December 2007|January 2008

Transcription

IT’S NOT ONLY THE
QUALITY YOU TRUST.
It’s the reputation you leave behind.
Floor sanding professionals trust the quality of 3M™ Regalite™ Abrasives
to deliver superior results. Long-lasting Regalite abrasives start sharp,
stay sharp, run cool and cut fast. It’s not only the optimum durability
and performance that craftsmen can count on. It’s the reputation for
excellence that’s left behind with each smooth, beautiful finish.
Add 3M safety products and you can be confident that these
government certified products will help protect you while on
the job. For more information on the full line of Regalite
abrasives or 3M safety products, call 1-800-494-3552.
www.3M.com
Making your job a whole lot easier.
TM
3M, Regalite, the PURPLE color of these abrasives and the Plaid Design are trademarks of 3M.
© 3M 2006
iPod? iPhone?
This is the innovation that will make the biggest difference for your business.
See the difference at your Bona distributor or go to bonakemi.com/Naturale today.
Bringing out the best in hardwood floors
Circle 1 on Reply Card
Contents
December 2007|January 2008
Vol. 20.7
Features
Renovation
Revelations
By Michelle Desnoyer
A San Francisco remodel
reveals rare discoveries.
page 72
Bright Lights,
New City
Matthew Millman
72
Discover what’s new—and
still old—in Vegas during
Surfaces 2008.
page 81
Your Business
Live and Learn
By Michael Dittmer
A contractor makes a major lifestyle change.
page 25
Legal Brief
By Phillip M. Perry
Navigate a changing landscape for hiring immigrants.
Money
By Jim Blasingame
Get on top of your financials in 2008.
page 40
Management
By Andrea Nierenberg
Build your business through smart networking.
page 46
81
Las Vegas News Bureau/LVCVA
page 30
On the Cover:
A renovated Victorian gem in San Francisco.
For more, see page 72.
Photo by Matthew Millman,www.matthewmillman.com.
December 2007|January 2008 ■ Hardwood Floors 5
Contents
17
On the Job
Ask the Expert
Answers on expansion, resanding waxed floors and climate
change.
In Every Issue
page 51
Chairman’s Message
From the Field
page 8
By Don Conner
These three steps help create a successful wood floor installation.
NWFA News
page 54
page 10
Troubleshooting
Woodworks
By Michael B. Harde
Overzealous acclimation leads to a problem floor.
page 17
page 58
Ad Index
page 147
Step by Step
By Steve Seabaugh
Any color floor is possible with dyes.
Showcase
page 162
page 60
Techniques
By Catherine Liewen
Check this handy guide to subfloors used
under wood floors.
page 66
60
Product Focus
Special Advertising Section:
Surfaces Exhibitor
Showcase
Industry News
page 90
Notes
Products
page 141
page 154
People
Events
page 152
page 160
Unfinished Domestic
Wood Flooring
page 119
6 Hardwood Floors ■ December 2007|January 2008
When it comes to
your wood floor, the last
thing you want to do is
bark up the wrong tree.
As pioneers in the lumber and flooring business since 1872, W•D selectively harvests
from a revolving, growing stock, carefully protecting the sustainability of our more
than 40,000 acres of majestic hardwoods. But it’s the long winters and short growing
seasons of Wisconsin that give our floors their uniquely “northern” characteristics.
Tighter grain, lasting durability.
When you chose a hardwood floor, it’s sure to be appreciated for generations. But
when you chose a W•D floor, you know it already has a few under its belt.
For more information about W• D products and services, call 877.674.2210, or visit www.wdflooring.com.
Vote on your favorite WD ad campaign at wdflooring.com
>>chairman’s message
The magazine of the National Wood Flooring Association
NWFA Chairman
Ken Schumacher
NWFA Executive Director/CEO
Edward Korczak, CAE
NWFA Offices
111 Chesterfield Industrial Blvd.
Chesterfield, MO 63005
U.S.: 800/422-4556 • Canada: 800/848-8824
Local and Int’l: 636/519-9663 • Fax: 636/519-9664
E-mail: [email protected] • Web Site: www.nwfa.org
Editorial Advisory Committee
Genia Smith, Chair (Accent Hardwood Flooring Inc.)
Sprigg Lynn, Board Liaison (Universal Floors Inc.)
Angela Crowl (Dominic A. DiFebo & Sons)
Joe Boone Jr. (Wood Floors Online.com Inc.)
Robert Humphreys (Majestic Wood Floors Inc.)
Brenda Kubasta (Oshkosh Designs)
John Lessick (Apex Wood Floors Inc.)
Robert McNamara (Bostik Inc.)
Charles Peterson (The International Parquetry Historical Society)
Publication Staff
Kris Thimmesch
Publisher
Kim M. Wahlgren
Editor
Catherine Liewen
Managing Editor/Art Director
Michelle Desnoyer
Associate Editor
Bonnie Madison
Production Director
Marjorie Schultz
Electronic Production Manager
Scott Packel
Sadye Ring
Production Assistants
Gretchen Kelsey Brown
Peter Brown
Group Publishers
Sharon Siewert
Administration Director/Accountant
Kara Clark
Controller
Denise R. Thompson
Circulation & Database Director
Colleen Wenos
Circulation Assistant
Pam Walker
Sales Coordinator
Editorial and Advertising Offices:
Athletic Business Publications Inc.
4130 Lien Road • Madison, WI 53704
Phone: 608/249-0186 • 800/722-8764
Fax: 608/249-1153
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site: www.nwfa.org
CHANGE OF ADDRESS: In order to ensure uninterrupted delivery of Hardwood Floors, notice of change should be made at
least five weeks in advance. Direct all subscription mail to Hardwood Floors, 4130 Lien Road, Madison, WI 53704-3602, call
800/722-8764 or fax 608/249-1153. For faster service, visit us online at www.nwfa.org/member/mag.aspx. Single copy price is
$8. Subscription price is $40 for seven issues in the U.S.A. and Canada. International subscriptions (via airmail) are $65.
Hardwood Floors is published bi-monthly, plus the annual industry resource book, and distributed without charge to those
active in the wood flooring industry.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Hardwood Floors, 4130 Lien Road, Madison, WI 53704-3602.
Publication Mail Agreement #40049791.
Canadian mail distribution information: International Mail
Express, Station A, P.O. Box 54, Windsor, ON N9A 6J5.
Printed in the U.S.A.
© 2007 Athletic Business Publications Inc.
and National Wood Flooring Association.
Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. (ISSN 0897-022X)
Periodicals Postage Paid at Madison, Wisconsin, and at additional mailing offices.
NWFA
The Show
for You
By Ken Schumacher
Chairman, NWFA
s you read this column, chances are you’re preparing for the
holidays with your family. As you look out your window, you
might even see the first snowflakes of the season falling,
but rest assured that warmer climates are on the horizon. That’s
because this spring, from March 25-28, 2008, the NWFA will be in
Fort Lauderdale, Fla., for our annual convention.
This year’s show will be bigger and better than ever, and if
you’re in the wood flooring business, you won’t want to miss it.
If you’re a manufacturer, the Wood Flooring Expo is the perfect
venue for you to showcase your products to the largest group of
wood flooring professionals assembled in one place at one time.
As the largest convention anywhere dedicated exclusively to
wood flooring, the NWFA convention continues to attract
motivated wood flooring professionals from all over the
world.
If you’re a distributor, this
show is the perfect place to
expand your business. Here,
you’ll meet the suppliers who
will help you improve the products and services you offer, and the contractors who will be buying
them. You also can hone your skills by attending educational seminars that can help you become more efficient and more profitable.
If you’re a dealer/contractor, this show offers an opportunity to
see all the industry’s latest products. Have you been thinking
about buying new equipment? You can try it at this show, before
you make the investment. And to expand your wood flooring
knowledge, there are numerous educational seminars and demonstrations throughout the four-day event.
The bottom line is if you are in the business of buying, selling
or installing wood floors, you need to be at this show. To learn
more, visit www.nwfa.org and click on the “Convention and
Expo” link. ■
A
The bottom
line is ... you
need to be at
this show.
>>executive director/ceo message
NWFAnews
news and information from the national wood flooring association | www.nwfa.org
Hands-On Opportunities
By Ed Korczak, CAE
Executive Director/CEO
id you know that the National Wood Flooring Association maintains one of the largest training
facilities for wood flooring professionals in the world? It makes sense since the NWFA also
offers more training opportunities for wood flooring professionals than anyone else in the
world. For more than two decades, the NWFA has offered a variety of hands-on training options for
everyone from those just starting out in the industry to those with many decades of experience.
This past year, the NWFA completed construction on an 18,800-square-foot expansion of its
training facilities at its headquarters in St. Louis. The new space is in addition to the existing
20,000-square-foot facility, which features a classroom and presentation hall, a networking lounge,
staff office space and an additional 11,000-square-foot training area.
The newly expanded training center features many user-friendly modifications, including a pneumatic air system at each training panel station, as well as a state-of-the-art dust collection system
throughout the facility, which provides a healthier training and teaching environment for both students and instructors. Additional restroom and shower facilities have been
added, as well, to accommodate the increasing number of students and instructors attending each of the schools.
Throughout 2008, the NWFA will host 11 schools at its training facility, including the Wood Flooring Basics School, which is sponsored by the NWFA, NOFMA:
The Wood Flooring Manufacturers Association and the Maple Flooring
Manufacturers Association; the new Subfloor Preparation and Wood Flooring
Installation School; the new Wood Flooring Makeover—Basic to Advanced
School; the Intermediate Installation and Sand & Finish School; the new
Advanced Intermediate Installation and Sand & Finish School; the Custom
Design and Craftsmanship School, which was previously known as the Advanced
Installation School; the Expert Installation School; the Expert Sand and Finish
School; and the NWFA Certified Professionals Wood Flooring Inspection School.
For students who are unable to visit St. Louis to attend these schools, the
NWFA also offers regional schools throughout the year at various locations
throughout the country. Regional schools being offered during 2008 include the
Introduction to Wood Flooring School in Long Beach, Calif.; the Intermediate
Installation and Sand & Finish School in Portland, Ore.; Riverside, Calif.; Phoenix; and Minneapolis;
and the Advanced Intermediate Installation and Sand & Finish School in San Francisco; Hartford,
Conn.; and Atlanta. You can get more information about all the NWFA’s schools, including the specific curriculum, dates, times and registration fees, on the NWFA’s Web site at www.nwfa.org. For
the complete schedule, turn to page 14.
With so many schools offered, you’re sure to find one to fit your needs. Check out all the options
by visiting www.nwfa.org and clicking on the “Education and Schools” link, or contact the NWFA at
800/422-4556 (U.S.), 800/848-8824 (Canada) or 636/519-9663 (local and international). ■
D
With so many
schools offered,
you’re sure
to find one
to fit your needs.
>>nwfa certified professionals
NWFACPnews
news and information from the nwfa certified professionals | www.nwfacp.org
Essential Inspector Event
By Don Conner
President, NWFACP
his spring, the NWFA Certified Professionals (NWFACP) Inspectors Division is going to do
something it has never done before. During the National Wood Flooring Association’s annual
convention in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to be held March 25–28, 2008, the NWFACP will hold its
first Certified Wood Flooring Inspector Symposium. This event marks a significant milestone for
wood flooring inspectors, as it offers a first-ever venue for certified professionals to meet, learn
from one another and exchange ideas.
The symposium will be set up in much the same way as the NWFA’s education conference,
offering both general sessions and educational seminars featuring topics specifically related to
conducting wood flooring inspections. On Wednesday, March 26, symposium attendees will
have access to a general session, three inspector seminars and a networking lunch where they
will have the opportunity to meet with other certified professionals from all over the world.
Following these sessions, attendees also will have access to the
NWFA’s Wood Flooring Expo to see all of the industry’s latest products
and services. What does the Expo have to offer certified inspectors?
Many tools of the wood flooring inspector’s trade will be featured in
the 600-plus exhibitor booths that will fill the trade show floor, including a variety of moisture meters that can help inspectors do their jobs.
On Thursday, March 27, attendees will have access to another general session and two inspector seminars, followed by the Wood Flooring
Expo. Friday, March 28, will offer a final general session, one inspector
seminar and a final day at the Wood Flooring Expo. The 10 scheduled
inspector seminars and general sessions will provide you with the information that you need to advance your wood flooring inspection knowledge and expertise. Come learn how to write efficient and effective
inspection reports that are thorough, unbiased and based on industryaccepted standards. Come see how industry experts conduct investigations in order to identify problems, and then work to determine their
potential causes. Come hear how the reports you write impact legal proceedings and how to
prepare and respond when called upon to testify in court. You will learn all this and more during
the three-day symposium.
For more information about the Certified Wood Flooring Inspector Symposium, contact
NWFACP toll-free at 866/418-5408 (U.S.) or at 636/728-1922 (local and international). You also
can access more information about NWFACP online by visiting the NWFACP Web site at
www.nwfacp.org. ■
T
This event marks
a significant
milestone for
wood flooring
inspectors.
>>education and training
NWFAnews
news and information from the national wood flooring association | www.nwfa.org
Expertise in Progress
Meticulous sanding is the norm at
the Expert Sand &
Finish School,
held Oct. 8-10 at
the NWFA
headquarters in
St. Louis.
NWFA 2008 Technical School Schedule
January 23-25 ................Intermediate Install. and Sand & Finish ............................Portland, Ore.
February 12-15................Introduction to Wood Flooring ..........................................Long Beach, Calif.
February 27-29................Custom Design & Craftsmanship......................................St. Louis
March 4-7 ......................Wood Flooring Basics ......................................................St. Louis
March 10-13 ..................Wood Flooring Inspection ................................................St. Louis
April 8-11........................Advanced Intermediate Install. and Sand & Finish ..........San Francisco
April 23-25......................Intermediate Install. and Sand & Finish ............................St. Louis
May 6-9..........................Advanced Intermediate Install. and Sand & Finish............Hartford, Conn.
May 21-23 ......................Subfloor Prep & Wood Flooring Installation ......................St. Louis
June 18-20......................Intermediate Install. and Sand & Finish ............................Riverside, Calif.
August 26-29..................Advanced Intermediate Install. and Sand & Finish............Atlanta
September 9-12..............Advanced Intermediate Install. and Sand & Finish............St. Louis
September 16-19............Wood Flooring Basics ......................................................St. Louis
September 22-25............Wood Flooring Inspection ................................................St. Louis
October 7-11 ..................Expert Installations ..........................................................St. Louis
October 13-15 ................Expert Sand & Finish ........................................................St. Louis
October 22-24 ................Intermediate Install. and Sand & Finish ............................Phoenix
November 5-7 ................Wood Flooring Makeover-Basic to Advanced ..................St. Louis
November 12-14 ............Intermediate Install. and Sand & Finish ............................Minneapolis
lite contractors from the hardwood
flooring industry gathered at the
NWFA headquarters in St. Louis last
October for the Expert Installation School,
followed immediately by the Expert Sand
& Finish School. In-depth instruction combined with hands-on practice led to some
long hours and amazing floors. For more
photos from the Expert Sand & Finish
School, turn to the Step by Step column
on using dyes on page 60 of this issue.
E
For more information:
NWFA
111 Chesterfield Industrial Blvd.
Chesterfield, MO 63005
800/422-4556 (U.S.)
800/848-8824 (Canada)
636/519-9663 (local and intl.)
[email protected]
www.nwfa.org
Expert Installation
>> October 3-6 in St. Louis
NWFA’s Steve Seabaugh and Frank Kroupa led the volunteer instructors,
including: Chuck Crispin, Birger Juell Ltd.; John Fairbanks, BonaKemi USA
Inc.; Robert Humphreys, Majestic Wood Floors Inc.; Tom Peotter, Oshkosh
Designs; Mark Scheller, Scheller Hardwood Floors; and Tony Robison,
Washington Wood Floors Inc.
Expert Sand & Finish
>> October 8-10 in St. Louis
Seabaugh and Kroupa again led, this time with volunteer instructors Chris
Livingston, 3M; Gene Jarka, BonaKemi USA Inc.; Wayne Lee, Clarke
American Sanders; Lon Vaughn, Glitsa American; Charles Peterson, The
International Parquetry Historical Society; Don Jewell, Timbermate USA Inc.;
and Don Bollinger, Wood Floor Products Inc.
Intermediate Installation and Sand & Finish
>> October 24-26 in Seattle
Kroupa led the volunteer instructors, including: Dennis Plaut, 3M; Jason
Black, Artisan Flooring LLC; Brad Betz, Basic Coatings; Frank Szubart,
BonaKemi USA Inc.; Tony Summers, Centrex Hardwood LLC; Wayne Lee,
Clarke American Sanders; Chase Cooper, Copacetic Wood Floors; Craig
McIntosh, Dura Seal; Roger Barker, Fortifiber Building Systems Group;
Julie Russell, Lon Vaughn and Mike Osborn, Glitsa American Inc.; Doug
Klewin, Halal Hardwoods; Cort Dunlop, Hardwood Inspections; Michael
Klinge, Loba Wakol LLC; Scott Avery, Modern Tech Floors LLC; Mike
DeFriese, Norton Abrasives; Tom Peotter, Oshkosh Designs; Gary Arnold,
Powernail Company Inc.; Brett Wheeler, Precision Technology LLC; Tom
Heese, Primatech Inc.; Joshua Crossman, PTL Hardwoods; Rick Breuer,
Rick’s Custom Hardwood Floors; Johannes Boonstra, Synteko Floor Finishes; Chuck Garvey, Timbermate USA Inc.; Larry Subervi, UFloor Systems
Inc.; Nathaniel Prior, VerMeister; Dave Stark, Virginia Abrasives Corporation; Dave Posey, Wagner Electronic Products; and Donald Bollinger,
The intense labor proved to be worth it when the students
saw the finished panels.
Wood Floor Products Inc. Lead distributors were Kelly-Goodwin Company
(Seattle) and Hardwood Flooring Dist.-Goodfellow Inc. (Seattle).
Intermediate Installation and Sand & Finish
>> November 7-9 in Charlotte, N.C.
Seabaugh, assisted by Technical Advisor Glen Miller, led volunteer
instructors Jim Schumacher, 3M; Scott Lynch, Absolute Coatings Inc.;
Richard Conway, All Wood Floor Craft; Kevin Reilly and Sharon Kay
Smith, Basic Coatings; Bob Burton, BonaKemi USA Inc.; Wayne Lee,
Clarke American Sanders; David Harrison, Custom Wholesale Floors Inc.;
Bill Costello and Lynn Brinkman, Dura Seal; Roger Barker, Fortifiber
Building Systems Group; Janet Sullivan, Lenmar Inc.; Michael Klinge,
LOBA Wakol LLC; Reed Maddray, Maddray Flooring LLC; Greg Mihaich,
Norton Abrasives; Mark Mukosiej and Donovan Norton, Powernail Company; Wes Cronskrey, Start ’N’ Finish; Johannes Boonstra, Synteko Floor
Finishes; Chuck Garvey, Timbermate USA Inc.; Mike Summers, UFloor
Systems Inc.; Karl Stafflinger, Virginia Abrasives Corporation; Dave
Posey, Wagner Electronic Products; Stephen Harris, Wood U Woodworking; and Ricardo Pairazaman, Woods of the World LLC. The lead distributor was American Products Inc. (Pineville, N.C.).
Students at the school received one-on-one
instruction on faux finishing, abrasives and sharpening chisels and scrapers.
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WOOD ■ works
insights and information on the hardwood flooring industry
10 Minutes of Fame
Wood floor man appears on CNN
O
ctober 15 started out just like most days for Ray Ludchak,
owner of Springdale, Pa.-based R.L. Flooring. He arrived at
the job site early and was happy to find a parking spot right in front of the job in the
Pittsburgh suburb. Later that morning, though, things got unusual. As he went outside to
cut some doors, he heard a voice calling “worker, worker.” He couldn’t see anybody, but
finally was directed by the voice to look “down here”—underneath a black SUV parked
down the street. To his shock, when he bent down, he saw a person under the vehicle.
She said she was stuck and asked him to lift the SUV up half an inch so she could crawl
out. Floor guys lift lots of heavy things, but of course Ludchak opted to call 911 instead.
Later that day he was the main interview in the news story on Pittsburgh TV station
Top, Ludchak explains for the news
WPXI. As it turns out, according to the news story, the woman crawled under the SUV to crew how he found the trapped
woman; above, Ludchak’s van and
spy on her husband at his girlfriend’s house. She fell asleep with a neighbor’s cat, and
NWFA logos got a cameo in the
when she woke up, someone had let the air out of the tires and she was pinned. The
background.
authorities later took her in for a psychiatric evaluation. Because the story was so strange,
it was picked up by CNN and seen by people all over the country. “It’s one thing finding a deceased body, but this is a live body
caught up in a love triangle, and a floor guy happened to be in the middle of it,” Ludchak says of his most unusual workday.
TREE ■ id
What hardwood tree is this?
Turn the page to find out.
Steely Sanding
New discs make sanding a snap
I
f you’re like most wood flooring contractors,
you hate getting down on your knees for
laborious hand or orbital sanding. But now a
product from Russellville, Ark.-based
Microplane promises to reduce the time,
money and environmental hazards associated
with the traditional sandpaper discs used with
orbital sanders. The company says that its stainless steel sanding discs sand bare wood five times
faster and last seven times longer than typical sandpaper,
saving contractors a lot of pain and energy. The company also touts the new
technology’s environmental benefits: contractors buy the longer-lasting steel discs
rather than paper, reducing the amount of product going to landfills. The steel
discs’ design vacuums up wood shavings so they don’t go airborne, and the shavings collected by the sander are free of abrasive particles, making them perfect
for reuse as wood filler. Right now, the rust-resistant steel discs are available only
in coarse, medium and fine grains, equivalent to 40, 80 and 120 grits. They can
be purchased on the Internet or at hardware chain stores. For more information,
visit us.microplane.com.
WOOD ■ works
Keyed In
For the wood flooring guy (or gal) who has it all
H
ardwood flooring guys’ passion for wood seems endless. They obsess over the latest exotic
species, trade job-site war stories at the bar until closing time and surround themselves by
things made out of wood. In their spare time, they pore over
woodworking catalogs in search of the latest and greatest new
tools. They’ve been known to show off everything from hand-scrapers
with custom inlaid exotic wood handles to neckties made of wood.
Now, for the wood geek who’s also a computer geek, there are wood
computer accessories. Offered by Swedish company Swedx, the products’ popularity is spurred by “the growing dissatisfaction with plastic
design and the urge to return to natural materials, the craving for more
exclusive and stylish items and the care for environment,” the Swedx Web site states, echoing the
sentiments of many wood flooring professionals.
Just in time for the holidays, these accessories
could be the perfect find for the wood flooring
man (or woman) who has (wood) everything.
Most of the products come in a choice of beech,
For the wood geek who has
ash or sapele; prices range from $82 for a USB mouse or standard keyboard to $465 for a 17everything ...
inch monitor. For more information, go to www.swedx.se.
VINTAGE ■ moments
Shagbark hickory (Carya ovata)
Top Nailer
Courtesy of HomerWood Hardwood Flooring
TREE ■ id answer
Hardness as Wood Flooring: 1820 on the Janka scale
(41 percent harder than Northern red oak)
At a Glance: Common in the eastern U.S. and southeastern Canada, shagbark hickory trees can live to be 200
years old. The tree produces edible, flavorful nuts, but
they are not borne often enough to be of use commercially. Because they are so similar, the different hickory
species and pecan are usually milled together by wood
flooring mills and sold as hickory/pecan.
T
his nailing tool,
the Cavanaugh,
was popular in the
San Francisco,
Philadelphia and
Chicago areas after
it was invented in
the 1940s for 5⁄16inch, square-edged,
top-nailed flooring.
As it rolled along
The Cavanaugh
the floor, nails
was made in
would slide down
both manual
to be driven in by
(above) and
the plunger. Today,
electric versions (right).
Cavanaughs are a
collector’s item in
the industry; some
are still used by wood flooring installers doing repairs on
the old 5⁄16-inch flooring or recreating the authentic look
with new 5⁄16-inch product.
WOOD ■ works
E NVIRO ■ watch
Beetle Blues
O
www.CartoonStock.com
ur native forests seem to
be under a continual
onslaught from invasive
species, but the mountain
pine beetle is one pest that is
actually home-grown
(although just as unwelcome).
Because of unnaturally warm
winters allowing the creatures
These stairs turned a deadly infesto multiply at unprecedented tation into a design opportunity.
rates, 80 percent of British
Columbian pine forests are expected to be infested within the
next 10 years, and the pests are literally turning the pine trees’
wood blue. A contest held as part of the Interior Design & Urban
Living Expo in Vancouver challenged contestants to create products from the wood. Abdel Munem Amin and David Yi-Jen
Tseng developed modular blue stairs that utilize the blue stains
as a design element. “We believe in innovative design resulting
from examining daily lives with global eyes,” Tseng says. Perhaps someone will have the vision to use more of the blue
wood to create matching flooring.
HARDWOOD FLOORING ■ mini-quiz
1. The species amendoim is also commonly called
what?
2. Which stain will probably dry the fastest?
a. A white floor
b. A black floor
c. A dark brown floor
d. A light brown floor
3. True or False? Maintaining a wet edge is critical
when applying most finishes.
5. The following problem floor could result from...
(more than one answer possible):
a. the installer hitting the nailer too hard, crushing
the boards together
b. exposure to a humid summer after being acclimated and installed during a dry winter
c. a new radiant heat system being turned on for
the first time ever (after the floor is installed)
d. installation over a subfloor with a moisture content that is too high
e. all of the above
4. Dish-out can be minimized by doing which of the
following? (more than one answer possible)
a. hard-plating
b. using a 3-disc sander
c. sanding at an angle instead of directly with or
across the grain
d. using a thick white pad on the buffer
e. all of the above
Answers: 1. Brazilian oak 2. d 3. True 4. a, b, and c 5. b, c and d
GENUINE TEAK
The Coastal Collection
Serving you from
our new
leading-edge facility.
PRESTIGE HARDWOOD FLOORING
™
The Industry’s Best Wide Plank Flooring
DEAN HARDWOODS, INC.
9244 Industrial Boulevard, NE • Leland, North Carolina 28451
MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 1595 • Wilmington, North Carolina 28402
TOLL FREE:
(877) 430-0883 • (910) 763-5409 • FAX: (910) 763-3748
EMAIL: [email protected] • WEBSITE: deanwood.com
Member: Architectural Woodwork Institute, International Wood Products Association, National Hardwood Lumber Association,
National Marine Manufacturers Association, National Wood Flooring Association, and the United States Chamber of Commerce.
FA-8
The Floor Abrader
Introducing The Floor Abrader, the latest in floor abrasion
technology, designed and innovated to micro-abrade
factory-finished and site-installed floors.
Trade your four-step chemical process for one, easy-to-use,
machine and see the results you’ve been looking for. The FA-8
is designed to abrade all types of factory-finished floors.
Its unique cylindrical designed brushes allow you to abrade
with or against the pattern grain of the floor making it ideal
for parquet, herring bone, distressed and hand-scraped
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Your Business
Live and Learn
Escape Plan
A major lifestyle change was in order for this contractor
By Michael Dittmer
bout three years ago, I was leaving my house at
4:30 a.m. every day, driving two hours to my shop,
meeting the guys and then driving another hour
from the suburbs to get to the job site, usually in downtown Chicago, where we’d pay $30 a day for parking, be
limited to working only between 10 a.m. and 3 or 4 p.m.
and have to pay one of our workers $10 an hour just to sit
A
in the vehicle all day and make sure nobody stole all the
tools. My wife did all of the administrative work and
answered the phone while caring for our twin boys. We
were making good money and doing high-end, high-profile
jobs, but it was a lifestyle that didn’t leave me much time
for my family.
Today, my wood flooring business is in my new home-
SHARPER I MAGE
Picking the Right Message
Hardwood Floors asked its contractor and dealer readers to send in a marketing piece for a redesign, and our expert
picked this one:
Although Syracuse Commercial Flooring’s ad works visually to
lead the reader to the bullet points and the logo, perhaps of
greater concern is what does it imply? Does it suggest that SCF is
going into the forest to cut down trees for hardwood flooring?
Wood flooring professionals understand that wood flooring isn’t
damaging to the environment, but many consumers don’t yet
understand that. For them, it’s sort of like showing a sad cow in a
burger ad.
The bullet points are good, although
perhaps we could also speak to the
“expert in commercial flooring”
issue. A major component missing
is a headline. Although I’m not sure
what the logo represents, at least
the company has one, and it seems
big and bold enough to work in the
commercial market. Most glaring,
however, is the fact that the ad lacks
any contact information.
BEFORE
Syracuse Commercial Flooring
should follow the old adage, “If
you’ve got it, flaunt it.” We visited their Web site and found
actual shots from jobs. So why
not show potential customers
what you have done?
Syracuse Commercial Flooring’s Web site uses a blue
background. Although it might
not be our first choice of color
for a client who sells hardwood flooring, the company
AFTER
should stay with something that
has continuity across media. We added a project shot and a headline
that tells the reader what kind of work SCF does. We added a bullet
point that addresses the “expert” factor and, most importantly, we
added contact information by including a phone number and a Web
address.
Jim Groff is president of York, Pa.-based Baublitz Advertising, a marketing firm that focuses on the building materials and construction industry. Groff has
authored numerous columns and industry white papers on branding, research, marketing along the distribution channel and emerging market trends,
among others. For more information, visit www.baublitz.com.
Syracuse Commercial Floors receives a Hardwood Floors T-shirt for being selected. To enter your marketing piece for a professional redesign in this column,
hardwood flooring contractors and dealers should send in their Yellow Pages ads, newspaper ads, magazine ads or brochures to: Sharper Image, Hardwood
Floors, 4130 Lien Road, Madison, WI 53704.
