National Floor Trends January 2012

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p. 14 New Product Areas, Events in Spotlight for Surfaces 2012 p. 34 Tackling the Problem of Underlayment Joint Show-through p. 40 Using EPDs for Better Transparency

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You are different. You enter every new room looking down. Not because you’re sad. Not because you lost something. It’s because you feel the need to see what’s on the floor. Your friends laugh. But you appreciate beautiful flooring and almost can’t bear a room with ugly floors. If you have this kind of passion for flooring, join us at Surfaces 2012 and see how we are elevating styling this year.

E L E VAT I N G styling

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nft

National Floor Trends

NATIONAL FLOOR TRENDS Volume 14, Issue 1 (ISSN 1521-8031) is published 12 times annually, monthly, by BNP Media II, L.L.C., 2401 W. Big Beaver Rd., Suite 700, Troy, MI 48084-3333. Telephone: (248) 362-3700, Fax: (248) 362-0317. No charge for subscriptions to qualified individuals. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in the U.S.A.: $115.00 USD. Annual rate for subscriptions to nonqualified individuals in Canada: $149.00 USD (includes GST & postage); all other countries: $165.00 (int’l mail) payable in U.S. funds. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2012, by BNP Media II, L.L.C. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations. Periodicals Postage Paid at Troy, MI and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: NATIONAL FLOOR TRENDS, P.O. Box 2145, Skokie, IL 60076. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. GST account: 131263923. Send returns (Canada) to Pitney Bowes, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON, N6C 6B2. Change of address: Send old address label along with new address to NATIONAL FLOOR TRENDS, P.O. Box 2145, Skokie, IL 60076. For single copies or back issues: contact Ann Kalb at (248) 244-6499 or [email protected].

24 Vol. 14, No. 1 January 12 6 ............. Publisher’s Note 8 ............. Center Stage: Resilient – Be An Expert 14 ............. New Product Areas, Events in Spotlight for Surfaces 2012 18 ............. Savvy Hardwood Business – The Latest Hardwood Flooring Trends 24 ............. Carpet, Area Rug Technology Gets Softer, More Sustainable 30 ............. Designs in Style – Flooring Innovations Provides Inspiration 34 ............. Focus on Resilient -- Tackling the Problem of Underlayment ............. Joint Show-through 36 ............. Ad Index 38 ............. Green Matters – Finkell Among Opponents ............. to Proposed RELIEF Act 40 ............. Using EPDs for Better Transparency 44 ............. Creekview Ranch Middle School Marries Sustainability, Function 46 ............. Products

On the Web: Mohawk Solutions launching pad for new products, programs On The Cover: Surfaces 2012, which is heading to the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas Jan. 24-26 with pre-conference events on Jan. 23, will serve as the venue for launches of some of the latest and greatest products in the industry. Illustration by Rick Arvidson.

The recent Mohawk Solutions convention in Nashville included a wide range of new products and programs for Mohawk aligned dealers.

Boe discusses Beaulieu of America’s future Ralph Boe, president and ceo of Beaulieu of America, recently spoke with NFT about what’s on the horizon for the carpet manufacturer.

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P ublisher’s Note I

by Diana Brown, publisher

Surfaces and sustainability

Sustainability remains a major focus of the flooring industry, and Surfaces 2012, set for Jan. 23-26 in Las Vegas, will give manufacturers the perfect venue to debut their latest green technologies and products. I never stop being amazed at the environmentally friendly innovations that companies roll out, and I am sure this year will be no different. Diana Brown has more than 14 years of publishing experience, focusing on the latest in green building through her role at sister BNP Media publications Environmental Design + Construction and Sustainable Facility. She is also from Detroit, making her a lifelong Tigers fan.

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eing green makes sense from a number of standpoints. On the residential side, it makes consumers feel better about their purchases and gives retail salespeople a great story to sell. On the commercial side, it can help architects, specifiers and end-users earn valuable LEED points on their projects. And with the rising cost of materials and petrochemicals, it also makes fiscal sense for manufacturers to take a green approach. Surfaces will be offering a full slate of seminars on sustainability during the show, through a dedicated Sustainability education track. Topics will cover such issues as designing with natural stone, sustainable building designs & trends, new green floor covering backings, making the choice

nft

National Floor Trends

For subscription information or service, please contact Customer Service at: Tel: 847.763.9534 or Fax: 847.763.9538 or [email protected] For advertising information, call (800) 835-4398. Publishing and Sales Office: 22801 Ventura Blvd. Woodland Hills, CA 91364 Corporate Office: 2401 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 700 Troy, MI 48084 Phone : (248) 362-3700, Fax: (248) 362-0317

Publisher Diana Brown [email protected] Associate Editor Michael Chmielecki [email protected] Products Editor John Moore [email protected] Digital Content Consultant Dave Foster [email protected] Sr. Art Director Rick Arvidson [email protected] Production Manager Jennifer Allen [email protected] Columnists: Sam Allman, Rick Brian, Annette Callari, Christopher Capobianco, Dave Gobis, Reggie Hill, Dave Stafford, Ray Thompson Jr.

to go green as a business, how to compete in a green marketplace, and how to market and sell green products. One of my favorite things about sustainability is that there always seems to be something new to talk about. As we are often told by the companies we interview, sustainability is a journey. It is not something achieved overnight; rather, it is the constant refinement of manufacturing processes, research, technology and industry initiatives that helps bring about the latest and greatest in green. I am sure we will all have plenty to talk about after Surfaces. Feel free to say hello if you see us at the show. We will be at Booths #S6408 and #B2816. Let us know what green products and technologies you see that can help you grow your nft business. ●

Western Regional Manager Dan Lipman (818) 224-8035 x 2206 Southern Regional Manager Scott Daniel (770) 788-6377 Northern Regional Manager Keith Parry (973) 248-6097 Classified Sales Manager Sharon Ward (847) 405-4017 Turkey Hilmi Zafer Erdem 90-0212-257-76-66 e-mail: [email protected] Brazil Lazzaro Menasce +55 (11) 3822-4422 Fax: +55 (11) 3663-5436

BNP Media Helps People Succeed in Business with Superior Information

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Diana Brown

Corporate Reprint Mgr Jill DeVries (248) 244-1726 [email protected] BNP Custom Media Group Christopher Wilson Phone: (248) 244-8264 [email protected] List Rental Contacts Sr. Account Manager Postal contact: Kevin Collopy (845) 731-2684 Toll Free: (800) 223-2194 x684 [email protected] Account Manager Email contact: Shawn Kingston (845) 731-3828 Toll Free: (800) 223-2194 x828 [email protected]

Are You Getting Only Lookers and Shoppers?



–‹•”‡ƒŽŽ›–‘‘„ƒ†Ǥ‘—…‘—Ž†‘—–•‡ŽŽ›‘—”„‹‰‰‡•–…‘’‡–‹–‘”ǡ‡˜‡–Š‡ „‹‰„‘š•–‘”‡•ǡ‹ˆ›‘—…‘—Ž†‰‡–ƒˆ‡™”‡ƒŽŽ›‰‘‘†…—•–‘‡”•Ǥ—–ƒŽŽ›‘— ‰‡–‹–Š‡•‡–‘—‰Š–‹‡•ƒ”‡shoppersƒ†lookersǤDz‘–Šƒ•ǡ ǯŒ—•– Ž‘‘‹‰ǡdz‘”‘–Š‡”‘„Œ‡…–‹‘•Ž‹‡Dz ‡‡†•‘‡–‹‡–‘–Š‹‹–‘˜‡”Ǥdz Objections are not threats, they are disguised questions. —ˆ–‡š‹•‘ˆˆ‡”‹‰ƒ•™‡”•–‘–Š‡•‡“—‡•–‹‘•ǣ…‘Ž‘”ǡ•–›Ž‡ǡˆƒ•Š‹‘ƒ†˜ƒŽǦ —‡ƒ•‘‘–Š‡”„”ƒ†ǡ’Ž—•‘—–•–ƒ†‹‰•‡”˜‹…‡ˆ‘”–Š‡”‡–ƒ‹Ž…‘—‹–›Ǥ •›‘—”—ˆ–‡š•ƒŽ‡•”‡’”‡•‡–ƒ–‹˜‡ƒ„‘—–‘—”‡–ƒ‹ŽƒŽ‡•‡•‘—”…‡ǡ–Š‡ ‘–ŠŽ›”‡–ƒ‹Ž–”ƒ‹‹‰‡™•Ž‡––‡”‘”˜‹•‹–™™™Ǥ–—ˆ–‡š†‡ƒŽ‡”Ǥ…‘Ǥ

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Center Stage:

Resilient – Be an Expert by Dave Stafford

D Dave Stafford is a flooring industry veteran and former executive vice president of Commercial Carpets of America (CCA), a major independent flooring dealer and contractor in northern Virginia. Dave has served as vice chairman of the Floor Covering Contractors Association (FCICA) and is an Honorary Lifetime Member. He provides selective consulting services on business management and government contracts within the industry. He may be reached at [email protected].

o something exciting this week. Resolve to become an expert in commercial resilient products and their applications. If you do, I guarantee you will be setting yourself apart from 95% of your competition. When Jerry was hired by a small retailer to sell and manage commercial projects, he had loads of experience in sales but very little in flooring. Within six months, he was selling the highest margin jobs in the company, and was an expert in resilient flooring. In fact, other sales personnel went to Jerry for help with their resilient jobs. How did Jerry so quickly build a consistent, high-profit sales record, and an unparalleled expertise in products and installation? First, he picked a range of products in which to specialize, and selected resilient as his best bet. During his initial time on the job, he overheard others trying to sell

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lower-quality loop carpet or VCT instead of other high-quality tile and sheet goods. Jerry figured if he could become an expert in how and where to properly install a complete range of vinyl, linoleum, rubber and specialty resilient, he could justify a higher price, which meant higher profit and more commission for him. He was separating himself from his competitors. Every day was another opportunity to read, study and memorize the ways different products should be used. Which products should (or should not) be used in high moisture conditions? When did the brittle nature of a resilient product cause failure? Where was the soft, satin

A shot of Forbo linoleum with a custom logo. A Dave Stafford project, this one a retrofit for a middle school all-purpose meeting room and gym.

