Ever wonder where all this great tile comes from? Well besides sales visits from our vendors there is a show held annually that highlights all the  new tile lines from many of the top suppliers in the industry. Coverings 2012 is just around the corner and this years show will be held in Orlando FL at the Orange County Convention Center from April 17-20, 2012.

When I think of Coverings I think of a tile fashion show. A masterful event where suppliers from all around the world gather together under one roof to showcase some of the industries latest and greatest. You will find it all at Coverings from, tile to natural stone to setting materials and tools. For Universal Ceramic Tile the show gives us a great opportunity to meet with our suppliers. The main focus of the trip is to find new lines that will fit our already great product selection. Universal Ceramic Tile is committed to bringing in lines that are unique and different but also are sell-able.  Being both a retailer and distributor it is important to bring in lines that can sell in various markets.  Much of the homework is already done by the manufacturers so then it is up to us to take these new lines and bring them to the market. Of course trends dictate market demands and every market is slightly different so it is important to bring in lines that cater to a range of customer types. Trend setting is also important to us and on occasion we will bring in a line that is very different than the norm. Two of our biggest suppliers Ceramica Gazzini and Unicom Starker will have booths at the show and will be highlighting their new products. Of course life cannot be all about business so while we work hard during the day the night brings on some time for fun! To show thanks and gratitude many of our suppliers hold dinners for their customers at various restaurants or venues in the Orlando area. It gives us a chance to relax and break with people we consider not only business associates but friends. Relationship building is very important to us and we strive to work with suppliers that share the same attitude.

This year myself, Enzo, and Tony Jr. will be attending the show. For those of you who do not know, the three of us are brothers. This means the Faienza Brothers will be in full force at Coverings this year! So our competition better watch out! Our hopes are to have a successful show on the business side but to also take a day to enjoy a little R&R. Orlando is a big tourist attraction so I’m sure we will find some fun stuff to do.

For more information on Coverings you can visit their website at www.coverings.com   As always you can find Universal Ceramic Tile at www.universaltile.biz

How nice would it be to get out of bed, walk into your master bath and feel the warmth of a nice radiant heat floor? I bet the answer is GREAT! Before you do your next bath remodel project you may want to consider having a radiant heating system installed. Radiant heating floor systems are becoming more popular and affordable today. In fact running your radiant heated floor for four hours a day in let’s say a 40 s/f bathroom could cost you as little as $30 for the whole winter. A small price to pay for the warmth and luxury a radiant heat floor can bring.  Not to mention the joy it will bring not only to you but your whole family! There are two types of radiant heat wire systems. The first being “loose” wire and the second being a  “mat” system. The loose wire is more affordable and in my opinion a much better way to go. Installation is a breeze and can be done by the do it your self types or by a qualified tile setter (which we would be happy to refer). We recommend embedding the system with either a skim coat of mortar or a self leveling mortar. This is to ensure that if there is a problem down the road and a tile needs to be pulled up that  it won’t affect the integrity of the system. Honestly though if installed properly there should not be any issues. We highly recommend having a certified electrician run the wiring to your box. Systems are available in 120V and 240V setups depending on the setup you have in your home. 240v systems do run more efficiently and use less energy.

Now you might ask how do I know what size kit I need for my bathroom? Well that is easy. The company we feature called Warmup has a variety of different kits that are available in sizes to fit the square footage of your room. Universal Ceramic Tile stocks over 12 different kit sizes in both 120v and 240v setups. We can also special order in only a few days the mat systems. A fully programmable thermostat is available as well and in stock. The programmable thermostat is great in that it can be programmed to come on before you wake up, go off when you leave, come back on before you get home, and go off before you go to sleep. How great and simple is that!

For more information on Warmup and radiant heat flooring systems please come by our showroom at 301 Murphy Road in Hartford, CT. One of our highly qualified sales associates will be happy to assist you and answer and questions you may have. You can also give us a call at 860-525-3644 or email at info@universaltile.biz. New to our showroom is a vignette set up that features the loose wire system. Come on down to “Feel The Warmth”.  Also be sure to check out our large selection of in stock ceramic and porcelain tile. We feature a wide range in selection and pricing to fit any budget. You can always check out our online catalog at our sister company Jet Tile which can be found at www.jettile.com

We hope you enjoyed this bit on radiant heat flooring. Stay tuned for more tile related posts down the road from your friend,

Joe “The Tile Guy”