Blackton Inc.

"But it's waterproof!" - That's what we all heard when this product category first hit the market. We have been told this since LVP was first introduced, but there's a catch. What is the catch, you ask???? Well, it is only waterproof from the top, and there is even a caveat to that. This stuff is waterproof like a thatch or palm-frond roof is waterproof, that is to say under the idealist of conditions. When you see the manufacturers at the trade shows displaying LVP with water running over it, it is at a decidedly steep angle, and the water is running off of it at a very quick rate – the same way a thatch roof on a tiki hut is waterproof with nothing but grass covering the roof. If you shed water at a very fast rate, it cannot seep into the grass, it runs right off- no harm, no foul. But if you let the water sit on the grass at a non-steeped pitch (flat), it will go right through the grass like it is not even there. That’s not to say that the LVP will do the same thing, but the image I am trying to drive home is that the manufacturer displays of these products are a slight-of-hand show. While it is true that when water touches the top of this product - and the joints are locked properly - LVP will resist water, but if you leave that water on there for a while, it will seep into the joint or delaminate the product. This may not happen in a few minutes, and some joints are better designed than others, but make no mistake about it: ponding or stagnating water on the surface for longer than a few minutes will hurt it. Mop your floor with a saturated mop, and the water goes over the edge of the product - at the baseboard or where it meets a threshold or another flooring product - yes, that exposed edge is not waterproof. Have a plumbing leak or small flood and that water seeps under the LVP? You guessed it: the bottom is not waterproof. As a matter of fact, LVP installed over concrete subfloors is even an issue. I live in Florida, and I work in new construction, so the slabs I’m installing this stuff over are sweating and leaking moisture at an astonishing rate. Concrete has capillaries, and those capillaries draw water from high-humidity areas (like outside) to a low-humidity area (like inside your home), and all that water and vapor condenses underneath your fancy plastic floor, destroying it from the bottom, and it will most likely grow mold and mildew. In the last few years, the manufacturers have told us that we need to install a vapor barrier under the LVP to mitigate these issues. That vapor barrier is a sheet of 6 mil plastic. So, all we are doing is trapping that moisture (which never stops happening) under plastic. Then, that vapor goes to the edge of the plastic and, therefore, also to the non-waterproof edge of the LVP, causing damage. So, there you have it…your “waterproof” floor is not waterproof. It is all marketing; read the fine print.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!? Wishing you a day filled with?luck, laughter, and a little bit of green!?May your hard work turn to gold and your journey be as smooth as a freshly installed floor. Cheers to good fortune and great company! #HappyStPatricksDay

Customer Appreciation Spotlight! Darcy Townsend, Billing Administrator at Blackton Inc., recognizes Katie Dunn, Accounting Manager at Southern Crown Homes, for her outstanding communication and support! Katie’s prompt responses and proactive approach make collaboration effortless, ensuring everything runs smoothly for both teams. Thank you, Katie—we truly appreciate you!

Celebrating the Women of Blackton Inc. This month, we proudly recognize the incredible women who contribute to Blackton Inc.'s success every day. Their dedication, expertise, and leadership shape not only our company but the industry as a whole. From Account Administration to Sales, Operations, Accounting, and beyond, these women are the driving force behind our business, ensuring everything runs smoothly. Their hard work, problem-solving skills, and commitment to excellence keep us moving forward. Your contributions don’t go unnoticed—we are grateful for all that you do! This Women’s History Month, we celebrate your achievements, resilience, and impact. Thank you for making Blackton Inc. a better place every day!

Customer Appreciation Spotlight! Blackton Inc. Vice President Erica Costa proudly recognizes Jennie Vullo, Sr. Purchasing Agent at Ashton Woods Homes for her outstanding leadership and commitment to excellence. Thank you, Jennie, for your unwavering support and leadership. It’s an honor to work alongside you and the team at Ashton Woods Homes!

At Blackton Inc., we take pride delivering exceptional tile installations that enhance every space. In honor of National Tile Day on February 23, we’re excited to showcase our work in the Pallazio model home by Taylor Morrison, in Esplanade at Westview. This home features tile selections from Interior Logic Group, expertly installed to complement its elegant design. We’re thrilled with how this project turned out and couldn’t be happier with the finished product. This model home is stunning.

