12 Bold, Beautiful Flooring Products to Elevate the Look of What's Underfoot
Online exclusive: Additional products are featured in this online version of an article that appeared in the September/October 2021 issue.
Porcelain Stoneware Tile From Provenza Offers an Industrial Aesthetic
Inspired by industrial architecture, the Re-Play Concrete collection of porcelain stoneware tile from Provenza by Emilgroup is suitable for interior and outdoor use. Six colors range from dark gray to muted green and sand to white, with each color available in three designs, two of which are suitable for floors: Recupero, a distressed-style finish reminiscent of used concrete, and Cassaforma Flat, which resembles board-formed concrete (shown in Grey). Tiles come in sizes up to 120 cm by 120 cm and two thicknesses, 9.5 mm and 20 mm.
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Matte Meets Gloss in Ege Seramik Porcelain Tile
Nest (shown) and Icon, the latest glazed porcelain tile collections from Ege Seramik, use a new printing technology to create a tile surface that features both matte and glossy finishes on each individual tile, creating the illusion of texture. The 24-inch by 48-inch tiles deliver a pattern composed of shapes connected by a color-complementing simulated grout line.
Rigid Core Floors From Armstrong Flooring
Empower from Armstrong Flooring is a rigid-core product that promises the beauty of hardwood without its limitations or cost. Advantages include faster installation, no acclimation, and fewer callbacks than hardwood, according to the company, giving builders the ability to close homes faster. The Reinforced Mineral Core structure outperforms traditional rigid-core flooring in both indent and stability, Armstrong says, while the brand’s Diamond 10 Technology provides stain protection.
Pastorelli's Terrazzo-Look Porcelain Stoneware
Colorful, a whole-body porcelain stoneware product from Pastorelli evokes the look of concrete in several forms, from a uniform, velvety appearance to stone-chip–flecked terrazzo (Colorful Dark, shown). Six tile sizes are available, from 3 by 16 inches to 48 by 48 inches, in 14 colors ranging from warm tones to cooler hues. Suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
Concrete Effects Porcelain Stoneware Tile by Casalgrande Padana
Metropolis, a new collection of concrete-effect porcelain stoneware tile by Italian brand Casalgrande Padana, comes in eight shades (Sand, shown), in either a natural surface finish or a nonslip surface for outdoors. Available in eight formats, from mosaics with 5 cm by 5 cm or 5 cm by 15 cm tesserae to large 60 cm by 120 cm, 120 cm by 120 cm, and 120 cm by 278 cm sizes, and four thicknesses, from 6.5 mm to 9 mm and 10 mm, as well as an extra-thick 20 mm version for outdoors.
Carlisle Wide Plank Floors Takes Inspiration From Nature in Its Latest Hickory Flooring
Carlisle Wide Plank Floors’ new Earthen Collection of hand-crafted hickory includes six nature-inspired colors in a low-sheen finish. The hickory timbers are sourced from northern climates and focus on Shagbark and Bitternut species, resulting in a dense grain and richer beige-to-brown tones. Offered in a choice of engineered or solid construction, planks are 3/4 inches thick by 8 inches wide, come in 2- to 12-foot lengths, and are end-matched for ease of installation. Six colors are available (Humus, shown).
Panaria Ceramica's Porcelain Stoneware Slabs Create the Look of Large-Format Slate
Italian brand Panaria Ceramica’s Stone Trace is a stone-effect collection that recreates the look of natural slate in large, thin slabs to further enhance the material’s aesthetic impact. Part of the company’s antibacterial Protect line of porcelain stoneware products, Stone Trace features an integrated silver-ion shield, which the company says can eliminate up to 99.9% of bacteria. Available in five hues, from light, bright shades to gray tones and warm beige, as well as a dark charcoal. The 6 mm-thick slabs come in a 120 cm by 278 cm format and can be laid over existing floors. (Glade Naturale shown on floor.)
Stuga Releases Two New Prefinished Herringbone Floors
Stuga has released two new herringbone white-oak floors: Old Town (shown) and Sisu. The prefinished planks fit together for an instantly smooth, flat, bevel-free surface, eliminating the need for sanding and finishing work, which saves about $2 to $4 per square foot and one to two weeks on the job, the company says. Old Town’s color showcases the oak’s natural beauty; Sisu is a soft blonde. Both floors come in a stain-free, matte acrylic finish and can be preordered now for availability in December 2021.
Armstrong Flooring's Stylish Vinyl Sheet
Armstrong Flooring’s new vinyl sheet, DuraStride, offers the choice of wood or stone-inspired designs or black-and-white decoratives at an affordable price point. The flooring features a backing layered with stone to make the flooring more wear-resistant, and a Urethane Plus coating protects against scratches and stains. DuraStride can be laid over subfloor imperfections without underlayment, the company says, making it a good solution for jobs where extra prep work would cut into time and profits.
Bostik Rebrands and Expands Its Resilient and Soft-Floor Covering Product Lines
Bostik announced the rebranding and expansion of its line of products for all resilient and soft-floor coverings, including redesigned product packaging that delivers a unified, cohesive portfolio for a new alphanumeric naming structure, certifications, color coding, and clear icons to highlight each product’s specific characteristics, making product selection easier for installers. In most cases, product formulas remain the same, but the new Lock and Cote solutions are an approved substitute for the brand’s previous line of soft-floor covering installation systems. bostik.com/us
Daich Coatings' New Formula Creates a Granite-Like Surface
Daich Coatings revitalized its Terrazzo line of stone coatings for concrete, masonry, linoleum, vinyl, and tile surfaces with a new formula that offers a heavier stone filling for greater durability. Available in six pre-mixed colors (Café, shown), the self-priming granite resurfacer is ideal for indoor use on basement or garage floors, but can also be used outdoors on walkways, porches, pool decks, and patios. Tested for water, salt, chemical, impact, and abrasion resistance, Terrazzo is long-lasting in any environment, the company says. It can handle freeze and thaw conditions, resists hot-tire pick up and mold and mildew, and is U/V-brittle resistant. A gallon of Terrazzo covers up to 60 square feet to provide a flexible, water-tight, easy-to-clean finish. Two coats are recommended.
Even Heat for Floors by Step Heat
Step Heat's Step Warmfloor radiant flooring product aims to deliver even, consistent underfloor heat using an energy-efficient, self-regulating heating element that can be installed throughout the home under any flooring type, the company says, including tile, wood, stone, and carpet. Using positive temperature coefficient nanotechnology, the 24-volt heating system decreases its electrical consumption when the ambient temperature increases, which also guards against overheating. For additional energy efficiency, the system now features a DC controller, so it can connect directly to renewable energy systems, such as solar or wind.