Your Business | Live and Learn
town: Putnam, Ill., population 793. I’ve always got plenty of
work, but I don’t have to drive far or contend with traffic to
get to it. In fact, I’m usually home in time to see my boys
right after school. The work isn’t the upscale kind of floors I
used to do, but the
cost of living here
is a lot less than
what it was in the
Chicago suburbs.
We have acreage,
my kids have goats
and ducks, and we
can walk to the
beach at the lake
that is only a couple blocks from
our house. I’m the
kind of father that
my wife and I
wanted me to be, but it took a huge change in our lives
and my business to get here.
I grew up in the Chicago suburbs working the family
wood flooring business. My dad had the company since
Three months later,
I came to work and
my dad said, “I’ve had
it, I quit. You need to
tell me by Friday if
you’re taking the
business over or not.”
1958, and I always enjoyed the creative side of the business. By my last year in college, I decided that after I graduated, I’d work for my dad, and we talked about me
working into ownership of the business. We didn’t have
anything structured or in writing; in hindsight, that would
have made things easier. As it was, he’d talk about retiring—next year. Next year would come, and he wouldn’t
retire. It was always “next year.” I said to my wife, “Dad’s
never going to retire, and I need to get on with my life.”
My wife and I had put in offers on 13 fixer-upper houses
in the suburbs, but we lost them all—people were bidding
over the list price and just tearing down the houses to get
the property. We had bought a tree farm out in the country
while we were engaged, and we enjoyed the different
pace of life and friendly environment down there. When
the perfect house and property came up for sale in the
same area, we bought it, even though it was two hours
from the business in Elmhurst.
At that point, life took some unexpected turns. I was in a
car accident that left me badly injured and in traction in bed
for eight weeks. While I was recuperating, my dad had a
heart attack. Within a year, my wife gave birth to our twin
boys. Three months later, I came to work and my dad said,
Circle 12
“I’ve had it, I quit. You need to tell me by Friday if you’re
taking the business over or not.” I had two three-month-old
boys, a wife and a mortgage payment. I didn’t think I had
much of a choice, and I took over the business.
In order for your own business to run properly, you
become consumed by it; that’s the devil in running your
own business. When you have eight or 10 guys, you end
up working 12 hours a day, and your family tends to suffer. My wife and I made an agreement: By the time the
boys started first grade, I would sell the business or hire a
manager to run it so I’d be able to spend more time with
the kids. Growing up, my dad had always spent lots of
time with us. We’d be headed for a job, the wind would be
blowing from the west and somebody would have told us
the day before that the salmon were biting. We’d show up
at the job and my dad would say, “Mrs. Smith, we had a
problem with the machine at the last job; we’ll have to do
this tomorrow.” We’d go home, take the tools out of the
truck, hook the boat on and be on Lake Michigan in an
hour.
With the level of service we offered and the core of customers we had from being in business for so long, our
business had a good value. We needed to build upon that
core, make it stronger and turn it into a marketable asset.
We needed it to be at a point where we could hand it over
to someone and they could run the show. To start, we
incorporated the business. We computerized all the estimates and the schedule, as well as our customer database,
so if Mrs. Jones called, I could immediately see that we
worked for her in 2002 and see which flooring, stain and
finish we used. We made sure we had three senior employees who could do just as good a job as I could so that I
was replaceable. We also set up good benefits and a 401(k)
retirement plan for all the employees; we needed a good
core group of employees who could be responsible when I
took myself out of the mix. We needed the business to be
organized so we could pass systems on that the new owner
could use and be profitable with, and in essence, that’s
what we did. Dad had always kept the company pretty
small with few employees, but my last year with the business, we did $1 million in sales, were up to eight employees and had three vehicles, plus my own.
In the meantime, I had started to build up some work for
myself out in the country around Putnam so when I sold
the business, I already had things in motion out here. It was
a real leap of faith: I had to be confident that I’d built
Circle 13
enough of a financial cushion that if the bottom fell out, I
could put food on the table and pay my insurance. Back
during my summers in college, I captained fishing boats on
Lake Michigan, and the guy who taught me how to run the
40-foot boat
always told me
that when you’re
pulling into the
slip, you need to
look for an out in
case you have a
problem. That’s
how I felt about
selling the business
and starting over in
the boondocks. I
knew that if I had
to, I could call up
friends in the
industry—local distributors or fellow contractors—and get
work. As it turned out, by the time the business sold, I had
enough contacts out in the country that I haven’t had a dry
moment since I started. Of course, in the country, word
I’m sanding
150-year-old
pumpkin pine floors,
not putting down
$30-a-square-foot
hand-scraped walnut.
gets around. Last week I repaired and refinished the 5⁄16-by11⁄2-inch floor on the first floor of a Victorian house owned
by a woman who owns an insurance company in town.
I’ve already had four people come up to me and tell me
how great the floors look.
It is different work, and that’s been one of the harder
things to stomach. For the most part, I’m working in houses
that are worth $70,000 to $130,000, and I’m sanding 150year-old pumpkin pine floors, not putting down $35-asquare-foot hand-scraped walnut. It’s like going from
cooking filet mignon to working at McDonald’s. Some days
you say, “What did I do that for?” But I’m able to pick up
the kids after school and take them fishing or sit down at
the kitchen table for an hour and help them with their
homework.
When I sold the business, my dad wasn’t upset. He told
me that there are more important things than work—that you
only have a certain amount of time to spend with your kids,
and you’d better enjoy it. And, as parents so often are, he
was right. ■
Michael Dittmer is president at Michael Dittmer Wood Floors
in Putnam, Ill.
See
See us
us at
at
Surfaces
Surfaces
Booth
Booth
G2141
G2141
Circle 14
Your Business | Legal Brief
Legal Labyrinth
Navigate a changing landscape for hiring immigrants
By Phillip M. Perry
roy recently left his job to start
his own contracting business in
Southern California. When the
time came for hiring employees, Troy
found a willing and experienced labor
market in the large Latino community.
But after hearing nightmarish tales
from other trades about businesses
that lost money or even went out of
business because of hiring illegal
immigrants, Troy is afraid of hiring the
wrong people. He has no idea how to
ensure he’s hiring people who can
legally work in the U.S., or where to
go for help.
Given the dwindling supply of available workers, you may likely find yourself in Troy’s shoes. Hiring immigrants,
after all, has long been a valued practice for getting the job done in America.
Today, though, employers need to
tread more carefully over what has
become rougher legal terrain. Federal
regulations are tightening up in ways
that target employers of undocumented
workers. And that’s only the start: Following the failure of Congress to pass
comprehensive immigration reform last
summer, state governments around the
country are creating a confusing patchwork of laws related to the hiring of
foreign nationals.
Even municipalities are getting into
the act. “Many local communities are
fighting illegal immigration by targeting
businesses,” cautions David Kotick,
managing partner of New York-based
immigration law firm Apsan Law
T
I NDUSTRY TRENDS
NWFA Economic Trends Survey:
Solid Unfinished Flooring
In this survey, responses from 9 top wood flooring manufacturers are used to identify
current wood flooring sales trends. Below are results for solid unfinished flooring. Solid
prefinished flooring and engineered flooring results are on the following pages. Results
for this issue were compiled in the middle of November.
1. Over the past two months, has the cost of lumber for your company’s solid
unfinished hardwood flooring …
-3
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
+3
2. In the past two months, have the prices you charge for your company’s
solid unfinished hardwood flooring …
-3
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
+3
3. Over the past two months, has your company’s sales of solid unfinished
hardwood flooring …
-3
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
+3
4. Over the past two months, has your company’s profits from solid unfinished hardwood flooring …
-3
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
+3
5. What is the projection for your company’s solid unfinished hardwood
flooring sales in the coming quarter …
-3
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
+3
key:
-1 = dropped slightly
-2 = dropped significantly
-3 = dropped drastically
0 = had no change
+1 = risen slightly
+2 = risen significantly
+3 = risen drastically
(continued on page 32)
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Group. “Employers who hire undocumented aliens face steep fines and the
loss of their business licenses. Some
laws even mandate jail time for repeat
offenders.”
So, naturally, it’s important to follow
the proper steps in hiring foreign
nationals. Following are things you can
do when hiring to reduce your liability
when hiring employees.
Verify Eligibility
Whatever your location, you are subject
to federal regulations that require you
to verify the employment eligibility of
anyone you hire. “Every individual,
once hired, must be asked for documents that prove their identity and their
work authorization,” explains Carlina
Tapia-Ruano, partner at Chicago-based
Tapia-Ruano & Gunn, an immigration
I NDUSTRY TRENDS (CONTINUED)
Solid Prefinished Flooring
1. Over the past two months, has the cost of lumber for your company’s solid
prefinished hardwood flooring …
-3
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
+3
2. In the past two months, have the prices you charge for your company’s
solid prefinished hardwood flooring …
-3
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
+3
3. Over the past two months, has your company’s sales of solid prefinished
hardwood flooring …
-3
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
+3
4. Over the past two months, has your company’s profits from solid prefinished hardwood flooring …
-3
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
+3
key:
0 = had no change
+1 = risen slightly
This month, we also asked solid unfinished, solid prefinished and engineered wood
flooring manufacturers:
Do you plan to increase, decrease or maintain production levels for the first
quarter of 2008?
22% said they plan to increase production
0% said they plan to decrease production
78% said they plan to maintain production.
“Every individual,
once hired,
must be asked
for documents that
prove their identity
and their work
authorization.”
+3
5. What is the projection for your company’s solid prefinished hardwood
flooring sales in the coming quarter …
-3
law firm. The employer must have each
hired individual fill out an I-9 form,
titled “Employment Eligibility Verification,” issued by the U.S. Citizen and
Immigration Services, which is a division of the Department of Homeland
Security (DHS). To avoid any appearance of discrimination, the law requires
that you have individuals complete this
form only after being hired, not during
the recruitment process. You can
download a copy of an I-9 form at
www.uscis.gov. Click on “Immigration
Forms” and then “Employment Eligibility Verification” or “I-9,” toward the bottom of the list.
On part one of the I-9 form, the
employee enters basic information such
as name, address, Social Security number and date of birth. Just as important
is the section on the employment status
of the individual. There are only three
choices here: The individual is either a
U.S. citizen, a legal permanent resident
or an alien authorized to work until a
given date. The employee must sign
and date the form.
In part two of the form, you must
certify that you have made sure the
documents provided by the employee
establish the individual’s identity and
employment authorization. There is an
extensive list on the back of the I-9
form that shows which documents are
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acceptable. Any one document from a list of 10 is acceptable as proof of both identity and employment eligibility.
(A passport and a permanent resident card are two examples.) Additionally, there are nearly two dozen additional
documents that have been certified as proof of one of the
two criteria.
Part three provides space for updating the form’s information after a worker’s previous work authorization has
expired.
“The law requires that the signatures and the information
be completed within three days of the employee’s hire
date,” Tapia-Ruano notes. “Many attorneys recommend that
employers attach photocopies of the reviewed documents
to each I-9 to help protect the business in the event of an
audit.”
another. Penalties for errors can range from $1,000 to
$10,000 per violation. Even employers who make innocent
mistakes can be fined.
Employers should make sure everyone who helps
employees fill out I-9 forms is trained to avoid as many
errors as possible, Tapia-Ruano suggests. “And I would
encourage internal audit of I-9s on a periodic basis. Don’t
wait for an audit by the Department of Homeland Security,”
she adds.
While the I-9 form looks simple, attorneys caution
employers about making these common errors:
Illegal bias: Avoid charges of discrimination by requiring
every employee (not just the ones you think are from
another country because of their appearance or their
speech) to fill out an I-9 form.
Entry errors: One of the more common errors is incorAvoid Errors
rect indication of the employee’s immigration status. An
Gathering documents is one thing. Making sure they are
employee with a work visa, for example, may have erroauthentic and that all of the blanks are filled in correctly is
neously filled in “permanent resident.” Such a mistake is
significant even if done innocently. It is
the employer’s duty to make sure the
entries are accurate.
NDUSTRY RENDS CONTINUED
Over-restrictive documentation:
Avoid requiring documentation that is
Engineered Flooring
more restrictive than what the law
1. Over the past two months, has the cost of lumber for your company’s
mandates, such as requiring a birth cerengineered wood flooring …
tificate along with a Social Security
card and valid driver’s license. An
-3
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
+3
employer might be tempted to do this
to simplify record keeping, but it is ille2. In the past two months, have the prices you charge for your company’s
gal and can lead to fines as well as
engineered wood flooring …
charges of discrimination.
Failure to assess authenticity: The
-3
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
+3
employer must not accept documents
that a reasonable person would suspect
3. Over the past two months, has your company’s sales of engineered
were fraudulent either because they
wood flooring …
look doctored or look like duplicates.
-3
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
+3
Procrastination: Another mistake is
to put off the task of examining the
4. Over the past two months, has your company’s profits from engineered
employee’s documents and getting the
wood flooring …
I-9 in order. Waiting more than three
days can result in fines.
-3
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
+3
Allowing expiration dates to slip
by:
Many employees have permission
5. What is the projection for your company’s engineered wood flooring
to
work
for only a limited period of
sales in the coming quarter …
time. Prior to the expiration date, ask
the employee to present new verifica-3
-2
-1
0
+1
+2
+3
tion documents.
It’s important to keep I-9 forms in a
key:
safe
place. At any time, the DHS or the
+1 = risen slightly
U.S.
Department of Labor may come
0 = had no change
around and perform an “employment
audit” of I-9s.
I
T
(
)
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pictured: River Recovered® Vertical Heart Pine
Circle 20
■
Employers who hire undocumented aliens face
steep fines and the loss of their business licenses.
■
Require each hired individual to fill out an I-9
form.
■
Don’t fire employees simply based on a “nomatch” letter from the U.S. Social Security
Administration.
■
Employers should not accept documents that a
reasonable person would suspect were fraudulent.
■
Safe harbor regulations define what steps
employers can take to avoid legal liability for
hiring undocumented workers.
Safe Harbor Rules
The U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) has long been
in the practice of sending “no-match” letters to employers
when workers’ names and social security numbers on W-2
forms do not match the SSA records. In the past, employers
had never been sure what to do after receiving these letters.
Should a worker who cannot reconcile the discrepancy be
fired?
“In many cases employers have kept the employees on
board, fearing that a termination decision based on a nomatch letter might lead to charges of discrimination,” notes
Angelo A. Paparelli, managing partner of Paparelli & Partners, an immigration law firm with offices in New York City
and Irvine, Calif. “After all, there can be legitimate reasons
why a no-match occurs. A female employee might have gotten married, for example, and changed her name to her husband’s without notifying the SSA. Or the SSA could have
misspelled the name.”
Indeed, the Web site of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement division of the DHS states “an employer
who takes action against an employee based on nothing
more substantial than a no-match letter may, in fact, violate
the law.”
Times, though, are changing. Today’s employers face
more severe fines for hiring illegal immigrants and there is a
general national mood shift against undocumented foreign
nationals. This has raised concerns that employers will opt
to risk discrimination lawsuits over the federal government’s
civil and criminal penalties for employment of undocumented workers. “The fear is that many people will be terminated based on foreign appearance and name,” Paparelli
cautions.
As partial mitigation for this problem, in August of 2007
the DHS issued new regulations
intended to clarify matters while providing a “safe harbor” for employers
who hire foreign nationals. The regulations define what steps employers must
take within what time frames to avoid
legal liability for hiring undocumented
workers.
Stay Informed
Recent changes in federal regulations
are seen by some as an attempt to shift
the border control effort from the government to the private sector. “Employers feel an unreasonable burden is
“Employers feel
an unreasonable
burden is being
placed on their
shoulders
to control
undocumented
employees.”
Circle 21
being placed on their shoulders to control undocumented employees,” TapiaRuano says.
However this burden is perceived,
employers could potentially face steep
fines and jail time unless they take the
necessary precautions to protect themselves when hiring foreign nationals.
By following legal developments in the
hiring process and being vigilant about
proper documentation, employing
immigrants doesn’t have to be the risky
business that so many small-business
owners fear. ■
Phillip M. Perry is a New York-based
freelance writer and a frequent contributor to Hardwood Floors.
Circle 22
Your Business | Money
Financial Resolve
Get on top of your financials in 2008
By Jim Blasingame
his New Year’s, don’t just make those cliché resolutions about losing weight or quitting smoking—make 2008 the year you resolve to improve your hardwood flooring business. One way to
do that is by actively managing your financial statements. You’ll have a better understanding of
your business and won’t be left at the end of the year wondering why your company didn’t generate
the profits you expected. Here is a list of resolutions you may want to implement for your business for
the upcoming year.
T
Resolution #1
I resolve to do a better job of managing my company financially.
I’m not presuming you haven’t been doing a good job in this area. I’m only suggesting that we can all
make improvements from wherever we are in our financial management. As our parents, teachers and
mentors always told us, there is always room for improvement.
Business owners can never stop being diligent in the financial management of their businesses. Stay
close to the quantities, line distribution and age of your inventory. Stay closer to your accounts receivable report. Become one with your expense management.
Even if you have hired someone to manage those areas on a daily basis, remember this: You can’t delegate the ultimate responsibility for your business’s financial performance.
Resolution #2
I resolve to create regular and accurate financial statements.
OK, I admit that this is a little presumptuous, but I
fear any insults I’m in danger of delivering would
be to only a minority of small businesses. After
more than a decade as a business consultant, I’ll
wager that fewer than half of small businesses consistently produce regular (at least quarterly) and
accurate profit-and-loss (P&L) statements and balance sheets.
I’m going to repeat something I’ve said at least
100 times: If the only financial report you have is
the P&L and balance sheet you get once a year with
your tax return, using that information to manage
your business is like making a salad with 15-monthold lettuce. The lettuce is metaphoric—the 15
months is literal. In either case, the result is rotten.
With all of the accounting software available
today, there is no excuse for every small business
not to be managing with current numbers. These
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programs can cost as little as the price of a dinner for two,
will work on inexpensive personal computers and are virtually idiot-proof. If you can read, add 2+2, and operate a
mouse, you can be on your way to do-it-yourself financial
statements in very short order.
The direct benefit is the ability to manage your business
with fresh lettuce—I mean numbers. But there are also several indirect benefits that result with virtually no extra effort.
In order to create financial statements, you will be entering
sales, purchases, disbursements, etc. As you place that information in your accounting program, you are simultaneously
creating the ability to produce invoices, billing statements,
sales-tax reports, inventory records and accounts payable
and accounts receivable reports, just to name a few. How
would you like to have the time back that you may currently
be spending to create those records from scratch?
Business owners who do not use electronic capability to
create their businesses’ financial information are like someone eating a meal with their hands even though they know
knives and forks have been invented.
Resolution #3
I resolve to learn more about what my financial records
are telling me and, armed with that valuable information, manage my business more effectively.
Remember what the dog said after he chased the car and
caught it? “Now that I’ve got it, what do I do with it?” Now
that you’ve made a commitment to manage with current
financial information and have created your financial records,
what do you do with them?
If you’re worried that accomplishing this resolution means
you have to become a bookkeeper or accountant, stop worrying—it doesn’t. But good business owners must at least
understand the flow of the financial components of their
businesses and how each one affects the others.
I believe business failures could easily be cut in half if anyone wanting to become a business owner were required to
pass a course that taught the basics of cash flow, accounting
and how to read and understand financial statements.
Do you know how to find out why, incredibly, sales are
up but you’re out of cash? It’s on the balance sheet.
Do you know the first place to check to get an early tip
that inventory may be creeping up? It’s likely in your gross
profit margin, right there in the middle of your P&L statement. Do you know where to find why you’re not profitable
even though you know you are maximizing margins and
holding down direct expenses? The answer may be hiding in
some of those annoying P&L line items like “bank overdraft
fees” and that insidious “miscellaneous” account.
If you didn’t know the answer to these questions, let me
tell you how you can solve that problem: Do Financial Resolution #2 every month. If you build your statements, the
understanding will come.
Circle 25
MONEY HIGHLIGHTS
■ With today’s software, there’s no excuse not to
manage with current numbers.
■ You can’t delegate responsibility of your
business’s financial performance.
■ Every small business should be managed based
on (at least) quarterly financial reports.
■ Good business owners must understand the
flow of their businesses’ finances.
■ Compare your numbers with those of your peers.
Resolution #4
I resolve to find out how my company’s financial performance compares with that of my peers.
Every industry has its own rules of thumb for how much a
business in that sector should be spending and how much
profit it should be making—all based on sales volume. There
are ratios and percentages produced by aggregating the
financial statements of many businesses in a particular industry, for everything from payroll to payables, from inventory
to interest, and from debt to deferred compensation.
Industries and financial institutions have been compiling
and recording these indicators for so long, in such significant
numbers, and at all levels of activity, that they are used every
day by sophisticated managers as valid reference points from
which to measure their businesses’ performance.
Would you like to be able to call yourself a sophisticated
manager? Find out how your peers are doing and put your
numbers up against theirs. Robert Morris Associates is one
publishing firm that offers this information in its Web-based
solution program, eCompare2. There are other companies
that offer similar solutions. They don’t give these away, but
they’re not expensive. You may be able to find these publications at your local Chamber of Commerce, public library
or small-business development center. If you’re an NWFA
member, you can access the association’s “Distributor Profit
Report” and “Dealer/Contractor Profit Report.”
Write this on a rock ... The more you educate yourself on
the financial fundamentals of business, the more you will
seek financial excellence for your company. Along the way,
you will become a sophisticated and successful manager of
your business’s financial performance. ■
Jim Blasingame is the creator and award-winning host of the
nationally syndicated radio/Internet talk show, “The Small
Business Advocate,” and author of Small Business is Like a
Bunch of Bananas and Three Minutes to Success. Find Jim’s
show and more at www.SmallBusinessAdvocate.com, plus
instant answers to your questions at his small business knowledge base, AskJim.biz.
Circle 29
M. Lingle
& Richard S 39066
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B. Shann
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1245 Adam www.bakerscreekflo
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601-326-31
Who stands behind it is just as important as who stands on it.
Richard and Shannon proved that their way works when they turned Capella around. Now they’re pushing it even
further – and higher – with Baker’s Creek. With an aversion to bureaucracy and a passion for artisan flooring, they
deliver exactly what you need, when you need it. Pecan, heart of pine, walnut. Baker’s Creek uses only the finest
woods available. And they demonstrate character in each and every plank.
See us at Surfaces Booth 1354
Your Business | Management
Branching Out
Build your business through smart networking
By Andrea Nierenberg
any of us still perceive the word “networking” as a cliché catchphrase used by salespeople, but I
always say the word is misunderstood. I believe that good networking skills build links and
alliances with people we meet along our career path.
The opposite of networking is not working. If you’re not networking, you’re missing a great opportunity
to improve your business. There are many steps you can take to build your network and consequently
improve your hardwood flooring business. Here’s how you can use networking to your advantage.
M
Not Just for Sales
Networking is all about developing and building relationships first. When this happens with hard work and
sincerity, customers will come. When you meet new people for the first time, it’s like planting a seed.
When you stay in touch by meeting for coffee or sending a holiday card, it’s like watering the seeds.
Finally, when there is a genuine reason for you to have a closer working relationship or friendship, it’s like
the harvest. Remember, we can plant and we can water, however, the growth is a natural and organic
process. You cannot rush it.
In each connection, I look at how I can help that person or refer someone to that person. The biggest
joy is when I put someone in touch with another person and they do business together. Flooring contractors may be able to do this by
suggesting fellow tradesmen to a
homeowner, for example. At my
business consulting firm, three
of my major clients took over
three years to develop—lots of
staying in touch, and patience,
and finally an opportunity to
work on a project. Each has
generated multiple referrals. The
goal is to stay in front of people
and to be on their radar screen
so they can return the favor by
referring you.
Negative Networking
© iStockphoto
The top complaint from a
national survey that my company conducted was about people who act like they are trying
to sell you something—right
when they meet you. They
pounce on prospective contacts
Your Business | Management
and talk only about themselves instead of having any interest
in the new acquaintance. Another complaint was about people who immediately lose interest if they don’t think you’ll be
of use to them. These people figure they only need to network with people who will quickly lead to a sale.
The key is to always give first. Be a resource—go through
your database and think how you can help the other person.
Every day, get in touch with three people just to say hello. I
do this systematically. It could be as simple as sending a photo
of a recent project or an interesting article and saying “I
haven’t spoken to you in a while, and thought you might be
interested in this.” Or, let customers know about an event they
might enjoy or congratulate them on a recent accomplishment.
Keep it sincere, short and make it about them—not about you.
One way to do this is by keeping a database of projects and
following up when you think some maintenance may be necessary. By constantly staying in contact, they will have your
name ready to refer to another client.
Time is Money
Networking, the way I look at it, is part of everyday life. Go
through the clients and companies you deal with and think
about how can you connect with each person, vendor or
client. Then plant seeds to nurture the relationship and generate referrals. Ask questions, show interest and ask about things
that are of interest to them. The time you invest will be paid
back many times over as you are building relationships.
Think of the associations you belong to and make the time
that you go to these meetings and functions work for you. Get
involved: work on committees and meet and develop new
contacts throughout the year. Publish your own newsletter to
send to your previous customers and also to a prospect list
you continually build. There are many pre-produced marketing pieces that can be created and customized with your name
and contact information. Just be sure to always sign it yourself
and, if possible, add something personal. For me, the newsletter is a piece of gold. I send out 2,500 copies quarterly and I
always personalize each one—it can be as simple as: “Hi, Lisa,
hope you’re doing great! Andrea.”
Community Networking
Offer to speak at a local organization’s meeting. You might
also offer to do a free mini-seminar on maintaining a hardwood floor. Sponsor a Little League team or turn in
announcements about milestone company events to your
local newspaper. All of these things can connect you to a
Circle 28
broader network of people.
Four Tools for Networking
Understanding the importance of networking is one thing, but
actually putting it into action is another. Here are four tools
that can help you network.
1) Meet people and nurture your current network. Listen and learn from everyone you meet. We learn more by listening than talking, which is why we have two ears and one
mouth. Also, we can learn from those people we do not
like—we learn how not to be. When you listen, you also learn
what people need and how to be a resource for them.
2) Make connections for others. Find ways to connect
other people together. I say “1+1=3.” People will remember
who made the original connection.
3) Follow up. This is critical and the one thing most people
forget to do. Under-promise and over-deliver. Do what you
say and do it in a timely fashion. A wonderful quote I live by
is, “Give without remembering and receive without forgetting.”
4) Find creative ways to follow up. There is always an
opportunity to stay on people’s radar screen with an article,
note, or something else of interest to them—even remembering their birthday.
Remember This
Networking has many aspects that can be summarized by the
following:
N Remember people’s Names and Nurture your Network.
E Have good Eye contact, Empathy and know when to
Exit.
T Talk less, listen more—Thinking, Trusting and Timing
are everything.
W Write personal notes to people. Remember, this is Work!
O Every time you meet someone is an Opportunity to
learn and be Organized.
R Reputation, Relationships, Reflection, Rapport, Results.
K Knowledge is power with execution—Kindness pays!
I Be Interested in others, Integrity is key, take the
Initiative.
N Sometimes you have to say No.
G Goals, Gratitude, be Generous with your time.
Networking can be a useful resource to small-business owners, as long as it’s used properly. By not being the stereotypically over-aggressive sales professional—and remembering to
build relationships—networking can help your business reach
its full potential. ■
Andrea Nierenberg is president of New York City-based The
Nierenberg Group, which provides training in sales, customer
service, presentation skills, networking and motivation to
leading businesses worldwide. She is the author of Million
Dollar Networking, and can be reached at [email protected].
Circle 26
F rom
point 'a'
T o point 'b'…
Taylor Lumber is there.
A t Taylor Lumber, we produce all of our lumber from the
highest grade Appalachian forest logs, which are known for
their clarity and excellent grain. These logs allow us to
produce the highly sought after Rift & Quarter Sawn
lumber. The vertical grain that results from this sawing
method is desired for its appearance and its exceptional
technical properties.
From this process, we select only the best lumber to produce
our high-quality solid wood flooring. This flooring is
produced in Rift & Quarter Sawn and Plain Sawn, and is
available in the following species:
• White Oak • Red Oak • Maple • Walnut • Cherry • Ash
• Hickory (Plain Sawn only)
At Surfaces 2008
Booth #G2242
Las Vegas, NV
800.296.6223 • www.taylorlumberinc.com
On the Job
Ask the Expert
Wax, Expansion & More
Wax On, Wax Off?
I have a customer with a 50-yearold oak floor that has always been
waxed. She wants me to resand it
and coat it with oil-based finish. Is
that possible?
John Bast III, president of Tampa,
Fla.-based Florida Hardwood Floor Supplies, answers:
Yes, it usually is. First, you have to
do a thorough sanding with all the
required grits, which is typically a
three-cut process. You need to be thorough not only with the big machine,
but also pay careful attention while
you’re edging. Any areas that have to
be sanded by hand also must be done
carefully.
Sanding heats the floor, which liquefies some of the wax that might be
remaining between the boards or in the
pores of the wood, driving it to the surface. That’s why I recommend sanding
the floor, letting it cool overnight and
then coming back the next morning to
screen and coat the floor. Grain-filling
the floor between the medium and fine
cut may also help.
If the wax isn’t completely removed,
several things can happen. You can get
lines between the joints of the boards—
along the sides and also at the end
joints—from wax that was in that
space. Wax remaining in the surface of
the wood can cause alligatoring and
peeling of the finish, also. Opengrained woods, such as pine and oak
(typically the species used for the old
waxed floors), are more likely to have
problems than a tight-grained floor like
Brazilian cherry.
As with any recoat job, it’s a great
idea to test an area before you do the
whole floor and also to inform the
client up front that problems from the
original finish or other contaminants are
a possibility. Wax is obviously a phenomenal contaminant, but if you’re
careful, you can usually resand a previously waxed floor successfully.
