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Coverings 2015 product showcase

This spring, Coverings 2015 drew a large contingency of visitors to Orlando, FL, to browse the latest product introductions in the stone and tile industry

Tile of Spain-branded manufacturer Aparici introduced its new collection, Build. Inspired by industrial concrete, this collection allows the creation of bright and spacious areas, providing a contemporary and industrial look. The variety in sizes and finishes makes Build a perfect collection for both residential and commercial use. Conceived to be used within any type of project, Build offers infinite possibilities to architects and designers with a taste for minimalistic design and excellent quality.

www.aparici.com

The new collection Archconcept — “Architecture without limits” — is based on the latest manufacturing technology and the research of current trends in architecture, which has enabled Apavisa to create a new philosophy of surface finishings. Archconcept brings new patterns in stone, metal and cementitious finishings.With new 3D attributes, this collection reinterprets the style, elegance and sophistication of bygone times. The result is a varied collection of remarkable reliefs and surfaces, allowing the creation of the most diverse range of applications.

www.apavisa.com

Crossville’s new Moonstruck line, inspired by the look of both ancient native rock formations and untouched lunar surfaces, was developed to offer an authentic interpretation of natural stone’s veining and colors. Offered in five shades, ranging from cool to warm tones, each is available in both unpolished and polished finishes. The color names are taken from lunar missions, in homage to the line’s celestial inspiration. Tiles are offered in a variety of sizes, including Crossville’s first 18- x 36-inch offering.

www.crossvilleinc.com

Custom Building Products — Custom® Building Products recently introduced VersaBond®-LFT for large-format tile as a complementary product to VersaBond, Custom's popular everyday thin-set mortar. VersaBond LFT is designed for use in most standard large-format tile floor installations with porcelain, ceramic or natural stone 15 inches or greater on any side. The product's non-slump formula can be used as a thin-set or medium-bed (dry-set) mortar up to ¾-inch on floors and it bonds well to concrete, cement backerboards, as well as plywood. Both white and gray mortar options are offered.

www.custombuildingproducts.com

Bring the look of New England’s historic homes and barns into any setting with Daltile’s new collection, Yorkwood Manor™. Thanks to Reveal Imaging™ Technology, this glazed porcelain elegantly recreates the authentic look of reclaimed wood with deliberate cracked paint and water stain detailing. Richly inspired and filled with character, Yorkwood Manor adds beauty and a sense of history to any space. The collection is available in three colors — Birchtree, Pecan and Deep Walnut — and a variety of sizes, including the popular 6- x 36-inch plank size that simulates real wood.

www.daltile.com

The porcelain tiles in Fioranese’s new Reverso collection interpret the slightly imperfect reverse surface of travertine slabs and their less marked and almost faded looking patterns, appearing almost as if they are covered with white dust. The look is reflected in the current popularity of carefully designed, architectural spaces awash with light, where stone has become a main feature of a room, defining its volume and surfaces. Available in four colors and a variety of sizes, including different-shaped mosaics, the collection is applicable for both residential and commercial settings.

www.fioranese.it

Beyond the limits of natural stone for an infinite ceramic concept is how Fondovalle would describe its new Infinity collection. Infinity captures the soul of Calacatta di Carrara marble. Classic touches blend with cutting-edge technology to create Infinity, a unique yet infinite project. Its uniqueness lies in the 11 different graphic designs and four sizes it offers, with a thickness of just 6 ½ mm. A unique innovation that offers ample solutions to modern architecture to decorate commercial and residential environments, Infinity is available in three finishes — glossy, matte and natural.

www.fondovalle.it

Urban New York is designed with a look as exciting as the city it was named after. This newest introduction by Interceramic replicates the look of cement. The rectified porcelain tile is offered in two sizes: 24 x 48 and 12 x 48 inches. The 24- x 48-inch format is available in natural finish, while the 12- x 48-inch size is available in natural and semi-polished finishes. New York can be installed both indoors and outdoors, in residential and commercial settings.

www.interceramicusa.com

Permacolor® Select from Laticrete is an advanced high-performance cement grout that offers the industry’s first dispersible dry pigment grout solution. Permacolor Select is designed for virtually all types of residential and commercial installations and offers optimum performance on the most demanding exterior or interior applications. Easy to mix, grout and clean, Permacolor is fast setting and is suitable for joints 1/16 to ½ inch wide on floors or walls.

www.laticrete.com

Lea Ceramicheâ??s — Ceramics of Italy — branded manufacturer Lea Ceramiche’s new collection, Crayon, is the fruit of the company’s skill in combining imagination, research and industrial processes. Crayon transfers the authentic texture of natural stone onto porcelain stone, with a raw and aged effect. It is available in two colors — a light shade that has hues that vary between white, beige and ivory — and a gray shade with variations of hues of gray. The shading creates an intentionally random chromatic effect, aimed at enhancing any setting.

www.ceramichelea.it

In Knoxwood by Marazzi, stunning 3D visuals and grainline variations from plank to plank epitomize the random characteristics of wood, while the porcelain body ensures strength and durability. The product is well-suited for both wet and dry areas. Available in four different colors — Caraway (gray), Ginger (light brown), Nutmeg (dark brown) and Spice (medium brown) — Knoxwood exudes the warmth and richness of natural wood in a 6- x 24-inch plank, complementing both residential and commercial designs.

www.marazziusa.com

Just as the first hammocks were perfectly conceived for comfort and relaxation, Mediterranea’s Hammock series features a carefully balanced mixture of wood graphics to create a color-body porcelain tile worthy of its stunning 8- x 48-inch size. Utilizing Mediterranea’s exclusive Dynamic HD Imaging™ technology to replicate the fine features of weathered wood, Hammock is manufactured in four colors: Sand, Palm, Oyster and Pearl, and it is made with over 65% recycled content.

www.mediterranea-usa.com/hammock.html

Miracle Sealants — Haze b Gone from Miracle

Sealants Co. is a safe, environmentally friendly and easy-to-use method for removing Portland cement grout haze and mortar residue from ceramic tile, porcelain tile, glass tile and natural stone surfaces. No more harmful acids or other time consuming liquids that require drying before completion. Never has grout haze removal been so easy. Each pad comes with enough activator to service up to 1,000 square feet. The pad can be re-used by just re-filling the active ingredient up to five times.

www.miraclesealants.com

M-S-International — Influenced from Old World terracotta, the Capella line — an inkjet porcelain from Italy and available from M S International — offers a truly unique updated look with colors and hues resembling Old World pavers. Imagine a modern day villa with rich patinas and a modern flair. This robust line offers large-format “Cotto Tiles” and coordinating wood planks that are perfect used together or as stand-alone looks.

www.msistone.com

For its 26th edition this year, Coverings, the international tile and stone exhibition held annually in the U.S., filled the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, which is the second largest convention center in the country. The four-day exhibition ran from April 14 to 17, 2015 and was anticipated to be the largest since 2009, with an overall increase in square footage and the number of attendees. Approximately 23,000 visitors and 1,000 exhibitors were in attendance.

The exhibition floor was filled with displays of the latest stone and tile collections, as well as installation and maintenance products. It is evident that tile sizes continue to grow and surface finishes such as cement are growing in popularity. Moreover, the “worn” look — such as tile collections resembling distressed wood planks as well as weathered stone looks — remains a hot trend. The following is a glimpse at the seemingly endless amount of products that were on display at Coverings 2015. SEE SLIDESHOW ABOVE