News & Notes

03/14/12 - It aint easy being green, is it ?

Green flooring part II Traditional is it easy being green?  Green Flooring according to Jason Stanley; VP of FloorMaxDirect in Dalton Ga.

We learned about the amazing Carpet 2.0 products in our first article, made from recycled materials. Thats a really great green story. In this article we are going to talk about traditional GREEN products. There are green products that are truly recycled material and materials made from plants where nothing was harvested or killed to product it, and there are green items that given LEED points and tax incentives when building and working in the building industry. The most asked for item is Bamboo. Bamboo has seen a huge jump forward in style, color, and quality in the last few years. Bamboo, by nature, is a soft grass. Many big box stores have basic bamboo flooring on sale. Its harvested quickly, it is soft, and dont forget it is a grass. Its wonderful flooring for low traffic areas. If the woman walks across it with high heel shoes, look out for marks. Dont ask me about men in high heel shoes, I dont know, but Im sure its worst. We only carry HARD bamboo, which is aged and much stronger than what you see at the Other Guys stores. But in the end, its still a grass. What if we need it to hold up in a heavy traffic area? Well Strand woven bamboo is your answer. This process weaves bamboo strips together and then compressed them with extreme pressure and heat. It makes strand woven bamboo as resistant to wear and scratches as dense hardwoods. Recently we have seen a great new number of colors and styles in this line. Its great for any traffic areas in your home, pets, kids, and the worst residential traffic walk ways. Mohawk even has a product you a clickwhen installing it which eliminates the need for harmful adhesives! Another GREEN product is hardwood flooring and laminate flooring with mdf fiber core board. The core board of laminates like Pergo, Mohawk, and Shaw laminates is made from wood waste, so there is a huge amount of recycled material in the core of the material. The top and bottom are laminated with extremely wear resistant coatings that are incredible when standing up to steel wire brush scrapings, Tonka trucks, and grit and sand from daily traffic. Laminates may be the easiest item to keep clean, and pound for pound, their ease of care may make them the greenest; product of them all. A click hardwood may have a top layer of real wood, but the rest if made from wood materials that would go to land fills or other wasteful projects. These items are as much as 85 % green, combine that with the no VOC from glue or adhesives, and you have went a long way in keeping your home safe from dangerous and even toxics materials. These and many prefinished high ends hardwoods, as well as laminates, have great protective finish on it, making It even safer to keep clean in your home. No chemical cleaners, waxes, or finish products and ever needed or recommended. There are numerous environmentally friendly underlayments for these items, as well as adhesives with low VOCs now for the environmentally conscious consumer. Make sure to check if the one youre looking at is biodegradable or recycled. There are many choices on traditional Green items for your home and your floor. If you can save the environment a little and also save some money, this is an excellent choice for your home.

Comments by Jason Stanley - FloorMAX Direct. 1-800-423-1823. Send comments to Jason via Floormax@aol.com

Comments by Jason Stanley - FloorMAX Direct. 1-800-423-1823. Send comments to Jason via email.

02/18/12 - To Green or Not to Green

Green flooring part III To green or not to green  Green Flooring according to Jason Stanley; VP of FloorMaxDirect in Dalton Ga.

When is comes to flooring, new products crafted from renewable resources are making their mark, but some old standbys are green friendly as well. Such is the case with traditional hardwood floors. They may not get your LEED points, but they are great for the environment and many items better for your home, family, wallet, and the world. Im not going to get into the politics or the GREENWASHING issue, but I will say that saving the environment is a big issue when choosing a floor covering. Flooring constructed from Cork and Bamboo is popular due to its green appeal. There is even carpeting made from corn or recycled plastic bottles. Everybodys looking into these products because they are considered green, but many of these items last only about five years. The new strand woven Bamboo last longer than traditional bamboo, and typically lasts ten years before upkeep is needed. Ten years sounds acceptable until compared with traditional hardwood floors that endure for a century or longer. When you use traditional hardwood flooring, your putting down a floor that lasts a hundred years or more, and the same is true with porcelain tile, proving there are a couple of different ways to skin the green cat. A good hardwood floor will be down forever. I prefer it to products that dont wear as well. Hardwood floors help the environment by calling for fewer cleaning products. White vinegar, water, and a mop are the only items needed to adequately care for a high end prefinished wood floor. You dont buy the industrial strength cleaners, nothing with Soap or Wax in the name, and nothing with strong chemicals. You save money on cleaning products, which in turn helps the environment considering all the cleaners, containers, and pads youre not throwing into the trash. A shot of Windex cuts the worst pet stain and removes the odor. Keeping chemicals out of your home and saving on cleaners and pads you throw away is a great help to YOUR environment, and it helps the worlds environment as well. Biodegradable and non toxic cleaner like Mohawks floor cleaner are a great way to keep the worst messes clean off your flooring without resorting to soaps, chemicals, and harmful products. One of the most misclassified items in tile. Ceramic tiles and natural stones, lets face it. This is as green as you can get. No plants were harmed during the process. A natural stone floor or high end ceramic will be on your floor long after were gone. And they are one of the easiest items to clean up in the history of flooring. Scholars claim Rome lasted as long as it did because of the roads. Roads paved with natural stone tile. They are built to last. So you may not get any tax credit for putting tile in your home, but you can probably save money on it and get a great floor rather use some of the traditional GREEN approved items. Dont forget, that greening the environment starts at home. The environment your family lives and breaths in, the environment that effects your wallet and bottom line.

