FloorTalk – for all the latest flooring fashions

There are a plethora of unique ceramic tiles, glass tiles and handmolded tiles to choose from in the tile industry today, but a company called Moving Color offers tiles that will stop you in your tracks. I found their vision statement down right inspiring and on the verge of challenging!

“The inspiration behind our concept is similar to the beauty of nature; we believe that our personal environments should be ever changing. Moving Color is a form of living art; therefore, the potential of our products are only limited by the imagination of the designer implementing them.” (more…)

Most Innovative Product: GranitClad Natural Granite Resurfacing is a  patented process that allows any countertop to be resurfaced with granite or mable without removing the existing countertop. In fact, they can also resurface showers, tubs, boats, RV’s and fireplaces. They do it by using a fiberglass and resin reinforced thin slab of granite that is 7 times stronger than traditional granite. Not only are the slabs stronger, but they are 9mm thick offering the advantage of being 70% lighter than typical 2 or 3cm slabs. This also helps with faster installations. I thought there would be a catch of limited colors, but they offer 25 standard colors and 8 special order colors. All of this and a limited lifetime warranty.

Hands down this goes to Green Glue. Green Glue is the simple and easy answer to sound proofing floors, wall and ceilings in new construction or remodeling. You simply apply the product with a caulk gun between two sheets of standard drywall or plywood. There is no exact measuring (other than 2 tubes per 4×8 sheet of plywood) or specific coverage pattern – you just apply it randomly all over the board.

This product is great for home theaters, recording studios, condos, apartments, impact noise (footstep noise) and squeaky floors.

Green Glue has been tested and found to:

• Be the most thoroughly of any sound isolation material available

• Be able to be inserted into any fire rated assembly according to the International Building Code

• Not form a vapor lock

• Be environmentally friendly with almost no V.O.C.’s

• Not contribute to mold growth

Thank goodness for the FAQ on their website. Below are a few: (more…)

For The Installer:


Custom Building Products has a new line of lightweight setting materials that help tackle the issues of load factors, vehicle wear and fatigue on the body. These products are equal to the traditional products in strength and coverage – they just weigh less. A major benefit to this new line is that they are made with recycled materials that contribute to LEED’s certification! Click on the pictures above or below for the complete specification sheet, MSDS sheet and brochure.

For The DIY (Do it yourself-er): Custom Building Products has come out with a full line of pre-mixed tile setting products so if you want to tackle your own tile installation project you can avoid the potential disaster of spreading thin-set from your ceiling to your floor! If you’ve never tried setting your own tile or mixing your own thin-set, it’s a lot harder than it looks! The line offers a floor leveler, floor patch, ceramic tile thin-set mortar, and another for natural stone. For small jobs and repairs, there is a premixed adhesive and grout – all in one! All have the added protection of Mold Guard Technology , an environmentally sound method designed to keep moisture out and neutralize the food source that mold and mildew thrive on.

For those of us out there that like to be SPOILED or like to spoil ourselves, this award showcases products for you!

Watts Sun Touch Floor Warming Systems -I got to spend some time with the guys at Sun Touch. After posting the last blog on radiant heat flooring I stopped to chat to see what else they had to offer. They were kind enough to confirm that all of my concerns were valid, and that I had nothing to worry about. I also learned of a few other benefits that heated floors offer such as the floors drying faster, cats will stay off the furniture and rest on the floor, plants thrive better (especially when the sun goes down) and for the truly spoiled…. you can even warm your shower bench! Sun Touch and Warm Wire are the most requested radiant heat products in North America and takes a lot of pride in the support network they provide to their dealers, end users and installers. No matter what type of application you have or system you want, they have a solution to offer. For added reassurance, they have a product called “Loud Mouth” that sounds an alarm during the installation process if there is any damage to the heating element so it can be easily repaired before the finished flooring is installed.

To be fair, I also have to tell you about another radiant heat flooring company that impressed me quite a bit called Danfoss. They set themselves apart by offering a product that is simple to install while maintaining the highest quality standards. They offer a self adhesive mat that adheres directly to the sub-floor which in some cases can save an entire step during installation. The heating cables are pre installed in the mat reducing installation time, potential errors while also giving you balanced heating. The connections to the thermostat save time and money thanks to twin conductors that are built over the entire surface of the mat. Time is again saved with the benefit of no need for custom orders with this product.. All size adjustments can be made to the mat on site by cutting with scissors, even in rooms with curves and angled walls. Danfoss offers comfort and peace of mind with their unmatched warranty of 10 years that is transferable and their tool called “The Little Buzzer” that acts like the Loud Mouth product mentioned above. To me, these are signs that a company stands behind their product.