Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Announcing New Durable, Soft Style Carpet

The Floor Trader is excited to announce the launch of their newest product collection, Tigressá Softstyle Carpet. Like its animal kingdom namesake, the inventive new collection features the strength and resilience of precision nylon fibers with a soft touch you have to feel to believe.


Although the most obvious feature of this revolutionary product may be its softness, it is Tigressá’s strength and durability that set it apart from its competitors. Its super-strong, nylon fibers are packed tight to stand up to daily carpet abuse. There are actually twice the number of fibers per square inch compared to standard nylon carpet.

“The key to Tigressá’s strength is a type of nylon that holds the twist better and longer, which allows the carpet to hold its new appearance much longer than other carpets.” explains Charlie Dilks, Chief Product Officer for The Floor Trader. “Tigressá’s soft feel means our customers no longer have to choose between soft and strong.“

Advanced yarn engineering allows for microscopic fibers which produce a pleasant, luxurious touch. The unique geometric fiber shape is designed to withstand force and allow Tigressá to maintain pristine color and appearance. Where other carpet begins fading and matting, Tigressá stands firm, remains supple, and retains a deeper color texture. The Tigressá line includes several styles available in many colors.

Our Floor Trader, GCO, and Stone Mountain locations are featured on the collections brand-new website http://www.tigressaoutlet.com/ as the exclusive outlet providers of this innovative carpet brand.  Visit participating locations to see this "must have" carpeting today.

Installation Tips for Hardwood - Part II

Last Tuesday we discussed the initial thoughts and steps behind installing hardwood flooring.  This week we will discuss the tools you will need to successfully complete the process. Keep in mind that this list is for most projects.  Your flooring professional should be able to assist you with selecting the tools for your particular job.

Tools and Accessories Needed


  • Broom/vacuum
  • Pencil
  • Safety Glasses
  • Filler or putty stick
  • Moisture meter (wood, concrete, or both)
  • Hand Saw, table saw, circular saw or band saw
  • Moisture resistant cushioned underlayment
  • Tape Measure
  • Vinyl/plastic tapping block
  • Carpenter's Square
  • Hammer or rubber mallet
  • Small pry-bar or pull-bar
  • Utility/razor knife
  • Dust mask
  • 3M 2080 BueMask tape
  • Transition and wall moldings
  • Wood Glue*
  • 4-6 mil polyvinyl sheeting (if needed)

*Use wood glue designed for laminate or floating wood installations or a Carpenter's glue such as Franklin TiteBond II. A 16 oz. container will be adequate for approximately 200 ft² of wood installation.

 

 Next "Tips" Installmement - Pre-Installation Recommendations and Best Practices or visit  The Floor Trader - Installation Tips for Hardwood
 

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Installation Tips for Hardwood

Before installing your hardwood floor it is important to remember that wood comes from nature and, like the rest of nature, is not perfect and you should not expect it to be. However, there are industry standards which permit grading deficiencies exceeding 5% and the wood flooring you buy at our stores all adhere to those standards.

Inspect the wood carefully before installing. Be selective about wood with excessive deficiencies, naturally-occurring or caused by the manufacturing process. Either do not use them or try to cut off the deficiencies. If the material is not acceptable, do not install it and contact the seller right away. The installer should assume all responsibility for final inspections of the wood in terms of grade and finish. Take great care in making sure that the color and finish work according to your needs and tastes.
Not only does the wood have to adhere to industry standards, the job site environments and sub-surfaces do as well. Determine if they meet or need them. You must follow local codes as well as recommendations of the construction and materials industries which recommend that the subfloor be dry, stiff, and flat. The manufacturer will not take responsibility for job failures having to do with deficiencies in the sub-surface, sub flooring, or job-site environment.

Keep in mind that it is normal procedure to use stain, filler, or putty stick for touch-up during installation.
When ordering, it is always a good idea to add 5% to the actual square footage that you need to account for cutting and grading allowance. It is better to have more than you need than less.

When in doubt, throw it out! Do not use the piece if you are doubtful as to its grade, manufacture, or factory finish.

You should also accept as normal procedure the use of appropriate products to correct subfloor voids.
 
Next Installmement - Tools Needed for the job or visit http://thefloortrader.com/custom.asp?id=460369&page=15

Monday, August 16, 2010

Who is The Floor Trader®?


The Floor Trader® is a no-frills warehouse-style flooring store, that has a reputation for finding the best deals on carpets and floors and passing those savings directly on to you.

At The Floor Trader®, we keep our costs to a minimum. Concrete floors, simple displays and huge in- stock inventories instead of fancy fixtures mean no added costs to you. Plus, our buys are simply better than you’ll find anywhere else. So, since we buy for less and show for less, we can sell for less…a lot less!

And, our Global Direct™ distribution system lets us bring our customers the most current floors from all around the world. Whether it's Brazilian Hardwoods, European Laminates, Asian Bamboo, Italian Porcelains, or good old carpet from Dalton, GA. USA.

How is The Floor Trader® Different?

At The Floor Trader®, we believe that when you decide to update the flooring in your home, you want to see it, buy it, and take it home today. So, when it comes to selection, The Floor Trader® has what is quite possibly the largest selection of exclusive and name brand flooring products available when you want them.

First and foremost, The Floor Trader® is focused on you, the customer. After extensive research, we built what today's customers told us they wanted:

  • Clean, Uncluttered, Easy to Shop Store: The Floor Trader® provides a shopping environment that is visually exciting, easy to navigate, comfortable to shop in, and one that gives our customers the confidence in making their selection, without being "sold".

  • Large and Well-Organized Product Samples: From full rolls of carpet to 4’ x 4’ displays of wood, laminate, and tile products, The Floor Trader® displays products so that you can see a larger section of the product’s unique details, pattern, and color.

  • Installation Connection: Want to do the project yourself? Whether it’s recommending all the tools and supplies you’ll need to tips on getting the job done right, our Sales Associates are here to help. Or if you prefer, we’ll connect you with one or several of our preferred installers, based on your project. This gives you the control to work with someone you are comfortable with and gives you the control to pay the installer direct, only when you are satisfied with the installation.
Who Are the People Behind The Floor Trader®?

The Floor Trader® is a national franchise retailer that is also part of the flooring industry’s largest floorcovering cooperative in North America and operates under the store names of The Floor Trader®, Stone Mountain Flooring Outlet, and GCO Flooring Outlet

Every store is locally owned and operated, which means that when you buy from The Floor Trader®, you are buying from local business owners in your community.

Just as important as the local owner is our team of expert, passionate Sales Associates that are trained specifically in flooring products and services and are ready to help you through each and every step of the buying experience.

The Floor Trader® is a division of CCA Global Partners® and is headquartered in St. Louis, MO.