LUXURY FLOORING by Premier Flooring Retailer Magazine

LUXURY FLOORING A Design and Resource Guide For LVT, Resilient, Vinyl, Rubber, Cork, and more

A special presentation of FABULOUS FLOORS www.rfci.org

www.fabulousfloorsmagazine.com

WHY MANNINGTON?

Styles, performance, and durability that can’t be found anywhere else.

Adura ® Distinctive Plank · Iron Hill

ma n n ington. com 1 .8 0 0. 3 5 6.678 7

We’ve been making quality, award-winning flooring for nearly 100 years.

LUXURY FLOORING A Design and Resource Guide For LVT, Resilient, Vinyl, Rubber, Cork, and more

America’ Fastest Growing Flooring

Discovering Resilient Flooring

What is Resilient Flooring?

A Closer Look at Luxury Vinyl Tile

Resilient Flooring Has a Rich History 6 What’s In a Word? The Resilient Flooring Glossary

Jeanette Chasworth — The Magic of Color

Resilient Flooring and Your Lifestyle

Kathy Ireland — Designing with Resilient

What You Don’t Know About Luxury Vinyl Tile Flooring

Resilient Flooring Room by Room

LUXURY FLOORING

“LUXURY FLOORING” is a joint initiative of The Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) and Fabulous Floors Magazine, LLC. Copyright RFCI© 2015. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in anyway without written consent from the Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) 115 Broad Street, Suite 201, LaGrange, GA 30240 PUBLISHER

Margo Rodgers Locust, Fabulous Floors Magazine, LLC MANAGING EDITOR

Janice Hoffman, Creative Strategies PR

Designing with Resilient Flooring

PUBLICATION DESIGN

Entryways, Gathering Spaces, and Living Areas

Ron Toelke, Toelke Associates

Storage Areas and Utility Rooms

Kitchens and Bathrooms

Dining Areas

Bedrooms and Nurseries

Playrooms and Sunrooms

Resilient on Main Street

Premium Materials and Premium Performance

The Flexibility of Modular Resilient Flooring

RFCI — The Resilient Floor Covering Institute

Recycled Luxury Flooring, Good for Air Quality and Certified for Sustainability

Seven Reasons to Love LVT and Resilient Flooring

Installation and Maintenance

Getting Ready to Install

First Things First

Resilient Floor Care and Maintenance

Resilient Flooring Q & A

Q & A with Tim Hanno, Director of Retail Sales for Karndean Designflooring

Before You Buy Vinyl / Resilient Flooring

A special Thank You to the following organizations for their valuable contributions to this project.

www.asid.org

www.neocon.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS/EDITORS

E.A. O’Connell, Jeanette Chasworth, Karen Michelson, Barry Briskman FABULOUS FLOORS MAGAZINE is published

quarterly by Fabulous Floors Magazine, LLC , a Georgia Limited Liability Company. PO Box 2166, Dalton, GA, 30722. Contact: 678 -761-5002. FABULOUS FLOORS logo is a trademark of Fabulous Floors Magazine, LLC. This publication and all of the information it contains are provided “as is” without warranty of any kind, whether expressed or implied. All implied warranties, including, without limitation, implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non- infringement, are hereby expressly disclaimed. The Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) and Fabulous Floors Magazine have not performed any independent analysis in connection with the information contained herein including without limitation, its accuracy and content, or the availability and color reproduction of the products shown, and expressly disclaim any obligation to include information other than that presented herein. Under no circumstances will the publishers be liable to any person or business entity for any damages, including direct, indirect, special, incidental, consequential, or exemplary damages, resulting in whole or in part, from any use of, reference to, or reliance upon this publication.

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America’s Fastest Growing Flooring Resilient flooring is the best-selling hard surface flooring in America. It’s also the fastest growing flooring on the market. Interior designers have relied upon it for decades for commercial spaces; and it has become a popular choice for homeowners as well. When you are considering the features and benefits of flooring, resilient has them all.

uch of the resilient flooring on the market is made of high-performance vinyl. So, it’s highly durable, easy to clean and wear-resistant. You’ll find it in hightraffic public spaces such as hotels, hospitals, schools and shopping malls. So you know it will hold up to family activities in a busy home. Today’s state-of-the-art manufacturing and imaging technologies have created beautiful aesthetics. That’s why it’s the preferred choice for celebrity designers such as Kathy Ireland, Lynn Kegan, Jeanette Chasworth, and members of The American Society of Interior Designers, (ASID) featured in this issue. Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) in particular replicates natural materials such as hardwoods, parquet, ceramic tile, travertine, limestone, marble, and slate in a flooring that’s more durable and often less expensive. And unlike natural materials, resilient flooring won’t chip, crack, warp or yellow. It’s not just the affordable price point that saves you money. Resilient flooring lasts a long time with very little maintenance. Just damp mop the flooring with a recommended cleaner to keep its always-new appearance. Low upkeep and long lifespan create a low cost of ownership. If you’re looking for “green” flooring, it’s hard to beat resilient flooring. Look for the FloorScore® label that assures you the product will contribute to a healthy indoor air environment. Many products include recycled content and are recyclable. Moreover, there are several certifications and standards (see pages 68–70) that document the flooring’s sustainability from selection of raw materials to product design to manufacturing practices. Perhaps most important, you can be assured that resilient flooring is safe. The principal raw material for vinyl is derived from common salt, an abundant and inexpensive natural resource. Vinyl is trusted for a wide range of products such as blood bags and medical tubing that help save lives. Hospitals use resilient floors as they are easier to keep clean, tested for slip-resistance and designed for better indoor air quality. We hope this issue gives you lots of ideas that will help in your flooring selection. And visit www.rfci.com, the award-winning website of the Resilient Floor Covering Institute, to see more products and get information on everything from installation to maintenance. Dean Thompson President of the Resilient Floor Covering Institute

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Discovering Resilient Flooring What is Resilient Flooring? Resilient flooring is the hard surface flooring with a little bit of give. From cork and leather to sheet vinyl and luxury vinyl flooring, contemporary resilient flooring looks fantastic and performs even better.

ith that extra give, resilient flooring is kind to your feet and legs. Those working on their feet in kitchens, workshops or retailers can attest to the comfort of a resilient floor compared to ceramic tile or terrazzo. Using state-of-the-art digital imaging, including different species of hardwood, and innovative formatting like planks, resilient flooring offers unlimited possibilities of style and design. Gone is the dated high-gloss finish found on older sheet vinyl and stick-on tiles. Today’s luxury vinyl flooring has pleasing satin and matte finishes. The resilient flooring used in countless floors for over 100 years is linoleum. It is still a popular flooring choice and it is made the same way using renewable resources and no environmental toxins. With colors updated and durability increased, the flooring applications of linoleum are limited by the imagination. From the oldest to the newest resilient, luxury vinyl flooring is gaining traction in residential and commercial applications. Luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) come in squares and rectangles, in sizes up to large format that is favored currently by designers and architects; the installations use simple click-together technology, grouting is optional — more for aesthetics than function. Luxury vinyl planks (LVP) come in stone- and wood-look planks, with widths up to 6 inches and lengths to 48 inches (4 feet). LVP’s are laid similar to a traditional plank floor or in patterns, like chevron or herringbone. Floors can be designed so that the pattern can be made up of LVPs in a length that requires no trimming. Sheet vinyl has benefitted from technology in terms of looks and performance. Digital imagery works its magic, improving sheet vinyl’s aesthetics. State of the art finishes give sheet vinyl the kind of toughness associated with high-end wood flooring. Sheet vinyl is easy to maintain and offers a forgiving surface to toddlers, pets, and dropped plates. Vinyl composition tiles (VCT) are a workhorse of resilient flooring. They are used in commercial, educational, healthcare and some residential applications. VCT wears like iron, but needs attention for maintenance in the form of buffing and polishing. Cork and leather have been the dark horses of resilient flooring. Both made from the byproducts of agriculture, cork and leather can up the sustainable ante of your home. Cork flooring comes in dozens of colors in glue-down tiles or floating, click-lock no-adhesive planks. Leather flooring applications come in planks with a floating installation, and tiles with a traditional adhesive installation. ¢

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A Closer Look at Luxury Vinyl Flooring Luxury vinyl flooring (LVF) is a relatively new term that encompasses luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) and luxury vinyl planks (LVP). These categories represent choices that present the aesthetic of limestone, marble, Papua ebony or tropical bamboo, along with the hard wearing, low maintenance and affordable attributes of luxury vinyl flooring.

rchitects and construction specifiers are among the fans of LVT. Through digital imagery and sophisticated manufacturing processes, the textured surface and graining in “wood” planks and veining in “stone” tiles create a look so compelling, design professionals are challenged to pick which flooring is luxury vinyl. According to the World Floor Covering Association, the ability to replicate real hardwoods and stones using advanced photographic technologies is the foundation of luxury vinyl flooring systems. There are four distinct layers fused together to produce the final product: a resilient vinyl backing, a vinyl color layer, a photographic film layer, and a urethane or aluminum oxide top layer. The protective top layer (also called the wear layer or mil layer) is very important to the durability of the product. Quality products will have as high as a 40 mil layer. Commercial applications can successfully utilize 20 mil or above. Luxury vinyl tile and luxury vinyl planks model the enduring optics of natural stone, species of hardwoods and full spectrum of ceramic and porcelain tiles while meshing with the realities of contemporary living. LVF’s durability and easy cleaning and upkeep are appreciated as much as their fashion forward design sensibilities. They are at home on a back-country ranch or a cosmopolitan penthouse. ¢ At top: Luxury vinyl tile; left: luxury vinyl planks.

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By Betsy Amoroso, Sr. Director, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Mannington Mills, Inc

Resilient Flooring Has a Rich History Resilient flooring as we know it today has gone through more than a century of evolution and innovation. From its humble beginnings as linoleum to its current incarnations as sheet vinyl and Luxury Vinyl (LVT), resilient has come a long way. First invented by Englishman Frederick Walton around 1860, Walton’s factory in Staines, England, was exporting to Europe and the United States by 1869 . In 1877, the Scottish town of Kirkcaldy became the largest producer of linoleum in the world.

A page from the Kastner & Öhler catalog, Graz, Austria, c.1900, showing the elaborate patterns popular at the time in Europe and America.

Fancy floral patterns offered by Mannington’s Manitex Rugs, 1950s.

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alton opened the American Linoleum Manufacturing Company in 1872 on Staten Island. By the early 1900s, the United States was manufacturing a similar type of floor covering, called oil cloth, which then gave way to felt-base products (which is similar to today’s traditional sheet vinyl). Some of that floor covering was made by the American Oil Cloth Company in a Salem, New Jersey plant managed by John Boston Campbell. Several years later, that plant manager founded the J.B. Campbell Mfg. Co., which today (after several iterations) is known as Mannington Mills, one of the world’s largest flooring manufacturers and a company that is widely known for its design and technological innovations in resilient flooring. Throughout the 1930s, and up to the 1950s, linoleum and felt-base floor coverings were an integral part of home decorating. Many of these floor coverings were made as ‘rugs’ so they could be laid down and taken up just as easily as today’s area rugs would be. When the rug became dirty or a change of style was desired, all the homeowner had to do was roll it up, and put down a new one. In the 1950s a company called Sandura manufactured and marketed a new type of rotogravure vinyl floor covering. Other companies soon followed and the product caught on in the marketplace. Rotogravure is, literally, “a printing system using a rotary press with engraved cylinders.” This process, continually refined over the years, is still used today in the printing of vinyl floor covering. Technology is one thing — style and design is quite another. So while the technological innovations were important to the manufacturing companies, design trends were important to the consumer. The early vinyl rugs were printed in bright, bold colors because they were used as an accent to a room, but later on as flooring became more of an integral part of a decorating scheme, sheet vinyl patterns reflected the trends of the times.

Futuristic geometric patterns popular in the early 1960s.

Linoleum floor care c.1940s,

•T he 1950s saw products such as Mannington’ s Manitex Rugs, which came in everything from bold geometrics to fancy florals; •T he 1960s gave rise to futuristic geometric patterns; •T he 1970s offered an interpretation of Spanish tiles; and … •B y the 1980s sheet vinyl was shiny and modern. Today’s vinyl flooring offers colors, textures, patterns and other options that no one could have imagined, even just a decade ago. Besides sheet vinyl (which now is available in both felt-backed and fiberglass constructions); an entirely new category of vinyl has become mainstream: luxury vinyl flooring. Available in both plank and tile formats, this flooring offers incredible beauty and realism along with superior durability and easy maintenance. Often called “LVT” for luxury vinyl tile, it’s become the product of choice among many consumers because of its positive attributes. One area that should not be ignored is that of environmental attributes of resilient. Much of today’s vinyl flooring is manufactured in the USA and much of it uses low-VOC water based inks, that contributes to LEED green building credits, and is FloorScore certified for good indoor air quality. Always check the manufacturer’s website for details on environmental attributes before purchasing the product. In fact, websites are a great place to start when looking into any product as they offer a glimpse into the company, its philosophy, and the products it makes. As time goes on, undoubtedly more product innovations will take place, and the flooring choices available to consumers will continue to grow. Resilient flooring has a long and rich history and thanks to product design and innovation, it seems it will continue to thrive for many, many more years to come. ¢

part of the US Army Conservation Program developed by the Corps of Engineers.

Above: “Spanish Tile” resilient flooring c.1970s. Left: Mannington’s “Lustrecon” resilient from the 1980s.

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NEXT-GENERATION VINYL Laura Neuman, Allied ASID, NKBA

Like stained concrete and carpet squares, vinyl is the latest commercial floor product to be reinvented for residential use. Unlike faux flooring of yesteryear, a new generation of vinyl floor products offers quality, low maintenance, and durability. Replicating the look of stone, tile or hardwood, advanced digital technologies create detailed images of natural-looking textures in an endless array of colors and tones. Available in sheets, tiles, or plank-style strips, vinyl is ideal for high-traffic and high-moisture spaces.

“

Owners don’t want to worry about the preciousness of a wood floor, the hardness of tile or the dirt that will show on the carpet. Vinyl presents something that’s relatively affordable and looks like an expensive floor.

“

ne of the benefits of working with a professional interior designer is being privy to insider options—trends and new products to which you’d otherwise be oblivious. For Laura Neuman of PepperJack Interiors in Loomis, Calif., vinyl flooring is her current residential pitch. Beautiful, easy-to-install, durable, and affordable, she’s been suggesting vinyl as an alternative to hardwood on recent renovation projects. Seeking a good-looking product that they won’t see in every other home on the block, many clients are embracing the smart, cutting-edge choice.

