Accessories such as moldings, trims and transitions are not just add-ons; they are essential components for completing any floor’s accessory installation correctly.
“The right trims, transitions and moldings can ensure a seamless finish, provide additional durability and enhance visual appeal,” said Katherine Baxter, senior product manager, Performance Accessories.
Beyond aesthetics, moldings offer many functional benefits. For example, moldings protect the edges of the flooring from damage caused by foot traffic, furniture or other impacts. And whereas most flooring materials expand and contract with changes in temperature and humidity, moldings and trims accommodate this natural movement, preventing buckling and warping. “They can hide any imperfections or uneven cuts along the edges of the flooring, ensuring a neat and tidy finish,” said Adam Sartain, senior marketing manager for Totalworx.
Executives say RSAs play an important role in conveying to consumers the critical nature moldings play in completing the flooring installation. “Consumers generally do not think about floor molding when selecting their new floors,” said Kimberly Blanton, marketing manager for Versatrim. “It is imperative that the RSA talk to the consumer about the molding options needed to finish the floor to ensure there are no surprises at the point of installation.”
Following is a sampling of some recent accessory introductions:
Artistic Finishes
Artistic Finishes has expanded its Enduracor line to now include digitally printed treads and risers as well as flush vents. The Enduracor tread and riser (each sold separately and offered in both a traditional round and contemporary square nose) allows end users to complete the installation of a staircase quicker.
Its newest product for vinyl floors is Enduracor Flush Vents, which gives the homeowner an exact match to her floor. “With the introduction of these new products, we continue to be the one-stop shop for all flooring accessories,” said Kara Slocum, director of operations.
Innovative Flooring Supply
When it comes to trims and moldings, the challenge is to find an exact color match that customers do not have to wait to have custom made. Innovative Flooring Supply said it has the solution. “We offer our clients 100% color matched profiles,” said Jeff Feller, the company’s national sales manager. “When it comes to matching the floor 100% to the stairs, this is the challenge that our clients brought to us.” The solution? The company’s new OEM DuraStair program allows distributors to offer stair tread replacement kits that are matched to their floor for a seamless finish. “What makes the sale easy is the ease of installation and cost savings over conventional solutions,” Feller added.
Küberit
LVT commands roughly 30% of the flooring market, but historically has lacked flooring profiles made to work with this growing category. Küberit filled this void with its LVT Profile Series made to edge, cover, transition, ramp, protect, stair-nose and connect LVT in concert with other coverings.
Within the series, Küberit Transition Profile KT-D (shown) handles LVT-to-carpet tile transitions, providing aesthetic, functional, edge-protection and safety features.
Performance Accessories
For waterproof flooring installs, Performance Accessories’ Perimeter Seal Tape is the simplest solution to fulfill warranty requirements and guarantee performance. It can be used with any trims in Performance Accessories’ offerings—wall base, quarter round and shoe molding— while ensuring the floor is properly sealed.
TotalWorx
TotalWorx offers a wide range of moldings and trims that help create successful installation stories. “We believe that all of our products can have a huge impact on your project, from a basic T-molding to our wide range of various wall base options,” Sartain said.
Versatrim
Trims are becoming more versatile. Now you can get trims that will work for three different applications like the Versatrim SlimTrim (shown) that can be used as a T-molding, end cap or reducer. As more floors are joining the market as waterproof, Versatrim offers an array of waterproof trims that will complement the many different flooring applications.
