August 20/27, 2018: Volume 34, Issue 5
By Lindsay Baillie
As WPC and SPC flooring products continue to grow in popularity, molding manufacturers are looking into developing new, matching accessories. While some companies are specifically developing multilayer moldings, others are enhancing their current profiles to create products that are made of other materials but ultimately match rigid core flooring.
Following are some of the latest moldings hitting the marketplace.
Artistic Finishes
Artistic Finishes’ Enduracor is durable, highly water resistant and a versatile solution for any consumer’s flooring project. The product line features the company’s exclusive four-layer design, making it “one of the most technologically advanced accessories on the market,” according to Bill Treiber, technical sales and education manager.
Enduracor was developed to fill an industry need for high-functioning, compatible accessories. “With the overwhelming growth in multilayer flooring categories, it seemed natural for us to create a line of products that was compatible,” Treiber explained. “Our SPC core fits the niche, giving the market a waterproof core in a highly functioning series of profiles.”
The product’s 16 profiles cover any floor ranging from 2.5mm up to 15mm.
MD-PRO
MD-PRO has the capability to produce an aluminum luxury floor trim that is not only strong enough to withstand daily traffic, but attractive enough to complement the beauty of luxury vinyl tile floors.
The company’s LVT moldings are available in 12-foot lengths in three heights for different thicknesses of vinyl tile. Anodized in satin antique bronze and satin titanium, the moldings can be installed using MD-PRO’s patented PROVA Seal technology. MD-Pro’s Luxury Vinyl Trims can be installed on doorways, room separations, stairs and landings.
Pennwood
Pennwood’s RetroTread collection was created to help customers easily transform their worn, carpeted stairs. User-friendly for professional installers and DIYers alike, RetroTread is able to mimic approximately 30 species, which makes it possible to match any flooring material—including wood, laminate and WPC.
“RetroTread is great for customers looking to remodel their staircase,” said Kraig Coxon, executive vice president. “This product is designed to go over an existing staircase and give the customer a color match to her new flooring.”
Pennwood will match any visual as long as it has the color standards to do so. The company also carries the basic species and colors, which are kept in stock for a quick ship program. In terms of custom colors, Pennwood boasts a turnaround of two to three weeks.
“People have approached us with all types of flooring situations where they want us to match it,” Coxon said. “It usually ends with us creating a custom staircase just for them. If you are going to invest money in your flooring, you might as well finish strong with high-quality RetroTreads.”
Seneca
Seneca Millwork recently introduced SignatureFlex, a flexible moldings product line. These products are designed for curved architecture and flooring applications and are ideal companions to the company’s quality hardwood transitions. Manufactured out of a durable polyurethane material, they provide a cost-effective alternative to curved wood applications.
SignatureFlex moldings are water resistant and will not rot or swell, according to the company. They can be ordered in 12-foot straight pieces that have limited flexibility—depending upon the profile—or for tight radiuses, pre-curved to a customer’s specific measurements.
The products are sold unfinished in either a smooth or wood-textured finish. After installation, both types can be painted, and the textured finish can be gel stained to match coordinating wood moldings. For extra convenience, these products can be cut, drilled and nailed like wood moldings.
Stairrods
Stairrods’ bendable premier LVT nosing is available for both straight and curved bullnose/curtail steps using 3⁄32-inch, 1⁄8-inch, 5⁄32-inch and 13⁄64-inch dryback and click. When using with 15⁄64-inch plywood, it can be paired with treads ranging between 55⁄64 inch and 63⁄64 inch.
The bendable LVT nosing can be fitted on site and requires no templating for curves. It comes in four standard finishes—antique brass, antique bronze, brass and satin brass—and six specialized finishes—brushed chrome, chrome, pewter, polished nickel, satin nickel and black.
“We have been manufacturing carpet accessories for over 30 years,” said John Raine, director. “During this time, we have constantly innovated in all areas—designing, developing and introducing new products, fittings and finishes.”
Zamma
Zamma’s latest PVC moldings were created to fill new vinyl demands within the industry. The company’s new profile is available for multi-layered vinyl floors from 3mm to 5.5mm, 6mm to 10mm and 11mm to 14mm.
“We originally went to market with a multi-functional reducer that worked with various flooring transition heights,” said Tim Tipton, director, sales. “However, vinyl flooring is thicker and [is being] installed in higher-end rooms, which traditionally met thicker carpeted rooms. This requires a profile with a higher facing to allow these better-end carpets to be rolled into.”
When constructing its PVC moldings, Zamma uses the actual decorative vinyl films the flooring manufacturers use to produce the flooring. The films are then thermally fused with a commercial-rated PVC overlay and wrapped around a PVC molding.