KFD Blog
It’s Time We Start Rethinking Our Basements
Northern Virginia received an unprecedented amount of rainfall this summer. In fact, it rained a whole year's worth in a couple months. We are facing the brunt of global climate change and it will worsen as the years go on. This will mean more flooding, more home...
How to Take Care of a Flood
The northern Virginia region faced a dramatic summer and it's not getting better. Rain storms are much more frequent and much, much stronger than we've seen in recent history. Even this week, we are facing intense rain storms. Flooded basements have gone from a rarity...
Flooring Trends that will Fade vs. Trends that Will Last
Building a trendy home is a tough decision. Flooring is near permanent while trends fade rather quickly. How do you know whether your floor will stay trendy or not? Predicting is not an easy skill, but necessary when considering resale value on your home. While most...
How to Find the Right Vacuum for Your Hardwood Floor
Hardwood floors are all the rage. Since 2016, the installation of hardwood floors in new homes has increased by 6%. A floor that is easy to clean and maintain while able to glow and shine is a convincing sell. But all floors have their own tricks and it's worth your...
Best Wall Paint Colors for Various Hardwood Floor Stains
One of the toughest decisions to make in remodeling a room is what color to paint the wall. There are thousands upon thousands of different colors and undertones. Finding the right color can seem almost impossible when you're searching through that many options!...
Three Tips for Transitioning a Room into an Office
Home offices are becoming much more popular these days. They save a lot of money and can even help your taxes. But transitioning a room into an office is a big ordeal, and you should have a plan before you start moving your stuff. We're here to help with three...
5 Tips for a Longer Lasting Carpet
We've all had this problem before. Your carpet's wearing down and you don't want to see it go away. You sigh and the devil whispers in your ear "just get wood flooring", and you're stuck on the crossroads between the floor you love, and the floor that's more...
How To Create a Family-Friendly Space Anywhere In Your Home
Children and pets have tons of energy and can be very rough on their environments. One of the best things about the current flooring industry is that flooring can be tailored to a multitude of environments and tastes. If you’ve got a house full of hooligans, you’ve...
Top Tips For Commercial Flooring
When selecting a flooring material for your facility, you need to take a close look at maintenance requirements, as they play a big part in the overall lifetime cost of a flooring product. Maintenance costs sometimes exceeding the upfront material and installation...
Top 3 Tips for An Environmentally-Friendly Home
The home improvement industry uses a lot of resources. Not all of these resources, even if they are natural, are procured in an environmentally friendly way. Manufacturers are starting to become more aware of the impact that these practices are having on the...
What is a Subfloor and Why Do You Need It?
Although it may seem simple to tear out old flooring and replace it with a new one, installing new flooring can have several different components, depending on your home and the type of flooring you choose. When you’re selecting a new flooring, it’s important to know...
Keep Your Floors Clean During Your Fourth of July Party!
Summer party season is here! The Fourth of July is the biggest and best reason to throw a summer shindig. Big parties cause big messes! Be prepared to deal with messy kids from running through the sprinkler, lots of guests tracking dirt in and out from the outdoor...
Bathroom Trends We Think Will Be Huge!
With so many choices for your bathroom tile and floors, it’s hard to pick! Kruper’s experts can help design the best fit for your needs. When making your decision, keep the upcoming trends in mind. This will help you pick the best flooring that will stay popular for...
Kitchen Trends on Their Way Out
The kitchen is often the social hub of the household. Many families use it more than they use their family rooms or dens. Families prepare food, share meals, gather at the kitchen table for games and activities and so much more. With spending so much time in the...
The History of Wood Flooring
Wood is a beautiful material that we use for so many things in our daily lives. We use wood in our furniture, kitchen cabinets, the frames of our homes, our flooring, and so much more. Wood is strong, easily obtained, and if properly treated and maintained, will last...
Myths and Facts about Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floors are immensely popular in modern home design. While they are definitely not a new invention, their popularity has gone up and down throughout the years. Over time, some myths about hardwood floors have started. Kruper can set these misconceptions...