For a classic contemporary in one of the most soughtafter neighborhoods in the greater Sacramento area, Neuman selected wood-look vinyl flooring for the renovation of an en suite master bathroom and adjoining walk-in closet. The owners marveled at the final product, wishing they had made the practical choice years earlier. LAURA NEUMAN Allied ASID, NKBA

Award-winning designer Laura Neuman, an Allied Member of the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), is the founder of PepperJack Interiors in Northern California, where she serves clients based primarily in Loomis, Granite Bay, Roseville, Auburn, and Lake Tahoe. Armed with design and engineering degrees and a love of fine art, history, and literature, she offers residential clients her unique take on inspired luxury for new construction and remodeling projects. ASID | 40 years. One Voice. 10 ❚ LUXURY FLOORING

PepperJack Interiors 9751 Clos du Lac Circle Loomis, Calif. 95650 916-834-9751 pepperjackinteriors.com

asid.org |

718 7th St. NW, 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20001

What’s in a Word? Resilient Glossary Asphalt Tile An obsolete floor surfacing unit composed of asphalt or hydrocarbon resins or both, crysotile asbestos fibers, mineral fillers, and pigments. Aluminum Oxide Added to the urethane finish for increased abrasion resistance of the wear layer. Backing Vinyl is constructed of several different layers: the wear layer, the printed or decorative layer, an inner core consisting of a foam and vinyl layer, and a backing. The type of backing determines how it can be installed. Cork Tile A floor surfacing unit made from natural cork shavings compressed and baked to be thoroughly and uniformly bonded together. Cushioned Vinyl Flooring Any vinyl sheet floor covering incorporating a foam layer as part of its construction. Decorative Layer The rotogravure printing process offers a multitude of design possibilities such as patterns, geometrics, natural stone designs and more. Dimensional Stability The ability of resilient flooring to retain its original dimensions during the service life of the product. Embossed Having a permanent multilevel surface produced by mechanical or chemical means. Flexibility The ability to be bent, turned, or twisted without cracking, breaking or showing other permanent damage and with or without returning of itself to its former shape. Floating A method of vinyl flooring installation in which the flooring is not bonded to the substrate by any adhesive. Full Spread A vinyl flooring installation method in which the adhesive is troweled over the entire substrate. Inlaid Sheet Flooring A floor surfacing material in which the decorative pattern or design is formed by colored areas set in to the surface. A design so formed may or may not extend through to a backing. Inner Core Consisting of a foam and vinyl wear layer, the inner core provides durability, insulation and comfort. Linoleum Made of natural ingredients that include linseed oil, cork, limestone, wood flour and tree resins. The color goes all the way through, making it extremely wearable and durable. Perimeter Adhered A vinyl flooring installation method in which adhesive is only applied to the perimeter of the flooring and also at the seams. Plank A form of resilient floor covering having an aspect ratio greater than 2:1. Post-Consumer Recycled Content The portion, often expressed as a percent by weight, of material used in the manufacture of a new product, where the material has been recovered or otherwise diverted from disposal. Printed Sheet Vinyl Flooring A floor surfacing material which has a printed pattern and is protected with a wear layer of transparent or translucent vinyl plastic. The wear layer may also include a specialty performance top coating.

Resilient These floors have some “give” or elasticity when you walk across them. Tending or able to recover from strain or deformation caused especially by compressive stress. This category includes linoleum, cork, rubber and specialty resilient. Rotogravure This process involves a print cylinder that spins around while the vinyl’s core layer (called the gel coat) passes underneath. The cylinder systematically prints various colored ink dyes to create the pattern. Rubber Rubber flooring is extremely durable, virtually indestructible, quiet and warm to walk on. It also resists dents and stains and its waterproof surface has an anti-slip finish. However, rubber must be installed by an experienced installer for maximum performance. Seams Since vinyl comes in 6' and 12' widths, seaming may be necessary depending on the area to be covered. Certain patterns will hide seams better. Slip Resistance The ability to counteract loss of traction. Solid Vinyl Tile A resilient tile flooring composed of binder, fillers and pigments compounded with suitable stabilizers and processing aids. The binder consists of polymers and/ or copolymers of vinyl chloride, other modifying resins, and plasticizers which comprise at least 34% by weight of the finished tile. The polymers and copolymers of vinyl chloride comprise at least 60% of the weight of the binder. Subflooring A rough floor on top of which the vinyl flooring is applied. That structural layer intended to provide support for design loadings which may receive resilient floor coverings directly if the surface is appropriate or indirectly via an underlayment if its surface is not suitable. Substrate The surface on which the vinyl flooring will be laid. If installing over a wood substrate, an underlayment will generally be necessary. A concrete substrate will not require an underlayment but will require some floor preparation. VCT Vinyl Composition Tiles A resilient floor covering composed of binder, fillers, and pigments. The binder shall consist of one or more resins of poly (vinyl chloride), or vinyl chloride copolymers, or both, compounded with suitable plasticizers and stabilizers. Other polymeric resins may be incorporated as part of the binder. Vinyl Made from a mixture of polyvinyl chloride and plasticizer, it is usually flexible and non-porous. Pigments are added for color. Wear The accumulative and integrative action of all the deleterious mechanical influences encountered in use which tend to impair a material’s serviceability. Such influences include, but are not limited to abrasion, scratching, gouging and scuffing. Wear Layer A layer of material applied to the top surface of vinyl flooring. The thickness of the wear layer varies with each vinyl product collection, or series, and is generally measured in mils. The thickness of a mil is about the same as a page in a phone book. Premium wear layers offer superior resistance to stains, scuffs and scratches. How long a vinyl floor will look new and fresh is based on the wear layer’s performance. ¢

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The Magic of Color Your resilient floor is an integral part of your design and it is the feeling that you want to create in your home. One of the unique things about resilient flooring is just how many options there are to choose from. Wood tones, stone and tile, and the list continues. Because of the nature of the flooring, they are able to find some very creative colors, textures and patterns. It is also a great way to incorporate the look of some rare or exotic woods as well. There are so many options out there, it’s very easy to be overwhelmed... but it doesn’t have to be that way though.

Y JEANETTE CHASWORTH Jeanette Chasworth, a.k.a. “The

our floor is the foundation of your home’s color palette and should work with all the colors in the rooms where it’s used. Typically, people are more likely to have the same flooring throughout a home, as it provides some continuity. Your floor should not be the same color as your furniture, but should provide contrast. Many of today’s resilient flooring options have several different tones to provide interest, depth, and blend with more different types of décor. The floor should enhance the colors of the rest of your furniture. When you are creating your home color palette together, you are telling a story as each color means something different. Your floor should enhance all the other colors in your home. Ideally, you should create the look all at once but that is not always possible.

Color Whisperer,” is a color expert and interior designer based in Southern California. She’s a frequent guest speaker on various radio programs and is currently unveiling a new line of paint with Earth-Conscious “Nature’s Palette.” For more color tips and guidance with resilient flooring options, please visit: thecolorwhisperer.com

Left: Tandus Centiva substrate. Above: Karndean Opus WP417 Sylva — an example of style and contrast.

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Grayed woods are VERY popular right now. Many manufacturers have a wide variety of grays with undertones of blue or gray. These colors create a sense of calm and stability — a sense of comfort and strength and steadfastness in a world that is constantly changing and bombarding us with information. We find comfort and peace in the rock solid strength of gray.

Deep, dark wood tones can be bold and beautiful too in the right setting. Often they are used in more formal areas, and can be beautiful in modern rooms with clean sparse lines. It creates a dramatic statement and a sense of elegance.

Light floors can make a room look bigger. They create a room that is light, bright, and airy. It often creates a very relaxed and casual atmosphere. One caveat is that it may show wear more in high traffic areas, but it’s worth it if you want this light and bright feeling. You will most likely have other light, bright, and fun colors in your palette with this floor. Mid-tone woods are the most common choices because of the flexibility and neutrality to work with many different styles of furniture and colors. They can incorporate styles from the casualness of country, craftsman simplicity, Victorian elegance and even modern expression. These colors feel safe, comforting and traditional. There is great comfort in tradition, Just like gray gives a sense of stability, there is comfort in having something that reminds you of a better time, even if it is romanticized. It makes you feel safe and “at home.”

Resilient flooring color and style samples courtesy IVC US.

Resilient isn’t just restricted to wood colors, but also has many stone and tile colors and you can play with patterns as well as color. Be creative with the patterns for something really unique. Color is such an intrinsic part of your home and the flooring is one of the most important decisions. It is the foundation of your color scheme, and just like foundation makeup, it should enhance all the other colors that work with it. Your home décor tells your story and should make you feel good. Select several colors and bring them home to try in order to make sure that you get the right flooring for you. This is a decision that will last many years so make sure it’s right. Don’t be afraid to ask a professional designer for help if it’s overwhelming. Your floor is a big investment and a little help will reap many rewards. ■ www.rfci.com ❚ 13

Beaulieu There’s Only ONE… Bliss COREtec o·n·e™ the latest technology in the luxury vinyl market, offering features and benefits unique to its patent-pending, rigid core construction. It offers the durability, sustainability and style that is unmatched in other flooring categories. COREtec o•n•e™ • Fast and easy to install without acclimation • Installs in large rooms without transition strips • Installs with minimal floor prep • Resists water without damage to the flooring • Hides subfloor imperfections • Installs directly over existing hard surface floors • Dimensionally stable — will not expand or contract

Bliss COREtec o·n·e™ offers 12 exclusive colors and visuals that are traditional, trendy and everything in-between.

Buxton

Fiji

Hatteras

Heritage

Promenade

Riverbend

Sandbridge

Santa Cruz

Spalted

Surfside

Tarboro

Wildwood

Bliss COREtec o·n·e™ is GREENGUARD GOLD certified for Indoor Air Quality, offering complete peace of mind when it comes to a fresh and healthy environment. Easily Installs Over Existing Hard Surface Floors Durable PVC Wear Layer (12 mil) Protects against excessive wear; provides superior cleanability and superior stain resistance with two Coats of UV acrylic finish. Luxury Vinyl Top Layer (1.5 mm) Durable, resilient — virgin vinyl resists chips and dents COREtec o•n•e™ Structure (4.0 mm) Extruded, high density waterproof core is stable — will not expand or contract. Hides subfloor imperfections, glueless installation profile and no acclimation necessary. Rigid plank technology eliminates ripples and waves caused by uneven subfloors such as ceramic tiles and concrete.

Riverbend

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The Finishing Touches Five available moldings in coordinating colors. Matching moldings are available for plank decors in: T-molding, overlap reducer, stair nose, baby threshold and quarter-round profiles. ■

The patent-pending* construction of Waterproof

Engineered

Flooring

Sandbridge 949

A M E R I C A

Bliss COREtec o·n·e™ is the latest introduction in the luxury vinyl market, offering features and benefits unique to its patent-pending, rigid core construction. It offers the durability, sustainability and style that is unmatched in other flooring categories. Bliss COREtec o·n·e™ offers 12 exclusive colors and visuals that are traditional, trendy and everything in-between. Bliss COREtec o·n·e™ is GREENGUARD GOLD certified for Indoor Air Quality, offering complete peace of mind when it comes to a fresh and healthy environment.

Super Durable COREtec o•n•e™ features a 12 mm commercial rated wear layer for maximum durability. Two coats of our UV acrylic finish provides superior stain resistance and cleanability.

100% Waterproof COREtec o•n•e™ floors can be installed in wet areas and will never swell when exposed to water. All styles are backed by a lifetime waterproof warranty.

Very Innovative

Eco-Conscious

The patent-pending* construction Greenguard Gold certified for is extremely stable and will not indoor air quality. expand or contract. No need for expansion strips in large rooms. No acclimation required prior to installation. www.rfci.com ❚ 15

Metroflor Metroflor LVT: Home Design that Performs At Metroflor, we’re passionate about marrying great design with the latest advancements in flooring functionality. Our LVT product offering is designed to let you make a personal style statement while meeting your particular performance and budget needs. For every application and installation method… and every budget… our new LVT styles and designs mirror the new directions in home interiors.

hat’s trending? Size matters in ceramic and woods. Larger format tiles that have been common in ceramic and porcelain and wider, longer planks are what consumers increasingly look for in LVT. At 60 inches long and over 8 ½ inches wide, Metroflor’s Engage Reserve Timber is one of the most visually impressive products in the LVT category in this oversized format. Engage Select Tile features a linear stone pattern in a variety of colorations in the modern and popular 12" × 24" rectangular format. Waterproof, all Engage floors feature the fast, efficient Unilin installation method. The Metroflor-branded Modera Tile Collection is a true showcase of the possibilities in LVT styling and

visuals with 21 new full-spread, grouted visuals in versatile 18" × 18" and 12" × 24" formats, which add warmth to any area of the home. Inspired by hardwood floors that are frequently offered in multi-width configurations, Metroflor’s New Haven Plank Dryback flooring comes to life with 4", 6" and 8" planks: enhanced realism and authenticity with these varying widths. Our Aspire Groutable tile brings the look and feel of ceramic without the maintenance worries: an array of 18 new, striking designs, styles and sizes in larger square tiles and the new rectangular 12" × 24" tile collections. Size up the latest looks in LVT by visiting metroflorcorp.com. ¢

Left: Modera Tile in Beige Castello. At top: Aspire Vienna in Galaxy. Above: Engage Reserve Timber in Redding Oak.

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BRAND NEW LOOKS.

BRAND NEW

SIZE Introducing Metroflor® Engage® RESERVE TIMBER – our newest line of woodgrain planks. At approximately 8.5" x 60", RESERVE TIMBER delivers big impact and even bigger performance in any space. Learn more @ MetroflorEngage.com.

888-235-6672 | metroflorengage.com

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Resilient Flooring and Your Lifestyle Designing with Resilient Designing and making fashion flooring choices with chic resilients, is surprisingly affordable. Resilient flooring, also known as vinyl, offers style, comfort and today, even luxury, without breaking your budget.

KATHY IRELAND Kathy Ireland is CEO and chief

esigning and making fashion flooring decisions, with chic resilients, is surprisingly affordable. Resilient flooring, also known as vinyl is offered nowadays in countless designs, styles and patterns, without breaking your budget. Resilient flooring is making a comeback. It is being sought after for its beauty, years of longevity, durability, and effortless maintenance and is considered a healthier option for people with allergies. Most resilient flooring today is designed with a dash of flair in mind, and with today’s economy, the resilient flooring option is an excellent alternative. Growing up, I didn’t always think of resilient flooring as being luxurious, but it’s come a long way! Resilient flooring is one of the hottest emerging trends. There is a wide range of resilient flooring to choose from, with many design choices to best fit one’s personal style — and all with a touch of glamour.

designer of kathy ireland® Worldwide (kiWW®), a design and marketing firm. Forbes Magazine describes kiWW® as a “two billion dollar business model.” License Global Magazine names kiWW® the 31st most powerfully licensed brand, globally. kiWW® offers designs in fashion, weddings, home, flooring, office and more...

Wood looks in resilient flooring are very popular and come in endless styles and colors like Karndean’s VGW 90T Sequoia Red Wood.

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Investing in resilient flooring may be exceptional for you if you’re considering saving money. When you apply beautiful area rugs from Kathy Ireland® Home by Nourison, it establishes a welcoming environment. www.nourison.com/kathyireland/

This area rug by Nourison brings added softness and style to your resilient floor.

