product knowledge Archives

5 Critical Tips for Your Next Carpet Tile Installation

May 24, 2023

There are five critical tips for successful carpet tile installation. If you are planning a new office space or redesigning an existing one, your organization’s requirements will involve several considerations. Here’s how to make a more informed decision about your investment, ranging from moisture issues to employee health.

1.Carpet Tile and Moisture

The first factor to consider is whether the site in question is newly constructed or a renovation. This will determine the type of carpet tile required and what solutions make the most sense for that area.

For example, under ideal conditions a newly-poured four-inch concrete slab takes four to five months to be fully ready to accept flooring.

Darwin Fisher Entertainment One carpet installation

As construction schedules don’t allow for the time required for concrete to cure, the carpet tile installed is one that must be able to handle rising water vapour. It’s a good idea to install modular carpet tile products have been designed to manage subfloor moisture vapor through an open-cell cushion backing.

Unlike hard backed tiles, these types of systems allow for water vapour to travel through the open-cell cushion and up the seam. It is then able to naturally evapourate through the edges of the carpet tile as it surfaces. If the water vapour isn’t allowed to evaporate condensation occurs which can lead to various problems including, lifting carpet, mould and mildew and potentially poor office air quality.

If the project is a renovation, properly preparing the floor and removing the existing flooring to lay the new carpet tile is the first step. The job may require grinding the floor and removing existing adhesives.

Products available for various manufacturers can easily be installed over existing adhesives to completely obscures any surface irregularities, whereas these types of surface issues may show through hardback carpet after installation.

2. Carpet Tile and Reduced Downtime

Carpet tiles can be easily installed and do not require the dismantling of office systems or employee workstations. When installing carpet tile there is no need to lift furniture in contrast to broadloom, ceramic or hardwood flooring.

Darwin Fisher Imax carpet tile installation

Darwin Fisher’s secret weapon is Levitate, an Office Lifting System that eliminates downtime and disruption while saving money. Levitate is a technology that allows carpet to be replaced with little or no downtime.

Levitate is a series of custom designed mechanical tools which are placed underneath any type of office furniture to lift it smoothly and safely. Once the furniture and workstations are lifted the carpet is easily installed.

Levitate office lifting system enables users to re-carpet occupied office areas providing significant savings in time, cost and eliminates employee disruption and relocation. There is no need for disconnection and reconnection of computers, cables, phone lines or other equipment.

The cost savings that Darwin Fisher provides its clients using this system is in excess of 50% as Levitate eliminates the need for computer technicians, staff relocation, furniture specialists and other budget intensive resources required with other types of flooring.

3. Carpet Tile and Durability

Carpet tile systems provide greater flexibility for installation and refitting for a variety of applications across many industries including healthcare, hospitality, retail, education and the entertainment industry. If broadloom is chosen and an area is damaged, fixing the spot in question is a much larger and more complicated process in terms of seam and pattern matching. It also makes it difficult to fix if there is no attic stock available.

Carpet tile spot removal and cleaning

Once your carpet tile is installed it is easy to change out any specific areas wear and tear areas or to spot clean for spills. This will help promote the longevity of your investment.

4. Carpet Tile and Investment

Yes, you can take it with you when you go. After installation you can protect your investment long term. If there is a future requirement to move locations, carpet tile can be easily lifted, removed and re-installed at a new site. At Darwin Fisher, we’ve had clients move their tile and number the tile so that it can be re-installed the same way it came up it was lifted.

Carpet tile has a long lifespan and if it is well maintained well you can realize a return on your investment for many years to come. Colour matching technology also have gotten much more accurate with time so that if a certain colour of tile is purchased years before and a new space needs to be carpeted there is the opportunity to match the older installation to the newer area.

5. Carpet Tile and Employee Health

Research from Milliken reveals cushion backing is made with 90% recycled materials providing very tangible health and wellness benefits. By offering a more comfortable surface to stand or walk on, it reduces fatigue and through its acoustic properties. It does this by reducing noise levels making it a suitable option for flooring in commercial environments.

More good news for your employees. Acoustically, cushioned carpet tiles are also quieter than hard floors or hardback carpet. As a result, sound is contained and a quieter office space can be realized making for a more relaxing workspace.

Cushion back carpets will also last 40 to 50% longer than hardback carpets as the cushion backing absorbs the effects of wear and protects the face of the carpet, unlike other backing options. Cushion backing also offers installation, ergonomic, safety and environmental benefits.

