August 31/September 7; Volume 30/Number 6
By Nadia Ramlakhan
Just in time for the fall selling season, flooring manufacturers are preparing to launch new collections, products, styles and designs while others are extending old favorites. FCNews rounded up a list of what dealers can expect to see in the coming months.
BerryAlloc
BerryAlloc is launching Pure, featuring advanced RCB (rigid composite board) technology that provides extreme durability. It is 100% waterproof, lightweight and has leveling properties that allow for installation over almost any subfloor.
The collection will be available in a glue down plank format as well as the company’s 3600 DreamClick locking system, which allows for multiple direction installation. Products with either installation type will be available in an 8 x 52 plank format (select colors will be available in XXL at 8 x 72).
Columbia
Columbia will release its Vale Collection of longer, wider planks that feature smooth maple and walnut floors as well as softly wire-brushed oak and hickory. This collection showcases the natural beauty of hardwood with ample amounts of rustic character including cracks, knots and splits. A multi-stain antiquing process further creates the high-end visual that is topped off with a matte finish. Planks are random length up to 72 inches and available in 4-, 6- and 8-inch combined multi-widths. Each plank features SuperiorShield surface technology that helps resist stains and grime.
Crossville
Crossville will unveil Groove Glass, its latest line of glass tile. The “glamour of cosmopolitan nightlife and the feeling of an evening out in the city, full of exciting possibilities, inspired Groove Glass,” the company said.
The new line is intended to bring fun and sophistication to Crossville’s catalog, with the 2 x 8 product allowing for a clean look in wall tile design. The mosaics are rhythmic, dynamic and fresh, framing rich and soft palettes of triangles in eight solid colors and five blends. Other size options include 2 x 12, 2 x 16, 4 x 8, 4 x 12, 4 x 16 and 2 x 2 mosaic blends (mounted on 12 x 12 sheet).
Dream Weaver/Engineered Floors
Dream Weaver, a division of Engineered Floors, is introducing what it calls “the future of nylon carpet” with PureColor N2 Nylon featuring a unique combination of fiber protection technology.
The N2 Nylon fiber has several important advantages, including the company’s proprietary PureColor fiber in which the color goes completely through the carpet rather than only on the surface. The fiber is made with a process that virtually eliminates the microscopic dye sites where stains can enter the fiber and is treated with Engineered Floors’ proprietary soil and stain barrier. The result is twice the protection found in traditional nylon carpets with all the advantages of PureColor.
DuChâteau
DuChâteau is expanding its offerings to include DuChâteau Wall Coverings and Porcelain DeLuxe. DuChâteau’s highly anticipated Wall Coverings line draws upon the appeal of nature and geometry. This exclusive collection is available in 12 styles and 12 colors and provides exceptional depth and dimension to any design environment.
Also new for the company, DuChâteau’s Porcelain DeLuxe line is a luxury hardwood alternative that bridges the gap between what is possible in interior and exterior spaces. Wide plank tiles in seven colors mimic the look and feel of hard-wax oiled hardwood flooring while adapting to both dry and wet environments. These non-porous floors also feature rectified edges for tighter grout lines.
Florida Tile
Alava is the company’s latest HDP (high definition porcelain) line and a unique concept for the American tile industry as it marries two completely different visuals—wood and stone—into a single design.
Featuring three contemporary colors, Alava combines stone and wood looks in each available tone, offered in 12 x 12, 12 x 24, 6 x 24 and 8 x 36 formats. The 12 x 12 and 12 x 24 tiles are composed of a roughly hewn stone graphic with a high shade variation and a slightly distressed surface texture. The 6 x 24 and 8 x 36 formats are presented in a rustic reclaimed wood complete with nail holes, worn-in stains and a soft grain texture.
Karastan
Treated with Scotchgard Advance Repel Technology, Karastan’s Wear-Dated Kashmere nylon provides the ultimate stain protection. Four new Wear-Dated Kashmere products are coming this fall: Design Journey, Classic Couture, Nature’s Essentials and Botania.
The bold shapes of Design Journey’s contemporary pattern offer distinct personality while Classic Couture features an organic lattice pattern in an assortment of 20 colors. Nature’s Essentials presents a seamless transition from indoor to outdoor with a casual basket weave pattern. Botania comes in a palette of 20 classic colors including today’s popular neutrals.
