From the Floors Up

Outdoor Tile – Reader Question

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Question:

I found a tile that I absolutely love for my kitchen and living area. How do I know if I can use that same tile outside for my outdoor kitchen? What should I consider when shopping for outdoor tile?

Answer:

Great question! Not all tiles are suitable for outdoor use, but there are many tiles that are acceptable for outdoor use.  Typically, you want to use a porcelain tile or natural stone product outside. The key is the water absorption rate. You want to make sure the absorption rate is 0.5% or less. Most tiles will let you know either on the label or the box if they can be used outside.

Another consideration is how much traffic the tile will receive. For this you want to look for the tile’s PEI rating.

The rating system is as follows:

  • PEI Class 1 Rating (No foot traffic) – Recommended for wall use in residential and commercial applications only.
  • PEI Class 2 Rating (Light traffic) – Recommended for both wall use and bathroom floor applications only.
  • PEI Class 3 Rating (Light to moderate traffic) – Recommended for countertops,  walls and floors where normal foot traffic is expected.
  • PEI Class 4 Rating (Moderate to heavy traffic) – Recommended for all residential applications as well as medium commercial and light institutional.
  • PEI Class 5 Rating (Heavy to extra heavy traffic) – Recommended for all residential as well as heavy commercial and institutional applications.

When installing tile outside, you will also want to consider the finish on the tile. The more texture a tile has the more slip resistant it will be.

Lastly, keep maintenance in mind. Tiles with more modeling and color range will do a better job of hiding dirt that can accumulate on outdoor tiles.

Did You Know That Window Coverings Can Be Green?

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And no…..we don’t mean the color green although you can get many Hunter Douglas window covering products in shades of green!

Hunter Douglas is the worldwide leader in creating innovative, energy-efficient window fashions that save valuable energy resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Significant energy efficiency improvements at the window began for Hunter Douglas with the invention of the Duette Honeycomb shades back in 1985. Air contained within the honeycomb cells proved to be an effective insulator, keeping heat inside in the winter and keeping it out in the summer. The huge success of the Duette brand has spawned other energy saving innovations including Silhouette window shadings, Vignette Modern Roman Shades, Luminette Privacy Sheers and Pirouette window shadings.

A new creation called Duette Architella honeycomb shades takes energy conservation to a whole new level. The patented honeycomb-within-a-honeycomb design forms 3 air pockets to dramatically reduce heat flow at the window. If installed in every window of every American home, these shades have the potential to cut our annual energy consumption by 2 1/2%! That may not sound like much, but it’s the equivalent of a 33% increase in fuel mileage for all passenger cars on US Roads – which would save about 450 million barrels of oil annually and reduce CO2 emissions by almost 200 million tons.

Hunter Douglas also has a corporate commitment to minimizing their own impact on the environment through an aggressive plan to reduce energy consumption by 15%, water usage by 40% and overall carbon emissions by 20% over a three year period.

Other green efforts from Hunter Douglas include financial support of the Arbor Day Foundation in its efforts to replant trees lost in US fires and to preserve dwindling rain forest lands. Their investment is expected to result in 15,000 new trees and help save over a million square feet of rainforest.

From products to processes to philanthropy, environmental responsibility is a core Hunter Douglas value. For the future of our children and our children’s children, they are indeed “Hunter Green”!

Call your local retailer today to find out how you can have Hunter Douglas “green” products in your home!

LEED Now Recognizes FSC Certified Bamboo

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The U.S. Green Building Council has ruled that Forest Stewardship Council-certified bamboo plywood and flooring can now be included in calculations for LEED certification.

The ruling followed a credit interpretation request submitted by a project team who specified Smith & Fong’s Plyboo FSC-certified bamboo flooring for a multi-use project in North Carolina.

After reviewing the request, the USGBC determined the bamboo products specified for the project met LEED criteria.

