Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/1101469
A PR IL 2019 | 27 Hard Surface Flooring Hard surface flooring is a natural choice for many by LAURIE JONES D esigners around the world are looking into their own back yard, or even junk yard, to create the latest designs for hard surface flooring and walls. On the other side of the palette, bold colour in products is also available, creating a broad choice for consumers. Having just signed an exclusive deal on the West Coast with Diesel Living, Ames Tile & Stone Ltd. is now carrying a unique line of porcelain tiles of industrial, youth-oriented products. "A lot of these products replicate metals, concrete, and natural stone – all the most popular designs that are on the market," says Connie Barillari, director of product, marketing and education. "One of the lines we will be stocking is called Combustion Crackle," she says. "The inspiration behind that was a replica of a Japanese burnt wood. It's a natural product and will be available in eight- inch by 48-inch plank sizes." Another design that will be available is Grunge Concrete. "This look is very popular with its worn- out concrete designs, and is available in a variety of sizes from 12-inch by 24-inch, to 24-inch by 48-inch." Replica products are not limited to wood and concrete. "Our replica natural stone products in por- celain tile are also popular," says Barillari. "We have a beautiful luminous line called Bianco, which is avail- able in 36 by 36 inches and a new mini slab available in 36 inches by 72 inches, which is great for your bathtub enclosure. This has a white background with vein designs that duplicate marble. Another choice in the line, Renoir, has beautiful black, dramatic veining. The Macchiato has beautiful gold veining." She says colours are coming back to designs, so Ames Tile & Stone now carries a line called Fez. "This is a wall tile in two-and-a-half inches by five inches and it duplicates a Moroccan hand-made design. It has a beautiful lustrous glaze with metallic inserts." When it comes to kitchen floor tiling, Travertine is becoming a popular choice thanks to its natural looks (in earth tones like brown, tan, and rust) and because it's environmentally friendly (100 percent recyclable and biodegradable). Travertine does require regular maintenance, but that care will allow it to be beauti- ful for decades to come. For more than 45 years, members of the Concrete Floor Contractors Association (CFCA) have defined the highest standard of quality in concrete floor construction. In order to maintain a high standard, CFCA released the New Specifier's Guide to Interior Concrete Floors (including an 03 35 00 Concrete Floor specification section template). "Concrete floor trade work in Canada currently varies significantly in quality due to divided respon- sibilities, poor understanding of national standards, inconsistent compliance with specification require- ments, inadequate technical knowledge, variable field skills, lack of inspection, and the absence of any formal requirement to commit to quality," says CFCA. The guide is intended to assist architects and engineers in defining concrete floors in standard- ized terms, such that the industry can consistently meet the needs of its clients. The CFCA also offers complimentary seminars to specifiers on the lat- est in concrete floor technology and finishes. Presentations range from one to three hours and focus on a variety of topics including concrete mixes for floors, steel fibres, slab design, CSA A23.1, F-Number floor tolerances, surface hardeners, archi- tectural finishes, floor joints, surface treatments, and problem avoidance. Happy Feet Combustion Crackle. Combustion Crackle. Grunge Concrete. PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY AMES TILE & STONE