Earlier this year at the NeoCon design expo in Chicago, Centiva released five new luxury vinyl tile and plank designs.  Two of these collections, Montage and Crossweave, truly go against the grain of standard vinyl tile design schemes, showcasing the constantly changing trends and technologies in the versatile vinyl flooring industry.  These new lines offered by Centiva have set a new trend for luxury vinyl tile designs, incorporating elements from an array of materials all exhibited in this resilient, attractive, and extremely durable product.

Luxury Vinyl Tiles Might Be The Ideal Choice For You!

Luxury vinyl tile is a wonderful alternative to other flooring products, as it does not require harvesting trees, is easy to clean, and can be recycled and reused indefinitely.  Vinyl tile also offers designs that cannot be executed with other floors such as bamboo, hardwood, or ceramic tile.

Luxury Vinyl Tile Collection Fro Centiva!

Centiva Contour Montage is a particularly interesting luxury vinyl tile collection. Metallic highlights and abstract design give Montage an industrial flare that fits extremely well with commercial applications as well as residential installations, for those who desire to break the mold of traditional home décor.  Exhibiting a blend of elemental, stone, textile, and wood influences, the exotic, distressed surface of Montage creates a unique look that is difficult to find in vinyl tile.  Its aesthetic qualities match its durability; backed by a 20-year commercial warranty, Montage will hold up to high-volume traffic and continuous use.  The textured appearance of this collection certainly adds abundant spatial depth to any area.

Centiva Contour Collection: Crossweave

Crossweave is yet another welcome addition to the Centiva Contour collection.  Inspired by textile patterns, the expansive 36″x36″ vinyl tiles offered for Crossweave create a near seamless floor that is extremely warm and inviting.  Numerous strides have been made within the vinyl flooring industry, particularly in the perfection of high-definition graphic imaging technology.  This has provided a great degree of variability and versatility in vinyl tile designs previously impossible to achieve.  The layered, textured appearance of Crossweave allows this Contour line to fit well with a plethora of home designs, with seven colors to choose from that range broadly on the spectrum.  Denim is a great color pick for molding a relaxed, calming atmosphere with a tinge of western flare.  Ecru, with its sandy shades of brown, exhibits a mellow yet professional design ideal for offices and entries.Stay tuned for our next installment of Centiva’s new product lines, which will highlight luxury vinyl plank designs that emulate authentic hardwood.

SHAW ADDS TWO NEW WEAR LAYER SIZES

Luxury vinyl flooring has always been popular in commercial markets, but in recent years it has also experienced a surge in popularity in residential applications. The Shaw New Market wood-look collection is no stranger to this trend, as it now offers three different wear layers depending on where it will be applied.

Traditionally, many luxury vinyl flooring lines only offered a 12 mil wear layer that is ideal for both residential and light commercial uses. Given the increasing demand for vinyl due to its lower price point than many other flooring materials such as ceramic tile or hardwood, the New Market collection from Shaw’s Array line comes in not only the industry standard 12 mil wear layer but also 6 mil and more durable 20 mil wear layers. These new features give consumers a great deal of choice in what to purchase, as different projects require different specifications.

Commercial

The 20 mil wear layer option in the Shaw New Market line is ideal for commercial areas that experience heavier traffic than your typical small retail establishment. Educational institutions, restaurants, and even hospitals are a good match for these 6”x48” vinyl planks with the 20 mil option. In commercial settings, Shaw has expanded this collection’s uses to medium-traffic areas rather than being restricted to light commercial applications with the former 12 mil choice.

Residential

But for those consumers who wish to install Shaw New Market vinyl planks in their homes, do they really need a 20 mil wear layer to protect the floor against the elements? Well, no, not really. This is exactly why New Market is also available now with a 6 mil wear layer. This is sufficient enough for most residential uses, and it reduces the cost significantly from the standard 12 mil option. As consumers and new homebuyers alike are more likely to look for ways to reduce costs without sacrificing quality, the 6 mil wear layer option is an excellent compromise. There really is no sense in purchasing something that you don’t need, so unless you’re hosting biker conventions at your home every weekend, the 6 mil wear layer will hold up to normal wear and other domestic mishaps such as spills, pets tracking in mud from the outdoors, and dropped plates.

