Baar, Switzerland, July 2, 2009–Forbo said its sales slide continued during the first six months of 2009 at it expected, despite good performance in some key markets.

Forbo said it is anticipating net sales of around $812 million for the first six months, approximately 8% lower than in the first half of 2008. Read the rest of this entry »

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What laminate likes

Laminate likes temperatures from +18 to+25°C and relative humidity from 40 to 70%. High humidity makes laminate and the other wooden materials expand. Too dry air (for example, from air conditioners and warm floors) makes laminate shrink. That’s why, when home heating is switched on, it is recommended to use humidifiers (small fountains).

Dirt is dangerous

Laminate has a solid water-resistant surface, which is durable and wear-resistant. Dust doesn’t adhere to it and dirt can be easily removed. The dirt brought to the house from the street is dangerous, as it is easily trampled into the floor. It damages floor; sand and grit act as an abrasive paper leaving scratches. Therefore, try not to bring dirt inside the house, wiping thoroughly your feet outside a threshold. Put a big carpet in front of the entrance door. Read the rest of this entry »

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VALDOSTA — A variety of vendors espoused the wonder of everything from the Sham Wow to hardwood flooring Saturday at the James H. Rainwater Conference Center.

The eighth annual Home and Garden Show will be open again today from 2-4 p.m.

The event has brought in more than 80 vendors from all across the South. Tickets for the event are $5 for adults and free for children 12 and under.

Sharie Bates Elliott from Bates Precast, Inc. was informing visitors about SafePorch Storm Shelters on Saturday. Read the rest of this entry »

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DECEMBER

Dec. 2-5 Showtime Fabric Market; High Point, NC; (336) 885-6842; www.itma-showtime.com

JANUARY

Jan. 8-16 Atlanta Intl. Gift & Home Furnishings Market; AmericasMart; Atlanta; (800) ATL-MART; americasmart.com

Jan. 9-12 Heimtextil; Frankfurt am Main; Frankfurt, Germany; heimtextil.messefrankfurt.com

Jan. 12-15 Domotex; Hannover Fairgrounds; Hannover, Germany; (609) 987-1202; domotex.de

Jan. 14-20 IMM Cologne Intl. Furniture Fair; Cologne Exhibition Center; Cologne, Germany; (212) 974-8836; imm-cologne.de Read the rest of this entry »

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The ceramic tile is grouted when the mastic is completely dry. Here are the four stages needed when grouting ceramic tile:

First stage: Put on your rubber gloves. Mix the grout until it is creamy in nature. Make the tiles wet so that they will not remove moisture from the grout. Spread the grout evenly over half of the surface to be tiled. Force the grout inside the areas between the tiles using the squeegee rubber. Use a wet sponge to clean off the excess. Read the rest of this entry »

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Using modern strong mastics, sealants and grouts, it is very simple to install a ceramic tile. The idea behind the installation does not depend on the installation style or size.

Prior to the installation, you need to have some tools such as a hammer, a chalk line, a level, a sabre saw with carbide blade, rubber gloves, tile mastic, grout sealer, tiles, an edging cap, two outside corner edge caps for ceramic tile. A paint stir stick or an old toothbrush is also needed for use in forcing grout deep into the tile joints. You could also acquire a grooved trowel, tile nippers and cutter, and a squeegee rubber if you want.

Insure that the wall is smooth and there are no loose plaster, dust or a peeling paint hanging on it. Study the mastic instructions well; a primer could be used on a new plaster or unfinished drywall. Read the rest of this entry »

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In 1860, rubber manufacturer Fredrick Walton invented linoleum, the floor and wall covering often used in Victorian homes. Three years later, Walton received a British patent for his invention. Fredrick Walton was inspired to invent linoleum as a cheap substitute for the more expensive rubber composition called Kamptulicon. Walton got the idea for his product by observing the skin produced by oxidized linseed oil that forms on paint. Read the rest of this entry »

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Laminate is easy to install, stands up to all kinds of wear and tear, and is relatively inexpensive. It doesn’t require removal of any type of existing flooring except carpet, and in most cases, no special prep work is needed to install a floating laminate floor.

What Is a Floating Laminate Floor?

Laminate floorboards are made of densely pressed wood fiberboard, topped with a layer of paper or other material that looks exactly like wood, then covered with a durable coating that protects the look and gives it its durability. It’s often generically (and mistakenly) called Pergo flooring, but that’s only the trademark name of the company that pioneered the laminate-floor product.

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This article is a guide for the DIYer to install underlayment pads and a laminate floor. It includes a tool/material list and tips the maunufacturers don’t tell you.

How to Install Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring has become the floor of choice for many homeowners in the past several years. There are many good reasons for this. Notably, it needs very little maintenance (unlike carpet), it is incredibly durable, and it comes in a vast array of colors/styles. Since being introduced to the US back in 1982, laminate flooring sales has seen a growth of up to twenty per cent per year. This article is a step by step guide on how to install laminate flooring in your home. Read the rest of this entry »

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SOMETIMES neither wood, tile nor carpeting seems like the right choice for a floor. An alternative worth considering is laminate.

“Laminates are probably the most exciting change the flooring industry has seen in the last decade,” said Tom Kraeutler, who is a host of The Money Pit, a radio show, and with his co-host, Leslie Segrete, author of “My Home, My Money Pit: Your Guide to Every Home Improvement Adventure” (Globe Pequot Press, 2008). Read the rest of this entry »

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The Associated PressArchitect Dr. David Fisher unveiled the Dynamic Tower, the world’s first building in motion. The rotate skyscrapers, which are planned worldwide, have floors which rotate independently to create a building that constantly changes shape. (June 24)Is it the skyscraper of the future? Or just a “pie in the sky” idea? Italian architect David Fisher unveiled in New York the design for what he’s calling the world’s first “building in motion.” It’s an 80-story residential tower with revolving floors, ostensibly set for construction in Dubai this fall. ((David Fisher, Architect)) “It’s the first building that is dynamic, changing its’ shape. You can adjust the shape any given moment.” Fisher says he is also slated to build one of the “dynamic” buildings in Moscow, and, he hopes, New York City. He says the buildings also double as power generators: wind turbines on every floor will provide power. “Wind has a very negative affect on skyscrapers we all know. So I say ‘why do we want to fight the wind?’ Why don’t we use the wind, to our own benefit? The Dubai condos are going for three-thousand dollars a square foot. Lifts will allow penthouse residents to park their cars right in their apartments. Fisher says the building parts will be prefabricated in a factory in Italy then assembled at the final location. The architect says he’d like to have the Dubai building ready to live in by 2010. Ted Shaffrey, The Associated Press, New York

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It’s definitely not your grandmother’s kitchen floor. Linoleum is back, and it’s better than ever.

What’s new is that the product comes in vibrant colors and updated designs in sheet goods (79 inches wide) and square tiles (13 inches x 13 inches). It’s also made increasingly from renewable raw materials, but in fact, maintains many of the same natural ingredients as when it was originally developed some 114 years ago, says Kate Macaulay, owner and manager of Green Living in Dallas. Green Living is a retail store that offers earth-friendly and unique eco-products and the latest information on global green issues. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Home Ideas Centre provides free, permanent exhibitions of products for renovating, building, decorating, architecture, interior design and landscaping.

The Home Ideas Centre exhibits thousands of products, all under one roof at its permanent building exhibition centre in Queensland, with over 204 companies exhibiting their products.
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