Monday, August 30, 2010

Favorite Flooring Flavor of the Week - Chris G.



Favorite Flooring Flavor of the Week


Name- Chris Gendron, Transportation Manager - simpleFLOORS

Favorite Flooring Product- Hardwood, Engineered

Collection- Terre Verte

Wood Species- Tigerwood

Qualities/Specs-
Thickness: 9/16"
Width: 5"
Length: 47 1/2 "
I go over: Both concrete or wooden subfloors
I can be: Glued, Floated, Nailed, or Stapled down
I am: Real Hardwood Engineered
Use: Residential/Commercial
Wood species: Tigerwood
Janka hardness rating: 2160
Tongue & groove type: Precision milled 4 sided tongue and groove
Edge design: Micro-Beveled
Wear layer: 2.5mm Real Hardwood
Finish: German Klumpp brand Aluminum Oxide

Gloss level: Satin/Semi Gloss
Construction: 9-Ply
Cross Grain Engineered
Countries grown in: Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Guatemala, Mexico
Installation rating: Easy
Structural placement: Above, Below and on Grade
Radiant heat: Yes
Warranty: 25 year wear warranty/lifetime structural


Why is that flooring my favorite?
"No matter what you lifestyle is this natural product has a place in your home. The natural color variations and grain patterns are gorgeous! As the floor ages, it is like a fine wine, it only gets better with age. The natural exotic wood enrichens and becomes beautiful with golden hues and a slight red undertone. Not to mention the natural dark stripping that is the best part of the wood and namesake characteristic. On the same token it is not an over bearing or design specific grain pattern and can go with every lifestyle from contemporary to modern. Thumbs up on the Terre Verte Tigerwood."

Friday, August 20, 2010

Favorite Flooring Flavor of the Week - Wricky


Favorite Flooring Flavor of the Week

Name- Wricky Lee · simpleFLOORS Warehouse Operations Manager

Favorite Flooring Product- Laminate, True Timber Aged Hickory

Collection- True Timber

Color/Name- Aged Hickory

Qualities/Specs-

Thickness: 12mm
Width: 5"
Length: 47 5/8"


I go over: Both concrete or wooden subfloors
I can be: Floated
I am: Laminate
Use: Residential/Commercial
Strips per board: 1 Strip
Surface Design: High Gloss
Tongue & groove type: Glueless locking 4 sided tongue and groove
Core: HDF - High Density Fiberboard coreMicro-Beveled
Underlayment: Requires underlayment
Edge design: Micro-Beveled
Finish: German Klumpp brand Aluminum Oxide
Gloss Level: Medium Fine Gloss
Maintenance level: Easy
Installation rating: Easy
Structural placement: Above, Below and on Grade
Radiant heat: Yes
Warranty: 30 year wear warranty

Why is that flooring my favorite?
"My favorite is the True Timber - Aged Hickory because I like the dramatic grains of hickory that look like real wood without the high end cost of real wood. It has an attractive pattern with a beautiful gloss shining on top. Being that it is a top of the line laminate floor it has the necessary density to avoid the hollow sound of most laminate flooring at a great price."

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Confessions of Cork Fan


In Sacramento, California - close to UC Davis, a university nationally lauded for its commitment to environmental sustainability - we have a lot of customers committed to purchasing ‘green’ flooring. The products available to these customers are more varied and better constructed than at any time in our consumer history.

At simpleFLOORS, we make it difficult not to be green.

One sustainable choice that we’re questioned about a lot is our Enviro-Cork line. The appeal of cork is its calm, welcoming look and feel. Our choices are natural brown shades, reminiscent of driftwood, that coordinate well with both earth tones and brighter, cooler colors. Use it in rooms where you want a comfortable floor that will mature with your family.

In our Sacramento store, we’re all rabidly against carpet for both health and style reasons. We do have a lot of customers who have a hard time picturing any other type of floor in the bedrooms, mostly because it’s softer and warmer than hardwood. With that basis, I’d especially recommend considering cork floors for bedrooms. Cork is noticeably warmer and gentler on feet and joints than many floors, and also hypoallergenic, antifungal, antistatic, insect-resistant, mold-resistant, fire-resistant, and did I mention environmentally friendly? Because it’s a great insulator, cork flooring can even reduce heating costs in your home! Love it!

Keep in mind that cork choices with natural grains and tones are much better at hiding dust and any wear that does occur. Cork flooring is comparatively easy to repair. Any major damage can typically be filled with a natural-colored putty or just recovered with a polyurethane finish. It also can recover from impact; heavy furniture may leave a mark but once it’s moved, your floor will actually rebound to close to its original condition, typically within 24 hours. And it’s a click-together floor, similar to laminate, so installation is really as simple as possible.

One more thing I’d like to point out is the fact that the Library of Congress, the Mayo Clinic, and the New York City and Boston Public Libraries all have cork floors in busy, open-to-the-public areas, and have for years. Many Frank Lloyd Wright houses, including the iconic Fallingwater, employ cork flooring in a resolution to use sustainable materials evocative of nature. It’s a beautiful, renewable product that’s been time-tested in a variety of settings. Why not your house?