Coverings Fall 2021

CANADA’S FLOOR COVERING MAGAZINE

October/November 2021

THEN & NOW

G&F Financial Head Office

NOISE IN CONDOS

Use of proper acoustic membranes during flooring installation can reduce complaints

PM 40063056

CARPET, PETS CAN BE PURR-FECT TOGETHER PATTERN MATCHING, SEAM SEALING BROADLOOM GO GREEN WITH ECO-FRIENDLY FLOORING OPTIONS

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INTRODUCING PET PERFECT™ The style and design you know and love from Anderson Tuftex combined with the most durable, pet-friendly carpets available.

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Vol. 46, No.5 www.coveringscanada.ca

CANADA’S FLOOR COVERING MAGAZINE

CONTENTS OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2021

FEATURES 8 A Peaceful Coexistence Advances in pet-proof protection mean dogs, cats don’t have to put an end to carpet 10

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The Best Laid Plans Installer tips for carpet pattern matching, seam sealing Blue is the New Green Beetle-killed trees can be more than just dead wood

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Don’t Buy into Greenwashing Adhesives for environmentally friendly installs about more than label claims

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Navigating the Flooring Thicket The truth about linoleum

Photo courtesy Evangeline McCarthy

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DEPARTMENTS 4

Installation Matters Acoustic membrane considerations for condo projects

From the Editor Bringing recognition to local contractors

22 THEN & NOW

18

Product Showcase

20

Stats & Facts

Financial office’s flooring installation nabs gold in first-ever award category

CANADA’S FLOOR COVERING MAGAZINE

October/November 2021

THEN & NOW

G&F Financial Head Office

NOISE IN CONDOS

Use of proper acoustic membranes during flooring installation can reduce complaints

CARPET, PETS CAN BE PURR-FECT TOGETHER

Cover photo by Evangeline McCarthy

PM 40063056

COLUMNS

Coverings_October/November_2021.indd 1

Canada’s floor covering magazine \\

PATTERN MATCHING, SEAM SEALING BROADLOOM GO GREEN WITH ECO-FRIENDLY FLOORING OPTIONS

2021-11-12 2:22 PM

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FROM THE EDITOR

BRINGING RECOGNITION TO LOCAL CONTRACTORS FALL KICKS OFF awards season for the film and television industry, beginning with the Emmys. Though it wanes in comparison to the glitz and glamour of the primetime ceremonies, the Starnet Design Awards are no less important.

Now in its 23rd year, the annual competition honours outstanding projects completed through membership in collaboration with the architects, designers and Starnet-aligned manufacturing partners. New this year is the category, Canadian Project of the Year. One of the largest full-service commercial flooring contractors in the country, Beatty Floors Ltd., nabbed gold for its work on G&F Financial Group’s corporate head office in Burnaby, B.C. The project, as seen on the cover, is the focus of this issue’s Then & Now. Though not a renovation, we chose to feature it since G&F’s new location and its design is a departure for the financial institution; hence, the fit. Considerable time and effort went into the project, which marks the largest investment in the company’s future to date.

Not to be forgotten is the runner-up, Couvre-Planchers Labrosse Inc., which received silver for its work on Alithya, a corporate project that involved the implementation of a new office concept across various locations, and Antex Western Ltd.’s bronze win for the modernization of the department of chemistry lab in the west building at the University of Alberta.

To begin this issue is our regular Installation Matters column. Penned by guest contributing writer Steve Vasconcelos of the Floor Studio Inc. in Toronto, the accredited National Wood Flooring Association inspector delves into the issue of soundproofing in condominiums and the role acoustic floor membranes play in reducing the transmission of noise.

From here, we turn to our flooring focus on carpet. Topics covered are advancements in pet-proof technology and the tricky task of pattern matching and seam sealing broadloom.

Rounding out this issue (outside of our regular Product Showcase and Stats & Facts), we look at environmentally-conscious flooring options, including beetle-killed pine flooring and linoleum, as well as sustainable adhesives for eco-friendly installs. At a time when climate change action is top of mind for so many, selecting greener alternatives can make a significant impact on the planet.

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 six times annually, Jan./Feb., Mar./Apr., May/June, July/Aug., Sept./Oct. and Nov./Dec., 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 2021

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ISSN 0834-3357 Published by 2001 Sheppard Avenue East, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario M2J 4Z8 © 2021 by MediaEdge Communications. All rights reserved.

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INSTALLATION MATTERS

CONDOMINIUM SOUNDPROOFING It’s time to reevaluate that flooring underlayment

By Steve Vasconcelos

T

he condominium market is heating up again in Canada’s biggest cities after demand waned during the second wave of the pandemic, driven by investors fleeing and buyers flocking to the suburbs and small towns in search of more space to work from home. With real estate swinging back to the downtown core where most condos have been (and are being) built, it is an ideal time to discuss the elusive and misleading world of acoustic floor membranes as they pertain to this multi-residential sector.

