Annette Callari, Allied ASID
Good design is all about solutions, and here’s a solution worth sharing. Glass tile is a shining star in both commercial and residential designs, bringing color, light and translucence to any interior. Getting creative with glass tile nets big results, but can also net some installation headaches as well. The crystal clear elegance of glass requires a grout that can enhance its beauty—and I believe I’ve found it.
StarGlass™ translucent grout from StarQuartz, headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, offers the solution. Regular grout products used in glass tile installations can bleed under the tile and give a muddy, irregular appearance. StarGlass™ is designed to let your glass tile be the star, because it enhances the look of the glass. Besides being translucent, it’s three-dimensional and reflective. The secret ingredient to this grout is a round glass bead aggregate that combines with a urethane grout binder. What a brilliant idea! It brings out the beauty of the glass (or metal) tile without weighing it down.
The manufacturer states, “StarGlass™ can be used on vertical or horizontal surfaces for both interior and exterior tile installations. Approved uses include grout for ceramic, porcelain, glass tile, metal tile, or natural stone tiles.”
Here are some of the interesting features/benefits that I discovered:
- Pre-mixed, ready to use
- Excellent chemical, stain and mildew resistance
- Semi-flexible, low shrinkage, and high crack resistance
- No color fading, streaking or shading—even when wet
- Fast, easy clean-up when compared to epoxy and cement grouts
- Proprietary coloring system
- UV stable colors (non-yellowing)
- Self-sealing (no sealing required)
- Non-sag formula for vertical surfaces
- Installs up to 50% faster than other grout systems
- Contributes to LEED credits
- Contains over 80% post-consumer recycled content
Pretty impressive line-up of features, but most important, we finally have a product specifically designed for glass tile installations. It’s possible your tile setter hasn’t even heard of it yet, but be persistent if this is what you want in your home or office. A little research and your professional will be a convert too. I believe in this product—to the point where I have specified it for a vertical glass tile installation in a commercial design I am working on. With this product discovery, I brought something new to my company and to our installation crews. StarGlass™ may now become a star player for all of our future glass installations.
Before I close, let’s talk color for a moment. This grout comes in 15 amazing colors (Diamond, Onyx, Opal, Jade, Bronze, just to name a few). The colors are gemlike and almost dance with reflective qualities. You can see the entire color line on their website, www.starquartz.com—and you need to know that Daltile is the national distributor for this amazing new product. What fun!
How do I clean hardwood floors?
How can I restore the luster to my wood floor?
Is it okay to wear stilettos on hardwood flooring?
What cleaning products should I use to clean hardwood floors?
Get answers to these common questions and more! Recently, Chris Davis (president and CEO of WFCA) was interviewed by Allison Lind (writer for AOL’s blog shelterpop) on this topic. To learn more about the dos and don’ts of cleaning hardwood floors and to read the full article, click on the picture of the adorable puppy below.
Annette Callari, Allied ASID
This is the story of how a product started out as one thing, and evolved into something entirely different. Back in 1943, a family-owned company named Richlite produced materials strictly for industrial purposes: aerospace applications, fiberglass reinforcements for marine industries, and materials for commercial food industries. But in the late 1990’s architects and designers discovered Richlite and began specifying it for high-end residential and commercial countertops, as well as reception areas. And, to date, this story just keeps getting better and better.
Richlite is made primarily from paper purchased from FSC-Certified sources. The paper is treated with resin, then pressed and baked to create solid sheets of material with exceptional strength. Because of its blend of waste paper, corrugated cardboard, soft woods and wood fibers, Richlite is able to create Herculean surfaces that satisfy aesthetics as well as function. (And brings “Green” specification to a new level.) If you are wondering just how strong Richlite could possibly be, it’s a fact that the action sports industry has successfully used this material for outdoor skate ramps!!! Enough said.
These countertops have earned GREENGUARD certification for indoor use residentially, but are also approved for school and institutional environments. The material has a natural appeal and matte finish that gives it a clean, architectural look–very urban chic by nature. Its strength is inherent for the life of the product and enables the surface to accommodate long spans and cantilevers without extra support. No wonder designers and architects love it. Its uses, of course, are not limited to countertops. The product can be used for interior wall cladding, wainscots, work surfaces, wall caps, stair treads, and even free-form architectural features.
If you happen to be intrigued by this chameleon product, log on to www.richlite.com to find out more. There you can also see the color choices, which include dark green, rich chocolate tones, deep blue, golden amber, light maple, and even a deep red.
I love bringing versatile, innovative products to your attention, especially when they further the cause of sustainability. I’ve given you some interesting applications as food for thought. But its uses are limited only by your imagination. Now it’s up to you to get creative! Let me know what you create and I’ll share your story with our readers in future blogs.
Question:
Could you please tell me if I can use a steam cleaner on my laminate or hardwood floor?
Answer:
We cannot find a manufacturer of either laminate flooring or hardwood flooring that will recommend the use of this type of equipment on their floors. To clean and maintain your hardwood or laminate flooring, sweeping and/or using a vacuum cleaner (without the beater bar used for vacuuming carpet) should be sufficient. Occasionally clean with a mop (micro-fiber or terrycloth hooded for laminate floors) slightly moistened with a cleaning product recommended by the flooring manufacturer. Wipe up spills quickly. NEVER flood either of these floors with water. Also on the “no-no” list are soap-based detergents, abrasive cleaners, scouring powder, wax or any type of polish. Also, use “walk-off” mats at entrances and exits so people and pets might lose some of those things that sometimes stick to feet prior to stepping onto your floors.
For more information on cleaning and care for your floors contact the flooring manufacturer or visit www.wfca.org.
Submitted By: Annette M. Callari, Allied ASID, CMG
Tile manufacturers are always looking for ways to make designers’ lives easier, and along with that, YOUR life easier as well. Aesthetically, the choices out there in ceramic and porcelain tile are expansive and quite amazing. All of the ‘big guys’ dedicate a lot of resources to product development, so what else could they possibly offer in tile design that might capture more attention?
How about a program that offers you in-factory cutting services? One that allow for your tile of choice to be ordered in custom linear and rectangular sizes? AND provide that tile within a three week turnaround time? Well that is exactly what Daltile is about to launch. Dal identified a huge, unmet need out there. For the most part, anyone looking for linear shapes and rectangular sizes were either limited to a handful of collections that offered those options, OR they had to have their tile installer cut down the tiles right on-site–a slow and messy process at best. Now, according to Lori Kirk-Rolley, Senior Marketing Director for Daltile, “Any Daltile or American Olean rectified porcelain tile or glazed floor tile can be ordered in popular linear and rectangular sizes, making design options endless.” There are two added benefits to this program that deserve mentioning:
- Since the custom cuts are done at the factory, the quality of the cuts is more consistent
- Custom cutting at the factory reduces labor costs at the jobsite, and that can be a big benefit!
The core assortment of products for this program was selected from the most popular porcelain tile collections Daltile and American Olean offer. But, according to my sources, any ceramic floor tile in the line can be custom cut to any size (within a minimum width of 2” and a maximum length of 24”). Lead time might be a bit longer, but check with your local flooring store for pricing and production time.
One last thing for you to know: these “cutting edge” programs will be announced shortly as Linear Options under the Daltile brand, and Linear Express for American Olean. Just another design option for you to use as you create your one-of-a-kind floor.