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patina of rubber flooring a real advantage? What were the inherent advantages of linoleum? Slowly but surely he gained an encyclopedic knowledge of the products. Then he spent time watching the best installers turn concept into reality. He also witnessed the aftermath of installation failure and the pain associated with take up of a freshly laid floor on sticky adhesive, and the expense of moisture remediation at company expense. (Don’t skip moisture testing!) Jerry resolved to follow the technical directions for floor prep, exactly, after an adhesion problem with rubber flooring where pallet jacks were being used. As the mill’s technical director said to him, “Sanding with 40 grit paper is NOT the equivalent of shot-blasting.” As Jerry began to sell more resilient

are many since they can adopt a variety of looks. From a non-descript institutional pattern of stone pebbles like polished terrazzo flooring, to strip hardwood, today’s choice are only limited by your imagination. What are the advantages of resilient? Appearance, easy to clean, will withstand high soil conditions, tracked debris, and may be maintained with a dry mopping, a wet or damp mop and periodic scrubbing. Some floors require an acrylic floor finish and low or high-speed buffing or spray buffing for higher gloss. Others may not need anything except dust mopping, damp mopping, and for higher gloss, periodic buffing. When packing your bag for a resilient presentation, I suggest you take along

Ou r people m ake C entiv a . From design to installation, we give attention to detail – every day at Centiva. We work side by side with our customers to bring their design vision to life.

VCT will always have a place in your sample bag, but you also need to get up to speed on a variety of specialty products including sheet vinyl, rubber, linoleum and LVT.

jobs, he was noticed by mill reps and offered training on specialty items. He and his company were recommended to designers and potential clients for their expertise and installation prowess. Of course, Jerry had to learn about carpet, laminate, wood and ceramic; and he did it well, too. But he always carried his favorite resilient “bag of tricks” in his car: Samples and pictures of linoleum, rubber, luxury vinyl, vinyl and VCT. His philosophy was, “There’s always an opportunity to sell something in resilient.” As Jerry found, there is more to life than selling VCT. I am not denigrating vinyl composition tile. These products will always have a part in your sample bag. Rather, you need to get up to speed with a variety of other specialty products like sheet vinyl, rubber, linoleum and luxury vinyl tile. The advantages of resilient flooring

several price points and product designs. Also think about the various areas in question: Basic, upgrade, upscale or exotic. You probably will not put VCT in the lobby of most buildings; rather, an upscale commercially rated luxury vinyl tile, or perhaps linoleum or rubber sheet goods. Put on your designer hat and think about flair and style. A stunning design is possible through use of vivid, bright, eye-catching color; perhaps incorporate the company’s logo within the main entrance or as an introduction to specific building areas. Then there are the specialty items. Maybe there is high-quality flooring needed in a clean room. Here’s a chance to use a chemical-welded or heat-welded sheet goods resilient product. Proper heat welding and flash-coving must be done by a well-trained and experienced installer. Some electronic manufacturing areas are

Watch

Our people make Centiva on YouTube

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Flooring created for every step you take.

WIN $25 VOTING OPENS

FEBRUARY 20

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2012 READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS Let your voice count February 20 - March 16. Vote for your favorite Áooring products (submitted by product manufacturers) in the Àrst National Floor Trends Readers’ Choice Awards. You could win $25 (one voter will be selected to win a $25 gift card each week). Winning products will be announced at Coverings.

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National Floor Trends

Vote at vote.ntlfloortrends.com

VCT in a high school corridor, from another one of Dave Stafford’s projects. Build your own picture book of jobs to show clients and colleagues.

about as sensitive as an operating room! A well-crafted, secure, flash-coved and heat welded resilient job allows for complete cleaning, in effect building a bathtub within an area where complete decontamination can be done. Whether in a healthcare or industrial setting, it is important to control contamination and reduce the chance of residual bacteria growth. Questions you need to ask your client: What type of traffic will you experience? Moderate, heavy, or extremely heavy foot traffic or rolling traffic like pallet jacks. How will the floor will be maintained and who will do it? What about sound and noise control? How about substrate conditions, including MVER? What is the budget available for flooring? Many a time, prospective clients will be eager for beautiful sheet goods with a sweeping blend of colors, only to realize that product prices and installation cost are well beyond their budget. Unfortunately, they then pick VCT, not understanding the maintenance cost of stripping, applying sealers, floor finishes and daily touch-ups that would have been avoided with other products. This is where (and why) your knowledge

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of resilient, and other likely flooring options, is so important. Help them realize their vision; everyone has one and you’ll beat your competition if you show them a way to get it with their budget. What samples should you always take with you? A couple of boxes of VCT samples that provide a wide range of colors and visual texture options; a strap set of sheet vinyl; catalogues featuring an upscale range of rubber and linoleum with some smaller samples; a chip or strap set of luxury vinyl tile plus a picture book of scenes. Are there other things you can take? Of course, but as I’ve found, samples of resilient products are heavy. Be sure to put these in your vehicle, but select only a few for the presentation. Sometimes, just using room scenes will be a lot more productive than an actual sample. You can always refine color and texture. Here’s an idea for you: Build your very own picture book of jobs that you’ve done with flooring; if you have a particularly great one, see if you can entice that client to become a reference for you and have him proudly show off the areas you’ve done. Be like Jerry. Become an expert in nft resilient and watch your sales boom. ●

New product areas, events in spotlight for Surfaces 2012 by Michael Chmielecki, associate editor

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urfaces 2012, which will be held in conjunction with StonExpo/ Marmomacc Americas at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, is on pace to exceed last year’s attendance with a broader range of products and about 50 new exhibiting companies. Most attendees will probably welcome the news that among the new features for the Jan. 24-26 event (with pre-conference education sessions beginning Jan. 23) is new signage and an app to help showgoers navigate the exhibits at Mandalay Bay.

“We did receive feedback that attendees were a little confused with the multi-level layout of Mandalay Bay,” acknowledged Dana Teague, the show’s group director. “We will have more prominent directional signage in the lobbies and on the show floor, indicating there are exhibits on both levels. We’re also launching a new mobile app that will allow attendees access to the floor plan, along with exhibitor product information and the education schedule, all searchable.”

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Additionally, attendees will receive a map in advance of the show, to familiarize themselves with the Mandalay Bay layout. Also new this year is Cash Attack, daily events where attendees will randomly be selected to win cash prizes at the show. Teague said the new event is designed to “add fun and a buzz factor to the show.” “No one will know when or where the attacks will happen. You could be sitting in a classroom, be in line at registration, visiting with an exhibitor or walking the show floor. It could happen anywhere at anytime. That’s part of the surprise.”

Top Left: A showgoer at Surfaces 2011 browses hard surface flooring. Photos courtesy of Hanley Wood. Bottom Left: Attendees watch a live demonstration during Surfaces 2011.

Featured on the show floor will be: Connections Cleaning & Restoration, a pavilion featuring companies catering to the cleaning and restoration side of the industry. As a complement to the pavilion, Surfaces will again offer the two-day Floor Covering Inspectors Symposium, on Jan. 24. Attendees can earn two IICRC CEC credits. Also featured are: Artisan Avenue, an area featuring specialty and handcrafted items including items like tiles, sinks, cabinets and window coverings.

• The brand-new Tool Alley, showcasing the latest tools and offering tool demonstration;ns. Chris Grundy, host of DIY Network’s “Cool Tools,” will also be on hand to meet attendees. • The return of the Trends Hub, which will be “bigger and more prominently located on the upper floor,” according to Teague. The Hub will include products designed to represent “the newest, hottest and trendiest products,” she noted.

