Coverings Fall 2023

CA N A DA’S FLO O R COV ER I N G M AG A ZI N E

Fa l l 2023

THEN & NOW

Kitsilano Residence

MONEY MAKER

How to improve sales performance to generate more revenue

PM 40063056

CFI INTRODUCES NEW CERTIFICATION PROGRAM CREATING A GENERATIONAL MARKETING STRATEGY SKILLED TRADES RECRUITMENT A THREE-TIERED APPROACH

Vol. 48, No.3 www.coveringscanada.ca

CANADA’S FLOOR COVERING MAGA ZINE

CONTENTS FALL 2023

FEATURES 8 Skilled Trades Back at Career Table Making the flooring installer first-choice through awareness, education, training and partnerships 10

Generational Selling Know your target market to increase engagement, sales

14 Filling an Industry Void CFI’s advanced commercial carpet certification sets new standard for installations 16

Navigating the Floor Thicket Consumers look to retailers to help with eco-friendly carpet product selection

Photo courtesy Tina Kulic/Ema Peter Photography

COLUMNS

DEPARTMENTS

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4

22 Then & Now

19

Stats & Facts

20

Product Showcase

Renovation of character home unearths original flooring worked into updated design

From the Editor Renovation realities

C A N A DA’ S F LO O R C OV E RIN G M AG A ZIN E

Fall 2023

THEN & NOW

Kitsilano Residence

MONEY MAKER

Cover photo by Tina Kulic/ Ema Peter Photography

CFI INTRODUCES NEW CERTIFICATION PROGRAM PM 40063056

Business Builder Five steps to empower employees to close more sales

CREATING A GENERATIONAL MARKETING STRATEGY SKILLED TRADES RECRUITMENT A THREE-TIERED APPROACH

Coverings_Fall_2023.indd 1

Canada’s floor covering magazine \\

2023-10-16 4:24 PM

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FROM THE EDITOR

RENOVATION REALITIES THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC sparked an unanticipated renovation boom that is still in full swing despite rising project costs due to high inflation. What’s behind the trend is a combination of factors, including higher interest rates, prohibitive housing prices — the cost of homeownership in major cities like Toronto and Vancouver is still sky-high, even with recent price declines — and the continued limited availability of homes on the market (though some areas of the country are seeing a resurgence of properties for sale), all of which have forced potential sellers to stay put and renovate instead of move.

Inevitably, every reno project will face challenges; hence, contractors always tell clients to expect the unexpected, especially when updating a much older property. This was the case with the exterior restoration and interior renovation of a Vancouver heritage home, which took place during the height of Covid and stretched the project out to three-and-a-half years. In addition to the problems faced during a normal full-house renovation, there were standard Covid-related setbacks in construction and the homeowners wanted to return the multiplex to its original single-family status. The inside of the dwelling is the focus of our Then & Now column, which unearthed original flooring that was incorporated into the 21st century update.

But first, we begin this issue with the return of our Business Matters column. Guest columnist and internationally known trainer and coach for floor dealers, Jim Augustus Armstrong, delves into the topic every retailer has on their mind — performance. He provides strategies to help retail associates close more sales.

Training and education is a key theme of our fall edition. The National Floor Covering Association’s Chris Maskell addresses the flooring installer labour crisis in Skilled Trades Back at the Table, and provides a three-tiered approach to attract and retain talent. Next, Jeffrey Sommer of AHF Products explores a learned technique that retail salespersons can use to better target, engage, communicate and close deals with customers born in different decades (and even centuries) in Generational Selling. Dave Garden of the International Certified Flooring Installers then walks through CFI’s newly introduced advanced commercial carpet certification program in Filling an Industry Void.

Rounding out this issue is our flooring focus on carpet, industry stats and facts, and regular product showcase.

If you’d like to share a product launch with our readers or there’s a topic you want to see covered, contact me at claret@mediaedge.ca.

Clare Tattersall

PUBLISHER

CO-PUBLISHER

Jason Krulicki

Dan Gnocato

EDITOR

ART DIRECTOR

claret@mediaedge.ca

annettec@mediaedge.ca

jasonk@mediaedge.ca

Clare Tattersall

dang@mediaedge.ca

Annette Carlucci

PRESIDENT

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

kevinb@mediaedge.ca

roxyh@mediaedge.ca

Kevin Brown

CIRCULATION

circulation@mediaedge.ca

Thuy Huynh

Coverings is published four times annually — Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter — for Canada’s floor covering industry. Subscriptions are free to qualified participants in Canada’s floor covering industry. Subscribe at www.coveringscanada.ca. Readers from outside Canada may purchase subscriptions for $55 Cdn. For subscription inquiries, e-mail circulation@mediaedge.ca. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Coverings 2001 Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario M2J 4Z8 MediaEdge Communications and Coverings disclaim any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or currency of the contents of this publication and disclaims all liability in respect to the results of any action taken or not taken in reliance upon information in this publication. The opinions of the columnists and writers are their own and are in no way influenced by or representative of the opinions of Coverings or MediaEdge Communications.