Mixing Neutrals-How To Make Neutral Flooring Work Within Your Neutral Furniture Design
Neutrals are a classic way to create a warm, soothing, and restful environment. These colors don’t fall into any standard color families on the color wheel, and include black, white, gray, and brown. They are the perfect backdrop for furniture or other elements that...
Design Tricks To Make Your Floors Look Unique
Flooring done right will last a long time. Picking the right design for your space and your personal style is incredibly important to ensure that you will like your floors the day after installation along with the years after. Our friendly and knowledgeable...
Best Flooring Options For Allergy Sufferers
Allergies can be terrible this time of year, especially in Northern Virginia where it seems the trees are boundless. Seasonal allergies can become a huge hindrance for those who are mildly affected down to those who have a severe case. These people not only have to...
Keep Your Floor Safe from April Showers
Rainy days can mean lots of water, dirt, and debris getting tracked inside your house on wet shoes and muddy boots. Water on the floor is a fall hazard and may also cause damage to your flooring. Dirt and debris tracked in on shoes can make for a cleaning nightmare....
How to Get Dents Out of Carpets
Carpet dents happen, particularly when heavy furniture has been placed on top of the carpet in the same position over a long period of time. These dents are called divots and happen when the delicate fibers in the carpet have been compressed. While not noticeable if...
The Best Flooring Types for your Business
The best commercial flooring for your business depends a lot on the line of business you are in! Your business needs and style play a large role when making your decision. Some questions to ask yourself as you make your choice are: -Does the area receive heavy foot...
Should your Refinish Your Floors or Replace Them?
You may have purchased a home with hardwood floors that are in less than perfect condition or yours may be showing their age many years after installation. Should you replace the hardwood flooring or simply refinish your floors and how do you know when it should be...
Transitioning from One Type of Flooring to Another
You may have a home with one type of flooring throughout the entire house, but it is more likely that your flooring needs vary depending on the room of the house. Most people do not have carpeted bathrooms but often have carpet in the bedrooms. Likewise, hardwood...
Planning a Spring Remodel? Here are some Hot Looks for Spring 2018!
Spring is an amazing time to plan a remodel of your home. The weather is warmer, which is conducive to drying cement and paint. Longer hours of daylight also give you more time for remodeling work. You can leave the windows open in case paint aromas linger and it is...
Three Ways To Find Out Which Floors Are Right For You
Flooring options may look amazing in a magazine, Pinterest, or in the showroom, but it can be difficult to visualize how this look will translate to your own home! How do you ultimately choose the flooring that is right for your space? Here are some steps to help you...
How to Get Beer Stains Out of Carpet
St. Patrick’s Day is almost here and if you are hosting a party in your home, it is wise to be prepared for any spills that may happen! Beer is a common part of these celebrations but unfortunately is not the most carpet friendly substance. Keep some supplies on hand...
Boost Your Home Security with Carpet
Carpets are best recognized for adding an extra level of comfort and beauty to a living space, but they can also add to the overall safety of your home. Here are some things to consider for how carpet can improve the safety and security of your household: 1.Injury...
Best Wall Colors for Dark Hardwood Floors
Dark hardwood floors are dramatic and elegant, with the deeper tones drawing attention to the natural beauty of the wood floors. They also provide a warm, neutral background for the room. Balancing the effect of dark wood floors is easy when you paint the walls a...
Advantages of Matte Hardwood Flooring
Matte finish hardwood flooring is the latest trend in hardwood floor design. People are leaning towards more curated and authentic looks, which makes designers like Chip and Joanna Gaines superstars. The look of sophistication now means a design that is warm and...
How to Achieve Farmhouse Style in your Home
Farmhouse style isn’t reserved for those who live on a farm! Decorating and styling your home with a practical mindset that often comes with living the country life is very popular, utilizing soothing color combinations, natural elements, and lots of texture. Here are...
How to Remove Pet Odors and Stains from Flooring
Many people have pets and love them dearly, but having a pet can lead to some messes on the floor! Dogs and cats get sick and vomit, or have urine or stool accidents on the floor from time to time. Cleaning up pet messes quickly is important towards keeping your...
How to Remove a Subfloor Without Removing Cabinets
Do you have beautifully remodeled kitchen cabinets but a lackluster floor? Maybe your subfloor suffered water damage or squeaks a lot in certain places. It is possible to change out areas of your subfloor without removing your kitchen cabinets, but it must be done...