Style

In addition to the varied durability levels offered in the Shaw New Market collection, these luxury vinyl planks offer outstanding visuals that replicate the aesthetics of traditional, bona fide hardwood flooring. Thanks to several advancements in printing and imaging technology, no plank will look exactly the same. Installing this collection will give your home or business high color variation throughout the floor in the same way hardwood can. Whether your design sensibilities call for light naturally shaded aesthetics, darkly stained planks, or intermediate rustic shades, Shaw New Market will surely satisfy your requirements in not only ambience but also durability.

RECYCLED VINYL FLOORS ARE NO LONGER AS REAL AS UNICORNS

For a time, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) used to be a four-letter word in environmentally conscious social circles, but this sentiment is rapidly changing. What used to be considered toxic and harmful to the environment now has a lower carbon footprint than many other flooring materials thanks to recycling and reuse. Beginning in 1989, a study conducted at the University of Toledo determined more than 100 potential uses for PVC after it had been used by consumers; 13 years later, VinyLoop opened up its first plant to efficiently recycle this material for a variety of applications.

VinyLoop Is Eco-Friendly!

For the longest time, the only way to efficiently recycle vinyl material was to sell your old records at the nearest music exchange store. Everything else pretty much just ended up in a landfill somewhere, taking up space with no use whatsoever. Now that VinyLoop has developed a method to effectively recycle vinyl materials via a chemical extraction method, vinyl’s carbon footprint has the potential to be 46 percent lower than it used to be before this process was first introduced in 2002. That being said, with the simultaneous popularity boost of eco-friendly flooring and cheaper alternatives to traditional flooring materials, recycled vinyl flooring complements these distinct attributes very well. Those who are inclined toward eco-friendly floors tend to shy away from vinyl, while consumers who just want a cheap substitute for wood or stone gravitate toward vinyl without too much concern for the environment. With recycled vinyl floors, both of these potential requirements can be met.

VinyLoop Has Set Examples Of Recycling Methods.

Several manufacturers have followed the footsteps of VinyLoop’s unique extraction process and developed their own ways of using closed-loop recycling methods for their own products. Armstrong, for example, has implemented a VCT recycling program that has greatly reduced its carbon footprint, as the program has recycled over 3 million pounds of vinyl tiles to date.

Burke Flooring, a manufacturer of rubber and luxury vinyl tile flooring for over 57 years based in San Jose, Calif., boasts a 67 percent rate of post-consumer recycled materials in all of its products made from PVC. With so many styles to choose from with this manufacturer, many of their vinyl flooring planks emulate the appearance of wood, so you can save time, money, and the environment all at the same time. In addition to luxury vinyl tile that looks like wood, Burke also offers replications of natural stone, ceramics, and black and white tiles in their vinyl selections.

Earthwerks Is Also Dedicated To The Welfare Of The Environment.

Another manufacturer with the welfare of the environment in mind is Earthwerks. Many of their products have received the Green4Life seal of approval, as several Earthwerks collections contain more than 50 percent recycled content. In addition to these Green attributes, many of their floors can also be recycled again after consumer use, further contributing to smarter allocation of resources.

So, before you shy away from luxury vinyl tile as a flooring option because of previous negative connotations associated with PVC, just remember that innovative technology has come a long way into supporting a viable way to recycle this once landfill-doomed material.

Vinyl flooring is a trusted solution for any home or commercial space delivering style with immense durability. With top manufacturers such as Amtico, Armstrong and Karndean,vinyl flooring can replicate authentic styles of hardwood and stone along with non-traditional styles like brightly saturated hues and collections resembling fabric or even incorporating flecks of glitter. With a wide selection of resilient floors, it’s always best to know how to keep them looking great years after installation. Here are a few tips on protecting your vinyl flooring investment.

Vinyl Flooring Maintenance Tips.

