By Jon Namba
When I visited The International Surface Event (TISE)/Surfaces in Las Vegas, the halls were filled with exhibitors from all makes and types of flooring, and manufacturers and suppliers showcasing the latest in tools. During the three days of the show, the aisles were buzzing with attendees eager to see and purchase products for the upcoming year.
So what’s new for the flooring installer? While I didn’t see any one tool that would completely change our industry, I did get to see several new tools that can make the installation of flooring products easier.
One of several such tools was featured in the Crain Tools booth. The No. 576 LVP Angle Tapping Block is a tool that can assist installers in engaging click systems without causing damage (Photos 1 and 2). The manufacturer states the tool “lifts luxury vinyl plank (LVP) to the angle where it can be tapped and locked tight. The large upper plastic block contacts just below the face of the plank, while a lower plastic contact plate slides out to contact the core. Comes with three 1mm shims and two 3mm shims. Works on planks and tiles up to 10mm thick. Extra shims sold separately for thicker LVP/LVT. Extra contact plates also sold separately.”
Another unique tool from Crain I saw at the show is the No. 530 Rubber Base Gouge (Photo 3). According to Crain, “This tool for gouging out the back of rubber or vinyl base for tightly wrapped corners comes with a double-tipped blade. The V-tip makes a sharp V-shaped groove that conforms better to tightly formed sheetrock corners. The U-tip makes a wider U-shaped groove for fuller corners, or for tougher base where a wider groove must be made. The depth gauge adjusts using a simple set screw.”
Tired of stripping out screws on your scrapers? Try Roberts #10-188 4” Pro Floor and Wall Scrape. One thing I like about this scraper is it uses a nut and screw fastening system instead of the typical screw going into the body of the tool. We have so many scrapers which have stripped out in the housing over the years—I hate to count how many we’ve gone through!
How are you dealing with lifting and fitting the large-format tiles that have been gaining popularity? At first we used the manual pump suction grabbers, but there are some great products using battery-powered suction. Better Tools and Bihui offer their 8” BT-SCB58 battery wand-equipped pump with a pressure gauge (Photos 4 and 5). A nice feature of this tool is if the battery does drain and you need to recharge, you can simply plug it into a C-charge cord. You can also place the included manual pump right in the slot and continue to work without missing a beat. The company states the weight capacity is 309 lbs. when using the battery wand and 249 lbs. when using the manual wand. The suction grabber is also suitable for smooth and textured surfaces.
Plank replacement of “click” together floors has been a challenge, especially with LVP. I have heard installers say they take whole rows of planks apart just to replace the bad plank. The problem I have seen with this method is so many extra end joints get compromised, creating even more headaches. Wouldn’t it be easier to just replace one plank?
Beno J. Gundlach has introduced an easy and affordable solution that works for floating click LVP, laminate and wood floors. The shEZurn Rapid Repair System #EZ-015 utilizes a 3” wide tape with pressure-sensitive adhesive, and comes on a 50’ roll that can be cut to size (Photos 6-8). The kit also includes two wedge spacers and two bottles of high-performance glue.
TISE 2024 was a great show with so much to see, do and learn. Plenty of opportunities to network with new industry colleagues and old friends alike. All in all, a good start to the year!
Make sure to visit our website for videos from the TISE show and more, at piprolink.com.