Copyright 2023

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Canada Post Canadian Publications Mail

Inesl@mediaedge.ca

Sales Product Agreement No. 40063056

Ines Louis

ISSN 0834-3357 Published by 2001 Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario M2J 4Z8 © 2023 by MediaEdge Communications. All rights reserved.

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BUSINESS BUILDER

SECRETS OF CLOSING MORE SALES Five steps to empower employees for success

By Jim Augustus Armstrong

“I

’ve told my sales team they need to increase their closed sales but nothing improves.”

I’ve heard this complaint in various forms from many floor dealers. The problem occurs because business owners inform their salespeople of the end result they want but fail to provide practical tools and training to achieve it.

By empowering your sales team, you can add hundreds of thousands of dollars annually per salesperson. For example, if your average ticket is $3,000, and through training and empowering a single salesperson they close one more sale per week and obtain an extra referral, that’s another $6,000 each week. This translates to $312,000 in additional revenue a year with no marketing costs. So, there is a lot at stake for equipping your sales team to succeed.

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Here’s a proven five-step process to help your sales team close more sales and get more referrals.

PROVIDE TOOLS FOR SUCCESS

It’s not good enough to tell a salesperson that they need to increase their sales by 30 per cent. You’ve got to give them the tools to make this possible. Written, step-by-step, carefully scripted systems for closing sales and getting referrals are critical. These systems should be teachable and learnable.

TRAIN HOW TO USE THE TOOLS

Once you’ve provided the tools, you’ve got to train your team on how to use them. One-hour weekly sales team trainings are recommended.

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To make them effective, hold them on the same day and at the same time, and begin and end on time. Also, role play the most important parts of the sale. For example, have your sales team practice greeting walk-ins, sitting them down for a consultation, presenting quotes and overcoming objections.

You can’t train a salesperson on a skill one time and expect them to master it. Repetition is key to success. Consider a three-month sales training video series for salespeople. The entire sales process can broken down into a 12-part series of 10-minute training videos. During each weekly training meeting, the sales manager or business owner plays one video. The team then practices and discusses the skill highlighted in the video. Every three months the team cycles through the videos. Over time their abilities improve, resulting in increased margins and closed sales.

„The best choice for protecting your floor.“

MONITOR PERFORMANCE

It’s important that everyone on your team knows exactly what’s expected of them and their work is regularly inspected.

Is each salesperson following the system? Can every sales team member recite your sales and referral request scripts? Are walk-ins being greeted using your scripts?

SHOW APPRECIATION

Celebrate small successes. Recognize team members when they get their first sale or referral using your system. When a sale is saved, acknowledge those responsible for saving it; talk about the techniques used to keep the sale. Also, recognize team members when they go out of their way to provide great service or do a favour for a customer that cements their loyalty.

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INCENTIVIZE WITH REWARDS

If your sales team is paid on commission, a reward that occurs automatically is increased income from more closed sales. Consider using a tiered commission structure where a salesperson gets a higher percentage of the commission when certain benchmarks are reached each month. Other ways to recognize employees are bonuses, certificates, trophies, plaques and gifts. Rewardable results may include increased gross sales, referrals generated, sales processes completed and testimonials gathered.

Jim Augustus Armstrong is founder and president of Flooring Success Systems, a company that provides floor dealers with marketing services and coaching to help them attract quality customers, close more sales and get higher margins. Jim can be reached at 530-790-6720 or support@FlooringSuccessSystems.com.

www.floorotex.com Canada’s floor covering magazine \\

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TRAINING & EDUCATION

SKILLED TRADES BACK AT CAREER TABLE Making the flooring installer first-choice through awareness, education, training and partnerships

By Chris Maskell

I

t’s no secret Canada is in the midst of a flooring installer labour crisis. In fact, the entire construction industry is crying the blues and asking where the next wave of tradespeople is going to come from to replace those who are retiring.

For the flooring industry, the concern is not only about attracting new blood but also improving the skill and knowledge levels of

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existing installers. After all, having a highly skilled and qualified flooring installer on-site is a key factor to the success of any installation.

Unfortunately, the challenges run deep.

Why does society attach stigma to a career path in the trades? Why do youth choose a university degree that can come with tens of thousands of dollars of debt and no guar-

antee of a job immediately after graduating over a skilled trade with stable income? Why do school-aged children have no idea what a floor covering installer is, let alone that it’s a ticketed trade and career path option?

For decades, conversations on this topic have taken place across the country with no real, measurable action taken while the trade continues to lose experienced installers to

TRAINING & EDUCATION

retirement. The skilled trade of floor covering installer has simply not been on the radar, whereas other trades like welders, electricians and plumbers have had a lot more visibility.

THE INDUSTRY HAS AWOKEN

The United States has seen a renewed effort to breathe life back into the flooring installation trade and stake a claim in what is a competitive and crowded landscape.