Darwin Fisher IMAX carpet tile installation

For more information about carpet tile installation and how to protect your investment, please contact info@darwinfisher.com

Filed Under: News Tagged With: carpet tile, durability, facilitiesmanagement, flooringapplications, investment, Levitate, moisture, product knowledge

Acoustics and Commercial Flooring – The Difference is Sound

May 1, 2023

Acoustics and commercial flooring are interdependent and will dictate the type of materials that are required for your unique installation.

The type of industry vertical will also dictate materials to be used as areas of high traffic will have different needs as opposed to less accessible, private locations. Other considerations include acoustic properties that relate to moving furniture, foot traffic or where the office or workspace is situated, which is constantly changing with today’s modular commercial work environments.

Acoustics and Commercial Flooring Materials – The Difference is Sound

Armstrong Flooring reports “the absorption and transmission of sound energy in a built environment is directly impacted by the type of construction and building materials selected, and this is true for flooring as well. Careful consideration of the acoustic goals for your building spaces is essential prior to making construction and material selections, and flooring can play a positive role in achieving optimum indoor environmental quality for building occupants.”

Choosing the Correct Flooring Solution for Your Environment

There are many things to consider when choosing the correct commercial flooring to suit your acoustic needs.

Acoustic Goals – What are the acoustic requirements and goals of the space? Does it need to be quiet or is it in a noisy area- amongst metric considerations that may have to be adhered to.
Building Layout – If a building includes a particularly noise sensitive space, opposite where more noisy areas need to be isolated.
Building Construction – Determines many acoustical parameters, including STC and IIC needs must be taken into consideration if trying to minimize sound transmission between spaces by carefully considering both the building construction and flooring material.
Acoustical Treatments – Acoustical wall and ceiling treatments such as ceiling tiles are especially useful, given the large potential surface area, ease of installation, and the availability of high absorption materials.

There are 3 Ways of Measuring Sound

Surface Absorption: They can absorb sound, lowering background noise levels and reducing reverberation within a room.
Airborne Sound Transmission: They can serve as acoustical insulation and reduce transmission of airborne sounds, such as voices, between rooms.
Impact Sound Transmission: They can serve as impact sound insulation and reduce the transmission of impact sound, such as footsteps, from one room to another below or adjacent to it.

According to Armstrong, “the type of industry/vertical will also drive acoustic and sound transmission considerations. Delta Impact Insulation Class (IIC): ASTM E-2179, also known as the “Delta” test, determines the noise reduction that a product adds to the assembly. This test consists of two IIC tests conducted over the same concrete subfloor. One test is over the bare concrete subfloor (no flooring materials) and the other is over the concrete subfloor with floor covering material. The measured IIC values are compared to the reference floor levels defined in the standard and adjusted to provide the IIC the covering would produce on the reference concrete floor.”

Acoustics and Commercial Flooring By Industry Vertical

For specific industry segments the acoustical property requirements vary by class. See Figure 6, directly from Armstrong’s Dispelling the Myths of the Role Flooring Plays in Room Acoustics white paper below.

Source: Armstrong Flooring – Acoustic metric importance by industry

Healthcare Acoustics and Commercial Flooring

In hospitals and doctor’s offices, the most prevalent surfaces are hard, sealed floors due to its many inherent benefits. A recent study which included Health Care Without Harm and partners, and written by Jennifer DuBose • Amaya Labrador showed that when choosing flooring, “the four priority issues that went into flooring decisions for all of the user types were cleanability, aesthetics, durability and initial cost.”

Acoustics were secondary, however hospital facility structure can naturally lead to low sound transmission between levels. The issue that arises with these hard floors is structure-borne impact noise, particularly from carts and footfall. Such noise has been found to affect patient health due to the additional stress imposed.

International Building Code requires an IIC minimum of 50. 4 areas of hospitals, like hallways and waiting rooms. However, a recent study by the Center for Health Design at Palomar Health concluded that the combination of hard flooring and the addition of acoustical ceiling tiles may be more effective than carpeting at reducing maximum noise levels3 .

Darwin Fisher Commercial Flooring healthcare installation

Education Acoustics and Commercial Flooring

As with the healthcare industry, most flooring found in schools are hard, resilient surfaces for functionality and durability purposes. Carpet can and is installed, especially inside classrooms to reduce impact noises such as chairs scraping against floors. Classrooms generally require lower background noise levels and lower reverberation times to ensure that students can clearly hear instructors, but absorptive materials with high NRC for achieving this in classrooms are more effectively placed on the ceiling or upper wall.

