Floor Trader of Lake County

Calling all DIY-ers, homeowners and local contractors. The wait is over.

Floor Trader of Lake County has opened its doors to an elevated warehouse shopping experience, with an endless selection and unbeatable pricing on all the biggest brands of flooring—from luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and plank to laminates, hardwoods, porcelain and ceramic tiles, carpeting and remnants. View colorful and intricate tile lines that are perfect for showers, backsplashes, bars and accent walls. 

“Reimagining and retrofitting our warehouse has been labor of love,” says Monica Rosa, who, working alongside her husband Shawn, is director of operations. “For the past decade, we’ve been having a conversation surrounding expanding into the outlet landscape. We saw a need that was growing and not being met. Since Floor Trader is part of the global buying co-op we have been a part of through Guhde Flooring America, it was natural to take this route and offer our loyal customers the best selection and pricing possible. It also gives us the power to meet with manufacturers to get an idea of emerging trends in home remodeling.”

The selection process is made easy, with aisles of 52 pallets each featuring a 4-by-4-foot representation of the colors, styles and variations of flooring, spread throughout the 10,000-square-foot warehouse. 

The Rosas have established relationships with more than 50 major manufacturers you’ll find on the floor, names like Mohawk, Shaw, COREtec, Emser, Pergo and Engineerd Floors.

“With hardwoods and LVT, wider planks continue to trend and while lighter, more organic shades are still popular, we’re seeing a move toward darker, moodier stains,” says Monica. “There’s a term called biophilic design we’ve been hearing a lot about lately. It focuses on bringing natural, sustainable materials into the home for a deeper connection to nature and well-being.”

DIY is on the Rise

The increased enthusiasm for DIY home improvement that began during the pandemic has shown no signs of waning in the years since. Type “how to install flooring” into YouTube’s search tab and literally thousands of instructional videos pop up.

“We’ve definitely seen a shift in our customers choosing to lay their own flooring,” says Shawn. “Installation advancements, such as click technology, where you don’t need nails, screws or adhesives, have come a long way, too, and many of our customers say after they finish a job that it was easier than they thought it would be. Planks or tiles are designed with interlocking edges to click or lock together. These floating flooring systems also usually don’t require a sub-flooring, which makes them installation friendlier.”

For customers with smaller flooring jobs who are looking for the deepest discounts, don’t miss the closeouts department, with products as low as 99 cents per square foot.

Expertise Makes a Difference

When it comes to flooring, product knowledge and guidance, expertise is everything.

“Our goal is to act as a one-stop resource, whether it’s a customer’s first job or a seasoned contractor,” says Shawn. 

To that end, they’ve curated everything needed for you to complete any flooring projects, from knives and adhesives to carpet kickers and levelers.

“We value the solid relationships we have made over the years with installers,” says Shawn. “We went to them and asked for a list of the tools and products they use on jobs and made sure we brought them here for their convenience.”

Tile and Bathroom Renovation

Within the expansive showroom, the Schluter department features everything needed for tile and waterproofing showers.

“With primary bath renovations, we’re seeing people get rid of their tubs altogether or choose much smaller ones in favor of larger showers,” says Monica. “When designing a modern shower, such as curbless or linear drain designs, we recommend Schluter as the product construction is excellent.”

Longstanding Family Tradition

Monica literally grew up in the flooring business, at her parents’ store, Guhde Flooring America. Her father Mike had a vision to expand his legacy and serve the cash-and-carry market and she and Shawn, who has spent his career in flooring, are bringing it to life.

“My grandfather Donald started in flooring back in 1957, so our operation is rooted in generations of family service to the community,” she adds. “Local contractors and homeowners have already given us positive feedback on their showroom experience. Contractors are telling us they feel confident sending their clients here to make selections. We’re the largest operation of our kind in Lake County and that’s caused a lot of buzz in the home remodeling industry.”

Floor Trader of Lake County is located at 1880 Mentor Avenue in Painesville. Hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Financing will be available. Call 440-639-1991, follow the company on Instagram or Facebook, or visit FloorTraderLakeCounty.com for more information.