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JNK Products, LLC, is a leading garage flooring company that has sold many brands of garage flooring in addition to quality garage storage and other service products. While JNK Products sells millions of dollars in garage flooring products on an annual basis, Justin Krauss, operations manager for JNK Products, LLC, warns “garage flooring is just like any emerging industry. There are good garage flooring products and there are not so good garage flooring products. There are also some garage flooring products which probably should not even be on the market.”

Many consumers use warranties to separate the great products from the bad ones prior to making an order for their garage flooring area. While reviewing a manufacturers warranty is certainly a helpful and easy way to start, it is also important to view and find out other information, like how long the product has been on the market and how long the manufacturer has been making similar flooring products. A 10-Year warranty on a product that has been on the market for a year may be cause for a potential customer to pause. Another important factor in choosing a garage floor is how you are going to make use of it.

Garage Floor Mats have become an affordable and attractive solution for the garage flooring needs of many consumers. Garage floor mats are typically one of the least expensive garage flooring products on the market while some products offer a high degree of performance. An important thing to consider when shopping for and purchasing garage floor mats is again the purpose. There are basically two types of mats for garage floors on the market.

The first type of garage floor mat is a true garage floor covering like the products made by Better Life Technology® (BLT). BLT mats for garage floors are constructed of a high quality PVC and are available in 4 patterns, 6 colors, widths of up to 10 feet and lengths up to 60 feet. Rolled garage flooring like that manufactured by BLT can be easily seamed to cover an entire garage floor, or a smaller piece can simply be rolled out over a portion of the garage. When choosing rolled garage flooring products, there are several very important factors to consider. If you are hoping to contain liquid or debris, then you will want to make sure that you choose an appropriate pattern like the ribbed pattern. If you are going more for style or looking for more of a traditional look, then you should consider the coin, diamond tread and other attractive options offered by manufacturers. Next you want to make sure that you choose a rolled garage floor mat that is at least 55 Mils thick. Most industry experts agree that PVC is the best choice of substrates for this type of garage flooring.

The containment mat is another type of garage mat that is often confused with the product above. Containment mats are not garage flooring. Thus, they should not be used to cover your entire garage floor. Containment mats are not generally designed to withstand high traffic, snow tires, chains, cabinets, etc. Containment mats are simply designed to be driven onto with the sole purpose of keeping snow, ice, dirt, water and debris off of garage floors. There is a big difference between one containment mat and another, even within the same manufacturer! When choosing a containment mat, it is very important to choose a containment mat that is over 40 mils thick. You should also choose a mat that is shipped rolled (as opposed to folded) such as the new Park Smart® Special Edition Parking Mat.

Garage floor tiles are also available from a wide variety of manufacturers. The advantage of garage floor tiles over other garage flooring products is that they are generally thicker and can be assembled to create a variety of patterns. While garage floor tiles will take longer to install than a rolled garage flooring product, many garage floor tiles (such as the Daytona® Sport Court® Garage Floor Tile) offer longer warranties. When choosing a garage floor tile, it is important to know that price and quality are not necessarily related. You should consider purchasing a tile that is at least ½” thick polypropylene. It is also advantageous to choose a garage floor tile that combines drainage and solid tiles. The drainage tiles allow water and debris to wash off of the surface, keeping it cleaner and dryer. Make sure the garage floor tile you choose is UV resistant and also incorporates a loop and peg locking system. Finally make sure the tile is rated at 200 PSI or b!
etter.

“There is a lot of talk about garage floor tiles that lock moisture and dirt on top of the floor,” said Krauss. “It has been our experience that this is a horrible mistake. This type of tile has the potential to have three major issues.

“First if the lock is too tight, there can be an issue with buckling when the tiles expand and contract. Second, when the dirt is trapped on top of the system, you can be left with a very expensive, yet very dirty garage floor. Third, moisture trapped on top of the garage floor can cause a potential hazard and increase the likelihood that you may slip.

