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Bamboo Flooring
By Gary Ng
Bamboo provides an excellent alternative to traditional hardwood flooring. Growing in popularity as an alternative, bamboo has many attractive features that make it a viable option for modern homeowners. Although harvested primarily in China, bamboo is now widely available in North America and Europe. Many early adopters of bamboo point out its environmental friendliness. The bamboo plant regrows very quickly when compared with the time it takes a forest to regrow. In fact, the bamboo plant is considered a grass, as it grows much quicker than any tree. When done responsibly, bamboo plant harvesting can be accomplished in a environmentally friendly manner.
How does bamboo compare with traditional hardwoods? High quality bamboo is harder and more durable than even the most expensive hardwood flooring. Moisture is also less of a problem for bamboo flooring. Where traditional hardwood may buckle and crack because of water exposure, bamboo can absorb the moisture without a problem. Bamboo is processed as a laminate and treated under extremely high pressure with a high quality glue. This makes bamboo very resistant
CBC's Salto brand unveils Unica
CBC Flooring’s Salto Exceptional Flooring brand offers Unica, a recycled limestone tile with an impressive 80 percent recycled content.
Wagner unveils Rapid RH 4.0
The new Rapid RH 4.0 from Wagner Electronics combines their patented Smart Sensor and a redesigned Easy Reader with patent-pending Touch-n-Sense technology for easy-to-use, fast and accurate RH testing.
Ultra-Step SingleStep new adhesive from Bostik
Bostik introduces Ultra-Set SingleStep, a wood flooring adhesive that offers moisture protection, sound deadening, crack isolation and mold protection.
WELS Sheet combines beauty, performance and low-maintenance
CBC Flooring’s redesigned, technologically-advanced WELS Sheet, under the CERES PVC-Free Flooring line, responds to growing demand for durable PVC-free flooring products.
Anderson?s Tropical Reflections features LusterLock Ultra finish
Anderson Hardwood Floors presents Appalachian Tropical Reflections. The flooring features LusterLock Ultra, a new finish that offers “three times the resistance to scuffs and abrasion,” the company says.
CBC Flooring launches two new brands
<a href="http://www.cbcflooring.com">CBC Flooring</a> is two steps closer to becoming a single-source supplier of commercial flooring products by introducing two new brands.
USFloors' Navarre Timeless an FSC certified hardwood
USFloors presents Navarre Timeless Wood Floors, a 100 percent FSC pure certified, oil-finished hardwood flooring collection.
Dancik unveils Price List Manager
Dancik International introduces Dancik Price List Manager software version 1.0.The program is designed around the Floor Covering Business to Business Association (<a href="http://www.fcb2b.org">www.fcb2b.org</a>) standard for 832 Price Catalogs.
New Floor Heating "Learn & Earn" Webinar, by WarmlyYours
WarmlyYours announces a new training tool designed especially for flooring retailers – a 30-Minute "Learn & Earn" webinar. The webinar demonstrates how easy and profitable it is to add electric floor heating to your flooring projects... and for your selling efforts you can earn $50 cash on each sale! Click here: <a href="http://www.WarmlyYours.com/webinar">www.WarmlyYours.com/webinar</a>.
LG makes an Impression with commercial tile line
LG Hausys Floors has taken the wraps off the Impression collection of large-format commercial homogeneous tile flooring. The line offers a palette of 31 high-energy colors and an oversized 18" by 18" format. The vinyl enhanced tile is designed to offer twice the PSI resistance of traditional VCT, the company notes.
MAPEI redesigns floor adhesives line
Part of the redesign of its full line of floor covering adhesives, MAPEI has streamlined its Ultrabond ECO 20, 120 and 220 adhesives for multipurpose flooring.
Tile of Spain
Contact: Rocamador Rubio <br>Phone: 305-446-4387 <br>Email: <a href="mailto:miami@mcx.es">miami@mcx.es</a> <br>Website: <a href="http://spaintiles.info">spaintiles.info</a> <br><br>Innovation and design headlined the Tile of Spain pavilion at Coverings 2009. Manufacturers such as TAU, Apavisa, and Inalco, which earned a “Best Booth” award, unveiled the latest trends, products and technology to arrive from Spain. For more information, call 305-446-4387 or visit <a href="http://spaintiles.info">spaintiles.info</a>.
Quick-Step?s Allustra series aims for sophisticated tastes
New from Quick-Step, the Allustra series offers exotic wood looks with a smooth, glossy surface, the company says.
Wedi unveils Fundo Riolito prefab system for showers
Wedi Corp. presents the wedi Fundo Riolito, a prefabricated tileable
shower system designed to drain water through a narrow gap between the
cover plate and adjacent tiling. Featuring a linear or channel drain,
the Riolito is available in three cover plate finishes in high quality
stainless steel. The system is designed to drain at 16 gallons a
minute, offered in 3" by 5" and 4" by 6" sizes, and ideal for
installations where ADA requirements need to be met according to the
company.
