National Floor Trends articles from July 2005

National Floor Trends archives from July 2005

Bob Van Buren -- 1930-2005: the industry has lost a giant.(Industry Perspectives)(Biography)
July 1, 2005... It doesn't happen very often, it's just once in a while that someone comes along who completely captivates men and women at all levels and has a unique and huge impact on the industry and its people. Bob Van Buren was such a man. ...

Flooring forecast: mostly sunny with lingering concerns.(CEO Viewpoint)
July 1, 2005... Judging from the responses we received from some of the industry's leading manufacturers, the floor covering business these days is simultaneously blessed and bedeviled. The blessings have come in the form of a sharp increase in housing sales...

1985-2005 Carpet One: two decades of making a difference in the flooring industry; The industry standard for training merchandising marketing.
July 1, 2005... Carpet One at 20 'A wonderful dream come true' [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ask any Carper One member why he or she signed on, and the answer may sound strikingly familiar to the reasons given by Howard Brodsky and Alan Greenberg when...

Finally, the home's '5th wall' gets some special attention: customers looking for customized flooring find the sky's the limit.(Residential customization)(Column)
July 1, 2005... When I was beginning my career as an interior designer, I designed my rooms to have a focal point. But rarely did I choose the floor to be THE focal point. After all, there were window treatments, wall coverings, pretty upholstery fabrics and...

Virginia Hardwood "Re-opens" in San Diego.(News)
July 1, 2005... For one day recently, the parking lot adjacent to Virginia Hardwood Co.'s new facility in San Diego looked like a mini-trade show. More than 250 guests, mostly local contractors and builders, visited exhibits set up by 10 companies offering...

Rocker Rick Springfield to kick off Atlanta Rug Market.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The '80s pop music star, Rick Springfield, is slated to perform at the Atlanta Rug Market on the opening night, July 17. The annual three-day meeting will showcase hundreds of thousands of area rugs and accessories in 140 showrooms, according...

Oregon-based Flintile named Flexco's 2004 Distributor of the Year.(Flintile Inc.s)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... After nearly 30 years in business the Portland, Ore., distributor Flintile Inc. reached a new milestone this year. The company was named Flexco's 2004 Distributor of the Year. The six-person firm has distributed Flexco products since 1977....

Model of success: Kathy Ireland and Shaw Industries strut the ClearTouch collection down the runway.
July 1, 2005... As a jet setting executive, former swimsuit model and a mom, Kathy Ireland is accustomed to multitasking. Her background, no doubt, helped hone her design sense which, in turn, leads to the home furnishings collection she launched 10 years ago....

Party plans in place as Roppe hits the half century mark.(News)
July 1, 2005... A celebration that began with a cake at the company's Surfaces exhibit will continue this month as Roppe commemorates its 50th anniversary in the flooring industry. The company said festivities will culminate this month with an event at its...

StarNet.(appointments)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... StarNet has announced its management team. Bob Sabosik, president of M.E. Sabosik Inc., in Pt. Pleasant, N.J., was reelected chairman of the board. Jim Vanhauer, president of Commercial Flooring Systems, in Omaha, was re-elected as secretary,...

Armstrong Flooring Products--Americas.(appointment of Paul Murfin as vice president)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Paul Murfin, a veteran of the flooring business who once ran one of the largest distributors in the U.S., has been named vp of sales, Armstrong Flooring Products--Americas. In this new role, Murfin will be responsible for all independent...

California artist uses MAPEI mortar in aquatic Huntington Beach mural.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... To beautify the Lifeguard Headquarters building in Huntington Beach, Calif., local artist Donna Billick created a mural featuring mermaids, and other exotic sea creatures. She enlisted the services of two sources: Lifeguards, who helped create...

New distributor, Windsor, will focus on N. Calif & Nev.(Windsor Flooring Ltd)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Flooring industry veterans Rick and Holly Elfman have launched Windsor Flooring Ltd, a distributor, sales agency and importing business in San Francisco and Las Vegas. The company is headquartered at 330 Wright Brothers Ave., Livermore, CA...

Andy Blanchette.(awards)(National Association of Rug Makers and Sculptors )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Andy Blanchette, a Canadian artist and craftsman working in the Ontario area, was named the winner of the National Association of Rug Makers and Sculptors (NARMS) contest. His award-winning, 4-by-6-foot rug depicts a black-and-white loon...