• S2 Main Stage, sponsored by Bona, a centrally located theater on the lower level providing live, hands-on educational events taught by industry experts and suppliers. The New Product Marketplace will return as a display area of actual products. Awards including Best New Product will return, as well as the debut of Best of Surfaces, a new competition for the 2012 show. Best of Surfaces will be judged in the following categories: Innovation, Style/Design, Sustainability, Technology and Best Booth Design. All exhibiting companies are encouraged to enter the competition, and no entry fee is required, Teague said. The International Pavilions will also return, with new products from countries including China, India, Italy, Mexico, Pakistan and Turkey. The 2012 show will mark the launch of S2 Masters Certification. The certification is earned after eight hours of course work are completed, and in 2013, attendees who have earned the certification will receive a special ribbon for their badge noting the achievement. “It’s a good way to acknowledge their commitment and dedication to professional development,” Teague stated. The certification includes a printed certificate and recognition on the Surfaces website. On Jan. 24, Surfaces will offer Designing with Natural Stone, a full-day event from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Attendees can earn 5.5 LUs (all HSW, including one SD credit). It will include an off-site tour of Cadillac Stone Works and The Gallery Nightclub at Planet Hollywood, an educational luncheon called “ANSI to ISO: Improvements in Performance Evaluation,” a “Natural Stone and Sustainability: Exploring Trends and Advancements to Achieve High Performance” presentation, and a

www.ntlfloortrends.com I January 2012 ● 15

Left: Showgoers attend one of the many educational sessions at last year’s show.

guided walking tour of StonExpo and the Stone Pavilion led by Vince Marazita, followed by a reception and dinner. The 2012 Designer Day will also offer a full day of education, 8 a.m. to

NFT, FCI, TILE columnists to share their wisdom at Surfaces Columnists for National Floor Trends, Floor Covering Installer and TILE Magazine will once again be on hand at Surfaces to impart their knowledge and experiences in the flooring industry. Presentations include: • NFT columnist Sam Allman, presenting “The Selling Begins When the Customer Says No,” 8 to 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24; and “Marketing Your Business on a Beer Budget,” 4 to 5:30 p.m. the same day. • FCI columnist Jon Namba, presenting “Proper Substrate Preparation for Hardwood, Bamboo and Laminate,” 8 to 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24. • NFT columnist Annette Callari, presenting “Increasing Sales Through the Psychology of Color,” 8 to 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25. • NFT, FCI and TILE columnist Dave Gobis, presenting “Ceramic Tile Inspection Forensics,” 8 to 9:30 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 26. • Also be sure to meet the staffs of NFT, FCI and TILE at booths #S6408 and B2816, and around the show floor.

5:30 p.m. Jan 25. Attendees can earn up to 7.5 AIA LUs and 0.6 IDCEC CEUs. The day includes a 2012-2013 Design and Color Trends session led by Victoria Redshaw of Scarlet Opus, a guided tour of the showroom, a luncheon keynote by Antonio Ballatore of HGTV’s “The Antonio Treatment,” an off-site tour of the Cosmopolitan Hotel, and an International Trends session with Mark Woodman. Attendees can register either for the full day or just the luncheon. The 2012 show will not include a general session as it has for the past few years. Teague said this is because show organizers wanted to open the exhibit hall at 9 a.m., which left no time for a general session. Instead, Surfaces is offering eight featured sessions on topics ranging from marketing to residential countertop fabrication to ceramic tile inspection, and more, with seating to all sessions limited. “Attendees should register early if they want to get a ticket to one of these sessions,” Teague noted. Exhibitors offer a sneak peak Several exhibitors shared their Surfaces plans with NFT. Both Armstrong and sister company HomerWood will be exhibiting at the show. “Armstrong will host a Product Showroom. The Armstrong Room will be located in the Product Showcase Area within The Mandalay Hotel and open to all show attendees where customers can see products and merchandising displays and discuss how we can work

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together to build their business,” noted Joseph DeZarn, Armstrong marketing communications creative dir. “HomerWood has been extremely focused on creating the flooring styles and quality that meet and exceed customer expectations, and the company will capitalize on the opportunity at Surfaces 2012 to focus on products and programs aimed at helping dealers sell more and improve profitability,” added Wendy Wescoat, HomerWood marketing mgr. Jeff Meadows, Beaulieu of America’s chief marketing and sales officer, said the company is finalizing products for the show. “We will have a slightly smaller footprint on the show floor than in years past, but we will still be among the largest exhibitors there,” he stated. MAPEI will be celebrating its global 75th anniversary at the show. “This milestone will be central theme to our booth and our plans throughout Surfaces,” said Diane Choate, MAPEI Corp. public relations specialist. She added, “Our Tile & Stone Installation Systems category will once again be introducing new and innovative products in the area of mortars and grouts as well as surface preparation products. In the Floor Covering Installation Systems category, we will also be introducing new surface preparation products, plus highlighting new resilient adhesives and continued advancements in wood adhesives.” Cindy Mansfield, Tarkett Group marketing communication mgr., noted, “Our plans are to ensure that we maximize our return on investment based on the strategies we have for 2012 and the significant investment that is required for full Surfaces participation. We are still in the process of defining our activity for the Surfaces program since the value we find is so nft tied to the number of attendees.” ●

Surfaces Premium New Product Marketplace Surfaces New Product Marketplace Features the Latest Industry Launches

Visit the New Product Marketplace at Booth #B2418 to get a glimpse of some of the newest innovative product debuts at Surfaces 2012. Showgoers can browse the Marketplace to get a sampling of what is available at the show, then visit the manufacturers/suppliers at their booths for more detailed information. Here is a sneak peak at some of the products:

Meet Your Industry’s Buzz

RedGard® Waterproofing and Crack Prevention Membrane Custom Building Products’ RedGard® Waterproofing and Crack Prevention Membrane is a ready-to-use elastomeric membrane for both commercial and residential tile and stone application. Suited for interior and exterior substrates, RedGard creates a continuous waterproofing barrier with outstanding adhesion and reduces crack transmission in tile and stone floors.

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S avvy Hardwood Business I

by Rick Brian

The Latest Hardwood Flooring Trends in Colors, Styles, and Species

Rick Brian is President of R. B. Brian and Associates, Inc., a Management and Marketing Consulting company which he founded in 1997. His clients are primarily Manufacturers and Distributors in the Hardwood Flooring and Building Products Industries. Mr. Brian is the former President of Robbins Hardwood Flooring, and past board member of the NWFA, MFMA, and NOFMA. He is currently a member of the NAFCD and NWFA. “RBBA” is headquartered in Southern Pines, NC. www.RBBAinc.com.

Hardwood flooring has most certainly passed the “test of time” as a beautiful architecturally designed construction product for its natural aesthetics, form and function. Having been around for centuries, wood flooring has found its way from meager log cabins into fashionable homes and specialty retail stores, in European castles, and stately museums throughout the world. There are many reasons for its popularity over time, but most importantly is that hardwood flooring is a style-conscious, trend-setting decorator product preferred for its beauty and durability by architects, builders and contractors; and especially homeowners.

wider width plank floors. Prefinished engineered hardwood flooring in varying thicknesses is finding its way into the market, mostly for remodeling.

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Mid-Atlantic – Also a predominantly 3/4” solid market. This region prefers the natural to medium stain colors that most likely reflects the conservative culture of this historic region. Coastal communities are using more engineered flooring that provides more structural integrity with less expansion and contraction in areas with higher levels of ambient moisture. Antique Heart Pine flooring has been around for many years, and has its roots in this market. New engineered Heart Pine flooring options are opening up markets for this environmentally friendly product that heretofore were impractical. Mid-West – Again, 3/4” solid strip and plank flooring are the predominant styles installed in

New England – In the Northeast hardwood flooring has its highest market share as a percentage of flooring in the U.S. The most popular style is 3/4” random length solid wood. For years, on-site “sand and finished” strip flooring has been the product of choice, in both red and white oak species. More recently, prefinished flooring has grabbed a growing percentage of the business. Color preferences change over the years from medium tones (i. e. honey and amber) to darker stains like shades of walnut. Today, the darker stains have come back into vogue, as have

White Oak Buttercup flooring from Somerset Hardwood Flooring is a hand-scraped wide plank. Photo courtesy of Somerset Hardwood Flooring.

reated by Mother Nature, its many species offer a wide range of grain patterns, colors and textures. Woodworking machinery and technology have evolved over time to produce hardwood flooring in a wide variety of widths, thicknesses, lengths, finishes and patterns to create a style and look to match any interior décor; and a functional design for any flooring requirement. Here’s a review of the latest “Trends in Colors, Styles and Species” from a regional perspective. Hardwood flooring preferences do vary in every region from New England to the West Coast. The major common thread is hardwood flooring’s overall popularity.

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It doesn’t just set large tile. It sets the standard, too.