Sound travels faster through hard materials like wood and concrete than it does through air — 8,859 miles per hour (mph) versus 767 mph. Vibrational noise through a building structure, not airborne noise, is what causes many soundproofing issues in condos. This is where the improper installation of acoustic floor membranes comes in, as it is often behind noise complaints in these buildings.

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Underfloor treatments are normally recommended or required by code for new buildings projects. Many condo corporations also require these treatments in existing buildings and that they can achieve an acoustical soundproof standard of a minimum field impact insulation class (FIIC) rating of 70. There are several reasons for doing so, including improving the sound character of a room and putting less impact noise and vibration energy into the building structure itself.

Acoustic membranes are used to achieve this goal. But they are one of the most misunderstood products in homebuilding and renovations today.

In a condo, an acoustic floor membrane is installed over the concrete slab and under the finished floor. In short, the layer of material increases the overall density of the floor/ceiling assembly. Its sole purpose is to control impact sound — generated by walking, danc-

INSTALLATION MATTERS

In Canada, acoustic membranes ought to be field impact insulation class tested over an eight-inch concrete slab with no suspended ceiling to offer the best results.

ing, exercising, moving furniture and other activities that send shock waves through the floor — and vibration.

In Canada, acoustic membranes ought to be field tested (FIIC) over an eight-inch concrete slab with no suspended ceiling to offer the best results. However, a 2020 case study found the overwhelming majority of acoustic floor membranes installed by contractors do not meet these requirements.

Why? Because most sold in today’s market are laboratory tested to an impact insulation class (IIC) rating, with a suspended ceiling often consisting of resilient channeling, isolation clips, four to six-inch sound batt insulation and one to two layers of drywall. Obviously, these products test exceptionally well. But once the excessive materials are stripped away — none of which exist in most condos — the acoustic rating drops by up to 50 per cent.

This only partly explains why less than ideal acoustic floor membranes are installed in condos. The other reason comes down to cost.

The flooring market is one of the most competitive industries.

Look no further than the exponential growth of flooring retailer showrooms in any given neighbourhood, at least in the Greater Toronto Area. So, it’s ‘understandable’ when a contractor does not include a $2 per square foot superior, four millimetre (mm) rubber product in its project bid when tendering against two to three others. Instead,it is very common for contractors to quote a 1 mm Styrofoam product made in the Far East that’s just 10 cents per square foot and claims to offer exceptional acoustic results.

It is prudent that flooring professionals take a closer look at the acoustic membranes they’re using. Rubber membranes are consid-

ered superior when it comes to impact sound control and not just in the flooring industry. These products are utilized to isolate vibration under heavy mechanical equipment, gym floors, dance floors and playgrounds, not cork, cloth or Styrofoam.

Condo flooring is no different when the desired outcome is to mitigate impact noise and vibration.

Adhesives that claim acoustic ratings are also quite common these days. They are almost always tested with a gypsum suspended ceiling. (The data sheet will often read ASTM E-492-04 IIC 65, 150 mm concrete slab with suspended gypsum ceiling.) Installers should be mindful of this before deciding to forego an acoustic membrane in the hopes the glue will provide adequate impact sound protection all by itself.

Flooring professionals interested in reducing noise and vibration in condos would be wise to use rubber soundproofing as a first step. Affordable recycled rubber products can be easily purchased nationwide. What’s more, most qualify for LEED credits that are attractive to developers and architects looking to meet eco-friendly project goals.

Steven Vasconcelos is owner of the Floor Studio Inc., a supplier of specialty hardwood, engineered flooring, luxury vinyl tile and sound attenuation products. Steven is also an accredited National Wood Flooring Association inspector with more than 25 years of experience in the flooring industry that includes analyzing acoustic test reports and membranes. He can be reached at 416-533-2855 or steve@thefloorstudio.ca.

FIELD IMPACT INSULATION CLASS TESTING Field impact insulation class (FIIC), now known as apparent impact insulation class (AIIC), measures a floor/ceiling assembly’s resistance to the transmission of structureborne or impact noise. Virtually all provinces and municipalities have set guidelines for the minimum FIIC/AIIC test rating in a building. It is not uncommon to find these in requests for proposals from architects, property managers and condo boards.

Performing a FIIC/AIIC test requires a specialized piece of equipment called a floor tapper. This machine can be likened to an internal combustion engine that features exposed pistons, which are mounted in a way that they strike the floor in a repetitive sequence. The specifications for this machine are contained in ISO 140 and ASTM E413, E492 and E1007, among others. The machine generates a controlled amount of impact noise that is then measured in the room below the space where it is being operated.

