Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/178323
Performance Plus flooring, from Goodfellow Inc. impregnated looring of the same species. This process further increases the hardness of wood up to 2.5 times, which results in exceptional wear- and dentresistance from things like high heels and pet claws. Shaw Hard Surface continues to promote hardwood through the Shaw Contract Group collection of products in 2011. "To make it easy for our designers to specify our woods, we sample them in architect folders divided into colour family, not species or speci ications as is commonly done in the wood industry," says Allie Finkell, commercial hardsurface marketing manager. "This innovative sampling arrangement embodies our commitment to design as colour is the primary driving factor in the selection of hardwood for commercial projects." The Shaw Contract Group hardwood program contains only products made in Shaw's own hardwood facilities across the southeastern U.S. Vertical integration in the process begins with veneer cutting and continues through to the inished product, ensuring excellent quality and environmental stewardship. "Completing every step internally allows us to control energy use and waste, and provides peace of mind that raw materials are harvested under the most sustainable practices," says Finkell. Shaw Industries offers the irst Cradle to Cradle Certi ied hardwood in the industry. Hardwood Flooring p.34-39HardwoodFlooring.indd 37 TRC Flooring, which offers a variety of hardwood loor- ing and inishes, has seen some de inite trends, aside from species, as consumers go to wider widths. "It used to be 2 1/4-inch wide was the standard and more recently 3 1/4inch, but now we're getting customers looking for four- and ive-inch widths," says Terry O'Neill, president. "We're seeing a lot of diversity in terms of species that people are requesting. In general, the once-predominant red colour seems to be falling out of favour and brown colours are in higher demand." The stranded bamboos are very popular. "Originally, bamboo came with the look people expected from that type of product, with lat slats that are laminated together," says O'Neill. "In the last year we have seen the lat vertical bamboo drop-off and the stranded bamboo become more popular. To create the stranded bamboo, it is shredded and compressed with a resin to make it extremely hard. It also creates a different look." Kayu Canada Inc., the number one supplier of exotic woods in Canada, specializes in providing luxury outdoor looring with woods from Indonesia and Malaysia. The company's primary product, Kayu Red Balau Batu, was introduced to owner Jim Labelle while he was on a Mexican cruise in the early 1990s. "Because I was a general contractor and journeyman carpenter, the beautiful decks on this cruise ship intrigued me," he says. "I was lucky enough to sit with the chief engineer on the ship who knew a lot about the wood. Not only is it a beautiful product, it is very durable. It can last for 30 to 40 years under extreme conditions, which is perfect for outdoor living spaces in our country. I started bringing the wood in to Canada in 1994 to use in my construction company." Labelle says he has installed the Red Balau Batu in many high-pro ile buildings, including the Devonian Gardens in Calgary. His suppliers are careful to follow sustainable forest management practices that exceed the highest standards and wood harvesting is careful and selective. Adhesives Mapei offers two new high-quality looring adhesives. The Ultrabond® 915 provides a premium epoxy repair adhesive for looring. "It is a fast-curing, low-viscosity product with 100 per cent solids," says Jeff Johnson, Mapei business manager for Floor Covering Installation Systems. "It is a reactive epoxy adhesive designed to repair loose looring and ill hollow spots in installations." Ultrabond® 915 is easy to use and allows for repairs with minimum mess or damage. The second Mapei product that has been well-received in the industry is Ultrabond ECO® 995, a premium product for moisture control and wood- looring installation. One application of Ultrabond® ECO 995 provides moisture vapour emission control of up to 15 pounds. "This single-component, 100 per cent solids, moisture-cure urethane system is excellent for all types of wood looring, including exotics and bamboo," says Johnson. "Ultrabond ECO 995 utilizes MAPEI's greenest technology and naturally renewable resources, resulting in an odour-free, phthalate-free installation that helps contribute points toward LEED-certi ied projects." Bostik Canada Ltd. has two new adhesives designed for hardwood loor installations – Ultra-Set® SingleStep™ and Vapor- Lock™. Both work with solid hardwood, bamboos and veneers. "The Ultra-Set SingleStep adhesive works as a moisture barrier, acoustic protection and adhesive," says Chuck McMillan, manufacturer's representative for Eastern Canada. "It is a no-VOC product that maintains its thickness control with bits of recycled rubber. The idea is to make sure installers have an even level the whole way across the loor, which of course is important for many reasons. It is the only product in the market that offers unlimited moisture protection." Bostik's second product, Vapor-Lock, offers similar features to the UltraSet SingleStep, and offers 15 pounds of moisture protection. This is also a no-VOC product and offers thickness control. "Both products are easy to spread and offer quick cleanup," says McMillan. ■ AUGUST 2012 /37 12-07-19 12:17 PM