Jim Aaron, executive director, and Kaye Whitener, director of operations, of the Floor Covering Education Foundation have been working to build awareness around and attract new interest in the trade, get the International Certified Flooring Installers training curriculum into technical colleges across the U.S., and upskill existing installers through partnerships with various contractors and the support of donors. It’s a herculean undertaking that’s showing results.

Other initiatives have been launched recently, including CCA Global Partners’ installer training for their Carpet One members across the U.S. and Canada.

Representing the union segment of the industry, the United Brotherhood of Carpenters in both Canada and the U.S continue their efforts to enrol new trainees and upgrade existing installers through its comprehensive International Standards and Training Alliance program.

In Canada, plans have been set in motion at both federal and regional levels; however, there’s still a lot of work to be done to convert this effort into real results.

BREAKING DOWN THE WORK AHEAD

There are three tiers that need to be targeted to break through the sea of competing trades.

Tier 1 is the grassroots stage. School-aged children, as early as Grade 1, along with their parents, counsellors and teachers need to be made aware that the ticketed trade of floor covering installer exists. Tools should be put into the hands of six-year-olds while they still love building stuff out of tape, cardboard and blocks. It’s important to interest them before they become unreachable, distracted by social pressures and social media. They have to experience what the trades are all about early on through various interactive opportunities, both in and outside of school. They

School-aged children, as early as Grade 1, along with their parents, counsellors and teachers need to be made aware that the ticketed trade of floor covering installer exists. and their parents also need to see a clear and compelling path forward, including less debt, an early solid income, applicable life skills, a career that is immune to advances in artificial intelligence, potential business ownership and a daily sense of achievement that comes from contributing to a project’s development.

Tier 2 relates to existing installers. Ongoing learning opportunities must be made available to increase expertise and allow installers to build on their existing knowledge and skills. They need to be given a reason to stay in the trade. This will take several different tracks, for example, college/accreditation or certification, local opportunities through business partnerships and manufacturer product training.

It’s also necessary to continue to educate the construction industry on how a project must be prepared to start a floor covering installation successfully so that trained installers no longer show up on projects to be told ‘just get it done because we don’t have time to do it right.’ This is another sure way to lose skilled installers to other trades that get respect on-site.

Tier 3 involves connecting with people who are considering new or next careers.

This is potentially a very large pool of individuals, including women, immigrants and other groups as more people re-evaluate what they’d like to do in life. Between the Covid-19 pandemic, inflation and other economic factors, life has made many people rethink what they want and what is required in order to obtain financial security.

FROM CRADLE TO CAREER

Just like with an electrical circuit, if all connections are not made the lights will not turn on. This series of connections starts with parents. Then the school districts have to be on board, followed by principals, teachers, technical colleges, trade training organizations and certification schools, career trades shows and eventually employers offering apprenticeships.

Looking at the big picture, society has to make a paradigm shift when it comes to the perception associated with choosing a career in the trades because as long as societal stigma exists, there are barriers to entry.

It’s necessary to create awareness, generate early interest and curiosity, and inspire people to want to enter the trades. This can be achieved by getting young kids, their parents and schools on board and providing opportunities to experience the trade; ensuring local education and training are available that reflect widely recognized curriculum and credentials, with a clear career path forward; making sure the trade is visible at hands-on career fairs, pre-apprenticeship programs and schools; offering existing installers ongoing, top-level education and training in order to build expertise and skills; growing the trade’s support and partnership networks; getting industry participation; and amassing advocates, ambassadors and rock stars of all generations, giving them a platform and reason to share their stories.

There’s a long way to go and a lot of moving pieces to deal with but the winds of change are blowing — and that’s very heartening.

Chris Maskell is CEO of the National Floor Covering Association (NFCA). Chris has worked in the floor covering industry for more than 29 years. During this time, he has been a flooring contractor, manufacturer’s representative and business owner. As CEO of NFCA, he works with the board of directors to promote NFCA standards and updated specifications for commercial floor covering installations. He also operates the NFCA’s quality assurance program, a specifiable third-party inspection review service for commercial projects, and is a certified floor covering inspector.

Canada’s floor covering magazine \\

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TRAINING & EDUCATION

GENERATIONAL SELLING Know your target market to increase engagement, sales

By Jeffrey Sommer

T

he digital world today offers the opportunity to engage with people electronically through many different touch points — digital ads, social media, e-mail marketing, YouTube videos.

It is important to understand your target market, the customer journey and what motivates a buyer to purchase a product, as well as your business’ purpose and why someone would specifically purchase a product from you. As you gain knowledge about your local or regional market’s need for flooring, it’s also essential that you understand how different generations view the world, their values and motivations.

This will help to better position your product or service for improved engagement and, ultimately, a flooring sale.

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BUSINESS PURPOSE

Why do you do what you do? Is it because you like working? Or making money?

For some, monetary gain is what drives them, while others are fuelled by passion.

People buy from companies or people with a purpose. And they buy products because they have a need. For the residential flooring industry, the need may be because they are renovating their home, adding an in-law suite, replacing a tired floor or just simply that they want something new.

This is where your purpose meets their need. You’re a local retailer that is part of the community. Your purpose is to help people live a better life in your hometown.

