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Professional Perspectives Blog

  1. How much CO₂ is in MOSO® Bamboo X-treme® Decking?

    Biogenic Carbon Dioxide Locked upThis article captures the essence of the reason why we are so excited to offer MOSO® Bamboo X-treme® on the website. It is a superior product before it is a Green Product. It is fantastic on so many levels, from aesthetics, engineering, design, and its value to decarbonizing the world economy.

    This article breaks down the nitty-gritty of how much CO2 is tied up. It looks at the math to provide a straightforward account of product weight to CO2 gas relationships. Our business practice applies this information to quoting, and product consumption takes. When we give you a quote, you will get an estimated CO2 bound up in the product. We call this process simply CO2 lockup. The experts call it Construction Stored Carbon, CSC.

    We also extend this thinking to the finished product. We offer free dataplates with every deck installation that we supply. View prototypes of the plates and how you can participate. The dataplates are made available for any form factor of X-treme®. Read the article, and learn the math behind the CO2 claims. Then, see and learn more about the dataplates.

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  2. Ipê Verus Thermal Density Bamboo: A Head-To-Head Comparison

    Ipê Diagonal Side By Side with Thermal Density Bamboo

    Here is a quick comparison to help clarify why one product is better than the other. Both Ipê and MOSO® Bamboo X-treme® are elegant products. They both exhibit properties that make it desirable to showcase on your project. But one is on a collision trajectory with sustainability. If you are in the middle of your decision journey and deeply consider factors, this article is a good read.

    It will probably take less than 5 minutes and will arm you with facts that will support whatever choice you make. Most people in the North American market are not familiar with Thermal Density Bamboo engineered products. If you are a professional in deck design and building, this article will provide data-based decisions to help you talk to your clients.

    Comparison Factors Included:

    • Aesthetics
    • Aging
    • Color
    • Botany
    • Breaking Strength
    • Carbon Footprint
    • Close-ups Photos
    • Cost Density
    • Distribution
    • Durability
    • Fires Resistance
    • Form Factors
    • Growth Rate
    • Hardness
    • Inventory
    • Manufacturing
    • Product Care
    • Sourcing
    • Stability
    • Sustainability
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  3. Ipê Lumber Supply is in a Slow Motion Collapse

    Ipê Lumber Supply is in a Slow Motion Collapse

    Why is the Ipê Market so Volatile?

    Ipê, (Portuguese), has long been regarded as the gold standard of hardwoods and for good reason. This uniquely dense wood provides an unparalleled level of durability against mold, insects, and fire with its unmistakable look that was once revered internationally by architects and designers alike.

    Unfortunately, these benefits come at an increasingly steep price, and Ipê has never been more expensive or difficult to find than today. In fact, many builders across the country have been forced to put their projects on hold until inventory is replenished, with no guarantee that prices will not continue to increase in the near future.

    Ipê also comes at an ever increasing environmental price, contributing significantly to the destruction of the Amazon. These impacts have led to many eco-conscious designers and architects eliminating its use completely, opting for a new generation of bamboo-based hardwood alternatives. These hardwood replacements boast the same fire resistance, beauty, and resilience of Ipê with superior ease of use, dimensional stability, durability, and environmental sustainability.

    With the future of Ipê in jeopardy, we have outlined the top reasons the Ipê supply chain is in near collapse, and what can be done about it.

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  4. Who is Pergo Flooring?

    Who is Pergo Flooring?

    The Pergo® Brand is a name synonymous with flooring worldwide! Its long history in the market place has conferred its instant name recognition. This article will go through some of that history to explain where we are today and how we got there.

    The Swedish company - Perstorp Industrial Group, developed the product. It has been around since the 1920s and specialized in surface laminating technologies. The idea of a laminated floor was a natural extension of that development. In 1977, the concept of laminate flooring as individual planks was prototyped and tested out in a few Swedish homes. Based upon those results, the first laminate flooring designs were put in manufacturing production in 1979 and launched into the market. The idea caught on. The company distributed its products in all of Europe throughout the 1980s.

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  5. Good Flooring Sample Options Make For Good Choices

    Good Flooring Sample Options Make For Good Choices
    Do-it-yourself and buy-it-yourself are methods seen a lot in the residential flooring supply businesses. We have tried to innovate around the idea of sampling to help buyers save time. Sometimes the distance to local stores is short, sometimes long; but any visit takes time. There is an implicit assumption that expertise, services, and a sense of urgency will always be available when you arrive. At the end of the visit, you hope to come out of it well educated with a narrowed selection of options. This business model for buying floors that have remained the same for decades until the internet changed access to product information and price transparency. Product sampling should change to reflect this accesses, but most of the times it is stuck in the old ways. This blog article outlines our contribution to facilitating the sampling part of the floor buying process.
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  6. What is COREtec Flooring?

