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By Home and Garden Television

For example, the National Wood Flooring Association looks to the Forest Stewardship Council to certify wood-flooring products as green when the material comes from forests operated under sustainable forest-management practices. Other organizations, such as BuildingGreen Inc., publisher of the GreenSpec Directory and Environmental Building News, qualify and list other green-flooring alternatives, such as natural linoleum, cork and concrete.

Carpeting: The carpet and rug industry uses a labeling system to identify materials with fewer volatile organic compounds in the carpet fiber or in the adhesives used in installation. Such carpeting improves indoor air quality, a major consideration of green building. The Green Label Plus program, directed by the Carpet and Rug Institute, certifies environmentally friendly carpeting products, and received a 2004 certificate of recognition from the California Governor's Environmental and Economic Leadership Award program.

Linoleum: Natural linoleum is widely promoted and rigidly specified in the green building community. Natural linoleum is made primarily from linseed oil, pine resin, sawdust, cork dust, limestone and jute. It is an all-natural alternative to resilient flooring, including sheet vinyl and vinyl composition tile, which are made from polyvinyl chloride. It can get confusing, however, since the word "linoleum" is still used by some people to refer to vinyl flooring.

Wood: Sustainable forest management makes it possible to harvest wood without any serious impact on the environment, because trees are a renewable resource that can be replaced time and time again, according to Ed Korczak, executive director of the National Wood Flooring Association.

Cork: Cork flooring has become popular with environmentalists and designers alike. Cork can be harvested every nine years from the same tree — a much faster rate of renewal than waiting for a seedling to grow large enough to replace another.

Concrete: Yet another option for green flooring is to make the concrete slab the finished floor by using various types of decorative concrete techniques. Besides a concrete floor's obvious attributes of stability and durability, it can contribute to a home's energy efficiency: it absorbs heat during the day and releases it as temperatures drop at night.

Remodelers can even offer several green-flooring surfaces in the same home. A smooth surface, such as wood or concrete, could be used in active living areas and possibly partially covered with area rugs. Natural linoleum could be used in the kitchen, while carpeting is ideal for bedrooms, where it deadens sound and provides a soft, warm surface for bare feet.

Travertine Tile: The Tile Of The New Generation

Wednesday, November 18 2009 @ 10:38 AM Central Standard Time
There are many flooring material that are available in the market, and travertine tile is getting popular everyday. It may be a residential or commercial area; this kind of time has been one of the flooring materials that a lot of homeowners number one choice.

It is made durable and cheaper than other known tough flooring material. Travertine tiles are derived from the pieces that are found in the deep part of the earth. It is usually made from the extracted pieces of quarrying, and with that kind of process travertine tile is made unique and no two designs are made alike.

You can choose from smooth and rugged tiles, there are designs that can match any kind of home decoration you have in your home. From the choices available you can transform your home into trendy, simple, elegant home. This kind of material is made to satisfy every people taste and preferences. There are varieties of colors available and the styles are also different and can surely give your home a design and style that you wanted for your home.

Travertine tiles can be made available in different designs, formats and texture. Its versatility is getting popular, there are technologies that are use to improve the overall look of the tile and provide an end product that will surely suit everyone’s taste.

It can be installed in different part of your kitchen; it can be in your kitchen, living room or even in your garden. When it is exposing on lights it will give a great light effect to the entire place. If you have a simple design on your living room, travertine tile can transform it to an elegant and beautiful place.

If you are thinking of a floor material that is easy to maintain, travertine tiles is too easy to maintain. From the installation to cleaning this kind of tile, you just need ordinary cleaning detergent to maintain its cleanliness and shine. Using mild soap and a soft sponge is enough in wiping the surface and remove the scratches on the tile. And by using bleach you can easily remove stains and other dirt that can not be removed with ordinary detergent soap.

Maintaining its cleanliness will surely give your home a beautiful look, making it shine all the time is one of the key factors that makes travertine stand out on your home. And in time, travertine tiles can be the tile of the new generation.

Allison Ayson
Travertine Tiles

Tile Talk

An overview of the tile trends on show at Coverings 2009
May 19, 2009

Coverings 2009 proved, as it has for the past 20 years, that it is a vital compass in pointing the way to the latest trends in tile and stone. And there was no shortage of impressive and notable new products on exhibit at this year's show, held from April 21 to 24 at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago.

New technologies have yielded many of the most exciting introductions. There were plenty of oohs and ahhs along the aisles of the show floor, also in reaction to numerous new decorative styles and design concepts. With hundreds of exhibitors from more than 50 countries, Coverings is a place where retailers, distributors, installers, architects, designers and builders can see the latest products, applications and innovations.

American-based StonePeak came to Coverings with breaking news appropriate for a week that coincided with Earth Day: It has invented a photocatalytic tile that features a micrometric layer of titanium dioxide, a treatment resulting in a tile that helps reduce pollutants, is self-cleaning and also anti-microbial. The Tile Council of North America, through its laboratory testing, confirmed this patented technology and the photocatalytic properties. StonePeak executives said the product, which is suitable for both indoors and outdoors, will be available this fall.