As vinyl is known for its natural fighting agents against scratches and scuffs, it is susceptible to fading as it is best to keep all vinyl flooring out of direct sun exposure within the home. Simply drawing the shades during peak hours will help keep a lustrous vinyl floor for generations.  Be attentive with your vinyl flooring as dirt and sticky stains left for a long period can potentially become abrasive to vinyl floors. As this holds true with most floor coverings, vinyl flooring is susceptible to permanent staining if messes are not cleaned up right away. Likewise, loose dirt can penetrate vinyl flooring so regular sweeping is highly suggested.

Using Carpets May Protect Your Flooring.

Embrace floor mats, especially in doorways and busy hallways. By placing rugs, mats and runners throughout the home, your vinyl flooring will remain protected from heavy traffic, trudged in dirt and even fading from the light. However, it is important to note that mats and rugs with a rubber or latex backing can cause damage to vinyl floors and can likewise lead to discoloring over time.
Another important tip is to rearrange furniture to help even fading in the floor. The last thing you want is to move your furniture after years of sitting in the same spot and be able to see exactly where your old furniture once sat. With this tip, it is also important to take caution when sliding heavy furniture across vinyl flooring. Apply felt or cotton pads to bottom of furniture for easy moving that wont cause scratching or denting.

How To Protect Vinyl Flooring: Conclusion

In all, vinyl flooring is extremely easy to maintain. However, all flooring can take on some sort of damage and vinyl is no exception to the rule. Perhaps the best advice in taking care of your vinyl floor is to always consult the manufactures guide to ensure no voided warranties in the future.

So you’ve just purchased a commercial building that was constructed in the 1970s.  You love everything about it—the large windows, the location, the office space, and the HVAC system—with the exception of the flooring throughout.  Perhaps you want to install porcelain tile, laminate, or quality luxury vinyl tile.  Maybe the existing vinyl floor is tattered, wearing down, curling up at the seams, or heavily stained from years of abuse.  Either way, it has to go.  But this looks like a do-it-yourself job.

Removing Old Vinyl Tiles Is Not As Easy As It Seems

It could be quite fun to recklessly rip out the vinyl tile to take out your pent-up life frustrations (you did just put a huge down payment on the building that will make you cringe every time you look at your bank statement).  It’s simple.  Just rip out the entire floor and dispose of it when waste management comes to pick it up, right? Not necessarily.  There is a dirty little secret that many people don’t know about older vinyl floors, and floor manufacturers don’t like to disclose this secret, either.

What you don’t know and what they don’t disclose could potentially have serious implications for the health of you and your employees.  Prior to 1980, residential and commercial vinyl flooring alike used asbestos as a filler because of its insulating qualities.  While this practice has long been discontinued in most cases, many commercial areas and homes still have vinyl tile with asbestos filler.

How To Remove Old Vinyl Tiles: Save Yourself From Unnecessary Trouble

Now, before you cause yourself unnecessary alarm, simply walking on or being in the presence of these vinyl tiles will not harm you; thanks to copious amounts of misinformation, asbestos retains the same negative connotations as radioactive plutonium.  While asbestos—a naturally occurring silicate with thin fibrous crystals—is neither radioactive nor dangerous to touch, its tiny microscopic fibers can be seriously hazardous to your health when inhaled.  Mesothelioma, asbestosis, and other pleural abnormalities have all been linked to varying degrees of asbestos exposure.  So, before you find yourself calling some television ambulance chaser to get you that $1 million settlement because you mercilessly ripped up a vinyl floor with asbestos in it ages ago, take the necessary precautions when replacing any vinyl floor, especially if you don’t know its origins.  All the money in the world won’t bring your health back, so you might as well take preventative measures against potentially harmful asbestos exposure.

There Are Certain Materials To Ease The Job For You!

In many cases, identifying floor tiles that contain asbestos is quite simple.  Perhaps a box of extra vinyl floor tiles was left behind in case of future repairs.  Any literature found in the box should indicate all the materials used in the vinyl tile.  If this material is unavailable, it is best to send in a sample from one of the tiles to a National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) certified laboratory to determine the presence of asbestos.  In spite of available literature on the Internet replete with photographs of vinyl tiles containing asbestos, sending a sample into a lab is the only sure-fire way to know.  A list of NVLAP certified laboratories can be found on the organization’s website.

