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White Oak Products Now In Stock!

the floor studio inc. — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:27:11 +0000

American Walnut Products Now In Stock!

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the floor studio inc. — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:54:43 +0000

Article in Azure Magazine

the floor studio team — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 20:40:14 +0000

March Madness Sale! All Vinyl flooring $3.99sf!

the floor studio team — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 20:26:24 +0000

Engineered Enigmas: Know These Answers to Avoid Problems

the floor studio team — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:08:39 +0000

By Catherine Liewen
Engineered flooring has come a long way since it was first introduced to the market nearly 70 years ago. As these products continue to gain popularity, a multitude of style and construction options are available. Largely seen as a more versatile alternative to solid wood floors, engineered products can be installed over a variety of surfaces in many applications, expanding the reach of where wood flooring can be used.
Yet while engineered flooring typically is more dimensionally stable than solid, it is not infallible. The wood wear layer still expands and contracts with humidity and moisture content fluctuations. Overestimating the ability of engineered products to handle extremes can cause big headaches if the floor fails. To help ensure a successful installation, specifiers, salespeople, retailers and installers should all know the answers to these common questions before recommending engineered flooring for a client.
1. Do I need to acclimate the flooring?
Solid wood flooring requires that you acclimate the flooring to the environment in which it’s going to be used. With engineered flooring, however, you need to condition the space to meet the guidelines of the manufacturer. Typically, manufacturers require a range between 35 and 55% relative humidity (RH), but not all guidelines are the same. Some manufacturers may have a range of 40 to 60% RH, while others may require 30 to 50% RH. Retailers and distributors with a large inventory of different products must understand the RH range of each one. Before the actual sale is the right time to confirm that the end-user has the ability to control the climate within those ranges. The installer should also know these ranges of the flooring and make sure the conditions fall within the recommended RH range and that climate control is in place to maintain those conditions after installation.
Just because the product is engineered doesn’t mean that installers should skip taking moisture readings on the flooring or subfloor, either. The RH range and equivalent moisture content (MC) applies to the conditions where the flooring is stored, as well as installed. If there’s a fluctuation at the storage site or excess moisture on the subfloor, problems can occur with the floor later. Knowing the recommended RH range and keeping the flooring within that range for the life of the product ensures the best performance of the product.
Whether you should unpackage the flooring at the job site and “acclimate” it in the traditional sense of the word depends on the manufacturer. Many engineered products are intentionally boxed in a manner intended to reduce airflow and moisture transfer; manufacturers of these products will tell you not to acclimate the product at the job site, as it may distort or affect the product in some other way prior to installation.
2. Can I use it where I live?
Not necessarily. As with the question above, you need to know the acceptable RH range from the manufacturer of the flooring you are installing. If you live in Las Vegas, for example, where the average RH hovers around 30%, and the flooring manufacturer’s low range is 40%, it becomes more difficult to maintain acceptable living conditions, especially without strict humidity control. In parts of the country such as the Midwest, where there are vast humidity swings between winter and summer, the same problem also exists. When the furnace is constantly running in a house in Minnesota because it’s 10 degrees Fahrenheit outside, it’s difficult to maintain the RH at 40%. Such imbalances can potentially lead to problems such as face-checking/splitting, delamination and end-gapping. And because the flooring was maintained in an environment outside of the manufacturer’s acceptable range, the failures won’t be covered under warranty. Again, it comes down to knowing your product and knowing the RH levels for all times of the year where the product will be installed.
3. Can I install it in more areas than solid products?
As a general rule, engineered flooring is more dimensionally stable than solid wood flooring, allowing for more installation options. The plywood core under the wear layer is less susceptible to expansion and contraction than solid wood flooring, which makes it possible to install it on a variety of surfaces and choose from several installation methods and systems. For example, you might have better success installing a floating click-system product over radiant heat than solid planks, or you might be able to glue down an engineered wood floor in a basement where you wouldn’t dream of installing a solid product. Whatever the conditions, you still need to consider the installation method, whether it’s gluing, stapling, clicking or floating, and follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for certain conditions.