“I believe that Sport Court® presents the best value for the customer. Sport Court® has manufactured modular garage floor systems for three decades. Their garage floor tiles are priced under $3.00 a square foot, and they offer two solid tiles that can interact with a drainage tile. While we have many many garage floor tiles available to us, Sport Court® is the only garage floor tile we’ve chosen to stock.”

Regardless of what garage flooring product you choose, most industry experts agree that if you are going to choose a non-coating product, then you should always order a sample first. Companies like JNK Products offer free samples of BLT flooring. JNK Products will also send samples of garage floor tiles for a nominal shipping cost. “Ordering a garage floor without getting a sample first is like buying a house you have never seen,” Krauss said.

According to Krauss, the following are ten questions you should ask your garage flooring supplier before making a purchase:

If you were choosing a product, which one would you put in your own home?

Do you stock any garage flooring products in your warehouse?

What happens if my garage flooring arrives and I do not like it?

How long will my order take to arrive, how will it be shipped and where is it shipping from?

Can I have a copy of the warranty?

What tools do I need to install this product and how difficult is installation?

What complaints have you received about this product?

If you are buying garage flooring online, make sure they are a legitimate operation. Thus, if there is a problem down the road, then you will have a legitimate company to work with. Is the company you are dealing with a one person operation and a cell phone or a well staffed company with a warehouse or store front? Just because an online company does not have a warehouse or a storefront does not mean they are less legitimate. It just means you might want to consider checking a little harder.

Tell your salesperson what you use your garage for and ask for their recommendation based on that specific information. I would recommend a different garage flooring product for a garage storage/workshop than I would for just a garage.

When should I expect to receive tracking information and how will I receive it?

For more information about garage flooring contact your local garage flooring dealer, call JNK Products at 877-873-3736 or visit their website at http://www.jnkproducts.com

“Today, there are deviations of vinyl. Now we use nylon, urethanes, polymers, resins, limestone, and wood pulp,” says Leonard A. Ludovico, Congoleum’s vice president of product styling and design.

While chemistry allows the material to be cross-linked to create stronger, more light-stable flooring with better stain resistance, computers allow manufactures to model performance characteristics and create digital date for patterns.

“The advantage to vinyl flooring is that it’s a printed material so you can make it look like anything you want. That’s what makes it a fun category,” says Roger Oates, vice president of residential flooring for Armstrong.

New pressing techniques, special glosses, and greater resilience are making vinyl’s reputation as a glossy, ho-hum product a thing of the past. At first glance, it’s difficult to tell that the patterns in Armstrong’s Urban Setting floors are vinyl because hip designs resemble materials like fabric and leather. Rather than imitating other materials, “We wanted to come out with designs that were unique and unexpected,” says Oates. The Crocodile pattern, for instance, uses a reverse embossing technique that concentrates texture on the “down” areas, enhancing its visual texture.

John Audet, head of the bath and kitchen division of Falls Church, Va.-based Case Design/Remodeling, is impressed. “I have seen some newer vinyl flooring that looks great and has long-term warranties. I was surprised at the variety of what was available.”

BETTER DURABILITY

Armstrong was one of the first to step up durability with the introduction of ToughGuard several years ago. The ToughGuard technology guarantees flooring against rips and gouges. Several other companies followed suit, with more durable wear layers and warranties against tearing–a relief to builders and remodelers accustomed to callbacks due to torn and scuffed floors.

“The performance of [resilient] floors has improved considerably,” says Chip Braulick, director of marketing for Tarkett. “The products have much more resistance to cuts, gouges, etc., at no extra cost to the consumer.”

In addition to greater durability, Domco Tarkett introduced TruTex, an embossing technology that creates more realistic natural styles. Ceramic-look products, for example, feature a low-gloss “grout” area with high- or mid-gloss stone areas.

“Right now there’s really a significant trend toward natural designs, whether it’s wood, stone, or ceramic,” Braulick says. “The popularity of these products is something sheet flooring manufacturers have to pay close attention to.”

Amtico’s Techno utilizes the company’s magnetic embossing, a technology that creates a visually raised pattern for a 3-D effect. Available for commercial and residential markets, the durable flooring comes with a 20-year residential wear warranty.