Expanding on Expansion
My new employee installed a solid
3
⁄4-inch prefinished floor yesterday
and only left about 1⁄4-inch expansion space at the wall. Will this be
a problem?
Rusty Swindoll, assistant director of
technical training at the NWFA,
answers:
For solid wood floors, we recommend leaving expansion at the walls as
wide as the flooring is thick—in this
case, 3⁄4 inch. You’ll want to check with
the manufacturer of the flooring for that
specific product’s recommendation; not
all manufacturers of solid products necessarily require that much expansion.
The reason for expansion space is to
prevent the flooring from pushing walls
out of place in the event that there are
extreme moisture conditions on the job
and the floor cups and buckles. Expansion space doesn’t prevent cupping. If
the flooring was acclimated to the job
site and the temperature and humidity
in the house never change, the floor
probably won’t have a problem—but if
there’s the floor floods, the wood floor
can possibly move the walls and even
shift the sill plates, causing structural
damage to the house. If there is 3⁄4-inch
TRICK OF THE TRADE
Listen Up
ost chatter is caused by a bad drum, but if it isn’t, it can be hard to figure out
what the culprit is. This device can help you figure out if it’s another suspect—
bad bearings. The specialized stethoscope can be bought at any auto parts supply
shop. Simply touch the end of the device to the relevant parts—if you hear a regular
knocking noise while the machine is running, you know the bearing is bad.
M
Wayne Lee of Clarke American Sanders receives a Hardwood Floors T-shirt for his tip. Do
you have a Trick of the Trade? Send in your idea, and if we use it, we’ll send you a Hardwood Floors T-shirt.
On the Job | Ask the Expert
expansion, on the other hand, and
there’s a flood, by the time the floor
moves 3⁄4 inch, the fasteners will have
released and the pressure on the floor
is released upward instead of pushing
out the walls.
To be safe, one way to leave expan-
sion space after the fact is to undercut
the sheetrock to the level of the floor.
To do this, you can use any number of
tools—anything from a razor knife to an
undercut saw like a jamb saw (beware
of dust when using a jamb saw) to the
small electric handsaws that are now
available for flush-cutting applications.
You can even use a reciprocating saw
as long as you’re careful not to cut into
the joists; it can be especially useful
because it cuts right through any drywall screws. A high-speed rotary tool
would also do the job.
Playing it safe is always the best
option. If you don’t leave the expansion space required by the manufacturer and you end up with an
expansion problem, you may not be
covered by your warranty.
If you don’t leave the
expansion space
required by the
manufacturer and you
end up with an
expansion problem,
you won’t be covered
by your warranty.
Comparing Change
What causes more change in the
dimension of wood flooring, temperature or humidity?
John Christopherson, owner at Alaska
Wholesale Hardwoods in Anchorage,
Alaska, answers:
Humidity. At 50 percent humidity,
the moisture content (MC) of hardwood will equalize at about 9.5 percent
when the temperature is stabilized at 50
degrees Fahrenheit. If you change the
temperature to 80 degrees, the hardwood will stabilize at around 9.1 percent MC. That is less than half a percent
lower MC for an increase in temperature of 30 degrees. Switch that to a 30
percent humidity change and the wood
will equalize at about 3 percent MC less
than before. That would cause a 3-inch
plainsawn red oak board to shrink
about 1⁄32 inch. ■
Circle 31
On the Job | From the Field
Scenarios for Success
Three important factors could save your installation
By Don Conner
recently visited a home in the
Southwest to conduct a site inspection on a wood flooring installation
completed approximately three years
ago. The homeowners complained
that their wood floors had too much
gapping. While some gaps are
expected due to seasonal changes, this
was more than the homeowners felt
was normal. Of course, I immediately
suspected moisture was the culprit.
Normally, gapping can be attributed
to subfloor moisture vapor, an interior
environmental problem or an acclimation problem. However, in this case,
I
another factor was at play. The wood
floor was a factory-finished exotic in a
5-inch-wide plank.
Normal moisture content (MC) for
this wood floor species in the Southwest ranges from 8 to 10 percent. However, when I arrived at the site, the MC
varied from 7.5 to 6 percent and even
less. This wouldn’t have been a problem had the wood been 21⁄4-inch
domestic strip. But this exotic species
was wider and denser, so it was experiencing side-to-side movement due to
moisture changes.
The gaps that had opened between
TALES FROM THE FRONT
Giving the Slip
Air mover takes flight
Midwestern wood flooring professional recalls an install,
sand and finish job in a high-end home. The extensive
renovations included everything from new wood flooring
throughout to lavish landscaping surrounding the home.
Before applying finish in a second-story room, the contractor
had used rope to secure a rickety old air mover in the window to draw solvents out of
the room once the finish had begun to dry. A remote control was hooked up to the air
mover so the contractor could turn it on without having to walk across the finish. Once
the finish was down and dry enough, the contractor turned the air mover on. As it built
up to full throttle, however, a dented fan blade caused the contraption to shake violently. Helpless to grab it, since he didn’t want to ran across the new finish, the contractor could only watch as the knot quickly unraveled and the air mover took flight,
landing smack in the middle of the freshly planted—and now crushed—landscaping.
A
If you have a true (and printable) story to share, e-mail it with your name and phone number to [email protected]. If we use your story, we’ll send you a Hardwood
Floors T-shirt.
the planks were between 0.02 and 0.06
inch. The width of a business card, for
instance, is only 0.012 inch, but the
gaps were obvious.
Due to the wide width of the planks
and the home’s dry interior environment, each plank had lost moisture and
shrunk in width, causing the separations. The planks had a 0.5 to 4 percent
lower MC than the 8 to 10 percent that
was needed.
Several factors had contributed to this
home’s gapping problem, and they
were all preventable. Increasing the
humidity level inside the home would
have increased the floor’s MC and
reduced the gaps.
In my many years in the hardwood
flooring industry, I’ve seen similar scenarios with sabotaged wood floor
installations played out again and
again. Three factors, if managed
shrewdly during home building and
renovation projects, can significantly
reduce these poor outcomes.
1) Proper Scheduling by
the Builder
Builders and job-site superintendents
have an extremely important role in
ensuring successful wood flooring
installations, because they are responsible for scheduling all aspects of building and renovation projects.
From the onset, it is important that
realistic timeframes are established for
all construction tasks, keeping in mind
that hardwood flooring installers should
be allowed to work only when normal
Being responsible
is in our roots.
Green is great—but still not enough for Mirage. Come discover
the deeply rooted principles that have driven our community
actions, partnerships, and care for natural resources for 25 years.
For a quality future, visit the Mirage booth #2050 at Surfaces 2008.
Mirage Prefinished Hardwood Floors
|
800.463.1303
|
The Smart Choice
of the Pros.
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living conditions are present in the home. All other trades
should have completed their tasks before installation
begins. Electricity should be turned on, doors and windows
should be in place and the heating or air conditioning
should be operational.
If work crews cancel and delays occur, the wood floor
installation should be postponed until conditions are
acceptable. After installation of the wood floors, if the
house isn’t going to be immediately occupied, it shouldn’t
be sealed up with no air exchange.
2) Point-of-Purchase Sales Information
)BSEXPPE'MPPSJOH
$MFBU/BJMFS
FloorMasterTM 200-C
)BSEXPPE'MPPSJOH
4UBQMFS
Builders and installers should seek out informed sales personnel when purchasing hardwood flooring products. In
my seminars, I’ve found that only about 10 percent of hardwood flooring sales personnel have read the manufacturers’
instructions about the flooring products they sell. This is a
problem, because it is essential that the salesperson communicate specific information to the builder or the enduser, such as what MC should be present in both the wood
floor and subfloor at the time of installation.
The climate in which the home is located should be considered when the wood flooring is selected. A beachfront
home in Hilton Head, S.C., should avoid having wide-width
planks if doors and windows will be routinely left open,
because the high moisture levels will create unwanted or
accelerated wood movement.
Having informed salespeople is particularly critical in
today’s market, where exotic species are increasing in popularity and the widths are becoming wider. Salespeople
need to be informed enough to tell consumers the “how,
when and where” of wood products—that is, how to install
FloorMasterTM 200-S
www.duo-fast.com
(847) 783-5500
Duo-Fast Tools and Fasteners manufactured by
Circle 34
WHAT’S WRONG
WITH THIS PICTURE?
A: Someone tried to use this 60-grit sandpaper disc to remove finish.
(Photo courtesy of Kadee Macey, Pete’s Hardwood Floor Store)
The pros know an unbeatable value
on hardwood tools and fasteners
when they see it. Quality and price
make DUO-FAST the smart choice
of the pros!
the flooring, when to install it and
where or in what location a particular
product could be used for the best
result.
3) Use Informed Installers
An installer’s education is key (and certification is evidence that contractors
take industry standards seriously). The
installers must take into account the
species and width of the wood flooring
being installed. They should understand the importance of installing the
wood floor after the home’s temperature and humidity have stabilized and
MC is near the appropriate level, products are available that can be applied to
subfloors to reduce moisture-vapor
migration to a reasonable level.
Above all, installers should always
follow manufacturers’ printed instructions and the NWFA’s Installation
Guidelines. Following some basic
directions can make or break an
installation. ■
Don Conner is technical and product
development director for Johnson City,
Tenn.-based Mullican Flooring.
I’ve been on jobs
where the installers
were laying
wood floors even
though the home’s
concrete basement
floor was yet
to be poured.
the HVAC system is operational. It’s
also extremely important that the installation supervisor check the job site’s
humidity levels and the MC of the subfloors before the hardwood floors are
installed. The subfloors should be
within the recommended levels for the
type of wood flooring being used.
I’ve been on jobs where the
installers were laying wood floors even
though the home’s concrete basement
floor was yet to be poured. This is a
recipe for disaster—as the concrete
dries, water in the concrete will evaporate and be absorbed by the wood
floors above, causing them to buckle,
crack or split.
If the moisture of any subfloor is too
high, installers need to wait and allow it
to dry. If waiting is too difficult and the
Circle 35
On the Job | Troubleshooting
Stop “Gap” Measures
Overzealous acclimation leads to an unacceptable floor
By Michael B. Harde
The Problem
Last January I inspected a wood floor in a New England residence. The 3⁄4-by-3-inch solid, factory-finished white oak floor had gaps between the boards.
The Procedure
The wood floor was in a new, single-story woodframe home with a full basement. The flooring
was delivered (with an average moisture content
[MC] of 8.5 percent) to the site in July and then
acclimated for three weeks in the living room (at
the time, there was no climate control operating in
the house). Before installation, the MC of the
flooring was checked and was at 10 percent,
showing acclimation to the environment. The subfloor at the time was at 11
percent MC, and the framing
was at 12 percent MC. The
floor was installed by midAugust, the residence was
occupied and the HVAC system turned on.
Following installation, the
floor developed gaps between
the sides of the boards. Gaps
were minimal at first, but by
the time of the inspection they
had become noticeable, averaging 0.040 inch.
The environmental conditions in the home during the inspection were appropriate for performance of a wood floor. Flooring readings measured 6
percent MC, with the indoor environment at 31 percent relative humidity (RH) and 67 degrees Fahrenheit (humidification was in place and functioning).
These gaps
are not seasonal.
There will always
be gaps in this floor.
The Cause
The wood flooring lost moisture during the seasonal dry period and developed gaps. However,
“seasonal gaps” are just that: seasonal. They close
during periods when the flooring gains adequate
moisture. In this case, once the home was occupied, the home’s environment was maintained
between 30 and 50 percent RH year-round. This
wood floor is unlikely to be in conditions again
where humidity will reach levels necessary for the
gaps to close entirely (in excess of 60 percent RH
for a MC of 10 percent). These gaps are not seasonal. There will always be gaps in this floor, and
when the interior environment is at the low end of
its seasonal humidity range, the gaps will be
prominent. The 10 percent MC of the wood at the
time of installation will never again be reached as
long as the homeowners use the year-round climate controls.
How to Fix the Floor
There is no way to restore the flooring to a closed,
gap-free condition other than to maintain overly
high humidity levels during the drier periods of
the year, which is impractical and can even be
unhealthy. In this instance, the flooring was
removed and replaced.
In the Future
It’s critical to identify the expected year-round
interior environmental conditions and account for
them prior to installing the flooring. This requires
looking beyond the MC of the wood and associated structural components at the time of installation (the levels may look fine at the specific point
in time when they are collected). The expected
impact of environmental controls such as air conditioners, humidifiers and dehumidifiers, as well as
the cyclical changes in humidity in that geographic region, must be factored in.
When combined, these factors determine suitable installation conditions for the flooring and its
future environment. Don’t mistakenly think that
because flooring has been acclimated prior to
installation that it is has been acclimated correctly
and that installation can proceed. To ensure a successful wood floor installation and a satisfied customer, all variables relative to moisture must be
identified and addressed. ■
Michael B. Harde is president at Marlborough,
N.H.-based Northeast Floor Covering Inspection &
Consulting Services.
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On the Job | Step by Step
Sensational Spectrum
Any color of hardwood floor is possible with dyes
By Steve Seabaugh
hen a customer asks for an unusual color on her wood
floor that can’t be made with typical stains, most hardwood flooring contractors just tell her it can’t be done. But
that isn’t true—dyes can be used to create any color of the spectrum
on a hardwood floor. They give richer, deeper color without hiding
the grain of the wood like pigmented stains can.
That said, dying a wood floor is very, very difficult. I tried it for the
first time on my first hand-scraped floor in a customer’s home, and I
ended up redoing the floor three times, even though I had friends in
the industry talking me through it on the phone the entire time. Dye
dries quickly and tends to leave lap marks, so it requires lots of practice before you do it on a real job.
Any time you stain a floor, you need a great sanding job. The same
is true for dyes, but while you can easily sand out and restain a few
areas where stain highlights sanding marks, repairing a dyed floor is
nearly impossible, so flawless sanding is even more important.
Here’s how I dye floors; the photos are from my panel at the
NWFA’s Expert Sand & Finish School last October.
W
SUPPLY LIST
Step 1
Step 2
Once sanding is done, if necessary, I
tape off the area where I’ll be applying
the dye. Blue tape is good because it
won’t transfer adhesive to the floor, but
I find that it lets dye get under the
edges of the tape. So, I apply the blue
tape first, just a hairline short of where
I want to tape off (it helps to use
something hard to push down the
edge of the tape, like your nail) and
then ...
... I go over it with clear packing tape,
applying the edge to exactly where I
want the dye to stop. You might need
extra light to see the floor well enough
to be accurate. If the clear tape is wider
than the blue tape, I fold under the
extra clear tape so it isn’t stuck directly
onto the wood floor (the hairline that’s
covered with the clear tape is OK, but I
wouldn’t want a larger area stuck to the
floor).
• Moisture meter
• Blue tape
• Clear packing tape
• Vacuum
• Microfiber tack mop
• Dye
• Water or alcohol,
depending on the dye
• Gram scale (if using
powder dye)
• Paint pad applicator
• Stain
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Once that’s done, I vacuum and drytack the floor. I also take moisture readings of the area where I’ll be dying the
floor so I have a baseline moisture content (MC).
Dye comes in either a concentrated liquid or powder that needs to be mixed
with either denatured alcohol or water,
depending on the dye (follow the directions on the dye). The liquid should be
measured with an eyedropper; the powder should be weighed. Keep careful
track of the ratios you use on your test
board so you can get the same exact
color on the real floor. For this floor,
we’re experimenting with matching the
green poplar wood in the floor’s inlay.
I always make test boards of the color
using boards of the same species that
were sanded to the same final grit that I
used on the floor. Unlike stain, you can
apply dye multiple times; it gets darker
each time you apply it. If you want to
lighten the color after it’s applied, once
the floor is dry you can abrade it with a
maroon pad or steel wool. I like to do
that with distressed floors to highlight
the variations in the boards.
WWWAPPALACHIANmOORINGCOM
Circle 38
Step 6
Step 7
Step 8
People use all sorts of different things
to apply dye, from brushes to sprayers,
but I find that a paint pad works best
for me. As I mentioned, dye dries
quickly and shows lap marks easily. So,
it’s important to apply the dye quickly
and keep a wet edge while you’re
applying it, much like you do with
waterborne finish. This is a patterned
floor, but if I’m dying strip or plank, I
like to cut my applicator to the width of
one or two boards.
Any areas that have more dye will
show up darker on the floor, so I try to
spread the dye evenly and feather out
heavier areas, keeping the edge of my
applicator at board edges when possible to help disguise lap marks like the
one above. Dye doesn’t need to be
wiped off like stain does.
Even though dyes dry quickly, the only
way to know if the floor can be coated
is to test the MC again. I won’t coat it
until the MC is the same as it was
before I dyed the floor.
Circle 39
Lap Lines
Step 9
Step 10
Dye isn’t very color-fast. Even with finish, a dyed floor in direct sunlight will
fade quickly. Coating over it with a
stain helps preserve the color longterm. Here we’re applying a nutmegcolored stain over the entire floor. Of
course, if you plan on staining the floor,
be sure you include the stain on your
samples so the test color is accurate.
Once the stain was dry, we coated this
floor with a shellac sealer coat, but you
can use any type of finish. ■
Steve Seabaugh is the NWFA director of
technical training and president of
Cape Girardeau, Mo.-based Seabaugh’s
Custom Hardwood Floors Inc.
See what the
future brings
ecause they dry so quickly, dyes
are extremely difficult to work
with. Applying the dye so the edge of
the applicator is at a board edge can
help avoid lap lines like the one visible
above (a distressed floor does help
disguise them). If you have a large
room that will make it difficult to keep
a wet edge, you can divide the floor
with a tape line at a board edge, just
like you would when applying finish.
B
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The World of Flooring
Circle 40
On the Job | Techniques
Solid Footing
A guide to subfloors used under hardwood flooring
By Catherine Liewen
sk any seasoned wood flooring contractor, and he’ll tell you that your final installation is only as
good as the subfloor you’re installing over. Before you have your bundles or boxes shipped to the
job site and start racking out the floor, you should take the time to carefully inspect the subfloor and
fix any problems that could affect your installation. The industry mantra is that all subfloors should be clean,
dry and flat before wood flooring goes down. Following these simple rules and understanding what you are
dealing with will help lead to a successful installation.
Here are the common subfloors you’ll deal with on the job and checklists to help you make sure the subfloors will be ready for your wood flooring installation. The following are general guidelines from NWFA’s
Installation Guidelines. For specific information, always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for the
product you’re installing.
A
©iStockphoto
Plywood and OSB Over Joists
Plywood and OSB subfloors over joists are most common in newer homes and new construction, typically
in homes with basements or crawlspaces.
1) Suitable Wood Flooring: Any.
2) Thickness: Usually manufactured in 4-by-8-foot sheets, plywood panels and OSB are acceptable subfloors for hardwood flooring as long as they are the proper thickness. Keep in mind that for mechanically
fastened floors, OSB doesn’t hold fasteners as well as plywood, so you need to use a thicker material to get
the same holding power. Generally, the minimum thickness for plywood is 5⁄8 inch; for OSB it’s 23⁄32 inch.
However, as joist spacing increases, the subfloors need to be
thicker. For joist spacing of more than 16 inches up to 19.2
inches on center, the minimum thickness for both plywood and
OSB is 3⁄4 inch. For joists spaced more than 19.2 inches on center, the minimum thickness for plywood is 7⁄8 inch and for OSB,
1 inch.
3) Check Before Installation: Once you determine the subfloor is the proper thickness, check that the subfloor is installed
properly, with no issues that could affect your installation. Subfloor panels and fasteners should be properly placed according
the panel manufacturer’s specifications. If there are protruding
fasteners, squeaks or loose panels, refasten the subfloor to the
joists. The subfloor should also be clean and free of contaminants such as paint, sealer or drywall compound.
Inspect the subfloor from below and note the direction of the
joists. With the above specs, the flooring should be installed perpendicular to the floor joists. The flooring can be laid parallel to
floor joists, but you may need to add a 1⁄2-inch layer of plywood
diagonally or perpendicularly to the joists, or install a brace
between the joists.
4) Flatness: Ensure the subfloor is flat to the recommended
tolerances for the flooring you are installing. For installations
using mechanical fasteners 11⁄2 inches and longer, subfloors
should be within 1⁄4 inch in 10 feet or 3⁄16 inch in 6 feet. For gluedown installations and those using mechanical fasteners less
than 11⁄2 inches, the subfloor should be within 3⁄16 inch in 10 feet
or 1⁄8 in 6 feet. The subfloor can be flattened by sanding down
the high areas or by installing shims such as roofing shingles or
various thicknesses of plywood.
5) Moisture: Another critical part of the subfloor inspection
process is checking the moisture content (MC) of the subfloor
and joists. A moisture meter should be your best friend on the
job. Whether you are using a pin or pinless model, make sure
it is calibrated correctly for the species you are testing. (For
more on moisture meters, see “Measuring Moisture” in the
TECHNIQUES HIGHLIGHTS
■ OSB doesn’t hold fasteners as well plywood, so you need
to use a thicker material to get the same holding power.
■ The subfloor should be flat to the recommended
tolerances for the flooring you are installing.
■ Many installers write the MC reading and date right on
the subfloor, log it and take digital photos.
■ Not all slabs are acceptable for direct installation of
hardwood flooring.
■ The slab should be clean and free of contaminants such
as sealers, waxes, drywall or paint.
■ Removing existing floor covering can reveal unpleasant
surprises; never just assume the subfloor will be OK.
October/November 2006 issue of Hardwood Floors.) Take several readings—a minimum of 20 per 1,000 square feet—and
clearly document them. Many installers write the MC reading
and date right on the subfloor, log them in the job-site notes
and take digital photos for further documentation. If problems
arise later, you may need to submit proof that you followed the
correct procedures. For solid strip flooring, there should be no
more than 4 percentage points’ difference in MC between the
subfloor and the flooring; solid plank flooring wider than 3
inches requires no more than 2 percentage points’ difference.
Although moisture may be in check at the time of installation, it could slowly seep in through the wood subfloor and
eventually into the wood flooring above. To help prevent this,
an approved moisture-vapor retarder should be placed
between the subfloor and the wood flooring. Approved vapor
retarders include 15-pound asphalt felt paper, asphalt-laminated
paper and 15-pound kraft paper. A vapor retarder material with
a perm rating of 0.7 or less, such as polyfilm, can trap moisture
in the wood subfloor and should not be used. Some manufacturers have their own recommendations for vapor barriers
depending on which product you are installing, so always
check with the flooring manufacturer first.
Particleboard
Particleboard is frequently discovered as a subfloor layer over
plywood when carpeting or vinyl are ripped out.
1) Suitable Wood Flooring: Floating floors. Particleboard
has no holding power for fasteners. Other wood floors may be
installed if the particleboard is ripped out, but if the original
subfloor is not thick enough, at least a 1⁄2-inch layer of plywood
or 3⁄4-inch OSB must be added once the particleboard is
removed. The other option is to install a layer of plywood or
OSB over the top of the particleboard (although that may create unacceptable height differences with the adjoining rooms;
always check).
Concrete Slabs
Concrete slabs are common in homes without basements, typically in the Southern and Southwestern regions of the United
States. Below-grade areas of the home where the soil is 3
inches above the floor, such as walk-out basements, also have
slabs.
1) Suitable Wood Flooring: There are several options for
installing wood flooring over concrete. Always use the product
and installation method recommended by the manufacturer.
• Directly Over Concrete: Floating floors, engineered floors,
some solid strip and plank, and some parquet. Solid wood
flooring is never recommended below grade, but some solid
wood flooring manufacturers now recommend their products
for glue-down over slabs. A vapor retarder is recommended any
time you install a solid 3⁄4–inch wood flooring over concrete.
• Over Concrete with a Wood Subfloor: Any.
• Over Concrete with Sleepers: Solid strip or plank can be
laid directly over a sleeper system, but engineered wood flooring less than 3⁄4 inch thick or solid plank wider than 4 inches
requires a wood subfloor over the sleepers. For obvious reasons, parquet cannot be installed over sleepers unless an additional layer of plywood or OSB is added.
2) Weight: There are different types and weights of concrete
slabs, and not all are acceptable for glue-down installation of
hardwood flooring. The slab must be a minimum of 3,000 psi;
lightweight concrete is not acceptable unless you are installing
a floating floor or a wood subfloor over the slab. A quick test is
to drag a nail or other sharp object across the slab—if it leaves
an impression, there’s a good chance it’s lightweight concrete.
3) Surface: As with all subfloors, inspect the surface of the
slab for areas that can affect the flooring installation. The slab
should be clean and free of contaminants such as sealers,
waxes, drywall or paint. Slick slabs can prevent adhesive transfer, so areas may need to be abraded according to the adhesive
manufacturer’s recommendations. Also check for hollow spots,
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cracks and loose areas. You may need to
grind down the slab or repair these
problem areas.
4) Flatness: The slab should also be
flat to the wood flooring manufacturer’s
specifications, usually 1⁄8 inch in a 10-foot
radius. Mechanical methods for flattening
the slab include grinding, bead-blasting
or abrading. There are many self-leveling
concrete compound products on the
market, as well as patching compounds.
The condition of the slab and products
you are working with determine which
methods to use. Always check with the
flooring adhesive manufacturer to determine what is the best method to flatten
the slab with the products you’re using.
5) Moisture: As with plywood and
OSB subfloors, moisture testing is one of
the most important parts of your installation. Concrete is a porous material and
can retain moisture and emit moisture
vapor, which could end up in the wood
floor above unless the proper precautions are taken. (For more on concrete
subfloors, see “Concrete Facts” in the
August/September 2007 issue of Hardwood Floors.)
In new construction, the slab should
be given at least 60 days to cure. No matter if it’s new or old, or on or above
grade, the slab should be thoroughly
tested for moisture before any installation
begins. Common concrete moisture testing methods include:
• Calcium-chloride test (ASTM F1869): measures the amount of moisture
emitted from a 1,000-square-foot sample
of slab surface in 60 to 72 hours.
• Concrete moisture meter: uses
electrical impedance and electrical resistance to measure moisture in the slab.
• Phenolphthalein test: applied
every 200 square feet in a job site.
• Relative humidity (RH) tests:
measures RH by using either the Insitu
Method (ASTM F-2170) or the RH Hood
Method (ASTM F2420).
For solid wood products, a moisture
barrier or vapor retarder is typically recommended. These include 6 to 8 mil
polyethylene film applied over asphalt
mastic, 15-pound felt applied over mastic
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U.S. DISTRIBUTORS
Florstar
Toll-free: 1-800-942-6285
Midwest: IL, IA, MI, MN, ND, SD, WI, IN, OH
Denver Hardwood Company
Toll-free: 1-800-274-4144
Mountain states: CO, WY, NE, KS
Rio Grande Flooring Distributors Inc.
Toll-free: 1-800-825-5696
NM, West TX
Welco Lumber Corp.
Toll-free: 1-800-999-3526
Western US: AK, WA, ID, OR, MT, CA, AZ, NV, HI
CANADIAN DISTRIBUTORS
Welco Lumber Corp.
Toll-free: 1-800-999-3526
BC, AB & Yukon
Lamwood Products Inc.
44 Woodbine Downs Blvd., Rexdale, ON M9W 5R2 Canada
Tel: 877-526-9663
ON,QC, NL, NS, NB, MB, SK, NT, PE
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Circle 45
and various other liquid sealants on the market specifically for
concrete. Always check with the flooring, adhesive and moisture barrier manufacturers before installation to ensure that all
products and methods you are using are compatible.
6) Additional subfloors: Depending on the product you’re
installing, you may need to install a wood subfloor over the
slab. There are several methods, including:
• Floating subfloor: There are two common methods for
this. The first is to lay two layers of 3⁄8-inch plywood over the
slab without fastening or gluing them to the slab. One layer is
laid, and the second layer is stapled or glued perpendicularly or
diagonally over the top. The second method is to loose-lay one
layer of 3⁄4-inch plywood cut into 16-inch planks perpendicularly
or diagonally to the direction of the flooring. The panels should
be staggered every 2 feet and spaced 1⁄8 inch between ends.
• Glue-down subfloor: 5⁄8-inch plywood panels are glued in
a staggered joint pattern directly to the slab.
• Nail-down subfloor: 5⁄8-inch or thicker plywood panels
are fastened every 12 inches on center and every 6 inches
along the border.
• Sleeper (screed) system – Common over radiant heat,
this system has 2-by-4s spaced 12 inches apart. Solid strip or
plank can be laid directly over a sleeper system, but engineered
wood flooring less than 3⁄4 inch thick or solid plank wider than 4
inches requires a wood subfloor over the sleepers.
Whichever method you use for an additional subfloor, allow
3
⁄4-inch expansion space at the walls and vertical obstructions.
Older Subfloors
When you’re walking into a remodeling situation, you never
know what you will encounter on the job site. Removing existing floor covering can reveal many unpleasant surprises such
as rotten boards, water damage, severe dips or humps, old
adhesive or even mold. That is why it’s important to do a thorough inspection from below from the basement or crawlspace.
Common older subfloors include:
• Solid Wood Subfloor. This type of subfloor is common
on older homes. As with plywood subfloors, if there is movement or squeaks, refasten the subfloor to the joists and set protruding fasteners into the subfloor. The boards should be no
wider than 6 inches and installed on a 45-degree angle. If the
subfloor is not acceptable, it can often be overlaid with 1⁄2-inch
plywood. Some wood flooring may not hold sufficiently if
installed directly over solid wood subfloors. Engineered or solid
strip flooring less than 1⁄2-inch thick and parquet flooring may
need an additional 3⁄8-inch layer of plywood installed over these
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Circle 47
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types of subfloors. Always check with
the flooring manufacturer when in
doubt.
• Existing Floor Covering. Whether
it’s vinyl, linoleum or an old wood floor,
your best bet may be to install the new
floor directly over the old one. You
should never remove an old floor covering if you suspect asbestos was used.
