http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles.xml A listing of Hardwoodbrokers News and Flooring Industry Articles. All Articles may be reused for syndication purpose only. Copy usage on websites must be accompanied by a link-back to the original article source. Copyright 2008 Hardwoodbrokers.com Inc. All Rights Reserved. http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/bobvila-what-about-bob.php Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:28:26 GMT What About Bob? For 27 years, Bob Vila has been helping people with their home improvement projects via his television program. Over 1 million people tune into his show on a weekly basis, which potentially translates into a whole lot of added... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/place-a-bid-pick-a-number-price.php Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:28:28 GMT Pick a Number, Any Number The act of making a purchase has changed significantly over the last few decades. It used to be that shopping was limited to brick and mortar stores, which later transformed into catalog and phone shopping. Now that... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/shaw-floors-behind-every-face.php Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:28:28 GMT Shaw Floors: Behind Every Face is a Story If you have ever been antique shopping, you understand the curiosity that develops concerning the history of those items you come across. Similarly, when you grace by that same person at the gas stat... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/credit-crunch-long-road-home.php Tue, 11 Dec 2007 13:35:12 GMT The Long Road Home Unless you are living under a rock, you know that the economy is experiencing some form of a correction. Notice the use of the word correction because we dare not say the "R" word – recession... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/durability-strong-mighty-hardwood.php Tue, 11 Dec 2007 13:35:12 GMT Hardwood: Strong and Mighty Home improvement projects can be quite costly and time consuming, so it is not surprising that ample consideration be given to the long term outlook of the project. For some people, this means deciphering whether t... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/longevity-patience-is-so-passe.php Tue, 11 Dec 2007 13:35:12 GMT Patience is so Passé We live in a fast food, text messaging, microwaved era where patience and foresight are not all that common. One negative byproduct of this is that material goods seem to be decreasing in longevity even as technol... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/football-sports-milliken-perfection.php Tue, 11 Dec 2007 13:06:57 GMT Sports + Milliken = Perfection Autumn is not just exciting because it is Back-to-School time, or because the leaves and weather are changing, Autumn is exciting because football season kicks off. Millions of people pile into football stadium... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/loggers-washington-square-off.php Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:50:34 GMT Loggers and Washington Square Off The current political climate is so tumultuous that it is not unlikely for new legislation to come and go without ever drawing major media headlines. People are still very focused on our military action in I... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/surfaces-business-pleasure-your-choice.php Mon, 10 Dec 2007 19:50:34 GMT Unmatched Quality - HGTV and HGTVPro Industry trade shows and conferences can on one hand be painfully long, but on the other hand, they can result in very promising lines of revenue if managed correctly. In the beginning part of 2008, the f... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/armstrong-the-unlikely-environmentalist.php Mon, 01 Oct 2007 19:49:41 GMT Armstrong – the Unlikely Environmentalist It is one thing for smaller companies to announce initiatives to implement more environmentally friendly practices, but it is an entirely different story when the dominant player in an industry vows... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/green-flooring-on-floormall.php Mon, 01 Oct 2007 19:49:41 GMT Actions Speak Louder Than Words - Green Flooring on FloorMall More and more consumers are becoming aware of the environmental impact behind the products that they purchase. With this has come the desire by individuals to reduce their enviro... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/unmatched-quality-hgtv-hgtvpro.php Mon, 01 Oct 2007 19:49:41 GMT Unmatched Quality - HGTV and HGTVPro The Internet has made information exceptionally accessible, however, this has not occurred without an attached compensatory price. For example, the publishing of a book or manual requires not only years... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/interior-design-one-man-show.php Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:52:51 GMT One of the hardest things to learn in life is when to ask for help. For some people this means not knowing when to delegate something to an associate and for others this means not knowing when to hire a professional for a job that they truly aren't qu... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/flooing-installation-get-the-magnifying-glass.php Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:41:18 GMT Nearly everyone is apprehensive about taking his or her automobile to the mechanic. Partly this is due to the common understanding that a garage or dealership is only as good as the mechanics they employ. And yet, everyday people drive their cars in... