This article first appeared in the BD+C June 2013
issue of BD+C.
From resilient flooring that looks like stone to ceramic tile that's warm to the touch, here's a roundup of the latest innovations in commercial flooring products.
1. ENGINEERED WOOD FLOORING IS RESILIENT, FSC-CERTIFIED
Craftwood is the newest product in Terra Legno’s Fumatto Collection, featuring a rich brown engineered hardwood material with an oil finish. Craftwood planks are 9/16 inch thick and 5 inches wide, with a micro-bevel edge style and low to medium shade variance. The material ranks 1360 on the Janka Hardness Scale and is designed to be durable, easy to clean, and color-stable over time. Planks can be professionally installed using adhesive or staples. All Terra Legno products are Forest Stewardship Council certified.
Terra Legno
2. RUBBER FLOOR COVERING COMBINES DURABILITY, SUSTAINABILITY
nora systems now offers satura, the company’s latest high-performance floor covering for busy environments such as hospitals and universities. Satura features an array of neutral and saturated accent colors in a tone-on-tone design, created in collaboration with architects and interior design professionals. The tough, slip-resistant surface enhances comfort, eases maintenance, and reduces noise; the product complements the existing norament grano, noraplan environcare, and noraplan sentica product lines. Satura is available as 3.5mm tiles and as stair treads, and is Greenguard indoor air quality certified and Greenguard Children and Schools certified.
nora systems
3. WATERPROOF FLOATING FLOOR SUITS HIGH-TRAFFIC AREAS
NuClic no-wax flooring is designed for high-traffic areas and can be installed over most existing floors with little or no preparation. The flexible, interlocking floating floor is not glued to the subfloor. NuClic is designed for easy maintenance and is highly resistant to most chemicals and stains. It can be cleaned with water and soap, resists bacteria infiltration, and is also mold-resistant (making it ideal for allergy sufferers). The durable 30-mil wear layer surface and tight waterproof seams help prevent dirt penetration. Products are backed by a 20-year commercial warranty.
NuClic
4. LVT COLLECTION INCLUDES 78 NEW PRODUCTS
Mannington Commercial recently expanded its Amtico Collection of luxury vinyl tile with 78 new product choices, including 29 wood, 29 stone, and 30 abstract designs. The wood-inspired products offer bold, weighty textures and worn, rustic, and reclaimed effects. Stone patterns range from the mica-infused Fragment series to Cadence, inspired by urban concrete. New abstract designs incorporate the look of ceramics, glass, and worn metal. All Amtico products have a 40mm wear layer and are backed by a 20-year commercial warranty. Products are FloorScore certified for low VOCs, and may be reclaimed and returned for closed-loop recycling.
Mannington Commercial
5. NAVAL ACADEMY POOLS RENOVATED WITH TILE/GROUT SYSTEMS
The U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., recently upgraded its competition diving and racing pools with 32,000 sf of 1x1 mosaic tiles by Daltile, using a LATICRETE installation system. LATICRETE products included a fortified mortar bed, Hydro Ban waterproofing, 254 Platinum bonding, and Permacolor grout. Leakage is a concern for any pool installation, but the Naval Academy’s pools are below sea level, making water infiltration a concern as well. The integrated LATICRETE installation system helps prevent both problems. The facilities have hydronic in-floor heating, so installer Profast Commercial Flooring also had to be extremely careful applying materials. The renovation was designed by Counsilman-Hunsaker.
LATICRETE
6. LUXURY VINYL TILE ENLIVENS LIGHT COMMERCIAL SETTINGS
American-made I.D. Patriot LVT tile, by Tarkett, is suitable for light commercial environments, including military housing, doctors’ offices, boutiques, and other foot-traffic-only applications. The collection includes both wood plank and stone tile options, with 13 plank designs created to coordinate with eight stone patterns. Enhanced rolled edges add depth, and a reinforced polyurethane surface treatment and 12-mil wear layer make the product durable. With high chemical and mechanical resistance, I.D. Patriot is designed for easy maintenance and is backed by a 10-year light commercial warranty.