Canada’s floor covering magazine \\

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CARPET

A PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE

Advances in pet-proof protection mean dogs, cats don’t have to put an end to carpet

By Nina LoCicero

T

oday’s post-pandemic consumer desires responsible, well-made products that support healthy home goals as they look to create a sanctuary inspired by the outdoor environment and redefine their interiors to accommodate new activities. The home is now a hub for business, learning, exercise, entertainment and recreation, and consumers are willing to invest in premium products that meet their demands for ultra-durable, easy-to-clean flooring that doesn’t compromise style and design. Simply put, today’s consumer wants it all. Fortunate8

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ly, manufacturers are rising to the challenge with a plethora of flooring solutions for independent retailers.

One sizeable consumer demographic retailers should pay attention to is parents, and that of both children and pets.

Studies show pets drive many in-home purchasing decisions and with billions of dollars spent each year on these beloved family members alone, it is no wonder flooring manufacturers continue to up their game when it comes to offering carpet solutions. Recent advancements

in manufacturing technology have given rise to a new wave of products positioned in the marketplace specifically for pets, providing consumers and retailers more confidence in their selection.

These products are expertly engineered to address staining and soiling, easy cleanability, resistance to fading and other top concerns of pet parents.

Studies also show many consumers mistakenly assume carpets designed for durability don’t or can’t offer comfort or leading style.

Consumers want beautiful floors but refuse to

CARPET

sacrifice the endurance they need to keep up with their active families and lifestyles.

Independent retailers and sales associates must help shift this narrative and educate consumers about advancements in both performance and design to ensure such misconceptions don’t undermine the category. Soft surface merchandising systems should feature colours and patterns that draw consumers in and invite them to touch and feel the comfort that carpet provides. To tell the performance story, retail sales associates can lean on manufacturers’ websites and digital assets, often easily accessed through QR codes on in-store signage, product boxes and other literature, to highlight the specific perks of a particular product or collection. Carpet is unmatched in terms of the softness, comfort and sound reduction benefits it offers. Now more than ever, retailers can and should speak directly to how new technology makes these products ideal for pets and active families. The approach should focus on three Ps: personal, practical and planet.

Concentrating on making the message personal centres on design intent.

These carpet products are designed intentionally for pets and the people cleaning up after them. The colours, patterns and construction are all carefully considered to keep carpet looking its best, despite the spills and messes made by fur babies. Fibre innovation has led to better stain resistance, including added protection against unsightly spots and blemishes, common cleaners, fading and even bleaching. Select fibres are specifically engineered to be resistant to pet hair, making them easy to vacuum and clean.

The practicality of these carpet products also makes them winners. Engineered for ultimate performance, many styles feature extended warranties to help consumers protect

their investment. Stain and soil technologies along with carpet backing innovations keep spills and liquids on the surface, preventing them from seeping through to the pad and subfloor, which can cause odours and mildew.

New fade-resistant technologies address enhanced cleaning regimens practiced by many consumers and end-users. With proper care and maintenance, these styles will easily outlast the playful early years of a pet’s life.

While pets and active households are the primary focus of these products, retailers and consumers can expect many lines to also offer a sustainability story. From raw material sourcing to care and maintenance, a variety of these products are designed to minimize impact on people and the planet. Some manufacturers also offer eco-friendly cleaners specifically formulated to protect both the beauty and integrity of the carpet.

Nina LoCicero is vice-president of marketing and digital commerce for Shaw’s residential division. She has more than 25 years of marketing experience, including business-to-consumer and business-to-business. Shaw’s portfolio is comprised of industry-leading brands like Anderson Tuftex, Coretec, Floorigami, Philadelphia Commercial and Shaw Floors.

Canada’s floor covering magazine \\

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CARPET

THE BEST LAID PLANS Installer tips for pattern matching, seam sealing

By Mark Aydin

R

emember the first days working as a carpet installer when the assumption was once you knew how to seam, stretch and carpet stairs you could potentially go out on your own. Then you got a job that involved pattern matching and the seams didn’t look quite as they should. This was in part due to lack of experience and/or use of improper techniques, as well as not having the right tools or equipment.

Pattern matching carpet requires some prep work. To begin, gather as much information as possible about the product and the manufacturer’s tolerances. In general, be ready to make correction of one-inch in a 12-foot length for bow, 1.5 to 2 inches for skew, three-quarters of an inch to 1.25 inches for pattern elongation, and a half inch to 1.5 inches for edge deviation and/or trueness. These tolerances can vary depending on the manufacturer and carpet selection.

Because of this, it is good practice to call the manufacturer’s toll-free helpline and speak

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with the technical department, regardless of whether confident you can deal with the tolerances.

