The Floor Trader

Subfloor Requirements and Preparation

2010-10-21T14:37:00.000-07:00

Our floating floor products may be installed over any subfloor, new or existing, provided those materials meet the following requirements:

STRUCTURALLY SOUND – Nail or screw any loose areas that squeak. Replace any water-damaged subflooring or underlayments. Subfloor must have minimal vertical movement (deflection)
CLEAN – Scraped, broom clean, and smooth. Free of wax, paint, oil or debris.
FLAT – Within 3/16" in 10' and/or 1/8" in 6'. Sand high areas or joints, fill low areas with a leveling compound or layers of 15# builders felt. DO NOT use cushioned underlayment for this purpose.
DRY – Check moisture of subfloor. Moisture content of wood subfloor must not exceed 14% on a wood moisture meter, or more than a 5% difference than moisture level of product being installed unless a suitable moisture retardant material is installed prior to installation of the flooring. Visual checks are not reliable.

Acceptable test methods for subfloor moisture content include:

Polyfilm test: Tape 3" X 3" pieces of polyethylene film to the subfloor and leave in place for 24 hours. Assure all edges are completely sealed. Darkened concrete or condensation on film indicates presence of moisture and requires testing with Tramex meter or Calcium Chloride.
Calcium Chloride test. The maximum moisture transfer must not exceed 5#/1000 square feet in a 24 hour period with this test. Test several areas, especially near exterior walls and walls containing plumbing.
Tramex Concrete Moisture Encounter meter. Moisture readings should not exceed 5.5 on the upper scale.

Next Installment - Correcting Moisture Problems

Visit http://www.thefloortrader.com/ to find the Floor Trader, Stone Mountain, or GCO Carpet Outlet nearest you.

Installation Tips for Hardwood III - Pre-Installation Recommendations & Best Practices

2010-09-08T14:39:00.000-07:00

To continue with our tips on Installing Hardwood, let's discuss pre-installation recommendations and best practices, including storage & handling and site requirements.

Pre-Installation Recommendations and Best Practices

Prior to installation of any hardwood flooring product, the installer must determine that the job-site environment and the sub-surfaces involved, meet or exceed all requirements as stipulated in the installation instructions. The manufacturer declines any responsibility for job failure resulting from or associated with sub-surface or job-site environment deficiencies.

Storage and Handling
Handle and unload with care. Store in a dry place, preferably within the room where the product is to be installed. Be sure to provide at least a four-inch air space under cartons when storage occurs over concrete. DO NOT OPEN CARTONS PRIOR TO INSTALLATION. This may cause the tongue to swell making installation difficult.

Site Requirements
EXTERIOR: Exterior grading should be complete with surface drainage directing water away from the building. All gutters and downspouts should be in place.

INTERIOR: The building should be closed in with all outside doors and windows in place. All concrete, masonry, framing members, drywall, paint and other wet work should be thoroughly dry. The wall coverings should be in place and the painting completed except for the final coat on the base molding. When possible, delay installation of base molding until flooring installation is complete. Subfloors (wood or concrete) must be checked for moisture content using the appropriate testing method. This product may be installed below, on or above grade. Basements and crawl spaces must be dry and well ventilated. Concrete should be at least 60 days old. Permanent air conditioning and heating systems should be in place and operational. The installation site should have a consistent room temperature of 60-75° F and humidity of 35-55% for three days prior, during and until occupied. Do not install in areas of high moisture incidence such as bathrooms and powder rooms.

NOTE: Radiant heated subfloors. In rooms with under-floor (radiant) heating, the surface temperature of the subfloor may not, under any circumstances, exceed 85° F. Increasing heat should be done in 5-degree increments. DO NOT install species other than Oak when using this type of heating system. Excessive heat may cause unacceptable shrinkage and structural damage.

Next "Tips" Installmement - Subfloor Requirements and Preparation or visit The Floor Trader - Installation Tips for Hardwood.

Announcing New Durable, Soft Style Carpet

2010-08-31T13:22:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-31T08:20:00.000-07:00

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.

Installation Tips for Hardwood

2010-08-24T08:34:00.000-07:00

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

Who is The Floor Trader®?

2010-08-16T15:20:00.000-07:00

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.