FloorTalk – for all the latest flooring fashions

Question:  I am looking for a floral pattern linoleum and can not find it – any ideas?

Answer:  I understand why you had a hard time narrowing in on a linoleum with a floral pattern.  Current styles are moving in a different direction, but there are several options in sheet vinyl that might suit your needs.  The designs include florals, in a subtle, updated look.  You should log on to www.armstrong.com/flooring/products/sheet vinyl.  When you arrive at that page, you will find a box for an advanced search.  Type in “floral” and you should see eight selections to choose from.  I found Floral Medallion, Floral Blossom, and Floral Diamond to be very attractive.  Good luck and thanks for turning to Floor Talk for help.

Annette

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.

 Reader Question:

I have vinyl flooring in my kitchen and I have put plastic tips on my wooden chairs.

The problem is there are black marks where the chairs are moved back and forth.  How can I get rid of this problem?  Is it best to have no tips on the chairs or what? I have tried to put felt tips on the end of the chair, but that only last a little while and they come off.  I would appreciate any help you could give me.   Thanks.

Answer:

Thanks for your question. To remove the black marks, rub each mark with a rubber eraser. If that doesn’t work, try mixing a small amount of baking powder and water. Rub the mixture on the scuff marks with a clean, dry, white cloth. Another solution that may work is rubbing non gel toothpaste on the marks with a clean, dry, white cloth.

Although felt is recommended, an alternative to the black plastic protectors, you can try non-pigmented plastic protectors.

 Coventry, UK, Oct. 9, 2008–Resilient flooring manufacturer Amtico International has supplied flooring for the new James Bond movie Quantum of Solace, according to the Birmingham Post.
Eon Productions, the production company behind the Bond blockbusters, commissioned Amtico to provide flooring for sets used in the latest thriller, which goes on worldwide release next month.
The company was asked to provide 120 square meters of flooring from one of its stone-effect products to recreate the look of a marble floor for a scene filmed in an Italian art gallery.
The film’s supervising art director, Chris Lowe said: “The floor was pre-laid by a flooring contractor off site, then carried on set over the course of a day. The floor was struck for the main set on 007 stage and then re-laid for the re-shoots.
“I have to say, we noted at the time that we were very relieved that we chose to use Amtico flooring, as other flooring methods would never have lasted the duration of the shoot. It stood up remarkably well and we were delighted by the results.”

Flooring samples come in all different shapes and sizes. For example, carpet samples come on what are called deckboards (left) in order to showcase as many color ways as possible. Hardwood samples generally come a little larger with several boards on each sample. and tile samples come in the form of one piece of tile with each piece being its true and actual size. These samples are all assembled for a particular reason – all are designed to help give you the most accurate representation of what the actual product will look like when it is installed in your home.

Here are some important things to know about flooring samples:

Carpet:

• Carpet samples that are on deckboards are meant to showcase the many colors offered. Larger size samples are intended to be used in conjunction with this type of sample.
• The smaller swatches on deckboards are to show the general color field. The larger swatches that are available (usually 13.5″x18″ and 27″x18″) will give a more accurate color representation.
• With neutral colors, the smaller swatches will appear darker on deckboards than the actual product when it arrives and is installed.
• As with all samples, they are made at different times than when you order your flooring material. Because of  the different environmental conditions during the time the product is made, the samples will not always “match” what you order exactly.

Hardwood and Cork:

• Hardwood and cork are natural products. Therefore, they will have ranges of color and graining.
• Multiple boards or planks are usually shown on sample boards to give you an idea if that particular hardwood will have ranges of color and visible grain.
• As with all samples, they are made at different times than when you order your flooring material. Because of  the different environmental conditions during the time the product is made, the samples will not always “match” what you order exactly.

Tile:

• Tile samples are usually shown by the piece. It is a good idea to look at several different tiles together to see if the tile has any range of color.
• Some showrooms show grouted panels of tiles so that you can see the range of color. Know that the grout color chosen for these samples is not the only choice and different grout colors can make the overall installation look different.
• As with all samples, they are made at different times than when you order your flooring material. Because of  the different environmental conditions during the time the product is made, the samples will not always “match” what you order exactly.

Vinyl and Linoleum:

• Larger sheets of the actual product are generally used for samples. Some are smaller and some are larger. Larger samples are helpful for patterned goods.
• Look for catalogs to show pictures of the floor installed in a room so you can see how the overall pattern will look.
• As with all samples, they are made at different times than when you order your flooring material. Because of  the different environmental conditions during the time the product is made, the samples will not always “match” what you order exactly.

Equally as important to know, samples will appear differently in the flooring showroom than they will in your home. A showroom is likely to have florescent lights where your home is likely to have incandescent lighting. Ask if you can check the samples out from the flooring showroom and take them home to look at them with your surroundings.