Next, take time to truly understand skew, bow and trueness of edge. Skew is a distortion in pattern squareness that is visible when the pattern on one side is slightly ahead of or behind the pattern on the other side. Bow is the amount of deviation across the width, typically measured at the centre of the breadth. Bow occurs when seams or patterns are stretched out of alignment, curving away from and back toward a seam or centering point. A distortion visible as wavy or crooked pattern lines when viewed across carpet width is referred to as bow.

Trueness of edge is one of the most underestimated elements that could ruin all your prep work. It describes S-shape edges that are nearly always present in some degree on all broadloom carpet and will need to be corrected by stretching the affected areas. Carpet may or may not have true edges, but all patterned carpet will have some bow and skew.

Prior to installation, examine each carpet roll for pattern bow, skew and trueness of edge. Inspect the carpet across several breadths to determine where you will need to correct for bow and skew. The tolerances are based on how much a qualified installer can correct them by stretching the carpet.

A power stretcher and matching seam/repair stretcher are necessary to correct for bow and skew.

Always dry-fit the carpet before making any cuts, adjustments and bonding to the floor. This will help you better understand problem areas and how best to address them.

Once laid, it is time to seal the seams. This is one of the most crucial aspects of any carpet installation. When properly done, it prevents water from penetrating the flooring underneath and seam peaking, which is when the carpet tents up at the seam instead of lying stretched and flat on the floor. To begin, apply a bead of seam adhesive to the cut edge of one side to seal both trimmed edges. Ensure the bead thickness is sufficient to cover the primary and secondary backing without contaminating face yarns. To bond together, join the seams while the adhesive is still transferable.

Mark Aydin is owner of Victorious Carpet and Flooring in Toronto. He is a certified residential carpet and resilient flooring installer, and a certified instructor for carpet and resilient flooring with the International Certified Flooring Installers Association in Canada. Mark is also a member of the Canadian Floor Cleaning and Restoration Association and previously sat on its board of directors. He can be reached at mark@victoriousflooring.com.

Before we create any flooring, we consider the goals and safety of those who choose, install, use and maintain it—as well as the health of our planet, now and for generations to come. Learn more about Tarkett Human-Conscious Design™ and our broad portfolio of surfaces at commercial.tarkett.com/en_US Education • Healthcare • Retail • Workplace

© 2021, Tarkett North America

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SUSTAINABILITY

BLUE IS THE NEW GREEN Beetle-killed trees can be more than just dead wood

By Clare Tattersall

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SUSTAINABILITY

A

bout 20 years ago, a rice-sized insect began to wreak havoc on British Columbia’s interior landscape. In one year alone, 140 cubic metres of mature lodgepole pine was wiped out. What was left behind was a barren forest filled with blue-grey stained, needleless trees.

This situation is not unique to the country’s westernmost province, nor Canada. Similar devastation can be found throughout the Western United States.

However, all is not loss, thanks to people like Ryan Palma, whose passion for healthy forests led him to start Sustainable Lumber Co. Based in Missoula, Mont., the now 10-year-old company specializes in producing products from recycled, reclaimed and sustainable timber. This includes beetle-killed pine. Instead of letting these trees rot on the stump, Sustainable Lumber salvages them.

“The beauty of the wood and all its natural colours is just too sad to waste,” says Palma.

Beetle-killed pine is the term used for pine trees killed by the mountain pine beetle, a member of a group of insects known as bark beetles. This small beetle has decimated more than 100 million acres of timber at an 80 to 90 per cent kill rate in Canada and the U.S. The mountain pine beetle bores into the wood, lays its eggs and ultimately suffocates the tree by cutting off its water and nutrient supply. The beetle lives out its life cycle within the bark, except for when adults emerge and attack new trees.

After the beetle kills a tree it becomes known as dead standing timber. If left in the forest, the dead tree will eventually fall over, decay and either become fuel for catastrophic wildfires or release its carbon back into the atmosphere, resulting in higher greenhouse gases.

However, if harvested within five years, the tree can be manufactured into wood products like siding, wall planks and panelling, cabinets, doors, furniture, moulding and flooring, the latter of which is one of the most ideal uses, says Palma.

“Flooring lengths are typically random up to eight feet, so we can cut all the defects out and still salvage a large percentage of each tree.”

“Some local commercial sawmills use the trees for framing lumber but after about three years, the trees have too many defects like cracks, splits, bug holes and rot pockets to be used in construction,” he explains. “Flooring lengths are typically random up to eight feet, so we can cut all the defects out and still salvage a large percentage of each tree.”

The distinct blue ‘stain’ of beetle-killed pine results in one-of-a-kind flooring.

Created by the fungus carried by the mountain pine beetle that stops the tree from producing its natural defence resin, each board’s colour varies and can include blue, purple, brown, orange, yellow, red and pink. The ‘tinting’ is purely cosmetic and has no effect on the structural integrity of the wood. And because it is an all-natural and organic product, no stains or paints are needed to enhance it.

