This document summarizes different types of flooring materials that are commonly used in interior design. It discusses hard flooring options like wood, stone and tile as well as softer flooring materials like carpet and resilient floor coverings. For each material, it provides details on popular varieties, common installation methods, textures, and other relevant properties. The document aims to educate interior designers on flooring selection and installation.

1. Interior Design

2. Flooring Types
Soft
Flooring
Carpet
Rugs
Resilient
Hard
Flooring
Wood
Stone
Tile

3. Wood - Most popular
Strip Flooring
Tongue and groove
Nailed to sub floor
Pre-finished or unfinished
Random Plank
Wider than strips
Screwed to sub floor, covered with wood plugs
Parquet
Small pieces arranged in different designs
Pre-finished squares for easy installation

5. Stone
Marble
Various colors depending on origin
Verdigris (vər-də-grēs) : marbles that have a green
color
Limestone: most common, usually white but
may have cloudy streaks
Onyx: may have layers of colors or banding

6. Stone
Terrazzo formed using marble or chipped stones
embedded in full concrete.
artistic and very reliable
best for outdoor spaces such as verandas or patios.
strong but 50% chance of breakage at quarry

7. Stone
Travertine: porous limestone used on floors or walls
Comes from mineral springs
Holes from escaping gas
Holes filled with resin which may or may not be same
color

8. Ceramic Tile
Bathrooms, kitchens, entryways
Made from baked clay
Durable, moisture resistant, easy to clean
Can crack if not installed on even surface

9. Other Tiles
Ceramic Mosaic
Individual tiles mounted together
to keep together and make
installation easier
More often on walls
Mexican
Made from clay
Shaped by hand
Dried in sun
Quarry
Fired Earth/Clay
Warm brown to beige

10. Resilient Floor Coverings
Flooring with a semi-hard
surface that returns to its
original shape after stress
Warmer and quieter to walk on
Not quite as durable
Vinyl and plastic laminate

11. Vinyl
Resists stains, affordable
Sheet Vinyl
6, 9, 12 foot sheets
Rotogravure (rō-tə-grə-vyu̇r)
 Top layer covered with clear coating
 Thin, tears easily
Inlaid
 Colored chips make designs (heat,
pressure)
 Design all the way to backing
 Most durable of the vinyl

12. Vinyl
Vinyl Tiles
12 in. X 12 in.
Sticky backing
Place together like a puzzle

13. Carpet
Insulates against drafts
Decreases noise
More comforting feel
Quality
Pile (nap): visible surface of carpet
Density: how close the tufts are made together, more
important than depth
Heat setting
Twist
Depth

14. Carpet Fibers
Nylon:
most popular,
durable,
easy to
maintain,
limited colors
95% made of manufactured fibers
Polypropylene (olefin):
– strong,
– nonabsorbent,
– resists stains and static,
– colorfast,
– cheap,
– crushes easily,
– limited colors,
– heat sensitive

15. Carpet Fibers Cont.
Polyester blend (PET)
• made from recycled plastics,
• resists stains and fading
Acrylic:
• feels and looks like wool,
• low static level,
• resists mildew,
• subject to pilling

16. Carpet Fibers Cont.
Wool:
• soft
• durable
• long lasting
• expensive
• moth sensitive
• shrinkage
• allergies
• hard to clean

17. Carpeting Textures / Categories
Cut Pile
Formal looking plush, velvet,
smooth, may flatten
Saxony
Similar to cut but yarns have been
twisted more giving less formal
appearance
Frieze
Informal, curly texture, shows
minimal marks

18. Carpeting Textures / Categories
Level Loop
Loops are all same height, may have flecks of darker
color, durable
Multi-level Loop
Two or three loop heights, sculpted or embossed effect,
good in high traffic areas
Cut and Loop Pile
Sculptured effect from some looks cut and some
braided, very durable

19. Backing or Cushion
Extends life of carpet
Shock absorber
Less than ½” thick