Liquid Elements

new technology in poured seamless flooring

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While shopping at Unika Vaev last week with Connie Lee, I heard about a new poured floor covering called Liquid Elements, and my interested was piqued.  I contacted Caitlin Smith, the firms architectural sales rep in the city, and made an appointment to get the details.

It’s really a fairly simple idea in flooring with some remarkable advantages for both the architect/designer and the end-user.  Here’s what I learned.

Stonhard, the well known staple in poured commercial flooring, spawned a new division last year called Liquid Elements.  The product is a high-end, stylized polymer floor with the potential for cross-over residential application.  Like other Stonhard products it is seamless.  The firm offers not only the product and installation, but can prepare the substrate with its own technology – and bonds to wood, concrete, and a variety of other surfaces.  It’s also self leveling.  Caitlin shared that while there are minimum square footage requirements they’re able to install it nearly anywhere.  No grout lines.

It’s UV stable, so it can be installed in bright light without color change.  It’s resilient to scratches and dents (Connie and I dug our fingernails and a fork into the samples, and it is indeed self-healing.)  That means it’s also ergonomically friendly to your legs and back, and has sound dampening qualities.

There are five finish categories within the Liquid Elements brand;

Smooth.  Available in a range of colors (and  in a two color mottled mix.)  I’d characterize it as comparable to poured concrete, and can be matte or gloss.

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Reflect.  Metallic finishes that have a painterly brush stroke effect.  As the name suggests, it’s a gloss finish, and the buzzword is glam.

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Crush.  Crushed aggregate imbedded in the resin polymer.  It’s a gloss finish, and comes in a range of stone and colors at a fraction of the cost of terrazzo.

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Glitz.  So here’s where I’m brutally honest.  This finish is not my taste, but with that said, if you’re looking for glitter imbedded in a seamless resilient floor, you’ve found it.  Bars, nightclubs, and casinos.

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Capture. Illustrated in the above image, this finish ‘captures’ a design element within the polymer (seashells in this instance.)  The possibilities are endless because the flooring can be poured in a variety of thicknesses.

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The last thought I’ll mention is that Liquid Elements flooring meets with California VOC regulations, which is an issue on everyone’s mind.  Caitlin Smith is a wonderfully informed representative of the product, and is ready to meet with architects and designers who’d like to see samples and learn more.  Her email is caitlin.smith@liquidelements.com.  If you’re not in the tri-state area she can connect you to a rep in your area.

(and if you’re interested in seeing the flooring in person, visit Fantasma Magic on Herald Square)

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http://www.liquidelements.com/