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/carpet-care-when-do-it-yourself-is-overstated.php Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:41:18 GMT After acquiring something new, the excitement and satisfaction surrounding the new item will inevitably decline as time passes by. This is especially true as the cost of the item begins to set in and the novelty of the item wears off. However, in cer... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/not-all-created-equal.php Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:41:18 GMT Well, Fall is upon us and kids across America are heading back to school – some attending kindergarten, some starting high school, and others entering college. However, there is another university in town, and this one is at FloorMall.com. These days... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/cork-more-than-meets-the-eye.php Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:41:18 GMT More than Meets the Eye In this evolving world of man-made materials, it is important to recognize and celebrate those items that are still uniquely crafted from the gifts of the Earth. With the recent surge of environmental awareness, cons... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/bamboo-sustainable-floor-covering.php Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:41:18 GMT The time has come that we can no longer turn a blind eye on the environmental degradation of this planet. However, because our lives are so complex, and our societal wants and needs are so engrained, actually making practical changes has been somewha... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/the-art-of-the-deal-not-anymore.php Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:41:18 GMT The Art of the Deal – Not Anymore Think back to June 28th, 2007 - nothing particularly newsworthy comes to mind. Granted, the war, the tumultuous housing market, and the impending elections have been commanding a majority of the... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/area-rugs-through-time.php Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:41:18 GMT Despite how beautiful bare hardwood flooring looks to the naked eye, there will most likely come a time that you wish to curl up on a nice soft surface either in front of the fireplace or to play a board game with your children. Thankfully, hundreds... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/carpet-old-faithful-carpeting.php Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:41:18 GMT Say you are considering purchasing carpet either to spice up the home you already have, or to be installed in the home you are building. Perhaps you have decided that under no circumstances will you end up with anything that, even vaguely, resembles... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/cork-no-longer-just-for-tacks.php Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:41:18 GMT When asked to imagine cork, an image of either wine bottle stoppers or a bulletin board probably comes to mind. This is to be expected given that around 60% of cork products come in the form of wine bottle stoppers. The wine industry has recognized a... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/hardwood-domesticating-nature.php Thu, 17 Apr 2008 20:09:51 GMT One of the attractive aspects of purchasing an older restored home is the likelihood that it was originally built with hardwood floors. Of course, over the years, many times these floors have been covered over by other types of materials. It is very e... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/laminate-ugly-duckling-grows-up.php Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:41:18 GMT Remember in elementary school when the teacher would take your prized drawing of your favorite animal and later return it to you in a nice clear film that thankfully protected it from spills in the lunchroom. Whether or not you knew it at the time, y... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/tile-made-in-the-usa.php Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:41:18 GMT Virtually everything comes with a wealth of history, which is often accompanied by many years of stories or experiences. Take a look around your home and consider that nearly every product in your immediate environment is more multifaceted than it ma... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/vinyl-health-concerns.php Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:41:18 GMT To truly understand the amazing properties of vinyl, return once more to high school chemistry. Vinyl is comprised of two carbon atoms double bonded to every three hydrogen atoms. This is classified as a vinyl group, which is very closely related to... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/covering-industry-pace-of-change.php Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:41:18 GMT Even in a world of uncertainties there is one thing that can be expected: consumer preferences are going to be in a constant state of change. Some changes are more gradual than others, while some seem to sneak-up overnight without warning. The most d... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/covering-industry-news-sources.php Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:41:18 GMT Perhaps one of the most remarkable learning events occurs when one takes a step into an industry or trade that he or she was previously unfamiliar with. Due to the fact that our environments are already extremely complex, as a survival mechanism, we... http://www.hardwoodbrokers.com/articles/solid-vs-engineered-wood.php Fri, 21 Sep 2007 21:41:18 GMT Solid or engineered wood? Each type has its specific use and the answer depends on your lifestyle and your needs. The solid choices can be installed on grade and above grade, but not below grade. Solids should be in a moisture-con...