FloorTalk – for all the latest flooring fashions

Wilsonart Flooring has developed a new lineup of ‘Classic’ High Pressure Laminate (HPL) Flooring in a rectangular tile format that reflects one of the hottest style trends in both residential and commercial interiors.

With the subtle, luxurious look of travertine, Wilsonart Flooring’s new Rectangular Tiles deliver the same high level of color and shade variation found in nature. The tiles are available in three desert-inspired colorations that blend beautifully with today’s interiors.

“The rectangular format adds the ‘pop’ of high style to traditional interiors,” says Tammy Weadock, Wilsonart Flooring marketing manager. “The characteristics of travertine turn a room into a place of tranquility and relaxation.” These new designs come with a 20-year residential warranty for wear, fade, stain and topical moisture and a 5-year commercial warranty for wear, fade and stain.

Sonora Sage

A complex mix of dark and light brown, cream with gold highlights, and taupe throughout. This combination blends warm tones of chocolate and cool tones of grey together in one material.

Sahara Gold

Cream and gold are fused with light and dark browns to create a coloration that addresses the more traditional honey tones found in oak cabinetry.

Mojave Breeze

– The lightest of the three tiles, Mojave Breeze incorporates the warm/cool color trend combination, using taupe mingled with cream, beige and brown. This light floor would contrast nicely with espresso stained cabinetry.

“All Wilsonart Flooring is made using High Pressure Laminate (HPL) construction, versus the other residential products made from thin low pressure or Direct Pressure Laminate (DPL),” explains Weadock. “In comparison, the HPL wear surface atop Wilsonart Flooring is 3-5 times thicker than DPL. This thickness translates into superior impact and dent resistance, providing assurance against the demands of everyday life: dropped cans, heavy furniture, children and pets. Every product in the Wilsonart Flooring portfolio is applicable for commercial environments and as such, it remains the best-performing laminate flooring option for consumers seeking unsurpassed durability for their home.”

World Floor Covering Association (WFCA) Provides Trend Report from Premiere Floor Covering Show

Anaheim, CA (PRWEB) March 11, 2009 — If the devil wears Prada, then the fashion-conscious demon must walk on animal prints, nude tones, layered looks and leather. For these are just some of the hottest trends in flooring uncovered by the World Floor Covering Association’s fashion scouts at this year’s Surfaces – one of the home market’s top international trade shows – which took place in Las Vegas in February this year.

WOOD AND BAMBOO TRENDS
There were no limits at Surfaces when it came to treatments in wood. High-gloss piano-finish floors that reveal your reflection were seen. As were innovative wood tiles in a surprising variety of whimsical shapes and sizes, including Tetris patterns, puzzle pieces, bricks and even fish scales! New wood surface stains now offer 0% VOC, no off gassing, are non-toxic and of all things, are even edible. Another new process extends the lifespan of hardwood floors with stains that run throughout the wear layer resulting in a highly durable floor that offers everlasting beauty that can be enjoyed for a lifetime.

Bamboo floors were also a hit at the show with one company presenting an assortment of oil-finished “woven” bamboo floors infusing cork strands for added dimension, anti-bacterial properties, soundproofing and insulation.

CARPET TRENDS
Carpet and area rugs were all about texture this year — from shag to loops to contemporary felt discs. Also fashionable are rugs and carpets bound with a hint of metallic fiber just to catch the eye. Animal and nature-inspired looks are also the rage, including panther and leopard skin, tropical leaf and flower patterns, tree textures and tribal designs.

In addition to eco-friendly products, manufacturers were paying close attention this year to allergen reducing products and manufacturing methods. One new line includes a broad selection of carpets that incorporates silver and zinc release, which offer the strongest anti-bacterial technology on the market. Another company debuted new friezes using dye-accented color choices achieved through an eco-friendly solution that saves water and is zero-effluent into streams.

One earth-friendly standout at the show was a new shag carpet made with 80% bamboo fiber yarn and 20% cotton. It has the look and feel of silk without the price tag.

TILE TRENDS
As in the wood and laminate categories, high sheen and transparent shine were the hot trends in the tile category. Long, thin rectangular tiles reminiscent of flowing streams were seen, as well as tiles made from authentic crystal and semi-precious stones. New heat slumped glass tiles impart a sculpted, embossed effect giving the illusion of raindrops on the surface, linen textures, crinkled fabric, sand and slate effects.