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by Rick Brian

Pictured is Somerset’s Harvest Oak, an example of a wider-width plank. Photo courtesy of Somerset Hardwood Flooring.

residential applications. Darker colors are the current trend as are wider plank widths. Hand-scraped hardwood flooring is a relatively new trend that is gaining in popularity. For a true square edge look, sawn faced engineered hardwood flooring is catching on in this region, especially for wider width planks. While red oak is still the predominant specie, Hickory, Maple, and Birch species are more readily available in a variety of stains and provide a different look for the discerning buyer. Walnut

and Cherry species are mostly finished with a natural stain to provide a very rich look. For on-site sand and finish jobs, an “oil wax finish” is gaining popularity. It uses bee’s wax and carnauba wax for a labor saving one-coat finish. Southern Region – Engineered hardwood flooring is the biggest seller in this region. The cross-ply construction provides the proper flooring application where crawl space and/or slabon-grade construction are the norm. Sawn faces provide the look of solid hardwood with the inherent advantages that engineered material offer to protect against cupping and crowning as the seasons change. Solids are still selling at the high end of the spectrum in the Carolinas where the added cost can be absorbed for extra insulation between the crawl space and underlayment board. American Cherry, Walnut and Maple are more readily available and have found a niche in the higher price point homes. Imported species like Brazilian Cherry, Mahogany, Teak, Jakarta and other exotic species were quite popular a few years ago and should rebound nicely when the overall housing market improves. ®

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by Rick Brian

Sunbelt Region - This region historically has had a lower hardwood flooring market share in the U.S. due to its dry arid climate. New advances in finishes and engineered hardwood flooring technology and design have made engineered flooring the product of choice. Consumers moving to this region want hardwood in their new homes. Builders are matching the right new products to make it work. Colors tend to be lighter and natural, and narrow widths are still the most popular look. Southern California – Engineered hardwood flooring is the biggest seller in this region due mostly to the typical slab-on-grade construction. Today there are more choices than ever. The sawn face product has become very popular and is available in a wide variety of species from the popular oak, maple, and birch to the more exotic species like Santos Mahogany, Teak, Bamboo, Tigerwood

and others. Rotary peeled engineered flooring continues to sell at the lower price points, mostly in red oak. Southern California is the most environmentally

Having been around for centuries, wood flooring has found its way from meager log cabins into fashionable homes and specialty retail stores, in European castles, and stately museums throughout the world. conscious region. This makes products like Bamboo, Antique Heart Pine, and other “Green” products attractive to environmentally conscience builders and

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homeowners. Most major hardwood flooring manufacturers today adhere to responsible foresting of hardwoods and comply with the latest FSC Certification standards for forest sustainability. Northern California & Pacific Northwest - 3/4” solid hardwood flooring is still the most popular style being sold in this region. Hand scraped and wider planks are definitely trendier as are species other than oak. Prefinished flooring is selling more than ever due to a wider range of available colors, and the inherent advantages of factory-controlled finishing technology. This has enabled manufacturers to extend finish warranties for a much longer time frame (some up to 25 years), and several producers now offer limited warranties for the lifetime of the product. Be sure to refer to specific manufacturers’ warranties for details and nft maintenance requirements. ●

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Carpet, area rug technology gets softer, more sustainable

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esidential and commercial customers want more sustainable content in their products, and manufacturers are responding with technologically advanced carpets, fibers and backing systems. The trend in residential is soft products, while in commercial, durable products in a denser construction are paving the way. Customers in both of these segments are also seeking out more texture and color.

by Michael Chmielecki, associate editor

Carpet & area rugs At Surfaces, Beaulieu plans to launch new looks in solution-dyed polyester, called EverClean, and another Stainmaster collection. “Polyester BCF continues to grow pretty rapidly. Along with providing growth in existing mills, it has brought along the development of new mills. There is also a greater move to solution-dyed yarns, and we’re going to continue to see more solution-dyed polyester products,” said Ralph Boe, Beaulieu of America president and ceo. He added that “resi-mmercial” looks, which combine a commercial appearance with residential colorations, are becoming popular. Soft fibers and softer products are also still popular, especially in bedrooms. Chris Bryant, Shaw vp research and development, said that softness is key. “The trend is going to a softer hand.” He points to the company’s Anso nylon product line as offering a soft-handed product with higher twist and recycled content. Bryant added that products with more recycled content are also a big trend in the residential carpet segment. David Duncan, Mohawk svp marketing, also noted that softness and sustainability are major trends in the residential carpet segment. The company is launching a new yarn system in its SmartStrand with DuPont Sorona polymer platform, called SmartStrand Silk. (DuPont Sorona is derived from rapidly renewable resources.) “This new introduction of SmartStrand Silk literally revolutionizes softness,”

Left: Iconic area rug from Bentley Prince Street, in a custom wine color.

A product from Beaulieu of America’s new Bliss EverClean solution-dyed polyester collection. According to the company, Bliss EverClean can be cleaned with a 50/50 bleach and water solution.

Duncan said. “Retailers whom we have done a preview of this product with are astounded by the feel.” Also new to the SmartStrand brand in residential is SmartStrand Ultra. “SmartStrand Ultra offers different levels of tonal looks. It features new space-dyed fleck yarns, new lcl patterns, and a very dense, tight construction that is still soft,” Duncan noted. It will also feature a specialized warranty. In polyester BCF, Mohawk is launching new looks in its Wear-Dated Revive program, while in the commercial segment, Mohawk is focusing on its SmartStrand Contract line. “We’re positioning SmartStrand Contract as a sustainable innovation,” said Kent Clauson, vp brand management. “Along with its rapidly renewable content, it resists staining and offers high-performing color retention.” Sustainable content remains a major trend in commercial products, according

to Eric Nelson, InterfaceFLOR vp strategic alliances. “As an overall philosophy for all of our materials, we want to decouple ourselves from petroleum. We’ve made some pretty good progress using recycled and/or bio-based materials.” “There are some products out there that are corn-derived, some that are sugarderived, and castor beans are something that has also been getting into fibers,” Nelson noted. He said the long-term durability of these materials for the commercial market remains unproven, and it will take “the next few years to innovate some of these materials so they are suitable for our commercial carpet where they will have to withstand a lot of wear and tear.” Two of the company’s product platforms speak to InterfaceFLOR’s goal of moving toward more sustainable products. Convert is a collection of products that featured recycled content. Additionally, Entropy is a carpet tile line

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where no two tiles are the same. Because the tiles do not have to be directional, it helps limit waste in the manufacturing process, according to Nelson. Natalie Jones, Mannington Commercial vp commercial brand development and creative product, noted that “having post-consumer content [in commercial products] is a huge thing.” She said commercial clients are moving away from flat patterns to more lively looks in modular carpet. “People really want to embrace texture and color.” She points to the company’s Elemental Spectrum, which features designs based on sound wave frequencies, as offering unique aesthetics. Additionally, the Equinox collection features proprietary ultra-large denier fiber for a heavier, bulkier texture, she noted. Jack Ganley, Mannington Commercial president, said he is seeing denser, tighter construction in commercial products.

Top: Carpet cushion from Healthier Choice. Left: Superba carpet cushion from Leggett & Platt.

“That is the result of newer tufting technology that allows us to go in lower the pile heights, profiles and face weights,” he explained. Valerie Ottaviano, Bentley Prince Street vp product design, noted that the lower face weights can also lead to lower material costs. “The money is in the nylon, and in the face weight,” she explained. “If you can have a sumptuous floor at 26 oz. instead of 30 or 32 oz., you can save that material without giving up performance.” Bentley Prince Street is also looking at new technology in its area rug program. “We now offer our entire running line and custom piece-dyed products with ADA-compliant rubber reducer borders in more than 200 colors with a highly sustainable non-slip backing,” noted Clint Schramm, vp marketing. The area rugs with these rubber borders can be sized up to 18’ wide with virtually unlimited length, he added.

Fiber, cushion & backing Invista is ready to unveil two new nylon 6,6 fiber products: SolarMax and TruSoft, and plans to launch new Stainmaster styles based on these technologies. SolarMax featured color integrated within the polymer for solid color throughout. “SolarMax has a very soft feel to it and the ability to hold its color in sunlight. It has very limited fading characteristics,” said Gary Johnston, Invista sr. marketing mgr. TruSoft fiber features an extremely soft hand with exceptional texture retention and durability against foot traffic, Johnston added. “It’s the soft world and the tough world wrapped together.” Fiber suppliers are also working on sustainable products. Aquafil USA has launched its Alto Chroma yarn with the new Econyl polymer, which is “the first of its kind to ever be manufactured with 100 percent recycled content,” according to Franco Rossi, president. Econyl features

a minimum of 25 percent post-consumer content, with the rest made up of postindustrial content. The content in the polymer ranges from recycled carpet to old fishing nets. “Most of the post-consumer material is carpet coming from the United States. The second largest source of material is fishing nets, being sourced out of Scandinavia. There are also fabrics and other materials coming from the Far East. They are all collected and go through a de-polymerization process. The final result is a plastic material that is totally indistinguishable from a product that comes from oil,” Rossi noted. Universal Fibers recently unveiled refreshfiber, a solution-dyed, 600 denier nylon product featuring both post-consumer and post-industrial content. “There is an initiative at Universal Fibers for our postconsumer content to come from recycled and reclaimed carpets,” explained Joe Parry, global brand and marketing dir. “We want to close the circle and reduce the amount of