Older homes built before the 1950s
often feature the infamous 9-by-9 tiles
that contain asbestos. There were also
vinyl tiles manufactured into the 1970s
that contained asbestos. If you can’t
determine the age of the floor or are in
doubt, for the safety of the crew and the
occupants, have a sample tested before
you rip out the floor. Any floor containing asbestos requires a professional
abatement crew to remove the old floor.
Even if you know older floor covering
doesn’t contain dangerous contaminants,
you may still want to leave it in place.
For mechanically fastened floors, you
can leave vinyl floor covering in place,
and it will even act as a vapor barrier.
However, for glue-down applications,
you may need to remove vinyl or other
floor covering, because they could affect
the bonding of the adhesive, or they
themselves may no longer be wellbonded with the subfloor. Always check
with the adhesive manufacturer for its
recommendation. If you leave existing
floor covering in place, always check the
height differences with floor coverings in
adjoining rooms.
No matter which subfloor you are
dealing with, you need to let everyone
involved know what is needed for a
successful wood flooring installation.
Your customer may not see what is
beneath the beautiful wood floor, but
what you do below determines how the
floor will look above. By following all
the steps to prepare your subfloor, you
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Circle 48
Sources for this article included Rusty
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The Wood Flooring Manufacturers
Association; and Kevin Mullany,
Benchmark Wood Floors Inc.
Circle 49
The original chocolate-colored
walnut inlays contrast with the
maple hardwood flooring of
this rowhouse.
Design Options
Renovation
Revelations
San Francisco remodel unveils rare discoveries
ew houses in this country have seen as
much history as this San Francisco row
house. Once the definition of Victorian
magnificence when it was built in the
Pacific Heights neighborhood in 1878, this
structure survived the earthquake of 1906, was
moved more than two blocks down the street, was
transformed into an apartment building, and even
had a stint as a brothel. Nobody was up to the challenge of restoring this historic structure until Jessica
and Stephen Wynne happened upon it and saw how
the items that were in a state of disrepair—particularly the damaged antique wood flooring—could add
to the home’s charm.
When the Wynnes bought the house, it had been
carved into seven shoddily constructed apartments—not unusual in San Francisco, where many
row houses are converted into apartment buildings and condominiums. The Wynnes wanted to
restore the house to its original design, yet create a floor plan that would be functional for family
living and entertaining. To get a better idea of what they wanted the house to look like, the
homeowners researched its history and discovered it had been constructed in 1878 by a wealthy
grocer family that could afford quality construction, which later prevented the house from being
totally destroyed by its many renovations.
The homeowners moved into two combined upstairs apartments during the reconstruction.
They selected Amy Hall McNamara, president of San Francisco-based Gordon Hall & Associates
Inc., who had previous experience in traditional residential design and had renovated more than
Matthew Millman
Matthew Millman, www.matthewmillman.com
F
Matthew Millman
Design Options
“When I first walked
into it—with the great
tall ceilings—and saw
some of the details
that were not totally
bastardized, I could
see the house just had
tremendous potential.”
Much of the original walnut inlay had to be
recreated by hand.
a dozen Victorian-style houses, to create a floor plan. Her
vision for the home was to open up and modernize the floor
plan while still preserving its historic design. “I think my
remodeling approach is respectful to the historic structure of
the house while trying to improve it for a more modern
lifestyle,” Hall McNamara says. As much as she tried to preserve its historical integrity, however, many aspects of the
house had to be changed to accommodate modern-day
lifestyles. “People in Victorian times didn’t bathe as often, or
have as many clothes, and they did not view cooking as a
family gathering opportunity or as an occasion,” Hall McNamara says, which meant bathrooms, closets and kitchens had
to be revamped in the redesign.
The first level posed few design obstacles. The upstairs,
however, presented greater problems. “Working with Victorians is like a puzzle,” Hall McNamara explains. “The lots in
San Francisco are only 25 feet wide, so you have to work to
fit everything in.” The homeowners originally wanted a
deluxe master suite: a home office, fireplace, grand dresser,
large walk-in closet and large bathroom. But no matter which
way she tried to spin it, Hall McNamara couldn’t make all the
pieces fit, so she asked the homeowners to reevaluate what
they really needed in order to be satisfied with the design.
The fireplace and walk-in closet were sacrificed.
Once the floor plan was established, the Wynnes turned to
San Francisco contractor Eric Thomas Maykranz, a restoration
expert whose passion is remodeling classic houses. “When I
first walked into it—with the great tall ceilings—and saw
some of the details that were not totally bastardized, I could
see the house just had tremendous potential,” Maykranz says.
The house revealed surprise after surprise when the renovation work started. Previous builders had carelessly torn up
the house to run plumbing and electricity throughout the
hastily constructed apartments, resulting in serious damage
that compromised its structural integrity. Perhaps to remedy
this, a previous contractor filled an interior wall with brick
and mortar. “I had never encountered something like that in
my life,” Maykranz says. “They actually laid up brick,
mortared it and patched it between the stud base throughout
the first floor.” This forced Maykranz to remove more than 30
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Design Options
Project Details
Architect: Amy Hall McNamara, Gordon Hall & Associates
(San Francisco)
General Contractor: Eric Thomas Maykranz
(San Francisco)
Flooring Contractor: Jim Robinson, Allwood Floor
Company (San Rafael, Calif.)
Flooring Supplier: Golden State Flooring (South San
Francisco, Calif.)
The ornate central staircase is unusual in Victorian
design. Fortunately, its details were preserved and the
staircase needed only to be refinished.
tons of debris. He also discovered two drop ceilings throughout the house: one to initially lower the ceiling and then a
second to hide the damage to the first drop ceiling, both of
which he removed to show the full expanse of the original
13-foot-high ceilings. These drop ceilings also revealed old
plaster detailing, door trim and crown molding that
Maykranz reused and recreated for detailing other areas of
the house. “I had never seen a building so beautifully
detailed before,” Maykranz says.
The wooden staircase stands as the crown jewel in the
house. Traditional Victorians typically had straight staircases
adjacent to an exterior wall, but this grand piece commands
attention with its lavish landing, fretwork and detailing, all of
which were so well preserved that the staircase required only
refinishing. During his demolition work to put a pantry
beneath the stairs, Maykranz discovered wallpaper behind
the staircase, revealing that a room used to stand there and
that the staircase was either moved or installed years after the
house was built. Maykranz had planned to use the salvaged
scaffolding boards from underneath the staircase for some
other project until he saw pasted to one board an old flyer
for a stag dance held just a couple of blocks north from the
house in the late 1800s. The homeowners framed the flyer
and now showcase it in their family room.
Probably the most precious gift hidden in this Victorian,
however, was the hardwood flooring. “The homeowners
mentioned before the project that there were hardwood
floors, but that they had taken a beating from water damage
and renovation,” Maykranz says. “It wasn’t until it came time
for me to rip up the carpet that I saw just how great the detail
was.” Underneath the soiled carpeting in the living room lay
an intricate walnut medallion in 5⁄16-inch-thick strip maple
flooring with detailing that mirrored the fretwork in the central staircase. Lining the perimeter of both the living and dining rooms were delicate chocolate-brown walnut inlays of
overlapping circles. The antique fir in the entryway was also
salvageable, requiring only resanding and refinishing.
“It was really a pleasant surprise,” Maykranz says. He contracted out the hardwood flooring work to Jim Robinson,
owner of San Rafael, Calif.-based Allwood Floor Company,
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“It’s a grand home
without being
ostentatious.”
New walnut plank flooring in the kitchen
modernizes the house, but doesn’t detract
from the original hardwood throughout the
first floor.
because Robinson has years of experience in such detailed
flooring work. Because it was so damaged, the medallion
had to be recreated by hand, and pieces of the walnut in the
inlays had to be replicated, replaced, and then glued by
hand throughout the 700 square feet of top-nailed antique
flooring. The crew was careful while using standard 8-inch
belt sanders on the floor, since the machines had a tendency
to pull up the small pieces, which then had to be reglued.
Color differences between the antique and new flooring
were minimal since the wood floor had been covered with
carpeting and rugs for so long, and any difference between
the two was eliminated when the crew sanded off the old
finish before applying urethane finish. “You just have to take
a deep breath, sit down and get the job done proper,” Robinson says of the intense labor, which also included replacing
boards that had suffered from water damage.
The original maple hardwood flooring in the kitchen had
too many gaps to work well as the actual flooring, so Robinson used it as a subfloor for 800 square feet of new 7-inchplank walnut hardwood flooring.
In all, the actual renovation took over 14 months.
Maykranz did most of the work himself, working seven days
a week and subbing out what he could, but often enjoying
the complicated detail work. At times, however, the amount
of work and the timeframe were points of contention
between Maykranz and the homeowners. “Jessica really
wanted to get in the house, and I don’t blame her, but I
really wanted to get things done the right way,” Maykranz
notes. “Looking back, there isn’t anything in the house I
would say, ‘I wish I did this differently.’”
The finishing touches were completed by the homeowners and their interior designer, who selected the colors, furnishings and art that, like the rest of the design scheme,
complemented the Victorian architecture but updated it for
modern living. “It’s a grand home without being ostentatious,” Hall McNamara says. “And, as a friend of the homeowners ... I have seen that the design works for both
entertaining and for the family.” So, every aspect of this Victorian gem—from its exquisite wood floors to its role as
family home—has truly returned to its former splendor. ■
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Show Guide
espite the diversity of Las Vegas, many of its frequent visitors fall into a rut, traveling to the same casinos, restaurants
and attractions every year, essentially turning Sin City into
“Same Old City.” But Hardwood Floors has the lowdown on the
newest places to eat, stay and play for conventiongoers attending
Surfaces 2008 January 30-February 1.
D
Show Guide | Surfaces Preview
Dick’s Last Resort at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino
(3850 Las Vegas Blvd.) offers casual, down-to-Earth
dining and is famous for its deliciously messy cuisine,
zany décor, rowdy waitstaff who have as much fun as
the guests, live bands and let-loose atmosphere.
• 702/597-7991
Luxor Steakhouse at the Luxor Hotel & Casino (3900
Las Vegas Blvd. S.) is an elegant dining facility where
award-winning chef Daniel Nuss prepares entrees
including aged prime beef, braised Maine lobster and
filet mignon. • 702/262-4778.
Social House at Treasure Island (3300 Las Vegas Blvd.
S.) offers sinful sushi in a sizzling space, and is a
celebrity favorite for late-night dining and dancing.
• 702/894-7223
Restaurant Guy Savoy at Caesars Palace (3570 Las
Vegas Blvd. S.) is the world-renowned chef’s first restaurant outside of France and is said to serve some of the
finest nouvelle cuisine in Las Vegas. • 702/731-7731
Pinazzi Italian Ristorante and Oyster Bar at Harrah’s
(3475 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) features family recipes with
modern twists and a comfortably posh décor. The
menu features indulgent pasta dishes and its signature
filet mignon encrusted with sun-dried porcini mushrooms. • 702/369-5084
New Vegas Eats
Discover why Vegas is the city of sin ... and neon.
The Latest Nightlife
The Beatles Revolution Lounge at the Mirage (3400 S.
Las Vegas Blvd.) opened only six months after the high-profile launch of The Beatles “Love, Revolution,” performed by
Cirque du Soleil. The ultra-lounge features cutting-edge,
interactive experiences to create a psychedelic sensory
environment and a contemporary interpretation of The Beatles era. • 702/692-8383
Jet nightclub at the Mirage (3400 S. Las Vegas Blvd.) features three rooms of distinctively different sounds in a
15,000-square-foot space, catering to a variety of tastes.
Each room has its own dance floor, DJ and
sound system. The main room offers the best of
rock, hip-hop and popular dance music.
• 702/792-7900
40/40 Club by Jay-Z at the Palazzo (3339 Las
Vegas Blvd. S.) combines a lavish décor with
sports memorabilia, and offers nighttime entertainment and Latin-Soul cuisine, including fried
deviled eggs and Southern-fried chicken sticks.
• 877/444-7777
The Playboy Club at the Palms (4321 W.
Flamingo Road) integrates a sophisticated party
atmosphere with high-stakes gaming. Bunnies in
nostalgic costumes serve drinks from the shimmering Diamond Bar, and 60 plasma-screen TVs entertain guests.
• 702/942-7777
Billed as an intimate rendezvous spot, Tryst at Wynn Las
Vegas (3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) has enough nooks to feel
cozy despite its expansive 12,000 square feet. The visual
highlight is the indoor-outdoor dance floor, which extends
15 feet over a man-made lagoon. • 702/770-3375
Lucky Strike Lanes at The Rio (3700 W. Flamingo Road)
offers something a little different: It merges a 10-lane bowling alley with a full-service restaurant and bar. After 9 p.m.,
Surfaces Wood Flooring Pocket Guide
When navigating through the show floor, don’t
forget your road map to wood flooring
exhibitors—Hardwood Floors’ “Surfaces Pocket
Guide.” The booklet lists all NWFA members
exhibiting at the show, includes a product
description for advertisers and also has an
essential foldout map with NWFA members’
booths highlighted. Stop by the Hardwood
Floors/NWFA booths 114-115 for your free copy.
A trip down Fremont Street shows where Vegas has been, via its vintage casinos, and where it’s going, as seen on Viva Vision, a part
of the Fremont Street Experience.
the alley turns into a black-lit nightclub where guests can
bowl and dance to the jukebox or DJ. • 702/777-7986
Sky Las Vegas (2700 Las Vegas Blvd.), the Strip’s first luxury, high-rise condominium complex, offers one of the city’s
best views of the Spring Mountains. Besides being one of
Vegas’ newest buildings, Sky also offers the Sky Lounge for
entertaining guests and Sky Retail for Strip shopping.
• 702/877-4759
Vegas Premieres
Monty Python’s “Spamalot” now plays in the Grail Theater in the Wynn (3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S.). Lovingly adapted
from “The Search for the Holy Grail,” this Broadway smash
features silly songs, dancing divas, knights in tights, feisty
Frenchmen and a happy ending. • 888/320-7110
“Jersey Boys,” the 2006 Tony Award-winner for Best Musical, is featured at the Palazzo (3339 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) in a
theater built for the show. It takes viewers behind the music
of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and follows their ragsto-riches tale of four blue-collar kids working their way up
to the heights of stardom. • 877/444-7777
A New Ride
The Vegas.com Arrow provides transportation along the
Average February Temperature: high 62/low 37
Annual visitors: 36.7 million
Average gambling budget per trip: $559
Strip, the Convention Center and downtown Las
Vegas/Fremont Street in buses and trolleys. Tickets can be
purchased at many major hotels and casinos along the Strip.
Recent Retail
For those who prefer to lose their money to stores rather
than slot machines, the new Town Square (6605 Las
Vegas Blvd. S.) features 1.5 million square feet of retail
shopping space and is designed to look like a vintage
European village. • 702/269-5001
Vintage Vegas
Iconic Vegas conjures up images of Elvis, Wayne Newton,
the Rat Pack and Liberace. If nostalgia is what you’re after,
dust off that white jumpsuit, grab a mic, throw on a ring (or
several) and check out the following:
Pete “Big Elvis” Vallee performs at the Barbary Coast
Hotel and Casino (3595 Las Vegas Blvd. S.). The 400-pound
performer claims to be a forgotten love child of the King and
is willing to take DNA tests to prove it. • 702/737-7111
The King is resurrected in the Legends in Concert (3535 S.
Las Vegas Blvd.), which also showcases impersonators of
Buddy Holly, Madonna and Janis Joplin. The impersonators
not only mimic celebrity looks, but they also use their natural
singing voices. • 866/807-4697
Trent Carlini’s “The Musical History of the King” (2535 S.
Las Vegas Blvd.) brings Elvis back in full glory at the Sahara
Theater. Carlini, an award-winning impersonator, performs a
show describing the life of Elvis through his music from the
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ing 90 feet above pedestrians on the
street.
Battista’s Hole in the Wall (4041
Audrie St.), behind the Flamingo Hilton,
provides hungry tourists with Italian food,
personable service and a slice of old
Vegas. • 702/732-1424
El Sombrero Café (807 S. Main St.) is
one of Las Vegas’ oldest Mexican restaurants, having opened in the 1950s. The
family-owned restaurant features homemade salsas and tortillas and large portions of traditional Mexican dishes.
• 702/382-9234
Center Stage Steakhouse in the Plaza
Hotel & Casino (1 S. Main St.) gives diners a view overlooking the Fremont Street
Experience and serves up steaks,
chicken and seafood. • 702/386-2512
Day Tripping
If you’re planning on staying in the area
for a while, save some time after Surfaces
to check out the impressive scenery and
engineering outside of Sin City.
Recently opened, the Springs Preserve
It can seem like a whole other world just minutes outside of the lights of Las Vegas.
(333 S. Valley View Road) is a historical
attraction at the site of the original water
young days to the Vegas days. • 866/807-4697
source used by the first settlers in the area. • 702/822-7700
Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel (1205 Las Vegas Blvd.
Just 20 miles north of the city is the Red Rock Canyon
S.) lets visitors express or renew their vows with a themed
National Conservation Area (HCR 33, Las Vegas). This
Las Vegas wedding—complete with special effects—or Elvis
site features the Keystone Thrust Fault, as well as many
wedding packages. • 800/574-4450
other geological wonders. • 702/515-5350
Wayne Newton plays nightly at Harrah’s (3475 S. Las
One of the most impressive man-made structures, the
Vegas Blvd.). His dynamic stage presence consistently sells
Hoover Dam (US 93) is located just 35 miles from Las Vegas.
out shows and secures his reputation as “Mr. Las Vegas.”
Here, visitors can hear about the history of the dam and take
• 866/807-4697
in the impressive view of Lake Mead. • 888/248-1259
If you’re in the mood for nostalgia, stop by the Golden
Lake Mead (601 National Highway, Boulder City, Nev.) is a
Nugget (129 E. Fremont St.). This 60-year-old classic is the
popular getaway for people looking to escape the bustle of
largest casino-hotel in downtown Vegas. • 800/851-1703
Las Vegas. • 702/293-8907
Those missing Frank, Sammy and the rest of the gang can
The Valley of Fire State Park (Overton, Nev.), 55 miles
head over to the Greek Isles (305 Convention Center Drive),
northeast of Vegas, offers vibrantly colored Southwestern
where “The Rat Pack is Back” plays nightly. This show
rock formations, petrified wood and ancient petroglyphs. It
reprises each member’s greatest hits. • 702/492-3960
was recently named the best scenic drive in southern
Nevada. • 866/807-4697
For the ultimate Vegas experience, check out the Liberace
Museum (1775 E. Tropicana Ave.), which celebrates the
Almost 300 miles from Las Vegas—but definitely worth the
decorated pianist in all his glory. • 702/798-5595
drive—is the Grand Canyon (148 Sixth Ave., Page, Ariz.).
The Fremont Street Experience (425 Fremont St.) capFrom donkey rides to helicopter tours to the family station
tures the nature of vintage Vegas on the street that started it
wagon, this majestic wonder can be seen from almost any
all. The new touch is Viva Vision, a giant LED screen towermode of transportation. • 866/944-7263
FOR A DISTRIBUTOR NEAR YOU CALL 800.668.0664 AND ASK FOR TIM
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Show Guide | NWFA-Member Exhibitors (as of Nov. 15, 2007)
Advertisers listed in boldface; see their product descriptions on the following pages.
Company
Booth
3M....................................................................G1411
A & W (Shanghai) Woods Co. Ltd. ........................3460
Aacer Flooring................................................G4229
Absolute Coatings..............................................G1926
Ace Hardwood Flooring Inc..........................G2056
Advanced Adhesive Technologies Inc. ..........5945
All American Wood Register........................G2141
Allwood Import..................................................G3543
Alston Inc. .........................................................G2741
Ambient Bamboo Products.................................G2862
American Hardwoods Inc. ..................................G3508
Amorim Industrial Solutions...............................G1620
Anderson Hardwood Floors ..................................4012
Appalachian Flooring Ltd..............................G1829
Ardex Engineered Cements................................G2429
Authentic Pine Floors .........................................G1422
Award Hardwood Floors.......................................2854
B.K.B. Hevea Products Sdn. Bhd............................7650
Bamboo & Hardwood Imports............................G1514
BASF Construction Chemicals .....................G1206
Basic Coatings..................................................4466
Beno J. Gundlach Co..........................................G1629
Berry Wood Products .........................................G1823
BSL Wood Products.......................................G3820
Bois Chamois.....................................................G2942
Bonakemi USA Inc. ..........................................3260
Bostik Inc...........................................................5554
BR-111 Imports & Exports Inc. ..............................5342
Buckwold Western...............................................2566
Cal-Flor Accessory Systems..................................7020
Canisol Ltd.........................................................G4025
Cantrust Manufacturing International Inc. ..........G1106
CDC Larue Industries Inc. ...................................G1600
CFS Corporation.................................................G2632
Chemcraft International Inc. ...............................G1029
Chemque Inc......................................................G1323
Cherrybark Flooring Inc.......................................G4054
Chesapeake Bay Importing DBA Treesun............G3656
ChinaFloors North America...................................2671
Cikel America LLC ............................................7033
Clarke American Sanders.............................G2432
Classic Manufacturing NW ..........................G1959
Clear Lake Lumber Inc...........................................1718
Color Rite Inc. ....................................................G2551
Costa & Grissom Machinery Inc. ........................G4444
Country Wood Flooring Inc. ................................G3740
Courey USA/Quickstyle......................................G2234
Crain Cutter Company Inc. ....................................5960
CSC Corp..............................................................2217
Cumi Canada Inc. ...........................................G1923
DBM Import, Export Inc. .....................................G3834
Decorative Imaging............................................G2459
Delle Vedove USA..............................................G3747
Delmhorst Instrument Co...............................G3621
Design Materials Inc. ...........................................2708
Diversified Foam Products Inc.............................G1229
Dodge-Regupol Inc. ..............................................6956
DriTac Adhesive Group.......................................G1838
Duo-Fast............................................................G3738
EcoTimber..........................................................G4120
Ekowood (USA) Inc. ..............................................7426
Elegance Exotic Wood Flooring......................1119
Engineered Flooring Manufacturers............G1220
Festool...............................................................G2940
Finium ...............................................................G2615
Floor Style Products Inc. ...............................G2542
Flooring Deals Direct..........................................G1804
Foam Products Corp..............................................6748
Forbo Flooring Systems......................................G1729
ForesFloor .......................................................G3231
Fortifiber Building Systems Group ......................G1958
Franklin International............................................3675
Company
Booth
Fudeli Industrial Canada Inc. ..............................G2606
Garrison Collection, The ...............................G1626
Gartman Systems ..............................................G2356
GE Sensing ........................................................G1223
GerkoFlooring Industries ....................................G4023
Glitsa American Inc.......................................G1948
Global Flooring Solutions ...................................G3862
Global Market Partners Inc.................................G1432
Goodfellow Inc. ....................................................5371
Graf Brothers Flooring Inc.............................G3844
Grill Works Inc. ..................................................G2522
Guangzhou Fnen Wood Flooring Ltd. ..................G3029
Hakwood..............................................................1358
Hardwood Floors Magazine....................................115
Hawa Bamboo Flooring Corp........................G1831
Higuera Imports..............................................G1820
Hillwood Products..............................................G3540
Husky Flooring ...................................................G2029
IMI Floors Inc. ....................................................G4026
Inspect Solutions Inc..........................................G2460
Inter-Continental Hardwoods .............................G4231
J.H. Freed & Sons.................................................1047
Johnson Premium Hardwood Flooring...........4038
Kährs International Inc..........................................1361
Karelia Hardwood Flooring Ltd. ......................2866
Koetter Woodworking ..........................................5710
L.W. Mountain Hardwood Flooring Inc. .................7154
Laser Products Industries Inc..............................G4433
Launstein Hardwood Floors................................G4631
Lauzon Distinctive Hardwood Flooring ..................4954
Leitz Tooling Systems ...........................................3672
Lignomat Ltd. ..................................................G2452
Linco Enterprises Inc. .........................................G2150
Loba-Wakol LLC ...................................................3777
Mannington Wood Floors .....................................4042
Mapei Corp ..........................................................3032
Margaritelli USA Inc.............................................4948
Max Windsor Floors.........................................1349
Mercer Abrasives, div. of Mercer
Tool Corp......................................................G2256
Mercier Wood Flooring....................................4660
Meridian Flooring ..................................G1402, G1404
Midwest Padding LLC.................................7420, 7520
Mirage/Boa-Franc Inc......................................2050
Model Hardwood Inc.....................................G2025
Mohawk Finishing Products ...............................G4140
Mohawk Industries Inc. Special Goods Dept. ........7554
Mullican Flooring .............................................5925
National Carpet Equipment Inc.................5742, G1238
National Wood Flooring Association ...............114
New Parks, a div. of Zinsser ...............................G3631
Nikzad Import Inc. ..............................................G2022
Noble Company .................................................G1806
Noblehouse/Floorco Int’l N. America ....................3254
NOFMA:The Wood Flooring Manufacturers Assn.G3310
Nova Distinctive Floors ......................................G2343
Novatek Corporation..........................................G1622
Oreck Commercial..............................................G3638
Oregon Lumber Company...................................G2858
Owens Flooring Co.........................................G1516
Pacific Solutions...................................................5560
Padco Inc. ..........................................................G2309
PanTim Wood Products Inc. ..................................1325
Para-Chem Inc......................................................4072
Pinnacle Interior Elements Ltd...............................2533
Pioneer Millworks..............................................G2250
Planchers Mistral Inc .........................................G2114
Plyquet ..............................................................G2329
Porta-Nails Inc. ..................................................G2501
Powernail Company ......................................G2641
Powr-Flite & Commercial Floor
Care Equipment................................................G4356
PPG Industries Inc ..............................................G3825
Company
Booth
Prairie Shores Ltd...............................................G2204
Premiere Finishing & Coating LLC ...............G2541
Premium Mesquite Company .............................G4020
Preverco Hardwood Flooring.................................2260
Prolex Flooring USA Inc......................................G4129
ProTeam Inc....................................................G1925
Protecto Wrap Co.................................................3470
Quality Craft Ltd. ..................................................3066
R & D Coatings Inc.............................................G2453
RB Rubber/Dash Multi-Corp............................5713
RFMS Inc. ................................................G3038, 3660
Roberts/Q.E.P. Co. Inc. ..........................................5166
Robinson Lumber and Flooring.....................G1013
Saman...............................................................G2216
Saroyan Lumber Company .................................G1724
SASE Co. Inc......................................................G2047
Scandian Wood Floors..........................................3454
Sentinel Products Inc..........................................G4238
Shaanxi Aoke Wood Co. Ltd...............................G4253
Shamrock Plank Flooring..............................G3742
Shanghai Sihe Wood Co. Ltd..............................G3817
Shanghai Sino-Maple Wood Limited ....................6548
Sherwin Williams ..............................................G2426
Sika Corporation...................................................6954
Somerset Hardwood Flooring.............................G2032
Sound Seal ........................................................G1200
South Ocean Flooring.........................................G2756
Southern Pine Council........................................G3306
Stauf USA Adhesives LLC.....................................5769
Strategis International Inc. .................................G2247
Super Detail.......................................................G2605
Superfici America Inc.........................................G4634
SupexBond Inc...................................................G1741
Swiff-Train Company/Winton Tile/
EarthWerks.............................................3266, 3854
Synteko Floor Finishes ..................................G1104
Tarkett..................................................................4034
Taylor Lumber Inc...........................................G2242
Taylor Tools........................................................G3622
Tembec Inc...........................................................3770
Teragren Bamboo Flooring, Panels and Veneers ....7142
Tom Duffy Company .............................................1051
Torlys Inc..............................................................1722
Tramex Ltd. c/o Black Hawk Sales Inc........G1417
Trout River Lumber LLC.......................................G3042
Ua Wood Floors Inc. .............................................4966
UFloor Systems Inc...........................................2266
United Gilsonite Labs.........................................G4029
United Wood Floor Corp.....................................G4233
Urban Floor........................................................G1442
US Floors .............................................................2225
Vermeister SRL...............................................G2365
Verona Hardwood Inc.........................................G2252
Vicwood Industry (Suzhou) Co. Ltd.........................3466
Vintage Hardwood Flooring..........................G2833
Wagner Electronics............................................G2540
Waterlox Coatings Corporation....................G3562
W.D. Flooring..................................................G2009
W.F. Taylor............................................................4666
WE Cork Inc.......................................................G2638
Wego International Products/
South Mountain Wood Floors............................2074
Welland Industries Inc. Ltd.................................G1716
Wellmade Floor Coverings International.............G2442
Weyerhaeuser...................................................6751
Wickham Hardwood Flooring.............................G2814
Wood Cellar Ltd., The ........................................G3731
Wood Flooring Intl. Inc. .............G3338, G3442, G3438
Wood-Forum HandelsgmbH ...............................G2844
Woodlist Inc. .....................................................G2124
Zimair Displays ..................................................G2829
Zipema Wood Products Ltda. .............................G3922
Show Guide | Exhibitor Showcase
Aacer Flooring
Booth G4229
Aacer XL Prefinished Northern Hardwood Flooring provides quality and long life for
those who desire the dramatic impact that only true
hardwood floors can offer,
the company says. Installation of the flooring is fast and
environmentally friendly,
with no sanding or waiting
for finishes to dry.
Circle 111
3M
Booth G1411
3M Regalite Quick Change Discs
are designed to deliver maximum
results in minimal time. The toolfree design means these discs can
be changed and replaced on-site
without downtime, saving users
time and money on every job, the
company says.
Circle 110
Ace Hardwood Flooring Inc.
Booth G2056
Established in Austin, Texas, in
1977, Ace Hardwood Flooring
has become one of the largest
mesquite manufacturers in the
wood flooring industry, it says.