LAMINATE TRENDS
The hottest trend in laminates this year was highly reflective, glossy finishes in exotic wood formats, as well as stone looks with “natural” embossed patterns and beveled edging. A brand new introduction includes a hybrid product containing natural cork, leather and linoleum surface-treatments that are stabilized on planks.

RESILIENT TRENDS
New resilient products, including vinyl, cork, leather and linoleum, offered not only environmentally friendly introductions, but product launches that were also easy to clean and offered healthful benefits.

One new launch in the linoleum category achieved the Asthma and Allergy Friendly certification mark — which has never been given to a flooring product before. Another debut was a cork and linoleum hybrid called Corkoleum. It is an eco-friendly alternative to vinyl and laminate flooring that is resilient, warm, scratch and abrasion resistant, and easy to clean and maintain. 100% recycled leather planks were also presented in a broad spectrum of natural shades and textures — from glossy bright red crocodile to supple lizard.

“With today’s economic challenges, people everywhere are focusing more on their home environments and creature comforts,” said Christopher Davis, President and Chief Executive Officer of the WFCA. “Manufacturers across the globe have listened to customers and have delivered an array of introductions that are certain not to disappoint.”

The WFCA’s website – WFCA.org — offers detailed information about these flooring categories. In addition, the website provides answers to the most common floor covering questions. Visitors can also find detailed information and practical tips on every flooring category available, including carpet, hardwood, laminate, ceramic, porcelain, resilient, vinyl, cork, stone and area rugs. An overview of each category provides the pros and cons, a product catalog, manufacturing details, varieties and styles available, things to consider before purchase and how to prepare for installation.

When it’s time to buy floors, WFCA.org offers a searchable database of reputable WFCA retail members across the country. All a user needs to do is enter their zip code to receive a list of suppliers in their area.

The WFCA, official sponsor of Surfaces, is the floor covering industry’s largest advocacy organization, representing floor covering retailers, contractors and allied service providers throughout North America. For more information about the WFCA, visit WFCA.org and WFCA-PRO.org.

February started off with an homage to Surfaces, the premier flooring showcase and trade show held annually in Las Vegas.

First, we started off with an overview of Surfaces. Here we talked about the presence of design elements, color themes and upcoming posts on the different products shown at the show.

Then came a breakdown of trends in hardwood, tile, carpet and area rugs.Later in the month we presented an overview of the company Wicanders and their line of products and a post on how to use the hot trends of 2009.

In the middle of the month came a report on Tuftex of California. They were not at Surfaces and choose to have their own regional shows in which I was invited to participate.

Every month (or longer) we present a reader poll to get your opinion on a particular topic. Included this month is a recap of the results of a poll on laminate flooring.

To round the month out, we finished up with some industry news on ThermoSofts Warm Step radiant heat system.

A lot of February was dedicated to Surfaces, the trends presented and the products shown at the show.

In the month of March we will get back to more answers to the questions you have asked as well as what’s new in the industry. If you have any topics that you would like to see more information on, please just leave a comment!

Thanks for your subscriptions, your interest and your loyalty to Floor Talk!

As of right now, 106 of you have cast your vote on the laminate flooring poll.

36% think it is cheap.

Some laminate floors can be cheap, but keep in mind that there are laminate floors available that are very high quality and can cost even more than regular hardwood. I think laminate got a bad reputation when it first came out, but through consumer awareness and new product introductions, laminate is proving itself to be a worthwhile flooring purchase.

11% think it is loud and clicky

Again, in the past this could be said about some laminate floors. Since the introduction of laminate, improvements have been made in the underlayment used for laminate floors. With some of the newer laminate floors it is almost impossible to tell whether you are walking on laminate or hardwood.

11% think it scratches easily and will not hold up to your family and traffic patterns.

Laminate floors have learned alot from the laminate countertop industry. Considerable amounts of resin have been added to the wear layer that allow some manufacturers to brag that their floors are no 10 to 20 times harder than laminate countertops. Since the resin filled wear layer is so dense, that makes it extremely difficult to scratch or stain.

42% think it is a great product that will give you the look of hardwood for less money and is more practical for your family and traffic patterns.

This happens to be the vote I cast. Laminate floors are designed to be less expensive than most hardwoods while giving you the same realistic look. These floors can be more practical for your family and traffic patterns.