Comments by Jason Stanley - FloorMax Direct. 1-800-423-1823. Send comments to Jason via Floormax@aol.com

Comments by Jason Stanley - FloorMAX Direct. 1-800-423-1823. Send comments to Jason via email.

11/07/11 - Green carpet ? is it possible ?

What is green flooring? Part one of three part introspection according to Jason Stanley; VP of FloorMaxDirect in Dalton Ga.

GREEN is big now. Theres talk to greening your garden, your home, theres even an article on greening your marriage. The term fondly refers to goods or services that do minimal or no harm to the environment. Gauging the exact amount of harm or nonharm is next to impossible. As a conservationist from back in the day, common sense always guided my decisions. I didnt need a greenlabel, nor did I worry about LEED points. Recycle when you can, pick up your trash, and dont use too much water. These are the things my mother taught me before the term green meant anything to me besides the color of my favorite beans.

In my industry, which is predominately the building and remodeling industry, we have been considering GREEN before green trends were cool. We kept over one million pounds of waste from landfills with carpets made from recycled soda bottles we sold one year. That year was 1996. And its only gotten better since then. We were one of the first operations to embrace the P.E.T. fibers, which started as ketchup and soda bottles and ended up as extremely stain resistant carpets. As technology progressed, the used heat set on these fibers, and began making incredible vibrant colors. We ran with a small mill out of Armuche Ga until they were swallowed up by a large mill when the new rage became this type of carpet. In a years time, Shaw, Mohawk, and Beaulieu were all on the recycled Carpet Fiber bandwagon. Today, more residential P.E.T. type fibers are sold than NYLON. Think about that fact. Its truly a testament to the GREEN story and technology working to better our home environment as well as our earths environment.

So today the next generation of recycled carpet is here. We call it CARPET 2.0. Its different. Carpet 2.0 is made from post waste recycle materials. It is inherent stain resistance is the industries best (never seen a soda bottle stained before have?). It is solution dyed so that its extremely resistant to traffic patterns and to moisture, more resistant than porcelain tile! Antimicrobial protection and resistance to light bleaching and ozone fading is another great characteristic. What do all these industry jargon terms mean for your home? It means that it is the easiest carpet to clean kool aid spills up, easiest to vacuum sand and dirt out of; it will never shed or fuzz in your home once installed. It helps keep allergies out of your home and is a huge improvement for your environment in your home. They colors are high style, up to date fashion, including multicolored and frieze looks. Oh, and by the way, its soft. Real soft. And more affordable than the leading carpet brand. Youre helping your environment as well as The Environment. My Mom would be proud.

I hope this dispels any rumors about carpet being a bad for the environment product. Its better than a lot of products, as we shall see in future articles. We will also look at some items that have been misclassified as nongreen products.

Comments by Jason Stanley - FloorMAX Direct. 1-800-423-1823. Send comments to Jason via Floormax@aol.com

Comments by Jason Stanley - FloorMAX Direct. 1-800-423-1823. Send comments to Jason via email.

02/16/11 - Laminate Flooring Questions

Laminate flooring is becoming more and more popular type of flooring each year. Yet questions and misconceptions still remain. I gathered up some basic and not so basic questions, and used a little help from my friends in manufacturing to get some solid answers on the new and improved laminate floors.

WHAT ARE LAMINATE FLOORS AND HOW ARE THEY MADE ? Laminate flooring is versatile, durable, attractive flooring with an appearance of a hardwood floor, as well as tile and stone floor. There are no solid woods used in the construction of laminate. Most laminates are consists of a moisture resistant layer under a layer of HDF  high-density fiberboard. Many laminates pass certain Green standards because of their construction.

On top of laminate flooring is a high-resolution photographic image of natural wood or tile. It is then finished with an extremely hard, clear coating made from special resin-coated cellulose to protect the laminate flooring. Laminate flooring is perfect for anyone looking for a durable floor for a fraction of the price of a hardwood or tile floor, but with the attractiveness of real hardwood and stone. This construction makes laminate flooring more environmentally friendly, as it uses less wood and uses the wood fiber more efficiently.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LAMINATE FLOORING AND HARDWOOD FLOORING?