Ace Hardwood stocks large
volumes of 1⁄2- and 3⁄4-inch
mesquite flooring, stair parts,
trim and lumber. The company
is displaying many of its new
products at Surfaces.
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Advanced Adhesive
Technologies Inc.
All American Wood Register Co.
Booth 5945
Booth G2141
On display at the
Advanced Adhesive
booth is the company’s Advanced
Poxyfill Wood Floor
Repair Kit, which
contains a specially
formulated adhesive for easily correcting hollow and
popping spots that can occur in wood flooring installations. Its cartridge system does not require expensive dispensing equipment, and the cartridge and
adapter is used in a standard caulk gun.
All American
Wood Register
welcomes visitors
to its Surfaces
booth to see the
company’s new
MaxFlo Optimum
Airflow register
line. These bidirectional registers provide a high-efficiency option to
standard vertical-slot registers. A more open vane design
doubles airflow volume compared with standard wood
models, bringing the efficiency of these registers close to
that of metal models.
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Appalachian Flooring
Booth G1829
Not only is Appalachian Flooring
exhibiting its full line of solid domestic
and exotic prefinished floors, it is also
showcasing its new 4-inch-wide, 13.5mm-thick prefinished engineered product. Available in red oak, jatoba and
hard maple, the new line comes in
lengths up to 7 feet and can be sanded
two to three times.
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Baker’s Creek Premium Wood Flooring
Booth 1354
Baker’s Creek is
launching its premium wood flooring at Surfaces. Each
plank of its flooring
is crafted from premium woods and is
structurally engineered to last generations, the company says. The company
is introducing its full product line, including cypress and
heart-of-pine engineered floors.
Basic Coatings LLC
Booth 4466
Basic is educating Surfaces
attendees on its
TyKote Dustless
Recoat System
for recoating
floors. This fast
and easy threestep process
means floors
can be recoated
in one night and
back in business the next, the company
says. TyKote is a wood floor bonding
agent that bonds water-based coating to
existing wood floors.
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BASF Construction ChemicalsBuilding Systems
Booth G1206
BASF is launching its newest product, Chemrex CX-100, at
Surfaces this year. Chemrex CX-1000 delivers the ideal performance and handling characteristics desired by contractors in the installation of engineered, solid, parquet
prefinished, unfinished, bamboo and exotic hardwood
flooring, the company says.
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BonaKemi USA Inc.
Booth 3260
This year at Surfaces, BonaKemi is displaying its complete floor finishing system that’s Greenguard-certified
for indoor air quality. Bona has pioneered its Environmental Choice System, featuring dust containment
sanding systems, low-VOC waterborne finishes, and
hardwood and hard surface floor cleaners. BonaKemi
protects contractors’ health and the environment
while assuring the ultimate in durability and beauty
for hardwood floors, it says.
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HARDWOOD
FLOORING
AVAILABLE FROM
Weyerhaeuser markets and sells products carrying Aracruz Produtos de Madeira’s registered trademark for Lyptus® products.
is a registered trademark of Weyerhaeuser © 2007 Weyerhaeuser Company. All rights reserved.
Problems
Gluing
Down
Wood
Floors?
Problem Solved!
Bostik Inc.
Booth 5554
Bostik EMC is a high-performance, rapiddrying, water-based penetrating epoxy
formulated to reduce moisture vapor
transmission and surface alkalinity from
substrates, including concrete, cement
backer board, radiant heat and cementbased terrazzo prior to installing hardwood.
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BSL Wood Products
Booth G3820
BSL Wood Products operates several manufacturing plants in eastern
Quebec. Its wood floors are available in yellow birch, hard maple,
Northern red oak and American
cherry. More than just a hardwood
flooring manufacturer, BSL also
offers moldings, stains and more.
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Make wood flooring stay put with
Problemsolver U.R.A., Urethane
Replacement Adhesive. U.R.A. is
a high solids, patented, tri-polymer
formula that provides quick green
strength, unsurpassed ultimate
bond strength and excellent retack.
The industry's premiere choice for
installing engineered flooring, long
planks and solid strip floors.
Cikel Brasil
Verde SA
Booth 7033
Cikel is exhibiting its
Brazilian exotic hardwood flooring lines at
Surfaces 2008. The company is also highlighting
its Quick Ship Program
for the U.S. market.
Engineered wood floors are down
to stay with Problemsolver EW,
Engineered Wood. EW is a high
solids, advanced polymeric emulsion
providing state of the art performance.
AAT's Problemsolver Series ends call
backs from cupping, end lift, shrinkage
and hollow spots. Both Problemsolver
formulas are easy to trowel, have excellent
rebond and clean up beautifully. U.R.A. and
EW are low odor, VOC compliant, highly
resistant to moisture emissions and backed
by a limited Lifetime Warranty.
1-800-AAT-GLUE • FAX 706-278-6207
www.aatglue.com [email protected]
See us at Surfaces Space 5945
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Clarke American Sanders
Booth G2432
Clarke American is showcasing its Floor Abrader,
the latest in floor abrasion technology. It’s designed
to micro-abrade factory-finished and site-installed
floors. Its tool-free, quick-change, multi-brush
design gives the FA-8 built-in versatility,
while its easy-to-dismantle three-section
body makes it easy to transport and store,
the company says.
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Visit Our Brand New
Booth at Surfaces
Booth G2365
World Class
Producing The World’s Best Finishes
For Over 30 Years.
866.413.5667
w w w.v e r m e i s t e r u s a . c o m
Classic Manufacturing
Booth G1959
Classic Manufacturing presents solid
wood registers that are designed and
tested for increased strength and optimum spread and throw. Grills come
in standard or custom sizes, with or
without dampers. Customers can
choose from a wide selection of
wood species and prefinished colors.
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Cumi Canada
Booth G1923
Cumi Canada Inc. (CCI)
manufactures high-quality
cloth and paper-backed
abrasives for the flooring
and rental market. CCI has
an extensive product lineup
of aluminum oxide, silicon
carbide and ceramic grains.
All abrasives are backed by CCI’s Performance Guarantee,
which the company says is the industry’s strongest.
Delmhorst Instrument Co.
G3621
Delmhorst is displaying its
TotalCheck Moisture Meter, which
offers pin mode,
scan mode and a
thermohygrometer
that measures
temperature and
relative humidity
and calculates
dew point/GPP.
TotalCheck’s RH sensor is removable and
conforms to the ASTM F-2170 standard to
determine if concrete floors have dried adequately before installing hardwood flooring.
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Delmhorst–
The Better Option
Delmhorst Introduces TotalCheck—
a 3-in-1 meter designed for the
increased demands of the flooring
professional.
h
Pin and scan modes
Conforms to the ASTM F2170
standard
h Fast and accurate measurement
h Advanced data collection
h Easy user interface with download
capabilities
h Beats the competition
h
HANDS DOWN!!
Place your order today!
1-877-DELMHORST
delmhorst.com
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Elegance Exotic Wood Flooring
Booth 1119
Surfaces attendees can see the release of
Elegance’s Pacific Koa line, which
expands the company’s exotic offerings.
Pacific Koa is available in wide (shown)
and narrow widths, a large color pallet
and lightly distressed finish. Elegance is
also introducing a variety of other
species and its newly completed distributor package.
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ForesFloor
Booth G3231
Engineered Flooring Manufacturers LLC
Booth G1120
Floorlayers Engineered Wood Flooring is
manufactured to exact specifications—
offering custom unfinished commercialquality flooring in most wood species
and grades, with widths up to 10 inches
and lengths up to 12 feet. The company
is displaying many of these products at
its Surfaces booth.
ForesFloor is available factoryfinished in seven species, four
widths, six colors, five styles, two
finishes and—to add protection
and value—its exclusive Moisture
Guard protection and DuraStar
finish. Visitors to ForesFloor’s
booth can learn more and see
the company’s beautiful Classic
Collection.
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CHESS FLOORING
MAKE THE RIGHT MOVE...!
BRAZILIAN CHERRY • BRAZILIAN TEAK
BRAZILIAN WALNUT • S.MAHOGANY
ROSEWOOD • AND MANY MORE…
SOLID PREFINISHED OR UNFINISHED
⁄ ” or 12⁄ ” x 3”- 4”- 5” x random length.
3
4
FREE SAMPLES AVAILABLE
A CLASSIC LOOK
IS IN THE DETAILS
Quality Craftsmanship
Custom Sizes, Woods, Prefinish
Extensive Inventory in Stock
#1 in Customer Service
... the necessary detail
Call Today
Office and Warehouse
630 NW 113 Street
Miami, FL 33168
Tel: 305.757.9400 Fax: 305.751.1302
Free # 1.800.966.3352
WWW.CHESSFLOORING.COM
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1-800-545-8368
www.classicvents.com
Circle 66
Please visit our Website at www.acehardwood.com
Mesquite Products
to view our virtual gallery of fine wood products.
• Flooring
½” x 3” – 5”
¾” x 6” – 8”
1’ x 7’ lengths
T & G 4-sides
• Herringbone
• End grain Blocks
3” x 3”, 3” x R. L.
• Countertops
Butcher block
2” x 24¼” x 9’ 8”
• Lumber 4/4, 6/4, 8/4
Exotic Woods
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pecan
Red & White Oak
Walnut
Wenge
American Cherry
Antique Pine
Brazilian Cherry
Brazilian Walnut
Brazilian Teak
Santos Mahogany
Also offering Slice-cut
Engineered Products
Ace
Hardwood Flooring
10710-B North Lamar Blvd.
Austin, Texas 78753
1-800-994-9663
Floor Style Products Inc.
Booth G2542
Floor Style Products is displaying
some of the latest equipment and
supplies from its vendors. Attendees can look for the newest
products from Clarke American
Sanders, Norton Abrasives, Lenmar and other vendors.
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The Garrison Collection
Booth G1626
The Garrison Collection is a compilation
of fine hardwood flooring. This collection
is available smooth or beautifully handdistressed and also features exotic engineered woods from around the world
that display not only the natural beauty
of wood but also fine craftsmanship in
manufacturing, the company says.
Booth G1948
Surfaces visitors
can stop by
Glitsa’s booth to
check out Glitsa’s
application tools,
including its
industrial tack
mop. Glitsa also
carries a complete line of
hardwood flooring maintenance products, from Safeglides floor
protectors to cleaners and mops.
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Glitsa American Inc.
unfinished
commercial quality
most wood species & grades
widths up to 10 inches
lengths up to 12 feet
—
us at
Visit
008
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a
f
r
u
S
0
G122
Booth
NV
egas,
V
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a
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th ry 30
a
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n
Ja
st
ary 1
Febru
S
ome of our best work
goes unfinished.
Your discerning customers prefer something a little more
unique than the standard pre-finished wood floor shipped
in a cardboard box. That’s why we designed Floorlayers
3/16” Sawer
Superior construction
Engineered Wood Flooring™, manufactured to your exact
Micro laminate substrate
specifications. Now you have that creative flexibility—
Floorlayers™ offers longer planks, custom and standard
widths, most wood species, even edges and ends milled
to your specific requirements. Our commercial quality
unfinished flooring gives you the depth and character of
a solid hardwood installation, with all the benefits of an
engineered product.
Made in the U.S.A.
714.998.5050 PHONE
714.998.5072 FAX
www.FloorLayers.com
Graf Brothers Flooring and Lumber
Booth G3844
Graf Brothers Flooring and Lumber offers plank flooring up to 12
inches wide. All 9- to 12-inch
planks are a minimum of 3 feet
long, with possible lengths up to
12 feet. The new Graf Brothers
product line at Surfaces includes
engineered flooring. The engineered line includes 5- and 10-inch widths, with a 3.2-mm wear
layer mounted on a 12-mm Russian Baltic birch foundation.
Higuera Hardwoods
Circle 133
Booth G1820
Hawa Bamboo Flooring Trading Corp.
Booth G1831
Hawa is displaying a variety of solid
engineered, distressed and strand
bamboo flooring, along with solid
engineered distressed oak, maple
and birch. Additionally, Hawa is featuring Brazilian cherry, tigerwood,
santos mahogany and Brazilian teak
engineered flooring.
Visitors to the Higuera Hardwoods
booth can see the company’s line of
grade-A bamboo flooring, moldings,
stair parts, plywood and veneers. The
construction and finish of all of
Higuera’s bamboo products is superior
in its basic raw materials, construction
and finish, the company says.
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AMERICA’S LARGEST PRODUCER OF HARDWOOD
VENEER AND LUMBER FOR FLOORING
MEETING ALL YOUR NORTHERN HARDWOOD NEEDS
FULL AND OFFSET ROTARY VENEER
ENGINEERED FLOORING PLYWOOD
WHOLE PIECE AND SPLICED
SLICED OR SAWN VENEER
1/45” TO 1/6” (0.6mm to 4.2mm)
SPECIES AVAILABLE:
HARD MAPLE
SOFT MAPLE
RED OAK
CHERRY
HICKORY
WHITE OAK
WALNUT
ASH
VENEER SALES
(715) 234-8181
FAX: (715) 234-8942
[email protected]
P.O. BOX 352
GLADSTONE, MICHIGAN 49837
www.bessegroup.com
Circle 70
LUMBER SALES
(906) 428-3113
FAX: (906) 428-3310
[email protected]
Wolff, a major brand of UFLOOR Systems, introduces Cobra and King Cobra: powerful,
easy-to-use and incredibly efscient wood toor sanding machines... with all the moves.
With these high-capacity, heavy duty uni-body sanders, you’ll waltz right through
your next project!
See us at Surfaces 2008, booth # 2266
More dip in your Two-Step.
(Handy ball knob on top of dust
tube for convenient pull-back)
See more when you Samba.
(Seven degree shallower angle of dust
tube allows for better visability)
Gauge the heat
when you Hustle.
(LED ready light tells if
motor is overheating; volt meter
indicates actual voltage)
More torque in your Tango.
(New and powerful
3.6 kW totally enclosed
German motor)
More pull in
your Polka.
(Left and right
drum levers)
Control the chatter
in your Cha-Cha.
(Lower durometer sanding
drum compound for better
grip and controlled chatter)
Brands of Uíoor Systems
6008 D High Point Road | Greensboro, NC, 27407
Ph: (336) 454.7000 | Fax: (336) 454.7001
Email: [email protected] | Web: www.ufloorsystems.com
Johnson Premium Hardwood Flooring
Booth 4038
Johnson invites Surfaces attendees
to discover the newest styles that
every homeowner is looking for.
This year, the company is showcasing its most popular lines while
branching off to please customers
with a taste for timeless beauty.
Attendees can stop by the Johnson Premium booth to check out
its new hickory line.
Lignomat USA Ltd.
Booth G2452
Circle 136
Lignomat manufactures handheld
moisture meters and offers a professional package for the hardwood
flooring installer and inspector, supplying both pinless and pin meters
for checking the moisture content of
the floor and subfloor. It also features a thermohygrometer for testing
ambient temperature at the job site.
Karelia Hardwood Flooring
Booth 2866
Karelia is displaying its full plank Story jatoba and
North American maple Story, both of which have a
single-surface hardwood wear layer in a width of 7.2
inches. These products are microbeveled and have
been manufactured in Europe since early 2000, however, due to increased demand, they were introduced to North America in the fall of 2007.
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MOISTURE METER
It’s what you
don’t see that
makes all
the difference.
When you turn to Lubrizol (formerly Noveon, Inc.)
for wood coating solutions, you get more
than just high-performance products.
Sure, our innovative technologies – like Carboset®
acrylics, Sancure® polyurethanes and LancoTM
wax additives– can help you meet stringent VOC
regulations, improve durability and enhance beauty.
But, with Lubrizol in the mix, it’s what you don’t see
that makes all the difference.
Our scientific know-how and years of application
experience can also help you identify new
opportunities and ensure that the best technology
available is integrated into your products. We
combine global resources, unmatched technical
expertise and a commitment to responding to
your unique needs – making us the single-source
supplier for any wood coatings application.
Carboset® and Sancure® are registered trademarks of The Lubrizol Corporation
TM
Lanco is a trademark of The Lubrizol Corporation
Circle 72
Ligno-Scanner SD
A pinless meter which offers great
flexibility and accuracy with built-in
corrections for different species.
One Company.
Many Solutions.
For more information on wood
coatings, call 1-800-380-5397
or visit our web site at
www.lubrizolcoatings.com
© 2007 The Lubrizol Corporation
Come visit our booth at Surfaces to
checkout our new line of concrete
meters. Booth# G2452
Lignomat 1-800-227-2105
PO Box 30145,
Portland, OR 97294
www.lignomat.com
E-Mail: [email protected]
Circle 44
Come to the Party
The perfect mix of people and
planning make all the difference in
creating a successful event - and a
successful business. At Elegance, we've
combined the right ingredients to make
sure your business will be the “in” spot
for everything wood flooring.
n
Solid & Engineered Pre-Finished Wood Flooring
n
Wide variety of Premium Exotic Woods
n
Stocked in our huge US Warehouse for
immediate shipment
n
Attractive Wood Display Rack
n
Distributor Merchandising Program
Elegance
Surfaces
Exotic Wood Flooring
Space 1119
www.elegancewoodflooring.com
10808 6th Street, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730
T 909-980-5066 F 909-980-5442
Max Windsor Floors
Booth 1349
The Victorian Collection is Max
Windsor’s elite product line. This
collection is hand-scraped and
hand-stained with two-tone colors
to achieve a Victorian look. The
Alexander, Apollo and Maximus collections are currently the company’s
best sellers.
Circle 139
Mercer Abrasives, a div. of Mercer Tool Corp.
Booth G2256
Users wanting quality finish preparation can complete a sanding
cycle with Mercer’s open-coat, silicon-carbide Sandscreen Discs.
Heat-resistant, fast-cutting and
reusable, Mercer’s Sandscreen Discs
feature a mesh cloth backing and open-coat screening.
This product and more are on display at Mercer’s Surfaces booth.
Mercier Wood Flooring
Booth 4660
This year at
Surfaces,
Mercier Wood
Flooring is displaying several
new prefinished products. As with
its previous
lines of flooring, these new products guarantee durable,
long-lasting beauty that answer the needs of
any contractor, the company says.
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Exotic Stair-Parts & Flooring
Treads Risers Nosing Moldings
Unfinished Solid Flooring
Eng./ Prefinished Flooring
Eng./ Unfinished Plank Flooring
Angelim Pedra
Cumaru
Garapa/Garapeira
Tamarindo (Br. Rosew.)
Tigerwood
THE WOODEYE STRONG
ARGUMENTS COLLECTION
No. 3: Unrivalled
quality and
functionality
unctionality
Jatoba (Braz. Cherry)
Ipé (Braz. Walnut)
Moabi
Tatajuba
Timborana
(Additional species available - please inquire)
Most items are in stock for next-day shipment!
Very competitive prices High-quality products
Please inquire for details & species availability
Ph: 1-866-605-7271 (toll free)
Fx: 253-437-4065
email: [email protected]
www.franwoodfloors.com
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IPE
Jatoba
Cumaru
Tauari
Andiroba
Tigerwood
Bloodwood
Santos Mahogany
Australian Cypress
AND MORE
Ph: 336.292.1500
Fax: 336.292.1155
www.tradelink-group.com
1 Centerview Drive, Suite 300, Greensboro, NC 27407
[email protected]
Model Hardwood Inc.
Booth G2025
Every year, Model Hardwood
makes heads turn at Surfaces with
its innovative products and
unique concepts, the company
says. In 2008, Model is introducing a new collection in the S
Series.
Circle 143
Mirage/Boa-Franc
Booth 2050
This year, Mirage’s offerings include
the new Umbria, a rich dark brown
color available on maple and red
oak. Because of the popularity of
warm, exotic woods, the company
now offers sapele in 5-inch-wide
plank. Mirage is also unveiling a
new and evolutive approach on
sustainable development, it says.
Circle 142
Mullican Flooring
Booth 5925
Mullican is displaying its Buckingham Beech, an authentic representation of American-made
hardwood flooring. These finely
crafted floors are precision-manufactured from the highest quality
Appalachian hardwoods, the company says. The line is available in
3-, 4-, and 5-inch widths.
Circle 144
National Wood Flooring Association
Booth 113
The NWFA is the wood
flooring professional’s
one-stop resource for
technical publications,
training opportunities,
networking events, professional recognition and
certification programs. Surfaces attendees can see for themselves what the
NWFA can do to advance their career and impact their bottom line.
Circle 145
Owens Flooring Company
Booth G1516
Owens Flooring Company is showcasing
several new products at Surfaces. These
introductions include new species in both
the Plankfloor unfinished line and Owens
Select factory-finished line, as well as an
exciting addition to its product family—
Owens Lite.
Circle 146
sculpted by
wind and weather.
reclaimed by
mountain lumber.
Engineered Entique ™ Distressed Oak
Call for a free sample kit. | 800.4 45.2671 | mountainlumber.com
Where E ver y Floor Has a Stor y to Tell .®
Reclaimed Antique Flooring
Powr-Flite, a Tacony Company
Powernail Company
Booth G4356
Powr-Flite is introducing its Black
Max Floor Machine. This machine
combines the performance and durability of rotationally molded units
with the simple design of the Classic
metal floor machine. The combination is unmatched in the industry,
and is backed by Powr-Flite’s satisfaction guarantee, the company says.
Booth G2641
Powernail is showcasing its Pneumatic Model 200 nailer, which
nails 5⁄16- to 5⁄8-inch tongueand-groove engineered
flooring. This model uses
Powernail’s new E-Powercleats, available in 1, 11⁄4 and 11⁄2
inches. These 20-gauge E-Powercleats have been designed to hold
engineered flooring securely while
reducing the risk of damaging the
flooring’s delicate tongue.
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Premiere Finishing & Coating LLC
Booth G2541
Premiere is displaying its versatile finishing products that
are the fruit of a $1,000,000
investment. The company
has added a second fill
machine to its production
line, which has improved the
quality of its finish, it says.
Circle 149
ProTeam, The Vacuum
Company
Booth G1925
ProTeam is displaying its new Super
CoachVac HEPA. The vacuum’s large
10-quart filter capacity is designed to
handle sensitive high-square-footage
areas that require the utmost cleanliness. Its HEPA filter works in concert
with ProTeam’s advanced Four Level
Filtration system to capture 99.97 percent of airborne particles 0.3 micron or
larger, the company says.
Circle 150
RB Rubber Products
Booth 5713
RB Silent Tread XL, an acoustical underlayment with vapor barrier, is designed to
reduce room-to-room ambient noise. Easy
and fast to install, RB Silent Tread XL lies
flat to reduce minor subfloor imperfections. It can be used with most floor constructions—concrete or wood—for
laminate, hardwood, engineered wood
and tile flooring.
Circle 151
State of the art factory insures products are made to the highest quality standards.
Ark offers the most comprehensive assortment of exotic wood floors. Featuring Ipé, Santos Mahogany,
Tigerwood, Brazilian Cherry, Brazilian Rosewood, Brown Heart and other exotic wood species.
2393 Tifal Ave., Irwindale, CA 91010 • TEL: (800) 918-6188 • FAX: (626) 357-8593 • EMAIL: [email protected] • www.ark-floors.com
Robinson Lumber and Flooring
Booth G1013
Robinson is introducing its G5 Precision Engineered Hardwood
Flooring at Surfaces. With state-ofthe-art technology, the company
has designed an engineered line to
complement its solid exotic flooring. Since 1893, Robinson Lumber
and Flooring has taken care of its
customers and been a steward of
the forest, the company says.
Circle 152
Shamrock Plank Flooring
Booth G3742
Shamrock Plank
Flooring is
exhibiting several of its product at Surfaces.
Attendees can
see Shamrock’s
planks in walnut, hickory,
cherry, and rift and quartered red and white oak.
Also on display is Shamrock’s prefinished flooring in
walnut and hickory and its strip flooring in red and
white oak.
Circle 153
Synteko Floor Finishes
Booth G1104
Synteko offers an array of
exceptional, high-quality
waterborne wood floor
finishes created for quality-minded professionals.
Manufactured in the U.S.,
Synteko Sealmaster is a
one-component, fast-drying waterborne sealer;
Synteko Extra is a one-component, waterborne floor finish; and Synteko Best is
a two-component, highly durable waterborne floor finish.
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Tramex Ltd.
Booth G1417
Taylor Lumber Inc./
Sunshine Flooring
Booth G2242
Taylor, a leading
manufacturer of
rift and quartersawn flooring and
lumber, offers its
3
⁄4-inch solid hardwood flooring
unfinished and
prefinished in red
oak, white oak,
hard maple, walnut, cherry, ash
and hickory. Taylor is introducing its new line of engineered flooring, produced in-house, at Surfaces 2008.
Circle 155
This year, Tramex
is displaying its
Tramex CMExpert, a multi-purpose moisture
meter that allows
the utmost flexibility in the moisture and
humidity measuring needs of the
flooring industry.
It combines nondestructive moisture content measurement
with humidity, temperature and dew point.
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See us at Surfaces Booth G1432
www
* See the Precision Technology 10 Year Wear Warranty Brochure for details.
UFloor Systems Inc.
Vintage Hardwood Flooring
Booth 2266
This year at Surfaces, UFloor is displaying
its high-capacity, heavy-duty, uni-body
sanders from its Wolff line. The
Cobra and King Cobra are powerful, easy-to-use and efficient
wood floor sanding machines,
the company says.
Booth G2833
Vintage is
showing its
entire product
line of 3⁄4-inch
Pioneered Solid,
9
⁄16-inch Crafted
Engineered and
3
⁄4-inch Solid
Sawn handscraped and
exotic flooring.
New products
for 2008 include
hand-scraped maple and hickory. Vintage
is also showing its new Wire Brushed Collection in white oak and hickory.
Circle 157
VerMeister
Booth G2365
VerMeister is asking Surfaces attendees to
imagine a waterborne sealer that looks
exactly like a solvent sealer on oak and
exotic woods. Its new product line is a single-component waterborne that is more
durable—with abrasion-, scratch- and chemical-resistance—than any other two-component finish on the market, the company says.
Circle 159
Circle 158
2687 SF 4" No. One Common White Oak micro beveled for prefinish • 101 SF 1 1/2" Select Rift & Quartered Red
Oak • 253 SF 5" No. One Common Rift & Quartered White Oak • 114 SF 2 1/4" Select Rift & Quartered Maple
• 162 SF 1 1/2" No. One Common White Oak • 541 SF 5" No. One Common Heart Walnut • 382 SF 3"-4"-5"
Select Pecan • 5510 SF 33/32" x 2 1/4" No. One Common Maple • 2498 SF 4" Select Rift White Oak • 1010
SF 3"-5"-6" No. Two & Better Hickory with custom bevel • 1942 SF 3 1/4" No. One Common Red Oak with custom bevel to match existing • 101 SF 3" Tennessee Red Cedar • 1000 SF 4" Select Heart Pecan • 304 SF 2 1/4"
Did Someone Say
Custom Wood Flooring?
Select Rift & Quartered American Cherry • 1800 SF 6" & 8" No. One Common Poplar • 203 SF 1 1/2" Select
Quartered White Oak • 148 SF 2 1/2" Select Quartered White Oak • 3600 SF 2 1/4" x 9" Select Rift & Quartered
Herringbone White Oak • 278 SF 4" Select Heart Prefinished Pecan • 152 SF 2 1/4" Clear Quartered White Oak
• 1701 SF 4" Select Saddle Prefinished Hickory • 2687 SF 4" No. One Common White Oak micro beveled for
prefinish • 101 SF 1 1/2" Select Rift & Quartered Red Oak • 253 SF 5" No. One Common Rift & Quartered
White Oak • 114 SF 2 1/4" Select Rift & Quartered Maple • 162 SF 1 1/2" No. One Common White Oak •
541 SF 5" No. One Common Heart Walnut • 382 SF 3"-4"-5" Select Pecan • 5510 SF 33/32" x 2 1/4" No. One
Common Maple • 1800 SF 6" & 8" No. One Common Poplar • 1010 SF 3"-5"-6" No. Two & Better Hickory with
custom bevel • 1942 SF 3 1/4" No. One Common Red Oak with custom bevel to match existing • 278 SF 4" Select
Heart Prefinished Pecan • 1000 SF 4" Select Heart Pecan • 304 SF 2 1/4" Select Rift & Quartered Cherry
Hickory • Southern Pecan • Black Walnut • American Cherry
Maple • Red Oak • White Oak • Ash • Poplar
Tennessee Red Cedar & Others
800.243.4497
P.O. Box 100 • 1295 Industrial Drive
Huntingdon, Tennessee 38344
Circle 81
Product Focus | Exhibitor Showcase
W.D. Flooring
Booth G2009
W.D. Flooring is showcasing
its diverse product line of
hardwood flooring, including selections from its FSCcertified products. Producing
more than 180 products
from herringbone to its
Mountain Grade with average lengths of 7 feet, W.D.
distinguishes itself through quality of product, product choice
and ease of doing business, it says.
Circle 160
Waterlox Coatings Corporation
Booth G3562
Unlike common urethane finishes that conceal the wood’s fine grain under a layer of
plastic, Waterlox offers a handmade blend
of tung oil and resin that penetrates the
wood, yielding a rich, hand-rubbed look
that’s durable and easy to maintain. The
finish is VOC-compliant in all 50 states.
Weyerhaeuser Inc.
Booth 6751
Weyerhaeuser is
launching a
Lyptus singlestrip engineered
flooring line for
Spring 2008.
With an 1⁄8-inch
Lyptus wear
layer, this product offers the
look of solid
strip flooring
with the added
benefit of engineered versatility. It is available in 31⁄4- and 5-inch widths and six prefinished colors: Natural, Fire, Stone, Earth,
Garnet and Wheat.
Circle 162
Circle 161
Did Someone say
EXOTICS?