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Tectonics/Binary modular carpet from InterfaceFLOR’s Convert collection.

products going to U.S. landfills.” Tim Blount, Zeftron Nylon business unit leader, said specifiers have become careful in the products they choose. “They want to make sure they specify a product that is proven and reliable and that will perform at levels that meet the end-user’s expectations. They are also looking for added value, such as greater or enhanced service or warranties.” Drew Holland, SE regional mgr., Healthier Choice Premium Carpet Cushion & Acoustical Solutions, said it is important for retailers to help their customers realize the advances in carpet cushioning. “Carpet cushion technology has significantly increased over the past decade, and the industry now provides a wide range of products that address not only general needs, but highly specialized and unique installation and performance requirements,” he said. Healthier Choice cushions feature technologies including MoistureBloc moisture barrier and Ultra-Fresh Antimicrobial protection. Additionally, Healthier Choice residential and commercial cushions carry both GREENGUARD

Indoor Air Quality and GREENGUARD Children and Schools Certified. Randy Dye, Leggett & Platt’s product mgr., carpet cushion div., said in this economic climate it is vital for retailers to trade their customers up to long-lasting premium products including carpet cushion. “We have some fantastic premium products for comfort, durability and performance levels,” he noted. “These are the types of products that offer the greatest value to consumers in the long run.” “A good cushion is essential for either residential or commercial settings,” Dye added. “It can help you feel more productive in the office and less weary at home.” Universal Textile Technologies recently announced that its backing systems have been verified by NSF International as NSF/ANSI 140 compliant-ready. This is in addition to a similar verification by UL Environments. According to Doug Giles, dir. marketing, this means that carpet companies choosing the company’s backings will be able to expedite NSF/ ANSI 140 certification. He is also proud of the company’s

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efforts to “partner with industries to put Americans back to work.” This includes a partnership with Yellowstone National Park to collect plastic bottles and convert them into material used to manufacture the company’s BioCel and EnviroCel cushion. A Yellowstone carpet collection has also been launched by Signature Crypton Carpet, featuring five styles with Econyl nylon and BioCel backing. Additionally, a wide range of residential and commercial carpet manufacturers offer their own technologically advanced backings. The Mohawk Group recently launched EcoFlex NXT, a PVCfree backing available on running line products and special orders. While it would be difficult to name all of the options available, other products include Beaulieu’s Nexterra for both residential and commercial carpet; Mannington Commercial’s Integra HP RE for broadloom, and the company’s rEvolve, a vinyl alterative backing for modular carpet. Additionally, Shaw Contract Group offers EcoWorx, a PVC-free backing for its modular carpet nft products. ●

D esigns in Style I

by Annette Callari A.S.I.D.

Flooring Innovations provides inspiration

Annette Callari is a highly regarded interior design and color expert with over 24 years of residential and commercial design experience. She currently serves as sales specialist for Amtico International in southern California, working with architects, designers, and key retailers. She is an allied designer with the American Society of Interior Designers, chair holder for Color Marketing Group International, and has authored numerous articles on color and design trends. She holds a degree in Interior Design from Fullerton College in Southern California, and a Professional Writers Certificate from Cal State University, Fullerton.

We all have a powerful tool at our disposal to literally transform our homes and our places of business. We can use it to create a level of comfort and security, or to increase sales, or to convey a message of professionalism and integrity. That “tool” is interior design. Floor design choices, effective space planning, and ‘intelligent’ product displays, should all work together in your showroom to produce positive results.

I

can share an example of one retailer who got that combination just right. There is a shining gem of a retail flooring store in the California desert: Flooring Innovations, located in Cathedral City. Opened in the fall of 2003, the owner of this model store, Bill Nicholson, had plenty of training in how to create a flagship retail environment. Bill is a veteran floor covering professional. His previous experience includes a decade as retail store planner for DuPont Corporation, traveling the country turning ordinary stores into Stainmaster Flooring Centers. Using Bill’s store as an example, store owners, designers and space planners should recognize the sound design principles applied to create a welcoming, functional space plan. For consumers, this analysis should set the bar for your own regional experience in shopping for floor coverings. Here are the key factors that, as an interior designer, I feel set this store apart from so many others. A welcoming ambience – First and foremost, as you enter this showcase store, there are amenities that say “welcome.” There is always someone to greet you at the front reception desk, and effective Feng Shui touches draw you in. A softly flowing waterfall feature creates a relaxing, upscale touch. Colorful flowers set the mood. Crystal bowls all around the store are filled with candies and mints. True-to-scale ceramic sheep add a touch of whimsy to the front windows, visually announcing the beautiful 100% wool carpets you are about to see.

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Exceptional space plan – It is a fact that this Cathedral City store is huge! But that, in itself, doesn’t ensure a spacious, open flow to a store. Big box stores are also huge, yet the flooring departments seem cramped and utilitarian. They overuse vertical space and show product at heights far above eye level. This doesn’t work because consumers make buying decisions based not only on what they see, but how the product feels. That pertains to carpet, of course, but also hardwood floors, luxury vinyl tile, natural stones and tile. Surface texture is important! Flooring Innovations took all of that into consideration and created a spacious, attractive layout. They decided to “departmentalize” different flooring materials to make the shopping experience organized and enjoyable. Displays and waterfall racks are set on the diagonal, creating roomy walk-through aisles with most products displayed at eye level. Specialty areas include carpets, area rugs, hardwood floors, luxury vinyl planks and tiles, laminate floors, natural stone, porcelain and extraordinary glass tile.

Ceramic sheep add a touch of whimsy to the front windows of Flooring Innovations, visually announcing the selection of wool carpets inside. Photo courtesy of Camarie Photography.

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by Annette Callari

Reserve tall, vertical displays for perimeter walls and shorter displays for the store interior. Photo courtesy of Camarie Photography.

Be creative with your vignettes and installations. Show what your floors can do! Photo courtesy of Camarie Photography.

Unique selections – There are international offerings to be found in every type of floor covering. Customers deserve to be exposed to an array of distinctive fashions for their floors. Successful retailers do a worldwide search for their customers and select materials that can’t commonly be found. Flooring choices are a long-term investment, and customers want to see the best possible offerings before they make their choice. F.I. ascribes to this formula, highlighting exceptional American-made products alongside tiles from Spain and Italy, carpets from Europe, Israel, Australia, and beautiful North American hardwoods. Intelligent displays – Here’s an area where the “less is more” theory applies. It’s not a matter of how many displays you can cram into a retail showroom, but what works for your customer base and what fits your space. Reserve tall vertical displays for perimeter walls. Shorter displays work well throughout the interior space. (Tip: An open sightline across the interior space of a showroom always gives a feeling of spaciousness.) Organize your displays to create walkways and direct traffic patterns where you want them to go. Choose attractive displays that tie into your marketing strategy and fit the demographics of your target audience. Displays need to produce results, and savvy owners should review their sales frequently to see which are working, and what needs to go. Combination lighting – To be able to make important design decisions, you have to see flooring products in the best light possible. Flooring Innovations uses natural light to its best advantage to assist in the selection process, along with strategic interior lighting. Creative floor design – Forward-thinking retailers use their own floors to showcase distinctive materials AND their installation abilities. F.I. designed their sample floors to highlight creativity.

Changing their floor vignettes frequently keeps the store current and relevant in an ever-changing market. Combining flooring materials within a design helps fuel the customer’s own vision and creativity. Comfortable work areas – So many retail stores forget one important ingredient in creating an environment conducive to creating floor designs. They have nowhere for customers to lay out and coordinate samples (along with any personal items brought from home for color and pattern). F.I. factored in a number of homey tables and seating where homeowners can assemble their “finds” and create a personal design. Mobile sales/design service – Sometimes customers simply need to see a selection of flooring choices in their own home. In today’s service-oriented market, most retailers offer in-home appointments. Others add product-equipped vans to take sales on the road. Either way, this is an important facet to meeting customer needs. Exemplary customer service – So far, we’ve focused on the physical attributes of retail store design. However, never forget the most important ingredient to creating a successful sales environment is exemplary customer service. From the courteous first greeting, through the actual sales process, to the final day of installation, the most successful stores commit themselves to superior customer service.

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There are some retail establishments that simply know how to create an exceptional buying experience. Nordstrom has done it at the fashion level. The Four Seasons Hotels have done it at the hospitality level. Flooring Innovations is one example of a retailer setting the standard for flooring sales. This commitment to excellence should give our industry reason to be proud, and nft inspire us in our own businesses. ●

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F ocus on Resilient I

by Ray Thompson Jr.