If you are interested in learning more about laminate flooring, click here. If you are interested in purchasing laminate floors and need to find a retailer in your area, click here.

Question: I just moved into a condo that appears to have very good quality laminate floors. I noticed that there are a couple of marks on the floors that I want to get rid of. It actually looks like the previous owner had a piece of furniture in the room that left sorme sort of dye on the floor. I have no idea how to remove the stain. I have never had laminate flooring and do not know what to use to clean marks left on the floor.

Answer: Good for you for checking to see what to do before putting multiple cleaners on the floor! Multiple cleaners can leave build up and films that are difficult to remove. If you know who the manufacturer is, I would use the cleaner that they recommend. Otherwise, I would use a cleaner that is specifically made for laminate floors. The dye could be from water that found its way onto the base of the furniture. Follow the instructions provided on the bottle of laminate cleaner and some elbow grease should be all you need!

Question: We were hoping that you could help get us some information about how to remove residue (we think it is MOP & GLOW) from our laminate wood floors. Any information?
Anything you can tell us would be helpful.  Thank you.

Answer: From the Mop and Glo website:

Q:   What causes a build-up on my floor?

A:   As with any wax or polish, MOP & GLO® Triple Action™ Floor Shine Cleaner should be removed periodically to prevent a build-up of old polish. This can occur if the floor is polished too frequently, and/or if not cleaned thoroughly in-between polishing.

Q:   How do I remove this build-up?

A:   Use a solution of 1/4 cup all purpose cleaner (such as LYSOL® All
Purpose Cleaner with out Bleach) and 1 cup household ammonia in ½ gallon of
warm water. Wet the area with the solution and mop.

I would test this in an inconspicuous area first. I would also recommend cleaning the floor with an approved laminate cleaner first, just to be safe. This may require extra cleaning with some elbow grease! If that doesn’t remove the Mop and Glo, then I would try what the Mop and Glo website recommends.

Question: Do you recommend any products to clean laminated floors? Our home is located on sandy soil and no matter how much I sweep you can see dog and shoe prints. Help, please. There is no information available from the manufacturer.

Answer: Normally the product that is recommended is from the manufacturer, but if there is no information available from the manufacturer, I have only heard good things about Bona Floor Care Products.

For more information on other cleaning and maintenance practices that are equally as important as the cleaner itself, refer to an earlier post on Test Your Laminate Flooring Knowledge.

Often, the problem with foot and paw prints is that the dirt was not trapped outside and is being tracked inside. One solution to help with this problem is using walk off mats at each entrance to your home.

Daily maintenance like sweeping with a terry cloth head mop (also available from Bona) will help with this problem.

Many people wonder if laminate flooring is right for their lifestyle and if it is a quality product. Laminate flooring has gotten a bad reputation from products in the past, but it has come a long way since introduced to the US around a decade ago to be a durable, beautiful, quality product.

Laminate floors used to have a plastic look that made them easy to identify. Now, the technology of laminate flooring has come so far that it can be difficult to tell laminate flooring from the real thing.

Laminate flooring has the look and (now) the feel of real hardwood, tile or natural stone. Often laminate flooring provides advantages that “the real thing” cannot offer. For example, laminate can withstand water and moisture better than hardwood. It can also withstand pets and  scratches better than some species of hardwood. Laminate is not as hard as tile or natural stone and items that are dropped have a better chance of survival when dropped on a laminate floor rather than a tile or natural stone floor. The same goes for households with children. If a child falls on a laminate floor, they are less likely to get hurt on a laminate floor than a tile or natural stone floor. Laminate flooring also is resistant to sunlight fading and staining unlike hardwood flooring.

Another advantage to laminate flooring is the cost. Laminate flooring can be significantly less expensive than real hardwood, tile or natural stone.

There are many different styles of laminate for any design scheme or lifestlye.  Wood looks such as beech, oak, cherry, walnut, maple and others are available in laminate. Natural stone such as slate, travertine and marble looks are available in laminate flooring. Colors from the entire spectrum are represented so you should have no trouble finding a laminate floor that’s right for you.

If you are installing a laminate floor yourself, you will find that it is one of the most simple floors to install and maintain. For laminate maintenance tips, click here.

For more information on laminate and why it may be right for you, click here.