As flooring professionals know all too well, a job isn’t complete until the proper finishing touches—moldings, accessories, sundries—have been installed. With so much importance placed on these add-ons, it’s no wonder the 2023 winter markets were flush with new offerings.
Here’s a sampling of some of the innovative flooring accessories making their debut:
FN Neuhofer Holz
Austria-based FN Neuhofer Holz returned to Surfaces this year to showcase its latest innovations in flooring accessory systems. These included its ever-expanding line of transitions, moldings and related accessories designed to complement virtually any flooring installation.
The latest offering is the FN six-pack flooring profile. Designed for versatility to fit any installation scenario, these profiles combine six different possible uses. One to cover the expansion joints with floor areas of the same height, one for floor areas with different levels and one as an end profile in combination with the included end pieces. The profile is available in an HDF version with highly abrasion-resistant foil or veneer surfaces. FN also offers a variety of moldings profile options.
Küberit
Küberit unveiled a new finishing capability for edge trims, transitions, ramps, stair-nosings and expansion joint profiles. This new capability—based on powder coating technology—allows the company to color match any material for a more uniform flooring installation.
“Essentially all we need is the RAL color chart number, or the supplier or retailer can provide us with physical samples for an exact match,” said Rhyal Knight, business development manager. “Once we get that match down, you’re looking at a three or four-week lead time, whether that’s small batch or large custom quantities. We see this as a design edge for us.”
Artistic Finishes
Advanced digital printing technologies are not just relegated to floor covering manufacturers. Turns out suppliers of moldings and accessories are leveraging the technology as well.
Case in point is the new Enduracor line of moldings and accessories from Artistic Finishes. Utilizing high-definition scanning and digital print technologies, the company can create a near-perfect match for any hard surface flooring. And because the visuals are digitally printed, there’s no need for distributors and retailers to carry excess inventories.
“With this technology, you don’t have to print any minimum runs,” said Kara Slocum, director of operations. “You could print exactly what you need when you need it, which has always been who we are and how we’ve been built over the years.”
Mohawk
Performance Accessories from Mohawk, which include stair treads and moldings, are designed to put the finishing touch on any hard surface floor. This year the offering has been enhanced with features that improve the products’ resistance to water and moisture damage. Standouts include waterproof quarter rounds that provide a water-tight seal for the expansion space between the wall and floor.
All Performance Accessories stair treads are constructed with a HDF nose and enhanced with a new 45-degree miter return, providing not only additional abrasion resistance but also ease of installation. These full-length laminate stair treads tout linear embossing, which provides added slip resistance.
Another plus, according to Mohawk, is its Performance Accessories products make it easier for RSAs to increase their margins.
LW Mountain
Most retailers and distributors know LW Mountain for its vast array of hard surface flooring products, which includes laminate, wood, SPC, WPC and LVP. But what some might not be aware of is the company also manufactures its own line of accessories.
“We have actually been wrapping our own moldings in-house since 2010,” said Tom Miessler, COO and technical advisor for LW Mountain. “The plastic cores are extruded for us domestically and all our metal tracks are made for us in Champagne, Ill. The films currently come from overseas, but they match exactly with our flooring designs.”
Operative word here is “exact” match. “These are not coordinated—these are exact matches,” he explained, citing uses for registers, vents and even electric wall socket covers. “What you see on the floor is what you get with the moldings.”
Pennwood
Part of the Lifestyle collection by Pennwood, RetroCraft treads are constructed of solid hardwood, offering customers the ability to transform their staircase. These sleek and stylish treads are designed with an ergonomic nosing that offers a clean and modern appearance. Crafted with tongue-and-groove construction connecting the nosing to the tread, RetroCraft treads are highly durable and install over current stair systems. RetroCraft treads come in 36-, 48- and 60-inch lengths and can be custom stained to almost any décor and floor.
Perfect Vents
Along with Perfect Vents’ matching flush mount vents for floating floors, the company just introduced its expanded line of flush mount drains and access covers. These new options solve what can be a headache in basements and laundry rooms where drains or clean outs are located in the middle of the room. The vents are an easy fix for what is usually an ugly sight on new floors.
Shaw
Totalworx’s TTT (Treads, Trim, Tack Strip adhesive) from Shaw provides a wide range of uses. TTT is formulated to bond well to PVC and can be used as a glue assist. Plus, it fully cures in two hours and won’t etch the finish of floor covering. LokWorx is the sub-brand product selection.
In addition, Mil Poly underlayment from Totalworx features moisture protection and ease of installation. GroundWorx is the sub-brand product selection.
Ventiques
The Kanyon metal series from Ventiques is an adjustable flush mount floor vent. The innovative assembly allows users to adjust the height of their floor registers to the thickness of the flooring for a clean look. Simply remove the Grille & Grille frame (4 screws) and add a spacer to achieve the desired flooring height. The Kanyon metal series comes with three spacers along with the Grille & Grille frame, and in sizes of 4 x 10 and 4 x 12 with six powder-coated color options.