While engineered flooring can be installed in places that may not be ideal for solid products, it still is not meant for extreme conditions. Large humidity swings, excess moisture and lack of climate control will cause an engineered floor to fail just like any other wood floor. Generally, engineered floors tend to move lengthwise as well as in width when they expand or contract, and end-joint gapping is a common problem that occurs with moisture imbalances.
Before any flooring is sold or specified, it’s crucial to know the conditions of the environment and whether the manufacturer’s RH range can be met and maintained. The most important job of the salesperson is qualifying the product for the conditions. Humidity can vary from floor to floor or even room to room. In large condominium developments, for example, the RH could be much lower in the penthouse than on the ninth floor, because humidity always falls to the lowest point. Even with proper climate control, fluctuations can occur. Once the floor is sold, the installer should confirm the site conditions meet required specifications, because if the floor fails, oftentimes the installer becomes the one responsible.
4. Will different wear layer cuts, finishes and species perform differently?
With so many surface options, it’s important to know where the flooring is going and how different cuts, finishes and species will react to variances on either end of the moisture spectrum. Engineered flooring faces are cut from the logs using one of three techniques: rotary peeling, slicing or sawing. (See the “Making the Cut” sidebar below.) Rotary peeled tends to be the least expensive method because it’s done in mass production, produces the least amount of waste and can be manufactured for about a third of the cost. The logs are peeled similar to a roll of paper towels, and as the wood bends, tiny lathe checks are formed on the underside of the wear layer. When the wear layer is glued to the plywood substrate, the adhesive fills in the voids, and the checks are unnoticeable. However, when the environment pushes the RH threshold and the floor expands or contracts, the lathe checks may become more pronounced as they transfer to the surface. Sliced and sawn wear layers aren’t as susceptible to surface checking, but they also are more expensive.
Finishes, species and widths are also a factor to take into consideration. Smooth, hard-surface finishes tend to show imperfections and face-checking more than an oil finish on a rustic-grade floor. Closed-grain species such as beech, maple and some tropical species tend to show more imperfections than open-grain species.
So, if the floor is going in a high-rise in a drier climate like Denver, where you can expect the floor to experience more shrinkage, a tropical species with a hard finish may not be the best option. Also, in areas that experience drastic RH fluctuations, an engineered 5-inch maple plank floor might be more prone to problems like face-splitting—the wide planks experience a lot of seasonal movement but the wear layer is restricted in place because it is glued to the core below it, so it may split. In low-RH conditions, the floor may also experience a phenomenon that has come to be known as “dry-cupping,” in which the face of the flooring shrinks, taking on a cupped appearance.
5. Is a Thicker Wear Layer Always Better?
A common sales pitch for engineered flooring is, “The thicker the wear layer, the better the flooring.” Depending on the conditions and the core below, that may or may not always be the case. The appeal is that a thicker wear layer allows for sanding and refinishing more often, although today many floors are recoated without needing to be completely resanded. Of course, if the customer wants a different stain color or if the finish is damaged badly enough, resanding is still required. What may be more important is what the wear layer means for dimensional stability and the ability of the product to withstand varied living conditions. A thicker wear layer may have a tendency to react to moisture like a solid product, with greater expansion and contraction than a thinner wear layer.
Something that can present a challenge about engineered flooring is that the core and the wear layer react differently to moisture—the two could have different MC levels and become out of balance. How the floor performs in these conditions depends on many factors, including MC when it was manufactured, core construction types and thickness of the wear layer.
Given these parameters, engineered flooring still provides customers and installers with many options for a great-looking, long-lasting installation. Whatever flooring is chosen, it’s important to know the conditions where the flooring will be installed and the acceptable RH range from the manufacturer. The more you know about each flooring product and the site conditions where it’s going, the more likely you are to avoid callbacks and have happy customers.