Next on Oprah: NFWA member ads roll during the syndicated talk show.(News)
July 1, 2005... The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) said it has finalized a deal with The Oprah Winfrey Show that will enable member companies to run regional ads on the syndicated talk show. Association members can run an ad once a week in their...

Upcoming industry events.(News)(Calendar)
July 1, 2005... ITSS New York -- New York. (800) 564-5975, July 14-17. Atlanta Rug Market -- Atlanta. (800) ATL-MART, July 17-20. WSFCA Annual Golf Tournament -- Renton, Wash. (425) 885-0012, July 21. ADG 2005 Design Center Management Symposium --...

Lauzon splits sales and marketing departments.(appointment and promotion)
July 1, 2005... Spurred on by a first-quarter double-digit sales increase, hardwood flooring maker Lauzon has brought two new senior managers on board and promoted a third. As part of a restructuring, Lauzon's sales and marketing department will be split, with...

Coverings show once again hits new high for attendance.(News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... More than 32,000 people attended Coverings 2005 setting an all-time attendance record for the show, which was held May 3-6 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. The official total of registered attendees was 32,228, an increase of...

Mirage shows its compassion for grief support center in D.C. area.(News)(The Compassion Center)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Hardwood floor manufacturer Boa-Franc Inc showed it has a soft heart by lending a helping hand to The Compassion Center. The nonprofit organization dedicated to helping Washington, D.C.-area children and adults cope with recent loss is in the...

RFCI rolls out FloorScore certification for air-friendly resilient floor makers.(Resilient Floor Covering Institute )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... Following a four-year review by resilient flooring makers on the importance of instituting a program that measures a product's air quality, The Resilient Floor Covering Institute (RFCI) has launched FloorScore. The voluntary program certifies...

WFCA's new chairman vows high tech push, Web site to link shoppers with member stores.(World Floor Covering Association)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2005... The World Floor Covering Association's in-coming chairman, Aaron Pirner, said he will help launch the trade organization's "first internet consumer outreach effort that will link consumers in the market for floor covering with WFCA member...

Couristan hits the 'Beach with new broadloom series.(Products)
July 1, 2005... Couristan introduces the South Beach collection of residential broadloom carpet in geometric patterns. The cut and loop pile carpets come in seven colorways--Deep Ruby, Sand, Avocado, Ebony, Sahara Tan, Coffee and Cobalt. For details, circle...

Five-inch width planks round out Mirage's Engineered wood line.(Products)
July 1, 2005... Mirage has added 5-inch wide planks to its Engineered hardwood flooring collection. Available in oak and maple species in Natural, Auburn, Nevada and Sierra stains, the wood flooring is extra-wide to reflect the latest trends. Cashmere...

Nourison adds 8-foot rounds to worn-look Nourmak line.(Products)
July 1, 2005... Nourison introduces 8-foot round rugs to its Nourmak collection. Nourmak rugs feature a patented "worn look" weave which aims to replicate the antique feel of historic carpets. Fifteen Nourmak designs will be offered in the new 8-foot round....

Shaw Hard Surfaces goes commercial with 'Commerce' laminate flooring.(Products)
July 1, 2005... Branching out from the residential laminate flooring segment, Shaw Hard Surfaces unveils Commerce, the company's first-ever commercially rated laminate floor. Commerce comes in seven colors and four species (maple, oak, pine and natural...

Protecto Wrap rolls out its complete line of WhisperMat underlayments.(Products)
July 1, 2005... Protecto Wrap Co. introduces its WhisperMat product line of high-performance, peel-and-stick underlayments, designed for effective sound control and moisture resistance. The line includes WhisperMat-CS for ceramic and natural stone tile;...

Custom Building rolls out three CustomLite technology products.(Products)
July 1, 2005... Custom Building Products presents a new line of high-performance, ultra-lightweight products featuring CustomLite technology: Prism SureColor Grout, LevelLite Self-Leveling Underlayment and MegaLite Crack Prevention Mortar. CustomLite...

Roppe makes SafeTcork in vinyl floor tile version.(Products)
July 1, 2005... Based on the success of Roppe's SafeTcork rubber flooring line, the company has added SafeTcork Vinyl tile. SafeTcork Vinyl is made with cork content to aid in improving slip resistance, and comes in six colors, with a coordinating white...

