Choice Of Replacement Flooring

CHOICE OF REPLACEMENT

STORE FRONT FLOORING

Presented to

Name

Title

Company

Prepared by

Name

Office Manager

June 6, 2007

TABLE OF CONTENTS

TABLE OF CONTENTS ii

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY iii

RECOMMENDATION 1

BACKGROUND 1

Problem: Replacing Existing Store Front Flooring 1

Solution and Alternatives: Laminate Flooring 2

Establishing Criteria for Selecting Laminate Flooring 2

ANALYSIS 2

Discussion: Evaluating Brands of Laminate Flooring by Criteria 2

Installation 3

Product 4

Warranty 4

Cost 4

CONCLUSION 5

References 6

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Purpose of the Report

The purpose of this report addresses the need to replace the existing store front carpeting and to select a floor product that will be more durable, reliable, and improve the store's image.

Update and Improve Store Front

The store front currently has carpet flooring which was installed seven years ago. In this short period, the carpet has worn quickly from customer traffic and environmental elements. The appearance of the store and the presentation of its products have lost their "wow" effect due to the current floor covering.

Several floor alternatives are available, including: vinyl, ceramic tile, wood floor, and laminate floors. The selection process of an alternative flooring involved evaluating total cost of the product, its appearance and quality, the ability of product self-installation, and its overall life and warranty.

Conclusion

The store's image and appearance would greatly improve with replacing the current flooring with an alternative floor product. Laminate flooring is the most logical alternative choice in meeting the company's budget and needs. Research of brand name flooring companies have led to the following recommendation:

Ð'* Purchase Armstrong's laminate flooring with the snap and lock system.

Ð'* Purchase the polyethylene vapor barrier to reduce moisture.

Ð'* Self-installation of the product.

CHOICE OF REPLACEMENT

STORE FRONT FLOORING

RECOMMENDATION

The store front's current carpet flooring has not held up to the customer traffic or to the exposure of environmental elements. Various floor products (vinyl, ceramic tile, wood flooring, or laminate flooring) are available which would be more traffic friendly and more durable than carpeting, yet not all these products are easy to self-install or cost effective. In considering the company's needs I have selected laminate flooring as a suitable product.

Manufacturers of flooring have produced various laminate flooring products for approximately 50 years. The time and experience spent on developing laminate floor products have improved its durability, reliability, installation and maintenance. Based on our company's budget and my review of three brands of laminate floor, I recommend we do the following:

Ð'* Purchase Armstrong's laminate flooring with the snap and lock system.

Ð'* Purchase the polyethylene vapor barrier for moisture protection.

Ð'* Self-installation of the product.

BACKGROUND

Problem: Replacing Existing Store Front Flooring

The existing store front floor is currently covered with inexpensive carpeting which is beginning to wear and has some permanent stains. The carpet was installed when this store location opened seven years ago. At the time, this particular floor covering was selected based on the company's limited budget. During the past seven years, the floor has been easy to maintain daily but has not withstood the customer traffic as well as expected. Replacement of the floor covering should address our needs for a product that is durable, will upgrade the store's image, provide better lighting, and is easy to install and maintain.

Solution and Alternatives: Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is sold at retail carpet stores and home improvement center stores. These types of stores provide easy access and availability of this product. The brand name of laminate flooring sold varies depending upon the store.

Most manufacturers of laminate flooring have websites containing product maintenance methods, installation instructions, and additional product information which will be useful as we plan to install the floor ourselves. Home improvement centers offer more assistance to the do-it-yourself individual. Their sales staff has practical installation experience and product knowledge versus a carpet store sales staff that has only product knowledge. Home improvement centers also rent any necessary tools needed to complete the installation. The three brands of laminate flooring researched are: Armstrong, Wilsonart, and Kronotex.

Establishing Criteria for Selecting Laminate Flooring

To select brand name flooring, I established criteria based upon research obtained from the manufacturer's websites, trade articles, and sales personnel at both carpet stores and home improvement center stores. The four groups of criteria