Floor Talk!

Wear-Dated^® Debuts 2008 Color Folio Forecast

KENNESAW, Ga., — Wear-Dated^® carpet fiber has launched its 2008 color folio. Called A Field Guide to Color, it studies the unique and inspiring interplay between colors. “As we studied trends and selected colors for our 2008 forecast, we were drawn to the historical work of John J. Audubon,” said Ann Hurley, creative manager, color & product, Wear-Dated carpet fiber. “We were inspired by his paintings and discovered how relevant the beautiful color combinations of Audubon’s birds were for our forecast as well as the way in which we apply color to interior spaces today.”

The Wear-Dated Field Guide - 2008 Color Folio is a study of nature’s color palettes as illustrated by Audubon’s birds. The colors in the 2008 forecast are both conservative and complex: an influence of nature.

(more…)

History of Linoleum -

Invented by Fredrick Walton from England, he was responsible for forming the Linoleum Manufacturing Company. Although it was patented in 1860, it didn’t make it to the US until 1869. It was first manufactured in the US by the Joseph Wild Co later called the American Linoleum Company. That company later became the Congoleum Narin Company and finally called the Congoleum Corporation of America.

It began as a great choice for an affordable and long lasting product. In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s the style was to use linoleum in the high traffic areas such as the hallway with surrounding carpeted areas. In the 20^th century it became more well known as a kitchen floor. It is a popular choice for kitchen floors because of its water resistance, ease of maintenance, softness on the joints and forgiveness on dropped glassware and dishes!

Frederick later found ways to use linoleum on the walls. Called Lincrusta, its heavy, crisply embossed rolls and panels found a place in many middle-class houses both as faux-plaster friezes, insert, and as highly decorative dadoes. Lincrusta is applied very similarly to wallpaper, but needs 2 coats of oil based paint to be properly sealed.

Growing popularity because of its green properties:

Linoleum is a very green product. It is made from natural and raw materials. The main ingredient is linseed oil which is a product of the flax plant. Other ingredients include: wood or cork powder, resins and ground limestone.

How Linoleum is made?

Mineral pigments provide the rich colors. The ingredients are mixed together, then rolled out between two cylinders (a process called “calendaring”) onto a jute backing. The linoleum is then cured in ovens for 14 to 21 days. Some manufacturers bond a high performance coating to the surface to improve the floor’s ability to resist stains and scratches, and to make cleaning easier. The resulting floor is then rolled on cores, ready for installation. Sheet linoleum is available in many thicknesses. 2.5 mm is suitable for residential use. It is sold in a two-meter (or 6′ 7″) width size.

How it’s sold:

Most linoleum is sold as a sheet product. Linoleum tile is available, but it is more prone to warping and curled edges.

Design Options:

The design options for linoleum are endless. That’s one of the advantages of the product. Most of the images above are all vintage patterns. Visit your local floor covering store to see the modern and up to date patterns now available from trusted manufacturers. Keep in mind, that your options are endless as long as your budget permits and your installer is qualified!

For more information on what you need to know about buying vinyl and resilient flooring click here for: product catalog, how it’s made, styles, before you buy, installation, care and glossary.

What exactly is the difference between vinyl, resilient flooring and linoleum?

There are HUGE differences:

Vinyl flooring is a synthetic product made of chlorinated petrochemicals and linoleum is made from raw and natural ingredients!

All vinyl floors are resilient but not all resilient floors are vinyl. However, the most common type of resilient flooring is vinyl. There are two types of vinyl flooring: sheet vinyl and vinyl composition tiles (VCT). (more…)

Bamboo is a currently a very popular choice for flooring, but did you know it can be used for other things? One company, Bamboo Outfitters offers eco friendly items from clothing, to linens, to soap and bath products made of bamboo. Bamboo is useful in making these products because bamboo fiber is soft and strong and produces products that are durable, soft and breathable. Unlike other natural products, bamboo can be safely dyed in bright and bold colors.

Benefits of bamboo as clothing:

• It absorbs sweat quickly and evaporates quickly.
• Bamboo keeps you warmer in the winter and up to 2 degrees cooler in the summer
• Bamboo is antibacterial so it stays fresher and odor free longer.
• During the manufacturing process, no harsh chemicals are used so this product is ideal for people with allergies or sensitive skin
• Bamboo fiber is smooth and round so it does not irritate skin. It contains a naturally occurring antibacterial called bamboo-kun that resists the spread of bacteria on the skin without any adverse affects.
• Bamboo grows quickly and therefore has high water absorbency which aids in this process. This helps the fabric retain absorbency, in fact, 3-4 more than cotton. It keeps you drier because it wicks away moisture from the body, but doesn’t have the high prices that comes with sports attire with these same properties.
  
• Bamboo is antibacterial, anti fungal and anti static even after is has been washed.
• It’s better for the environment. For more information on bamboo, click here.
• No special care is required to maintain the clothing.

Not sure if bamboo fabric is for you or all that is advertised, Bamboo Outfitters will send you a sample!

Other products made from bamboo are found in the kitchen and bath. Some examples of products for the home made from bamboo are: cutting boards, soap, dish towels, bed linens, body washes, crib linens and bath towels.

Clothing for babies, kids, men and women:

Products for the home:

Do your part by choosing clothing and home accessories that are not only comfortable, better for your skin, anti bacterial, anti fungal and anti static but good for the world we live in!

History

• Cork is not a new fad, it can be traced back to ancient Egypt. In the 18th century, Dom Perignon used cork for champagne making it a significant discovery that would lead to many other uses of cork.

• A law in the 1930’s called “The 9 Year Law” was passed to keep cork from being harvested any sooner than every 9 years. The tree has to reach 60 cm in circumference before it can be harvested. The first harvest from a cork tree can only occur at age 25.

• Portugal is the largest producer of cork today.

Harvesting

• Cork is harvested by hand from the bark of the cork oak tree (Quercus Suber) that grows primarily around the Mediterranean Basin no less than every 9 years.

• After the cork is stripped, the planks are sorted and stacked for 6 months in the forest. The exposure to air, sun, rain and wind during this time trigger chemical transformations that improve the quality of the cork. Then the bark of the mature cork trees are ground up, mixed with resin, processed into blocks, baked, compressed and cut into tiles or planks.

(more…)