Sustainable. Strong. Safe.
We have always taken great pride in our approach to safety—right down to the nontoxic materials we use. And we are complying fully with new requirements and guidelines to ensure worksites are safe for both workers and our clients. These include (but are not limited to) the following: wearing appropriate personal protective equipment, conducting wellness checks, disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, and regularly washing/sanitizing our hands.
We review all safety measures with our clients before each project. If you would like more information prior to hiring One Step Further, please contact us directly; we are happy to discuss our precautions in full detail at any time.
How safe are your floors?
It’s everywhere in the home—families living on it, kids playing on it, pets sleeping on it—yet so many people have no idea whether their flooring is truly safe.
With One Step Further, you don’t have to wonder. We use only materials that don’t release volatile organic compounds, which can cause irritation and even serious illnesses. We believe in ethical practices and sustainability. And we work primarily with Forbo Marmoleum, which meets our high standards for quality and safety.
Our materials
That doesn’t mean you’re limited to just one material, however. Here are some popular flooring options we can work with, and their advantages (or disadvantages) for specific uses.
Marmoleum
The key advantages of Marmoleum are its sustainability and durability. It resists discoloration, and is very hardy—in fact, it can even be refinished to restore its original luster, just like hardwoods. It can be more expensive than other options, but Marmoleum is best viewed as an investment in your property; do you want to change your floors once, or go with a cheap option that will need to be replaced in 5-7 years?
Cork Tile
This natural product—not the engineered cork that clicks together—looks great and is soft to stand on. You can have it done in custom colors as well. However, it does require thoughtful placement and diligent maintenance. Cork can fade if exposed to sunlight for long periods, and it can absorb moisture over time as well, so it might not be a great choice for bathrooms or kitchens. The material also can become brittle if it is damaged (for example, if you drop something heavy on the floor and gouge a tile).
Entryway systems
Coral, a product from Forbo, removes 95% of the grit, dirt, and moisture on someone’s feet as they walk in, protecting the other flooring. It’s great for both homes and commercial buildings; usually, installing it will extend the warranty on other Forbo flooring in the same property.
Special requests
Although I greatly prefer to work with Marmoleum or cork tile, sometimes they aren’t the right fit for a client’s preferences or needs. I am happy to accommodate special requests when possible using the following materials:
- Carpet: Forbo makes a carpet-like textile flooring called Flotex—it’s a fantastic product, soft and comfortable. I think it is vastly superior to other carpets.
- Vinyl sheets: These products have a lot of disadvantages; they have a lot of harsh chemicals, they are susceptible to tearing, and they burn/melt. Vinyl is hard to keep clean, too, especially if it is textured. However, if a client really wants it, I do have a few specific types of higher quality that I will install.
- VCT (vinyl composition tile): This is much safer than it used to be, but it is easy to scuff and scratch—and it’s hard to get rid of those scuffs and scratches. It’s very inexpensive, though, which makes it well-suited for big commercial buildings, laundry rooms, etc.
- Pre-finished hardwood / bamboo / cork: If you want a hardwood floor, my advice is to do a real hardwood floor—and by that I mean use long planks, not the interlocking floating tiles. I typically only work with these pre-finished materials when they are part of another project.
Want to learn more about creating a safer environment at home? Just give us a call at (206) 327-5185 or email JD Jarmer.