Furthermore, Mannington introduced NatureForm Textures embossing technology that provides a mix of surface textures for realistic stone, slate, and metal looks. The company has two patterns available: Shenandoah, a replica of European limestone, and Cozumel, which combines Jerusalem stone, pitted limestone, and painted ceramic tile into one modular design.

Besides better-looking designs and increased strength, vinyl continues to be a cost-effective flooring. Vinyl tiles range in price from 40 cents a square foot to $4 a square foot. Comparatively, ceramic tiles are $2 a square foot to $10 a square foot.

And now that vinyl flooring can be fabricated in almost any style desired, Oates predicts that “contradential flooring,” a blending of residential and commercial aesthetics, will become popular.

“You need to have flooring to coordinate with all the professional-looking appliances out there,” he says. “You need a mix of traditional and outlandish.”

With hip new looks and better guarantees, manufacturers continue to change vinyl’s image. And as manufacturing techniques improve, don’t be surprised if the latest floors cause your clients to do a double take.

Congoleum: Utopia vinyl flooring is 25 percent to 50 percent thicker than other vinyl flooring, claims the firm. The sheet product comes in nine designs and in 42 colors. It features the firm’s ArmorGuard protection to protect against tearing, and a natural gloss urethane finish to protect against scuffing, staining, dulling, and scratching. 800-234-8811. www.congoleum.com. Circle 220.

Domco: Vintage vinyl flooring features TruTex, a dimensional wear layer that offers realistic replication of textured grout, slate tile, tumbled pavers, and textured ceramic tile, says the firm. The flooring, shown here in the Homestead pattern, is available in five colors. It comes with a 10-year limited warranty. 800-367-8275. www.domco.com. Circle 221.

Tarkett: Contours vinyl flooring is available in 12 patterns and in 54 colors. It features a CeramiGuard wear layer, a densified foam layer, and a high-performance felt: Aquaguard SB stain block or Aquaguard II backing. The line comes with a 10-year limited warranty against rips, tears, gouges, and asphalt staining. 800-367-8275. www.tarkettusa.com. Circle 222.

Armstrong: Inspired by unique visuals such as reptile skin and woven textiles, the Urban Settings collection of vinyl sheet flooring is available in five patterns and in more than 30 colors. Shown here in the Kyoto pattern in gray flannel, the flooring comes with the firm’s ToughGuard 15-year limited warranty 800-233-3823. www.armstrong.com. Circle 223.

Mannington: Benchmark vinyl sheet flooring is the firm’s latest addition to its extensive product line. The flooring is available in 16 colors and in five patterns, including four stone designs and one wood pattern. All patterns come in 6- and 12-foot widths. The flooring comes with a six-year limited warranty. 856-935-3000. www.mannington.com. Circle 224.

Nafco: PermaStone vinyl flooring comes in an array of 16-inch-by-16-inch tiles that have the look and feel of real ceramic, stone, and marble, says the firm. The flooring features GroutFit, a two-sided grout treatment that allows tiles to fit together seamlessly. It has a patented wear layer and a 20-year limited warranty. 800-227-4662. www.nafco.com. Circle 225.

Color trends affect every aspect of home design. Some of the following color predictions for 2003 already are showing up on vinyl flooring patterns.

* Special effects and technologies will play a large role, with metals providing rich-looking accents.

* Colors taken from nature will flow throughout home products and furnishings.

* Energy-boosting bright hues reminiscent of the 1960s will perk up subtler colors, adding contrast and depth to simple palettes.-S.H.

SOURCE: COLOR MARKETING GROUP

Portions of this story first appeared in PROSALES magazine.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Hanley-Wood, Inc. COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group

Safe-T Sheet also features heat-welded seams for germ-free environments; stain-resistance to blood and other staining elements; resistance to indentation from gurneys, dropped equipment, or dragged furniture; and low-contrasting visuals for reduced eye strain.

Safe-T Sheet is suitable for areas such as hallways, cafeterias, and patient rooms.