“There is no other wood floor in the world like it,” says Palma.

Sustainable Lumber Co. ‘hand picks’ beetle-killed ponderosa pine trees found in the Big Hole Valley of Montana, that range between 100 and 400 years old. Due to its thick bark, ponderosa pines hold moisture in the tree 10 times longer than commercially harvested lodgepole pine. This moisture allows the fungus from the mountain pine beetle to penetrate deeper into the wood to create the wide array of colours seen in the company’s flooring.

“We selectively harvest older trees simply because they have a very tight

ring count, typically 15 to 20 rings per inch, and more dramatic colours,” says Palma. “The tighter the ring count, the more stable the boards will be.”

After visually grading and methodically cutting the trees to maximize the natural colour and character, Sustainable Lumber slowly kiln dries every plank to six to eight per cent moisture. This is ideal for interior wood flooring to prevent shrinkage and help reduce any chance of future movement in the board. It also kills 100 per cent of the fungus that created the natural discolouration in the tree.

“We are meticulous when it comes to drying,” notes Palma. “We sticker our boards, put a 2,000-pound concrete slab on top, which helps prevent cupping, and dry at 120 F for 10 to 14 days.”

Once dried, every board is re-inspected and milled into tongue and groove flooring.

After milling, the boards are checked again and any defects cut out by hand.

Each individual flooring board is then endmatched (tongue and groove on the ends).

Palma says that while the finished product is more expensive than white pine flooring that comes from living trees, it is still less costly than other species like oak, hickory, walnut, maple and ash.

“We can only salvage approximately half of the beetle-killed tree, so the cost is about 50 per cent higher than white pine flooring,” explains Palma. “It is also very labour intensive to produce since we visually cut out all the defects by hand on a mitre saw.”

Canada’s floor covering magazine \\

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SUSTAINABILITY

DON’T BUY INTO GREENWASHING

Adhesives for eco-friendly installs about more than label claims

By Jeffrey B. Johnson

like low VOCs or zero VOCs to their products without anything substantial to backup the claim. This is known as greenwashing.

Of course, such claims do not mean these products are safe, won’t have any ill health effects or contain no toxic chemicals.

VOC content (what’s in the product) does not correlate to VOC emissions (what the product gives off). Because of this, products with zero or low VOCs can still emit VOCs. THE GOLD EMISSIONS STANDARD

T

he pressure is on throughout the construction industry to build sustainably. With the advent of governmental regulatory frameworks, the days of discounting the environmental impact of flooring products are long over.

Eco-sustainability is not limited to floor coverings. It includes all the components that contribute to the installation, especially adhesives. Traditionally, adhesives have been formulated for their tack, cost-efficiency, working time and ease of application. Today’s specifiers still look for these qualities but they are also wary of whether every product chosen contributes to green building certification programs, such as

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LEED, the WELL Building Standard and Living Building Challenge.

VOC CONTENT AND EMISSIONS

A leading concern for adhesives is their levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Many manufacturers are quick to add labels

To confidently select healthy products, customers should look for adhesives that have been third-party tested and certified. The SCS Indoor Advantage gold standard certifies compliance with the most rigorous indoor air quality emissions standards in North America — the CDPH/EHLB method (CA 01350) v1.2-2017. To be certified, products must be independently tested following specific protocols for measuring VOC emissions. The standard ensures full compliance with the California Department of Public Health’s standard method for the testing and evaluation of volatile organic chemical emissions from indoor sources.

Certification qualifies products to contribute to points under LEED, the WELL Building Standard and Living Building Challenge, among other building certification programs. This certification can also qualify products under the Collaborative for High Performance Schools and the Green Guide for Health Care for low-emitting materials credits.

Jeffrey B. Johnson is the business manager for Mapei’s floor covering installation systems line.

Mapei has more than 375 products in Canada and the U.S. certified to the SCS Indoor Advantage gold standard, including wood flooring adhesive Ultrabond ECO 983, hybrid polymer-based Ultrabond ECO 985 and Ultrabond ECO 907, a gun-grade adhesive designed for basic wood subfloor construction practices. All Mapei products can be found on its mindful materials library, which aggregates product sustainability information that enables industry professionals to incorporate product transparency into their real-time decisions.

SUSTAINABILITY

NAVIGATING THE FLOORING THICKET The truth about linoleum

By Casey Johnson

W

ant a resilient flooring that is made from raw materials and is reliable, strong, hygienic and safe for both the indoor environment and planet?

Look no further than linoleum.

With more than 150 years of heritage behind it, linoleum is extremely durable, lasting upwards of 30 years. This makes it an ideal choice for a variety of applications, from healthcare facilities to education institutions to public buildings.