Know These 10 Facts for a Great Cork Job

the floor studio team — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:28:40 +0000

Cork flooring has been around for many years, but it’s seeing a resurgence due to its unique aesthetics and unparalled green story. Keep these 10 facts in mind if you’re working with cork for the first time.
1) Cork is not a structural product. If you’re installing 3/16- or 5/16-inch cork tiles or planks, the structure needs to come from the substrate. If it’s plywood, you’ll need at least 1 inch of plywood down before installing the cork. Directly adhering to concrete slabs and/or Portland-based level compounds is the most common method for commercial (and some residential) applications.
2) Inconsistencies in the substrate translate to the surface. Installing cork is like installing resilient flooring—the substrate needs to be free of any imperfections or they will show in the floor’s surface. If the subfloor is plywood, it must be underlayment-grade plywood and it cannot have any voids. Lots of people try to use luan, but luan can dent easily, which will transfer to the cork’s surface. OSB and particleboard also are not acceptable. It is important to follow manufacturers’ requirements; if you deviate from recommended substrates, you void the warranty.
3) The subfloor can never be too clean. Those who are used to installing hardwood floors should think about getting the subfloor as clean as they would want to get a wood floor before they put on their last finish coat. A good rule of thumb is, “The substrate can’t be too smooth, too flat or too clean.” Imperfections might not show up immediately, but once the light changes or the floor is exposed to normal traffic, they may appear.
4) You must follow the instructions for the adhesive. Most cork manufacturers only recommend a low- or zero-VOC contact adhesive. This adhesive is applied to both the back of the tile and the substrate. When these two adhesive films make “contact” with each other, they create a very strong bond. When putting the tiles in place, the adhesive will grab, so be careful to put it down exactly where you want it to go—you will not be able to push or slide a tile into place. Once placed, use a soft-faced rubber mallet to hit the entire tile surface to ensure the two films become one.
5) Know if it’s homogeneous or veneer cork. Know what construction you have before you do any abrading or finishing. Homogeneous (where the color/pattern goes through the product) is preferred for medium to heavy commercial installations, as it can be sanded. Veneer cork patterns can be screened but cannot be sanded. It is important to maintain the finish coats on both homogeneous and veneer cork.
6) Don’t be too aggressive when sanding. Lots of people use multi-head sanders to resand a cork floor, and they work well. You can also use a big machine, but you need soft drum tension and nothing coarser than a 120 belt. If you’re sanding a newly installed unfinished cork floor, you can just use a buffer and a 120 or 150 screen.
7) Many finishes work, but check with the cork manufacturer. Every cork manufacturer has specific recommendations for approved finishes on their cork. While it is possible that finishes other than their approved finish may work, the manufacturer will not support a warranty with an unapproved finish. Recommended finishes are primarily water-based urethanes; however, wax and natural oil systems are also sometimes used.
Maintenance is the same. You should maintain a cork floor exactly like you would a wood floor. If you wouldn’t do it on wood, don’t do it on cork.
9) Go vertical. These products are also popular for walls. The installation is the same—with contact adhesive rolled on. Many times wall installations use a wax finish.
10) When in doubt, call the manufacturer first. Manufacturers welcome phone calls for clarification of instructions and procedures prior to installations, not after.

American Walnut Blowout Sale $4.99

the floor studio team — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 14:29:37 +0000

New Partner-Kodan Vinyl

the floor studio inc. — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 11:27:39 +0000

Kodan Flooring teams up with The Floor Studio

Kodan Flooring, a dynamic and youthful manufacturer of vinyl flooring has annouced their partnership with the Floor Studio. Located in Liberty Village, The Floor Studio provides flooring from select manufacturers and showcases a wide selection of engineered, solid, bamboo and cork flooring. With the addition of their Kodan line, The Floor Studio is proud to announce that their eco-friendly vinyl flooring collection is now available. “We are thrilled to be working with an environmentally friendly company such as Kodan. They have a large selection of floors, and we are happy to provide them to our commercial and residential clients, ” Steve Vasconcelos, owner, the floor studio. For a peek of the new Kodan line, drop into The Floor Studio today.

To view samples today visit the products page.