Keene's new Quiet Qurl mat features Muffler Technology
Keene Building Products' Quiet Qurl 55/025 MC MT Muffler Technology is a nominal 0.25“, “U” Groove entangled core mat designed to limit impact noise between floors. On the top side, a point bonded, moisture resistant fabric is laminated to the core so that gypsum concrete and other materials can be placed to create a floating floor. On the bottom side, a highly compressible polyester fabric is bonded. This “muffler” almost completely compresses when installed with a 1.25” gypsum concrete floor underlayment, according to the company.
Rotozip's Tile Dock designed with safety, performance in mind
The new Tile Dock tile cutting station from Rotozip provides the
professional a convenient, lightweight, and safe method to secure tiles
while making detailed cuts, bull nosing and edge sanding, according to
the company. The system also minimizes cracking by providing support to
the back of the tile. The Tile Dock Kit (part #TD1-10) includes a
clamping platform, quick clamp, corner dogs, vacuum adapter, and
tracing templates. For more information, visit <a href="http://www.rotozip.com">www.rotozip.com</a>.
Invista
Phone: (770) 794-4064<br>Contact Name: Sally Philson, Misti Moore<br>Email: <a href="mailto:sally.philson@invista.com">sally.philson@invista.com</a>, <a href="mailto:misti.moore@invista.com">misti.moore@invista.com</a><br>Web Address: <a href="http://www.stainmaster.com">www.stainmaster.com</a><br><br><center><strong>WE KNOW WHAT SMART SHOPPERS WANT<br>Performance • Quality • Value<br><br>We Can Help You Provide It</strong><br><em>with</em> <strong>STAINMASTER® carpet <br><br><a href="http://www.stainmaster.com/about-stainmaster/surfaces_ad.jsp">Click here for details</a>.</strong></center>
EcoTekTiles, three-part modular tile system, new from Ustek
Ustek Inc., in partnership with China's Augin Team International,
presents a new modular three-part tile system called EcoTekTiles.
Comprising a patented engineered polymer interlocking base with a
built-in underlayment and top surface tile, the product features easy
locking installation, the company says. Tiles can easily be removed or
replaced as needed, Ustek notes, and are offered in a range of looks,
including "realistic marble, terra cotta, and wood patterned PCB as
well as natural cork." For more information, visit <a href="http://www.ecotektiles.com">www.ecotektiles.com</a>.
Gem and Olympian are APC's latest
APC Cork offers the Gem and Olympian collections of cork flooring. The Gem collection features "progressive designs and shades," according to the company, and uses irridescent, metallic undertones to create a unique look. The company's Olympian range offers more traditional looks, with "subtle color variations and sophisticated lines and contours," APC said.
I.D. Premier LVT is Johnsonite?s latest
I.D.
Premier LVT flooring is new from Johnsonite. Offered in 54 styles, I.D. Premier
takes inspiration from wood and stone textures as well as brushed metal and
solid colors.
ThermoSoft mats designed for easy installation
ThermoSoft offers its latest electric radiant floor heating mat. The UL listed system features zero EMF and offers a lifetime warranty. ThermoSoft’s 1/8” contractor-grade heating mats are designed to minimize floor height and lay flat for quick installation. Mats are easily manipulated on-site to fit any space. The 1/2” mat grid allows penetration of thin-set or self-leveling cement for one-step installation.
BOLYU Contract?s Savvy features green construction
BOLYU Contract, a Beaulieu
Commercial brand, introduces Savvy, a commercial carpet tile made using Zeftron
nylon 6ix fiber systems. The fiber features a minimum 25 percent recycled
content. Savvy, which is available in 12 colorways, also includes Nexterra
modular tile backing ? made using 85 percent post-consumer recycled content. <strong><em>For
details, circle 298 on the Reader Inquiry Card.</em></strong>
Tarkett?s new laminates: Trek and Escapade floors
Tarkett Residential introduces Trek and Escapade, the first laminate flooring made in the company’s new production facility in Clarion, Pa. Designed to balance “North American style, superior performance and great value,” the products feature Americore, an inner core board made using only cherry and oak chips. Trek is a 7mm product offered in four looks. Escapade, an 8mm floor, is available in 13 patterns.
Vitromex goes for marble feel with Turkana
Replicating the veining
found in soft marble, Vitromex’s Turkana is made using the latest
state-of-the-art technology in ceramic tile, the company says.
to abrasions and scratches, where less treated hardwood floors may show scratches after a while. Bamboo has become significantly more affordable in the past few years as well.
Best of all, bamboo can typically be installed at home without any professional assistance. Like many of the newer hardwoods, bamboo is produced with a tongue and groove construction, making them considerably easier to install. Before installing a bamboo floor, let the planks sit in their new environment for no less than 72 hours. Although bamboo is very resistant to moisture, they do need some time to adjust to their new climate before installation.
What should be done to maintain a bamboo floor? Maintenance requirements are fairly simple for bamboo flooring. Be sure to clean the floor after installing it, using a mop with only a little bit of water. Regular dusting and sweeping should be done after installation. This will prevent a build up of dust that can dull the finish. A mat should be placed at the entrance to prevent dust and dirt from coming into the room. Dirt and small rocks can easily scratch the finish, and a mat can go a long way in preventing this problem.
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