You need to exemplify that messaging and integrate it into communications and ad-

vertising to more effectively reach and engage prospective customers.

TARGET MARKET

In all parts of life, it’s best to know your audience.

You wouldn’t stand in front of a crowd and speak about just anything, would you?

You’d probably write a speech on a specific topic and when writing that speech, you’d give thought to your audience — their wants and needs and how you can reach them through your words.

It’s the same with digital advertising. You need to understand your market, who lives in it and what needs you are able to fill.

To do this, you can work with a local marketing agency or consultant who already

TRAINING & EDUCATION

knows the area. They can pull demographics of the town, region and province, and provide you with a synopsis of who’s in the designated market area (DMA). Or you can utilize the Internet to acquire census data, which will help you better understand what percentage of the population in your area is over 55, under 35, has a family, is living alone, their income levels and so on.

Once you’ve gleaned who you’re selling to in your DMA, it’s necessary to know what motivates them to act.

What are their likes and dislikes? What are they doing at their current stage of life? How likely is it that they can afford the product you’re offering?

This is where understanding the different generations will help you position your messaging appropriately.

MATURES: BORN BEFORE 1946

This aging group is looking forward to retirement and relaxing.

Within this generation are two segments.

The first is the ‘tried and true’ (47 per cent).

They’re low risk as they’ve learned this keeps them safe and secure. They think things have really changed and they want everything to go back to the way it used to be. The second segment is the ‘golden agers’ (53 per cent). They like to extend beyond their comfort zone. You may decide to target this segment since ‘golden agers’ are looking for adventures and may want to remodel their space. Keep in mind, though, that both groups grew up with hardwood in their homes, so the nostalgia of hardwood floors is ingrained in them.

BOOMERS: BORN 1946-1964

This generation really are the movers and shakers. Think about all they’ve seen and experienced: the end of the Second World War, growth of the middle class, rise of rock and roll.

While this generation is segmented, boomers are equal in their motivations. Twenty-two per cent are considered ‘full throttle’ and are busy at all times; 59 per cent are ‘smooth sailors’ who like to enjoy the fruits of their labours; and 20 per cent are dedicated to making a difference in the hopes of creating a better world to live in.

GEN X: BORN 1965-1978

GEN ALPHA: BORN AFTER 2010

This generation is a bit set in their ways.

Their parents were the movers and shakers, so they’re more likely to be more refined.

Fifty-eight per cent are considered ‘pragmatic pathfinders’ who want to make the most of their life. The other 42 per cent are more focused on their home and find comfort in making it the centre of their life.

(This is who you may want to target with new flooring.)

This is the ‘up and coming’ generation. Despite not quite being at the stage of making home improvement purchases, we can gauge their current activity and make assumptions about future shopping habits.

Generation Alpha is a combination of all generations that came before them. They’re decisive, determined, have a strong conviction in their beliefs, resilient, are confident, work hard and desire to be in control while seeking out challenges. They’re considered the ‘richest generation,’ both in wealth and knowledge, and spend on all things from technology, gaming and streaming services to food delivery, fashion and hobbies.

MILLENNIALS: BORN 1979-1996

This is the most diversified generation with four different segments. Twenty per cent are ‘new traditionalists’ who are family oriented and living their life to support their family. ‘Ambitious realists’ are the largest segment at 37 per cent. They’re looking for everything but not sure if they can handle it. ‘Trailblazers’ make up 25 per cent. They like to stay one step ahead of the crowd and take risks in their quest to live their best life.

The last segment (18 per cent) is focused on fighting for a better world. In general, this generation has money to spend and are willing to pay for finer things. However, they need to closely identify with a company’s purpose, so keep this in mind when marketing to them.

GEN Z: BORN 1996-2010

This generation is all in, out to make a difference and not afraid to take risks. They see a world filled with opportunities and want to be part of the solution to multiple causes.

They’re tech-savvy and connected having grown up in an on-demand, mobile phone in hand environment. When making a decision, they need to be connected digitally; having visualizer tools or virtual reality experiences are key when making a purchase. They also want a quick response, so be prepared to act quickly when providing them with a product or service.

CONTENT MARKETING

When developing content to engage specific generations, you need to have a distinct strategy to really stand out since there is much clutter in the digital world.

Having a clear focus of the generation you want to target — knowing their needs and wants, likes and dislikes, and the stage in their lives — can be valuable when creating a marketing campaign. Truly understanding who you are creating content and advertising for can pay off in dividends. Knowing that customer and their path to purchase is key to successfully selling to them.

Flooring is not an everyday purchase.

For some generations, it takes time to weigh the features and benefits. Others act on impulse, not caring about the durability or upkeep but only about the look.

Being able to target your audience based on research and, more importantly, insights gleaned is key to a successful marketing program. If you know your audience and relate to them, you’ll find they’re more receptive to purchasing your product when making that final decision.

Jeffrey Sommer is director of integrated marketing and digital engagement at AHF Products, a leading hard surface flooring manufacturer with a family of brands, including Armstrong Flooring, Bruce and LM Flooring, that serves the residential and commercial hardwood and vinyl flooring markets.