Tarkett
7. RETROFIT USES FLOATING PLANKS TO PRESERVE A BOSTON LANDMARK
Nix’s Mate restaurant, located at the landmarked Hilton Downtown Boston, needed to ensure that its original terrazzo floors were preserved while undergoing an interior retrofit. Design firm Michael Nedeau Designs selected the Eco-Tech Resilient Floating Floor system from Architectural Systems to lay over the existing floor. The Eco-Tech system incorporates floating plank technology that replicates natural wood species,
adding an organic sensibility to the high-performance material.
Architectural Systems
8. NEW APP PROVIDES DETAILS ON IN-FLOOR CABLE MANAGEMENT
H.H. Robertson Floor Systems has recently launched a free iPad application, Taking the Longer View. This interactive tablet brochure, free in the Apple App Store, showcases the company’s in-floor cable- and wire-management systems using video and web links, tap-to-zoom photography, interactive layout design, and an AIA continuing education course preview. In-floor cabling offers simple setup, sustainable design, and long-term flexibility and safety. Telecom, data, and power cables can be routed though trench headers and steel cells that double as structural support for the floor slab. Applications include offices, casinos, libraries, schools, and government buildings.
H.H. Robertson
9. FLOORING MANUFACTURER LAUNCHES HEALTHCARE DIVISION
SelecTech has launched its dedicated Health Care Division, reflecting the recent customization of its FreeStyle and FreeStyle ESD lines for use in healthcare settings. Products have been created using the concept of evidence-based design, reflecting client concerns such as medical waste and infection control, workplace safety and noise, and injury reduction. The flooring has an interlock system that enables quick installation without adhesives, copper foil, underlayments, or padding, minimizing disruption. FreeStyle flooring is 100% recyclable and includes 70% recycled content.
SelecTech Inc.
10. ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY TILE RECEIVES ‘GOOD DESIGN’ AWARD
Striations BioBased Tile, from Armstrong Commercial Flooring, has received the Good Design award from the Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design. The award covers consumer products from Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America, and recognizes the product’s aesthetic features, durability, maintenance characteristics, sustainability, and price. Striations designs evoke the look of stone and weathered wood; the unusual 12x24 linear format provides a distinctive appearance. The non-PVC material includes the manufacturer’s BioStride polymer, derived from corn, as well as limestone and 10% pre-consumer recycled stone content.
Armstrong Commercial Flooring
11. INDUSTRIAL BUILDING REBORN FOR HEALTH EDUCATION
Fusion Solutions, a premier health education provider in metro New York City, purchased an old HVAC fabrication facility at the Nassau County–Queens border and renovated it as the Albert and Elaine Guarino BioSkills Learning Center. The facility provides pre-, peri-, and post-operative procedural education for healthcare professionals, using cadavers. Seamless floors were created and installed by Stonhard, replicating a completely seamless and sterile operating room environment. Stonclad GS and Stonkote HT4 systems were installed in Fusion Solutions’ warehouse, which stores human tissue and spinal implants.
Stonhard
12. WARMING MATS ADD HEAT TO FLOORING SYSTEMS
Emerson’s EasyHeat Warm Tiles Elite floor warming mats add soothing, energy-efficient heat to flooring systems. At less than 1/8-inch thick, the mats produce little height buildup and come in standard rectangular sizes as well as custom layouts of up to 138 sf. Mats can be ordered in either 120V or 240V configurations, with power input of up to 15 W/sf. Warm Tile Elite mats are UL- and CSA-approved and may be used in shower floors, steam rooms, saunas, and other wet areas. The mats are suitable for installation under ceramic, porcelain, terrazzo, glass mosaic, marble, and natural stone and agglomerates, as well as under engineered wood and laminated floors.
Emerson
