer wants within schedule and budget. Honest, eco-friendly with excellent pricing for exceptional work." ...read more
Are you looking forHardwood floors for you home in White Plains NY? Hardwood can make such a difference to the look of your home plus it improves the value. Hardwood floors are also easier to clean and maintain vs. carpets. ...read more
By Floor Coverings International January 23, 2011
I know some of my customers get confused aboutlaminatevs. engineeredhardwood. Which is real? Which is fake? What is the difference? First, laminate is fake. It usually looks like hardwood (and occasionally tile) but it's not real. It's a picture of hardwood covered by a melamine wear layer and on top of a high density core board. The pieces click together and lock into place to create a floating floor. Laminate has really come a long way and looks rather real; but, when you walk on it, you can often tell by the clicking noisy/tinny sound that it's fake. Engineered hardwood,soundsfake, but it'sNOT. It's hardwood through and through, but it's constructed in layers (similar to plywood). It's a terrible term because a lot of customers mistakenly interpret engineered hardwood as fake, but believe me it's real. There are many including the following: Does not require a plywood subfloor. So, if you have a cement floor, you can easily glue or float this floor. Because of the plys of wood (which are mounted perpendicular to each other), much of the expansion and contraction that you see in solid hardwood is reduced, so the boards are typically a tighter fit Believe it or not, many engineered hardwoods are stronger and more stable than their solid hardwood counterparts. And, because of this strength, it's easier to go wider in the planks (which is more in style and makes the room look larger). It can be installed below grade (i.e. below the ground level, so it could go in a basement...provided, of course there are no moisture issues). Some engineered hardwoods can be installed over radiant heat. (Always be sure to check this); most solid hardwoods can't. There's more flexibility from an installation perspective. With most engineered floors you can nail it (if there's plywood), or glue it (if there's cement) or float it. Some engineered hardwoods are less expensive; and, if you don't have a plywood subfloor, these will also be less expensive from an installation perspective. Now there are also somedisadvantages of engineered hardwood Some engineered hardwoods can not be sanded&refinished.; If you just need the hardwood for a short period of time, this may not be an issue; but, over the long term it can be. Check the wear layer - some engineered hardwoods are top notch and can be sanded 3-4 times; others 1-2 and others can't be at all. Some engineered hardwoods are in fact very cheap/flimsy products, so be careful and do your homework here. I mentioned above that hardwoods are real through and through - they are just layers of wood. That is usually the case, but there are a few cheap ones out there that have wood filler in them. Some engineered hardwoods (esp the less expensive ones) look more fake because they are rotary sawn (visualize peeling an apple and the wood keeps spinning). As with any purchase decision, it depends on which factors are most important to you, and the cost/benefit trade-off. Try to select a flooring expert that is knowledgeable and that you cantrust. We'd be happy to help (we are in NY/CT area), but my company has about 90 locations across the US and Canada so there may be someone in your neck of the woods. ...read more
By Floor Coverings International September 18, 2010
I get this question abouthardwood often and of course the answer is "it depends." It depends on many factors including your subfloor, condition of your floor and what factors are important to you (e.g. ability to sand&refinish;, height of floor (relative to other surfaces and/or cabinets and doors), cost, type of wood. There is no "one size fits all" answer. Usually, I go to a customer's home where I can look at their circumstances and advise them. I'll ask them questions tobetter understand their needs. And, often, I will give them prices for both options, so they can make a well informed decision. Clarification - this is a discussion about HARDWOOD notLAMINATE. Laminate is fake hardwood - it looks real, but it's not. Engineered hardwood sounds fake, but it's not. It's real hardwood through and through just done in layers (it's a poor term for it that often causes customer confusion). Advantages ofsolid hardwood. (3/4" thick) - It can be sanded&refinished MANY times. So, if you get lots of scratches or if you want to change the color later, you can. - If you have other hardwood in the house, chances are it's solid and this could be matched up to it from a height perspective and sometimes from a color perspective. -Sometimes, it's less expensive...this all depends on what you are comparing it to, but sometimes, solid is less expensive than a sandable engineered product. Sometimes, this is simply because the solids are more popular and sell more and hence are put on special more often. - Comes in both prefinished and unfinshed forms. (i will write another blog post on this). So, if you have hardwood in other areas and want to match the color exactly (or almost exactly), this can be a great option for you. Advantages ofengineered hardwood(thickness varies from 5/16" to 3/4" but usu 3/8" or 1/2") - Does not require a plywood subfloor. This means if you have cement, you can install right over it and you don't have to worry about installing plywood which can greatly increase your costs. - Can be installed below grade (e.g. in a basement that is below the ground). Now, if there is a moisture problem hardwood may not be your best choice, but assuming moisture is not an issue, engineered hardwood is more flexible as to where it can be installed. - Multiple ways to install - nail down (if plywood), glue or float. More abt this in another post. - Engineered hardwood is often (but not always) more stable. Because of it's layers, it's often stonger than solid hardwood. And, because the layers are perpendicular to each other, there is usually less expansion and contraction so it allows for a tighter fit, esp during the winter when it's more arid. In addition, because it's more stable, you can often go wider in the planks (and can do so more cost effectively). - Often, engineered products can be less expensive. This is not always the case, but often the 5/16" and 3/8" are less expensive. But, the thicker ones, esp if they can be sanded & refinished multiple times can sometimes be more expensive. Of course, everything depends on what you are comparing (e.g. type of wood, width of planks, grade of wood, etc....I think I'll have to do a whole other blog post for on this topic. - Some engineered hardwoods can be installed over radiant heat (but not all). Very few solid hardwood can - only quarter sawn or rifted - usually this only comes in an unfinished format. I hope this info is helpful for you. If you do have an interest in setting up afree appointment- either for yourself or for a client, pls call us at 914-937-2950 or visit our website. There are many of us across the country so you can also try to find someone in your area. Seewhat our customers are saying about us.Debbie Gartner,Floor Coverings International in Westchester/Stamford Feel free to download our free flooring guide. Or, visit our flooring selector - almost 2,000 options forhardwood flooring,carpet, tile and more. "We bring the store to your door." ...read more
By Floor Coverings International September 12, 2010
Antique wool rugs are fragile so gentleness and care should be taken when trying to keep them clean. They do get dirty from time to time but they cannot be cleaned like most rugs. It is better to clean them yourself than a professional so you will know that care was taken to clean them. ...read more
Cleaning carpets can be a full-time career or a second job to use for creating additional income. Many carpet cleaners begin with only one cleaning machine and then expand the business once it becomes profitable. Keeping costs low until the cleaning business grows is a good idea for a new owner who is... ...read more