Tackling the Problem of Underlayment Joint Show-through Underlayment joint show-through is one of the most frustrating problems faced in the resilient flooring industry today. You install an underlayment and resilient material and leave the installation looking great, only to discover within several days that the joints in the underlayment are quite visible and objectionable to the customer. To understand this problem we must look at remodel and new construction aspects of underlayment installation A veteran of the flooring industry for more than 42 years and author of Focus on Resilient, Ray Thompson Jr. is a renowned installation expert and president of the Ray Thompson Floorcovering Institute in Easton, Wash. Ray conducts resilient, hardwood and moisture in concrete training programs for installers, retailers, distributors, and industry associations. He also serves as a consultant and operates his own inspection service. He most recently served as Armstrong World Industries, Senior Field Technical Specialist. You can reach him at rthompson1124@ gmail.com.

Remodel or Replacement In remodel applications it is a little easier to gain control of panel movement problems. These are broken into several categories. Each must be followed precisely to control movement. Storage: The storage of the underlayment must be in an environment that is similar to the environment in which it will be installed. This means the panels need to be removed from the skids and stored on end to allow air to circulate around each panel. This will allow the moisture content to either increase or decrease to correspond with the humidity of that area. Keep in mind that when underlayment panels are manufactured they have a varying degree of moisture content due to the manufacturing process. Then they are transported, in some cases long distances, from one type of climate condition to another. Many manufacturers and/or distributors will have skids of underlayment wrapped with plastic to protect the underlayment from the elements, but this can also affect the acclimation process. The retailer or installer that goes to either the lumberyard or distributor to pick up the underlayment the day before, or the day of, the installation is asking for an installation failure as there is no time allowed for acclimation. Acclimation: All underlayment manufacturers recommend underlayments be allowed to acclimate on the job site for 48 hours prior to installation of resilient floor covering. We do this with hardwood flooring, but are reluctant to do this with underlayments; yet underlayments are just as important and susceptible to moisture movement

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as hardwood. If the underlayment is stored in a shop with a controlled environment it is almost as good as storage at the job site, providing the panels are taken out of the skids and stored on edge. Moisture testing: Moisture testing should be done with a pin type moisture meter used for testing wood. The subfloor should not exceed 13% and the underlayment should be no more than 3% difference from the subfloor. Spacing: Depending upon the underlayment manufacture, there are several specifications regarding spacing requirements. This is predicated on the species of wood, the type of lay-up of the

Underlayment joint show-through as a result of the joints being patched.

by Ray Thompson

F

wood veneers or chips and the thickness of the specific underlayments. Since the spacing requirements vary so much it is imperative the installer know and follow these requirements. If you do not know the specifications then butt the edges lightly and do not fill the joints. Always allow an expansion zone around the perimeter of the room. Never fit panels tight. Nailing patterns: There are two important factors involved in the fastening of underlayments. First is the size of the fastener. Whether using a ring, screw shank nail or a staple, the first consideration is length. The fastener should not be longer than the

There are many opinions to properly prepare the joints of underlayment panels.

combined thickness of the underlayment and subfloor combined, because when a fastener blows through the subfloor, the holding power (withdrawal resistance) of the fastener is compromised. Second is the nailing pattern. All underlayment manufacturers have recommended patterns for fastening. These are determined by the thickness of the underlayment panels. You will generally find a closer pattern on panel edges than in the field. Even more important is that the fastener should be kept to within 3/8” of the joint edge to prevent the edges from peaking. In the field, stagger the nailing pattern to prevent a wavy effect in low-level light. The Engineered Wood Association suggests a diagonal fan pattern. The nailing should commence at the corner of the two butted

www.ntlfloortrends.com I January 2012 ● 35

01.12>Ad Index Company Name

F pg. no.

Bostik......................................................................................31 (800) 7BOSTIK (726-7845) • www.bostik-us.com Centiva...............................................................................10,11 (888) 236-8482 • www.centiva.com Coverings 2012 ......................................................................47 (800) 687-7469 • www.coverings.com Creteseal ................................................................................39 (800) 278-4273 • www.creteseal.com Custom Building Products ................................................5,19 (800) 272-8786 • www.custombuildingproducts.com Dust Collection Products .....................................................22 (877) 223-2154 • www.dustmuzzle.com

by Ray Thompson

sides and work across to the open sides to prevent any fullness from being nailed into the panels. Each panel should be fastened entirely, before proceeding to the next panel. Joint treatment: There are many opinions to properly prepare the joints of underlayment panels. I think the underlayment joints should be factory edges, butted lightly and sanded smooth. No patching, unless it is necessary for the occasional joint. When patch is used and an adhesive is applied, the growth of the underlayment will cause the panels to expand and push the patch up. Even though it is only pushed up slightly, it could be enough to show through the finished floor. Adhesives: Adhesives add water to the underlayment. Your selection of adhesive should also be determined as to the effect it will have on the underlayment. All adhesives manufacturers have specific requirements for the proper trowel notch for application

FLEXCO ..................................................................................23 (800) 633-3151 • www.FLEXCOfloors.com Florida Tile ...............................................................................9 (800) 352-8453 • www.floridatile.com FreeFit Floors .........................................................................13 (800) 230-1000 • www.freefitfloors.com

The storage of the underlayment must be in an environment that is similar to the environment in which it will be installed.

Mannington Mills .....................................................................3 (800) 356-6787 • www.mannington.com MAPEI Corp. ............................................................................2 (954) 246-8888 • www.mapei.com Mirage/Boa-Franc .................................................................21 (800) 463-1303 • www.miragefloors.com MP Global Products ..............................................................29 (888) 379-9695 • www.quietwalk.com Stauf USA ...............................................................................52 (866) GLUEUSA • www.staufusa.com Surfaces 2012 ........................................................................13 (800) 547-3477 • www.surfaces.com Tramex, Ltd. ...........................................................................36 (303) 972-7926 • www.tramexltd.com Tuftex Carpet Mills ..................................................................7 (562) 921-7209 • www.shawfloors/tuftex Wagner Meters ......................................................................20 (800) 207-2486 • www.RapidRH.com WFCA ......................................................................................51 (800) 624-6880 • www.wfca-pro.org Woodpecker/Namac Ind. ......................................................35 (800) 357-7181 • www.namac.com

Editor’s Note. The Advertiser’s Index is provided as a service to our readers. No liability is created by nor accepted for any inadvertent errors or omissions.

36 ● January 2012 I www.ntlfloortrends.com

of their adhesive over porous floors and underlayments. Equally important is proper open time. Open time allows the moisture to start to evaporate off the adhesive, and allows the adhesive to develop body rather than letting the moisture be trapped under the material. This forces the moisture into the underlayment, causing the wood fiber in the underlayment to expand. In residential remodel situations, often the underlayment is over an existing material or materials. These materials are effective vapor barriers, preventing the moisture migration from beneath the underlayment. If you are seeing moisture problems, chances are moisture must have been introduced into the underlayment during the installation phase. Give thought to the following: • The way the underlayments are stored. • If adequate time is given for acclimation. • Have you recorded the moisture test results for both the underlayment and substrate? • The method used to fasten underlayment panels to the substrate. • All joints are sanded smooth, no ledging between panel joints. • If the adhesive is applied with the proper notched trowel and adequate open time is given to the adhesive. Ask yourself if you have eliminated all possibilities of excessive moisture from being absorbed into the nft underlayment. ●

Mary Bishop* was devoted to her MHTPS`»ZÅVVYPUN business. When a Christmas Eve seizure led to the discovery of a grade III brain tumor, Mary suddenly had to focus on an intense treatment plan which included radiation, and chemotherapy. Good thing someone told her about the Floor Covering Industry Foundation

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Do you know someone who could use our assistance? Let them know there’s hope. For information or to make a donation, please call 714.634.0302 or visit FCIF.org. *The FCIF treats all of its grant recipients confidentially. Mary wanted to share her story with the public but asked that we keep their identity veiled. Her name has been changed

Green Matters

Finkell among opponents to proposed RELIEF Act by Michael Chmielecki, associate editor

D

on Finkell, Anderson Hardwood Floors ceo, participated in a recent teleconference hosted by the consulting firm Climate Advisers against H.R. 3210, the Retailers and Entertainers Lacey Implementation and Enforcement Fairness (RELIEF) Act. According to opponents of the proposed legislation, passage of the RELIEF Act would significantly weaken amendments to the Lacey Act passed in 2008 that are designed to combat trafficking in illegal logging. “We view the Lacey Act as good for U.S.

business, and we do not support any efforts to weaken it,” Finkell said. “Illegal logging issue an area of competitiveness we face. It’s just hard to compete with people who don’t pay a fair price for their wood.” Part of the proposed bill states, “In the case of a plant product that is derived from a tree, a declaration … is not required to include information … unless the plant product is solid wood.” (The full text of the RELIEF Act is available at www. gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-112hr3210ih/ content-detail.html.) Opponents say this measure would remove paper, plywood,

38 ● January 2012 I www.ntlfloortrends.com

pulp, furniture and musical instruments, among other products, from enforcement under the Lacey Act. They are also against language that would make a first offense “a civil penalty … of not more than $250.” “It excludes the pulp and paper industry from being regulated, and that is a major oversight in the way the bill has been drafted,” noted Roy Houseman, legislative