Karndean Designflooring
Karndean Designflooring is expanding its Van Gogh collection with the unveiling of 12 new plank designs. The latest selections are inspired by salvaged and reused woods, meticulously developed to suit today’s top trends. The collection includes four lightly lime-washed oak looks; three designs inspired by American redwood railroad ties; three rich, brown, smoked designs; and two unique wire-brushed, cypress-effect planks.
Mercier Wood Flooring
Mercier Wood Flooring is offering three new stains as part of its Design + Program collection: Crème Brûlée, Smoky Brown and Barrel. Wider boards of 6½ inches are now available in the Design+ Program. The collection’s red oak and white oak products come in four of Mercier’s finish options including semi-gloss, satin, matte and matte-brushed.
Three products will also be added to the World Attraction series included in Mercier’s Nature collection: Versailles, Alcazar and Yorkshire. Tavern, a textured gray, is an addition to the Pub Series.
Finally, Mercier is introducing a completely new series called Legend, including white oak and hickory offerings in Crema, Fuego, Kona, Slate, Roma, Sepia and Black Cherry hues.
Metroflor
Metroflor’s Konecto LVT will transition from a line of 162 SKUs to a streamlined 102-SKU collection. The brand will be positioned in an entry level/ good/better/best format. Entry level will include Elements, good will consist of Project Plank and Project Tile, better will feature Sierra Plank and Sierra Tile, and best will offer Prestige.
Metroflor’s new Engage Genesis is a step forward from the company’s current Engage LVT offering. It features the proprietary new Isocore technology—a closed-cell extruded panel manufactured from virgin PVC, the backbone for its LVT top layer. Because Isocore does not contain wood, the company is calling it a “structural LVT” rather than WPC to express what a rigid-core brings to the equation: structure and stability.
Q-Wood
Q-Wood by Quick-Step will launch its Elonge Collection that offers wire-brushed surface textures in a longer, wider plank size. The collection features oak, hickory and maple in all of today’s fashion forward colors including gray, brown and cream—all with high shade variation.
Elonge’s engineered hardwood planks are offered in 4-, 6- and 8-inch combined multi-widths and random lengths up to 72 inches. All Elonge floors feature Quick-Step’s unique Opulux Performance Enhanced Finish that provides the look and feel of a luxurious oil finish with the performance and durability comparable to a standard urethane floor.
Quick-Step
Quick-Step is releasing its Envique collection nationwide. With a unique combination of true-to-nature looks and innovative technologies, this line offers six striking selections, rich in bold and distinctive deep-textured finishes. The visuals and textures include fire-charred, sandblasted, wood concrete, vintage hardwood and handscraped designs on 7½ x 54 extra long planks that are 12mm thick.
Envique combines the best of Quick-Step technologies—Uniclic and HydroSeal—to offer the 24-Hour Spill Protection guarantee.
Shaw Floors
After its successful launch of Epic back in 2006, Shaw’s Epic Plus is revitalizing the industry yet again. Comprised of interlocking wood fibers, a Stabilitek core allows Epic Plus hardwood to expand and contract, enabling floors to fluctuate with the changing seasons.
Glue down, floating, nail or staple installation is fast and easy with a new tongue-and-groove system that ensures joint integrity. Featuring 50 designs in oak, cherry, maple and hickory, Epic Plus will include 3-, 5- and 7-inch mixed widths.
The company is also expanding its LifeGuard carpet product offerings with five new Anso LifeGuard styles.
Tarkett
Debuting at the end of September, Acczent Flourish performs well in high-traffic areas thanks to a 32 mil wear layer creating exceptional durability. The look of LVT in a sheet format paired with a coordinating visual package of 30 patterns allows for ease of design and a smooth transition from room to room. With coordinating pieces across other Johnsonite-brand solutions, Acczent Flourish helps to meet the needs of an individual room while creating cohesiveness throughout an entire space.
Tarkett will also launch iQ Granit Micro, its vinyl sheet and tile collection—an ideal solution for health care, education, retail, hospitality or corporate spaces. Inspired by nature, iQ Granit Micro’s tonal, smaller chip design is available in 50 colors.