Corporate Office Acoustics and Commercial Flooring

Unlike healthcare and education, carpet has been a trend in the office segment for several years. Carpet, as well as ceiling tiles and partitions, is installed to address unwanted sound. In an office the main distracters are “people sounds”— phone conversations, throat clearings, vacuum cleaners — anything a listener can detect and that distracts. Background sounds, like an HVAC system, that are regular and predictable are easier to block out than disruptive sounds, like conversation over a cubicle wall. When ceiling tiles, which are highly absorptive, are used in conjunction with other highly absorptive products like partitions, they can play an essential role in office acoustics.

Darwin Fisher Commercial flooring IMAX headquarters office installation

Acoustics and Commercial Flooring – Understanding Your Requirements

There are a number of different types of products on the market, when considering flooring materials. Many manufacturers offer different performance ratios from one product to another, from the surface of the product to type of backing used and flooring underlays. Ensure your flooring installer is knowledgeable of the differences, quality and applications that would best suit your environment for design, maintenance, traffic and acoustic considerations.

For more information about acoustics and flooring installation solutions please provide details of your inquiry here or email us directly at info@darwinfisher.com.

For more information about the Armstrong white paper, please click here.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: acoustics, application technology, employeeexperience, flooringapplications, interiordesign, on-site assessment, product knowledge, project management, research, technology, trends

Top Ways to Care for Your Luxury Vinyl Tile After Installation

August 3, 2022

Today we are examining top luxury vinyl tile (LVT) care and cleaning tips as this highly sought after flooring option offers the perfect combination of durability and affordability when properly maintained.

LVT is popular in healthcare settings, schools, and commercial spaces. It has gained traction over vinyl composite tile (VCT) because it is a much lower maintenance application that has a long lifespan.

According to Healthcare Facilities Today for one school, the switch from VCT to LVT saved them $77,941 within 10 years.

Darwin Fisher LVT installation at IMAX

Why is LVT Popular for both Designers and Facility Managers?

Luxury vinyl floors can provide any space with the rich look of natural materials such as hardwood or stone.

“We encounter designers who like to regularly specify LVT on new construction and remodels due to the extensive design possibilities offered in addition to the finishes,” says Doug McDonald, President of Darwin Fisher Commercial Flooring. “As it is a low maintenance product, it also appeals to facilities owners and their maintenance management teams.”

Photo credit: Mannington Commercial

While it is a very forgiving flooring application, LVT does come with a few challenges. Proper maintenance is a key factor and it’s important that the designated care company or facilities team is educated about the application properties and what cleaning approaches are best to use.

Top LVT Care and Cleaning Tips

LVT comes equipped with a wear layer, which can get damaged or scratched with regular wear. As a result, many manufacturers suggest simple protection such as pads under furniture and chairs to mitigate scratches and dents.

As LVT is often textured as it is designed to simulate real surfaces like hardwood or stone, it can be harder to clean. However, these patterns and ridges are helpful in terms of slipping, skidding and offer better slip-resistance over a smoother floor surface such as porcelain or ceramic.

Darwin Fisher LVT installation at IMAX Headquarters

Most of the LVT manufactures recommend a regular dust mopping and wet cleaning to maintain the appearance and lifespan in addition to a cleaner that is near neutral pH for regular wet cleaning.

Caring for LVT – Maintenance Schedules

Newly installed LVT may look like it’s made from hardwood, but care and maintenance require a different approach. There are several different ways to care for LVT over the course of its lifespan.

Top LVT Care and Cleaning Tips – LVT Routine Maintenance

For routine maintenance, LVT simply requires a vacuum or dust mop. This will help to prevent debris from grinding into and marking LVT’s surface layer. If there are any liquids spilled, they should be mopped up or wiped away immediately using a cleaner specifically for LVT floors. Wet mopping can be applied daily or weekly depending on traffic levels and precipitation in the area.

Photo Credit: Mannington Commercial, Layers of LVT

The wear layer varies in terms of thickness and it’s important that the thickness be chosen in conjunction with the application at hand or problems can surface in terms of floor traffic and long-term wear.