Illegal logging in Madagascar. Photo courtesy of Climate Advisers.

assistant for United Steelworkers, a group which also represents pulp and paper workers. “The pulp and paper industry is a significant economic engine, and the way this bill is written would exclude foreign companies from having to follow the same standards as U.S. producers.” Jake Schmidt, international climate policy director for the environmental group Natural Resources Defense Council, said the bill would “undermine very core provisions, including enforcement tools, seizure tools and what kind of products have to be covered in this act.” According to Andrea Johnson, forest campaigns coordinator for international campaigning group the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), a less powerful Lacey Act could lead to more illegal logging. “Illegal logging is a problem that drives massive deforestation and habitat lost. It has also been documented

as destroying the homes of endangered species. It causes social conflict and promotes corruption, robbing the

Part of the proposed bill states, “In the case of a plant product that is derived from a tree, a declaration … is not required to include information … unless the plant product is solid wood.”

government and the people of the ability to control and harvest the benefits from [responsibly managed] forests,” she said. Jameson French, Northland Forest

Products president and ceo, added that amendments to the Lacey Act have positively changed the way many countries fundamentally conduct their forestry business. “It has been a great thing for the world’s forests and American industry. Because of this Act, we have [more] legal, low-risk and sustainable forests.” The bill was created partly because “The 2008 [Lacey Act] amendments were overly broad and their enforcement as enacted could criminalize actions of a good-faith owner, purchaser, or retailer of a plant or plant product, subjecting them to penalties that include forfeiture, fines, and imprisonment,” according to language in the proposed bill. At press time, the bill had been referred to the Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, Oceans, and Insular Affairs, part of the U.S. House Committee on Natural nft Resources. ●

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By y He ea ath ther er Ga ad d don on o nn niiex, ex, ex EPD p EP prrog ogrra am mg mgr. grr.., U UL L En nvvir iro iron on nment ment me nt

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ransparency is one of the hot new topics in the green building industry, and it is a valuable concept. It boils down to this: If we are privy to social, environmental and health-related information about products and the companies that produce them, we are better equipped to make smart purchasing decisions. However, for many, the meaning behind transparency is vague and the path to achieving it is also unclear.

A Tool for Transparency One of the most sophisticated transparency tools used today is an ISO 14025-compliant environmental product declaration (EPD). This is a third-party certified, internationally recognized, comprehensive disclosure of a product’s environmental impacts throughout its lifecycle. An EPD reports the results of a product’s lifecycle assessment (LCA) as well as other information relevant to a product’s impact profile. Typically, an EPD will include information on a product’s carbon footprint and its potential impact on global warming, ozone depletion, acidification of land and water, eutrophication (an impact of water pollution), photochemical ozone creation, and any depletion of abiotic resources. Additionally, an EPD can include information pertaining to sustainability, health, performance or durability. EPDs are considered a Type III Ecolabel as defined by ISO 14025, and they are most often linked to the concept of a nutrition label. When created following ISO 14025 guidelines, EPDs promote transparency and facilitate apples-toapples comparability of impacts among products in the same category. This comparability is possible because they are based on product category rules (PCRs). PCRs are guidelines that establish what will be included in the environmental

product declaration, as well as the rules for conducting the lifecycle assessment on which the environmental product declaration is based. PCRs provide detailed instructions covering what data is collected and measured, and how the lifecycle assessment results are reported. PCRs can also outline any additional information reported in the

IT BOILS DOWN TO THIS:

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environmental product declaration, including health, indoor air quality, and safety or performance information. In order for these declarations to be viable on a regional and global level, it is important to make sure PCRs are aligned. PCRs help to standardize the data collection process. Once the PCR identifies the key attributes to be commonly shared within the

environmental product declaration, collecting data for the lifecycle assessment becomes easier and more cost effective. Results from the product category rulebased LCA are then synthesized into what becomes the EPD. In addition, EPDs standardize how information is reported, making it easier for end users to find and understand product information. Standardizing product category rules is vital to the success of EPD adoption in North America. EPD Adoption in the Building Industry Forward-thinking architecture and design firms are asking manufactures for EPDs and incorporating EPD information into specifications. The USGBC is also recognizing the need for transparency-based tools. Last summer the Certified Products and Materials Pilot Credit (Pilot Credit 43) was released, encouraging the use of environmentally preferable products and promoting transparency via two pathways for contribution: the certification pathway and the EPD pathway. The USGBC’s push for transparency is also seen in the latest draft release of LEED 2012. Architecture 2030 is also encouraging disclosure of lifecycle-based product impact information and the reduction of product carbon footprint through the Architecture 2030 Challenge for Products. International markets including Europe are also adopting EPDs. Outside of the EU, Masdar City, a large scale eco-city project in Abu Dhabi, is encouraging the use of EPDs and LCA to evaluate building products used in its construction. How is an EPD Created? The first step in creating a compliant EPD is to find an applicable product category rule for a particular product. If PCRs do not exist for the specific product category, one must work with

www.ntlfloortrends.com I January 2012 ● 41

Meet Your Industry’s Buzz

Steps in the EPD development process. Image courtesy of UL Environment.

an EPD program operator (such as UL Environment) to create a new PCR in accordance with ISO 14025. Once the appropriate PCR is determined, the manufacturer must conduct and independently verify a product lifecycle assessment. A range of factors is used to assess a product’s environmental performance, including energy and resource consumption, waste generation, pollutant emissions, impacts during use, and end-of-life considerations. An LCA provides a structure for identifying and assessing these and other factors. In order to complete an EPD, this LCA must be independently verified. According to ISO 14025, LCA verification can be done internally or externally. After the applicable PCR has been identified or developed and an LCA completed and verified, an EPD can be prepared. The EPD presents the results of an LCA as well as additional information about the product’s performance and other sustainability information. When an EPD has been completed, it must be submitted to an independent third party for a thorough review, verification and registration of the results presented — and any additional information supplied — per ISO 14025 guidelines.

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The Role of the EPD Program Operator All Type III EPD programs are guided by the requirements set out in ISO 14025. According to the standard, a program operator is responsible for the administration of the entire EPD

42 ● January 2012 I www.ntlfloortrends.com

program, therefore playing a significant role in the program’s effectiveness and acceptance. One of a program operator’s most important responsibilities is determining whether an existing PCR is sufficient for the assessment at hand or if the development of a new PCR is required. In cases when a new PCR is deemed necessary, a program operator should make every effort to facilitate harmonization with similar documents by adopting content from existing PCRs in the same product category. Efforts to achieve harmonization with existing PCRs, and the reasons for not adopting available content, should be documented in any new PCR. It is important to note that EPDs are just one tool in the proverbial sustainability toolbox. They are extremely valuable when used to find condensed information on a product’s environmental impact in one easy-to-find location. However, the intent of an EPD is not to replace multiattribute sustainability certifications that indicate environmental preferability. You have the ability to meet customer requests for more robust sustainability information. In order to fulfill potential LEED requirements, start requesting ISO 14025 compliant EPDs from product manufacturers. For more information about EDPs you can also reach out to UL Environment by emailing epd@ nft ● ulenvironment.com.

NOTE: This story previously ran in a slightly different form in Environmental Design + Construction.

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Creekview Ranch Middle School marries sustainability, function By Paul Whang, LEED AP BD+C, Perkins+Will

C

reekview Ranch Middle School – a LEED-NC Goldcertified, 87,623 sq. ft. campus located in Roseville, Calif., approximately 20 miles outside Sacramento – has seen thousands of teens shuffle in and out of its doors since its opening nearly two and a half years ago. This foot traffic has helped test and validate the sustainable flooring decisions made by the Dry Creek School District and the Los Angeles-based design team of Perkins+Will. Although representing only a small percentage of the total construction cost, the flooring plays a crucial role in reflecting the district’s new emphasis on sustainability and high performance. Following is a brief description of the key flooring products. 44 ● January 2012 I www.ntlfloortrends.com

Carpeting LEED credits MR 4.1and 4.2, EQ 4.1 and 4.3 Cubic and Metamorphic carpet tile systems by Interface, with the Glasbac Tile RE backing, comprise more than 50 percent of the total flooring. Carpet tile was first specified for its performance, versatility and ease of installation and maintenance. However, the Interface tile also met high standards for recycled content (more than 50 percent in the backing) and highly sustainable manufacturing methods.

The school’s new gym. Photo courtesy New York Focus.

One of the classrooms at the recently renovated Creekview Ranch Middle School. Photo courtesy Digital Sky.