Call your distributor today for
Brazilian Cherry, Tigerwood, IPE, Australian
Cypress, Santos Mahogany, Hickory, Maple,
Walnut, American Cherry, Red Oak, White Oak
For the Best in
Treads, Return Treads, Risers, Flooring Trim,
Retro Treads, Handrails, Starting Steps,
Newel Post, Half Circle Qtr. Round
Blackstone Stair & Millwork
Morganston, NC 28655
Phone: 828.433.4747 • Fax: 828.433.5490
[email protected]
www.blackstonestair.com
Circle 46
Circle 73
LET’S FACE IT,
WE CANNOT
TELL A LIE.
At Mohawk, we recognize that committing to
environmentally sound initiatives cannot be a one-time
effort, that’s why we’ve secured a number of our
hardwood products with FSC Certification. A certified
Chain of Custody up to the final point of sale enables
your customers to identify and choose FSC certified
products knowing there is a system in place to verify the
sources of the wood used to manufacture the products.
The FSC label provides the link between responsible
production and your customer’s purchase. So if it’s got
our name on it, you’ve got our word on it.
This is just one example of the concrete ways we
recycle, reuse, and renew Earth’s limited resources.
To explore the many other ways we are participating in
sustainability that works, share with us at
greenworksblog.com, and visit us at
mohawkgreenworks.com.
E STRUCT
RA
L I FE
IM
U
L
E
xperience the feeling of hardwood floors built from
the forests of northern Minnesota. Our skilled craftsmen
produce floors with the feel and beauty of nature — with
exacting tolerances that would make any engineer envious.
You pick the species, finish and dimensions and we’ll produce an
engineered floor that will bring the northwoods into your home.
T
Bring the northwoods home
W
AR
RANT
Y
Our flooring offerings include unfinished engineered, prefinished
engineered featuring MinnLoc glueless installation, and A La
Carte engineered manufactured to your specifications.
800.788.9689 | AshawaBay.com | 9483 Ashawa Rd., Cook, MN 55723
Ashawa Bay Hardwood Floors are manufactured by Hill Wood Products, Inc.
Product Focus
Unfinished Wood Flooring
Rack ’Em Up
A guide to U.S. and Canadian unfinished wood flooring
nfinished hardwood flooring still dominates the market and manufacturers are racking
up the options to meet your needs for any project. Hardwood Floors’ exclusive charts
on the following pages give you a look at the various unfinished products available on
the market. For more information on the companies in these charts, circle their corresponding
numbers on the reply cards next to pages 10 and 146.
U
Aacer
Action Floor
Pine
Hickory/Pecan
Walnut
Cherry
Birch
Beech
Ash
Maple
White Oak
Red Oak
SPECIES
Floated
Stapled
Nailed
Parquet
Engineered
Solid
American Hardwoods
INSTALLATION
METHOD
TYPE OF FLOORING
Glued
A.E. Sampson
A.E. Sampson & Son Ltd. • Circle 185
Aacer Flooring • Circle 186
Aacer Northern Hardwood
Aacer Peshtigo River Plank
Aacer Café Hand-Sculpted
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Action Floor Systems • Circle 187
Al Nahar Building Materials LLC • Circle 188
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Allwood Import • Circle 189
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American Hardwoods Inc. • Circle 190
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American Heart Pine • Circle 191
Truman
Truman Vertical
Grant
Hamilton Vertical
Lincoln
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Appalachian Lumber Company • Circle 192
Summit Plank
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Appalachian Woods • Circle 193
Appalachian Wide Plank
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Armstrong Hardwood Flooring • Circle 194
Solid
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Engineered
Parquet
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American Heart Pine
Appalachian Lumber
Authentic Pine Floors
FLOORING
THICKNESS
(inches)
WIDTHS
(inches)
3
⁄4
⁄4
3
⁄4
varies
3, 4
3, 4, 5, 6, 7
Widths: 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15”; Eastern white pine in Select and Knotty.
Red birch in Casual Rustic.
Northeastern ash in Conservation Grade.
⁄32
⁄32
25
⁄32
11⁄2, 21⁄4, 31⁄4
4, 5, 6
31⁄4, 5
Extremely tight-grained flooring; each tree is hand-selected for a distinctive floor.
Selected to yield a longer average length.
A distressed floor that replicates antique Old World appearance; tight-grained.
3
⁄4
11⁄2, 21⁄4, 31⁄4
22 mm
60, 65 mm
1
0.9 mm
⁄16
5
3
3 mm
⁄2, 5⁄8
3, 4, 5, 6, 7
5
⁄4
⁄4
3
⁄4
3
⁄4
3
⁄4
varies
4
6, 8, 10
4, 5
varies
⁄4
3-9
⁄4
5-12
⁄16, 3⁄4
3
⁄8
5
⁄16
21⁄4, 31⁄4
3
12
3
25
25
9
1
3
3
3
3
5
NUMBER WEAR LAYER
OF PLIES THICKNESS
( inches)
Augusta
⁄8, 4 mm
1
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Available in other species upon request.
Warranted for radiant heat; all-maple core; zero formaldehyde.
Widths: 4, 6, 8, 10, 12”.
99% vertical appearance; infrequent small, tight knots; reasonably clear.
Not selected for heart-knots; not limited in size or frequency; nested 12’ packs.
Heart pine; selected for 75% heart content; infrequent 1-11⁄2” knots; nested 8’ packs.
Widths: 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12”; heart pine; 50% plus heart content; 1-41⁄2” knots.
3
⁄8
1
Product Focus
Birch Creek
Breeze Wood
INSTALLATION
METHOD
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Blackstone Stair and Millwork Inc. • Circle 199
Stair Treads and Mouldings
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BLC Hardwood Flooring LLC • Circle 200
BLC Hardwood
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Pine
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Hickory/Pecan
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Walnut
Birch Creek • Circle 198
Texturewood
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Cherry
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Birch
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Beech
Authentic Pine Floors Inc. • Circle 196
Authentic Pine
Authentic Red Oak
Authentic White Oak
Authentic’s Walnut
Ash
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Maple
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White Oak
Stapled
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Red Oak
Glued
•
SPECIES
Floated
Nailed
Parquet
Engineered
TYPE OF FLOORING
Solid
BSL Wood Products
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Augusta Lumber • Circle 195
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Brazilian Direct Ltd. • Circle 201
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Breeze Wood Forest Products • Circle 202
Nature’s Medley Plank Collection
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Nature’s Medley Long Rustic
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Bruce Hardwood Floors • Circle 203
Solid
Engineered
BSL Wood Products • Circle 204
Signature BSL
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Byrne Wood Floors • Circle 205
Appalachian Classics
Commercial Classics
Heritage Classics
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Canoak-USA • Circle 206
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Canterbury Flooring • Circle 207
Canterbury Signature Custom
Canterbury Signature Engineered
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Byrne Wood Floors
Canterbury Flooring
Centre Mills
FLOORING
THICKNESS
(inches)
WIDTHS
(inches)
3
⁄4
21⁄4, 3, 4, 5, 6
⁄4
⁄4
3
⁄4
3
⁄4
4-12
7-11
7-11
7-11
Random widths.
Random widths.
3
⁄4
21⁄4-7
Specialize in customizing the face (texturing) of several new and reclaimed species.
1
101⁄2, 111⁄2
⁄4
11⁄2, 21⁄4, 31⁄4, 4, 5
⁄4
⁄4
31⁄4, 41⁄4, 51⁄4
41⁄4, 51⁄4, 61⁄4, 71⁄4
⁄16, 3⁄4
⁄8, 1⁄2
11⁄2, 21⁄4, 31⁄4
21⁄4, 3, 9
⁄4, 5⁄8
21⁄4, 31⁄4, 41⁄4, 51⁄4
⁄8
⁄4
3
⁄4
31⁄2, 41⁄2
5-12
5-12
⁄4
21⁄4, 31⁄4, 41⁄4, 51⁄4
⁄8 ,3⁄4
5
⁄8
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
31⁄4, 4, 5
3
3
3
3
3
5
3
3
5
3
3
3
NUMBER WEAR LAYER
OF PLIES THICKNESS
( inches)
Carlisle Wide Plank Floors
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Also available prefinished; Appalachian quality; nested bundle.
Complete line of stair treads to match all domestic species of flooring.
Available presanded; a true mill-run grade; prefinished urethane or oil.
Available presanded; 4-12’ lengths; also prefinished UV oil; Canadian-made.
3, 5
varies
Available in yellow birch, hard maple, Northern red oak and American cherry.
9
3, 11
3, 11
4 mm
5 mm
5 mm
10-11
5.2 mm
Company has manufactured wide-plank engineered flooring for 25 years.
Fumed colors available; 14 species in full select width and length planks.
25 years of manufacturing engineered flooring; fumed colors; character-enhanced.
Standard Plank: 1-7’; Long Plank 2-12’; Estate Plank 4-12’.
Random length 1-7’; sawn wear layer.
Product Focus
Chestnut Specialists
Walnut
Hickory/Pecan
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Pine
Cherry
Birch
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Ash
White Oak
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Maple
Red Oak
Glued
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SPECIES
Floated
Nailed
Parquet
Engineered
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Stapled
INSTALLATION
METHOD
TYPE OF FLOORING
Solid
Clear Lake Lumber
Beech
Chen Ho
Carlisle Wide Plank Floors • Circle 208
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Centre Mills • Circle 209
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Chen Ho Lumber Co. Ltd. • Circle 210
El Engineered Series
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Cherokee Wood Products • Circle 211
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Chestnut Specialists Inc. • Circle 212
Custom Milled
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Chickasaw Brand Hardwood Flooring • Circle 213
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Clear Lake Lumber • Circle 214
American Made Flooring
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Creative@Home • Circle 215
Antique Impressions Alder Collection
Antique Impressions Oak Collection
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Cumberland Lumber & Mfg. Co. Inc. • Circle 216
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Custom Flooring Patterns • Circle 217
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Czar Floors • Circle 218
Chess Parquet
Dean Hardwoods Inc. • Circle 219
Prestige Hardwood Flooring
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Creative@Home
FLOORING
THICKNESS
(inches)
WIDTHS
(inches)
⁄4
⁄4
3
⁄4
4-10
4-12
6-20
⁄4
random to 10
3
3
3
Custom Flooring Patterns
NUMBER WEAR LAYER
OF PLIES THICKNESS
( inches)
Czar Floors
Dean Hardwoods
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Widths depending on species.
8 or 10
3-8
⁄32
4-16
3
⁄4
21⁄4, 31⁄4, 4, 5
⁄4
⁄4
3
⁄4
214⁄ , 3, 314⁄ , 4, 5, 6
21⁄4, 3, 4, 5, 6
21⁄4, 3, 31⁄4, 5
Sol.: 3⁄4, Eng.:9⁄16, 3⁄4
⁄4
varies
6, 7, 8, 9, 10
⁄4
21⁄4, 31⁄4, 4, 5
⁄16, 3⁄8, 3⁄4
any
Herringbone and flooring patterns come tongue-and-grooved for easy installation.
⁄2-3⁄4
9-24
Parquet is available in many species, sizes, number of fingers.
⁄8, 1⁄2, 3⁄4
3-8
Specialties are precision milling, wide width and long length; exotics also available.
25
3
3
3
3
5
1
3
⁄16
Thicknesses: 10.8, 11.8, 15.8 mm; widths: 90.5, 120.6 mm; frame sawn.
⁄4
3
10
3 or 4
3
Both solid and engineered can be processed in select and character grades.
Custom manufactured flooring from chestnut, oak and pine lumber; RW, RL, T&G.
4” white oak select or better; 4” Cherry Pioneer.
4” Hickory Pioneer.
31⁄4” hard maple clear.
⁄16: 7, 3⁄4: 11
11
9
5 mm
5 mm
Widths: solid: 3, 31⁄2, 41⁄4, 5, 6”; eng.: 5, 6, 91⁄4, 10”; alder species.
Can supply standard plank, wire-brushed or handcrafted time-worn.
Product Focus
INSTALLATION
METHOD
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French-Brown Wood Floors Inc. • Circle 223
French-Brown
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Goodwin Heart Pine Company • Circle 224
Wild Black Cherry
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Green Elf Flooring/Hong Ding Lumber Co. Ltd. • Circle 226
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Green River Lumber • Circle 227
Traditional Collection
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Graf Brothers Flooring • Circle 225
Graf Brothers Plank
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Pine
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Hickory/Pecan
Flooring Mill, The • Circle 222
TFM’s Country Hardwood Flooring
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Walnut
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Cherry
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Birch
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Ash
Engineered Flooring Manufacturers LLC • Circle 221
FloorLayers Engineered Plank Flooring
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Maple
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White Oak
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Red Oak
Stapled
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The Flooring Mill
SPECIES
Floated
Glued
Elmwood Reclaimed Timber Inc. • Circle 220
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Solid
Nailed
Parquet
TYPE OF FLOORING
Engineered
Engineered
Company
Flooring Manuf.
Beech
Elmwood
Company
Reclaimed
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Grizzly Floors • Circle 228
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Hardwood Flooring of America LLC • Circle 229
Terra
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Hardwoods of Morristown • Circle 230
Harvest Timber Co. • Circle 231
Pioneered Wood
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Hassell and Hughes Lumber Co. • Circle 232
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Company
Goodwin
Grizzly
Company
Floors
FLOORING
THICKNESS
(inches)
WIDTHS
(inches)
⁄8, 1⁄2, 3⁄4
up to 12
⁄8-1
2-10
⁄4
4-6
⁄4
3-12
5
3
3
3
NUMBER WEAR LAYER
OF PLIES THICKNESS
( inches)
10
up to 6.5 mm
⁄2, 9⁄16, 5⁄8
39⁄16, 43⁄4
⁄32
21⁄4, 3, 4, 5
sol.: 3⁄4, eng.: 5⁄8
21⁄8-107⁄8
10
4.5 mm
⁄32
37⁄16, 5
3
3.2 mm
⁄4
⁄4
3
⁄4
3
⁄4
3
⁄4
21⁄4, 31⁄4, 4, 5
21⁄4, 3, 4
21⁄4, 3, 4, 5
21⁄4, 4
21⁄4, 31⁄4
⁄4
varies
⁄4
21⁄4, 3, 31⁄4, 4, 5
19
3
3
3
3
Suitable for high-end residential and commercial applications; most species.
9” in solid only.
3-12
25
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Parquet and plank.
⁄4
1
Harvest
Company
Timber
Elm, redwood, locust, sycamore; also end-grain flooring tiles; custom millwork.
sol: 3⁄4; eng.: 5⁄8 21⁄2, 31⁄4, 51⁄4, 7
3
Graf
Company
Brothers
Specializes in riftsawn, quartersawn and long length.
7, 9, 11
2, 3, 4, mm
Maple comes in 1st, select and natural grades; red birch also available.
Exotic species also available including tzalam, chechen, naya, machiche.
Widths: 3, 31⁄8, 4, 43⁄4, 5, 51⁄8, 6, 63⁄4, 7, 8, 87⁄8, 107⁄8”.
Product Focus
Heidelberg
Company
Heister
Company
House
INSTALLATION
METHOD
Floated
Red Oak
White Oak
Maple
Ash
Beech
Birch
Cherry
Walnut
Hickory/Pecan
Pine
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Stapled
SPECIES
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Parquet
Engineered
TYPE OF FLOORING
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Solid
HomerWood
Company
Heidelberg Flooring • Circle 233
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Heister House Millworks • Circle 234
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Heritage Oak Flooring • Circle 235
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Herwynen Saw Mill Ltd. • Circle 236
Historic Floor Co. Inc. • Circle 237
Sugarpine Plank
Low Country Cypress Plank
Delta Pine
Heritage New Heart Pine
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Historic Woods Inc. • Circle 238
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HomerWood Hardwood Flooring • Circle 239
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Howell Hardwood Flooring • Circle 240
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Hull Forest Products Inc. • Circle 241
Wide Plank Hardwood Flooring
Traditional Wide Plank Pine
Quarter and Rift Sawn Wide Plank
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Indiana Hardwood Specialists Inc. • Circle 242
Indiana
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J.M. McCormick Co. Inc. • Circle 243
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Kentucky Wood Floors • Circle 244
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Howell Hardwood Flooring
Hull Forest Products
J.M. McCormick
FLOORING
THICKNESS
(inches)
WIDTHS
(inches)
⁄8
⁄4
3, 4, 5, 6
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
⁄4
varies
⁄4
21⁄4, 31⁄4, 4, 5
⁄4
21⁄4, 31⁄4, 41⁄4
⁄4, 1
3
⁄4
3
⁄4
3
⁄4
12-22
12
10, 12
6, 8
⁄4
3-12
9
7 mm
Random widths, depending on species; random lengths 2-17’; end-matched.
⁄8
⁄4
3, 4, 5, 6
21⁄4, 3, 4, 5, 6
multi
4 mil
Smooth and Amish hand-scraped character-grade flooring available.
Smooth and Amish hand-scraped character-grade flooring available.
⁄8, 1⁄2
21⁄4, 3, 5, 6
3, 5
2.5, 3.2, 4
Full line of unfinished engineered products: value or premium-based.
⁄4, 5⁄8, 1⁄2
⁄4, 5⁄8, 1⁄2
3 5 1
⁄4, ⁄8, ⁄2
3-10, 3-15 (ro)
7-19
3-6
⁄4
varies
⁄8, 1⁄2
21⁄4, 3, 5, 7
5
3
3
3
3
3
3
5
3
3
3
3
3
3
varies
⁄4-8+
3
NUMBER WEAR LAYER
OF PLIES THICKNESS
( inches)
Indiana Hardwood
9
4
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Radiant-heat-approved; 2-8’ random lengths; standard up to 10’ available.
2-12’ random lengths available; specializing in custom floors, hand-scraped.
Widths: 11⁄2, 21⁄4, 31⁄4, 41⁄4, 51⁄4, 61⁄4, 71⁄4, 81⁄4, 91⁄4, 101⁄4, 111⁄4”; end-matched up to 91⁄4”.
Long average board lengths.
“Immense” plank; ideal for Colonial and early-American style homes.
Cypress; contains minimal knots.
Southern yellow pine; harvested in the coastal plains of the Southeastern U.S.
Harvested from extreme Northern native yellow pine forests; has tight rings.
Most available in Select, Country and Character grades; red oak in clear grade.
Wider widths upon request; average plank length is 13-15’; three grades.
Blend of select and country grades; both radial and vertical grain.
Widths: 11⁄2, 2, 21⁄4, 3, 31⁄4, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8”.
3
1
⁄8: 10, 3⁄4: 7
5
5
⁄10-3⁄8, 1⁄6-1⁄2
⁄8: 3⁄16, 3⁄4:1⁄4
Thicknesses: solid: 3⁄8-3⁄4, eng.:5⁄8-3⁄4”; company manufactures complete custom floors.
Product Focus
INSTALLATION
METHOD
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Knights’ of Meaford Inc. • Circle 245
L & L Hardwoods • Circle 247
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L.M. Flooring • Circle 248
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Maxwell Hardwood Flooring • Circle 253
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McMinnville Mfg. Co. • Circle 254
Velvet
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Millwood Specialty Flooring • Circle 256
Millwood
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Missouri Hardwood Products • Circle 257
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Launstein Hardwood Floors • Circle 249
Engineered Floating Floor
Wideplank Quartersawn
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Lebanon Oak Flooring Co. LLC • Circle 250
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Living Elements • Circle 251
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Louisville Wood Floors • Circle 252
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Mercier Wood Flooring • Circle 255
Mullican Flooring • Circle 258
Unfinished Solid
Unfinished Engineered
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Pine
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Hickory/Pecan
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Walnut
Maple
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Cherry
White Oak
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Birch
Red Oak
Koetter Woodworking Inc. • Circle 246
Heartwood by Koetter
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Quartersawn by Koetter
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Floated
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Stapled
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Glued
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Nailed
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Parquet
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Solid
L & Company
L Hardwoods
SPECIES
Ash
TYPE OF FLOORING
Engineered
KoetterCompany
Woodworking
Beech
Kentucky
Company
Wood Floors
L.M.
Company
Flooring
Company
Launstein
Floors
FLOORING
THICKNESS
(inches)
WIDTHS
(inches)
⁄8, 1⁄2
11⁄2, 13⁄4, 2
⁄4
⁄2
3, 4, 5, 6, 7
21⁄4, 3, 4, 5
⁄4
3-10
⁄8, 1⁄2, 3⁄4
21⁄4, 3, 5
⁄16
⁄8
4, 5, 6, 7
varies
⁄16
⁄4
1
⁄2
varies
21⁄4, 31⁄4
11⁄2, 2, 21⁄4
Widths: 1, 11⁄3, 11⁄2, 13⁄4, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8”; lengths from 18”-141⁄2’.
Lengths: 11⁄4 to 101⁄2’; limited amounts prefinished.
Lengths 11⁄4 to 101⁄2’; limited amounts prefinished.
⁄2, 3⁄4
3, 4, 5, 6
Solid mesquite tongue-and-groove flooring.
3
3
1
3
3
9
3
5
3
1
⁄4, 3⁄8
3
⁄4, 1⁄2
varies
⁄4
21⁄4, 31⁄4
⁄4
21⁄4, 31⁄4
⁄4
21⁄4, 31⁄4, 4, 5
3
⁄4
21⁄4, 31⁄4, 4, 5, 6, 7
⁄4
⁄16
21⁄4, 2, 31⁄4, 4, 5, 6
3, 5
3
3
3
3
3
3
9
⁄4 to 7
NUMBER WEAR LAYER
OF PLIES THICKNESS
( inches)
Louisville
Company
Wood Floors
Company
Maxwell
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Hand-scraping available.
Hand-scraping available.
Product is in 10’ pallets to give a better average length .
2 mm
3
3
⁄16
3
6 mm
Widths: 3⁄8: 7, 1⁄2: 9, 3⁄4:12”.
3 layers of quartersawn hardwoods; 10’ and shorter; very stable.
Widths: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9”; quartersawn; presanded.
Smooth or hand-distressed.
Widths: 11⁄2, 21⁄4, 31⁄4, 4, 5, 6, 7”; unfinished hand-scraped now available.
Also available in Rustic Grade.
Available in AHMI-verified sustainable lumber.
7
3 mm
Product Focus
Mullican
Company
Flooring
Muscanell
Company
INSTALLATION
METHOD
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Northeastern Supply • Circle 262
Herringbone
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North Wood Flooring • Circle 263
Northern Michigan Hardwoods Inc. • Circle 264
American Hardwoods Collection
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Old Wood • Circle 265
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Oshkosh Designs • Circle 266
The Parquet Collection
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Owens Flooring Company • Circle 267
Plankfloor by Owens Flooring Co.
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P.G. Hardwood Flooring/Model • Circle 268
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Partee Flooring Mill • Circle 269
Partee
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Planchers Mistral Inc. • Circle 270
Mistral
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Premier Hardwood Products Inc. • Circle 271
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Rare Earth Hardwoods • Circle 272
End Grain Line
Figured Collection Engineered
Figured Collection Solid
Reserve Engineered Plank
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Pine
North Pacific • Circle 261
Springcreek Flooring by North Pacific
Hickory/Pecan
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Walnut
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Cherry
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Birch
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Beech
National Hardwood Flooring & Moulding • Circle 260
Castle Flooring
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Ash
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Maple
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White Oak
Floated
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Red Oak
Stapled
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Solid
Glued
SPECIES
Nailed
Parquet
Engineered
TYPE OF FLOORING
Muscanell Millworks Inc. • Circle 259
Muscanell Plank
Dry Canyon by Muscanell
National
Company
Hardwood
Northeastern Supply
FLOORING
THICKNESS
(inches)
WIDTHS
(inches)
⁄4
⁄4
varies
8, 9, 10
⁄2, 5⁄8, 3⁄4
varies
⁄4
21⁄4, 31⁄4, 4, 5
⁄4
21⁄4, 31⁄4
⁄4
varies
⁄4
21⁄4 to 51⁄4
3
⁄4
varies
⁄16
varies
⁄8
21⁄4, 3, 4, 5, 6
⁄4, 33⁄32
varies
⁄4
21⁄4, 31⁄4
⁄4
21⁄4
⁄8, 3⁄4
21⁄2, 3, 31⁄4, 4, 5
⁄16
⁄16
3 3
⁄8, ⁄4
9
⁄16
3
4
21⁄4, 3, 4, 5
21⁄4, 3
3
3
1
3
3
3
3
5
5
3
3
3
3
9
9
Northern Michigan
NUMBER WEAR LAYER
OF PLIES THICKNESS
( inches)
Owens
P.G./Model
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Widths: 21⁄4, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8”; also alder, madrone, wormy maple, tanoak.
Other species: wormy maple, bay laurel, big leaf maple.
3, 9, 11
2, 3, 4, 5, 6 mm
Widths: 11⁄2, 21⁄4, 31⁄4, 41⁄4, 51⁄4, 61⁄4”; hand-distressed available.
Widths: 11⁄2, 21⁄4, 3, 31⁄4, 4, 5, 6”; rift and quartered red and white oak.
Wider widths available upon request.
Widths: 21⁄4, 31⁄4, 51⁄4, 71⁄4, 91⁄2”; Douglas fir.
10
4.7 mm
Sawn lumber wear layer; long lengths up to 71⁄2’; warranted for radiant heat.
Widths: 13⁄4, 2, 21⁄4, 21⁄2, 31⁄4”.
9
9
3.5 mm
3.5 mm
9
3.5 mm
All domestic species can be processed as end-grain products.
Distinct crotch grain figure.
Bird’s-eye maple; available in natural grade and all-white sap grade.
Bird’s-eye maple; available in Standard, Prime and Exhibition grades.
Product Focus
Rare Earth
Real Wood Floors
INSTALLATION
METHOD
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Hickory/Pecan
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Walnut
Maple
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Cherry
White Oak
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Birch
Red Oak
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Beech
Floated
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Ash
Stapled
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Parquet
Glued
SPECIES
Nailed
Engineered
TYPE OF FLOORING
Solid
Saroyan Lumber
Real Wood Floors • Circle 273
Regent Kingdom Limited • Circle 274
Koiwood Engineered
Koiwood Solid
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Ressler Hardwoods and Flooring Inc. • Circle 275
Keystone Hardwood Flooring
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Saroyan Lumber Company • Circle 276
Custom Hand Distressed Flooring
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Premium Series Hardwood Flooring
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Seneca Hardwood Lumber Co. Inc. • Circle 277
The No Name Brand
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Shamrock Plank Flooring • Circle 278
Shamrock Plank
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Sheoga Hardwood Flooring & Paneling • Circle 279
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Smiley Lumber Inc. • Circle 280
Mill Standard Birch and Larch
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Smith Flooring • Circle 281
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Somerset Hardwood Flooring • Circle 283
Somerset Options
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Southern Wood Floors • Circle 284
Preferred Pine
Select Grade
Vertical Grain
Cottage Grade
Southern Pine Wide Plank
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Snow Country Hardwoods • Circle 282
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Shamrock
Sheoga
FLOORING
THICKNESS
(inches)
WIDTHS
(inches)
⁄8
21⁄4 to 6
9
⁄2, 5⁄16, 5⁄8, 3⁄4, 7⁄8
up to 3⁄4
21⁄4-9
21⁄4-9
7, 11
3
⁄4
varies
varies
varies
varies
varies
5
1
⁄4, 1⁄2, 3⁄8
3
⁄4-12
3
⁄4
varies
⁄4
21⁄4, 31⁄4, 41⁄4, 51⁄4
⁄4
21⁄4, 4, 5, 6
⁄4
11⁄2, 21⁄4, 31⁄4, 4
⁄4
11⁄2, 21⁄4, 31⁄4
3
⁄4
21⁄4, 3, 31⁄4, 4, 5
⁄4
⁄4
3
⁄4
3
⁄4
3
⁄4
varies
varies
4, 5, 6
varies
4, 6, 8, 10
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
Southern Wood
NUMBER WEAR LAYER
OF PLIES THICKNESS
( inches)
SouthFloor
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
5 mm
⁄8-1⁄4
1
Widths: 21⁄4, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8”.
⁄8: 10, 3⁄4: 13
⁄8: 10, 3⁄4: 13
5
5
5 mm
5 mm
Thicknesses: eng.: 5⁄8, 3⁄4, solid: 3⁄4 and custom; widths: eng.: 3-10, solid: 11⁄2-11.
Thicknesses: eng.: 5⁄8, 3⁄4, solid: 3⁄4 and custom; widths: eng.: 3-10, solid: 11⁄2-11.
Tongue and groove.
Widths: 21⁄4, 3, 31⁄4, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8”; available in 2-10’ packaging.
Wider widths upon request; quartered and rift red and white oak available.
Schoolhouse Quarter Sawn Larch and Homesteader Circle Sawn Larch available.
Making flooring for 60 years.
Also available in Brazilian cherry.
Widths: 4, 5, 6, 8, 10”; hand-selected for maximum heartwood content.
Widths: 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12”; wide plank available in heart pine and antique.
Selected from a pinstripe pattern that provides a uniform appearance.
Widths: 4, 5, 6, 8, 10”; wide plank in heart pine and antique heart pine.
Wide plank from same southern longleaf as heartpine; sustainable forest sources.
