Infloormation

The authentic hardwood looks are breathtaking. The water-resistant performance is superior. The installation is incredibly simple. But the real beauty of Armstrong’s new Luxe Plank™ with patent pending Lynx™ Technology is the flexibility it provides, thanks to its revolutionary design and construction.

Luxe Plank, launching to retail now, is the best option for a beautiful, high performance floor, according to Armstrong Resilient Vice President Allen Cubell.  “A combination of beauty, performance and simplicity makes Luxe Plank superior to any other luxury vinyl tile glue-down or floating system available today,” he said.  “It’s the easiest LVT floating installation on the market.  Luxe Plank with Lynx Technology allows the installer to reposition planks as many times as needed, and still maintain the integrity and appearance of the installation – a practice unheard of until now.”

Lynx Technology, the next generation in floating floor engineering, starts with specially formulated super thick LVT planks combined with a manufactured rigid film with a highly advanced performance oriented pressure sensitive adhesive.

“Flexibility without compromise means fewer call backs because the installation is right the first time,” said Yon Hinkle, Product Manager, Armstrong.  “With Luxe Plank, the end result is always a beautiful, high integrity installation that our dealers and their customers can count on.”

“This is a true game-changer,” said Buddy Faircloth, president, Cain & Bultman.  “The genius behind Luxe is that it improves upon existing technology to offer the retailer a truly unique product – unbelievably realistic looks, superior performance and a fail-safe installation. This adds up to not only happy customers, but repeat customers.  It’s a product that promises to be easy to sell.”

“Luxe Plank fills a gap in the market by being more than just about installation,” said Ray Mancini, president, BelknapWhite.  “It clearly establishes a style/beauty first position that speaks volumes to the consumer.”

The vibrant hardwood colors and textures of Luxe Plank™ add instant luxury to any room and feature the most realistic hardwood visuals available in the category. Authentic plank lengths, along with beveled edges and ends, combine to make the visuals incredibly natural. Consumers can choose from a stunning array of the most popular traditional, exotic, rustic and distressed looks to recreate the style of genuine hardwood.

Luxe Plank is available across 33 SKU’s at three price points, in a total of 14 design categories. Its distinctive looks include the undulating textures of Exotic Fruitwood, with vibrant colors and cosmopolitan elegance, and English Walnut inspired by Europe’s great country estates, with a  rich palette and contrasting stained edges (Best Collection).  Peruvian Walnut captures the beauty of the species’ natural variations in color and graining, and the distinct pattern of Empire Bamboo adds a modern flair to any space (Better Collection).  Jefferson Oak seizes the character and versatility of traditional oak in four classic wood tones that enhance any room (Good collection).

“The wow factor is that this is one beautiful flooring collection, a sure crowd pleaser,” said Mancini.  “There is an amazing breadth of design, and just the finest looking and top performing planks I’ve seen.  It is clearly designed to be the best.”

With Luxe Plank, even bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms can have a natural hardwood look. The thicker, more durable top layer features enhanced urethane coatings that resist scratches, stains and wear, making Luxe Plank perfect for high traffic areas as well as high moisture areas.  One of the attributes of the pressure sensitive adhesive is that it also is resistant to various factors – water or chemical.  Plus, the floor’s bond only gets stronger and stronger with time, offering superior adhesion strength with a grip that is virtually unbreakable.

Installing is as easy as 1-2-3

Lynx™ Technology, with its exclusive pressure-sensitive adhesive, makes Luxe Plank incredibly versatile and simple to install. Because each plank attaches to the planks beside and above it – not the floor beneath it – it installs quickly and easily, over practically any surface in any home or business.

With the technology to revolutionize floating floor installation and design options to meet any decorating need, Luxe Plank™ ensures high referral rates and repeat business.

“Luxe Plank wins where it counts – better wear layer, more features, better visuals and great warranties,” added Faircloth.  “Plus, it’s developed and backed by Armstrong, the brand our customers can trust.”

The  full backsplash is often forgotten because people think they have the backsplash covered with the 4″ splash that generally accompanies the countertop. A tile backsplash not only serves the functional purpose of protecting the wall,  but it also serves as a design element that can tie your whole kitchen together. Why not do all you can to decorate with your backsplash in addition to using it for wall protection?

In this kitchen example, Dal Tile does a great job of coordinating the floor tile with the wall tile. The floor tile and the wall tile are actually from the same collection, they are just different sizes used in different patterns. Note that the floor is one pattern while the field of the backsplash is another pattern with the accent behind the stove an additional pattern.

Let’s focus on the accent design behind the cook top. Dal has used a few simple elements to create a dramatic and stylish focal point for this kitchen. As already mentioned, the tile used here is the same as the floor and the field tile of the backsplash, but is used in a diagonal installation in the center behind the cooktop. Taking the diagonal installation one step further, dots were placed in the intersections of the tile to coordinate with the countertop.

To make the area stand out even more, the diagonal tiles are framed with a chair rail creating dimension and depth in this area. The introduction of the additional color does a great job of drawing attention to the picture frame as well as providing a tie in to the cabinets.

To keep everything from being a solid color in the kitchen, Dal used a mosaic to create an additional border around the chair rail or picture frame. This makes the whole area behind the stove feel larger and brings in multiple additional colors that can be used for coordination of other decorative items in the kitchen such as dish towers, artwork, dishes or fabric.

This design is artful, timeless and a great example of how to use multiple tiles in multiple sizes to create a beautiful kitchen tile design.

This photo features Continental Slate Brazilian Green 18 x 18 , 12″ x 18″, 12 x 12 , 6 x 6 field tile with 4 x 12 border and Fashion Accents Antique Pewter chair rail. Modified Hopscotch (Cont. Slate) pattern shown on floor.

Experiment with tile designs using these products in our virtual room designer. Or upload your own room to see what these tiles will look like in your home!

Anderson Hardwood Floors said it is one of the first hardwood flooring manufacturers to be awarded Greenguard Indoor Air Quality Certification for all of its flooring.

The Greenguard Environmental Institute was founded in June of 2001 to establish a true third-party product certification program based on proven emissions standards and to provide specifying and procurement professionals with a resource for low-emitting products.

“We are pleased to welcome Anderson Hardwood Floors, as a participating manufacturer,” said Marilyn Black, founder of GEI.

To view Anderson products we carry, please visit our product catalog by clicking here.

Did you know that nationally, floor covering contributes 2% of the volume in all landfills?

At Pierce Flooring and Design, our concern lies with the contribution of floor covering waste to Montana landfills.

For the approximate weight of the contents of one 53′ semi trailer (that’s properly loaded) which equals 20,000 pounds of carpet, the EPA estimates recycling this carpet will result in saving the equivalent of 3,000 gallons of fuel. By our estimates, it will take a maximum of 653 gallons of fuel to transport this material. The net effect is a savings of the equivalent impact of 2,347 gallons of fuel for each 20,000 lbs of carpet that is recycled. We will also reduce the impact to our local landfills.

As of Oct 1, 2008 Pierce Flooring has committed to recycling carpet and carpet cushion in all 8 locations. We estimate diverting up to 2,000,000 sq. ft. of carpet from local landfills annually. Or, over 1,000,000 lbs of carpet annually.

The Pierce green effort also includes REUSE. Reuse is possibly the most efficient form of recycling.

Let’s do the right thing…….together. Call us today for more information. 1.877.525.0066.