Floors are as old as civilization itself, but there’s always something new going on in the flooring industry.
Among the latest innovations are waterproof vinyl planks that look like wood but have the advantage of repelling moisture. Now available to Brevard County
residents, the Downs H20 luxury vinyl plank flooring resembles wood, resists water and stands up to intense foot traffic.
“We keep up with the trends,” said Nelson Green, owner of Great Southeast Flooring America in Melbourne. “People who visit our store can be assured that they’ll get the latest, whether it’s product or installation techniques. It’s important to us that we stay current, and we do.”
The H20 vinyl plank option provides the customer with both toughness and aesthetics. “Waterproof vinyl planks are popular right now with our customers, and with good reason,” Green said. “They have the durability factor, but they also can look exactly like wood – they can really fool you.”
One of the marked advantages of the Downs H20 product is that a homeowner can enjoy a wood-look floor in areas where abundant moisture would ordinarily rule out such an option: laundry rooms, kitchens, bathrooms. These vinyl planks have such a tight seal between them that water can’t seep in anywhere. That means this flooring resists mold, because there isn’t any trapped moisture to enable its growth and foothold.
“Another advantage to this flooring is that it’s so comfortable, it’s perfect for those who prefer to remove their shoes while inside their home,” Green said. “The cork backing makes it softer for walking, and makes walking on the floor much quieter. And because it requires no adhesive, installation is less expensive and repairs are easy to do.”
Installation of Wood Look and Large Format Porcelain Tile
On the porcelain tile installation side, flooring experts serving the Space Coast are now using a special technique to ensure the tiles and planks lie down flatter.
Popular wood tile looks, in particular, have one problem: they tend to be higher in the middle than on the edges and when staggered during installation, this can result in an uneven floor. Fortunately, there is a solution.
Just as Green’s store carries the latest products, his installers are careful to employ the most current techniques. For example, they are now using the Leveling Spacers that have been popular in Europe.
These address an all-too-common challenge in ceramic and porcelain tile installation: keeping the edges more level.
“These spacers address a problem called ‘lippage,’” Green said. “One tile edge juts up slightly higher than another, and people can see and feel it, particularly when walking barefoot. This system of spacers used during the install does an amazing job of reducing that condition.”
The plastic spacers hold small adjustment wedges that the installers use at each tile joint. These wedges are tapped into place which helps to flatten out the tile.
“We incorporate leading-edge techniques like this so we can present our customers with a floor that’s as close to perfect as possible,” Green said. “That’s always our goal.”
This article by Great Southeast Flooring America appeared in Florida Today on April 15, 2017.
Great Southeast Flooring America 