Product Focus
Sticks & Stones
Strategis
INSTALLATION
METHOD
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Strategis International Inc. • Circle 288
Trillium Uniclic
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Pine
Hickory/Pecan
Walnut
Cherry
Birch
Beech
Ash
Maple
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White Oak
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Red Oak
Floated
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Sterling Pacific Wood Products Co. Ltd. • Circle 286
Homag
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Sticks & Stones Dist. Inc. • Circle 287
Shaver Hardood
Stapled
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SPECIES
Glued
Nailed
Parquet
Engineered
Solid
TYPE OF FLOORING
SouthFloor • Circle 285
Engineered Heart Pine
Cottage Grade
Preferred Grade
Select Grade
Southern Pine Plainsaw
Stuart
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Stuart Flooring Corporation • Circle 289
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Syracuse Commercial Floors • Circle 290
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Taylor Lumber Inc./Sunshine Flooring • Circle 291
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Tembec Enterprises • Circle 292
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Ten Oaks • Circle 293
Tianjin Senlong Industry Co. Ltd. • Circle 294
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Solid
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Timeless Wood Floors Inc. • Circle 295
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Taylor Lumber
Ten Oaks
FLOORING
THICKNESS
(inches)
WIDTHS
(inches)
⁄16
⁄4
3
⁄4
3
⁄4
3
⁄4
75⁄8
varies
varies
varies
varies
3
⁄2, 3⁄4
3, 5
multi
⁄4
21⁄4-8
⁄4
5
⁄4, 1⁄2
11⁄2, 2, 21⁄4, 31⁄4
⁄4
⁄16
varies
varies
⁄8
⁄4
3, 5
21⁄4, 3, 4, 5
⁄4
21⁄4, 31⁄4, 5
⁄4
21⁄4, 31⁄4
⁄16, 3⁄4
25
⁄32
varies
varies
⁄4
31⁄2
9
3
1
3
3
3
3
9
5
3
3
3
9
3
NUMBER WEAR LAYER
OF PLIES THICKNESS
( inches)
⁄32
5
Tianjin
Timeless Wood Floors
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
Can be used with radiant heating systems; patented interlocking t & g.
Widths; 4, 5, 6, 7, 10”; 3” for antique; available in heart pine, antique heart pine.
Widths; 4, 5, 6, 7, 10”; wide plank heart pine, smaller knots
Widths; 4, 5, 6, 7, 10”; available in heart pine and antique heart pine.
Widths: 3, 4, 6, 8, 10”; wide plank; 99% knot-free, simple and elegant.
2, 3, 4, 6 mm
4 mm
The timeless beauty of maple with advanced Uniclic technology.
Black locust available; single-slot parquet in red and white oak in various lengths.
9
3.5
9
5 mm
Custom colors available on orders over 8,000 square feet.
Custom colors available on orders over 8,000 square feet.
Select and Better, rift and quartersawn; 12-84” lengths.
6, 7” widths in oak only; plain, rift and quartersawn.
Company also carries four gym systems and FSC maple.
Has a moisture barrier seal on all sides.
2, 3, multi
2, 2.5, 3 mm
Widths: 21⁄4, 3, 31⁄5, 4, 5, 6”; hand-scraped and distressed.
Widths: 21⁄4, 3, 31⁄5, 4, 5, 6”; hand-scraped and distressed; also prefinished.
Hand-scraped, custom oil.
Turman
W.D. Flooring
INSTALLATION
METHOD
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Turman Hardwood Flooring Co. Inc. • Circle 299
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Ua Wood Floors • Circle 300
ProLine
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Solid
Triton International Woods • Circle 298
Triton Solid Plank Flooring
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Pine
Beech
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Hickory/Pecan
Ash
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Walnut
Maple
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Cherry
White Oak
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Birch
Red Oak
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Stapled
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Glued
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Top Grade Floors Inc. • Circle 297
TGF Custom Flooring
SPECIES
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Nailed
Parquet
Engineered
TYPE OF FLOORING
Timeless Wood Floors Inc. (GA) • Circle 296
Heirloom Solids
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Heirloom Engineered
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Waltersdorff
Floated
Timeless Wood Floors (GA)
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Urban Floor • Circle 301
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W.D. Flooring • Circle 302
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Woods Company Inc., The • Circle 306
Traditional Country Flooring
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Zhejiang Green Home Wood Co. Ltd. • Circle 307
Green Home Wood
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Waltersdorff Mfg. Co. • Circle 303
Weaber Inc. • Circle 304
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Wide Plank Hardwood Ltd. • Circle 305
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Weaber
Wide Plank Hardwood
FLOORING
THICKNESS
(inches)
WIDTHS
(inches)
⁄4
⁄16
varies
varies
3
9
⁄16, 3⁄8, 1⁄2, 3⁄4
5
NUMBER WEAR LAYER
OF PLIES THICKNESS
( inches)
9
⁄2-12
1
Woods Co.
Zhejiang
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS
3, 4 mm
Widths: 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12”; available hand-scraped, wire-brushed; reclaimed.
Widths: 3, 4, 5, 51⁄2, 71⁄2”; also in wire-brushed, hand-scraped and prefinished.
4-5 mm
Rift and quartered, quartered only and rift only; stair accessories and vents.
⁄4
31⁄4, 4, 5
⁄4
21⁄4, 31⁄4, 41⁄4
⁄2
varies
5
3 mm
⁄8-1
21⁄2-8
varies
.05-.6 mm
⁄32
all
⁄4
varies
Widths: 21⁄4, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8”; custom thicknesses available; 9-192” lengths.
⁄4
21⁄4-51⁄4
SFI-certified.
⁄4
3-91⁄4
Douglas fir; only hickory, no pecan; flooring customized to clients’ specifications.
⁄4
varies
Widths: 3-11” (red oak, white oak, white pine); 3-8” (walnut, cherry, hickory).
⁄5, 5⁄8, 1⁄2
varies
3
3
1
3
25
3
3
3
3
3
Widths: 21⁄4, 39⁄16, 43⁄4, 51⁄2, 71⁄2”; 51⁄2 and 71⁄2” widths are special order.
Manufactured to order; minimum orders of 11,000 to 14,000 square feet.
Over 180 products, 1 million square feet manufactured monthly.
8
⁄2, 5⁄8
1
Widths: 21⁄4, 3, 31⁄4, 43⁄4, 5, 6”.
IndustryNews
Notes
Hoboken Closing Shocks Industry;
Assets to be Liquidated
oboken Hardwood Floors LLC (Wayne, N.J.), formerly the largest U.S. distributor of hard floor coverings
with branches throughout the East Coast from Westbrooke,
Maine, to Pompano Beach, Fla., as well as Texas, suddenly
closed its doors and shut down November 5 after 77 years
of business.
Rumors abounded for months that Hoboken, which was
acquired by private equity firm Code Hennessey and Simmons (Chicago) in 2005, was having financial problems.
Questions arose when longtime partners in the business Ira
and Joel Lefkowitz, who controlled a minority percentage
of the company upon their departure, vacated their positions—Ira in June, Joel in September. Ira is now CEO with
Ark Floors (Irwindale, Calif.). Joel was replaced with new
CEO Mark Steele in October, but reportedly remained a
partner in the business. It was the rapid expansion of the
company after this acquisition and the downturn in the
housing market that company executives blame for financially overstretching Hoboken, according to northern New
Jersey newspaper The Record.
Fear of financial trouble was fueled by several waves of
employee layoffs, including the firing of 120 employees at
the end of October. The remaining employees received an
e-mail in the early morning hours of November 5 from
Craig S. Dean, managing director of restructuring firm AEG
Partners LLC, informing them the business had closed.
The e-mail said, “... as of late Sunday evening, the company’s lenders have elected to stop funding the business on
a go forward basis. There, at this time, the Hoboken Wood
Floors, SPI Floors and Reliable businesses are closed.”
Two days later on November 7, Hoboken filed for bankruptcy, electing Chapter 7 rather than Chapter 11 because
the company “would be unable to obtain financing or to
generate enough cash to fund an expensive Chapter 11
case,” according to a quote given by Dean to the Associated Press. In the filing, Hoboken claimed assets and debts
totaling more than $100 million each, and between 1,000
and 5,000 creditors.
However, the bankruptcy case was dismissed on November 16 by Delaware District Judge Christopher S. Sontchi
when the court determined Hoboken had no assets beyond
those owed to the bank and other secured lenders, and had
no money to pay for the administration of Chapter 7,
according to The Record.
Charlotte, N.C.-based Wachovia Bank National Association, Hoboken’s lead agent of several secured creditors,
filed suit three days after the bankruptcy case was dismissed, seeking to seize Hoboken’s assets as compensation
H
for the $66 million in secured debts owed to Wachovia,
down from $100 million owed in June, The Record stated.
The bank has retained LiquiTec, the liquidation arm of
AccuVal Associates Incorporated (New York), to liquidate Hoboken’s approximate $50 million in flooring inventory. More information on the liquidation can be found by
contacting Bob Gaudiosi at [email protected] or a liquidation sales agent at 800/570-1946, ext. 121.
The repercussions of Hoboken’s closing quickly reverberated throughout the industry, and the fallout is expected to
continue. The company’s sudden failure left many surprised—and shortchanged. Hoboken supplier Wood Flooring International (Burlington, N.J.) is closing its doors as
a consequence (see story on page 142). Former suppliers
Columbia Flooring Inc. (Portland, Ore.) and Millwood
Specialty Flooring (Ellijay, Ga.) filed a lawsuit on October
30 against Hoboken for $892,511 and $127,993, respectively, covering debts for which they had not been paid.
According to The Record, Hoboken owes approximately
$400,000 to $500,000 in overtime pay to employees, many
of whom were left without any health insurance.
Now that the largest distributor in the industry is gone,
the market there is evolving. John Blesing, president of
Blesing’s Flooring (Clifton, N.J.), a former Hoboken contractor customer, said he is seeing many smaller distributors
pursuing Hoboken’s former customers. “Many distributors
are picking up the slack in the area. I see a lot of new players coming into play; they’re trying to come into the market,” he said.
National Wood Flooring Association Executive Director/CEO Ed Korczak said the association has been receiving many calls from former Hoboken customers trying to
figure out where to turn, and the association is encouraging
them to call the manufacturers directly to find distributors
and also use the online Resource Book at www.nwfa.org.
Some members also have been using the NWFA ListServ to
try to source product (NWFA members can sign up for the
ListServ by e-mailing to [email protected]; more information can be found under “Member Networking” at
www.nwfa.org).
Former Hoboken suppliers quickly found new distribution in the area. Mirage/Boa-Franc (St-Georges, Quebec)
announced the following new distributors for its products:
J.J. Haines (Glen Burnie, Md.) and BWA Belknap White
Alco (Mansfield, Mass.) for New England, Wheeler
(Orlando, Fla.), a division of J. J. Haines, in Florida, Trinity Hardwood Distributors Inc. (Houston, Texas) in
Texas, Apollo Distributing Company (Fairfield, N.J.) for
Industry News | Notes
Hoboken Shuts Doors (cont.)
New York City, northern New Jersey and western Connecticut, and Derr Flooring Co. for New York City, northern
New Jersey and western Connecticut. “We have taken all the
steps on our side to be sure that retailers had product available to them,” said Luc Robitaille, vice president of marketing for Mirage. BR-111 Exotic Hardwood Flooring (Miami)
announced that it has a new sole distributor for the New
York City metro area, Apollo Distributing Company. Somerset Hardwoods (Somerset, Ky.) also named Apollo Distributing Company its distributor for New Jersey, Connecticut
and New York; along with Bayard Sales Corp. (Philadelphia) for New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and parts of
Virginia and West Virginia; and NRF Distributors (Augusta,
Maine) to cover Maine, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and parts of New York and
Pennsylvania.
Former suppliers Armstrong Hardwood Floors (Lancaster, Pa.) and Accord Hardwood Flooring (Boca Raton,
Fla.) have developed different distribution tactics. Armstrong
is expanding its distributorship Patriot Hardwood Floors
and Supply (see story on page 144), and Accord opted to
sell its products direct. Weeks before Hoboken’s closing,
Accord had terminated its relationship with the company due
to rumors of its decline, according to Jack Eyal, president of
Accord, and has hired three former Hoboken sales employees—Douglas Borges, Leigh Sterrett and Rick Lewis.
Brenda Kubasta, president of former Hoboken supplier
Oshkosh Designs (Winneconne, Wis.), lamented the loss of
the great business relationships Oshkosh had with Hoboken
representatives. “You just hate to see someone that big and
powerful go down,” she said.
Rick Holden, executive vice president of distributor Derr
Flooring Co. (Willow Grove, Pa.), a Hoboken competitor,
said he is sad to see Hoboken go. “For us, our families go
back a long, long way,” Holden says. “[Hoboken was a] great
competitor and they were a hardworking, strong company;
it’s a real tragedy for the families.”
No one at Hoboken or AEG could be reached for comment.
WFI Lays off Employees,
Plans to Close Business
New Stream
Buys Tarkett NA
s a consequence of Hoboken closing, wood flooring manufacturer Wood
Flooring International (WFI) (Burlington, N.J.) is in the process of closing
its business. WFI laid off 30 employees on November 2, and has a skeleton crew
in place to wind down the business, company CEO Bill Jopling said.
WFI had aggressively expanded the business over the last three years, working
with larger distributors and expanding its commercial business, and the company
made the 2007 “Inc. 5,000” list, which cited WFI’s growth from $14.0 million in
revenue in 2003 to $22.9 million in 2006.
Given WFI’s aggressive growth and the stagnant economy, the aftermath of
Hoboken closing proved too much for WFI. “We had largely extricated ourselves
out of Hoboken except for the commercial side,” Jopling said. “Hoboken bounced
a bunch of checks, stranded a bunch of containers at port, and then there was
roughly $700,000 in projects for November and December deliveries that got
unconnected.” While that was bad enough, WFI also had $1 million in inventory at
its distributors waiting for a November 1 launch with a national account. The marketing pieces for that account included SKUs from both WFI and Hoboken, and
when Hoboken closed, the national account killed the entire program.
“I voluntarily called in the bank, because I’m trying to do the right thing by
everybody,” Jopling said. “We had to watch the potential liabilities coming out of
the aftermath of Hoboken, so we’re basically winding down WFI the corporation,
and on the other side, there will be another organization springing up.”
While it is painful to close the business he started in 1998, “It was the right thing
to do,” Jopling said. “We certainly weren’t going to let it get worse and worse and
do it like Hoboken.” He expects that other companies will suffer the same fate as a
direct result of Hoboken going under. “I’ve got to wonder how many other suppliers are going to go,” he said.
he North American group of Tarkett
International (Nanterre Cedex,
France) has been acquired from Tarkett
International by private investment group
New Stream Capital (Ridgefield, Conn.)
for an undisclosed price. The new company, ArborCraft, is headquartered in
Johnson City, Tenn., and is operating as
an independent organization with two
prefinished manufacturing facilities
located in Johnson City and one in Montpelier, Ind. Matt Galvez leads the company as CEO.
According to Wendy McIlquham, marketing director of ArborCraft, the new
company is the third-largest manufacturer
of prefinished flooring and intends to
revive the Harris brand in order to boost
the company’s place in the market. “One
of our really big drives for next year is a
major refocus on our distributors,”
McIlquham says, noting the company will
sell the Harris brand only through distributors and retailers, while the FloorCraft
brand will be available at big-box stores.
A
T
Armstrong Expands
Patriot Hardwood
Lumber Liquidators
IPO Falls Short
ollowing Hoboken’s closing, Armstrong Flooring Products (Lancaster, Pa.) is expanding Patriot Hardwood
Floors and Supply Inc. (Wilmington, Mass.), a distributorship that was part of Armstrong’s acquisition of Triangle
Pacific in 1998. Patriot’s new territory includes Connecticut,
New York and parts of New Jersey north of Ocean County,
in addition to its former territory of Maine, Massachusetts,
New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. A new branch
location will be selected shortly in New Jersey. The company
has hired eight additional salespeople—many of whom are
former Hoboken employees—for this new branch, according
to Paul Murfin, vice president of sales at Armstrong Flooring
Products. Patriot carries Bruce, Armstrong, Robbins and
HomerWood, as well as a range of unfinished hardwood
brands. Armstrong will retain its distributors on the East
Coast, including Belknap-White (Mansfield, Mass.) for
Bruce, Armstrong and Robbins Hardwood; Derr Flooring
(Willow’s Grove, Pa.) in New Jersey and New York as a
Bruce Hardwood distributor; and Apollo Distributing (Fairfield, N.J.) for Armstrong Hardwood.
In addition, Armstrong has expanded its distribution in the
South with Johnson Wholesale (Atlanta) as a Bruce distributor in Florida, Georgia and southern Alabama. Cain and
Bultman (Jacksonville, Fla.) will distribute Robbins hardwood in Georgia, in addition to the full line of Armstrong
products.
In other company news, Armstrong Holdings Inc., the
former parent company of Armstrong World Industries Inc.
(Lancaster, Pa.), has established a timetable for its dissolution.
December 5 will be the last day of trading common stock, and
no further trading or transfers will be recognized after this
date. On December 12, American Stock Transfer & Trust Company will begin distributing the $28 million in assets to shareholders. Following this distribution, Armstrong Holdings Inc.
will file Articles of Dissolution and will cease to exist.
In further company news, Armstrong World Industries’
(Lancaster, Pa.) third quarter 2007 wood flooring net sales
were $191.9 million, a decline of 12 percent from $217.2 million in the same quarter of 2006. The company attributed the
decrease to the housing market slowdown. Adjusted operating income of $13.5 million declined from $16.5 million for
the same time period in 2006; Armstrong said the decrease
was due to the fact that the sales decline and higher lumber
prices offset improved manufacturing productivity and a better product mix. For the entire company, third quarter net
sales were $913.3 million, up 1 percent from $902.3 million
in the same period for 2006. Adjusted operating income from
continuing operations of $83.8 million increased 5 percent
compared with $80.1 million in the same quarter in 2006.
umber Liquidators Inc.’s (Toano, Va.) initial public
offering on November 8 sold 10 million shares at $11 per
share, totaling $110 million, and the company’s stock price
has fallen since. When the company announced last April
that it filed for the IPO, it reported that it would raise up to
$150 million. Media reports indicate that expectations were
to sell 11.5 million shares at $12 to $14 per share, and that
the timing of the IPO during the housing slump weakened
the offering. On November 15, Chairman Thomas Sullivan
sold 4.1 million shares of stock at $11 each. As of press time,
shares were trading at $8.77. The company’s stock is traded
on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “LL.”
Sullivan could not be reached for comment.
F
L
Manufacturer News
Gestion Gino Ouellet, president and general manager of
BSL Wood Products, (Mont-Joli, Quebec) has acquired 58
percent of the shares of Plancher Ancestral (St-George-deBeauce, Quebec), a manufacturer of high-end oiled wood
flooring and complementary products. The two companies’
flooring products will be marketed and distributed independently of each other under their own brand names. The acquisition has expanded BSL by 35 employees, and Plancher
management will stay in place.
UFloor Systems Inc. (Greensboro, N.C.) has opened a
4,000-square-foot distribution and machine service center in
Denver. The company now distributes, repairs and ships
parts for its line of Wolff wood floor sanders, the Cobra and
King Cobra, out of this new location. Mike Hodges has been
appointed product manager of the distribution center; he
previously worked for BonaKemi USA.
PennWood Products (East Berlin, Pa.) held an open house
at its facility in East Berlin to celebrate the reconstruction
and improvements to its finishing building. The event was
held October 9, exactly one year after the former building
caught fire.
Cali Bamboo (San Diego, Calif.) has opened a distribution
center in Philadelphia. All orders and calls will still be placed
through the company’s San Diego branch.
Decorative Flooring (Port St. Joe, Fla.) held a wood flooring school September 13 at its facility in Port St. Joe. Instructors for the school included Daniel Boone of Everwood
Floors, Bob Moffett of Ceno Group, Charles Peterson of
The International Parquetry Historical Society and Donnie
Bouchard of Perfection Home Flooring. Vendors represented at the school included Bostik Inc., Powernail Company, Festool, Ceno Group, Professional Coatings and
U-V Cured.
DriTac Adhesive Group (Brooklyn,
N.Y.) has partnered with Granwax
Products Ltd. (Derbyshire, United
Kingdom) to market and distribute two
of DriTac’s adhesives in the United
Kingdom, Scotland and Ireland.
Magnum Wood Floors (North
Charleston, S.C.) has moved its head
office to 3294 Ashley Phosphate Road,
Suite 2G, North Charleston, SC 29418.
The phone number is 843/225-3373
and the fax number is 404/745-0274.
The company’s warehousing facility
remains in Calhoun, Ga.
Vecoplan (Archdale, N.C.) celebrated
its newly expanded headquarters at a
grand opening on September 15. The
new facility features 10,000 square feet
of office space and 50,000 square feet
of warehouse space. The company has
also opened its new state-of-the-art test
lab, which contains a selection of
Vecoplan’s most popular shredders and
wood grinders.
A study by the Freedonia Group, an
independent business research company, has concluded the demand for
wood protection coatings and preservatives, including those for hardwood
flooring, is forecast to increase 3.4 percent per year to $3.4 billion in 2011.
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AdIndex
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Company
Page
3M.......................................................................................2
Aacer Flooring LLC.......................................Circle 7 .........16
Ace Hardwood Flooring Inc..........................Circle 67 .......99
Advanced Adhesive Technologies Inc.............Circle 60 .......94
All American Wood Register Co. ....................Circle 14 .......28
Allwoods Hardwood Flooring/Chess Floors....Circle 65 .......98
Appalachian Flooring Ltd. .............................Circle 38 .......62
Appalachian Lumber Co. Inc. ........................Circle 25 .......42
Ark Floors Inc...............................................Circle 80 .....111
Baker’s Creek Wood Floors............................Circle 27 .......45
BASF Construction Chemicals LLC ................Circle 64 .......75
Basic Coatings ..............................................Circle 6 .........13
Besse Forest Products Group ........................Circle 70 .....102
Blackstone Stair & Millwork Inc. ...................Circle 46 .....116
BonaKemi USA Inc. ......................................Circle 1 ...........3
Bostik Inc.....................................................Circle 95 .....163
Brazilian Direct Ltd. ......................................Circle 68 .....100
BSL Wood Products.......................................Circle 28 .......48
Carlisle Wide Plank Floors.............................Circle 48 .......71
Carroll Hardwood Co....................................Circle 81 .....114
Cikel Brasil Verde S/A....................................Circle 52 .......79
Clarke American Sanders................................Circle 10...22-23
Classic Manufacturing N.W............................Circle 66 .......98
Cumi Canada Inc. .........................................Circle 56 .......87
D & M Flooring LLC......................................Circle 74 .......97
Dean Hardwoods Inc....................................Circle 9 .........21
Delmhorst Instrument Co. ............................Circle 62 .......96
Domotex......................................................Circle 40 .......64
Dura Seal......................................................Circle 2 ...........4
Ecotek Inc....................................................Circle 41 .......65
Elegance Exotic Wood Flooring.....................Circle 79 .....105
Engineered Flooring Manufacturers LLC........Circle 69 .....101
Floor Style Products Inc. ...............................Circle 87 .....149
ForesFloor....................................................Circle 19 .......41
Franwood International Inc...........................Circle 75 .....106
Garrison Collection,The.................................Circle 23...38-39
Glitsa American Inc.......................................Circle 8 .........19
Goodwin Heart Pine Co................................Circle 20 .......36
Graf Brothers Flooring Inc. ...........................Circle 50 .......67
Grizzly Forest Products .................................Circle 21 .......37
Hardwood Flooring Center ...........................Circle 91 .....145
Hawa Bamboo Flooring Corp........................Circle 57 .......89
Higuera Hardwoods......................................Circle 29 .......44
Hill Wood Products Inc. ................................Circle 85 .....118
Horizon Forest Products ...............................Circle 94 .....161
Industrial Air Solutions Inc. ...........................Circle 22 .......37
ITW Industrial Fastening/Duo-Fast.................Circle 34 .......56
Johnson Premium Hardwood Flooring ..........Circle 37 .......61
Karelia Hardwood Flooring...........................Circle 45 .......69
L & L Hardwoods .........................................Circle 73 .....116
Company
Page
Lauzon Distinctive Hardwood Flooring .........Circle 30 .......59
Lignomat USA Ltd.........................................Circle 44 .....104
Lon Musolf Distributing Inc. .........................Circle 83 .....153
Lubrizol Advanced Materials Inc....................Circle 72 .....104
Max Windsor Floors......................................Circle 82 .....115
Mercer Abrasives, div. of Mercer Tool Corp. ....Circle 5 .........11
Mercier Wood Flooring Inc............................Circle 51 .......77
Mirage/Boa-Franc..........................................Circle 33 .......55
Model Hardwood Inc....................................Circle 53 .......80
Mohawk Industries.......................................Circle 97 .....117
Mountain Lumber Company Inc. ..................Circle 99 .....109
Mr. Hardwoods Inc. ......................................Circle 88 .....146
Mullican Flooring .........................................Circle 4 ...........9
National Hardwood Flooring & Moulding......Circle 89 .....151
Norton Abrasives ..........................................Circle 17 .......33
NWFA ..........................................................Circle 24 .......43
NWFA ..........................................................Circle 58 .......91
Owens Flooring Company ............................Circle 18 .......35
Palo Duro Hardwoods Inc.............................Circle 16 .......29
Palo Duro Hardwoods Inc.............................Circle 36 .......53
Panel Town & Floors.....................................Circle 90 .....157
Powernail Company Inc. ..............................Circle 11 .......24
Powr-Flite, A Tacony Company......................Circle 47 .......70
Precision Techology......................................Circle 98 .....113
Premiere Finishing & Coating LLC.................Circle 39 .......63
ProTeam Inc.................................................Circle 26 .......49
RB Rubber Products Inc................................Circle 43 .......70
Real Wood Floors (MO).................................Circle 32 .......47
Robinson Lumber & Flooring........................Circle 35 .......57
Shamrock Plank Flooring ..............................Circle 96 .....164
Sheoga Hardwood Flooring & Paneling Inc....Circle 12 .......26
Surfaces .......................................................Circle 84 .....155
Synteko Floor Finishes ..................................Circle 55 .......85
Taylor Lumber Inc./Sunshine Flooring...........Circle 42 .......50
Timbermate USA Inc. ...................................Circle 31 .......52
Tradelink Wood Products Inc. .......................Circle 77 .....107
Tramex Ltd...................................................Circle 49 .......71
U.S. Sander LLC.............................................Circle 86 .....140
UFloor Systems Inc.......................................Circle 71 .....103
VerMeister....................................................Circle 61 .......95
Vintage Hardwood Flooring ..........................Circle 15 .......31
W.D. Flooring................................................Circle 3 ...........7
Waterlox Coatings Corp................................Circle 13 .......27
Weyerhaeuser Company...............................Circle 59 .......93
Wood Floors Unlimited Inc. ..........................Circle 93 .....156
Wood Plus Hardwood Flooring LLC ..............Circle 92 .....159
Wood Pro Inc. ..............................................Circle 78 .....143
Woodeye North America Inc.........................Circle 76 .....106
Woods Company Inc.,The ............................Circle 63 .......96
Woodwise/Design Hardwood Products.........Circle 54 .......83
www.freedoniagroup.com.
Wicanders Cork Flooring (Hanover, Md.) is holding its
Born of Nature contest for all professionals who create a
design or project using Wicanders products. First place is a
five-day trip for two to Portugal. Photos of projects should be
e-mailed to [email protected]. For more
information, visit www.wicanders.com.
Distributor News
Mirage/Boa-Franc (St-Georges, Quebec) has announced
that Ohio Valley Flooring (Cincinnati) will distribute Mirage
products in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and west Pennsylvania.
Trustor Coatings (Wausau, Wis.) has added two new distributors: Universal Hardwood & Moulding (Los Angeles)
and Tree Products Hardwoods (Eugene, Ore.).
Mercier Wood Flooring Inc. has selected Primco Limited
(Calgary, Alberta) as a distributor in Canada for the region
between the Pacific coast and Ontario’s Thunder Bay, as well
as the Yukon, Northwest and Nunavut territories.
BR-111 Imports and Exports Inc. (Medley, Fla.) has
selected Wheeler Total Flooring Solution (Miami) to distribute its products throughout Florida.
Harco Clear Coatings (North Brunswick, N.J.) has added
the following distributors: Floor Supply & Equipment (Los
Angeles); Old Master Products (Van Nuys, Calif.); Pyramid
Hardwood Flooring (Glendale, Calif.); and S & S Hardwood Supply (Los Angeles).
Robina Floors (Kennesaw, Ga.) has selected Classic Tile
(Elizabeth, N.J.) as a distributor for its engineered hardwoods, and Design Distributing Inc. (Richmond, Va.) for
its laminate and solid wood products.
Design Flooring Distributors (Pompano Beach, Fla.) partnered with Anderson Hardwood Floors, Mirage/BoaFranc, Kährs International, Artistic Finishes, W.F.
Taylor Co. and Bostik for customer appreciation events
October 24-25. The events were held at the company’s
Orlando branch and at its new 1,700-square-foot Design
Center Showroom and expanded Customer Service Center in
Pompano Beach. In addition, Design Flooring Distributors is
celebrating its 25th year supplying both Anderson Hardwood
Floors and Kährs International wood flooring to Florida specialty retailers.
Long Floor (Richmond, Va.) held training seminars September 18-25 for sales staff and customers at its Beltsville, Md.,
Chesapeake, Va., and Richmond, Va., locations. Participating
vendors included 3M, BonaKemi USA, Clarke American
Sanders, Dura Seal and W.D. Flooring.
In other company news, Long Floor partnered with
Clarke American Sanders (Springdale, Ark.) to host its second annual Customer Appreciation Event at the Chevy Rock
& Roll 400 NASCAR race held September 8 at the Richmond
WHAT’S HOT
In this sidebar, distributors from across the country
answer a simple question: “What products are hot in
your area?”
Stephen Smith, manager, Classic Wood Floors
(Springfield, Mo.):
“Like a lot of people, we’re selling more rustic-looking flooring, in our case, mostly solid unfinished. The
most popular species are oak and hickory. I guess
people are going toward these trends because they
want a more natural looking floor, or something to
match their rustic house.”
Jeff Fisch, marketing director, Premium Wood
Floors & Supplies Co. Inc. (Brooklyn, N.Y.): “We
still mostly sell strip red and white oak, because
that’s what most people are putting down on their
floors. Our exotics are becoming quite popular,
though.”