When looking at samples, it is best not to look at the sample only a few inches from your face. Set the samples of the floor (where it will actually be) and walk away at least a few feet to get a good look at the product. Very rarely will you spend your time with your face only a few inches from the floor!

Don’t be shy – ask for larger samples. Ask for samples to be ordered that you can take home or samples that can be checked out from the showroom.

Floor Talk! is celebrating its 1 year anniversary!

The mission of the floor Floor Talk! blog is to offer another valuable tool from the WFCA (World Floor Covering Association) that helps consumers make informed and smart choices when it comes to flooring.  Our goal is also to help those that have made flooring purchases learn more about what they have purchased as well as how to maintain their purchase.

Over the past year, Floor Talk! has offered:

• Answers to reader questions
• Maintenance tips and hints
• Advice on color trends for the year
• Findings from trade shows
• Green products and information

The most popular blogs of the past year have been:

• How to choose a grout color
• The right way to clean ceramic tile
• 2008 color trends
• The difference between vinyl and linoleum
• How to maintain hardwood flooring
• Exotic hardwood

We have thoroughly enjoyed finding the latest products to share with you, reporting on what’s hot and what’s not, sharing pictures of beautiful floors from around the world and more. We love hearing from you and writing about what you want to know -so keep the comments and questions coming!

Thanks for all of the support for a wonderful year and we look forward to another great one!

Care and Maintenance

• Floors should never be flooded with water or be allowed to have standing water. This can loosen the adhesive.

• Care should be taken with heavy furniture and appliances. Furniture protectors should be used that are at least 2” in diameter. The hard and small buttons sometimes found on the bottom of chairs and other pieces of furniture should be removed. High heeled shoes also apply here.

• Protect the floors from dirt and grit that can be tracked in by using walk off mats at every entrance.

• Do not use rubber backed mats. Certain rubber compounds can permanently stain vinyl.

• Never use vinegar, acetone or lacquer thinner to clean these floors.

• For extreme staining like nail polish , paint, dye and permanent markers try applying fingernail polish remover that contains acetone, but is not pure acetone with a soft cloth and gently rub.

• Spills should be removed immediately.

• The floor should be swept, dust mopped or vacuumed on a regular basis.

• Stubborn rubber heel marks can be removed with a soft cloth dampened with mineral spirits.

• When the floor gets build up, consult the with the manufacturer’s recommended cleaner system to see if a stripper is available.

Luxury Vinyl tile floors are a durable, affordable and attractive alternative to ceramic tile, natural stone and hardwood. Styles are available and patterns can be created for a modern or traditional look. These floors have something to offer most everyone for most applications.

Advantages to these floor include:

• Ease on joints
• More quiet underfoot than most hard surfaces
• Easy to maintain
• Available in wide variety of styles, colors and sizes
• Commercial and residential use
• Real wood, tile and stone looks
• Easier installation than ceramic or stone

If you have a flooring project and are looking for an alternative to hardwood, tile or stone click here for a retailer in your area and ask to see samples of luxury vinyl tile today!

Question:

We have just built a 20 by 14 foot four seasons sunroom in place of our deck in the Texas Hill Country. The substrate is plywood, and we will be adding a 3/8 layer on top for a smoother surface, since some of the knot holes are deep. Underneath are both insulation and a moisture barrier. The room contains a heater air conditioner, but we were planning to leave that on extreme temps of 85 F when unoccupied and about 45 or 50 in winter. The room has many sliding windows and a propane fireplace.

We have had a couple instances of leaking, hopefully repaired now. A very low maintenance, grandchild friendly floor is desired, so vinyl seems a good choice, but I cannot verify the temperatures it can handle. We can maintain good temperature for installation.

Do you have any suggestions? The local Home Depot has Allure by Traffic Master, and another local store would order Armstrong. Though I think the cushion kind would not be good with animals and kid ride on toys.

Any suggestions you have will be much appreciated!

Answer: To determine what floors are suitable for temperatures like 85 degrees, it really is best to check with each individual manufacturer’s specific guidelines or ask a trusted retailer. (For store locaters in your area, click here.) Other products you might want to consider are cork and products like Mannington’s Adura.

For a general guideline on vinyl : All resilient products must be stored in a protected interior location, ideally one that can be climate controlled.

Optimum storage temperatures are between a low of 65ºF and high of 100ºF. Additionally, the humidity of the

storage area should be controlled and maintained between 30% and 70%.

For the entire life of the floor, the temperature should never fall below 55°F or exceed 90°F. If this minimum temperature

cannot be maintained, the performance of the flooring products and adhesives can be adversely affected. Ideally

the job site relative humidity will be maintained in the 40% to 50% range.

Cork can definitely be used in warmer temperatures because it is used in hot yoga rooms all the time! Another great benefit of cork is its retention and cushioned feeling. This would be a great choice for the kids with toys if your design style coordinates with cork.