    What is COREtec Flooring?

    COREtec® is a brand name assigned to a class of Luxury Vinyl floor tiles created by USFloors®, now patented and owned by Shaw Industries®. It has a sandwich construction with a top layer - the wear-layer film over a decorative image, then a middle layer, an extruded composite made up of wood plastic or stone plastic, and finally, a bottom layer, the underlayment made up of materials based upon the desired price point.

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  7. COREtec Stair Treads

    COREtec Stair Treads

    We have been selling COREtec® Flooring since 2013. We have seen it grow to great success in the marketplace. As with any floating floor, the installation has always been challenging but not so much that it creates a barrier for the do-it-yourself crowd. However, what we have observed is that floating floor plank installation on stairways requires some carpenter skills. Lots of cutting, mitering and fitting with horizontal and vertical joins. This article introduces a newer product from US Floors that simplifies the stair step problems. COREtec® Stair Treads.

    These stair Treads are sold as single units and match colors for HD, Design, and Enhanced product lines. The other product colors in the COREtec® lines have not been paired up with their ow

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  8. Mannington® flooring celebrated for its innovative flooring

    Mannington® flooring celebrated for its innovative flooring

    Once again, one of the Products Direct® primary manufacturers of Hardwood and Laminate flooring, Mannington®, is being celebrated for its innovative approach to developing a better laminate flooring product. “It’s a real game-changer,” said Dan Natkin, Vice President of Hardwood and Laminate at Mannington®. “It enables our Restoration Collection floors to go where no laminate has gone before--to bathrooms, laundry rooms and other areas in the home that are prone to moisture.”

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  9. Shaw's State-of-the-Art LVT manufacturing, (Made in USA)

    Shaw's State-of-the-Art LVT manufacturing, (Made in USA)

    Shaw LogoTake a virtual tour of Shaw Industries new, state-of-the-art resilient tile manufacturing facility - Plant RP - in Ringgold, Georgia.

    Shaw Industries Group, Inc., announced it had completed a $30 million investment to manufacture composite core LVT flooring in Ringgold, Ga.  Its resilient manufacturing facility known as Plant RP was located there previously. Shaw started making LVT in this plant in 2016. This latest installation will produce Shaw and US Floors WPC and rigid core products by the end of third quarter 2017.

    This action marks the first investment and manufacturing of WPC and rigid core products in the U.S. It will confirm the leadership position Shaw® and US Floors® command

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  10. 7 Noteworthy Maintenance Tips for Luxury Vinyl

    7 Noteworthy Maintenance Tips for Luxury Vinyl

    Any flooring material requires cleaning and maintenance on a regular basis. Regular care lengthens the life of your floor, guarantees that warranties will be honored, and keeps the surface looking its best. Once the floor is in use, dirt, stains, scratches, and tears are inevitable. The longer the time between cleanings and repairs, the worse the problem becomes.

    How Much Are You Willing To Do?
    How will the room be used? Does the family spend considerable time walking in and out of the room from the outdoors?. Is the furniture moveable? High-traffic and heavy-use areas such as entrances, staircases, landings, and kitchens might be more efficient and lower maintenance when covered in durable materials like stone, vinyl, non-slippery tile, natural tile or laminate. Softer floor coverings such as plush carpet, work well in lighter use areas such as living rooms and bedrooms, where comfort is desired over

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  11. 5 Reasons Why Our BBB Membership Benefits You

    5 Reasons Why Our BBB Membership Benefits You

    Many companies, whether large or small, affiliate themselves with the Council of Better Business Bureaus. At Products Direct® we wanted to determine how that would benefit our customers.  Here are the 5 top reasons that caused us to decide to become accredited members of our local Better Business Bureau.

    1. As we began to survey our customers, we found that a high level of TRUST was established immediately when they saw the BBB logo on our site.  When asked, they acknowledged that they recognized us to be a legitimate online business; one that operated with integrity; one that stands behind the product and service we offer.

    2. The online flooring marketplace is very competitive.  New companies spring up online overnight. They also disappear just as fast.  We’ve been around for a very long time
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  12. How to Measure Quality in Your Search for Vinyl Floor

    How to Measure Quality in Your Search for Vinyl Floor

    Ask ten people how they measure quality in Vinyl flooring, and you will get ten different answers. The problem with defining quality is that it is related to a personal point of view. Too often, the product marketer establishes the solution and not the individual user.

    We operate on the assumption that “Quality is Conformance to Requirements.” Your requirements. That simple.