International Raceway.
Horizon Forest Products (Raleigh, N.C.) hosted its 10th
annual Customer Appreciation Nights October 8-11 and
awarded Sea-Doo GTI 4-Tec Watercraft to Fantastic Floors
(Charleston, S.C.), Ed Newsome Hardwood Floors, (Wilmington, N.C.), Phil’s Hardwood Floors (Raleigh), Weeks
Hardwood Flooring (Greensboro, N.C.) and Scotts Cabinets (Raleigh). In other company news, Horizon has transitioned into its new 101,640-square-foot building located at
4115 Commodity Parkway in Raleigh. The phone and fax
numbers remain the same.
Golden State Flooring (South San Francisco, Calif.) held its
annual Vendor Show October 17-19 at its Sacramento, Santa
Fe Springs, South San Francisco and San Jose, Calif., locations. More than 1,000 customers were treated to raffle
prizes, discounted items and T-shirts. The company has also
constructed a 1,200-square-foot addition to its prefinished
showroom in San Jose, Calif., to showcase its unfinished
products.
Retailer News
Entrepreneur Magazine recognized hardwood flooring
dealer ICC Floors (Indianapolis) as No. 144 on its “2007 Hot
500 List.”
Association News
The United States Green Building Council’s (USGBC)
Greenbuild 2007 International Conference and Expo was
held in Chicago November 7-9. Its exhibit space at
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McCormick Place was sold out, with 850 exhibitors, and
attendance was 22,875—nearly a 10,000 increase from the
2006 event. The event kicked off with a buzz — nearly 8,000
people attended the opening plenary session, which featured
former president Bill Clinton as the keynote speaker.
The NWFA has received two MarCom Creative Awards, an
international competition that recognizes “outstanding
achievement by marketing and communication professionals.” The association received a Gold Award for its NWFA
2007 School Brochure and a Platinum Award for its 2007
Convention Campaign.
The NAHB will launch its National Green Building Program
February 14 at the 2008 NAHB International Builders’ Show
in Orlando, Fla. The national initiative will link dozens of
successful state and local green building programs with a
universal online certification tool, national registry of green
homes and green builders and a range of educational tools
and resources for home builders and buyers.
The Maple Flooring Manufacturers Association Inc.
(MFMA) has enacted an accreditation program for sports
flooring installers. For more information, visit
www.maplefloor.org.
The International Standards and Training Alliance
(INSTALL) has added five members: Dayton Superior
(Dayton, Ohio), GAF-Elk (Fontana, Calif.), Graf Brothers
Flooring and Lumber (South Shore, Ky.), Lewis G.
Migliore & Associates (Dalton, Ga.) and Kährs International (Altamonte Springs, Fla.).
By the Numbers
New residential sales of single-family houses in September
2007 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 770,000
units, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. This is
4.8 percent above the revised August rate of 735,000 units
but is 23.3 percent below the September 2006 estimate of
1,004,000.
Total housing starts for October 2007 were at a seasonally
adjusted annual rate of 1,229,000 units, according to the U.S.
Commerce Department. This is 3 percent above the September 2007 figure of 1,193,000 units, but 24.5 percent below
the October 2006 rate of 1,560,000 units.
CORRECTION
In the Prefinished Wood Flooring Product Focus in the
October/November 2007 issue, the listing for BLC Hardwood Flooring should have indicated that the company’s
solid prefinished flooring can be nailed down, glued down
or stapled down, and also that the finish is aluminum
oxide, not wax.
The overall National Association of Home Builders/Wells
Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) remained unchanged
in November at 19. The index gauging current sales conditions remained at 18, while the index gauging sales expectations for the next six months declined a single point to 25.
The index gauging traffic of prospective buyers rose two
points to 17.
On the Web
The Wood Floor Depot (Galax, Va.) has launched its Final
Touch Web site at www.finaltouchwoodfiller.com.
Sekulic International Trading Co. (Los Angeles) has
updated its Web site at www.specialflooring.com.
Sika Corp. (Lyndhurst, N.J.) has launched a new Web site at
www.sikafloorusa.com.
Aascent Stair & Rail (Westminster, Md.) has launched a Web
site at www.stepsabove.com.
Long Floor has launched its newly designed Web site at
www.longfloor.com.
The USGBC has updated its Web site, www.usgbc.org. In
addition, it has launched a consumer education site,
www.thegreenhomeguide.org.
Wood floor specialist Tina Boone of Boone, N.C., has
launched a new Web site at www.boonewoodbrokers.com.
Wicanders Cork Flooring (Hannover, Md.) has started a
blog at wicanderscorkoakblog.com.
Harvest Timber Co./Pioneered Wood Flooring (Lakebay,
Wash.) has launched its new Web design at www.harvesttimber.com.
Business for Sale
An established 27-year-old high-end custom hardwood flooring installation and refinishing business on the California
coast is for sale. The company’s extensive customer list and
contractor referral base provides plenty of repeat business.
For the past several years, gross revenues have consistently
exceeded $1 million. The asking price is $175,000. For more
information, call Andy Borges at 408/385-0516.
Beware of Fraudulent
Telephone/Internet Scheme
Several companies in the hardwood flooring industry have
been targeted in a scam involving Internet Relay, a free service
that allows hearing and speech-impaired people to communicate over the phone by typing in information that is read by
an operator. In a typical scenario, a company receives a call
from the Relay service and the caller requests a large order of
product, implying that it’s urgent. The credit cards, checks or
money orders the person uses to pay are fraudulent. Most of
the calls are actually originating in Nigeria. For more information, visit www.stoprelayabuse.com/Nigerian.fraud.0.html.
Industry News | People
Manufacturers
BonaKemi USA Inc. (Aurora, Colo.) has restructured its management team, which resulted in the
departure of Ron Peden, president and CEO.
BonaKemi AB (Malmö, Sweden) President and
CEO Dr. Kerstin Lindell now serves as managing
director for BonaKemi USA. The executive management team includes: John Rauvola, sales and marketing; Kirk Roberts, product management; Paul
England, operations; Brad Stone, finance; and Erin
Wright, human resources.
Cikel American (Pompano Beach, Fla.) has named
Gerry Schappell vice president of sales. Schappell
was at Hoboken Floors for more than 20 years,
most recently as vice president of sales for Florida,
Georgia and Texas. He can be contacted at 800/9717896 or [email protected]. The company has
also named George Celtrick director of sales. Celtrick has more than two decades of experience in
the wood flooring industry, most recently at Austin
Hardwood Flooring. He can be reached at 800/9717896 or [email protected].
Harold M. Stuhl Jr. has been appointed vice president of the Rubber Group of DASH Multi-Corp.
(St. Louis), a group of wholly owned subsidiaries
that include RB Rubber Products Inc.
Preverco Hardwood Flooring (St-Augustin-de-desmaures, Quebec) has hired David Pierce as territory
manager for the Northeast United States. Pierce is
responsible for Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts and New York. Pierce most recently
was a district manager for Mohawk Industries.
Mark Mukosiej
Powernail Company Inc. (Lake Zurich,
Ill.) has hired Mark Mukosiej as regional
sales manager. Mukosiej covers Florida,
Georgia and eastern Tennessee. He previously worked for BonaKemi USA. Donovan Norton will also represent Powernail
as regional sales manager. Norton covers
West Virginia, Virginia, North Carolina and
South Carolina. He most recently managed
wood flooring crews for Western Carolina
Home Place.
Clarke American Sanders (Springdale,
Ark.) has hired Sheldon Walker as sander
manager for the West. Walker has more
than 20 years of experience in the hardDonovan Norton wood flooring industry and previously
worked for Glitsa American.
Larry Shideler, who founded ProTeam Inc. (Boise,
Idaho) in 1987, has retired from active management
and will remain with the company as chairman.
The Master’s Craft Flooring Company (West
Plains, Mo.) has added Eric Self to its national sales
staff. Self has more than 12 years of experience in
distribution. He can be reached via e-mail at
[email protected].
Lenmar Inc. (Baltimore) has added Brett Butler to
its sales team. Butler previously worked at New Parks
as national accounts manager. He can be contacted at
713/899-2229 or brett.butler@insl-x-com.
Welco Floor Coverings (Vancouver, British Columbia) has appointed Marc St-Cyr flooring sales manager. He can be contacted at 800/999-3526 or by
e-mail at [email protected].
Oshkosh Designs (Winneconne, Wis.)
has named Isabel Antunes territory manager for the Northeast and mid-Atlantic.
She is based out of Manorville, N.Y., and
can be reached at 516/509-9218 or at
[email protected].
Zipema Wood Products (Curitiba, Brazil)
Isabel Antunes
has added Ma Wen Hao to its Shanghai,
China, sales staff. Wen Hao has more than five years
of experience in hardwood flooring distribution. He
can be reached via e-mail at [email protected]
or at 86-1381-796-0206.
Award Hardwood Floors (Wausau, Wis.)
has appointed Allen Smith director of
sales for the Southwest territory. Smith previously worked in distributor sales for
Columbia.
Lauzon Distinctive Hardwood Flooring
(Papineauville, Quebec) has hired Vincent
Allen Smith
Dagnault as its senior marketing directormerchandising. Dagnault previously worked for Procter & Gamble. The company has also added
Gabrielle Lamirande-Gauvin as merchandising
manager.
The Nydree Group (Forest, Va.), the parent company of Gammapar and PermaGrain, has promoted Stephanie
Hackworth to sales operations manager.
She has been with The Nydree Group
since 2004 as customer service coordinator.
PennWood Products Inc. has added six
Stephanie
employees to its office and management
Hackworth
staff. Christopher Lamason is the company’s new technology director, Paul Shimek is
manufacturing manager, Thomas Devore Jr. is
supervisor of sanding, Michael Hottinger is sales
manager of Dallas-sales region west, Karla Leon is
quality assurance auditor and Amy L. Davis is cus-
Industry News | People
tomer services representative.
Distributors
Vecoplan LLC (High Point, N.C.) has
appointed Vinnie Carpentieri to national
sales manager-mobile division, to oversee
all mobile shredding system sales.
Vinnie
Carpentieri
Magnum Hardwood Floors (Charleston,
S.C.) has appointed Joe Valenza exclusive
manufacturer’s representative for Magnum
products in the New York, New Jersey,
Pennsylvania and Maryland markets.
Blastrac (Oklahoma City) has named
Spencer Murphy sales service technician.
The company has also appointed Phil
Johnson area sales manager for Georgia,
Alabama and Mississippi.
Arrow Wood Floors (Beaverton, Ore.), a
national importer and distributor of hardSpencer Murphy wood flooring from mills in China,
Indonesia, South America and Europe, has
hired Ken Barhorst as its national sales representative. Barhorst previously worked as sales representative for Base King.
Long Floor (Richmond, Va.) has promoted Danny
Yarbrough to outside sales and Nicole Hudson to
inside sales. The company has also promoted Paul
Wimer from branch manager to sales manager, and
Phil Kearney to manager of the Beltsville, Md.,
branch.
Floor Style Products Inc. (Hastings, Mich.) has
appointed Bob Blevin manager of its Maryland
location. Blevin is a 14-year hardwood flooring
industry veteran.
Erickson’s Flooring & Supply (Ferndale, Mich.)
has hired Kelly Earls as a salesperson. Earls is
based out of the Ferndale location and will cover
central Michigan. She can be reached at 800/2259663 or [email protected].
Dealer/Contractors
Brent Sorbet is now technical services manager at
ProStar Inc. (Milwaukee). He was previously at
Basic Coatings for 14 years, most recently as field
services manager.
Circle 83
Industry News | Products
1
Mountain Lumber has released its Guinness engineered hardwood flooring line produced from Guinness beer vats. Guinness
comes in 3- to 6-inch random widths and 18- to 60-inch random
lengths. The wear layer is 3 mm thick and the sublayer is a 9layer cross-ply birch for a total thickness of 15 mm. Guinness also
features a seven-coat anti-scratch aluminum-oxide finish.
Circle 165
2 Lignomat has developed its DX/C moisture meter with an E-
1
12 electrode. This meter offers a wood moisture range of 5 to 65
percent, built-in species corrections for 20 wood group settings,
including exotic and domestic species, and an easy-to-read digital display. The E-12 electrode offers flexibility of reading deeper
into the wood with pins that range from 1 to 2 inches. This
allows users to check if the core is as dry as the surface, helping
to prevent moisture problems.
Circle 166
3
2
3
Mapei Corporation has introduced its Planiseal WFM, a
wood flooring membrane that reduces moisture vapor emission
from concrete substrates, which is a cause of failed glue-down
installations. Planiseal WFM has in-plane crack isolation up to 1⁄8
inch, which can reduce flooring installation failures due to the
transfer of underlying cracks caused by contraction and expansion of the concrete substrate. The product also serves as a
sound-reduction membrane, with a Sound Transmission Class
rating of 66 and an Impact Insulation Class rating of 69.
Circle 167
4
Pollmeier now manufactures designer finishes for its European Beech hardwood floors. The finishes, WashedLook
(shown) and Design Line, add character to this glue-down flooring, which utilizes flexible polyurethane adhesives and displays
exceptional milling techniques perfected with the best in German engineering, the company says.
Circle 168
5
4
Seneca Millwork Inc. now offers transitions in three handcrafted finishes. The finishes are variations of a multi-step
process that creates an antique look by first staining the transitions one color and then a second color. The hand-scraped transitions have the undulated look of rough planks scraped smooth
over time. Seneca’s products, including T-moldings, reducers,
baby threshold, quarter round, wall base, stair nosings and stair
treads, are all available prefinished, unfinished or in the three
handcrafted finishes.
Circle 169
6
5
Armstrong World Industries has patented its new NextGen
technology for locking engineered hardwood flooring. This
flooring eliminates glue, nails and staples, permitting faster, less
expensive installation, the company says. NextGen technology
provides increased lock strength, resulting in a tighter fit
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If you are a serious floor covering RETAILER, SURFACES is
all about you and all about giving you exactly what you need to
stay on top of the latest trends and ahead of your competition.
• More than 1,000 exhibiting companies—Showcasing the most
innovative new product lines, styles and trends sweeping the industry.
• Three NEW Pavilions—Featuring all the latest and hottest
products in the industry.
> New Product Pavilion
> Decorative Concrete Pavilion
> Hand-Crafted Pavilion
• The most extensive Conference Program in the industry—Select from
numerous business, sales and marketing seminars created to help
Retailers succeed, profit and compete effectively.
• NEW! Retail Tour 2008—Spend an afternoon with two retail experts
as they share their retail knowledge during a walking tour of three
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Exhibits: January 30 - February 1, 2008
Conference: January 29 - February 1, 2008
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Las Vegas, Nevada USA
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Register online by December 19, 2007 and save on Exhibits and Conference admission.
800.547.3477 | 972.536.6400
SOURCE CODE: G13
between boards and a more dimensionally stable floor with a
higher tolerance to moisture, seasonal and climate changes, the
company says. NextGen is available in Armstrong Locking Hardwood, a collection of exotic and domestic hardwoods, and
Bruce Turlington Lock & Fold domestic hardwood flooring.
Circle 170
7 Gentry Hardwood Floors has designed its FusionPlank solid
6
7
hybrid flooring system with the look, feel and wear properties
of traditional 3⁄4-inch solid hardwood flooring, but with the
dimensional stability that allows for below-grade, concrete slab
installations usually reserved for engineered flooring products.
FusionPlank floor planks have two basic layers. The base layer
is manufactured from smaller pieces of hardwoods that are finger-jointed, then assembled into a solid piece of wood. The
wear layer is available in American, Asian, European and other
exotic woods and comes prefinished in seven colors or unfinished. Fusion Plank comes in widths of 31⁄2, 5, 6 and 7 inches
and lengths up to 7 feet.
Cirlce 171
8
UFloor Systems Inc. has introduced its Uzin MK 95, a solvent- and water-free polyurethane wood flooring adhesive with
Circle 93
hard elastic properties. Uzin MK 95 has a quick drying time and
can be sanded after 24 hours, the company says. A one-component polyurethane adhesive, Uzin MK 95 sets rapidly, yet has a
working time of 50 to 60 minutes. It has no swelling effect due
to excellent trowel-ridge formation that secures the wood flooring to the substrate, limiting any potential deflection in the
wood, the company adds.
Circle 172
8
9 Basic Coatings LLC has developed its Basic Floor Dragon
17 buffer with a dust containment port that attaches to Basic’s
Power Dragon 26 vacuum to keep the work area clean and
dust-free. The Dragon has a reliable 1.5-hp motor for sanding,
stripping, spray-buffing and staining jobs with ease, the company says.
Circle 173
9
10 Start ‘N’ Finish Hardwood Floor Products has released its
Start ‘N’ Finish Courses (SFCs), which can save more than 75
percent of the time spent installing the first and last three rows
of a wood flooring job, the company says. Each SFC is made up
of 3⁄4 by 21⁄4-inch wood flooring in 6-foot lengths with three rows
of strip ends that allow precise interlocking with the remaining
10
“The Complete Flooring Store”
featuring
Unfinished & Prefinished Hardwood Flooring & Mouldings
All sizes and species
3/8”, 1/2” & 3/4” x 11⁄2”, 21⁄4”, 3”, 4”, 5”, 6”, 7”, 8”, 9”, 10” & 12”
Oak, Maple, Cherry, Hickory, Walnut, Ash, Beech & Exotic Species
3M • Basic Coatings • Dura Seal • BonaKemi • Polo-Plaz • Masterline • Watco
Appalachian Floor Vents • Wood Ventures • Mullican • Somerset • Bruce • Hartco
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Crain • Stanley Bostitch • HighPro • Senco • Franklin International • Bostik’s Best
Columbia Flooring • Witex • Wilsonart • Quick Step
We Will Ship Anywhere
1063 Dublin Road • Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 488-0334 • (614) 488-0359 • www.paneltown.com • [email protected]
Circle 90
flooring. The SFCs save time and minimize gapping issues, as
well as help prevent nicks on cabinets and walls, the company adds. SFCs are available in all grades and species.
Circle 174
11
Norton Abrasives has designed its Norton 3X Sanding
Glove. The glove makes sanding easier because it conforms
to many shapes and is ideal for reaching into confined
spaces such as underneath a radiator, the company says. The
firm yet flexible structure of the glove allows for easy access
to difficult places, and helps eliminate fatigue caused by
holding a block or pad, the company adds. The open mesh
fabric material protects the hand during sanding and allows
ventilation.
Circle 175
11
12
12
Husky now offers its 84-watt portable tripod fluorescent work light with 360-degree illumination. The tripod is 33
inches long when folded up. The lamp stands 5 feet, 4
inches tall and can light spaces up to 17 by 24 square feet by
producing 300 watts of incandescent light in all directions
with no heat buildup. It draws less than 1 amp of power, and
its two 42-watt compact florescent light bulbs are set in a
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well-protected telescoping module that automatically powers on
when the module is raised, eliminating the struggle to find
power buttons in a dark work area.
Circle 176
13
Blastrac has released its BG 250, a 10-inch surface grinder
used for concrete cleaning, leveling and removing mastics,
epoxies, urethane, paint and other coatings. It can also be used
for leveling out high spots and curled joints. The walk-behind
grinder has oversized rear wheels for easy transport and superior control on uneven surfaces, the company says. Rubbermount handle bars reduce vibration and operator fatigue.
Circle 177
13
14 Wintersteiger Inc. has introduced its DSG, a thin-cutting
frame saw for producing lamellas for engineered floors. Servocontrolled precision feed and increased drive performance
make the Sonic one of the fastest thin-cutting frame saws with
50 percent more capacity than other models, the company says.
The tolerance-free saw-guiding system with linear bearings and
high-quality saw blades with a cutting kerf of 0.043 inch gives
users precise lamellas, the company says.
Circle 178
14
Akzo Nobel
Coatings, Inc.,
manufacturer of
Synteko Floor
Finishes,
A SERVICE PLUS
+++ COMPANY!!!!!
1-877-238-9534
is currently looking for
www.woodplushardwoods.com
Manufacturers Sales Reps in
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the U.S. with knowledge and
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floor industry. Synteko has a
full line of floor finishes to
Distributing
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Solids and Engineered available Oak, Maple, Hickory, Ash, Birch,
Walnut, American Cherry, Australian Cypress, Brazilian Cherry,
Tigerwood, and many others!!!
expand the selection of
products that you are currently
Also
available : Stair parts, Moldings, Transitions and Registers,
for a complete look in all species!!!
offering your customers.
To
enhance : we also have medallions, specialty floor patterns,
borders and corners!!!
Please contact Lou Jones at
Call for Equipment, Sandpaper, Finish, Fillers and Fasteners:
All that’s needed to put down and finish a hardwood floor.
866-796-8356 or
email [email protected]
111 Depot Avenue, Galax, VA 24333
Tel: 276-238-9534 Fax: 276-238-9537 E-Mail: [email protected]
Circle 92
Industry News | Events
Domotex Hannover
NAHB National Green Building Conference
January 12-15, 2008 « Hannover, Germany
May 11-13, 2008 « New Orleans
More than 47,000 professionals from the wholesale, retail,
skilled, architecture and interior design trades will travel to
Hannover to learn about the latest trends in the floor covering
industry. For more information, call 49-511-89-0 or visit
www.domotex.de.
This show covers all areas related to the green building industry, including environmental building materials, construction,
codes and standards. For more information, call 800/368-5242,
ext. 8338; e-mail [email protected] or visit www.nahb.com.
Surfaces 2008
January 30-February 1, 2008 « Las Vegas
Surfaces 2007 attracted 38,246 retailers, manufacturers, distributors, architects, designers, builders and installers, and 1,065
exhibitors, more than 200 of which were NWFA members.
For information, call 800/547-3477 or visit www.surfaces.com.
International Builders’ Show
February 13-16, 2008 « Orlando, Fla.
More than 1,900 exhibiting companies and 104,000 attendees were at IBS 2007. This show provides members of the
home building industry with the opportunity to see cuttingedge products. For more information, call 202/266-8111 or
visit www.buildersshow.com.
MFMA Conference
March 5-8, 2008 « San Diego, Calif.
This biennial conference is the official show for the Maple
Flooring Manufacturers Association, which provides information about maple flooring and related sports systems. For more
information, call 847/480-9282 or visit www.maplefloor.org.
Domotex Asia/Chinafloor
March 11-13, 2008 « Shanghai, China
Domotex Asia/Chinafloor 2008 is expected to surpass its
record-setting 2007 attendance, which included more than 928
exhibitors and 35,695 attending floor covering professionals.
For more information, contact Melody Shen at 86-21-62477668, ext. 935/922; [email protected]; or
visit www.domotexasiachinafloor.com.
NWFA 23rd Annual Education Conference
and 2008 Wood Flooring Expo
March 25-28, 2008 « Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
The largest convention in the world dedicated exclusively to
wood flooring, this show offers educational sessions, industry-specific exhibits, hands-on demonstrations, Wood Floor of
the Year Awards, and networking opportunities. For more
information, contact the NWFA at 800/422-4556 (U.S.),
800/848-8824 (Canada) or 636/519-9663 (local and international), e-mail [email protected] or visit www.nwfa.org.
Coverings 2008
April 29-May 2, 2008 « Orlando, Fla.
Coverings 2008 returns to Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center. For more information, call 886/285-3691 or
703/683-8500, or visit www.coverings.com.
Greenbuild 2008
November 19-21, 2008 « Boston
This conference serves as a tool for professionals in the green
building industry to learn about design, construction and
building management. For more information, call 202/7423818 or visit www.greenbuildexpo.org.
ASSOCIATION SCHOOLS
NWFA
A wide range of NWFA technical training schools are
offered each year. The St. Louis schools are held at the
newly expanded NWFA training center. Contact NWFA by
phone at 800/422-4556 (U.S.); 800/848-8824 (Canada);
636/519-9663 (local and international); by e-mail at [email protected]; or visit www.nwfa.org. The 2008
school dates are:
Jan. 23-25 ......Portland, Ore. ........Intermediate Install., Sand & Finish
Feb. 12-15......Long Beach, Calif...Intermediate Install., Sand & Finish
Feb. 27-29......St. Louis..................Custom Design & Craftsmanship
March 4-7 ......St. Louis..................Wood Flooring Basics
March 10-13 ..St. Louis..................Wood Flooring Inspection
April 8-11 ......San Francisco ........Adv. Interm. Install., Sand & Finish
April 23-25 ....St. Louis..................Intermediate Install., Sand & Finish
May 6-9..........Hartford, Conn.......Adv. Interm. Install., Sand & Finish
May 21-23......St. Louis..................Subfloor Prep & H.W.F. Install
June 18-20......Riverside, Calif. ......Intermediate Install., Sand & Finish
Aug. 26-29 ....Atlanta....................Adv. Interm. Install., Sand & Finish
Sept. 9-12 ......St. Louis..................Adv. Interm. Install., Sand & Finish
Sept. 16-19 ....St. Louis..................Wood Flooring Basics
Sept. 22-25 ....St. Louis..................Wood Flooring Inspection
Oct. 7-11........St. Louis..................Expert Installation
Oct. 13-15 ......St. Louis..................Expert Sand & Finish
Oct. 22-24 ......Phoenix..................Intermediate Install., Sand & Finish
Nov. 5-7 ........St. Louis..................H.W.F. Makeover—Basic to Adv.
Nov. 12-14 ....Minneapolis ..........Intermediate Install., Sand & Finish
NOFMA: The Wood Flooring
Manufacturers Association
NOFMA offers a school for floor covering inspectors,
home inspectors and other professionals in wood flooring-related businesses. In cooperation with NWFA and
MFMA, NOFMA also offers schools at the NWFA headquarters providing basic instruction on installation, sanding and finishing. For more information, call 901/526-5016,
e-mail [email protected] or visit www.nofma.org.
Industry News | Events
MANUFACTURER EVENTS
Armstrong Wood Products
Armstrong offers complete installation schools and advanced workshops at its Lancaster, Pa., training
center. Call 800/356-9301, ext. 5376,
for more information.
Basic Coatings
Basic Coatings offers its Basic Pro
Schools in Toledo, Ohio. The company is offering several schools for
its 2008 program. For more information, contact Kellie Smithson at
800/441-1934, ext. 3798.
BonaKemi USA
BonaKemi holds four- and five-day
Sand & Finish schools at its Monroe,
N.C., training facility for both professional and beginning hardwood
flooring contractors. The 2008
classes will be offered February 2629, April 15-18, June 2-6 (beginners
only), July 15-18, August 12-15 and
November 11-14. For more information, call Betty Jo Hargrave at
800/872-5515 or e-mail [email protected].
Clarke American Sanders
Clarke American Sanders hosts
three-day sanding seminars at its
Springdale, Ark., facility. The company’s 2008 seminars will be held
May 20-22, July 15-17 and October
28-30. For more information, call
800/235-0367.
Mohawk Industries
Mohawk Industries holds Wood
Installation training courses and
Product Knowledge courses. Call
800/MOHAWKU, e-mail mohawk_
[email protected] or visit
www.mohawk-university.com for
more information.
Mullican Flooring
Mullican Flooring offers its Mullican
Tech 101 classes in Johnson City,
Tenn, on how to installand sell Mullican products. The company has
several classes planned for 2008. For
more information, call 800/844-6356.
ArborCraft Inc.
Tarkett offers two-day flooring seminars at its headquarters in Johnson
City, Tenn. For more information, call
Wendy McIlquham at 800/842-7816.
No one understands the importance of
on-time delivery better than we do.
Well, almost no one.
Happy Holidays & Thank You
for Being Our Customer.
www.LongFloor.com
Raleigh, NC: 919-255-9010 sWilmington, NC: 910-343-3331
Greensboro, NC: sKnoxville, TN: 865-342-0050
Charleston, SC: 843-744-4442
Long Floor: Richmond, VA: 804-353-4419
Chesapeake, VA: 757-420-8sBeltsville, MD: 301-419-0033
Circle 94
www.HorizonForest.com
WoodShowcase
Classic
Elegance
Photos courtesy of Visbeen Associates Inc.
Handcrafted flooring
complements home’s
Old World style
Project Details
Location: Ada, Mich.
Wood: White oak, walnut, mixed species in medallion
Finish: Proprietary oil-and-wax finish
Flooring Contractor/Designer: Birger Juell Ltd. (Chicago, Ill.)
Architect: Visbeen Associates Inc. (Grand Rapids, Mich.)
he owners of this Michigan estate set out to create a masterpiece that
reflects their whimsical styles combining a variety of patterns, textures and colors. Integral to the design of the massive project was the approximately 5,000 square feet of
wood flooring throughout the home.
To achieve the look the clients were after, the designers enlisted the help of Birger Juell Ltd. to create custom floors throughout. “The customers wanted to use a variety of patterns and textures appropriate to the
aesthetic requirements of each space,” says Chuck Crispin, president of Birger Juell. The foyer and hallway
feature hand-scraped rift and quartersawn white oak laid in various patterns. The focal point is a concentric
oval sunburst that frames a rose medallion crafted from verawood, lacewood and rosewood. For the study,
the homeowners chose a hand-scraped walnut Bordeaux pattern to complement the large arched trusses.
All the floors were finished with five coats of Birger Juell’s proprietary oil-and-wax finish, completing the
Old World look the clients wanted while creating a work of art underfoot. — C.L.
T
Proud member of
the green clique.
Go to www.greenmission.bostik-us.com
www.bostik-us.com • 888-592-8558
0
0 0 0
0
PRODUCERS OF FINE QUALITY HARDWOOD FLOORING
CHERRY
RIFT
&
HICKORY
WALNUT
QUARTERED RED OAK
RIFT
RED OAK
&
PHONE :
WHITE OAK
QUARTERED WHITE OAK
866-473-3765
SHAMROCKPLANKFLOORING . COM

December 2007|January 2008

Transcription

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