Many materials that are promoted for
sound control in hard surface flooring may not be suitable for direct bond tile
and stone installations, as they are too compressible and do not provide proper
structural support for these installations. In many cases, it is necessary to
use additional reinforcing materials, such as mortar beds, backer boards, epoxy
mortars and grouts and other methods to provide a structurally sound
installation.
Many installers and sales personnel have told me that they
hate math, they did not do well in school with math and don’t quite understand
it. My response to them is, you use math everyday and most of you are doing a
great job of using math.
There are many good moisture
preventive options out there, but some are better than others for particular
situations or applications. Products such as mold-inhibiting crack isolation
and waterproofing membranes can provide excellent moisture-blocking
characteristics.
The
first signs of the need for repair usually appear in the grout joints with
cracks or deteriorating grout. The next sign is either cracked or loose tiles.
Reading the visible symptoms is critical to developing a reasonable repair
strategy.
There are ongoing discussions
between the concrete industry and the flooring industry about how the concrete
surface should be finished. Some say the concrete should be burnished to a high
sheen. That may look pretty but it’s not functional. Flooring installers need a
surface profile that enhances the bond between adhesive and substrate.
If a stone is to be installed in heavy traffic areas, it is
beneficial to know how it will hold up. If the stone is unusually soft and has a very low abrasion
resistance, then the stone should not be used in an installation with
commercial foot traffic.
In addition to planning style and layout, a showroom also needs to be
equipped with good lighting. Natural light is ideal for creating a
bright atmosphere. Direct spotlights can also be
used to draw attention.
The ASTM F 970 Standard Test Method for Static Load Limit is strictly for the flooring product, and does not take the adhesive
or the substrate into account. So even if a flooring material has a “high psi”
the adhesive may still be susceptible to indentation.
There is excellent tile and
flooring software available, as well as excellent generic software that can be
adapted. Make sure you know the difference, and if you choose to adapt software
that wasn’t originally intended for your industry, make sure that you
understand what it will take to adapt it.
If consumers are
reluctant to spend then we should taking steps to counteract the situation. And
this doesn’t mean doing what too many retailers do in bad times. They tighten
their belt and look to trim expenses like marketing.
A number of different
materials are promoted and used for sound control in floors. Each material is
only one component of a complete system in which each component is an essential
part of the total assembly. Elimination of any component of the assembly can
seriously deplete the sound rating desired.
Having
spent many years in the real world of installation, I understand the challenge
and frustration of floor preparation. You get caught between the shop or
retailer and client or customer. But if you think it through and
know the responsibility of others, you can turn floor preparation into income
opportunity.
As a retailer I have liked
“the big promotion.” I preached for years about promoting during proven
consumer buying periods. Some of these one-day events produced $100,000 in cash
sales at a modest location.
When tile is selected for a project, one critical component that should
be considered is the ability of the tile to resist wear. Of course,
where it is installed is also important. Tile appropriate for bathroom
traffic does not need to be as scratch resistant as tile suitable for
an entranceway – unless you live near the beach and are likely to track
sand into your bath.
We are
blessed to work in an industry that produces some truly eye-catching
products—products that the consumer may have never seen before. Let the
products you are showing take center stage. You are just the host, introducing
key decorating elements to your customers. When you hit on the right
combination of products, you can see the excitement immediately. At that
moment, they are emotionally involved.
In order to run a profitable installation business, it is
imperative that you know your cost of doing business. Everything,
including tools, installation materials, and transportation costs, must
be factored into the rates you charge for installation.
Cork
tile is installed with a contact type adhesive or a wet set trowel applied
adhesive, depending on the manufacturer’s guidelines and the finished use of
the floor. Whatever you do, do not
switch adhesives from what the manufacturer recommends, unless the adhesive
manufacturer is going to stand behind the job without question.
Besides new trends there are other considerations that are changing the
way we install tile and the products we use doing it. Waterproofing tile
installations with even intermittent exposure to moisture has become much more
common. Today’s typical installations are truly a departure from those of even
20 years ago.
Looking
for new avenues of profitability in hardwood? The answer might be right above
you. Consumers are increasingly clamoring for hardwood in unexpected places --
including ceilings. You are genuinely improving the home by adding
viable living space. Consumers are elated with the invitational warmth of
hardwood.
You are expected to do a good job
with the installations you are given. It is the part about being reliable that
moves you upwards. Just as you are unhappy when your help shows up late, so are
your customers. It starts the job off wrong in the customer’s eyes.
Few
retailers have a long-term view of economic value. But you need to remember
that economic profit largely determines the value of the business when the
owner sells it. When you sell, the buyer should pay you more than the
garage-sale value of your physical assets. Weigh each new investment. Do you expect
it to increase economic profit? And don’t
stop there. Ask yourself, “Which projects, which systems, which people will
best increase the company’s long-term value?”
A beautiful
backsplash can change the entire kitchen. It can take a granite countertop and
make it come alive in color. It can change the look of the stove and
refrigerator, and enhance the color of the cabinets. In just a few square feet, the kitchen
can take on a whole new look.
If you are not enjoying your work, you must either change your attitude or
change your job. Changing your attitude means looking for ways to be of service
to others while you are doing your job. You can communicate power through your
image. Does your image project strong leadership? Authority is inner confidence
– a trust in your skills and abilities. It’s an attitude of “I can do this. I
deserve success.”
“The Seven Deadly Sins of Retailing” can undermine an operation, sabotage the results, and ultimately lead to retailing death. Read them carefully. If you’re guilty I beseech thee, “Go and sin no more.”