Finish Up Removing Your Old Vinyl Finish

Once the materials used in the vinyl tiles are determined, the simplest thing to do is install a new floor over the old material, as this will not disturb the asbestos and keeps it from becoming airborne.  If you decide to completely tear out the old floor, make sure that you disturb the tiles as little as possible, and certainly avoid violent demolition.  We recommend that professionals should be used when doing this type of work, as careless removal can result in air contamination.  Once the material is removed, contact your local sanitation department for a hazardous waste pick-up.  If you choose to transport the material to a landfill yourself, make sure to call them beforehand, since not all landfills accept asbestos.
Hopefully, your old floor is asbestos-free so you can enjoy the fun of recklessly demolishing it with jackhammers, power saws, M80s, machine guns, or whatever other ordnance you wish to use.  But always check the contents of the old vinyl floor before removal, especially if you know the vinyl tiles were installed prior to the 1980s.

One of the great attributes of luxury vinyl tile flooring is that it can be installed over an existing floor, unlike most other types of flooring materials. Inevitably, this can save you lots of time in the process. Traditional solid hardwood flooring, for example, more often than not requires patience during installation. Imagine for the moment that you want to replace your existing ceramic tile with hardwood. Every single tile would have to be jackhammered out and cleared away before the arduous process of laying down solid hardwood onto the subfloor can occur. Now, if you were to replace your ceramic tile floor with luxury vinyl tile that looks like hardwood, this material can simply be applied over the ceramic, requiring no messy or tedious removal process. While luxury vinyl tile can in fact be glued to ceramic underneath, so long as the surface is smooth and properly coated, the easiest way to put a vinyl floor over an existing one is to float it.

Float Your Floor, Eliminate Hassles

This will require even less preparation time and will certainly save you the cost of hiring a professional installer. Many luxury vinyl floors available today offer tiles and planks that simply lock together, eliminating the need for adhesives completely. In the past, vinyl floors could be floated, but each plank or tile was normally attached to other pieces via adhesive; the difference was that the surface was not anchored to the subfloor. With locking technology, even this step is unnecessary, making luxury vinyl tile one of the easiest types of flooring to install for do-it-yourself projects.

All Konecto vinyl products are completely glueless and simply click together as a floating floor. Konecto offers several collections that replicate both hardwood and natural stone, giving you increased design flexibility. Marmoleum Click 2 also offers both planks and tiles that interlock without the need for adhesives. Congoleum Connections vinyl flooring manufactured by Mohawk also offers an alternative to standard luxury vinyl tile; the adhesive is actually built into the planks, making installation almost easier than click and lock technologies can. Connections also offers pine hardwood replications in its design, making it quite a popular choice, since real pine is porous and prone to all sorts of cosmetic and structural problems that are completely absent in vinyl flooring. Another popular vinyl flooring is Linkwerks; both its Accu Clic and Rapid Clic lines float over the subfloor with no glue required.

Installation Logistics

Before you begin the installation process, you want to make sure that you are installing your luxury vinyl on a level surface, no matter what it is. Some issues could arise if you are trying to float it over an existing floor. Sloppy installation jobs, especially of ceramic tile, may require you to rip out the floor before you can lay the vinyl down. Even if this seems mildly annoying at first, you will thank yourself later. No one wants to walk on a lopsided vinyl floor, as it takes away from the realistic designs offered on many products.

Step By Step Instructions

With vinyl planks that resemble hardwood, it is best to begin the installation at the longest unobstructed wall and then work your way forward. When laying out symmetrical vinyl tiles, however, it is important to find the center point of the room first and lay out the tiles from there rather than a corner of the room. This will drastically reduce waste and the need to cut tiles to fit as the project nears completion.

To establish this point, determine the distance halfway between two walls and draw a chalk line parallel to each wall. Do the same for the other two perpendicular walls and now you have your starting point where the two chalk lines intersect. For best results, lay out the tiles before you begin to link them together. This will give you a better idea of what the floor will look like and allow you to make minor adjustments for better flow.