Best Flooring for Aging in Place
Remodeling your home with aging in mind can help keep you in your home safely for years to come. One in four adults aged 65 and older suffers a fall each year, with 20% of these falls leaving to broken bones or head injuries. Safety measures in the home can help...
How to Remove Cigarette Smoke and Stains from Flooring
Clearing the smell of cigarette smoke from your home or removing nicotine stains is no easy task! Cigarette smoke penetrates every object and surface in your home, particularly if smoking has happened repeatedly or for many years. Tar and nicotine from cigarettes...
8 Flooring Trends for 2018
Here are some flooring trends for 2018! If you are thinking of upgrading or updating your flooring in 2018, look to this list for inspiration! 1.Wide Plank Floors Hardwood flooring remains super popular with homeowners, with trends currently pushing towards wider...
Refinishing Gray Hardwood Floors the Right Way
Gray hardwood flooring is in style and a great look! Many homeowners are requesting for new flooring in gray or for their established hardwood flooring to be refinished in a gray color. Pre-finished gray hardwoods are easy to come by, since maple and birch floors are...
When Cleaning Floors Gets Messy
The Internet, family suggestions, and new product advertisements can make it hard to know the best way to care for your floors! Properly caring for your floors while protecting them from dangerous products is important for good upkeep! Here are the Basics for Cleaning...
Protecting Hardwood Floors in your Bathroom
Hardwood floors are trickier to manage in your bathroom, but if you would like hardwood floors throughout your home you can have them! Your design ideas do not have to be limited by the moisture that naturally occurs in bathrooms, there are ways to have hardwoods and...
Protecting your Home from the Holidays
Holiday decorating is merry and bright but can also wreak havoc on your home! Parties and festive decorating can take a toll on the surfaces in your home, but these tips can help minimize any damage! 1.Protect your Flooring A no-shoes policy in your home will protect...
Take the Initiative on Fall Home and Yard Jobs
In order to make sure your home and yard are beautiful and functioning all year round, you must always first take initiative. It goes without saying that all areas of the home desire look and maintenance every-so-often to make sure things don’t get too chaotic. While...
How to Protect Your Hardwood Flooring on Thanksgiving
If you are hosting Thanksgiving, you are probably busy with shopping and cooking the meal, but another consideration is your floor! Hardwood flooring can take a beating on Thanksgiving and other holidays but making a game plan ahead of time can minimize any permanent...
Health Benefits of Hardwood Floors
Hardwood flooring is beautiful, versatile, and long-lasting and it has amazing health benefits! The health benefits are significant and can be a huge difference in home life quality for individuals with allergies and asthma. Hardwood floors directly impact air quality...
Choosing the Perfect Rug for Your Hardwoods
Redecorating a room from the floor up is very exciting! It feels great to freshen your space, update your décor, and change the look of your home to fit your current style and personality. Now that you have beautiful hardwood floors, think about adding the perfect...
Planning to Sell? These Changes Add the Most Value
Some home renovations pay off much better than others! Home improvement projects geared towards a homeowner’s tastes have the least positive effect on asking price. A specially designed art studio will not appeal to most buyers but projects like kitchen and bath...
8 Ways to Get your Home Cozy for Fall
Fall is here and with it comes chilly mornings, warm afternoons and cold nights! It’s time to make some changes in your home for the colder weather ahead! 1.Have your furnace inspected by an HVAC technician. A $100 inspection now could help identify problems that may...
How to Keep Dark Hardwood Floors Clean
Dark hardwood floors are a favorite of homeowners and have never gone out of fashion. The look of dark wood floors is currently very trendy and will always be a popular choice. Realtors often say that homes with very dark floors are always very appealing to buyers!...
End-Of-Summer Home Maintenance Tips
As a homeowner, summer’s end generally marks the beginning for winter preparation. It’s the perfect time to wrap up outdoor projects and take care of routine maintenance work. More importantly, it’s also an opportunity to avoid costly repairs that may otherwise...
Changing the Color of Your Hardwood
You may be interested in a home with hardwood floors that are not to your taste or have realized that a different shade of wood would fit in better with your style. is you can usually change the color of your flooring if you want to! When you refinish your floors,...