Circle 214 on Reader Service Card

COPYRIGHT 2003 Medquest Communications, LLC COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group

Now there’s a better way to maintain cleaner floors every day. With dramatically improved navigation, cleaning coverage, vacuum pickup, particle filtration, and scheduling capabilities, the Roomba 560 picks up amazing amounts of dirt and debris from your floors with the touch of a button–so you don’t have to.

The Roomba 560 even cleans on schedule when it’s most convenient for you. Use the on-board scheduling system to easily program up to seven days and times per week for Roomba to vacuum–whether you’re at home or on the go. The Roomba 560 also offers the most efficient room-to-room cleaning available using two innovative, new Virtual Wall Lighthouses.

Yes, It Really Works

This smart, powerful, and autonomous vacuum features iRobot’s proven and patented three-stage cleaning system. First, innovative spinning side brushes grab dirt and debris from corners and along wall edges, then two high-speed, counter-rotating brushes pick up pet hair, food crumbs, and other debris. The powerful vacuum sucks up the debris and deposits it into a large, easy-to-empty bagless dust bin.

The improved fine-filtration system traps dust, pollen, and other allergens inside the robot, reducing infiltration into your living environment. The cleaning head automatically adjusts to transition from wood, tile, and linoleum to carpets and rugs. Improved anti-tangle technology ensures it won’t get stuck on cords and rug fringe. If Roomba begins to pick up a cord or carpet tassel, it will automatically reverse the direction of its brushes to extract the item. Roomba senses dirtier areas and spends more time cleaning them, and it uses built-in cliff sensors to avoid stairs and other drop-offs. When the job is done, Roomba returns to its self-charging Home Base to dock and recharge between cleaning cycles or when the battery is running low.

Easy to Use

The Roomba 560 features a friendly and informative audio voice demonstration that walks you through initial setup and alerts you when Roomba requires maintenance or assistance. Starting a cleaning cycle is simple–just press the “Clean” button and Roomba does the rest. First it will calculate the size of the room, the obstacles in the room, and the cleanliness of the floors. Then it goes to work all by itself. At the end of each cleaning cycle, the Roomba 560 returns to its Home Base to dock and recharge. Yes, it’s that simple. Routine maintenance is a snap. The large-capacity bagless bin is easy to slide out, empty, and click back into place. The brushes and filters can be easily removed by hand for routine cleaning and maintenance.

Smart and Efficient

Roomba 560 calculates the appropriate cleaning time and pattern for each room and adjusts its behavior over 67 times per second to achieve the most thorough cleaning result. On average, Roomba covers every part of the floor four times! A gentle-touch bumper system senses obstacles so Roomba automatically slows its approach, gently touches the obstacle, then redirects to continue cleaning under or around the object. Because it cleans under furniture, Roomba actually vacuums more of the floor than a standard upright can–and you don’t even have to push it around. Two Virtual Wall Lighthouses ensure the most efficient room-to-room cleaning. Set each to Lighthouse mode to ensure that Roomba cleans one room in its entirely before moving on to the next. Set it to Virtual Wall mode to create an infrared beam at door openings and other off-limit areas that Roomba will not cross. The vacuum’s advanced power system consists of a fast-charging battery, a three-hour charger, and a power source that supercharges the unit for up to 120 minutes of continuous cleaning, covering about three to four average-size rooms on a single charge. When the battery is low or when Roomba has completed a cleaning cycle, it automatically returns to the self-charging Home Base to dock and recharge. As a member of the newest generation of Roomba innovations, Roomba 560 features a more powerful vacuum and redesigned high-speed, counter-rotating brushes that pick up more dirt, pet hair, dander, cat litter, crumbs, leaves, and other debris.

