Waste
Not, Want Not
by Marla J. Ottenstein
Consumer demand drives product
popularity and new product development. According to Steve Agius, general
manager of Creative Tile & Hardwood Floors in Naples,“ Manufacturers
continue to make technological and design advancements in hard-surface
materials. The consumer is cognizant of environmental issues and is pointing
us in the direction of using natural resources, especially renewable and
recyclable materials that we have easy access to.”
Green Building is the future and has a definite impact on
peoples’ decisions and choices. Bamboo, the quintessence of “renewable,”
became popular because it grows fast and replenishes itself naturally.
Consumers are more sophisticated and have learned to appreciate the inherent
beauty and elegance in wood graining and choose to emphasize the natural
imperfections rather than discard the blemished wood.
Parquet, the French term for “made from small pieces”
is a way of applying all the little bits and pieces of wood, stone and
tile that would have been thrown away in the past into the design. It’s
fresh, new and unique, and manufacturers are catching-on fast by producing
pre-finished borders, medallions and flooring modules that incorporate
all the pieces. No longer synonymous with the pedestrian square patterns
of the ’60s, parquet flooring is more elaborate and detailed than
ever before and is here to stay.
What’s exciting about wood is its natural colors and
textures. This is especially true with exotics, which have unusual growth
patterns resulting in remarkably unique colors and graining. Exotics don’t
need to be manipulated, stained or colored to be more beautiful than nature
intended.
Anything beautiful should be shown off, and a concrete foundation
of a home or office deserves to be in the limelight. Be it an existing
or recently poured slab, the possibilities are endless. Already the craze
in California where concrete stained floors are running neck-to-neck with
tiled floors in popularity, the technique is taking off in Southwest Florida.
“Cement staining is not for the faint at heart or for
the unimaginative,” says Corby Allbright, manager of Creative Tile’s
newly launched decorative concrete division. “The idea is to work
with what you have. You need an open mind to realize that cement, once
enhanced, can be stunning and memorable. Staining picks up the subtle
nuances, shifts and swirls that are an intrinsic part of the concrete
as it sets and forms after having been mixed and poured.”
The process, where the stain actually penetrates the top
1/16-inch of the surface, is ideal for remodeling projects. Imagine enhancing
a concrete drive or walkway with the staining process as an alternative
to a stamped concrete driveway or to the more expensive and time-consuming
endeavor of removing the cement to put down pavers. Vanity tops, summer
kitchens, pool decks, lanais and garages, vir tually any cement slab can
be stained.
More than 1,000 years old, the process is an ancient Chinese
art that has been adapted to today’s methodology. Hydrochloric acids
and/or methanol-based dyes are used to enhance an existing or new concrete
slab. When the acid and dyes hit the surface, small areas of natural crackling,
or efflorescence, sometimes occur giving the surface a “weathered”
look. Because of the innate differences from one slab to another, each
surface responds differently. The acid reacts with the free lime in the
concrete creating variegated high and low shades.
To achieve an effect similar to faux painting, colors can
be mixed and layered or applied separately to simulate different pieces
of stone. The cement can also be scored and etched to produce memorable
patterns and custom designs. After the stains are applied, a long-lasting
protective UV clear-coat is applied to protect the concrete. Some people
choose to add sheen to the finished product by applying several coats
of wax, but the sealant, when applied properly, will protect the surface
for many years.
As a prerequisite to concrete staining, technicians test
the surface for contamination by oil, grease or paint or for large cracks
and apply an overlay coating to the concrete prior to staining. Additionally,
if a client wants a smoother, more contemporary look, an overlay is usually
applied before staining.
Concrete staining is clean, low-maintenance and relatively
inexpensive; and if that’s not enough, with unlimited design possibilities,
it’s a beautiful alternative to typical hard surface flooring! In
a commercial setting, a standard, one-color application with sealant is
a chic option to low-grade commercial carpeting and costs about the same
per square foot. The surface is great in high-traffic areas such as: restaurants,
hair salons, offices and warehouses. It’s temperate, scuff mark
resistant and because it’s not slippery, it’s safe. Depending
upon the design theme, different hard surface materials are used to achieve
a myriad of looks and styles.
Whether it’s porcelain, ceramic or stone, tile is the
ideal choice for the stylish Florida lifestyle. “Hard surface tiling
goes beyond just flooring. We’re seeing more vertical interior and
exterior applications and lots of experimentation with color, texture,
patterns and decorative relief tiles,” said Greg Goggin, senior
project manager for Creative Tile’s stone and tile division.
“Fire-baked ceramic tiles and Bas Relief tiles with
protruding figurines create interest and depth to any vertically tiled
surface,” says Goggin. “Textural relief is key to creating
vertical hard surfaces with personality.”
Made from a mixture of lime and red clay, Spanish terracotta
tiles and sun-baked Mexican Saltillo tiles are an important part in creating
an idyllic outdoor setting.
“Re-creation” is hot! Staggered stone in a mosaic-styled
installation can create profiles like a ruined wall or eroded riverbed.
Stone flagging base cutting typically referred to as “flagstone,”
uses materials such as slate, as part of the movement towards utilizing
natural resources.
Modular installation is the icing on the cake and can take
any tiling project to the next level. Consumers are no longer content
with just straight or diagonally installed tiling. Now, intricate patterns
with descriptive names such as: harlequin, herringbone, diamond, basket
weave, crisscross, pinwheel, and the most complex and beautiful of all,
Versailles, are on the forefront in the hard-surface industry.
Several new products stem from the consumer identification
with the environment and wanting to use “natural” looking,
organic materials. Mesh-backed “Island Stone,” large, egg-shaped
smooth river stones, are being used for flooring and walls. As an alternative
to glass bricks, a Japanese company is developing a line of Island Stone
– polished or rough in colored glass.
As an ASID industry partner of the Marble Institute of America,
Tile Council of America, and National Wood Flooring Association, Creative
Tile & Hardwood Floors is committed to its trade and to the building
and design community. For more than 27 years they have embraced the challenges
of an evolving industry and are not afraid to take chances and grow.
CREATIVE
TILE & HARDWOOD FLOORS
1853 Trade Center Way
Naples FL 34109
239 513-0200
www.ctc-naples.com