Flooring Ideas For Studio Apartments
Studio apartments are increasingly popular as many people enjoy living in the city or close by with easy access by public transportation. While usually a smaller space, studio apartments combine all the essentials such as a kitchen, living room, and bedroom in one...
The Importance of Sealing Grout
Sealing grout is an important detail when installing tile that is often overlooked. Many professionals and DIY’ers overlook sealing grout lines after a tiling job, but this step can ensure the beauty of your tils as well as maintain the integrity of your tiling job....
The Best Flooring Options When You Have Kids
Having kids or planning to have a family is something to keep in mind when choosing a type of flooring. Floors generally endure a lot of wear and tear with kids in the household and it is helpful to recognize the pluses and drawbacks of your flooring options. Carpet...
Water Damage? Should you Repair or Replace?
Water on floors is not an ideal situation but it happens, from small spills to burst pipes that cause widespread flooding. Flooring may need to be repaired or replaced, depending on the level of damage and material of the floor. Hardwood Floors Water is detrimental to...
Not a Fan of Hardwood? Three Rooms where Tile Reigns Supreme
Hardwood floors are ever increasing in their popularity but many people would prefer something else for all or part of their home. Tile is still a popular option for many rooms of the house and understandably so. Tile is affordable and offers homeowners limitless...
How to Install Hardwood Floors Over Concrete
Hardwood floors can be installed over concrete floors! Homeowners have heard warnings about excess moisture build up from putting hardwood floors over concrete but proper installation techniques can allow you to have beautiful hardwood floors with a concrete...
Blending Different Styles to Find Your Unique Look
Your home does not have to fit the exact definition of a “Country Farmhouse”, look 100% modern, or be entirely classically romantic. Strict style mandates such as those should be left to period homes used as museums. It is not realistic or ideal for your entire house...
Finding The Balance Between Magazine Quality and a Livable Home
Many of us flip through pages of home design magazines or furniture catalogs in awe of the perfect images we see. Beautiful hardwood floors, bowls of fresh flowers, and sparkling crystal look appealing in magazines and on television, but these rooms are staged for...
How to Turn a Guest Room In To A Welcoming Retreat
Many of us will be hosting out of town family and friends over the summer or if not now, over the holiday season. Having a dedicated space in your house for guests to stay makes things easier on you and more comfortable for everyone visiting. Follow these steps to get...
Tips on How to Help Your Floors Survive Another Year
You may love the floors you have, but they’ve seen better days, right? You may not have the budget now to replace them or to have them refinished, but you know you need to do it in a year. So, what do you do when your floors need to last just one more year before you...
Red Oak vs White Oak Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood flooring is a popular choice here in Northern Virginia, and for good reason; our summers are quite humid, and our winters don’t get that cold (and when it does, it gets VERY cold). We don’t do things small here in NoVa, which is why you shouldn’t skimp on...
Best Flooring Options For A Room By a Pool
This is a great time of year! There are barbecues and bonfires; summer parties and swimming pool gatherings. Although many in the Northern Virginia area belong to neighborhood pools, we see many homes with private pools. If you’re looking to change the flooring in...
What Does Your Design Say About You?
When we first set out to decorate our homes, we tend to gravitate to those things that make us happy; sometimes we go towards those things that are unique, coupled with things we already own, or inherited, and build from there. We focus a lot on personal style and...
Why Do I Need Dustless Sanding?
Dustless sanding is a popular option for homeowners looking to improve the appearance of their hardwood floors. Dustless sanding and regular sanding are very similar but dustless sanding preserves the indoor air quality! It is also much more efficient than regular...
How to Choose the Right Size Plank for Your Home
Choosing the type of flooring you would like in your home is only the beginning. If you have settled on hardwood flooring, your next steps are choosing the type of wood, grain, finish, and plank size. Our flooring specialists are here to assist you with each of these...
Five Ways to Keep the Sun Away from Fading Floors
You may have noticed when moving rugs or furniture that your hardwood floors are not even in color or appearance. The area of the floor that was covered may appear darker or richer in color than the area of the floor that was exposed. This can be very noticeable if...