Features

* A powerful vacuum: Two counter-rotating brushes and a powerful vacuum remove dirt, dust, pet hair, and other debris from your carpets and floors

* Robot intelligence: Navigates throughout your home, cleaning under and around furniture, covering each area an average of four times

* Avoids off-limit areas: Virtual Walls tell Roomba where to clean by restricting off-limit areas

* Efficient room-to-room cleaning: Lighthouses ensure thorough completion of one room before vacuuming the next

* Self-charging and docking: Automatically returns to its Home Base to dock and recharge between cleanings

* Detects dirt: Senses dirtier areas and spends more time cleaning them

* Cleans beneath furniture: Cleans under tables, beds, chairs, and other hard-to-reach places

* Edge-cleaning capability: Follows wall edges and reaches deep into corners to remove dust, dirt, and debris

* Self-adjusting cleaning head: Automatically adjusts from carpets to hard floors and back again

* Light-touch bumpers: Roomba slowly approaches obstacles, gently touches them, then redirects to clean around them

* Anti-tangle system: Roomba effectively extracts itself if it picks up cords, carpet fringe, or tassels

* Simple operation: Roomba keeps itself charged and ready to go–simply press the Clean button and Roomba does the rest

* What’s in the box: 1 iRobot Roomba 560, 2 Virtual Wall Lighthouses (each requires 2 C batteries, not included), 1 self-charging Home Base, 1 power supply (3-hour charge time), 1 brush cleaning tool, 1 rechargeable battery, 1 extra filter

Use plan3D to Trace Floor Plans & Convert Blueprints!

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Trace Floors Plans Quickly & Convert Any Blueprint into Lifelike 3D!

Plan3D takes the hard work out of converting your floor plans, blueprints and drawings into 3D. Import scanned 2D plans and quickly convert them to three dimensional homes or buildings.

Plan3D automatically scales drawings so anything you draw in 3D (like walls, floors and roofs) exactly matches the dimensions of your plans. Put windows, doors, cabinets, furniture and bathroom fixtures at exactly the correct position while working in 3D.

Click to learn more about plan3D. Plus, get 2 months FREE when you sign up for one year!

Everything we sell comes with a satisfaction guarantee. All our flooring (unless specified otherwise) is first-quality, graded to industry specifications and standard flooring lengths.

Visit us online at lumberliquidators.com. We ship anywhere in the world. Samples are also available.

Price Guarantee: Lumber Liquidators is committed to having great low prices everyday and we guarantee it. So if you find the same grade flooring, warranty and shipping costs from another dealer, at a lower price, upon verification Lumber Liquidators will beat the price.

Measurement and Quantity: Flooring is sold by the box/bundle. The actual square footage may differ when rounded to the nearest box/bundle size. You will be charged for the actual footage shipped. Lumber Liquidators assumes no responsibility for measurement errors.

Delivery and Lead Times: All delivery dates are estimates. We recommend that you do not book installation until you receive your product. All deliveries are curbside deliveries. Customer is responsible for unloading. Freight Driver can hand boxes/bundles from the truck, but customer is responsible for moving delivery into the home.

Inspection: Claims for damage or shortages must be made upon receipt of product. Do not install defective product, use constitutes acceptance.

Acclimation: Allow flooring to acclimate in the installation area for 3-7 days. It is the installer’s responsibility to determine acceptability of the moisture level.

Exchanges: Exchanges will be permitted for credit towards products of equal or greater value, within 30 days of receipt, without a restocking fee. Close-out items excluded. Product must be in the original condition and have been properly stored. Defective product may be exchanged, prior to installation at any time. Installed flooring is considered the property of the owner/installer and cannot be exchanged or returned for any reason. Any shipping costs are the sole responsibility of the customer.

Returns: Returns must be made within 30 days of receipt. Approved returns are subject to a 20% restocking fee. No returns on open bundles, close-outs, odd-lots, laminates or items no longer in stock. Special orders are non-cancelable and may not be returned for any reason, other than defect. Any shipping costs are the sole responsibility of the customer. Shipping and delivery charges are non-refundable. We accept cash, checks and credit cards. There is a $25 returned check fee.

Questions, comments or complaints – please call our Customer Care Team at 1-800-366-4204.

* Free Shipping not included for local “store only” inventory. Shipping not included for store-to-store transfers of local “store-only” inventory.