L stands for Luxury??? It is a dirty 3 letter abbreviation in our industry, one that will send chills down the spine of even the most hardened veteran of flooring…LVP. I have had 30 years in this industry and nothing - and I mean nothing - has had as fast of an impact on us as flooring contractors as LVP. It is dominating our field of endeavor at a rate that has never been seen before unless you go back to ‘wall to wall’ carpeting in the 1950’s. Now I have friends that make a living selling this stuff and at the risk of alienating them, I will be talking about the good and the bad because there are both sides. My main objective is to let you know what it is and what it really isn’t. The truth is, this will probably have to be a 3-part series. So, onto part 1! Luxury is a funny word to call what is essentially a plastic floor. Plastic is what I associate with products available on Temu, not the flooring I intend to put in my home. When was the last time you heard someone buying or remodeling a house utter the words “Man, I can’t wait to get those Formica countertops installed!” That’s because no one in today’s world wants plastic countertops anymore, they are the solution when all other solutions are depleted. People want solid surface counters, whether it is Corian, Quartz, or Granite, and they are willing to pay whatever it takes to make it happen. But on the floors of our homes, 60% of the buyers are ASKING for a plastic floor to be installed! This product category has dominated our sales. Carpet is hanging on by a thread (no pun intended.) Tile is down 70% (including wood look tile which has been decimated by LVP installs) and real or engineered wood is almost non-existent in many markets including my own. There are lots of reasons why this is all taking place. There is cost, ease of installation and removal, and environmental factors that come into play, but the main driving force in my mind is marketing. We are bombarded with this stuff non-stop. Magazine ads, home improvement shows, house flipping shows, and the predatory marketing tactics of the manufacturers to drive us to what ultimately leads to their largest margin classification. But leave no doubt in your mind, you are being manipulated into thinking that this stuff is the end all be all of a flooring revolution. In the next installments of this subject, I will attempt to show you the ins and outs of what you are being sold and why it may or may not be what you think it is. PS…it is not.

Happy Valentine’s Day from Blackton, Inc.! ?? Love is at the heart of everything we do—building strong foundations, lasting relationships, and beautiful spaces. Today, we celebrate love, gratitude, and the connections that make our work meaningful. Wishing you a day filled with joy and appreciation! #HappyValentinesDay #BlacktonInc #BuiltWithLove #LoveWhatWeDo

Always use dark gray grout… Of course, I say this tongue-in-cheek, but the truth is, it is what I recommend 99% of the time for floor tile…regardless of the color of the tile you’re installing. Grout is a funny thing, it’s the sacrificial ‘lamb’ of your tile floor. It is there yes, to fill the void between tiles, but its main function is to catch, and hold (more on that later) most of the problems with tile sizing and cracking. It also functions as a repository of filth. The TCNA, the guideline that we as installation companies go by, allows ridiculously large differences between tiles in the same dye lot and caliber while still being ‘within spec.’ So, if we find a tile that is not sized the same as the others in the pallet or even in the same box, we can try to get with the manufacturer to get them replaced but chances are they will tell us they meet spec. This is where the tile sizing portion of my previous statement comes in. The only way to allow for different sized tiles is to open up the grout joints to allow the visual to see past the size difference. This as you can imagine is not a popular option, but sometimes it is the only choice - meaning spacers and tile clips must be manipulated to somewhat hide the tile variance. The cracking part of my statement refers to the fact that the grout is much softer than the tile. We hope if there is a slab crack or movement, the crack follows the grout and does not crack the tile itself. This works about 20-30% of the time. Now onto the reason I say I always recommend dark gray grout. The reason is that grout will always end up this color no matter what color you start with and no matter how clean of a housekeeper you are! Grout is not a walking surface, it's pretty soft, colored concrete. Therefore, it needs to be lower than the tile so when you walk across the tile you don’t directly touch the grout. This lower level catches everything…and I mean everything. Dirt, mud, cooking oils, oils from feet and pets, dirty water when you mop…etc. It is a catch all and it is very, very porous. So, all that dirt, grime, and filth will build up in the grout joint and turn it dark gray. I know what you’re thinking… let's seal the grout! Well, sealers are not something I would ever recommend. They have a tendency (just like sealers used on wood) to turn it into different colors. I have seen clear sealers make grout look pink or orange. The truth is, it never works right, and the filth still builds up in there. Grout stains are another option, but it is EXTREMELY expensive to have done. And it is effective…for a while. The film still builds up and turns it as you guessed - dark gray. Steam cleaning grout is an option but doing it correctly is a very time-consuming process, it's costly and will only last a few months before the dirt piles up again. So do yourself a favor… start with dark gray…it will end up that color anyway. Sometimes the truth hurts.

Introducing "And Now, A Word from the President" – a new series featuring Sean Monett, President of Blackton, Inc. From industry insights to leadership perspectives, Sean will be sharing his thoughts on a variety of topics that impact our business, our team, and our customers. Sean's first topic is electronic payments. "I feel that one of the single greatest things to happen to our industry and the construction industry overall is the advent of online payment processors like Supply Pro and ACH payment processing. I know that a lot of people will disagree with me but the days of mailing in bills and statements and hitting deadline dates (i.e. the 10th and 25th of the month) are long gone. I used to be proud if we could hit 30 DSO in our company and that took a huge amount of work! Ever since we implemented electronic payment processing with nearly all of our builders, the only 'billing' required is confirming that the job is completed and finalizing our in-house invoices. Once the builder completes their confirmation as well, I receive the payment electronically within a day or two. Our outstanding invoices on the PO’s rarely go past 10 days before payment. I have some builders that pay me twice in one day since it’s just electronic. It has been an absolute game changer for us as far as cash flow." Stay tuned for more valuable takeways!