The review concluded that bamboo is often used in many of the same applications as wood products, and is considered by the FSC to be a forest product despite its technical classification as a grass. FSC-certified bamboo building products will now be recognized within LEED’s MRc7 Credit.

Smith & Fong received certification for its in April 2008.

5 Quick Tips for Purchasing a New or Used Oriental Rug

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1. Condition is Everything: Well, in 98% of cases condition is everything. Pet stains, moth damage, uneven wear, color run… All going to severely affect the value of your rug. On the plus side, there are ways to prevent the majority of the above. Always be wary of reduced rugs missing minor borders, side borders or severely off-center medallions. Even for new rugs, check for even weaving (or signs of uneven), shearing and symmetrical shape.

2. Don’t get tied up in knots! Relatively speaking, Knots Per Square Inch (KPSI) means little in the scope of purchasing a rug. Sure, it may aid in attribution, perhaps differentiate it from other rugs of that type or genre. In the majority of cases, knot count should not bear any more weight in deciding whether a rug is “a worthy buy.” It’s the rug you’re going to live with, not the knots!

3. Country of Origin: Province or City Does not dictate Quality. Exceptional rugs come from many weaving countries. Excellent goods are being imported from India, Pakistan, Iran, Armenia, Turkey and many other weaving areas. Additionally, just because two rugs have the same name does not indicate they are of equal quality.

4. Is Relevant Information Readily Furnished? Perhaps an elaboration on the above. However, if a seller does not readily display the item’s country of origin, beware. Proper ID of a rug should be as follows in this example: A Chinese Rug with a Persian design should be called an “Chinese Rug with Persian Design”, or “Chinese Interpretation of a Persian Design.” It is not uncommon to find some sellers simply state “Persian Rug”!!! Although not integral, it’s important to know truncation of a country in addition to a vowel may indicate Country of Origin: Indo (Indian), Paki (Pakistani), etc. Check out Standards for Sellers.

5. Quality of wool and dyes: If a new rug has coarse & dry wool at a very high price point, be wary. Determining quality of dyes is not simple, and years may be the only real determining factor. However, there are ways to test! If you suspect dyes may be inferior due to over-saturation of color, grab a worn out but fine cotton/linen handkerchief you don’t care about. Moisten with cold to lukewarm water and wipe with firm pressure on colors throughout the face/pile of the rug going with the direction of the pile. If a significant amount of colors pull from tested areas, this may be an indicator of potential color migration after a future wash or spot cleaning. Either negotiate a fair price accordingly or keep looking.

When and where possible, take the opportunity to see a rug in person. There are many, many well-trusted and established rug sellers in the states. Purchasing at a well-known importer or retailer showroom does not necessarily mean you will pay more than online! If you ever have questions, we are here to help.

Thanks, Rug Rag for this very informative post on oriental rugs!

Welcome to From the Floors Up

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From the Floors Up blog was created with the goal of providing a destination for consumers, designers and those interested in the flooring, design, and kitchen and bath industries. Here you’ll find, current, accurate and informative information that is always just a click away! Plus, this will be the go to blog for all your questions about flooring, countertops, paint, design and much more.

The value of this blog lies in the contributors. I will be accompanied by industry experts from across the county from the finest retailers, both big and small, to leading manufactures. As a contributor to this blog, my background includes being the former developer of the industry blog Floor Talk and over 10 years in the construction, interior design and the flooring industry. I have experience in retail sales and complete interior design projects that will enable me to provide the information you need in order to make informed purchases, remain knowledgeable on maintaining the life of your purchase and keeping up with what’s current in these industries.

From the Floors Up is not only a destination for education and information but also for design inspiration and to exchange ideas. We’ll bring you new product introductions, industry news, trends, care and maintenance tips, and solutions to common flooring and design issues.

Join us today by subscribing so you can be in the know from the floors up!

From the Floors Up

From the Floors Up blog was created with the goal of providing a destination for consumers, designers and those interested in the flooring, design, and kitchen and bath industries. Here you’ll find, current, accurate and informative information that is always just a click away!

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