Five Sustainable Flooring Options
Flooring options have evolved over time to match the taste and meet the needs of eco-friendly clients. Designers are interested in working with environmentally friendly materials and are embracing non-traditional materials to give their clients what they are looking...
How to Bring Luxury to Your Home on a Budget Staying in a luxury hotel or resort while traveling is a fabulous treat. These hotels are clean and comfortable, decorated beautifully, and lack the clutter and to do list of our everyday lives. There is no reason though...
How to Choose the Right Wood Floor Stain
Choosing a floor stain is a big decision because it is not something you want to get wrong and have to repeat! Staining a floor is an investment in your home and a time-consuming process so you want to be confident in your choice before the project begins. Luckily,...
Carpet Care for Pet Owners
Selecting flooring comes with a myriad of things to consider. From style to color, to coordination with your existing décor, you have a lot to think about! If carpeting is your choice, you must also consider what damage a pet could do. No one says you should replace...
Should You Install Hardwood Flooring in a Bathroom?
Hardwood flooring is beautiful and timeless but it may not be the best choice for your entire home. Many homeowners are replacing tiled kitchen floors with hardwood flooring, but question if they should do the same thing in their bathrooms. Bathroom floors tend to get...
How to Remove Stains from Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floors are a timeless investment in your home but require proper care to stay beautiful! Stains happen in any home but proper cleaning methods can help remove stains from the wood without damaging the flooring. The first step in removing any stain is...
Six Questions You Should Ask Before Having Tile Installed
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again, buying flooring is a big commitment. You want to make sure that the flooring you choose is going to fit your home, your family, your long-term goals, and your design. We’ve seen it far too often when the flooring chosen is...
5 Spring Cleaning Tips for Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floors are a beautiful investment but need proper care to stay nice! Rainy spring weather and messy shoes from grass clippings or mud do more than get your floors dirty. The tiny, hard pieces in dirt scratch up your wood, dulling the shine. Follow our tips...
4 Mistakes to Avoid Before Finishing a Basement
Finishing your basement will not only add an extra space for entertaining or for your children to extend their imagination, it also adds value to your home. We’ve often seen basements after they’ve been finished albeit incorrectly and have been called in to fix the...
Using Flooring As the Inspiration for Overall Design
Although you may notice furniture or artwork first, flooring is the largest surface in a room and can be the inspiration for the rest of a room’s design. A room will not look “right” if the wall colors, furniture, and overall design do not go with the style and color...
Top 4 Popular Wood Flooring and Cabinet Combinations
Choosing the right flooring goes beyond the overall décor of your home. If your floors are too dark for, say, the pillows on your couch, you can switch them out. Maybe the blue in your curtains are clashing with the particular hue of your wood floors. Those can be...
Heat Your Feet: Best Flooring Types For Heated Floors
Northern Virginia is in a pretty sweet spot in not getting too cold in the winter time, with minimal amounts of snow. BUT, when it does get cold here, it’s pretty uncomfortable, and forget going anywhere when it snows; you better get cozy where you are, because it’s...
Using St. Patrick’s Day For Flooring Inspiration!
St. Patrick’s Day is upon us, which means so much more than guzzling down lots of green beer! It means spring is here too-we’re going to be ‘springing forward’ this weekend too, with the time change, and all of this together also indicates it’s time to start putting...
Three Creative Ways to Keep Wet Shoes off your Hardwood Floors
Spring often means rain and lots of it! April showers bring May flowers, but they also bring dripping, wet shoes into your home and onto your beautiful hardwood floors. Do not let soggy shoes dirty up or damage your floors! Minimally, wipe shoes on a mat outside the...
Five Growing Hardwood Trends for Your Spring Remodel
Spring is the official season of remodels-the weather is getting warmer which means more work can be done on the house, and if you’re prepping for a big tax return, many of you plan to reinvest it into your home. No matter how you and when you plan your remodel, there...
Three Problems a Poorly Installed Hardwood Floor Can Cause
At Kruper Flooring, we want you to have the best experience possible. We want you to love your floors, and to love them for a very long time. We do understand however, that not everyone wants to have us be their exclusive flooring dealer. In saying that, it’s...