Notable Interior Products Flooring: Marmoleum Real Sheet Linoleum by Forbo; Cubic Modular, Transformation and Metamorphic carpet tiles by InterfaceFLOR; Johnsonite TerraTurf Recycled Tile walk-off mats; Crossville porcelain floor tile; Daltile cermaic floor tile. Ceiling: Armstrong ACT - Fine Fissured, Optima Open Plan, Clean Room Mylar Wood: FSC framing lumber from Lumbermens; FSC wood flooring from Action Floor Systems, Inc. Interior Finishes and Furnishings: Skyblend Particleboard; Richlite Countertops; Trespa Toplab Plus; Icestone Countertops; American Olean quarry tile; Forbo cork board; Trespa Athlon toilet partitions. Paints and Wallcoverings: Whispertone Wallboard by Johns Manville; Fabric wrapped acoustical paneling by Lamvin, Inc.; Tnemec, Prosoco, Valspar, Dunn Edwards and ICI paints.

At first, the school district was hesitant to use this product. For years, the standard had been a utilitarian single-color broadloom carpet with standard installation and a “cookie cutter” cutand-paste repair method. Knowing that carpet tile was not the district’s standard, the low-bid flooring subcontractor proposed an alternate for the standard broadloom carpet, with the lure of an apparent 15 percent cost savings. Perkins+Will, with the help of the carpet tile manufacturer, was able to demonstrate that the 15 percent cost disappeared when the sustainable installation process was considered. Instead of the usual adhesives, 3” square adhesive stickers were applied to all four corners of the tiles. This method virtually eliminated the VOC fumes typically associated with standard, and even low-VOC adhesives. The benefits of this system become apparent with maintenance. Any stained tiles can be quickly replaced with attic stock, using the original adhesive stickers.

The new flooring is designed to withstand foot traffic from the school’s many students. Photo courtesy New York Focus.

Linoleum LEED credits MR 4.1and 4.2, EQ 4.1 and 4.3 The district’s previous standard for resilient flooring was VCT; Perkins+Will was able to demonstrate that linoleum was a better, more sustainable choice in this case. Forbo’s Marmoleum linoleum flooring with Top Shield coating was specified for heavy-traffic public areas such as lobbies and the cafeteria. Forbo’s sustainable ingredients, low-VOC installation methods and sustainable (SMART platinum) manufacturing processes became the deciding factors in its selection. Entrance Floor Mats LEED credits MR 4.1 and 4.2, EQ 4.1 and 5 As part of the initiative to create healthier learning environments, permanent entry floor mats were designed for all classroom entrances. Debating various factors such as exterior versus interior and permanent versus portable, the team specified Terra Turf matting by Johnsonite. The matting comes in 12” by 12” tiles for flexibility and was installed with low-VOC adhesive. What may be the most important factor is the matting’s ingredient: 100 percent recycled tires. The students can relate to the use of everyday tires as a building material, making the matting one of the few obvious building components that can directly teach the students about the school’s sustainable design. During a recent campus site visit by the architects, the district’s facilities director shared this story: Gallons of water were accidentally spilled in the administration area. For the linoleum flooring, simple mopping cleaned up the areas. The real story was in the carpeted areas. The maintenance crew peeled the wet carpet tiles off the floor, cleaned and sanitized them, and then let them dry in the central California summer heat. Twenty-four hours later, the same tiles were reinstalled without any hint of what had happened. Since that day, carpet nft tile has replaced the broadloom as the district’s standard. ● NOTE: This story previously ran in a slightly different form in Environmental Design + Construction.

www.ntlfloortrends.com I January 2012 ● 45

01.12>Products

1

Armstrong Commercial debuts Rejuvenations Armstrong Commercial Flooring has added Rejuvenations sheet flooring to its portfolio of products designed for healthcare, retail and hospitality applications. The Rejuvenations series includes three collections: Ambigu, StoneRun, and Timberline. Reef ABC, Surf E.

2

New from Johnsonite, the Slidelock Glueless Flooring System, allows resilient tiles to be installed without adhesive, according to the company. Tiles featuring the Slidelock design can be aligned in a range of patterns.

1 3

2

Johnsonite introduces Slidelock Glueless Flooring System

Tile Redi rolls out display for dealers, distributors Tile Redi offers a convenient, stand-up display which showcases its line of shower pans and related items. Constructed of sturdy corrugated material, the easy-to-assemble piece takes up less than 4 sq. ft. of showroom floor space, the company notes. Booth #B3233.

4

J+J/Invision rolls out Fine Line modular carpet New from J+J/Invision, Fine Line is a modular carpet series featuring a variegated field of texture in varying proportions to achieve a traditional look with modern appeal, the company says. The series features a PVC-free eKo backing and patterned loop construction, and is available in nine colors.

3

MAPEI introduces Planiprep surface preparation products MAPEI’s new series of Planiprep surface preparation products includes: Planiprep AR (Adhesive Remover); Planiprep SA (Scouring Agent); and Planiprep ET (Epoxy Treatment), which caps the subfloor to control moisture emissions. Booth #B3855.

Michael Raskin unveils Elevations floating LVT Michael Raskin’s new company Raskin Industries has taken the wraps off Elevations, a floating LVT series that achieves stability with a fiberglass sheet layer and non-skid attached PVC backing. Elevations launches with 20 SKUs; 13 wood look planks and seven 12” x 24” tile designs. Booth #S7808.

4

46 ● January 2012 I www.ntlfloortrends.com

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5

5

LSI Floors revamps formats for seamless transitions LSI has revised the formats for its entire product collection to simplify transitions from carpet to hard surfaces, the company says. The luxury vinyl collections include more than 160 patterns and colors that are presented in a format that mimics the scale of carpet tile—5 mm thickness and 14” by 24” size.

6

Shaw introduces LokDots carpet tile installation system New from Shaw Industries Group, LokDots is a pressure-sensitive adhesive system designed to offer a non-toxic, odorless installation. Applied using an ergonomically designed triggerless handheld applicator.

7

Custom Building Products debuts RedGard membrane Custom Building Products’ RedGard Waterproofing and Crack Prevention Membrane is a ready-to-use elastomeric membrane for both commercial and residential tile and stone applications. Suited for interior and exterior substrates, RedGard is designed to create a continuous waterproofing barrier with outstanding adhesion, reduces crack transmission in tile and stone floors, and qualifies for Custom’s Lifetime Warranty. Booth # B4013

8

6

7

BR-111 goes wild with introduction of Zinfandel BR-111 has unveiled its Zinfandel Tigerwood engineered wood flooring for the kitchen, which takes traditional Tigerwood flooring and treats it with an exclusive light scraping technique for a unique character, the company says. Zinfandel Tigerwood features a 5” board with a 1/2” thickness and 12-71” board lengths.

Ann Sacks takes wraps off Winter Whites stone tile series Ann Sacks expands its offerings with Winter Whites, a collection of three new marble tiles. Winter Whites includes: Thassos Extra, the purest white tile the company offers, in 16” x 16” field tiles; Neve, with smoky accents, in 18” x 18” field and mosaics; and Naxos, a quartz-like finish available in 16” x 16” field tiles and mosaics.

Mediterranea USA launches Calacata HD Mediterranea USA has introduced the Calacata series, a glazed porcelain collection that emulates the look of Italian Cararra marble. The collection is offered in four sizes: 12” x 24”, 12” x 12”, 6” x 6” and 3” x 6” formats. Booth #B3027.

8

48 ● January 2012 I www.ntlfloortrends.com

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9 9

Gerflor launches new LVT with vertical locking system New from Gerflor, the Creation Clic system is a high-traffic vertical click flooring system. The Creation Clic system includes a fiberglass grid for unmatched stability, according to the company. Booth #S6080.

10 Amtico’s Spacia Access floors for commercial applications

New from Amtico International, the Spacia Access series of loose lay access floor tiles includes 16 offerings, with nine wood, five stone and two abstract designs. All are beveled with a urethane coating, a backing comprised of 100% post-industrial recycled content, and are FloorScore certified.

11

11 Karastan adds new styles

to Knightsen rug collection Karastan has added four new styles to the Knightsen rug collection. The new designs feature palmettes, rosettesa and curvilinear vines and distinctive borders; colors include gray, red, caramel, gold, coral and purple.

Coverings Etc. launches

12 Eco-Terr Retro terrazzo tile Coverings Etc. has expanded its ecologically friendly terrazzo tile line with Eco-Terr Retro, which contains 70 percent pre-consumer recycled content derived from marble, granite and stone chip byproducts. The tiles are available in a wide range of motifs as well as fully customizable patterns. Surfaces Booth #Reef ABC, Surf E.

Bostik Flooring debuts Vapor-Lock one-step wood flooring adhesive

10 12

Bostik’s Flooring Group has unveiled VaporLock urethane adhesive, a contractor-friendly formulation that doubles as a vapor-retarding membrane. Vapor-Lock is a one-part, trowelapplied adhesive engineered to deliver rapid tacking and bonds to all types of wood flooring. Booth #B3641.

Brintons, Stacy Garcia unveil Speakeasy carpet collection Speakeasy is the newest collaboration with Brintons and famed hospitality designer Stacy Garcia, a custom woven Axminster carpet inspired by the Art Deco style of the 1920s. With the company’s HD Weave technology, clients can create customized design with 24 colors.

50 ● January 2012 I www.ntlfloortrends.com

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