Canada’s floor covering magazine \\

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Grout provides the accent to every tile installation; ‘a touch of color’ that can create subtle or dramatic contrasts that help shape the mood of a room. When trying to achieve a desired look, choosing the right grout color to accompany a tile can be just as important as the tile itself. This is why PROMA has formulated a wide selection of the most fashionable grout colors available to help make your choice an easy one. Contact PROMA toll-free at 1-866-51-PROMA (77662) or visit www.proma.ca to order a Grout Color Card or Kit.

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CARPET

FILLING AN INDUSTRY VOID

CFI’s advanced commercial carpet certification sets new standard for installations

By Dave Garden

ceptional hands-on skills and a perceptive understanding of the industry’s intricacies. As the landscape of carpeting continues to evolve, a successful installer must be attuned to the subtleties of patterns, materials and industry standards.

In an industry where patterns and precision define success, the completion of this program signifies an installer possesses the necessary skills and astute sensibilities to navigate the intricate landscape of modern commercial carpet installation. This rigorous evaluation delves deep into an installer’s manual dexterity and cognitive acumen, probing their ability to troubleshoot on-site challenges and rectify pattern irregularities.

Yet, this certification demands more than technical prowess — it necessitates a profound understanding of efficient job site staffing and accurate product estimation. The goal is to shine a spotlight on installers who can confidently lead a job site, earning them recognition as leaders among their peers.

SUPPORT AND COLLABORATION

I

n recent years, commercial projects have experienced a significant rebound in interest. The reinvigoration of this sector has reignited the call for uncompromising quality, pushing the architect and design community to demand heightened flooring industry standards and unwavering expertise in every facet of their projects.

To align with evolving expectations, a substantial revamp of the International Certified Flooring Installers’ (CFI) educational programs,

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especially in commercial carpet installation, was necessary. Master II certification primarily caters to the residential market, so an evident gap needed addressing. This led to the creation of the advanced commercial carpet certification program, known as CIII — a rigorous threeday assessment meticulously crafted to differentiate leaders from crew members.

Advanced commercial carpet certification is not just a means to identify leaders; it identifies installers with a unique combination of ex-

CFI unveiled its new certification standard this past March. The response was overwhelmingly positive, prompting CFI to refine the test further. Incorporating insights from carpet, tool and adhesive manufacturers, it has extended the certification to encompass carpet tile installations. This expansion brought forth additional training needs, notably the demand for comprehensive instruction in commercial layout and carpet tile installations.

With strong industry support and newfound insights, a second certification course was held at Carpet Express in Dalton, Ga., in July, where specific areas requiring focused training were identified. The active participation and endorsement of prominent manufacturing companies provided invaluable feedback that will shape the trajectory of the program. Their response is also a testament to the industry’s acknowledgment of the critical role skilled installers play in en-

CARPET

hancing the potential of their products. As CFI and these manufacturers join forces, the industry moves closer to a future where installation excellence is not just a standard but an expectation.

ADVANCED CFI COMMERCIAL TEST

The advanced commercial carpet certification program is a rigorous and comprehensive evaluation that encapsulates theoretical understanding and practical expertise.

It highlights the intricate nature of commercial carpet installation, requiring a deep knowledge of various materials, techniques and project management considerations.

Applicants must submit resumes and a testing deposit, and have already earned Commercial Carpet I and II certifications.

They then receive a tailored study guide for a multiple-choice test.

The test assesses knowledge of installation practices, industry standards and manufacturer specifications. It also presents applicants with a real-world job site scenario, requiring them to calculate yardage, create a material list, and consider manpower allocation and project completion time.

The hands-on component evaluates critical aspects of commercial carpet installation, including carpet tile installation, pattern carpet corrections, double-stick

installation, millwork and cove base installation.

FUTURE INITIATIVES

CFI has set forth a plan to conduct up to two certification classes annually in Dalton, Ga., and is committed to presenting updates to the pattern identification and correction class, as well as training for carpet tile layout and double-stick installation classes.

These valuable additions significantly enrich an installer’s skill set, contributing to the overall competency of the industry.

Dave Garden is executive director of education for the International Certified Flooring

Installers, a top organization dedicated to promoting, elevating and representing the professionalism of flooring installation. Dave can be reached at dgarden@cfiinstallers.org.

NUFLOORS – What Nufloors Store Owners Have to Say Nufloors is a business & marketing group where every Nufloors store owner is an equal shareholder of Canada Nufloors Group Inc. By joining, you don’t just join a program; you become an equal owner of Canada Nufloors Group and have an equal voice in the direction of the organization. Today there are 24 independently owned and operated Nufloors locations across Canada.

Here are testimonials from some Nufloors store owners: “NO AUTOSHIPS! Enough said.” - Ralph, Nufloors Sherwood Park

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“Nufloors has been incredibly supportive as a new Nufloors store owner and I’m proud to be part of a rapidly growing and well run organization.”