Several companies have mastered the technology to create ultra-thin tile slabs—most either just 3 mm or 4 mm thick (1/8 and 1/6 in., respectively). What is astonishing about these porcelain additions are their laminate-like characteristics. They can simply be adhered over most existing surfaces (a cost savings) and offer a low-maintenance and high-performance cladding for exteriors, as well as a rejuvenating topping for counters, cabinetry facades and other interior furnishings. Among those pioneering this breakthrough is Inalco, a Tile of Spain manufacturer, who introduced SlimmKer. Showing similarly progressive products were Ceramic Tiles of Italy companies, including Florim, which came to Coverings with Slim/4, and from Cotto D’Este, there was the Kerlite series [1], which includes a new style called Buxy that is being offered by Boffi as a finish option for its kitchen components. At Gardenia Orchidea, the 1/8-in. profile was shown in decorative tiles available in 13-in. x 13-in. and 6 1/2-in. x 13-in. sizes. This Crystal Ker collection included styles with a faux leather finish plus ornate motifs, some with glittering details.

Another significant outcome of technology is digital inkjet printing of porcelain tiles to create less costly, more practical flooring rather than actual slate or exotic woods. Florida Tile, for instance, was showing Legend [2], which mimics slate, can go outdoors as well as in, and is available in large formats up to 24 in. x 24 in. Grespania also had a slate look-alike, Zumaia, while Tau took the faux wood look to a new level with Deco [3], imitative of zebrano. And, back at Gardenia Orchidea, a stunner was Onice [4], a series of both ceramic and porcelain tiles made to look like highly polished marble and marble mosaics.

Splash and dazzle

Backsplashes can be both fabulous and functional

BY MARY G. PEPITONE

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2009 AT 2 A.M.

Make a big splash with the backsplash design in your home’s kitchen or bathroom. Backsplashes have evolved from standard-issue ceramic squares to stellar glass, metal and stone tiles.

A wipable surface above the countertop and sink that protects the wall from splashed liquids, a well-designed backsplash form follows its function, says Clay Lyon, board member of the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) and owner of Lyon Construction and Design in the Kansas City area.

“The backsplash can be haute design or a simple surface that is easy to clean and contains the mess,” he says. “It all depends on the materials you use and the look you’re going for.”

Before creating a rear-splash revolution, Lyon says to first consider the overall style of the house and design of the room in which the backsplash will be installed.

“Especially in the kitchen, the 18-inch space between the cabinet and countertop is prime real estate for the eye,” he says. “Homeowners have to decide if they want the backsplash to become a visual accent or simply fade into the background.”

Many homeowners get back to basics when considering which materials to use for their backsplash, Lyon says. Ceramic tile still remains one of the most popular materials for backsplashes, with uninstalled prices starting around $2 per square-foot. With glazes that create a nearly unlimited array of colors and designs, fired ceramic tiles have smooth surfaces that are stain-resistant and easily cleaned with a nonabrasive cleanser and soft cloth.

“A sleek, clean-lined backsplash has a contemporary feel,” Lyon says. “But, brick-shaped tiles also can have a traditional look.”

Subway or brick-shaped tiles are a popular design trend. The typically 3-by-6-inch, solid-colored tiles are named for the old ceramic found on the walls in subway stations.

Today’s subway tiles aren’t just ceramic; some are made of glass. Like gems in a kitchen or bathroom backsplash, glass tiles can be iridescent, frosted, tumbled, polished, textured or handblown.

Glass tiles also come in a variety of colors and sizes, starting around $10 per square-foot, uninstalled. Ranging in size from 1-inch squares and larger, to handblown pencil-shaped tiles, cleaning glass requires a soft-touch, as abrasives may etch its surface.

“A metal backsplash complements a more modern-style home,” Lyon says. “While a stone backsplash can fit a more rustic space.”

Popular choices for metal backsplashes include stainless steel and copper, which range from accent tiles to professionally fabricated 18- inch, full-height pieces. A matte, satin or verdigris finish on metal can help hide fingerprints and water spots.

Slate, marble, travertine and granite are popular stones for backsplashes. Part of these natural products’ appeal is the variation from one stone to the next. Stones that are honed don’t reveal scratches or create a glare. While a full-height 18-inch backsplash needs to be professionally fabricated, individual tiles can start around $5 per square foot uninstalled.

For some homeowners, there’s no holding back in their backsplash design. Mixing materials to create a backsplash’s unique look can make it a focal point in the kitchen or bathroom. A stone backsplash can have metal accents, while differently colored glass can complement a predominantly ceramic-tiled area.

“In a kitchen, the backsplash behind a cooktop is usually a larger area, which can be an opportunity to make a style statement,” Lyon says.

By contrast, Lyon says most bathrooms are one-quarter the size of a kitchen, so the backsplash is often simple — “light, bright and white.” To create a washroom wow-effect, consider installing small, contrasting colored tiles from floor-to-ceiling on one wall by the tub, sink or toilet.

Creating a personalized mosaic backsplash can match any color scheme, show off any style or be made from recycled materials, such as broken dishes (also called picassiette, which is French for “broken plate”). A mosaic is a pattern that is made by inlaying small colored, textured pieces (also called tesserae), and gluing them into place.

A mosaic first needs to be bonded to a sturdy substrate, such as backer board, so pieces will not pop off when it is affixed to the wall. When the design is finished, the mosaic is then mounted and grouted in the same way one would finish a conventionally tiled installation.

Whether you’re trying to create an ubercool or understated backsplash, Lyon says it should be an integrally planned part of any kitchen or bathroom design, not an afterthought.

“A backsplash can unify and bridge the gap between the upper and lower parts of a kitchen or bathroom,” he says. “It can be the element that unites the countertop, cabinets, paint, flooring and plumbing fixtures.”

Union-Tribune