Whenever cleaning LVT always start in dry mode, sweeping away the loose dirt and debris from your floors prevents it from getting stuck to your mop when it’s time for a deeper clean. A vacuum cleaner in place of a broom also works well if the bare floor setting is used.

Top LVT Care and Cleaning Tips – Periodic Maintenance

This will again depend on traffic, however periodically your LVT should be cleaned using a neutral cleaner and auto scrubber and then rinsed with water.

If required, this can be followed by buffing to remove scuffs. This is one reason that routine maintenance is important as it will prevent the dirt from being ground into the flooring surface by the scrubber.

Following these steps will protect your LVT and keep the flooring properties intact. However, there are certain thing that should not be used when caring for LVT.

Top LVT Care and Cleaning Tips – Chemical Use

According to Multi-Clean, traditional neutral floor cleaners are often recommended for cleaning LVT flooring. “Owing to their mild nature, these conventional products may not provide the cleaning horsepower needed to clean textured LVT surfaces. Dirt tends to collect in the low spots of the textured surface making it hard to clean while detracting from overall appearance.”

However, the company goes on to say that modern technology is allowing neutral cleaners to be strengthened using naturally occurring enzymes that help break down soils. These bio-enzyme cleaners are still near neutral in pH but exhibit better overall cleaning performance. Like neutral floor cleaners, the bio-enzyme cleaners don’t leave a significant residue and do not require rinsing. Owing to their better cleaning performance, these cleaners can be classified by UL for slip resistance.

Photo Credit: Mannington Commercial LVT

In a recent Mannington Commercial article the company states “LVT does not need a floor finish therefore, we see a reduction of chemistry, water, and man-hours in maintaining these floors. In fact, we’ve found we can successfully reduce chemical and water use by 40 percent when the right products and processes are implemented.”

Mannington recommends a microfibre mop as it doesn’t absorb liquids, unlike flat mops or string mops which hold a lot more chemicals, which leads to over saturating the floor. This can leave a residue that the company states can attract more soil and creates a cyclical process, contaminating areas that don’t have foot traffic as dirty water is pushed around.

Top LVT Care and Cleaning Tips – What to Avoid

Never use any ammonia-based cleaners as it can end up damaging and cracking the vinyl flooring.
Never steam-clean vinyl flooring as the heat can cause LVT to warp
Never use anything that is abrasive such as steel wool or harsh scrubbers as it can permanently damage the tile beyond being able to be buffed out. This will also increase the lifespan of the flooring

Scratching of LVT flooring is a real possibility. Applying a rejuvenator to the flooring can hide existing scratches and other blemishes while protecting the floor from further scratching. Best of all, the rejuvenator makes floors easier to clean. The protector is an ultra-thin shield that doesn’t build up on LVT flooring.

While some facilities may apply a conventional floor finish to LVT this is considered an option and not recommended as there can be a build up over time on the finished floor which eventually will affect how it looks and performs.

Mannington also states using the same old chemicals, equipment and techniques aren’t an effective cleaning solution on newer hard surface floors like LVT or resilient sheet vinyl.

Photo Credit: Mannington Commercial, LVT looks like stone

Mannington offers Quantum Guard Elite and Quantum Guard HP, a proprietary technology that is naturally stain resistant and requires no-polish maintenance that significantly reduces overall life cycle cost and total cost of ownership. “If you’re a facilities manager struggling to see results after cleaning your floor with old techniques, consider switching to the right microfiber pad, water, and a bit of agitation to solve the problem with even heavily soiled flooring products,” states the company.

There are several options when it comes to LVT flooring maintenance depending on a many different factors including traffic. Your reputable flooring contractor will assist you with the best maintenance approach for your specific situation.

See our other news articles outlining how to protect your flooring investment as we profile different applications throughout the remainder of the year.

For a free consultation on your next LVT flooring installation please contact us here.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: dental offices, durability, facilitiesmanagement, flooring installation, flooringapplications, healthcare, investment, LVT, maintenance, on-site assessment, product knowledge, technology, trends

Reputable Commercial Flooring Contractors: 8 Critical Things to Look For

March 2, 2022

Finding a reputable commercial flooring contractor may seem like a daunting task, however, it’s not difficult if you know what to look for. It’s important to do your due diligence which extends beyond a simple Google search.

There are many things to consider to ensure your final installation choice is a sound one. Reputable commercial flooring contractors have a proven track record in delivering a variety of solutions for distinct commercial spaces. Professionals with this expertise understand the challenges and demands of different types of projects spanning from renovations to new builds. They will be able to handle all aspects from design right through to installation.