Delivery of flooring products is “curbside” or first floor only. If you require special shipping arrangements (up stairs, rooftop etc.) we recommend that you select the “Special Shipping Arrangements” option on the Shipping Method page in checkout and complete the purchase of items in your order without specifying a specific shipping method.

Upon receipt of your order, our Customer Service representative will call you to discuss the special shipping arrangements you might require.

The process of covering your garage floor is simple. First you need to measure your garage floor and make sure you have made not of any obstacles such as poles or supports. Next you need to decide on what type of covering you need. To make this decision, you need to examine your use for your garage. If you simply park your car in the garage and want to protect your floor from oil, mud, snow and water than a ribbed product would be ideal. JNK Products offers ribbed products that channel liquids out of your garage and contain messy spills.

If your garage is more than just a place to park your car, you have some additional things to consider. Do you stand in your garage for long periods of time? Do you roll heavy equipment back and forth or use hydraulic lifts? If so our Coin grade garage floor may be more suitable to your needs.

JNK Products, LLC also offers a solution for people simply wanting to park their car in a specific place and contain whatever comes off of it. JNK Products offers a lightweight containment mat that can contain gallons of fluid.

Now that you have determined the type of flooring you need in your garage, you can move forward. You can select from a standard group of sizes or have a custom mat cut for your garage. Mats are available in 7.5′, 8′, 9′ ad 10′ widths. Lengths up too 44 feet are available.

Once you have your garage mat, installation is easy. We recommend mopping your garage floor and letting it dry. From there many of the products simply roll into place. Carpet tape or construction adhesive can be used to secure the garage floor covering, but using an adhesive is strictly optional.

JNK Products, LLC is a leading distributor of alternative garage flooring products. Founded in 2001, JNK Products is having a record year and is on track for over One Million Dollars in sales. For more information you can contact JNK Products by phone 877-873-3736 or visit our website http://www.jnkproducts.com

CenturyAVX flooring can be used in virtually any aviation facility or application, including kit aircraft builders, hangers and terminals, basements and below-grade areas, workshops, safety and security areas, baggage claim, concourses, passenger bridges, emergency, ground support and maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) areas.

CenturyAVX stays in place and does not shift even under heavy point loads. It can be used for wayfinding and to brighten cold and uninviting hangers and other areas, such as those used by visitors, customers and employees. CenturyAVX’s cushioned feel has been shown to improve productivity and comfort, while reducing noise and dust.

Requiring minimal floor prep, CenturyAVX is easily installed over any flat, clean, structurally sound surface, including contaminated, moisture-problem or uncured concrete subfloors. Since no solvents, sealers or adhesives are used, the tiles can be installed in VOC-sensitive or restricted areas. Once in place, AVX’s hidden Tuff-Seal interlocking edges form straight, precise seams and a uniform watertight surface ready for immediate traffic and loads of up to 500 p.s.i. With proper instruction, the tiles can be quickly and easily removed and re-laid in other areas as needed or moved to other sites in the case of rental facilities.

CenturyAVX tiles are 18″ x 18″ (450 mm x 450 mm), ?” (6.5 mm) thick, weigh 3.7 pounds (1.67 kg) and are available in two versions: CenturyAVX-r is made of premium-grade 100% post-industrial recycled PVC and is available in a round studded pattern in matte-finish black. CenturyAVX-p is made of virgin PVC and is available in seven colors.

Tested and resistant to most fluids and other materials used in aviation, all CenturyAVX tiles are impact, fire, chemical and stain-resistant. Hydraulic fluid, solder and epoxy adhesive do not affect CenturyAVX tiles if quickly removed, but if damaged, the tiles can be easily replaced. CenturyAVX meets ADA slip-resistance recommendations and ASTM specifications for F-1700 solid vinyl tile, is 100% recyclable, easy to maintain and helps meet LEED criteria. Since CenturyAVX tiles are generally not adhered to the subfloor, their cost may be fully deductible in the first year.

For CenturyAVX information and samples, contact Flooring Adventures, 7453 Whitepine Road, Richmond, VA 23237, 877-779-2454, www.flooringadventures.com