DURABILITY AND COLORATION Most of us in the design industry are impressed with the hassle-free maintenance of resilient flooring. Heavy traffic? No problem. Too much sun? Resilient flooring is fade resistant and will rarely discolor. Family and pets running in and out? Bring it on. Resilient is scratch and moisture resistant and unbelievably easy to care for. It is never necessary to wax, polish, seal or sand in order to maintain its longevity and beauty. It is also astonishingly durable. The wood look appeal in resilient flooring is darling and popular, it comes in endless colors and textures like hand-scraped or reclaimed wood looks that are absolutely gorgeous. The distressed design look? Stunningly and utterly beautiful… simply divine. It is giving real wood flooring a run for the money. The choices of designs, styles and textures are very generous. These offer the homeowner options to affordably design a room that fits their personality, with a luxury look. ¢ Resilient is scratch and moisture resistant and unbelievably easy to care for, making it ideal for bathrooms, kitchens, laundry and mud/utility rooms. SHAW RockCreekTile_127_Whitewater_ MixedUpMos720_Bath

TIP! Invest in the purchase of 10% additional resilient. Should you need to replace in the future, you will already have the material! Resilient flooring is definitely a market expansion that is serving families in new ways. I hope you consider resilient flooring for your next design project!

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Courtesy World Floor Covering Association | www.wfca.org

What You Don’t Know About Luxury Vinyl Tile Flooring By Annette M. Callari, Allied ASID; Chair Holder, CMG

There is a segment of the floor covering market that hasn’t received the full attention it deserves. Commercial designers/specifiers are HUGE fans of this, but what they know hasn’t filtered down to be shared with many consumers at large. Well it’s time to share the features and benefits of luxury vinyl tile flooring (also referred to as LVT) and separate these unique products from the mix of other vinyl goods. Luxury vinyl tile couldn’t be more different, not only in how it’s manufactured, but in the total aesthetic and applications. an you have the look, graining, and character of real hardwood in vinyl tile flooring? Yes! Today’s state-of-the-art manufacturing processes can create amazing vinyl “wood” planks and textured “stone” tiles that rival the real thing admirably. I have been invited to visit some of the top design firms in metropolitan Los Angeles and Orange County, California, and amazingly, what I have seen are beautiful office suites with elegant luxury vinyl “wood” planking or vinyl “slate” adorning those office floors. These top designers can have any flooring material they want, yet so many of them chose luxury vinyl tile flooring.

Luxury Vinyl Tile Flooring Construction

Mohawk Westport Moroccan Spice.

Mannington Adura Century Pebble.

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The ability to replicate real hardwoods and stones using advanced photographic technologies is the foundation of luxury vinyl flooring systems. There are four distinct layers fused together to produce the final product: a resilient vinyl backing, a vinyl color layer, a photographic film layer, and a urethane or aluminum oxide top layer. The protective top layer (also called the wearlayer or mil layer) is very important to the durability of the product. Quality products will have as high as a 40 mil layer. Commercial applications can successfully utilize 20 mil or above. Lower mil layers are available, but should be specified only for light traffic applications.

Karndean Da Vinci Noir.

Left: Sandbridge from Beaulieu.

Features & Benefits of Luxury Vinyl Tile Flooring Below are some of the key features and benefits for luxury vinyl tile and plank flooring

Luxury Vinyl Tile Flooring Features

Luxury Vinyl Tile Flooring Benefits

Incredibly realistic photo replication of natural materials (photogravure process)

The look and feel of nature’s best materials at a lower cost are a reality of LVT flooring manufacturing

Brands that offer 100% vinyl material

Vinyl flooring satisfies Green building standards and earns LEED points in commercial applications

Inherent safety features

Meets requirements of commercial flammability codes, slip resistant requirements and a menu of other safety codes

Ease of maintenance

Simple damp mopping is the recommended cleaning procedure for LVT floors

Excellent selection of sizes, shapes

The size options vary by manufacturer, but many styles are available in 12" × 12", 18" × 18", 12" × 24" sizes, and planks in standard (3" × 36", 4.5" × 36") and extra-large widths (7" or 9" widths)

Naturally water resistant

LVT floors are inherently water resistant (and fairly impervious to wet spills from above). It’s important to install over flat, dry, approved substrates so that no water seepage occurs beneath the floor

Scratch, stain, dent and scuff resistant

Specialized wear layers (most common are 20 mil; some offer up to a 40 mil layer). Then the floors are coated with urethane to enhance durability

Cost effective

Economics factor favorably into the specification of Luxury Vinyl Tile Flooring for both commercial and residential applications, giving the look and feel of rich, natural materials at a lower cost

Exceptional Realism and Durability Luxury vinyl tile floors are designed to capture the timeless look of natural stone tile flooring, wood planks and ceramic tile floors, while providing an extremely durable and comfortable surface for everyday living. Luxury vinyl tile flooring comes in many extremely fashionable designs ranging from contemporary to rustic and many feature deep embossing for stunning realism. Many of the luxury vinyl tile designs can be installed with grout or without grout, for a true stone or ceramic tile appearance. ¢ www.rfci.com ❚ 21

APC Cork Nature’s Wonder Surface Material Cork is an amazing resource, with diverse uses. Cork flooring offers high performance and unmatched utility, in some cases for more than 100 years. In fact, if you have been to the Library of Congress, you have walked on a vintage, original cork floor!

ince 1898, cork floors have been used in public buildings, such as churches and libraries – long before it was used in residential applications. High fashion and sustainability are driving cork flooring these days.

Great Appearance + Environmental Responsibility = Renewed Interest in Cork Cork manufacturers have seized upon the benefits of cork and developed colors and tile shapes that offer and infinite variety of patters. From large format tiles, to intricate inlaid borders, cork also comes in a color wheel of colors and shades. This is not your grandmother’s flooring. Cork’s unique natural aesthetic is finding favor among a generation looking for new textures and visuals. Cork introduces a fresh take on the perception of traditional interior surfaces. The rising popularity of cork is not only testament to its attractive optics, but also to its excellent sustainability and environmental properties. Cork oak trees can live for 250 years and are capable of having their outer layers harvested every nine years throughout their lifetime with no damage to the tree. Some cork flooring primary materials are byproducts of wine bottle stopper manufacturing

Above: Spectrolite from the Gem Collection; right: Aphrodite in Natural from the Assortment Collection.

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Cork Looks Good and Does Good Cork flooring offers excellent health and safety benefits. There are natural properties in cork that resist pests. Suberin is a substance in cork that repels insects, mites and mold, while protecting the floor from deteriorating. Studies have shown that Suberin also gives cork flooring important fire resistant properties. An added benefit is that cork does not trigger allergies.

The Benefits of Cork Keep on Coming Beyond great looks, sustainability and health and safety benefits, cork offers: • Sound absorption • Wear resistance • Fire retardant • Thermal insulation • Comfort • Hypoallergenic After you check out cork flooring online at www. apccork.com, take a moment to stop by your flooring showroom to see firsthand why all this buzz about cork flooring keeps growing!

VinylCork Is Vinyl Flooring Reinvented! VinylCork at APC Cork distinguishes itself with the beauty and variety of luxury vinyl flooring that features an extra layer of cork that adds comfort and acoustic insulation.

ike regular LVT, VinylCork comes in a variety of realistic styles, including wood-effect planks in shades ranging from dark-grained hardwood, to sun-bleached driftwood greys. VinylCork floors come in eye-catching stone tiles, as well. VinylCork’s good looks are protected with a micro ceramic wear layer that is embedded in the top layer of it’s vinyl surface.

Put a Cork On It APC’s VinylCork wood-look collection comes in a long plank format for a sophisticated elongated look. VinylCork has a unique structure that works to provide maximum stability, from top to bottom: • two-mm luxury vinyl surface atop • agglomerated cork layer • moisture-resistant fibreboard core • integrated cork underlay VinylCork is ideal for those who appreciate the easy-to-maintain nature of vinyl, but also want more out of their flooring. The extra comfort and sound insulation that cork provides will hit the mark.

VinylCork floors facilitate healthier home and commercial environments! The versatile anti-microbial and anti-allergenic properties of cork allow VinylCork to span so many applications for both the residential and commercial markets. Without added treatments, VinylCork is naturally resistant to mildew, bacteria, insects and fire, all of which make cork a great choice for design and building. Consider VinyCork in applications such as: • Hospitality • Healthcare • Education • Retail • Multi-living • Corporate Environmentally friendly, VinylCork floors contain 13 percent pre-consumer recycled cork content and 18 percent post-consumer recycled vinyl content. They are also FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) accredited. APC’s VinylCork is treated with Microban® antibacterial protection and certified by Greenguard® for low emissions. VinylCork’s installation is a snap with the Uniclic® installation system. VinylCork offers both ease of maintenance and an authentic appearance that is now widely associated with LVT floors, but it also provides much more in terms of performance, thanks to the natural properties of cork. ¢

Left and above: Iceland.

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Karndean Design it with flooring! Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) is becoming increasingly popular among designers because of the value it offers compared to its natural counterparts.

t’s a more affordable and versatile alternative to real wood and stone, which often have drawbacks when installed in commercial environments. Take maple, for example. Natural maple is beautiful, but soft, and therefore unable to withstand the heavy traffic of commercial environments. That’s where LVT provides the perfect alternative. Our Art Select Maple collection provides the beautiful visuals of a real maple floor, but it’s more affordable, easier to maintain, and far more durable. Furthermore, Karndean’s LVT offers something that natural wood and stone simply cannot match: designflooring. The aforementioned Art Select Maple collection features beautiful aesthetics, such as a hand-scraped texture and random width, random length planks. However, it doesn’t stop there. Karndean’s designflooring allows designers to mix different types of wood- or stone-effect products, or even a combination of the two. Planks and tiles can be cut to create exquisite designs or logos. Add in borders or design strips and design options are endless. There is no limit to the customizable ability of Karndean’s designflooring. Whether you’re designing for a commercial space or a busy household with pets and children, you want a floor that looks great and combines easy maintenance with a long lifespan—Karndean Designflooring is the perfect answer for both. Visit www.karndean.com to find all that Karndean’s designflooring can do for you. ¢

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Opus Magna; below left: Knight Tile York Stone; below: Art Select Woods Dawn Oak.

Art Select Stones Travertine

Slate

Marble

Limestone

Each design has been created from its original inspiration stone recovered from various locations throughout the world.

Introducing the new collection of Art Select Stones.

Karndean traveled the world to find the original slate, marble, travertine, and limestone responsible for influencing this remarkable line. Now, you can share the inspiration of these experiences in the comfort of your own home. Art Select Stones are more versatile and easier to maintain, while offering the beauty and durability of natural stone.

Featured floor:

LM08 and LM18 Caldera (888) 266-4343 | info@karndean.com | www.karndean.com

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Armstrong Armstrong Alterna Like natural materials, Alterna flooring is incredibly beautiful and durable.

lterna groutable tiles are warmer to the touch, kinder to feet, and easier to care for in any room of the home. With new designs that offer exciting options to create a high-end custom look, from the laundry room to the living room it’s an ideal flooring choice to use throughout the home. Alterna engineered stone flooring is ideal for kitchens, bathrooms, basements, laundry rooms, and other high-moisture areas. Unlike ceramic tile, it can be installed over minor subfloor irregularities without the risk of cracking and it installs in about half the time of ceramic tile. The different shapes and sizes allow for many creative installation and patterning options to create a customized upscale look. From laying square tiles in a diamond pattern, to using rectangular tiles in a herringbone design and even mixing sizes and shapes to create windmills, complicated 3-way opus patterns and beautiful borders. The tiles are FloorScore™ certified for low VOC emissions. Available in 12 colors to match any desired look, Armstrong’s stain resistant grout and adhesive also are low VOC products. Alterna engineered stone is backed by a Lifetime Residential and 5-year Light Commercial warranty from Armstrong. ¢

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Alterna™ & Alterna Reserve Engineered Stone Flooring.

Whispered Essence & Regency Essence Hint of Gray D7176 & D7175

THE PERFECT ALTERNATIVE. Alterna™ engineered stone tile is the innovative alternative to natural stone and ceramic tile. It’s incredibly durable and beautiful like stone and ceramic, yet warmer to the touch, kinder to your feet and easier to care for. Our award winning designs are offered in a versatile color palette; light or dark, warm or cool, subtle or striking, the choice is yours. No matter what look you choose, Alterna lets you enjoy a floor that’s as easy to live with as it is to love. www.armstrong.com

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Resilient Flooring Room by Room Designing with Resilient

or centuries, the most beautiful floors in the world have begun with the patterns, colors and textures of nature. The skilled hands of artisans have shaped and refined them into beveled stone, tightly mortared tile and softly oiled or highly-finished wood surfaces. New technologies and visionary designs now offer these traditional wood, stone and tile looks in resilient flooring — beautifully realistic, affordable, durable and environmentally friendly. The power of resilient to restyle an individual room or an entire home is a triumph of advanced technology and artistic imagination. Designers today are celebrating individuality. The exciting news is that resilient is especially customizable. It can be installed in numerous patterns — including herringbone, basket-weave or diagonal. Trim pieces can complement a floor design. A medallion can add a dramatic focal point, mixing with other design materials. Contrasting borders can define spaces or accentuate any room or hallway. Entire resilient staircase systems, from traditional to avant-garde, invite you to customize and integrate floor designs. Because design should begin and end with creativity and personal vision, feel free to start with the words, “Just imagine…. ” Resilient will take care of the rest. ¢

Wales — IVC Flexitec cushioned fiberglass sheet vinyl flooring.

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Mohawk’s Simplesse LVT Offers Easy Installation & More

Karndean Knight Tile Range White Painted Pine.

Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) from Mohawk is a popular, luxurious flooring option that has functionality and style. The stellar combination of appearance, durability, cleanability and comfort that this LVT provides is hard to resist. Add the ease of installation and Simplesse LVT is a winner! Simplesse features a glueless installation with a patented locking system featuring reliability and joint integrity. Planks simply click into place with zero adhesives required, for a fast, easy and worry-free installation that all busy homeowners appreciate. In fact, here are some great Simplesse Installation Tips: 1. A Simplesse LVT floor can be walked on immediately after installation. 2. A Simplesse floor does need to acclimate since it’s a floating floor and will take 48 hours to do so. 3. Mohawks offers transitions to fit the LVT to another flooring including T-molds and reducers Mohawk Simplesse LVT is made from 100% virgin vinyl and contains no recycled content. Other LVT may contain heavy metals, mercury and harmful chemicals. With Simplesse VLT you’ll have the peace of mind that your floor is safe for your family and pets. ¢

Shaw Harwich 6-inch Plank in Raven.

Don’t worry, the high shine, almost plastic look of older resilient is a relic of the past. Today’s resilient floorings offer a full range of finishes and looks embossed and printed with such clarity that they look and feel like their source materials of stone, wood or tile. Think of the difference between older formats of resilient with today’s resilient as the difference between stenciling and precision, high resolution digital imaging. Modern resilients have a texturized finish, some with an embossed or groove like look that seems so realm not even reaching down and touching it dispels that impression. For there are resilients that are manufactures with actual textures, typically in stone and tile fashions.