The floor covering is manufactured on a circular platform with predominantly natural and renewable raw materials, such as linseed oil, wood flour, limestone, rosin and jute, making it carbon neutral from cradle to gate. This means carbon dioxide emissions are neutral during the first stages of the product life cycle, from the growing of raw materials to the end of the production process. When combined with green cleaning and maintenance programs that maximize the flooring’s performance and appearance, linoleum is truly one of the most

environmentally-conscious flooring options on the market.

The absence of plasticizers in linoleum and, subsequently, the off-gassing of these chemicals also helps improve indoor air quality. Studies show good indoor air quality has a positive impact on the health and well-being of a building’s occupants, resulting in higher productivity and better concentration and focus.

Most linoleum produced worldwide derives from flax plants grown in the Prairies.

As linseed oil makes up 30 per cent of the content of linoleum, using linoleum directly supports farmers in Western Canada, who utilize no-tilt processing in fields. This significantly reduces erosion, improves mois-

ture retention in the soil and, through the carefully balanced use of fertilizer, minimizes or even eliminates eutrophication, which causes algae in water bodies.

Linoleum’s smooth, non-porous surface makes it easy to keep dust-free. What’s more, it is allergen-free and clinically proven to inhibit the growth of various types of bacteria, including MRSA and C. difficile.

Linoleum has come a long way since its early days. Advancements in technology have resulted in a limitless pallet of sheet, tile and plank options in a variety of colours and designs, ranging from marble to linear to concrete. What can be done today with this flooring material is only limited by the imagination.

Casey Johnson is director of healthcare business development, North America, at Forbo Flooring Systems. Forbo is a leading producer of commercial floor coverings, including vinyl, flocked flooring and Marmoleum, the company’s brand of linoleum. Casey can be reached at casey.johnson@forbo.com.

Canada’s floor covering magazine \\

17

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

CoverTrim from Ornamental Decorative Millwork does just what its name implies — it covers up problem baseboards. The product is made of durable medium density fibreboard (MDF), and comes primed and ready to paint. Simply slide overtop existing mouldings and then nail into place instead of ripping out and replacing scuffed, damaged or dented baseboards. Each piece of CoverTrim is 5.25 inches high. Craftsman and colonial-style base mouldings are 7/8-inch in depth. Adhesive-backed spacers placed every six inches act as a buffer between the face of the old moulding and CoverTrim, when existing base moulding is less than 9/16-inch thick.

Laticrete has significantly expanded its Spartacote product line with the addition of a new primer, self-levelling epoxies and an enhanced pigment system. Spartacote General Primer includes an improved formulation that is compatible with all of the company’s epoxy products.

This eliminates the need for installers to stock multiple primers, resulting in reduced inventory carrying costs, says Laticrete. Spartacote Surface Build is a multi-purpose, self-levelling epoxy with enhanced durability for a higher quality and more uniform end result. The company says the product’s multi-purpose benefits add greater field flexibility and improved levelling properties, making it easy to work with and reducing the number of surface defects while creating a better overall finish. Spartacote Surface Build UV offers the same benefits but with greater protection against ultraviolet light, resisting yellowing and degradation. Laticrete has also advanced the product line’s colour capabilities with the Spartacote Universal Pigment System — a first to market system formulated with highly concentrated pigments that work with all chemistries. It’s available in 13 standard colours with additional custom colour matching.

American Biltrite has introduced three new stone designs for UltraCeramic Contract, its fully grouted engineered stone flooring solution for commercial applications. Finestone comes in five delicate shades interlaced with subtle cross-grain veins. Villa Stonewood offers a look-alike wood visual in four different colourways. Urban Slate is rustic yet classic. It comes in six natural colours with an unpolished matte finish.

UltraCeramic Contract is a resilient flooring that was designed to mimic the look and feel of natural stone. Available in 12-inch by 24-inch tiles, it features a 4-millimetre rigid core construction protected by a 20-mil wear layer and a polyurethane surface treatment that is stain-resistant and non-porous.

Daltile’s Sleigh Creek collection of wood-look porcelain tiles features the visuals and texture of wood graining, chatter matters and natural knots. This is achieved by combining an authentic wood visual with wood tones on a hardwearing tile surface. Six light to dark taupe-based browns make up the line, ranging from an ashy off-white to a medium pecan hue.

Available in 6-inch by 36-inch plank tiles and coordinating 8-inch hexagon floor tiles.

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PRODUCT SHOWCASE

Patcraft’s first Cradle to Cradle certified gold collection, Reverse, is constructed with a yarn system that offers 100 per cent post-industrial recycled content allocated from waste minimization and collection efforts.