    What is your lifestyle? Do you have Children? Pets? Are you preparing your house to sell? Are you a person that eats while standing in the kitchen or do you prefer to sit at the dining room table? How often do you entertain on your floor? What type of entertainment? Just remember, you will be living with your floor every day. What are the top three requirements that you have to meet to be happy? Now, prioritize and measure these items against your budget.

    Don’t assume that high quality means high price. Realize that

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  13. The Hidden Danger of Choosing the Wrong Floor for Your Pet

    The Hidden Danger of Choosing the Wrong Floor for Your Pet

    A significant member of your at-home community is the family pet. More and more, home remodeling decisions include the needs and security of your pet cat or dog. And why not; the average lifespan of your pet may encompass the growing up years of children in the home as well.

    For example, there are very genuine dangers to the health of animals if the floors in your home are too smooth. When dogs slip or slide as they maneuver the halls and living room, they run the risk of dislocating hip bones, shoulders and creating general tendon damage over time. T

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  14. Vinyl Floor/Stair Cap Trim Adhesive

    Vinyl Floor/Stair Cap Trim Adhesive

    Frequently we are asked what is the best adhesive to use for trim. More specifically what is the best adhesive to use for stair caps and flush-stair noses used in vinyl floors. We generally recommend a pressure sensitive adhesive product from PPG. The brand name is called Liquid Nails. More information can be found at the web site at LiquidNails.com.

    Basic Concepts:

    Pressure sensitive adhesive is an glue compound require pressure to initiate bonding between the adhesive and the substrate, whereas other adhesives require heat, water or a solvent. Factors that influence bonding include surface energy, preparation smoothness and temperature.

    Shear strength refers to an item’s ability to withstand tangential force.

    Flexibility refers to an item’s ability to show an

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  15. What is Quality?

    What is Quality?

    Quality is a measure or rating and results from comparing one thing against another. Quality can relate to products, persons, and even relationships. The standard of measure is usually on a continuum from poor to excellent. Various factors contribute to the quality of a product, such as the resources used to create it; the time spent versus time required for excellence; and the level of attention to detail. Customer relationships and service can impact the perception of quality. If a buying experience is negative, a customer may view the product with increased scrutiny and a lower assessment of quality.

    At Products Direct, we value excellence. We value quality. This means we only sell high quality products from reputable manufacturers. We are always looking to add products with features our customers have told us are important. For example, we are building our sustainable products inventory, providing items that are both good for the environment and for your family's health.

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  16. FSC Is Part of the Solution

    FSC Is Part of the Solution

    This post is a quick background on the Forest Stewardship Council, the FSC. The are an important part of the supply chain for wood and paper products in the consumer market.

    You will find that many products in our catalog are FSC certified. FSC stands for The Forest Stewardship Council. The web page for the FSC is fsc.org. FSC Certifications works outside of state regulations, and is an example of a non-state market driven environmental governance. This means that it uses the market place to drive the sustainable management of forests. The FSC Label is an example of the use of public purchasing power to create shifts in industry and regulate the negative environmental impacts of deforestation. When you purchase products that have the FSC label you are contributing to the solution of deforestation.

    Mission and Vision

    Protecting forests for future generations. The Forest Stewardship Council represents a global shift from government to governance and its creation is a primary example of the use of market and economic factors to create movement on a global environmental issue. The evolving historical context in which the FSC was formed is theorized to reflect a much broader skepticism towards state power and as a consequence a shift away from traditional state-centric forms of regulation. That said, although the FSC transcends national boundaries, the state continues to play a part in the regulatory landscape of the domestic forest and as such the FSC must develop appropriate domestic governance to reflect this.

    Useful Links

    • FSC.org
    • FSC Facebook
    • FSC YouTube
    • FSC Twitter
    • FSC Pinterest
    • FSC Wiki Page
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  17. Doors Now at Our Store

    We are pleased to tell you that ProductsDirect.com has recently added entrance doors as a purchase option. This is an area in which our staff has a great deal of experience as we have been selling doors in our parallel retail operations for almost fourteen years. Initially we are offering some of our mahogany entrance door units with various options in style. These are ready-to-stain, of excellent quality with warranty, and an excellent value. These are in-stock and can be shipped to anywhere in the continental US within a few days. Custom made doors and special order sizes are available as well. Should you have a style of door in mind, chances are we can provide it to you at a competitive price, just send us a picture and specifications and our staff will get going.

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  18. Cabinet Mounting Tips

    We offer a variety of decorative hardware products to meet your needs. If you are looking for a complete set of new hardware or a single piece, we can help.   Please feel free to look through our collection of hardware. We have 2 high-level categories to start with; Kitchen Decorative Hardware and Bath Hardware. Below is a list/map of the hardware.

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