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Entryways, Gathering Spaces and Living Areas When you walk into a home, whether for a celebration or after a long day’s work, you want to feel welcomed. Elegant enough to host an anniversary party, and comfortable enough to kick off your Manolo’s, it is a fine art to have your living areas serve their purpose while reflecting your personal style. Flooring plays an enormous role in setting the mood of your home; it being the one surface with which every person interacts. Not only does flooring directly connect with people; it connects every space in your home. Today’s choices in resilient flooring suitable for your home’s public areas should meet the requirements of the most demanding critic — you! If you’re leaning toward an eco-friendly solution, cork flooring comes from a completely renewable resource Moreover, it’s beautiful and so chic that it’s trending. Or, if you have a center hall, LVT black and white tiles set on the diagonal is a classic, ageless look. By changing the tiles’ to a marblestyle LVT, in a subtle color duet, you get a floor that’s current, but respects the bones of your home. ¢

Above: IVC Balterio Grey English Chestnut. Top right: Mohawk Simplesse Driftwood Teak Inspired Spirit Bermuda. At right: Armstrong Alterna Polished Pewter.

30 ❚ LUXURY FLOORING

Left: Karndean Hartford Lounge; below: Mannington Adura LVT Avalon.

Shaw Easy Style vinyl plank.

If budget isn’t the reason, why would you buy a luxury vinyl floor over, let’s say, a hardwood floor? Granted that Luxury Vinyl Flooring (LVF) is high performance and high fashion, it is all about natural looks with enhanced features. Advances in production have launched Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) also called Luxury Vinyl Planks (LVP) floors to be the best-looking flooring in wood, while providing characteristics that perform better than natural wood. For instance, luxury vinyl planks never need refinishing, don’t warp due to moisture and are indistinguishable from real wood. Clearly, luxury vinyl planks trump natural wood in this maintenancecare-and-looks trifecta! Above: MetroFlor Aspire Sumner Chromium.

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IVC IVC US Floors — incredible realism, color, and texture One of the highest compliments a manufacturer can receive is a customer that expresses his or her admiration for their product and encourages others to use it, too. However — when a celebrity designer is said happy customer — that takes the compliment to an entirely different level of humble flattery.

A LYNN KEGAN Since I was a kid, I’ve always been interested in everything building and design. From those early projects, I learned first-hand the challenges, excitement,

and

rewards

designing something and seeing it come to life. With a wide range of experiences from my studies at Savannah College of Art and Design to the countless designs I’ve now created on television, for personal clients, and small businesses, I am continuously humbled and inspired by the positive and amazing changes good design and good products have brought into my clients’ lives. My passion is to bring these life changes to more people through creating well-designed spaces and sharing well designed products. Keep it real — keep it you.

IVC Moduleo Sicilian Slate Veranda.

32 ❚ LUXURY FLOORING

ppearing on such shows as Food Network’s Restaurant Impossible and HGTV’s Designed to Sell, Designer Lynn Kegan first came across IVC US sheet vinyl products while searching for flooring for a television makeover show. “I remember my budget and install time were really tight and the visual impact needed had to be huge,”said Kegan. “I was standing in a retail store considering all my flooring options, and I kept coming back to this one particular sheet vinyl sample.” Kegan recalled thinking to himself, “Who is IVC?” Nevertheless, Kegan placed his order for the sheet vinyl sample that had caught his attention and used the flooring for the television makeover episode with great results. “As a designer, I was drawn to the incredible realism of the color and texture of IVC sheet vinyl, and I could see and feel a noticeable difference between IVC products and comparable options from other manufacturers,” said Kegan. “I couldn’t believe how easy it was to install and to maneuver! Plus, I realized I didn’t have to worry about tearing, breaking, or scratching the flooring during installation. The experience really made me want to find out more about IVC and how I could get my hands on more of their products to use for my design and television projects.” Kegan reached out directly to IVC US’s marketing team to learn more about the product and the company, and has since regularly used IVC flooring for his professional and television projects. IVC US and Kegan developed a professional relationship that spanned nearly two years, which resulted in IVC US offering for Kegan to be its official IVC Design Spokesperson. On IVC US’s new website, ivcfloors.com, Kegan has a prominent blog, Lynn Kegan — Thoughts on Style, where Kegan shares design tips, tricks, projects, photos and videos. “Our relationship with Lynn is mutually beneficial, because we feel that Lynn is a game changer in his profession, just like IVC,” said Bart Rich, Senior Marketing Director, IVC US. “What speaks volumes is the fact that Lynn loved and used our products before the relationship between him and IVC ever began!” “I choose IVC products in my work because I believe in them, and I’m excited and proud to be IVC’s official Design Spokesperson,” said Kegan. ¢

DESIGNER TIPS FOR WOOD LOOKS Official IVC US Spokesperson, Designer Lynn Kegan, has appeared on such shows as Food Network’s Restaurant Impossible and HGTV’s Designed to Sell. He is known for his unique approach to creating an impressive visual impact on a budget. Guided by his personal philosophy that “great design is not about how much money you have to spend. It’s about spending what you have creatively to bring your vision to life,” Kegan shares some of his thoughts on style when designing with wood look flooring.

IVC Moduleo Country Oak Far right: Montreal Oak.

1. When considering wood look flooring for your home, you must first consider your own personal style and your home’s decor; whether that’s contemporary, rustic or traditional.

Above: IVC Flexitec 7 O’Clock Style in Kaiser. Below: IVC Balterio Kings Walnut.

2. If contemporary clean lines are your thing — be bold with your floor! Bring in some texture or color. Maybe play with cool greys or planks with a variation of color; both are hot right now. 3. If you have a more traditional style, go with one of IVC’s timeless looking oak or cherry products. These are great compliments to more traditional color pallets and patterns. A rich cherry floor will add a pop of color to your neutral space. 4. IIf you like a more rustic style, then consider an IVC product with a hand-scraped wood look. The wider planks and deep grooves add character and warmth, and go great with a variety of design styles from a city loft to a cabin retreat.

www.ivcfloors.com

Check out IVC US’s complete line or resilient flooring products at ivcfloors.com. www.rfci.com ❚ 33

Storage Areas and Utility Rooms Utility rooms and storage areas are best when their design follows function. The flooring in these rooms has to be durable, easy to care for and coordinated with the adjacent flooring. A utility room is generally a catch-all for necessary household items that do not belong out in the open. It can hold mops, pails, ladders, commercial shelving, rolling carts, a washer and dryer, trash cans, a work table and sink, or other things that are needed, but shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be on display. Storage rooms can be dry. Some hold decorations, luggage, clothing, boxes, etc. They can also be wet, serving as a root cellar, pet food central, buying club sized packages of paper towels, pantry items, etc. The flooring in storage and utility rooms need to be easy to clean, stain and scuff resistant, waterproof, and should provide a good barrier to block dampness and insects. Often, these spaces have an in-floor drain that the floor must accommodate. Current fabrications of vinyl resilient floorings have protective top coatings that resist scratching and scuffing, so your floor maintains its likenew look with routine sweeping and damp mopping. Gone are the stripping and waxing of the resilients of yesteryear. The coatings you trust, like Scotchgard and Teflon, are in play to protect resilient vinyl tile, plank and sheet vinyl. These invisible coatings protect the beauty of your flooring and make clean-up quick and simple.

Above: Mohawk Westport Stormy Night. Left: IVC Flexitec Tease.

34 â?&#x161; LUXURY FLOORING

Below: Armstrong Alterna Urban Gallery — Gallery Gray Luxury Vinyl.

IVC Flexitec Chivalry.

Mannington Resilient Relic Fossil LVT simulates stained concrete.

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Armstrong Armstrong Luxe Plank® Flooring If you are a Luxury Vinyl Tile lover, you are a person who puts lifestyle first. You want flooring that pleases you by adding beauty, comfort and ease of maintenance to your daily life. Customers like you can walk away with these high-end vinyl products without putting an enormous dent in your pocketbook.

ecreate the look and style of authentic wood and elegant stone in any room with Luxe Plank® vinyl flooring. Luxe Plank flooring realistically captures the natural beauty of the most popular traditional, exotic, and distressed wood looks and even some graceful stone visuals, in an easy-care floor that’s made to last. Luxe Plank flooring meets even the most discriminating standard of style with authentic plank lengths that radiate the vibrant colors and engaging patterns of aged oak and walnut, rustic looks similar to aged and reclaimed timbers, exotic species like acacia and even some ontrend etched concrete. Choose plank flooring in 6" or 7" widths by 48" lengths, and 12" × 24" or 18" × 18" stone visuals. Options such as textured embossing and micro-beveled edges and ends enhance the realistic plank flooring look. An outstanding advantage of vinyl plank flooring is that it’s waterproof. You can install it anywhere in your home where moisture could be a problem. Unlike ordinary luxury vinyl floor — Luxe Plank flooring is structurally reinforced to resist rips, tears and gouges caused by appliances, furniture and active households. The beauty and performance of Luxe Plank flooring also features FasTak™ Installation — the quickest and easiest installation available! Enjoy the natural beauty of wood anywhere in your home without worry and without breaking the budget. Luxe Plank makes it easy to live in luxurious style. ¢

Left: Armstrong Luxe Plank Luxury Vinyl Concrete Structures Gotham City. Above: Armstrong Luxe

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Plank Luxury Vinyl Groveland in Natural.

Primitive Forest Falcon A6723

INSPIRING STYLE FOR CHALLENGING SPACES. Whether you love the elegance of rustic timbers or the polished style of stone tile, Luxe Plank® offers stunning natural looks that will stand up to high traffic, high impact and high moisture and look beautiful for years to come. Installation is easy, no glues, no pads, no special tools needed… just position and press into place. The only way Luxe Plank with FasTak™ installation could be any easier is if it installed itself. www.armstrong.com

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Kitchens and Bathrooms The floors in kitchens and bathrooms are on the front line of your household’s daily activity. The kitchen is nearly always the hub of family life. From breakfast to bedtime snacks, or family meetings, this room is used non-stop. A kitchen’s floor is subject to high traffic, dropped food, spilled drinks, and general household mayhem. If there are children on the domestic roster, the floor can be crawled, wrestled and rolled on; the same goes for active pets, along with the addition of food and water bowels. Bathrooms are used for quick morning showers and stress-reducing bathtub soaks. All surfaces in a bathroom need to be resistant to water and steam. With room conditions optimal for mildew, the bathroom floor has to be easily cleanable with a surface that leaves no foothold for mold and fungus. If a person in the house is ill, it is important to be able to disinfect all bathroom surfaces. ¢

At top: Mannington Adura LVT Crete. Above: IVC Flexitec Mays. Left: Armstrong Alterna Rossini Marble Gray Mist.

38 ❚ LUXURY FLOORING

Above: Beaulieu Fiji; below: Shaw Classico Latte.

At top: Mannington Capri. Above: Karndean Knight Tile Range Cumbrian Stone.

Floor registers that deliver heat in the winter and cool air in the summer, are a functional, often overlooked element of flooring. Not any more! Contractor grade, standard, utility registers can step aside for grates designed to meet your flooringâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s style requirements. Ask your flooring retailer about fashion registers that come on materials like oak, maple, bamboo, cherry and birch woods, and architectural metals including solid brass plated steel, brushed nickel, chrome and oil-rubbed bronze. The inserted damper boxes are rust proof. The better quality floor registers carry a lifetime warranty.

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Dining Areas Below: IVC Balterio Golden Evergreen.

The dining area is the place where we grab a quick bite and sit down together to catch up and share the news of the day. By virtue of its name, a dining area’s floor has to withstand dropped food and spilled drinks, as well as the movement of chairs across its surface. If you hold dinner parties, it is nice to have a dining area that looks good with soft intimate lighting, as well as the bright light of day. Open concept plans, where the living, cooking and dining areas come together as one master space, require forethought about whether or not the space will have one unified floor, or harmonious individual floors that delineate functions. ¢

At right: Mohawk Avingdon Sunset Stone; below: Karndean LooseLay in Cambridge.

Karndean Tasmanian Wattle.

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Luxury vinyl flooring offers almost unlimited combinations of style, size and color You can find contemporary colors, shimmering “stardust” and pearlized finishes, distressed woods, colored concretes, fossilized stone, metallics and exotic woods. And, that is only the beginning! In designcentered collections, there are all types of embellishments including borders, motifs and sizes and formats that encourage custom concepts like herringbone weaves!

Above: Tarkett LVT Sandstone Petra; below: Shaw Bartram’s Elite waterproof vinyl plank.

Mannington Adura Rushmore.

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Master Suites and Guest Rooms Bedrooms have evolved from being solely a sleeping space. Of course they need to serve the sleep function, but today’s bedrooms are also a comfortable space to wind down and relax, read, watch videos, and perhaps daydream. The furnishings of a bedroom are more intimate than those found in the public areas of a house. You have more options in this space to express your own, specific tastes. If there is enough space for a bed and a sitting area, it’s fun to have warm, kind-to-your-feet rugs for the two spaces. These area rugs should be placed on top of the main flooring that sets the stage for the rooms design. LVT wood planks can easily be worked into a rich herringbone pattern that is at once contemporary, yet still releases your inner Marie Antoinette. Nurseries are all about surfaces that are kind to the baby and simple to keep spotless. For ease of care and cleanliness, a non-porous floor with washable area rugs meets the requirements. Because the floor will host activities like rolling-over, sitting, crawling and eventually walking, it needs to have some give. With all these floor-centric goings-on, a heated floor will keep all parties comfortable. Resilient flooring is a top choice for the nursery, meeting all requirements. ¢

IVC Flexitec Palmer.

EarthWerks Legacy in Roasted Chestnut.

Simplesse in Chocolate Chestnut from Mohawk.

42 ❚ LUXURY FLOORING

Heritage from Beaulieu.

Say Good Bye to “shhh” With Sound Diminishing Underlayments Resilient flooring, by it’s nature, mutes some of the noise of daily life. If noise is a concern, whether to reduce sounds between apartments or to damper a lively, ruckus family, noise abatement underlayments are the answer to noise transmission challenges. For example, solid recycled rubber membranes allow for significant sound diminution, between apartments, but also inside the apartment muffling television, audio components and muting conversations. The effect of having two resilient materials amplifies the efficacy of sound reduction.

Left: Tarkett Borealis Pine in Hazel; above: Mohawk’s Avingdon in Satin Sable.

