After two days of running around trying to find the perfect flooring at big box stores and home centers it was time to make our choice. It was Sunday evening at 6:30 p.m. so we decided to make one last stop at a flooring store we hadn’t been to yet. Within minutes we were asked a simple question and pointed to the only product that should be used.
The best flooring choice for desert Arizona rooms is a vinyl tile with a stone-based core. It can be installed immediately and eliminates expansion and contraction buckling due to summer – winter temperature swings. If you’re installing direct onto concrete on grade or non-air conditioned homes this is a must.
I’m sure we’ve installed 8 or 10 different floors in the many properties we’ve owned in our lifetime. We thought our Snowbird property will be a similar as some of ones we’ve done in the past. But it wasn’t until we were asked “do you leave your air conditioner on all summer or not?” that we realized that we had something to learn. What we learned was surprisingly simple and made our decision easy.
THE IMPACT OF HEAT ON FLOORS
note: This isn’t an advertisement for a product and we don’t make any money recommending it. It did work so well for us and we just hope we make a friend or two because of what we share.. Enjoy.
The desert summer heat can have such a devastating impact on our homes. Heat outside of 100 degrees Fahrenheit can result in temperatures of 120 degrees Fahrenheit or more inside of a locked up, unventilated, non air-conditioned house, park model trailer, or manufactured home. In addition to the heat, the hot dry air sucks so much humidity and humidity from its surroundings. Hot, dry conditions of the winter cycling down to just above freezing winter nightime temperatures can play havoc on your flooring.
I think we’ve all seen it before. A flooring system that was installed a few years ago is now buckling. It’s separating at the seams and at the end joints. What before was a beautiful floor now has ridges and valleys. This can all be avoided with the correct choice of flooring.
BENEFITS OF STONE CORE
With only 30 minutes left before closing time that Sunday evening we needed some answers and we needed them quickly. We knew that typically you have to acclimatize vinyl floor planks at your home for 48 hours. This meant it would be two more days after we purchase before we could even begin installing. We had family arriving in one week and we wanted the floor in the second bedroom and Arizona room 100% complete.
Why was asking a question like “if our air conditioner would be on all summer or not” important? And why didn’t any other stores in the last 2 days ask the same question? Well, it became clear that we were dealing with a professional and that he knew that we might be snowbirds. The other stores must have simply seen us as a buyer rather than someone with a specific need and not much knowledge on the subject. Heck, we didn’t even know we had a specific need until we arrived at our final store that evening.
We were planning to install our flooring in an on-grade Arizona room and second bedroom floor and directly on concrete.
The store expert explained that all other vinyl tiles will expand and contract but stone-core planks won’t. Floor and Decor pointed us to a Duralux Luxury Vinyl with Stone Core as an effective and affordable solution. But we’re sure there are other stone-core solutions out there too. We just didn’t find them. That evening we loaded up our purchased vinyl planks and returned home. Early the next morning installation began. I’m happy to say that installation was a breeze.
Tools you will need to install vinyl flooring:
- a utility knife with extra blades (it cuts the stone core with ease)
- a vinyl flooring installation kit (rubber or plastic hammer, spacing shims, and a metal bar to help connect the pieces in tight conditions)
- a oscillating multi-tool with a couple of standard saw ends (to undercut in doorways to allow the planks to be installed under the door trim)
- eye protection and leather gloves
TIP: Set up a small work table outside to cut while to avoid accidental cuts on newly installed flooring. It also provides others with a good view of you working while they’re on the deck having a cool one!
BONUS:
Check out this installation video to see how easy it is to install.
Stone-core vinyl siding will last a lifetime, is waterproof, and looks great. It’s very affordable too! You can always try other flooring but… is it worth the risk? Well, we have no desire to do this job twice and with stone-core vinyl now we won’t have too!