Rough and Ready
New Flooring Gets Banged Up
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
The latest trend in Southern California flooring is faux-old wood planks, according to the National Wood Flooring Association.
Hand scraped, brushed, punched and worn planks are the hottest thing in flooring. Some manufacturers even use a tumbler that swirls chains and bolts around smooth wood to distress it. Part of the appeal is the instant sense of history that comes with a distressed floor. The other part, of course, is the ease of care. You can’t hurt a distressed floor.
According to Chris Phillips of DeChateau Hardwood Flooring in San Diego, the trend started five years ago in California among owners of contemporary homes who wanted to contrast modern architecture and furniture with a casual floor. Crews used to do the work onsite; now the distressing is done by the supplier.
It might seem backwards, but distressed wood is more expensive than pristine planks. For a super-authentic look, hand-distressing is the way to go. Hand-distressing mimics real wear and tear better than machine-distressing, with prices starting around $14 a square foot. But much of the work can be done by machine instead of by hand, which makes it more affordable—around $5 a square foot.
(0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
On the Rocks
Putting Pebbles Underfoot
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Quick—what’s the latest variation on stone floors? It’s pebblestone, a mix of natural rock and epoxy that originally for outdoor use, is increasingly found indoors.
Washed pebbles of varying sizes and colors are mixed with epoxy and installed in a layer between 1/2 inch and 5/8 inch thick. Borders and designs are easy to accommodate. Installed in one continuous sheet, it creates a large, seamless area. Pebblestone can be laid over expansion joints and cracks because its elasticity allows for expansion.
The real surprise is the price—it’s less expensive than many other hard surfaces such as flagstone or tile. Installation is just over $5 a square foot. And a Pebblestone floor can be laid quickly—a 3,000 square foot space can be completed in about two days.
Two regional sources for pebblestone are Pebblestone and Mountainstone.
(0) Comments • (1) Trackbacks • Permalink
(Re)claim to Fame
Old Wood Shines Once More
Monday, August 27, 2007
Using reclaimed timber is a great way to go green while benefiting from the unparalleled beauty and depth of old wood.
California company TerraMai offers flooring, decking, paneling, siding and beams taken from old buildings and structures, such as bridges, tunnels, and railroad ties. Reclaimed wood also includes wood from orchards that are being replaced or replanted and wood from cut logs abandoned many decades or even centuries ago during wasteful logging operations.
Their flooring is gorgeous and full of character—for example, plantation-grown teak can’t compare to the old-growth Asian teak used to create this flooring. Each floor comes with its own distinctive story and visual character, and a wide range of colors, species and prices, both prefinished and unfinished. Whether you like deep amber and cinammon, or warm rose and burgundy, cool gold and nut brown, you’ll find the mix for you.
All flooring is milled from reclaimed or salvaged, chemical free, untreated wood. Installation of TerraMai floors is easily achieved using the same techniques as other tongue and groove flooring, resulting in a one-of-a kind, solid wood floor.
(0) Comments • (2) Trackbacks • Permalink
Bargain Bamboo
Saving Pennies While Saving the Planet
Monday, July 09, 2007
If you like the look and the green rating of bamboo floors but think it’s beyond your budget, Ikea has come to the rescue.
The company’s Kvist flooring is just $2.88 per square foot. It can be laid on concrete or over any existing flooring except wall-to-wall carpet. It’s easy to install, the 5-inch wide planks joined together with plastic strips for a visible or invisible joint. The flooring is surface treated for easy cleaning.
(0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
The Black Hole
Is No More with New Shower Flooring
Friday, June 22, 2007
No matter how gorgeous your shower, well, there’s still that ugly drain. If only there were a better way. Oh, wait, there is.
A system by Lacava Design called Tatami Brick offers an alternative. The ceramic bricks are set in a resin container with a drainage system that wicks away the water. The non-slip bricks snap into place and their ridges channel water away from your feet so you feel secure standing on them. You even get a little foot massage at the same time.
Measuring just over two inches thick, the bricks are easily removed for cleaning. The system is manufactured by Ceramica Flaminia in Italy and imported by Lacava Design.
(0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
Squared Away
Tile Breaks Out of the Box
Monday, March 26, 2007
Surving Studios‘ porcelain relief tiles are real standouts. Literally. Surving’s range of “cutouts,” or appliqués, are made by cutting away the background around the relief when the clay is wet to leave a free-standing leaf or animal.
Their nature-themed collections include the Rainforest, like its namesake rich in variety and detail. It includes full trees with branches, leaves, and animals, bark tiles, even a tree frog peeking out of a knothole. A blue butterfly, a large beetle, and a tiger moth are each sculpted perched on a leaf. The Waterworld collection includes diving frogs, seahorses, fish, turtles and lilypads.
Most of their 2”, 4”, and 6” decorative tile can be turned into an appliqué, which can be applied to wood, painted walls, plastic or almost any smooth surface. Cutting them into stone, tile, or even wood creates another handsome effect. The appliqué tiles can be used indoors, outdoors, and in wet environments.
Consult a dealer for help with creating designs, picking the right tiles and expert advice on the proper grouts and colors of grout. Locally, you can find Surving applique tiles, as well as their other lines, at Matt Clark Tile in San Luis Obispo.
(0) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Permalink