Mohawk Luxury Vinyl Tile: More Than Beautiful Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) has the characteristics that make a great flooring: a unique look and easy installation. Luxury Vinyl Tile lends equal amounts of style and durability without maxing out budgets, especially for kitchens. Soft underfoot and essentially waterproof, LVT makes a perfect choice for culinary spaces with cushioning and time-saving clean-up. Got pets? LVT is amazing in homes with active pets, resisting the wear and tear of scratches. Plus, the waterproof qualities of LVT mean that pet accidents are easy to clean! Resistant to muddy paw prints and human shoeprints alike, vinyl tile is durable enough for utility areas, bathrooms and hallways. LVT has a striking, chic appearance featuring realistic hardwood and ceramic imagery. You get the look of premium hardwood, stone and tile, with the comfort and durability of the LVT that can create a one-of-akind look for any room. Select Mohawk LVT features UniClic glueless locking system for a convenient installation; vinyl tile is ready for foot traffic immediately and will maintain its durable, tight, water resistant fit. ¢ www.rfci.com ❚ 43

Playrooms and Sunrooms Playrooms and sunrooms are casual spaces that can be as fantastic as your imagination desires. For ease of maintenance, a good-looking, not-too-hard surface is worth considering. Remember linoleum? Think how much fun a playroom will be with a custom-designed theme floor — dinosaurs, woodland or farm animals, airplanes and balloons, games — that delights your children. A playroom that invites rough and tumble play, practicing gymnastics or cheers, needs a forgiving surface. Some sheet vinyl and rubber tiles have “give” in the surface for those not-so-hard landings. If you are in a cooler climate, an in-floor heating system can take the chill off resilient flooring. Sunrooms are bright airy spaces that can be used all four seasons in some climates. Along with the sun comes UV light waves that can bleach out and even damage susceptible flooring. Resilient flooring with a UV warranty fits the particulars of a sunroom. Marble or limestone-look LVT’s provide an attractive, well-worn looking option, with the modern benefits of easy care, and lifetime warranties. ¢

SanDona in Mountain Mist from Mannington.

44 ❚ LUXURY FLOORING

Karndean Knight Tile Lime Washed Oak.

Detailed conservatory by Karndean Designflooring.

Novalis Birkdale LVT collection gives you “more of a beautiful thing!” When luxury vinyl flooring giant Novalis went looking for new design inspiration, it looked no further than the in-town lofts, boutiques and small shops of some of America’s trendiest city boroughs. It’s there they found over-sized planks, shop floor brushed concrete and planks of multiple random widths. To the decorator’s eye, it’s a floor makeover inspiration. To the Novalis designers, it became an exciting new collection, christened “Birkdale.”

irkdale is part of the NovaFloor line up of top-quality luxury vinyl, and is perfect for room makeovers or main street commercial installations, no matter what the décor style. Birkdale comes in three unique sizes: X-Large Planks, X-Large Tiles, and Pre-Packaged Multi-Width Planks. In all, there are 18 designer styles and colors to choose from. For a trend setting décor, Birkdale brings six beautiful wood looks inspired by famous ski resort enclaves in X-Large LVT Planks measuring a generous 9" × 60". Choose from Oaks in a variety of rich shades and tones, from the traditional golden hue of Grand Oak Tahoe to the deep, almost midnight finish of Grand Oak Telluride. Birkdale X-Large tiles establish a whole new level of room design with their generous area dimension of 18" × 36". Available in six luxurious looks of natural Travertine and trendy Brushed Concrete. When glued down, these tiles can even be grouted for a more realistic appearance. Birkdale brings the design of planks with varying widths to the collection. Multi-width planks are common in the wood flooring market, so to bring it to luxury vinyl is a new venture. This luxury vinyl is available in six pre-packaged 5", 6" and 7" wide planks by 48" length. Birkdale makes it easy to get that same wood look in your décor — many styles featuring saw marks so authentic, you’ll think they’re real. Styles include Hickory and Oak looks in a variety of smooth and weathered finishes. All Birkdale flooring has a lifetime limited warranty and a 10-year full commercial warranty, as well as a 20 mil wear layer, urethane coating, matching trim and FloorScore certification. Birkdale, as well as all the NovaFloor collections, are made by Novalis Innovative Flooring — a specialist in luxury vinyl flooring and one of the inventors of LVT. It is sold worldwide. Visit NovaFloor.us for more information. ¢

Left: Birkdale Brushed Concrete Ash by Nova Floor. below: Birkdale Weathered Oak Cabin by Nova Floor

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You can never have too muc X-Large Planks

46 ❚ LUXURY FLOORING

X-Large Tiles

Multi-Width Planks

Only from

uch of a beautiful thing. ®

by Novalis® Innovative Flooring

Visit NovaFloor.us to see the entire Birkdale™ by NovaFloor® Luxury Vinyl Flooring collection.

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Resilient on Main Street R

esilient flooring owns the floor space in every Main Street business category! Light commercial businesses require flooring that is easy to clean and maintain, comfortable underfoot and wears like iron. This is why you see resilient flooring in its many forms in commercial installations. A day care center needs a forgiving surface like sheet vinyl, where it is as easy to clean up spilled milk as it is to disinfect in order to ward off the sniffles. A cork floor in a law office is a subtle choice that offers sound absorbing audio privacy and environmental sustainability. While the term “resilient” covers a whole category, the types of floors within that category are diverse and well respected. Resilient is the flooring of choice for the following sectors: • Retail • Medical • Education • Hospitality • Light industry • Libraries, museums • Restaurants and food service • Sporting and athletic venues Clearly, the qualities of resilient answer the needs of commercial clients. Resilient manufacturers have been listening, and have developed applications with the aesthetics and functions demanded by the commercial consumer. For example, in the micro-niche of hospital operating suites, there are resilient products that are anti-microbial without the use of chemicals. No longer does using resilient mean looking like every other resilient floor. For example, the amazing optics of Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT), meld the look of fine hardwood, stone and tile floors, with the usability and maintenance benefits of vinyl. Design quality resilient flooring is available from your local flooring showroom. Even though its look is custom and fabulous, resilient is affordable and straightforward to install. ¢

Vinylasa vinyl tile.

Karndean Opus Collection Sylva and Terra.

48 ❚ LUXURY FLOORING

Tandus Centiva Evidence-Based Design Evidence-based design is the mission of establishing designs to create specific outcomes based upon research. Credible research now paves the way to forecast facility outcomes. Evidencebased design is about being purposeful in your selections to amplify positive outcomes. Healthcare

Hospitality

Education

For almost 50 years, Tandus Centiva has been manufacturing flooring solutions specifically engineered and designed for healthcare environments. With a comprehensive product portfolio of both hard and soft surfaces, we utilize a true fit-forpurpose approach to offer the best solutions in the industry. Using an Evidence Based Design approach, our highly trained sales professionals work directly with you and other key decision makers to evaluate your specific objectives and challenges. We have research and data as it relates to acoustics, ergonomics, indoor air quality, safety, thermal properties and maintenance, and infection prevention and control. All of these issues, along with aesthetics and budget requirements, need to be evaluated in order to provide the optimum solution.

Wide arrays of multi-surface flooring products consisting of Powerbond®, Freeform®, Modular, Broadloom, Woven and LVT offers a true Fitfor-Purpose solution for hospitality environments. Through inspired design and leading-edge technology, Tandus Centiva creates innovative floor covering solutions for hotels, spas, restaurants and anywhere else you want to relax and play. We know there’s more than just one product for every need. Whether you have a high-traffic corridor that requires the durability of Powerbond or the stain resistant qualities of LVT, Tandus Centiva has a solution for your space. Our custom capabilities also provide the design medium needed to transform a space through color, texture, and pattern as well as branding, wayfinding and abstract design.

Tandus Centiva believes we have a responsibility to educators, facilities managers, and design professionals. Our mission is to help provide the best environments possible for engaging students and inspiring them to learn. Schools are our business. We understand our responsibility to provide flooring that is easy to own and reduces the cost of ownership. Our commitment to these standards has required innovative solutions in design, product development, business practices and environmental responsibility. Tandus Centiva products help create high-quality learning environments by addressing indoor air quality, acoustics, safety/slip falls, energy saving, comfort under foot and ease of maintenance. ¢

www.tandus-centiva.com www.rfci.com ❚ 49

Vinylasa Thinking of floors, then think Vinylasa. Vinylasa has been producing VCT floors, LVT and high performance accessories since 1950. Today, the growth of resilient flooring is remarkable and the market offers better products with outstanding features. The market requires stand-out design, comfort, durability and low price. Vinylasa offers high-quality materials that meet these expectations.

esilient floors are among the first choices for hospitals, schools, retail, public buildings, offices and residences. In virtually all markets, you will find resilient flooring, since both builders and end-users prefer resilient flooring. The advantages include simple maintenance and cleaning, ease of installation, and durability. Today, with a company committed to protecting the environment as Vinylasa is as demonstrated by their green products, resilient floors still offer the best option. Vinylasa takes care when it comes to health issues, and we produce certified low-emitting VOC’s tiles and planks. Imagine the beauty of wood at your residence, or a warm marble ‘look’ for a health care center. LVT can provide these benefits and more. If you want quality, high-performance flooring, choose Vinylasa. ¢

Vinylasa resilent wood-look plank in a hospital, and below, a gymnasium floor; background: premium resilent tile.

50 ❚ LUXURY FLOORING

COMMERCIAL FLOORING Vinylasa is the one most important VCT, LVT and sundries manufacturer in North America. Innovation is our goal to bring you our 65 years of experience in the market with new, fresh and comfortable designs to your home, office or business. Our products are certified by FloorScore. If you know about flooring you know about Vinylasa.

IF YOU THINK OF RESILIENT FLOORING THINK OF VINYLASA Contact your local retailer. Visit us at www.vinylasa.com

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Metroflor Aspecta by MetroFlor Corp: Commercial Design that Performs ASPECTA was built on three pillars of excellence in Design, Color and Texture with a 100-plus range of wood grain planks, stone/ceramic and abstract tile floors.

he virgin vinyl Dry-Back flooring offers tremendous breadth of design expression spanning metal, abstract, solid hues, concrete and wood and stone visuals, enhanced by the most authentic textures on the market. Aspecta’s designs are ideal for a whole host of contract environments — especially hospitality, restaurant, retail, healthcare — wherever there is an opportunity for visually impactful flooring that also delivers durability and practicality. Beyond working hard, Aspecta’s aesthetics can help evoke the desired emotion in every environment. In Assisted Living or Healthcare, a feeling of comfort, friendliness and beauty is more reassuring than cold, white institutional tiles. When we shop, a retail setting that looks like stone or wood might make us feel more relaxed and comfortable than a vivid VCT done in a modern pattern with bold colors. Authenticity is another ongoing priority for architects and designers. Many who purchase a manmade product want it to be as close as possible to the natural material in look, color, and texture. We made it part of our design philosophy to create quality patterns that have the appearance and feel of real wood or stone, coupled with the unparalleled performance of LVT: easy maintenance, comfort under foot, and durability and longevity that “the real thing” can’t quite provide. Discover a new generation of commercial flooring at Aspectaflooring.com ¢

Aspecta Mason Oak in Sea.

Aspecta Careen in Aurora.

52 ❚ LUXURY FLOORING

WH EN IT CO M E S TO FLOO RI N G , YO U SAI D D E SIG N IS AS I M P O RTANT AS I N N OVATIO N .

SO WHAT DI D WE DO? WE TOO K N OTE .

We’ve created ASPECTA as part of our mission to bring together pioneering technology and top-class design elements. Our premium range comes in a choice of over 100 colors, patterns and embosses to suit your chosen interior. These innovative designs come from the expertise of an LVT company that really can call themselves specialists in the craft. Why? Because we’re built on two generations of knowledge and invention. ASPECTA is brought to you by the expertise of Metroflor, a business with over 100 years of experience in developing LVT for an array of demanding industries.

To order your samples visit: www.aspectaflooring.com Or call us now for more information at 855-400-7732 Ext 2037. NeoCon 2015. Booth 7-7048

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Gerflor USA Quick, Clean Installations are a Snap. Or in this Case, a “Clic” Gerflor [ jur-flor ] is one of the largest manufacturers of resilient commercial flooring in the world. Based in France with over 75 years of industry experience, Gerflor continually offers the newest generation of innovative and sustainable flooring solutions in a wide range of beautiful, durable designs. They have quickly grown to become the preferred choice for highperformance sheet and modular flooring for clients in over 100 countries.

acked by the power of an established, international network, Gerflor USA was born to serve the American market with carefully curated product lines for: • Healthcare • Education • Corporate • Retail • Hospitality • Industrial • Transportation • Sports • Multi-living

Designed in France, made for America. Gerflor USA’s wide spectrum of colors and patterns are ever-evolving and carefully selected to match consumer demand; inspired by nature, textiles, and the abstract. Their full-time design team is dedicated to researching and monitoring the latest trends, and has carefully refined and tailored their collections for the American market. Gerflor USA offers their most popular, timeless designs, balanced with more modern, cutting-edge options for every taste. As part of their sustainability mission and providing the highest level of indoor air quality, Gerflor USA products are:   • 100% Recyclable  • 100% REACH compliant   • FloorScore™ certified   • LEED credit scoring through the U.S. Green Building Council   • Manufactured in ISO 14001 certified production sites

Creation Clic System Gerflor USA’s Creation Clic System is an easy-to-install resilient plank flooring system engineered with the industry’s only vertically interlocking planks. Quick to install

Right above: Creation Clic System, Office Installation; right below: Creation Clic System in Halifax.

54 ❚ LUXURY FLOORING

with just a mallet, the Creation Clic System requires little subfloor preparation and produces minimal noise and dust. It provides great acoustic properties, contributes to high indoor air quality, and comes with a very thick compact 100% recycled backing. It’s the perfect solution for renovations and design-minded clients with a range of beautiful wood and stone designs. Visit www.gerflorusa.com for more information. ¢

Quick, clean installations are a snap.

PL ANKS

The Creation Clic System from Gerflor USA features the industry’s only vertically interlocking planks. It’s the proven solution for renovations, high traffic retail and commercial areas. Laid with just a mallet, quick and easy installations are possible without noise or dust. There’s no need to close the premises, which means no lost revenues during installation! IC

INTERLO

Or in this case, a “Clic.”

CL IN A

4191 Gerflor CreationClic ad - I&S.indd 1

Call 877-437-3567 or visit us online at gerflorusa.com.

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American Biltrite AB PureTM — Rubber flooring that will not change color — GUARANTEED. As design teams push the envelope on interior design, the increased demands on flooring to be more than just a surface we walk on are also escalating; in fact, flooring has become an integral part of the building’s character.

ntricate thematic designs, way-finding elements and fashion-forward colors are items that figure prominently in the selection process. It is these requirements that have pushed rubber flooring manufacturers to step up their game and offer a myriad of patterns, colors and profiles. For many years rubber flooring has been used in areas where high traffic access and durability have been paramount. The fundamental logic in choosing rubber flooring is to address these main concerns:

• Safety • Comfort • Hygiene • Sound reduction • High abrasion resistance • Dimensional stability •L ow emissions of VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compound) • Broad spectrum of stain resistance • Durability • Low maintenance

56 ❚ LUXURY FLOORING

The result is a flooring product ideal for healthcare and educational facilities. Most rubber flooring is based on a rubber polymer called Styrene Butadiene Rubber or (SBR). However, for all these great features that SBR offers it does not meet today’s requirements for: 1) clean true color saturation and 2) colorfastness. 1. In the past, rubber was used in service areas where color was not a deciding factor or of much concern; with black, gray, dark blue and brown being the main color selections. However, over the past twenty years or so manufacturers have offered lighter and more subtle color palettes to gain greater acceptance and meet designers’ needs. Unfortunately many of the colors offered today exhibit either a bluish or yellowish cast; a characteristic of SBR that does not represent true clean colors.