Bigelow Commercial lays out four patterns in modular tile.(Products)
July 1, 2005... Bigelow Commercial brings together four modular patterns in the No Parameters line. These patterns--Remix, Junxtion, Fab and Accountable--comprise a full mix of options, from a basic texture to tone-on-tone graphics and sophisticated effects....

Mannington's Gatehouse Maple is engineered and hand-scraped.(Products)
July 1, 2005... Gatehouse Maple is a new engineered hand-scraped floor from Mannington Wood. Available in 5-inch wide planks, the line come in three colors--Caramel. Cognac and Coffee. Gatehouse Maple features Mannington's exclusive ScratchResist treatment and...

MAPEI's new mortar is 'Ultralite'.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
July 1, 2005... MAPEI has taken the wraps off Ultralite Mortar, which the company says provides twice the coverage of older mortars. Ultralite Mortar also features the company's BioBlock technology, engineered to help inhibit the growth of mold, mildew and...

Crystalle rugs from Capel enjoy a Southwest flavor.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
July 1, 2005... Capel presents the Crystalle collection of contemporary wool rugs, showing off a series of Southwestern motifs. The rugs come in five styles, featuring abstract diamond shapes and rich colorways. The Crystalle collection is hand-knotted. For...

BHK adds two colors to Toledo cork floor.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
July 1, 2005... BHK of America has added the Garda and Allegro colors to its Moderna Toledo cork flooring line. These patterns aim to provide greater design flexibility, BHK says, and can be installed over most flooring materials. For details, circle 158 on...

Concord 2000 tape by Modern Carpet Tools.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
July 1, 2005... Modern Carpet Tools Ltd. introduces its Concord 2000 peakless seam tape, a patented, premium-quality, 3-inch carpet tape designed to eliminate seam hinging. Flat steel bars are spaced every 4 inches throughout the roll. For details, circle 166...

Sound control membranes are Acousti-Tech's latest.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
July 1, 2005... Tech sound control membranes by Acousti-Tech come in 1/8-, 3/16- and 1/4-inch thicknesses. The underlayments can be installed over wood or concrete subfloors, and do not react to humidity, according to the company. Acousti-Tech also makes...

Alloc redesigns the label for Free & Clean spray cleaner.(Products)(Buyers Guide)
July 1, 2005... Alloc has updated the label of its Free & Clean floor cleaner. The new label conveys basic instructions with a consumer-savvy message, according to Alloc. Free & Clean is designed to clean up juice, wine, chocolate and other annoying stains...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
July 1, 2005... In the May issue of National Floor Trends magazine, Vitra Tiles USA's Arsemia line of large-format porcelain tile was misidentified as "Armesia." NFT regrets the error.

Carpet Shims.(Products & Literature on display)(Buyers Guide)
July 1, 2005... CARPET SHIMS and UNIVERSAL SIDE SHIMS easily eliminate the problem of height differences from carpeted floors to ceramic or hardwood floors. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * No more double tack strips. * No more building ramps with...

Novalis.(Products & Literature on display)(Buyers Guide)
July 1, 2005... Novalis introduces a collection of luxury tile and plank that are ideal for light commercial and heavy residential use. The Providence, Palazzo, and TerraBella lines offer the natural look of stone, slate and rustic wood in good, better and...

Starline Associates.(Products & Literature on display)(Buyers Guide)
July 1, 2005... Starline Associates, Inc. delivers the best value for the money with Silent Blue[TM] Laminate Underlayment. Silent Blue combines closed cell construction, IIC 72, STC 73 ratings and waterproof technology eliminating the need for film and...

If you're looking for trouble, you've come to the right place: a primer on what to look for when something goes wrong with a tile or marble install.
July 1, 2005... If an installation is not exactly right, it is up to the installer to make it exactly right. That's where troubleshooting comes in. On a tile or marble job it can be difficult, time consuming, and, worst of all, it can with diminish your...

Troubleshooting: before taking aim, understand your target.(Wood or Wood Knot)
July 1, 2005... Understanding the specifications, job-site requirements and installation guidelines are critical for all wood installations. Installers and retailers need constant updating to keep up on the latest techniques. Periodic educational seminars are...