- Matthew, Nufloors Comox Valley

“Access to over 50 suppliers without the mandated display programs allows us to keep our independence while still tailoring our showroom for the local market.” - Glenn, Nufloors Vernon

“When it came time to sell my business, the presence of the Nufloors brand proved advantageous during the sale process.” - Brian, former owner, Nufloors Castlegar

Canada Nufloors is looking for people who own their own flooring store and are committed to operating a quality flooring business and delivering excellence in customer service.

For more information and to learn if Nufloors could be a mutual fit, please contact us to start a conversation: info@nufloors.ca | www.nufloors.ca/join-nufloors

Canada’s floor covering magazine \\

15

CARPET

NAVIGATING THE FLOOR THICKET

Consumers look to retailers to help with eco-friendly carpet product selection

By Lee Senter

C

onsumers are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits of carpet made from sustainable fibres. This eco-friendly option minimizes indoor air pollution and mitigates health problems caused by toxic floor surfaces.

But with so many ‘greener’ flooring choices on the market today, how does a consumer choose (and then properly care for) the right environmentally preferred product?

To best service customers, it’s important that retailers understand how these textile floor coverings are made.

WOVEN VERSUS TUFTED

Piled carpet is either woven or tufted. Consumers in search of the ‘greenest’ option often turn 16

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to woven. However, tufted floor textiles account for more than 95 per cent of carpets and rugs in North America.

Woven carpet is created on looms by simultaneously interlacing face yarns and backing yarns, eliminating the need for adhesive to bind it together. Its backing is often made of natural fibres like jute and cotton, which are notorious for shrinkage when wetted out.

There are three basic kinds of machine-woven carpet: Velvet, Wilton and Axminster. Velvet and Wilton carpets that have patterns of one or two colours often have backings of multiple natural fibres. These can shrink tremendously due to the content of the filling yarns used in the frames. Axminster also shrinks.

When it does, it can only be stretched back in

one direction. As a result, great attention must be paid to carpet construction, cleaning methods and drying times when cleaning any woven broadloom.

Tufted carpet is made on a giant multi-needle sewing machine. An adhesive coating is applied to the back of the carpet to anchor the tufts in place and prevent them from being pulled out under normal circumstances. A secondary backing is then added for dimensional stability. Most tufted carpets have polypropylene primary and secondary backings with synthetic sustainable face fibres made of triexta, polyester, nylon and wool.

TRIEXTA

Triexta is made from polymers of the

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CARPET polyester family and corn glucose (instead of petroleum). Some triexta can have up to 37 per cent corn glucose in its composition. By replacing petroleum with corn glucose, less chemicals are put into the fibre, which means fewer chemicals come out of it in the form of volatile organic compounds.

Since triexta is newer to the marketplace, there is not enough data to determine the longterm performance of these carpet products.

But it is safe to say triexta is almost completely stain-resistant and it is lipophilic, which means it attracts oily soils.

Detergent-free cleaners are preferred to maintain triexta as many cleaning solutions contain co-solvents and degreasers. Their residues will cling to the fibres, causing a dull appearance and rapid re-soiling.

POLYESTER

PET (polyethylene terephthalate) polyester carpet is made from recycled plastic bottles.

The bottles are ground into tiny pieces and melted into chips, which are then converted into the fibres. This helps to keep millions of plastic bottles out of landfills and saves on the use of resources in the production of polyester.

Carpet made with polyester fibres performs well but when it comes to stain removal, it attracts and holds oily soils and cleaning residues.

It also repels water. Using very hot water and higher pH pre-conditioners can help loosen adsorbed soil from the fibres.

NYLON

There are two types of textile nylon — nylon 6 and nylon 66. Nylon 6 has been recycled for many years and is re-polymerized into carpet fibre.

Nylon is the most versatile of all fibres. It can be manufactured in a variety of colours and styles, and offers long-term performance.

The fibre is also easy to clean since it does not have an affinity for oily soils, though stains can be a problem. The fibre absorbs moisture and can attract acid dyes from, for example, soda drinks.

When cleaning, it is important to use products that are safe for ‘fifth generation’ nylon.

Wool is found in both tufted and woven carpets.

Unlike other common carpet fibres, it is naturally flame-resistant.

Wool used in commercial carpet comes from sheep. Its yarns are much shorter than synthetic fibres and composed of a protein substance called keratin. These staple fibres are resilient, withstanding wear and tear in high traffic areas, and take in dyes readily.

This means wool carpet is available in countless colours; however, it can also stain easily.

Wool carpet can be damaged by high alkaline cleaning solutions. The carpet can also fade or dye may bleed when improper chemistries are used. Only cleaning solutions that carry the WoolSafe seal of approval should be used when cleaning carpet made of this fibre.

floors in the Greater Toronto Area, and CEO of restoration company DryIt. Lee can be reached at leesenter@hotmail.com.

AUDIENCE Coverings reaches qualified, top-level participants in Canada’s vibrant floor covering industry through our BI-WEEKLY E-DIGEST. It supplies energized market response by providing independent, relevant, thought provoking content that respects readers and holds attention.