2. Also for years it’s been commonly known that SBR rubber will change color and fade over time, this change can be slight in medium to dark colors or dramatic in the lighter shades depending on the amount of ultra violet (UV) light it is subjected to. The standard for color fastness is ASTM F 1515 — Standard test method for measuring light stability of resilient flooring by color change. This standard determines the light stability and colorfastness of resilient flooring products when exposed to Xenon light over a set period of time, 300 hours. In 2009 American Biltrite set out to change the way we see color in rubber flooring. Our goal was to bring pure, clean, crisp colors to the market that are in keeping with today’s design trends and that will not change, yellow or fade over time. In 2012 American Biltrite introduced AB PureTM, a revolutionary patented, non-SBR formulation with far

superior colorfastness; this means that colors will not fade under light compared with traditional SBR rubber formulas. As a result, AB PURE is the only rubber flooring that can pass the ASTM F 1515 for colorfastness. To further augment the AB PURE position in the market, “American Biltrite warranties that AB PURE will meet the ASTM F 1515 specification for a period of (10) years.” This warranty is not only available for all future shipments but also on all AB PURE products currently installed in the market. AB Pure now sets the standard for color within the rubber flooring industry even further and is the only rubber flooring line to carry this warranty fully supporting one of the primary features of the AB PURE compound — clarity and longevity of color allowing design teams to explore color and function without limits. Guaranteed! ¢

www.american-biltrite.com Commercial: 1-800-437-8743 | Industrial Rubber: 1-888-275-7075 www.rfci.com ❚ 57

Premium Materials and Premium Performance The key to a good-looking, hard-wearing resilient floor is to match the correct installation materials with the flooring, be it sheet resilient, LVT/LVP, VCT, cork or rubber.

uch like the pea in the fairy tale the “Princess and the Pea,” any irregularities underneath the floor will make themselves known. Undersurface irregularities transmit through the resilient, showing up as bumps, folds and creases. Stains and spills can work their way through to the surface, discoloring the resilient on its way. The resilient flooring industry has developed protocols and products that neutralize prospective issues before the resilient is installed. In fact, on knowing the state of the sub-floor and the type of resilient, your installation tech will advise you what materials are needed to produce a flawless floor. Each category of flooring has its own specific requirements that may include: • Underlayments • Adhesives • Seam sealants • Radiant underfloor heating

Underlayments Where specified, underlayments serve as a buffer between the sub-floor and flooring. Depending on what is required, underlayments can be a board product like plywood, a membrane or a skim coat. Specific-purpose membrane underlayments are used to reduce noise — a concern in apartments and condos.

Adhesives Your resilient’s manufacturer will specify what type of installation and adhesive to employ. Resilient floors may have adhesive applied across the entire undersurface — a full spread. Another flooring may need tacking along the edges — a perimeter adhere. A floating installation would need no adhesive at all. Adhesives come in many forms — epoxy, latex, low VOC, spray on and releasable.

Seam Sealants Seam sealants perfect the seams in sheet resilient, leaving them impervious to dirt, debris and moisture. Manufacturers may supply a seam sealant with the color and finish (glossy, matte, satin) paired with the surface and color of your floor.

Electric Radiant Heating Advances in technology and production make coupling electric radiant heating with your resilient floor a popular choice. With resilient flooring, the heating wire will be embedded in a cementitious bed with 3⁄ 8-inch coverage, which the flooring product will be installed with direct contact. Floating LVP and LVT floors permit a dry installation, simply running the heating sheets or mesh under the surface. ■

Providing hospitality ambiance in a healthcare setting Resilient and luxury vinyl flooring are gaining traction in healthcare environments like doctors’ office, walk-in clinics, emergency waiting and triage areas due to their performance, ease of maintenance and other-than-institutional optics. LVP and resilient offer an unlimited array of design options — a full spectrum of colors, wood species, stone and ceramic looks. Their routine maintenance requires less effort and cleaning materials. Durable, abrasive-resistant wear layer thwart staining and damage from medically used chemicals. Dedicated antimicrobial finishes are available in commercial lines. Specialized sheet flooring can be heat welded and flash covered for spaces requiring enhanced infection control.

58 ❚ LUXURY FLOORING

The Flexibility of Modular Resilient Flooring Some of the most amazing things in contract design are happening right underfoot. Flooring manufacturers have developed an expanding palette of modular materials and systems designers can use to create beautiful floors that contribute to the aesthetic, comfort and safety of everyone in the space. By Debra Lechner, Marketing Director, Armstrong Commercial Flooring | www.armstrong.com/commflooringna

he modular aspect of products like luxury vinyl tile, vinyl composition tile and linoleum tile offer flexibility in design and function. The different shapes and sizes, and coordinating color options make it easy to create eye-catching looks and distinctive, custom designs. New innovations, such as Natural Creations® with the I-Set™ installation system, incorporate a revolutionary, non-wet adhesive system for an easy-to-install, easy-tomaintain, long-lasting product. It’s a groundbreaking solution for quick turn renovations and fast track construction projects. Resilient flooring gives designers, architects and building owners a wide variety of choices because of its inherent ability to meet a range of requirements in any commercial setting. It is often the product of choice, because of the visual; if you can imagine the look, you can create it with resilient flooring. Resilient flooring also has the advantage of underfoot comfort, when compared to hard surface flooring like ceramic or terrazzo, as well as long-life durability and easy maintenance Luxury vinyl tile is the hot category today. LVT can give the look of natural materials such as wood, stone, cork or metal, while providing easy maintenance. Luxury flooring also offers distinct, original visuals not found in nature to create a more unique or contemporary visual. Another sustainable option, Armstrong BBT® Bio-Flooring, is made from rapidly renewable resources. The result is a modular floor that offers you an environmentally-friendly option with performance features that are superior to Vinyl Composition Tile, in a choice of upscale visuals and colors. Vinyl composition tile (VCT) is a standard for floor installations in health facilities, schools and many com-

mercial buildings. Armstrong Excelon® VCT, known for its quality, is the most popular form of tile, and generally the lowest price point in resilient flooring. Other Premium VCT lines offer unique visuals and performance characteristics. Armstrong® linoleum tile is 94% biobased certified, made up of organic and mineral-based raw materials, over 60% of which are naturally renewable. Armstrong® linoleum products also contribute to a low VOC environment. Since linoleum is naturally insulating and many of our flooring colors are light reflecting, linoleum can help reduce energy used for heating, cooling, and lighting. Read Daylighting and Flooring White Paper: www. armstrong.com/commflooringna/whitepaper.jsp?paper= daylighting&intcid=promo_linocat. The modular aspect of products like LVT, VCT and linoleum tile offer flexibility in design and function. The different shapes and sizes, and coordinating color options make it easy to create eye-catching looks and distinctive, custom designs. Modular formats can cut down on waste during installation, making this an affordable choice. Plus, if damage occurs, the maintenance staff can remove the affected tile and easily replace it with stock material. With so many positive aspects to each type of resilient flooring, how can you choose the right one for your building? The key is not so much the building, but the applications within the building. Most commercial facilities will have a range of different spaces and uses for those spaces. Think about each part of your building and how it’s used — and then match the product to your budget, your maintenance requirements, and the aesthetic you want to achieve. ■ www.rfci.com ❚ 59

WF Taylor Taylor Acous-Tec™ Sound Reducing Liquid Underlayment for Floating Floors W.F. Taylor Company has introduced a unique industry breakthrough product, Acous-Tec™ Sound Reducing Liquid Underlayment Patch and Leveler called Taylor Acous-Tec™. It is designed for all floating floor systems (vinyl tile/plank, laminate, and wood) to reduce sound transmission Why Acous-Tec?

s a superior replacement for sound reducing rolled felt, foam, rubber or other composite underlayments, the liquid is easy to install; easily fitting into any shaped room and with a fast one-hour cure time. When fully cured, it covers the floor as a completely sealed, leveled, and flat durable membrane that will also not lose density over time, like most rolled underlayments. There is no need for measuring, cutting or taping rolled underlayments; this product is a liquefied alternative that has a higher sound ratings than most rolled underlayments. Silencing your floating floor, this product offers an impact rating up to IIC71, reducing the resistance to transmission of impact noise or structure-borne noise, and a sound transmission loss rating up to STC 67, reducing airborne sounds.

Ehances Thermal Insulation

Acous-Tec Sound Reducing Liquid Underlayment Patch and Leveler is a multi-functional product that shortens installation time by filling-in minor sub-floor imperfections. It patches up to 1⁄8" cracks and levels substrate unevenness. Taylor Acous-Tec is free of solvents, hazardous chemicals, water, and isocyanates. This product is a liquid underlayment with negligible VOC content that meets federal, state, and local governmental indoor air quality regulations. It has currently achieved the coveted UL’s GREENGUARD Certification. To learn more, visit our web site www.wftaylor. com. Find your closest Taylor distributor to purchase the new Acous-Tec Sound Reducing Liquid Underlayment Patch and Leveler by calling 1-(800)-397-4583, or visiting us online. ¢

Sound Reducing Technology

SOUND REDUCING LIQUID UNDERLAYMENT PATCH AND LEVELER

Self-Leveling Floating Floor

Subf loor

Concrete Moisture Inhibitor

Patch and Level Minor Even Subfloors

60 ❚ LUXURY FLOORING

Crack Isolation

L IQUID S IL ENCE

SOUND REDUCING LIQUID UNDERLAYMENT PATCH AND LEVELER FOR A LL FLO ATING F LOOR SYSTEMS

VINYL | LAMINATE | WOOD

Faster, easier and superior sound reducing underlayment. Reduces sound transmissions (up to IIC 71 & STC 67). Inhibits concrete moisture & can be used over a variety of substrates. Patches minor subfloor imperfections and levels uneven floor. Enhances thermal insulating properties of floating floor. Low V.O.Cs - Low odor - UL GREENGUARD certified. Meta-Sept anti-mircobial protection. MADE IN USA

WFTAYLOR.COM

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MP Global Products Luxury Vinyl Flooring and supplemental electric radiant floor heating are a great combination Installing new luxury vinyl tile or luxury vinyl planks this summer?

he proliferation of patterns, graining, and colors that enable luxury vinyl flooring to simulate the appearance of natural flooring materials such as hardwood, tile, slate, marble, and travertine means your LVF will simulate pretty much exactly the look you want for your new floor. And, if you incorporate a supplemental electric radiant heating system under the finished flooring, come the return of cool weather, everyone can enjoy an extra bit of coziness and comfort from the gentle heat emanating up from under the finished floor. Supplemental electric radiant heat installed under your new LVF in kitchens, bathrooms, family rooms, and wherever else young children play on the floor or family members relax could be a very welcome addition to a primary heating system all winter long. And, when installed in a sunroom or other unheated room, it will extend seasonal use of the space on both sides of summer. Clean, silent, draft-free and dust-free, MP Global Products’ QuietWarmth™ Radiant Heat Film for Floating Floors is an excellent choice for a supplemental electric radiant heat system. It utilizes an innovative conductive ink technology embedded in a flexible thin film to generate highly efficient evenly consistent heat. Controlled locally by a wall mounted thermostat, the system, which is maintenance-free, uses just 12 watts per square foot. It comes in four convenient sizes of roll-out pads — 3' × 5', 3' × 10', 1.5' × 5' and 1.5' × 10' — and the length can be cut to fit, enabling you to put the warmth where you want it and accommodating most any room layout without waste. Plus, at just 0.016" thin, it does not detectably raise the level of the floor, minimizing any need to undercut doors to match floor elevations from room to room or room to closets. And because it is completely hidden under the finished floor, you can put QuietWarmth Perfectly Warm Radiant Heat Film where you want it, without concern for furniture placement, entryways, and window treatments. For maximum enhancement of the performance of the overall floor installation, it can also be installed over LuxWalk®, a fiber acoustic underlayment for luxury vinyl flooring that dampens ambient sound in the room where it is installed and helps minimize impressions and indentations that can occur in LVF. QuietWarmth Radiant Heat Film for Floating Floors can be installed over just about any subfloor or underlayment suitable for a luxury vinyl floor. It is ETL Listed in the USA and Canada. For more information, contact MP Global Products, www.quietwarmth.com, 888-379-9695 ¢ 62 ❚ LUXURY FLOORING

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Pak-Lite Keep Your LVT Quiet One of the first questions end users will ask is, “Do we need underlayment under LVT?” The correct answer is, “Absolutely yes!”

nderlayment is the cushion between the subfloor and the flooring. From moisture control to shock absorption, underlayment can improve your flooring experience. As with all underlayment, putting applications aside, it is designed to smooth out minor floor imperfections, protects the floor and reduces sound transmission to the room below. Sound transmission between floors has never been more important than now with the growth of LVT flooring, which can be noisy overhead. Most vinyl floors’ failures are because the installer neglected to use underlayment. Vinyl flooring is flexible and thin so imperfections beneath it can easily telegraph through. Also, because it is thin, the locking systems are more sensitive than other hard surfaces. A good underlayment is used to protect and ensure the integrity of the systems. Founded in 1972, Pak-Lite Inc. (PLI) is the largest manufacturer of underlayment in North America. If you need an underlayment designed for vinyl products, including LVT and LVP, we offer a variety of underlayments such as Selitbloc® and Wunderlayment™.

Selitbloc® improves your living comfort by reducing the sound transmission to the room below.