My Bathtub Overflowed Onto My Hardwood Floors-What do I do?
We’ve been there; your child wants to have a special bath, so you start filling the tub. The other child calls for you while the little one sits in the bath and delights in the rising water. Once the water has reached maximum height, he shuts it off and promptly...
4 Prep Tips Before Having Hardwood Floors Installed or Refinished
Having your floors refinished or having new ones installed is an exciting time. The look new floors, or newly refinished floors give a home is breath-taking, and really transform the look of your home. Often times, homeowners will not prepare before the project...
Five Ways To Get Your Hardwood Floors Superbowl Ready
We’re so excited to watch the Superbowl this Sunday! Could it be because the New England Patriots will be going against the Atlanta Falcons for an absolutely epic showdown? Or maybe because we love watching the game with our friends and family, experiencing the thrill...
Which Flooring Option Gives the Best ROI?
Whether you plan to live in your home for five years or 50, you want to invest in the flooring that’s going to give you the most bang for your buck. You may even want to invest in the best flooring for a rental that you plan to sell in the future, and want to make...
Using Your Fifth Wall as Inspiration
There are so many architectural details to consider when designing or updating your home. You know what you want overall, but how do you pull it all together? There may be some looks you’ve seen and been inspired by that are along the lines of what you want in the...
4 Reasons to Choose Vinyl Flooring If You Have Children
We mention how multi-leveled choosing your flooring can be between the pricing, the style, the design, the type; the possibilities are somewhat endless. Add to that a layer of concern when it comes to your children, and it can become nearly impossible to choose the...
Top 5 Things to Consider Before Calling a Flooring Specialist
If the flooring in your home is bothering you, it may be time for a change. Carpets get dirty and worn, floor boards and tile can get damaged, and aesthetics and tastes change over time. A flooring specialist can help you make the important decisions needed so that...
Protecting Your Wood from Holiday Decorations
It’s a very festive season, and it’s almost coming to an end. The decorations that have been hung, placed, or tacked on to walls will show the potential damage they have done after they come down. Keep your walls and floors protected following our tips so that it...
Selecting the Right Flooring Company for You
You’ve made a decision: you’re finally going to upgrade the flooring in your home, and now you’re going to spend some time researching the perfect look for your space. Design is only a part of the overall project, of course. Selecting the right company to lay the...
Five Ways to Give Your Floors Character
Whether they’re dark, light, wide plank or narrow, wood floors are a beautiful update to any room or home, offering modern and classic style in one. Installing wood floors is a big step if you’re transitioning from carpet or tile, and isn’t limited to one room or...
5 Ways to Design the Perfect Breakfast Nook
A cozy and inviting breakfast nook is a welcome addition to any kitchen! Many kitchens have them built-in since it enjoyable to have a spot for casual dining or a relaxing cup of coffee with the newspaper in the morning. It is easy to add a breakfast nook to a kitchen...
Keeping The Carpet Safe For Thanksgiving
You’ve made the decision to change your flooring just in time for the holidays! We’re so grateful for clients such as yourself, and thankful you thought we were the best flooring company to put in your carpeting. We want your carpet to stay beautiful for as long as...
Making Wood and Tile Work Together
Adding flooring to your home doesn’t always mean replacing an entire home’s worth. Sometimes you have to update one room while another room remains with the original flooring. The contrast can be quite beautiful and increase your home’s value if done well. Keep in...
Tips On Moving Heavy Furniture
Before the holidays, many of us go through a ‘nesting’ phase. A fresh coat of paint on the walls, new flooring, or new furniture. Maybe a few changes in a room by moving furniture, adding, or taking out furniture is also in your plans. Don’t scratch up those beautiful...
Flooring Ideas For Your Dining Room
Halloween is over, and we’re now in full holiday mode. Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away, and that dining room that you’ve been using as a place to store things, or for the kids to play in is soon going to be used to host your family. It’s time to start...
Bringing The Fall Indoors
The leaves are changing color and everything is pumpkin spiced; fall is here! A change in seasons can be a great inspiration for refreshing your home décor, both inside and out. Outdoor spaces like an entryway can be refreshed with a seasonal wreath. Speaking of the...