Using this yarn in conjunction with a PVC-free carpet backing creates a lower, overall embodied carbon footprint for the product, says the company, and can be recycled at the end of its useful life. The collection includes three styles in neutral colour palettes. It features a 12-inch by 48-inch colour point tile with intersecting, perpendicular elements, as well as two 24-inch by 24inch visuals, each offering small to medium-scale patterns.

Elemental Hardwoods has expanded its exotic hardwood flooring line with the addition of Black Mesquite, a hard to source wood species known for its strength, durability, distinctive character, and chocolate and grey-brown colour patterns that will darken some with age. Sourced sustainably from the high desert Chaco region of Northern Argentina and Paraguay, Black Mesquite is dense with a silky texture and wild grain. The company says its extreme stability makes it highly workable and a top choice for glue or nail down applications, especially in difficult environments. The flooring is currently available in unfinished square edge in 1/2-inch and 3/4-inch thicknesses, widths that span from 3 inches to 8 inches, and 1-inch to 7-inch lengths.

Tarkett’s collaboration with designer Jhane Barnes has resulted in the creation of two soft surface patterns, Spin-Off and Corollary. Following her signature process of translating mathematical formulas into striking patterns, Barnes used the geometric concept of space-filling fractals to create Spin-Off, which delivers the look of modular planks and tiles. Barnes then assigned playful accent colours to certain areas of the Spin-Off pattern to create Corollary. By maintaining the same palette of 10 base neutrals, the two patterns coordinate together to create unique zones or more varied modular layouts, says the company.

Steele Mixer by Steele House Industries mixes a bag of cement material, such as concrete, grout and mud, in less than one minute without the need for an electric hookup. At 34 pounds, its compact design means only one person is needed for mixing and moving to a different location. The mixer also carries a low carbon footprint. Its drum is constructed of 100 per cent recycled plastic and the handles are made of forested natural wood, which is also fully recyclable.

Canada’s floor covering magazine \\

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STATS & FACTS

$8.6 billion

5% Housing starts were down nearly 5 per cent in September, to 271,068 units from 284,757 units in August. Single-detached and multi-family seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) starts were both lower in Canada’s urban areas in September, which led to a decline in overall SAAR starts for the month. However, on a trend and monthly SAAR basis, the level of housing starts activity in Canada remains high in historical terms. Among Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal, Vancouver was the only market not to register growth in total SAAR starts, due to a decline in the multi-family segment.

—Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp.

Revenue from veneer, plywood and engineered wood product manufacturing in Canada is expected to amount to approximately $8.6 billion US by 2024.

—Statista

4.4%

$55.8 billion

The Consumer Price Index inched higher in September, reaching 4.4 per cent — the highest year-over-year growth since February 2003. This figure reflects the rapid rise in consumer prices, which was mainly driven by higher production costs. Disruptions to supply chains, high shipping costs and a lack of truck drivers in Canada are expected to last until the first half of next year. As a result, supply chain disruptions will continue to keep prices elevated.

—Conference Board of Canada

157,100 The Canadian economy added 157,100 jobs in September, pushing total employment beyond the 19 million mark for the first time since the pandemic’s onset. More than 90 per cent of employment growth stemmed from gains in the services economy. Across the goods economy, the performance was mixed. After an energetic start to the year, residential construction cooled over the summer and in September, construction employment fell by 10,900. However, these declines were offset by employment growth in manufacturing, up 22,100. Employment rose in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba. There was minimal change in British Columbia, Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. Despite the overall growth in employment, there was little progress in reducing the number of long-term unemployed. In September, 389,000 people were long-term unemployed, compared to 179,000 recorded prior to the pandemic.

—Statistics Canada 20

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The global wood flooring market is projected to reach $55.8 billion US by 2026. Changing lifestyles, growing urban population in the Asia-Pacific region, rise in spending on home renovations and increasing consumer demand for eco-friendly materials are some of the key growth drivers augmenting demand for this flooring type. Wider planks, longer boards, lighter and natural wood colours like white oak and matte sheen finishes are some of the emerging trends witnessed in the wood flooring space.

At present, engineered products are dominating the wood market, owing to the increasing number of manufacturers that prefer this product due to its positive attributes that include cost efficiency and dimensional stability.

—ReportLinker

STATS & FACTS

$560 million

1 in 5 The great resignation trend may accelerate across Canada. Half of workers think they’re earning less than they deserve, with millennials and women feeling the most shortchanged. Roughly one in five employees would consider quitting their job if they don’t receive a raise by year’s end. When weighing job offers, it’s not all about the money. Seventy-five per cent of workers are looking for flexible work schedules, followed by remote work options (61 per cent) and employee discounts (40 per cent).

—Robert Half

Orders for manufacturing technology totalled $560 million US in August, an increase of nearly 20 per cent monthover-month and up 89 per cent from August 2020. The year-to-date total reached $3.55 billion US, the highest value through the first eight months of a year since 1988.

