Renovate With New Floors
Flooring doesn't have to be boring and basic. It can also be another way to bring art into your home, and you can be as creative with you floors as you are with your walls.
Style maven Christy Ferer visits The Saturday Early Show to go over several new types of flooring you can put in your home. She categorizes them as: plastics, naturals, carpet and do-it-yourself.
Plastics
This type of flooring created by FedEx Kinkos can be used not only for flooring, but on countertops, walls or even tables tops. Just use your own pictures. Some examples featured on the show are pictures of kids that go on tiles for the kids' bathroom, and for the dining room: artwork by Alicia Peck of BellaMuse. Available at www.bellamuse.com or by calling 212-727-0102 or 1-800-540-0024.
Costs vary because of the custom nature of the project. The cost with the printing of 6"x6" pieces for the bathroom tile would sell for $20. The 16" x 16" pieces would sell at $35.56 and the 18" x 18" pieces would sell at $45.00. Ordering multiple pieces of any of these pieces may qualify you for a volume discount. Check out fedexkinkos.com for more information.
Chilewich introduced Plynyl SHAG last summer; it's a tufted vinyl sold as doormats and area rugs. What makes Plynyl unique are the textures, weaves and colors available that can work with both traditional and contemporary designs. And it's easy to care for low profile look makes a great choice for most residences, offices and retail spaces. To clean, just vacuum or sweep. It can also be mopped with mild flooring cleaners.
Plynyl Mata comes in both pre-cut sizes and colors, but custom pieces are available as well. It can be bound or left with a simple edge cut. It comes in several innovative options, made from woven vinyl with a cushioned polyurethane back.
The price and "where to buy" depends on which product you're considering, but many home design retailers carry Chilewhich Plynyl. Check out www.chilewich.com or call 212-679-9204 for more information.
Mat pricing starts around $100
Woven vinyl sisal is a modern twist on an old favorite. It comes in a variety of colors and can be used for wall-to-wall or as area rugs, indoors or out. It is 90 percent vinyl, 10 percent polyester.
To clean, just sweep or vacuum regularly to remove dirt. Wash your floor as needed with a mop and warm water - for a more through cleaning use soft brushes with a neutral or slightly alkaline. Rinse with water after the alkaline solution is used. But do not use dishwashing liquids or detergent soap cleaners. They can leave a sticky residue, which attracts soil and causes a reduction of gloss.
The costs start around $6 per square foot. Available at Design Materials, Inc. Available at www.dmikc.com.
Many different textures can be created from natural materials. Charles Hickok is an industrial designer specializing in cast resin, based in Brooklyn. There are two different kinds of resin: polyester and polyurethane. The polyurethane is more expensive than polyester. It can be hard, rubber or gel and comes in any custom color. Polyurethane is appropriate for indoor and outdoor use. Pricing starts at $60 per square foot. It is available at www.robin-reigi.com.
Marble stones are set in resin; the use of River Stone is exactly that of Carrera marble in application and maintenance. A range of colors are available with white pebbles in colored matrices or colored pebbles in a clear matrix.
Formats are: 12" X 12" x 1/2" tiles, and 32 2/3" x 72" x 1 1/4" slab. Pricing starts at $60 per square foot for tile. The slabs make lovely countertops or even bathroom sinks. Available at www.robin-reigi.com.
It looks and feels like leather but it is 100 percent rubber. It can be used for flooring or wall coverings. For regular maintenance, use soap and water and periodic waxing. The cost is $12-$22 per square foot depending on volume. Cost starts at $10 per square foot. Available at www.robin-reigi.com.
Naturals
- Sorghum/Kirei Board
This is a beautiful natural material made with renewable non-toxic components. Strong, lightweight and environmentally friendly, Kieri board is an easily worked engineered panel product usable in nearly any architectural application, such as flooring, furniture, wall coverings or cabinetry.
It has excellent dimensional stability and screw holding power, resisting warping and allowing solid attachment of cabinet hardware. Comes in plank and sheet sizes. Can be used for flooring, tabletops or wall coverings. Pricing is between $7.20-$25 per square foot depending on volume and thickness. Available at www.robin-reigi.com.
Teragren bamboo products contribute to certification under the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED™ (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) rating system: MR Credit 6: Rapidly Renewable Materials and IEQ Credit 4: Low-Emitting Materials.
Because bamboo is a rapidly renewable resource and the adhesive used in the manufacturing process has virtually no formaldehyde, these credits apply. Unlike traditional hardwood trees requiring more than 60 years to mature, bamboo is actually a grass that grows to maturity in less than 6 years and is renewably harvested over and over from the same plant.
The adhesive specified by Teragren to laminate the bamboo slats together to form flooring, panels and veneer contains only 0.0155 ppm of formaldehyde. Teragren bamboo products have formaldehyde levels 48 times lower than OSHA standards allow and 6.5 times lower than allowed by the more stringent German E1 standards. The coating materials are water-based, solvent-free, 100 percent solids.
Cost varies between $6-$8 per square foot uninstalled. With installation it's typically between $10-$12 depending on the complexity of the room. Available at www.teragren.com
This is distinctive for its comfort and sound-deadening properties. Warm natural color and mild lightness create a quiet, hard surface flooring. It retains heat in the winter and avoids sticky dampness in the summer. It's water resistant and stain resistant. Its compressive strength makes cork flooring resilient and long lasting. Pricing starts at $7-10 per square foot. Available at Design Materials, Inc. www.dmikc.com.
Made from natural hemp harvested in the foothills of the Himalayas. Hemp is one of the oldest known fibers used by man, and it's extremely durable and strong. These carpets are hand woven using the same technique as oriental carpets. Pricing starts at $72.00 per sqaure foot. Available at carinilang.com
Carpet
- Carpet Tiles
Interface FLOR moveable and exchangeable carpet tiles are available in several styles and countless arrangements for personalization. It can be made into area rugs or wall-to-wall carpeting. Pricing start at $8.99 per tile and go up from there. Available at www.interfaceflor.com
From the Sahara Collection, the Keys rug has been hand tufted with a thick, dense pile. Featuring cloth backing and a crisp, versatile 100 percent wool design. Each of these modern rugs undergoes a special color dyeing process to create subtle shading and soft luster. This unique floor covering features piano keys around the border. The piano keys in this rug are creamy white, while the backdrop of each of these modern rugs is done in deepest black. Pricing start at $49.00-$999.00. Available at www.homedecorators.com
Do-It-Yourself
- Garage Deck Tiles
Garage Deck tiles can be installed in basements, recreation rooms, laundry rooms, decks, screened-in porches, trailers, RVs - any floor, anywhere. No tools are required. You simply snap the tiles together. Easy to care for - just sweep, mop (the manufacturer recommends water and vinegar) or hose it off. For a shiny finish, you can use a non-wax polish.
GarageDeck Floor Tiles: 48 square feet per box
Overstock Price: $129.99 (save $50.00, 27 percent)
List Price: $179.99
Available at www.overstock.com
Clic-Lock glueless installation system locks boards for a seamless look of a custom floor. Smooth coat aluminum enhanced urethane provides a flawless filled finish. 7-ply cross-directional construction minimized expansion and contraction. The edge treatment is perfectly square edges and ends - 7 1/2" three-strip width x 9/16" think x 8' long. Complementing real wood moldings available. Recommended subfloor: OSB board, plywood or concrete.
Pricing starts at $2.98 per square foot. Available at www.tarkett.com