A reputable commercial flooring contractor will be the one who will offer options, point out pitfalls and educate you so that your project is a success. Below we have outlined 8 key things to look for that will ensure your needs are met and that the project is a success – including the firm’s longevity, past history, product knowledge and overall service offering.

1. A Reputable Commercial Flooring Contractor – Shows Project Work and Shares References

Finding a contractor is more than a Google search that offers options nearest you. A firm with a good reputation and references to share is a good first start.

Natural Stone Commercial Flooring Toronto

Darwin Fisher Commercial Flooring IMAX installation

You will want to ensure that they are adept at surveying the location in question and how that relates to the type of flooring to be installed. They will examine any possible flooring concerns through an initial onsite meeting.

2. A Reputable Commercial Flooring Contractor – Stays on Time and on Budget

Your contractor will help in evaluating product performance/cost ratios to ensure a budget meets all the targets of a project.

Make sure your contractor will ensure a budget meets all the targets of a project.

Proposals should provide line item budgets that capture the detail of site preparation and installation factors, post installation maintenance and the many details that make a job unique. This approach ensures the tracking of the status of the project as it moves through the implementation cycle which will be important for staying on time and within budget parameters.

3. A Reputable Commercial Flooring Contractor – Manages Resources On Site

Ensure your reputable commercial flooring contractor uses qualified installers and will designate a project manager that will be on site to monitor the project as it unfolds. A seasoned team is required to work with other on-site trades to ensure efficient co-ordination of activities. There are complexities associated with scheduling when combined with working with a variety of different trades that can affect day to day outcomes.

Qualified installers are critical to project success.

When there are no gaps in communication it will help to alleviate problems before they occur and allow your contractor to suggest alternatives and recommendations. This ensures that your requirements are efficiently and effectively executed.

4. A Reputable Commercial Flooring Contractor – Has Good Product Knowledge

It’s important for commercial flooring contractors to have positive and long-standing relationships with the manufacturer’s brands they carry. True flooring specialists will have in-depth knowledge of the products that they install. They will make recommendations for your specific project and advise what type of products will offer the best performance. For example we deal with Mohawk Group, Mannington Commercial , Milliken and Tarkett, amongst other manufacturers.

Understanding the challenges associated with life expectancy, appearance retention and ongoing maintenance are issues that require consideration. Installing the wrong product can create many issues. Prior to installation, a good flooring contractor will help with providing product characteristic data which will help to mitigate future problems – from the sub floor to surface.

5. A Reputable Commercial Flooring Contractor – Minimizes Disruption and Downtime

Reputable commercial flooring contractors will look for ways to minimize or eliminate downtime and disruption. Darwin Fisher offers technology called Levitate – an Office Lifting System that allows carpet to be replaced with no downtime. Levitate is a series of custom designed mechanical tools which are placed underneath any type of office furniture to lift it smoothly and safely. Once the furniture and workstations are raised the carpet is quickly and easily installed without disruption to employee workstations.

6. A Reputable Commercial Flooring Contractor – Has A Warehouse to Help Lower Costs

Having a warehouse is also an important value add. The flexibility and functionality of a warehouse helps improve customer service, lower costs and offers the availability to have the right products delivered, at the right place and time. It can also be used to store products that need longer lead times when being shipped from overseas. It is also helpful if there are several iterations of a larger project which require the phasing in of a variety of flooring materials, and longer-term storage is needed.

Having a warehouse helps to reduce costs/logistical issues related to scheduling, while managing inventory.

7. A Reputable Commercial Flooring Contractor – Understands Manufacturer Warranty

Inquire about after sales and installation service. Reputable contractors with good relationships with manufacturers will be registered and understand warranty information as an authorized dealer.

8. A Reputable Commercial Flooring Contractor – Stands Behind Completed Work

Your contractor should be with you every step and long after the project is complete. If there are any issues after installation, a good contactor will stand behind their work and remedy the problem.

Go further than a simple Google search. Ensure your chosen contractor has experience, longevity, is financially stable and can offer an array of past projects and references. This will ensure your satisfaction and project success.

For a free consultation on your next flooring installation please contact info@darwinfisher.com.

Filed Under: News Tagged With: budgeting, collaboration, customer service, on-site assessment, product knowledge, project management, references, reputable, warranty