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LVT underlayment focuses on sound-management properties that substantially reduce the noise being transmitted through the LVT down to the floor below, while maintaining the structure of the locking systems. PLI will be producing Selitbloc® in Georgia this fall and has developed Wunderlayment™ which is being made here in the USA Our Selitbloc® underlayment for LVT/LVP was developed to meet the need for acoustic improvements while also protecting the LVT from damage caused by wear and tear. The limited deflection, yet leveling and joint friendly composite, ensures a flooring structure that is stable, noise dampening and comfortable to walk on. Selitbloc® improves your living comfort by reducing sound transmission to other rooms. Please use the link below to see a comparison of impact sound transmission reduction in a video without underlayment (3dB) and with Selitbloc® underlayment (19dB) a reduction of 16 dBs. See for yourself on YouTube — https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZo_t N55Zas&feature=youtu.be. You can also access the video by using the QR Code below. Our Wunderlayment™ premium acoustic underlayment for LVT/LVP is a great solution for homeowners and flooring professionals. It’s superior compression strength and sound transmission properties provide sound reduction for homes, condos and apartments. It is available NOW and is made right here in the USA! ■

Our Wunderlayment™ premium acoustic underlayment for LVT/LVP is a great solution for homeowners and flooring professionals.

www.pliusa.com | 800-449-9460 www.rfci.com ❚ 65

EcoDomo Giving nature a boost with Recycled Leather Flooring! In nature, everything old turns new again. Same for leather flooring. Leather flooring décor dates to prehistoric man, and it’s been used for hundreds of years in Europe, Asia and the New World.

avish leather tiles are made from special hides. They’re expensive and have less resilience and are prone to more moisture absorption than recycled leather floor and wall tiles... a brilliant alternative from EcoDomo. A special finish is applied to recycled leather tiles for exceptional resistance, beauty and texture. Recycled leather remains a natural, very resilient material which wears well with simple maintenance. Over time, these leather floors develop a rich patina, like a sofa, evolving into truly unique and personal floors. Leather tiles install easily, even in complex weave patterns, simply glued down like a cork or vinyl floor. Once installed, paste wax is applied and buffed. Normal maintenance includes vacuuming with a soft brush, damp mopping with a very well wrung-out mop and applying wax. EcoDomo Recycled Leather Tiles — with a nature-friendly, 65 percent post-industrial waste content — look, feel and smell like luxury leather tiles. They’re available in large sizes, shapes and formats, including rolls 54 inches wide and up to 100 feet long! They have a tenth the humidity absorption levels of luxury-cut leather tiles, which adds significant stability to the product once installed. Where can recycled leather floors go? In homes, start with bedrooms, home entertainment centers, dining rooms, powder rooms, media rooms, libraries and home offices, closets and dressing rooms. Commercially, find them in luxury hotel bedrooms, showrooms, museums, bars, restaurants, members clubs, recording studios, theatres, galleries, boardrooms and offices. Either way, get creative… naturally! ¢

Above: Eco Domo leather and hardwood parquet. Bleow left: Leather and wood flooring on spacious catwalk. Below: Hotel room, Macau.

www.ecodomo.com 66 ❚ LUXURY FLOORING

RFCI — The Resilient Floor Covering Institute T

he Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) is all about resilient flooring… and resilient flooring is all about sustainability, durability, affordability and style. Resilient flooring encompasses a surprisingly wide variety of hard surface floor coverings. This includes products such as vinyl tile, vinyl composition tile, sheet vinyl, luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and planks, rubber, polymeric, and linoleum. RFCI, a nonprofit industry trade association, represents manufacturers responsible for more than 95% of all resilient flooring marketed throughout North America. The group includes manufacturers of resilient flooring as well as suppliers of raw materials, additives and associated flooring products such as wall base, moldings and stair treads. Based in LaGrange, Georgia, RFCI has spearheaded many of the sustainability initiatives in the resilient industry. The organization serves as a clearinghouse for information on the industry and helps educate home owners, designers, architects and facility managers about resilient flooring. Visit www.rfci.com, RFCI’s award-winning website, to learn more about:

• I deas for flooring products, colors and patterns. Our Idea Gallery showcases a multitude of products and highlights creative installations in homes and businesses. •T he performance and durability of resilient flooring. Our Knowledge Center makes the technical understandable. •S ustainability standards and how to evaluate the environmental attributes of the flooring product you’re considering. Our infographics make sustainability terms easy to follow. •G uidelines and recommended work practices for installing and removing resilient flooring. It’s all about floor preparation and having the right tools on hand. •M aintenance and cleaning tips that keep your floors looking their best. •T he latest news from the industry and links to all RFCI member companies. Feel free to contact RFCI through www.rfci.com for help on work practices, installation, maintenance and product information. ¢

Resilient Floor Covering Institute 115 Broad Street, Suite 201, La Grange, GA 30240 www.rfci.com

www.rfci.com ❚ 67

Recycled Luxury Flooring, Good for Air Quality and Certified for Sustainability Courtesy the Resilient Floor Covering Institute | www.rfci.com

Resilient flooring, including Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT), is the fastest growing type of flooring in the United States. It is also among the most widely used floor coverings in homes and buildings of all types. Products come in a vast range of looks and sizes. They are durable, resistant to water and stains, cost-effective and comfortable to walk on. In addition to their beauty and performance, they have many environmental benefits.

VT and many other types of resilient flooring are made from vinyl. The principal raw material for vinyl is common table salt, an abundant natural resource. Vinyl is used in many building materials and consumer products and has a long track record for safe and healthy use. It is also recyclable, with more than one billion pounds recycled annually. In addition, choose from flooring products made of cork, linoleum and rubber, which are also known for their sustainability, long-term attractiveness and ease of maintenance.

Is it also Environmentally Friendly? The Resilient Floor Covering Institute is a non-profit trade association that represents the manufacturers who make more than 95% of all resilient flooring marketed in North America. The Institute and its members have developed some of the most comprehensive environmental standards in the flooring industry. These well-established standards assure buyers that they are purchasing an environmentally friendly product. It’s easy to find and evaluate sustainable flooring products. Just check labels for certification to standards such as FloorScore®, which tests for indoor air quality impact, and NSF 332, a standard that evaluates the environmental qualities of resilient flooring over its entire lifecycle.

ing. There are hundreds of different resilient flooring materials and adhesives that bear the FloorScore seal. These products have been tested against stringent standards and have been found to contribute to good indoor air quality. FloorScore is an independent certification program that tests and certifies hard surface flooring materials, adhesives, and associated products for their compliance with indoor air emissions criteria. It is specified by a widely recognized standard, California Section 01350. The program is directed by SCS Global Services, a trusted leader in environmental certifications. Manufacturing plants also are inspected to review product formulas, processing and quality control. If a product

floorscore

VOCs Indoor Air quality Sick Building Syndrome

90%

of your time spent indoors

Only 10% Outdoors

Indoor air is

Recognized by

leading environmental programs

times more polluted

FloorScore Fewer VOCs Healthier Air

Look for the FloorScore Label Indoor air quality is a top priority for homeowners and building managers alike. Introduced in 2005, FloorScore was the first indoor air quality testing program to be focused exclusively on hard surface floor68 ❚ LUXURY FLOORING

Most important measure of air quality?

Independent certification?

Stringent standards?

FloorScore measures the most important risk to indoor air quality: the emission level of specific volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

The FloorScore seal tells you that the products have been independently tested and certified by SCS Global Services (SCS).

FloorScore certified products meet the volatile organic compound emissions criteria of the California Section 01350 standard.

passes this independent assessment, it qualifies to carry the FloorScore label. The California Section 1350 FloorScore criteria is used by numerous environmental rating systems as an indicator of indoor air quality. These include the National Association of Home Builders; the Florida Green Home Standard; the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED program; the Green Building Initiative’s Green Globes; the Collaborative for High Performance Schools, Green Guide for Health Care; and EPA’s Tools for Schools.

The NSF 332 Designation Says It’s Sustainable

Because NSF certification is handled by a trusted thirdparty expert, you can be assured that the information it provides has been verified and is accurate. The standard also establishes a consistent approach to the evaluation of environmentally preferable floor coverings, making it easier to compare one product to another. Available since 2010, the standard is based on proven scientific principles and was developed through a lengthy process that involved state and federal agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, architects, academia, environmental program managers and flooring manufacturers.

Check the Sustainability “Nutrition Label”

Many flooring products meet NSF 332, a stringent sustainability standard developed by NSF International, an independent, global standards developer. This sustainability standard has four levels: Conformant, silver, gold and platinum, with platinum products adhering to the most advanced requirements. NSF-certified products undergo rigorous testing and evaluation for: • Product design • Product manufacturing • Long term value • End-of- life solutions such as recycling • Social responsibility • Innovation

Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are a comprehensive disclosure of a product’s environmental impacts. This list works a lot like the nutrition labels you see on food products. It makes it easy for you to check on specific issues you’re interested in, such as recycled content. There are industry-average EPDs for five types of resilient flooring products. They were calculated by testing similar products from many different manufacturers, and taking an average of the results. All information is based on the products’ lifecycle impacts, environmental impacts beginning with sourcing of product ingredients all the way through recycling, reuse or disposal. UL Environment, a leading EPD program operator and global environmental standards company, reviewed, verified and registered the EPDs.

NSF/ANSI Sustainability Assessment n sig De ct u d

ation Innov

The Life Cycle

g-term Value Lon

Awarding manufactureers for exceptio onal performancee above the requirementss set forth in this standard.

Encouraging manuffacturers to o quantify environmen ntal impaacts and reduce or removee them.

Produc tM anu fac tu rin

Pr o

Motivating manufaccturers to bring both env vironmental and life cycle thinking into the design process.

EPD Environmental Product Declaration

Mak king product long gevity a top priority for man nufacturers.

Resilient Flooring

Six key criteria of a NSF evaluation

14025 & 14040

Based on IS O Environmen 14025 and ISO 1404 (EPDs) act tal Product Declaratio 0, like the ingr ns edients labe on food pa ls ckaging. They tell yo u what’s in side. With EPD , anyone ca n se e the enviro impacts of nmental a flooring product.

200 Organizations 16 Countries 400+ EPDs

Building corporaate social responsibility: from m community involvement and financcial heaalth to providing a desirab ble work kplace.

vern

ance

End

Lif

Ensuring resilien nt flooring products can be collected, processed, recycled, and/orr composteed via existing g recyclling infrastructu ure.

The leading sustainability standard?

Truly comprehensive assessment?

Third party verification?

NSF/ANSI 332 provides thorough, accurate, and verifiable information about environmental and social aspects associated with the production and use of resilient floor coverings.

To achieve certification, flooring products earn points for Product Design, Product Manufacturing, Long-term Value, End of Life Management, Corporate Governance, and Innovation.

When you see the NSF/ANSI seal, you know that the product’s conformity with NSF/ANSI 332 standard has been fully verified by an independent organization.

Check before you the ingredients specify the flooring • Raw

Mat • Transporterials • Production ation • Inst • Maintenan al ce • End oflation Life

Full disclosure?

Extensive look at environmental impacts?

The framework of choice?

An EPD is a brief, third party verified report of product ingredients and their environmental impacts during the manufacture and life of a product.

EPD offers a broad assessment of a product’s impacts — from global warming, ozone depletion, water pollution, and ozone creation to greenhouse gas emissions, human toxicity risk, corporate social responsibility, and more.

Almost 200 organizations … from 16 countries … have published 400+ EPDs … covering 100s of products.* Based on ISO 14025 and ISO 14040, Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are the framework of choice.

www.rfci.com ❚ 69

To see an industry average EPD for the type of product you’re considering, go to the Resilient Floor Covering Institute’s website, www.rfci.com. For instance, you can review the EPD called “Vinyl Tile” to assess the sustainability of a luxury vinyl tile product. The website also provides EPD transparency summaries that synthesize the comprehensive data into shorter, single-page reports.

Product Transparency Declarations are an additional vehicle for manufacturers to provide verified, accurate, in-depth information to buyers and specifiers who wish to evaluate product sustainability. However, it is a relatively new tool, so it may not yet be available from your manufacturer. If interested, ask your sales representative.

Product Transparency Declaration is the Latest Tool

Visit RFCI.com

The Product Transparency Declaration is the latest of several sustainability tools used to evaluate resilient flooring. It discloses product ingredients and identifies if any could be hazardous at specific exposure levels. The program checks the ingredients against the five most used authoritative and credible regulatory lists, including OSHA and California Proposition 65. Then, it determines if there is a concern over human exposure to that chemical ingredient in the final flooring product. If so, the Product Transparency Declaration requires that the product carry a warning label. This new sustainability tool is now going through a process to become a sustainability standard. ASTM, a globally recognized leader in the development and delivery of international consensus standards, is managing the initiative. When the process is completed later this year, the tool will become an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard.

PTD Product Transparency Declaration A Clear View of what’s Inside your Flooring Products

See the exposure risks

not just the ingredients!

For more flooring and sustainability information, visit the Resilient Floor Covering Institute at www.RFCI.com. There, you can read more about the four sustainability tools available to you: the FloorScore label, the NSF 332 Sustainability Standard, Environmental Product Declarations and Product Transparency Declarations. These provide transparency to environmental impacts and ensure that sustainability information is factual, comparable and based upon established scientific principles and practices. You can use one or any combination of these sustainability tools to evaluate the flooring you’re considering. All of these assess environmental attributes and facilitate product comparison by providing data that have been verified by independent experts to be accurate and reliable. Resilient floorcovering is an excellent selection for homeowners, facility managers and specifiers seeking attractive, durable and sustainable products. Manufacturers have made great strides in environmental technologies and offer a wide array of sustainable products. In addition, with so many sustainability certifications and tools on the market, it’s easy to identify and verify sustainable product features. ¢ About RFCI: The Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI.com)

Easily identify and assess: • Health Information • VOC emissions/content • Heavy Metals PTD identifies exposure risks for: • Building occupants • Contractors

is a nonprofit industry trade association representing manufacturers responsible for more than 95% of all resilient flooring marketed throughout North America. The group also represents producers of raw materials used in resilient flooring as well as producers of associated flooring products. This includes products such as vinyl tile, vinyl composition tile, sheet vinyl, luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and planks, rubber, polymeric, and linoleum products. Also included are accessories such as wall base, moldings and stair treads. Based in LaGrange, Ga., RFCI

Six authoritative hazard lists?

Volatile emissions compliance?

Warning notifications?

The PTD discloses whether or not the products ingredients are present on six hazard lists published by authoritative sources.

The PTD declares whether product VOC emissions/content comply with appropriate IAQ requirements.

The PTD tells specifiers whether the product needs a warning notification or label to alert product installers or building occupants about any potential exposure to harmful ingredients.

70 ❚ LUXURY FLOORING

has spearheaded many of the sustainability initiatives in the resilient flooring industry. The organization serves as a clearing house for information on the industry and helps educate specifiers, end-users, and consumers about resilient flooring.

Seven Reasons to Love LVT and Resilient Flooring Courtesy the Resilient Floor Covering Institute | www.rfci.com

¢ Sustainable From the materials used in manufacturing to the installation, maintenance and removal of the product, resilient flooring is designed to be easy on the environment. Products include sustainable features such as recycled content. They contribute to good indoor air quality and last a long time, making it unnecessary to replace them.

¢ Stylish Resilient flooring, and the ever-popular LVT, come in a vast array of colors, patterns, textures and designs to suit a wide variety of styles and preferences for both residential and commercial applications. Is it hard wood, ceramic tile or resilient flooring? With the advanced imaging technologies of resilient flooring, it’s hard to tell.

¢ Durable It’s called resilient flooring for a reason. These flooring products hold up incredibly well under the most trying conditions. It’s a major part of what makes resilient flooring the most popular hard surface flooring in the U.S. Whether it’s used in a school, hospital or your kitchen at home, resilient flooring lasts for years with little maintenance and still looks great.

¢ Affordable At top: Mannington resilient flooring (sheet), “Arizona.” This 12” tile format features a distinct surface texture that captures the weathered patina that’s inherent to handset slate. Arizona offers warmth and individuality to any home interior. Above: Mannington Adura® Distinctive Plank “Iron Hill.” New in 2015, Iron Hill is a sophisticated 6" × 48" plank that combines natural distressing, distinctive graining and authentic coloring. It complements a wide range of interiors from contemporary to casual. Both are made in the USA and are FloorScore Certified.