—Association for Manufacturing Technology

5.8%

43.2 points Small business confidence fell steeply in September. The three-month outlook dipped more than 12 points to 43.2, while the 12-month outlook lost more than nine points and is now at 57.8 — the biggest decreases since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. While all provinces registered significant drops in optimism on both the long and short-term indexes, businesses in Quebec and Ontario saw the biggest decreases. On the sectoral side, professional services, hospitality and construction experienced the largest short-term drops, while agriculture and retail saw the greatest long-term decreases. Anxieties fuelling the dip in confidence include labour shortages, supply chain challenges and the impending end of federal government support programs.

—Canadian Federation for Independent Businesses

Wood product sales continue to fall.

Following a 5.8 per cent decline in June, sales of wood products fell 21.8 per cent in July, driven by prices. At the same time, the total value of building permits in Canada dipped 3.9 per cent.

Despite the recent declines, wood product sales were up 46 per cent year-over-year in July.

—Statistics Canada

2.1% Demand for bricks, blocks and pavers is forecasted to rise 2.1 per cent annually to $8.1 billion US in 2025, supported by the rising popularity of hardscaping and outdoor living projects like walkways, backyard gardens and patios. Unit sales of all three will remain elevated into 2022, but will begin to decline from their peak as residential construction activity, which surged during the pandemic, moderates, dragging down average growth through 2025.

—Freedonia Group Canada’s floor covering magazine \\

21

THEN & NOW

A WISE INVESTMENT

Financial office’s flooring installation nabs gold in first-ever award category

By Vance McCarthy & Don Brletic

Photos courtesy Evangeline McCarthy

W

hat began as a small fishermen’s credit union in 1940, has become a thriving financial institution with more than 52,000 members and 24 locations in British Columbia.

This is the story of G&F Financial Group, which had outgrown its corporate office in Burnaby, and was looking to make the largest historical investment in itself to better service the needs of its employees, members and the community.

In 2015, the company took the first step in finding new commercial space, eventually zeroing in on four floors within the nearby Kings Crossing development. Working with local architect ZGF and design-build contractor Fusion Projects, G&F designed its new flagship office, known as the G&F Hub, to encourage collaboration between departments. Previously displaced teams in boxed-in layouts now enjoy an open concept floor plan that is both functional and bright. Enclosed offices for private financial interactions were incorporated into the design, using glass walls to maintain an airy feel.

ZGF Architects’ vision made for an award-winning opportunity for Beatty Floors’ experienced installation technicians. Milliken carpet tiles were sculpted into multiple large circles to outline natural meeting spaces. This was done against a backdrop of luxury vinyl planks or polished concrete, creating acoustic quality for meeting breakouts and flare in common areas.

Carpet tile was also installed in the bookable community

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meeting room on the first floor, staff cubicles, private meeting offices and large education room on the second floor. Luxury vinyl planks can be found in the main upper lobby and throughout the kitchen, too.

Ardex’s Feather Finish self-drying cement-based finish underlayment allowed the installers to build up each area to a common height. This ensures a smooth transition between different flooring types with no tripping hazards. Tactile warnings were drilled into the well-trod wood stairway between the first and second floor to alert the vision-impaired of grade changes. Spaces were finished off with Johnsonite 10-inch rubber wall base.

Completed in late spring 2020, the G&F Hub garnered Beatty Floors a gold 2021 Starnet Design Award in the newly created category, Canadian Project of the Year. The annual competition honours outstanding projects completed by Starnet membership in partnership with architects, designers and Starnet aligned manufacturing partners.

Vance McCarthy is soon-retiring president of Beatty Floors Ltd. Don Brletic is general manager. Located in Burnaby, B.C., Beatty Floors is one of the largest full-service commercial flooring contractors in Canada, with more than 90 years of experience in the business. Don can be reached at 604-254-9571.

Products for

Precision

Placement A luxury-car dealership located in Calgary, Alberta, wanted a stand-out showroom with a look to match its brands’ worldwide reputation for quality and style.

The large-format porcelain tile was installed using Ultraflex® LFT™ premium large-and-heavy-tile mortar, using a tile-leveling clip system to ensure exact placement and proper flatness.

Luxury vinyl tile flooring was applied using Ultrabond ECO® 373, a super-aggressive, pressure-sensitive FastTrack Ready™ low-VOC adhesive with BioBlock® technology that also allows for extended working time.

PHENIX

A MANNINGTON COMPANY

99%

CLEANER

Phenix carpets with Microban® helps protect 24/7 against the growth of bacteria, mold and mildew, and remains 99% cleaner than untreated surfaces.

24/7

PROTECTION

Growing together. One beautiful floor at a time.