Visit us at www.coveringscanada.ca for more infomation.

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WOOL

James (Lee) Senter is president of Fresh and Clean, which performs deep cleaning of

REACH YOUR D I G I T A L

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The fibre is prone to colour loss from high pH cleaners.

STATS & FACTS

83% Eighty-three per cent of retail and hospitality leaders are not confident in their employees’ ability to interact with customers.

Leaders are also concerned about supply and demand, lack of leadership, keeping employees goal-oriented, inflation, cost of goods and labour, and employees not retaining information or not caring.

8% —eduMe

3.6% While a recession remains a possibility in the coming months, organizations in Canada are planning on granting salary increases in excess of three per cent for the third year in a row.

Although higher than normal, with an average forecasted increased of 3.6 per cent in 2024, this does represent a softening compared to 2023, with average salary increases reaching 4.1 per cent.

British Columbia saw a record number of apprentices enter the skilled trades in 2022/2023 — an eight per cent increase over previous years, bringing the total to 41,000. Nearly 1,500 Indigenous people entered the trades, marking a 22 per cent increase. Skilled trades saw a 37 per cent increase in women, with 1,072 entering over this time period. Youth participation also grew to 10,018, up 14 per cent.

—SkilledTradesBC

—Statistics Canada

0.2%

0.8% The trend in housing starts was basically flat in August at 244,507 units, up 0.8 per cent from 242,552 units in July. The monthly seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of total housing starts for all areas in Canada decreased one per cent over the same time period.

Total SAAR housing starts were down 12 per cent and 20 per cent in Vancouver and Toronto, respectively, while Montreal recorded an increase of 41 per cent, driven by a 48 per cent bump in multi-units.

—Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

77% Seventy-seven per cent of large employers are reporting an increase in workforce mental health needs, representing a 33 percentage point surge over last year. This increase was cited as the most significant area of prolonged impact resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.

—Business Group on Health

Real gross domestic product (GDP) was essentially unchanged in July, following a 0.2 per cent decline in June.

Services-producing industries edged up 0.1 per cent, while goods-producing industries contracted 0.3 per cent. The manufacturing sector had the largest negative contribution, down 1.5 per cent — its biggest drop since April 2021. This was the second consecutive monthly contraction for the sector. The July decline largely stems from lower inventory formation.

—Statistics Canada Canada’s floor covering magazine \\

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Laticrete’s 254 Platinum Plus is a high-performance thin-set mortar that builds on the strengths of the original 254 Platinum. The new formula features a lighter, creamier consistency for greater workability and a 60-minute open time to allow for more flexibility for installers on the job site. Additionally, a 25-pound bag of 254 Platinum Plus offers the same coverage as a standard 50-pound bag of adhesive mortar. The new formula exceeds ANSI A118.15 requirements, the industry’s highest performance standard for cement-based adhesive mortars, making it ideal for any interior, exterior or submerged installations in commercial and residential projects. 254 Platinum Plus is UL Greenguard-certified for low volatile organic compounds, formulated without silica sand to ensure safer and healthier environments for contractors and end-users, and incorporates Microban antimicrobial product protection to help prevent odour and stain-causing bacteria.

HFLOR by LX Hausys America’s Prestg XL luxury vinyl tile collection offers extra-large planks, measuring nine inches by 60 inches. It features three distinct wood designs: Modern Minimalist, Coastal and Legacy. Each design consists of four wood patterns reflective of their style’s name. The visuals of Modern Minimalist are lighter wood tones, softened grains and refined textures. Coastal has sun-kissed wood tone looks and Legacy offers brushed texture and warm earthy tones. The collection was created using an innovative embossing technique that imprints effects onto the surface, synchronizing the high-definition image and resulting in the authentic texture of wood and ceramic materials, says the company. Its stone polymore composite core is highly resistant to water and moisture, helping to maintain the product’s original appearance.

Ecore’s Essentials line is designed for use in free weight, cardio, selectorized strength and functional training areas. The budgetfriendly flooring is engineered to focus on ergonomics, acoustics and safety. Its durability enables it to stand up to heavy foot traffic and weathering from workout equipment, while its surface makes it slipresistant in both wet and dry conditions. The Essentials line is available in three-eighths-of-an-inch vulcanized composition rubber rolls or portable interlocking tiles. Colours include black, blue, red and grey.

Lunada Bay Tile’s refreshed, handcrafted ceramic tile collection Graphite includes two new shapes: Duet, a blending of triangular and rectangular shapes, and a rectangular field that’s four and threequarter inches by nine-and-a-half inches. Three new hues have also been added — Klein Blue, Carmine Red and Molten Bronze — based off well-known, time-honoured paint colours. The Graphite collection is inspired by pencil drawings, as well as raw ingredients for artistic expression.