It’s not just the lower product cost that saves you money. With easier maintenance and a longer lifecycle, resilient flooring means a lower cost of ownership throughout the life of the floor. And when you finally do replace the floor, it can be removed and replaced easily and cost-effectively.

¢ Versatile From kitchens to classrooms and dens to dining halls, resilient flooring works well in all kinds of residential and commercial spaces. Its versatility makes it a favorite choice among homeowners, architects, designers and builders for all types of environments.

¢ Safe One of the reasons healthcare facilities choose resilient flooring over other materials is because of its major sanitary advantages. These flooring products are not only easier to keep clean, but are also tested for slip-resistance and designed for better indoor air quality.

¢ Unexpected Resilient flooring provides unexpected versatility, cost savings, durability, safety, sustainability and style. That’s why it has been America’s number one hard surface floor for years and still continues to grow in popularity. www.rfci.com ❚ 71

Installation and Maintenance Getting Ready to Install Why leave the installation of your beautiful new resilient floor to just anyone? For a floor that has a 15-year warranty, you want that installation to be perfect. Otherwise, you’ll be living with someone else’s mistakes every day for those 15 long years. Professional installation makes sense.

he key to a flawless installation is an experienced crew with specific knowledge of the material and expert in its placement. As you’ve seen through this book, the resilient flooring category has expanded to include luxury vinyl tiles, laser cut linoleum inserts and sustainable materials like leather and cork. Each of the resilient sub-categories has its own installation requirements that must be fulfilled by the installer to meet the manufacturers’ comprehensive warranties and guarantees. When you buy your flooring, your retailer may offer installation services in-house or have recommendations for the local professional with the skills your flooring requires. If you choose to work with your retailer on the installation, a sales or design associate will schedule delivery and the installation. This takes a burden off your shoulders and ensures a good experience. Even as affordable as resilient flooring is, it’s an investment in your home, both financially and aesthetically. Using the retailer’s installation service may cost you a bit extra, but it is offset by the assurance that there will be someone on the end of the phone should a problem arise.

At right: Installing Gerflor’s Creation Clic System Planks. Opposite page: A professional installer carefully trimming and seaming sheet vinyl resilient flooring.

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Installers standing by their work When you are selecting an installer, ask if they warrantee their work and for how long. Responsible installation services stand by their work for at least a year, some for the life of the flooring. Make sure that the terms of the warranty are included in the estimate for installing. And, ask for and check references. If you are pricing out installers, the estimate should include all related costs beyond labor, including adhesives, membranes or underlayment, sub-flooring repair and any pre-installation work like moving furniture or removing old flooring. ¢

First Things First The flooring is ordered, you know it’s going to look great! The date for installation is set. This means it is time to get busy preparing your space for the new floor.

irst things first. Plan to remove all the furniture, floor fixtures, furnishings, window treatments and appliances from the room. If the window treatments are permanent, cover them with a dust cloth; if they reach the floor, pin them up first. Remember to schedule a professional to disconnect and reconnect propane or natural gas appliances. Unless the resilient is being installed over the current floor, that flooring must be removed and disposed of. If there are any surprises when you take up the old floor, like another layer flooring, let your flooring installer know to find out if that flooring needs to go too.* Another surprise that can pop up at this stage is the newly exposed sub-floor is in bad shape. Again, call the installer because they may need to attend to a repair ahead of time. If it looks good, be sure to remove all tacks, adhesive and give a vacuum, then damp mop.* Planning and scheduling Once you have the date, arrange to be onsite for the installation. This way if there are any last minute changes or questions, you will be able to address them immediately. Next, arrange for children and pets to be away from the installation area and the parked work vehicles. There are all kinds of temptations for a child or pet to get into on the jobsite. And, cats like to make themselves at home in open work vehicles. If you live in a gated community or secure building, arrange for the work crew to have passes and parking fir their vehicles. Also, secure access to a service elevator if needed. ¢

* Your flooring retailer or installer can help you with these tasks. Contact them beforehand so the installation can proceed, and your beautiful resilient floor will be in place!

Each of the resilient sub-categories has its own installation requirements that must be fulfilled by the installer to meet the manufacturers’ comprehensive warranties and guarantees. www.rfci.com ❚ 73

Resilient Floor Care and Maintenance One of the most popular features of resilient flooring is that it’s so easy to clean. It’s moisture resistant and doesn’t trap dirt and dust the way other surfaces do. It’s also naturally stain resistant — spills just wipe away. But, since we haven’t developed a self-cleaning product yet, we’ve got some general maintenance tips to help keep your flooring looking great! Courtesy Tarkett | www.tarkett.com

Residential LVT

Residential and Light Commercial

The initial cleaning for floating floors can start immediately after the installation whereas if the LVT is installed with an adhesive a 48 hour waiting period is required. The waiting period is required to allow the adhesive to sufficiently dry before washing the floor with water and a cleaning solution. An important part of the maintenance protocol is too prevent potential problems that can damage your floor.

¢ Daily sweeping and vacuuming will prevent dirt and grit particles from being ground into the surface. ¢ Light daily washing. ¢ The frequency and amount of traffic will determine the need and frequency of maintenance. ¢ After the initial cleaning it may be necessary to use a pH neutral cleaner. When using a cleaner it will necessary to remove the residual film, frequently change the rinse water. Remove the water quickly with a wet/dry pick up vacuum, any resulting film left on the floor can leave the surface dull, cloudy appearance. This cloudy film must be removed with clean rinse water. ¢ If the surface becomes dull or scratched it may be necessary to apply a good floor polish, Tarkett SureShine Polish, will restore the floor’s surface to its original level of gloss. Before applying the polish be certain to thoroughly clean the floors to remove all of the existing dirt. ¢ When applying floor polish be certain to follow the application and use instructions. ¢ In time, it will be necessary to remove old coating. Use a high quality floor polish remover. Follow the detailed manufacturing instructions. ¢ Spray-Buffing is an effective method of commercial maintenance and can be used on the LVT for light commercial applications.

¢ Prevent indentations and scratches, use glass, polished metal or non-staining cups or casters with flat under surfaces. The diameter furniture protector must be large enough to distribute the load properly. ¢ Use walk-off mats to remove imbedded grit from your shoes. Avoid the use of rubber or latex backed ¢ Avoid high heels on your floor. They can cause permanent damage. ¢ Spills — any spills should be cleaned up immediately. The longer the stain is allowed to remain on the floor the greater the risk of permanently staining the floor. Refer to the detailed Consumer Protection Plan. ¢ When moving frequently moved furniture be sure to protect the floor from damage by using plywood or other hard surface. ¢ Avoid to direct sunlight for prolonged periods, this can result in discoloration. Excessive high temperatures can cause expansion. During peak sunlight hours it is recommended that drapes or blinds be used to protect the floor from direct sunlight

74 ❚ LUXURY FLOORING

Commercial LVT and Sheet Viny A commercial jobsite will accumulate significant amounts dirt and grit. The initial cleaning must not be performed for a minimum of 72 hours. Floor maintenance prevention and protection is extremely important. It will be necessary to sweep and vacuum the floor to prevent premature damage. ¢ Sweep or vacuum to remove all of the loose dirt and grit. ¢ Prepare a cleaning solution a recommended. pH neutral cleaner. Refer to the individual maintenance instructions. ¢ Follow the dilution ratio provided on the cleaning solution instructions. ¢ Apply the solution using a nylon or rayon mop. ¢ Dwell time of the solution is important, the time is determined by soil conditions. Do not allow the solution to dry. ¢ Scrub the floor using a single disc rotary machine, 175–350 rpm equipped with a red pad. ¢ Use a wet/dry vacuum to remove cleaning solution. ¢ Rinse thoroughly.. ¢ Repeat if necessary

Preventive Care ¢ Use effective walk-off mats at all entrances and exits. ¢ Use protective good quality castors or glides under static and dynamic appliance, furniture, etc. ¢ Do not use harsh cleaning solutions or excessively abrasive cleaning pads. ¢ Do not use compounds or mops containing or treated with petroleum based products. ¢ Do not use cleaning solution that contain aromatic solvents. ¢ Do not use oil or solvent based products on or near the flooring, they can cause the reduction of the COF or discolor the surface.

Deep Cleaning may be necessary, it’s dependent on the type and amount of traffic ¢ Remove dirt and grit by sweeping or vacuuming. ¢ Use a good quality pH neutral cleaner, refer to the detailed instructions. ¢ Follow the manufacturer’s instruction for the appropriate dilution ratio. ¢ Use a nylon or rayon mop to apply the cleaning solution. ¢ Dwell time of the solution is important, the time is determined by soil conditions. Do not allow the solution to dry. ¢ Scrub the floor using a single disc rotary machine, 175-350 rpm equipped with a red pad. ¢ Use a wet/dry vacuum to remove cleaning solution. ¢ Rinse thoroughly. ¢ Repeat the cleaning process if necessary.

www.tarkett.com

www.rfci.com ❚ 75

Resilient Flooring Q & A Q & A with Tim Hanno, Director of Retail Sales for Karndean Designflooring 1. What is “designflooring” and how does it stand out from other types of flooring? Design is such an important part of Karndean — it sets us apart. It’s not limited to the great visuals and individual products; Karndean Designflooring goes above and beyond. You can mix stone and wood; you can add curves and features; borders and corners; you can add personality. When a customer discovers a floor that they really, truly want, versus a floor that they are simply willing to settle floor, that is a special moment.

Karndean Aurego from the Opus Collection.

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2. What can designflooring do for a homeowner? Why should they choose Karndean for their project? First, you’ll get a floor that looks identical to the natural products that they replicate. It doesn’t stop there; you’ll also get a floor that is durable, easy to maintain, versatile, stylish, and completely customizable. Choosing Karndean means you can choose the look that you truly want for your space. There is no limit to the design capabilities of our floors.

3. How can CarpetsPlus COLORTILE help homeowners with their designflooring project? We have a great relationship with our CarpetsPlus COLORTILE retailers, who work closely with our Karndean representatives. This relationship ensures that CarpetsPlus COLORTILE retailers are trained designflooring experts who can help you with your interior design project. You aren’t just installing a floor, you’re finishing a space.

4. How can homeowners benefit from developing a strong relationship with their CarpetsPlus COLORTILE design center? Developing a close relationship with your CarpetsPlus COLORTILE design center is important because they will be there to help you throughout all of your projects. Having a trusted design source who knows your personal style is invaluable as you finish different spaces throughout your home. Furthermore, the family is at the heart of both Karndean Designflooring and CarpetsPlus COLORTILE. What’s best for your family is what’s best for ours. We want your family to be happy with their floor, their space, and their home. ¢

www.karndean.com | 1-888-266-4343

Above: Karndean black matte parquet in Black Oak; below left: Karndean Canadian Maple slim plank with beveled edge; below: Karndean Aran Oak vinyl plank.

www.carpetspluscolortile.com www.rfci.com ❚ 77

#GetInspired at Your Local CarpetsPlus COLORTILE® Retailer CarpetsPlus COLORTILE retailers are known for their design and installation expertise. With so many choices in Luxury Vinyl Flooring, you need an expert to guide you — and with us, that’s exactly what you’ll find. To discover more reasons to shop with us, as well as inspiring ideas, visit www.CarpetsPlusCOLORTILE.com.

COLORTILE Luxury Vinyl Tile.

COLORTILE Luxury Vinyl Plank.

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L U XL UX U RY U RY FL OFLOORIN O RIN G CO G CO L L ELCT L E CT IO N ION

from

C CO OL L LE EC CT TI O I ON N

Available at your local

L UL XU UX RU YR YF L FOL O O R I RNI N GG C O C O L L LEL CE TCI TOI O NN #getinspired

Visit www.carpetspluscolortile.com to find a retailer near you.

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EarthWerks® SOME OFFER LVT — WE ARE LVT ™ After all, it is your project. Selecting quality LVT flooring that you can trust is important. With so many brands out there, knowing the differences is key, so you can choose with peace of mind. EarthWerks® has over three decades of LVT pioneering experience in distinctive designs, diverse functionality and installation types, unique service and dependable availability.

arthWerks® produces one of the industry’s largest collections of quality-crafted proprietary designs — everything from your tried and true products, to new unique and trendsetting designs and colors. It’s a distinct customer advantage and a difference you can see. Our designs are inspired by nature with an attention to detail that captures the essence of nature’s beauty. Sold in over 50 countries, we seek upcoming trends to provide innovative design and technology in LVT. Our factories use production methods and technology advancements that continuously meet the highest global standards. The acute attention to quality comes from our family’s involvement at the factory level that spans generations. We believe that quality products begin with better ingredients, and we confidently back all of our products. Actually, we have been in the LVT business longer than most of our warranties. EarthWerks® warranties directly reflect the vast performance attributes each of products carry, allowing you to choose with confidence. EarthWerks® LVT is supported by one of the best and largest distributor/dealer networks in the country. Over 350 SKUs are in readily available inventory for your immediate needs. Know you can get what you need, when you need it. And, long-lasting floors means proper installation. We have dedicated personnel to handle your technical needs, just a phone call or email away. Customer confidence reflects on all of us — from our products to our service, you can trust EarthWerks®. Whatever your inspiration is, EarthWerks® delivers a full range of quality-crafted LVT installation methods — Glue down, Loose Lay, Clic, Beveled Edge, Grouted — not everyone can say that. Leading the market in Innovative Design, Manufacturing Excellence, Dependable Service and Availability. EarthWerks® — SOME OFFER LVT — WE ARE LVT ™. Call 800-275-7943, or visit us online at www.earthwerks.com. ¢

80 ❚ LUXURY FLOORING

Left: Upton in Winter Gates; below: Regalia in Cumberland.

Y R U X U L RUE

TRUE LUX URY – WE P U T THE “ L” I N LV T. EarthWerks® Luxury Vinyl Tile – a difference you can see. With over three decades of innovative designs and manufacturing technology, we’re pioneers in LVT fashion flooring for a variety of applications. LVT experience you can trust. Get a new splash of color and less-worry warranties from EarthWerks®.

SOME OFFER LVT – WE ARE LVT ™ For informat ion regard ing our extensive l ine of sustainable vinyl flooring, please cal l 800-275-7943 or visit us onl ine at www.eart hwerks.com

S R E T T E S D N E R

PICK A S PEC , ANY SPEC . We bring out the best in LVT. Sold in over 50 countries, we search for upcoming trends to provide innovative design and manufacturing technology in LVT. We’ve led the way in fashion flooring for over three decades. Add our dependable service and availability – that’s LVT experience you can trust. Get a new splash of color and less-worry warranties, from EarthWerks®.

SOME OFFER LVT – WE ARE LVT ™ For information regarding our extensive line of sustainable vinyl flooring, please call 800-275-7943 or visit us online at www.earthwerks.com