Both laminate flooring and hardwood flooring can help beautify a home. Hardwood is often thought to be the superior choice due to increase in home value and longevity, but there are several advantages to using laminate flooring. Laminate flooring can be installed above. On, or below grade, and installed over virtually any other flooring surface. Some hardwood flooring are much more restricted in its applications. Laminates are made for stability and strength, and are a long lasting durable option.

HOW DO LAMINATE PANELS LOCK?

There are many types of edge joint systems used to connect6 laminate flooring panels together. Some laminate flooring connections snap together by hand while others require a light tap with a mallet and a taping block. Still others use a combination of a snap, click, and / or lock system. It is important to read the instructions of your laminate flooring, warranty info and instructions on installation should be in each box. Familiarize yourself with how your flooring locks together before installation.

WHERE CAN I INSTALL LAMINATE FLOORING?

Laminate flooring is extremely versatile as it can be installed in virtually any room of your home, above or below ground, over wood or concrete. Laminate flooring is a wood-flooring product, so it is not recommended that laminates be installed in wet locations such as a washroom, saunas, enclosed porches, and some bathrooms. In certain areas, such as bathrooms, laminate can be installed with precautions, such as gluing the seams, caulking the edges, using a high quality moisture barrier, ECT.

WHAT IS A LAMINATE AC RATING?

AC hardness ratings are a standardized measure adopted by the Association of European Producers of Laminate Flooring. The AC measure rates abrasion resistance, impact resistance, resistance to staining and cigarette burns, as well as thickness swelling along edges. AC 1 is a light traffic rating. AC 3 is the highest, great for heavy residential.

HOW DO I CLEAN MY LAMINATE FLOORING?

Never use any product on your laminate flooring marked WAX, SOAP, FINISH, or any industrial strength cleaners. Never mop the laminate flooring with water. A lightly damp mopping is all the up keep laminate flooring needs. If a tough stain such as a food or pet accident happens, a one-part white vinegar three parts water solution lightly sprayed on your mop will help kill the odor and cut the grime off the floor. Micro-fiber brooms and mops as well as several steam mops are great for cleaning laminate floors.

HOW DO I CARE FOR MY FLOORING?

Keeping moisture off laminate flooring is the number one thing you can do to extend its life. Damp mopping and no beater bar vacuuming helps keep it clean and beautiful. Strategically placed area rugs can go along way to protecting the life of any flooring, especially hardwood and laminate.

Extended exposure to moisture may cause the core of your laminate flooring to warp or swell. Wipe up spill sand stains as quickly as possible and make sure they are dried properly.

Dragging furniture across flooring is never recommended. A small amount of prevention goes a long way; this can include cardboard, felt, and or coasters. Remember, while laminate flooring is one of the most resistant floors on the market today, it is not scratch proof. No flooring is.

Comments by Jason Stanley - FloorMAX Direct. 1-800-423-1823. Send comments to Jason via email.

11/16/09 - GA magazine Green issue

Here is a reprinted article from the summer in Georgia Magazine about Green flooring. Green contiunes to be a huge trend in everything, including flooring! Hope you enjoy it !

When is comes to flooring, new products crafted from renewable resources are making their mark, but some old standbys are green friendly as well. Such is the case with traditional hardwood floors, according to Jason Stanley, VP of Floor Max Factory Outlet in Dalton Ga.  Saving the environment is a big issue when choosing a floor covering. Says Stanley, noting that flooring constructed from Cork and Bamboo is popular due to its  green  appeal. There is even carpeting made from corn or recycled plastic bottles.  Everybodys looking into these products because they are considered green, but many of these items last only about five years.  The new strand woven Bamboo last longer than traditional bamboo, and typically lasts ten years before upkeep is needed.  Ten years sounds acceptable until compared with traditional hardwood floors that endure for a century or longer.  When you use traditional hardwood flooring, your putting down a floor that lasts a hundred years, and the same is true with porcelain tile, proving there are a couple of different ways to skin the green cat. A good hardwood floor will be down forever. I prefer it to products that dont wear as well.  Hardwood floors help the environment by calling for fewer cleaning products, according to Stanley who claims white vinegar, water, and a mop are the only items needed to adequately care for a prefinished wood floor.  You dont buy the industrial strength cleaners, nothing with Soap or Wax in the name. You save money on cleaning products, which in turn helps the environment considering all the cleaners, containers, and pads your not throwing into the trash. 

JLS FLOORMAX@AOL.COM

Comments by Jason Stanley - FloorMAX Direct. 1-800-423-1823. Send comments to Jason via email.