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Warm Tiles Self-Adhesive Mats (SAM) from Emerson are prefabricated mats that can be installed to warm flooring materials as diverse as marble, ceramic, glass and porcelain tile, slate, granite, poured or dimensional stone, laminate and certain engineered hardwood products. Ready to install out of the box, the mats are ideal for square or rectangular areas, multi-unit flooring or expansive rooms, but can also be re-shaped in the field to fit non-square floor area by cutting the mat’s open-weave plastic mesh. Installation involves rolling out the mats and affixing them to a subfloor. Thinset mortar is then laid over top to hold the mats in place, followed by the flooring material to complete the installation. Use costs less than a penny per square foot per day and the mats operate on ordinary electric current. Warm Tiles SAM mats are available in 120 and 240 Vac, and come in 20-inch rolls.

Daltile has launched four new porcelain tile and stone flooring collections: Acreage, Calgary, Pure and Gamma. Acreage joins the timeless approach of natural hardwood visuals with the lasting durability of coloured-body porcelain. Available in a sprawling eight-inch by 48-inch plank, it is crafted with an authentic grain pattern to achieve a realistic, textured look. Inspired by the Burlington stone found in the English countryside, Calgary offers a modern stone look. It’s available in matte and polished finishes and large size options, and is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. Pure is a monochromatic porcelain tile available in both matte and polished finishes. Sizes include 12-inch by 12-inch, 12-inch by 24-inch and 24-inch by 24-inch. Gamma provides the richness of natural stone with drastic veining on top of exotic colours. It’s offered in an array of shapes and sizes, including extra-large 24-inch by 48-inch format.

AHF Products’ refreshed Armstrong Flooring Medintone homogenous sheet flooring collection features a complete spectrum of new soft, tonal neutrals and bright pops of colour. Inspired by biophilia and natural healing, Medintone is engineered for spaces that demand superior infection control like healthcare settings, including hospitals and doctors’ offices, and educational institutions, from university dorm rooms to daycare centres. The true through-pattern construction resists abrasion and other wear created by weighty equipment, such as carts in healthcare spaces, or the frequent rearrangement of desks and chairs in educational settings. The flooring can also withstand heavy traffic and staining. Its washable surface cleans and dries quickly, making it a low maintenance option underfoot.

5G Dry by Välinge Innovation is a fold-down installation system that provides enhanced water resistance by preventing water from penetrating into the seams of the floor panels. This technology makes floors easy to install and helps ensure they look brand-new, says the company. The North American Laminate Floor Association’s 48 hours test — 24 hours with water pillar and 24 hours recovery — is commonly used in order to assess the water behaviour of floor installations. In wood-based floorings, 5G Dry contributes to significantly lower edge swelling, ensuring the floor both looks and feels better despite being subjected to wet mopping, accidents and other events from everyday use. 5G Dry can be paired with wood-based floors, such as hardened wood and engineered wood, and with both laminate and resilient flooring.

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THEN & NOW

A DISPLAY OF HERITAGE

Renovation of character home unearths original flooring worked into updated design

By Madeleine Sloback

Photos courtesy Tina Kulic/Ema Peter Photography

K

nown for its mix of new and old homes, Kitsilano is among Vancouver’s most coveted communities. It’s no wonder then that a couple returning to the region from living in the United Kingdom chose the neighbourhood to put down roots. They purchased a four-level heritage home originally built around 1910. Over the years, the 3,600-square-foot house had been converted into multiple separate apartments. The new owners wanted to turn it back into a single-family dwelling.

When demolition began, the floors were one of the first items on the list to tackle. On the main ‘public’ level, peeling back the aged laminate flooring uncovered a large amount of floor-levelling concrete.

Chipping it away exposed the original solid oak floors, which were mostly intact.

One of the project’s biggest assets was general contractor John Quinton of Quinton Construction, who had spent 10 years on the Vancouver Heritage Foundation board. His vast knowledge of period specific materials and designs interpreted the unearthed floor’s patterns, revealing the property’s original layout. Armed with this knowledge of the home’s history, the old floor could be incorporated into the updated modern design.

The first task after exposing the original flooring was to remove portions where new walls would be constructed. Once walls were framed and wainscotting finished, the existing floor patterns were

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reworked to fit the new size and shape of the rooms. The original floor and borders were kept in the foyer, dining and kitchen areas. New red oak top-nail flooring was used in the hallway and fitted with a simple boarder.

Once the floor was complete with a mix of original flooring and new pieces installed (as required), the entire floor was filled and sanded with large drum and small edging sanders. It was then stained with an oil-based penetrating stain and finished with three layers of water-based polyurethane to give the restored wood as much protection as possible.

In the end, the new design utilizes the old floor and its unique patterns to enhance the renovation. The restored and reconfigured original borders were thoughtfully incorporated and used as the literal base for the selections of wallpaper, art deco decor and antique furnishings. For example, the straight-laid floor that was placed for the original kitchen is now an accentuated feature of the new lounge.

Madeleine Sloback is the founder and lead designer of Madeleine Design Group, an international award-winning, full-service interior design firm based in Vancouver that was behind the Kitsilano heritage home renovation.

Madeleine believes everyone has a vision of their ideal home. Her job is to nurture that vision into a cohesive, functional and creative design that will stand the test of time.

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