Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Armstrong expands tile sizes in Techzone
Techzone is a system that Armstrong makes that allows you to create a tight looking ceiling system without the old fashioned air intake ducts. Slim looking fixtures and lighting fit into the techzone system allowing you to expand the acoustical 'plank' up to 4 feet square using a standard grid system.
It seems like a great idea and if you want more information on it, just ask!
It seems like a great idea and if you want more information on it, just ask!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
USG listens to You!
Traditionally suspended ceiling systems have been 2x2, or 2x4. Unless we are talking about some of the older panels which may have been 16 inches square, or linear metal which was a totally different system.
Now USG is expanding the size of its planks. Yes, you can have a longer plank, a thinner plank. You can almost customize your own system. It is a great idea! Halcyon is one system where you can find extended sizes and you can find it in the metal finishes lines.
Halcyon is their fiberglass tile. It comes either with foil or without and having the foil improves the cleanliness of the face by decreasing the 'breathability' of the tile.
We are glad to see the improved range. Check them out at USG.com
Now USG is expanding the size of its planks. Yes, you can have a longer plank, a thinner plank. You can almost customize your own system. It is a great idea! Halcyon is one system where you can find extended sizes and you can find it in the metal finishes lines.
Halcyon is their fiberglass tile. It comes either with foil or without and having the foil improves the cleanliness of the face by decreasing the 'breathability' of the tile.
We are glad to see the improved range. Check them out at USG.com
USG News
If you are following USG in the financial news you already know that USG is going through some painful quarterly returns. Stock news with investors looks good though, so they are still healthy, however they are warning of a huge write-off in goodwill impairments.
If you want to know what 226 million dollars in goodwill impairment write offs are, you aren't the only one. We'll do our best to explain the basics- it looks like companies are required by law to show investors what they are doing when they purchase other companies. In a comparison to purchasing materials for doing business, companies can write off purchases over time, like they do trucks or office equipment. In a similar way they can write off over time the amount of value they perceived they'd get with the purchase of another company or business.
When companies purchase other companies it isn't usually a hostile takeover, which means the perceived value is sometimes inflated. When you purchase another company and you get their customer list, without actually converting their customers to your customers all you have is a list. These hopeful investments have to be laid out to investors. And as we are seeing, sometimes expectations sour.
If you want to know what 226 million dollars in goodwill impairment write offs are, you aren't the only one. We'll do our best to explain the basics- it looks like companies are required by law to show investors what they are doing when they purchase other companies. In a comparison to purchasing materials for doing business, companies can write off purchases over time, like they do trucks or office equipment. In a similar way they can write off over time the amount of value they perceived they'd get with the purchase of another company or business.
When companies purchase other companies it isn't usually a hostile takeover, which means the perceived value is sometimes inflated. When you purchase another company and you get their customer list, without actually converting their customers to your customers all you have is a list. These hopeful investments have to be laid out to investors. And as we are seeing, sometimes expectations sour.
Philadelphia still considering Tall Tower
Philly skyscraper project battles cloudy economy
By PATRICK WALTERS – 1 day ago
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — At City Hall, leaders of the nation's sixth-largest city are warning about painful cuts as the recession slices deeper and deeper into the budget: library cuts, pool closures, less snow removal and layoffs.
But on an empty lot six blocks away, private developers are pushing ahead with plans to build a 1,510-foot skyscraper that would be one of the tallest buildings in the world.
In the midst of the worldwide financial crisis, the developers of the American Commerce Center envision a massive construction project that would employ hundreds of idled construction workers — and, by 2012, an iconic structure that would funnel many more jobs into the city.
But like a slew of sky-high building projects in the works from Chicago to Dubai, the building faces huge challenges: Credit is hard to find and potential tenants are gun-shy.
"There is more risk than there was a year ago or two years ago," said Peter Kelsen, an attorney for the developers, Hill International Real Estate Partner, who are fine-tuning plans for final design review and hope to begin construction late this year.
Philadelphia City Council has already approved zoning changes to clear the way for the $1.1 billion project, which includes plans for a 63-floor office tower, along with a hotel, retail, parking and other amenities downtown.
But getting tenants, Kelsen said, remains the "big gorilla" for the monstrous project
By PATRICK WALTERS – 1 day ago
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — At City Hall, leaders of the nation's sixth-largest city are warning about painful cuts as the recession slices deeper and deeper into the budget: library cuts, pool closures, less snow removal and layoffs.
But on an empty lot six blocks away, private developers are pushing ahead with plans to build a 1,510-foot skyscraper that would be one of the tallest buildings in the world.
In the midst of the worldwide financial crisis, the developers of the American Commerce Center envision a massive construction project that would employ hundreds of idled construction workers — and, by 2012, an iconic structure that would funnel many more jobs into the city.
But like a slew of sky-high building projects in the works from Chicago to Dubai, the building faces huge challenges: Credit is hard to find and potential tenants are gun-shy.
"There is more risk than there was a year ago or two years ago," said Peter Kelsen, an attorney for the developers, Hill International Real Estate Partner, who are fine-tuning plans for final design review and hope to begin construction late this year.
Philadelphia City Council has already approved zoning changes to clear the way for the $1.1 billion project, which includes plans for a 63-floor office tower, along with a hotel, retail, parking and other amenities downtown.
But getting tenants, Kelsen said, remains the "big gorilla" for the monstrous project
Monday, February 9, 2009
James Hardie might be moving back to US
The financial picture is getting a little grim. Plants are closing, workers are getting laid off, jobs are evaporating across the nation. The common reason is that the US Housing market dried up because of the banking disaster.
Well, that seems like it is only part of the truth. Lets look at a company that sells predominantly in the US. The James Hardie Corporation. Hardie Board? Can you guess where they are headquartered?
The Netherlands!
Why? Presumably because of tax breaks that the Netherlands offered to them. They are possibly moving back to the US as their headquarters, but most of their stockholders are Australian. Why aren't they going to move to where their stockholders live? Well, it may be because they have some outstanding fees due to the Australian government and perhaps it is because of some fines due to litigation in the past.
The point is that the gloomy financial picture in the US isn't only about sloppy lending to US homeowners who defaulted and left the globe in economic shambles. No, the problems are much more complicated than that. Lets look to Hardie though on February 12th to share their move with the business community.
Well, that seems like it is only part of the truth. Lets look at a company that sells predominantly in the US. The James Hardie Corporation. Hardie Board? Can you guess where they are headquartered?
The Netherlands!
Why? Presumably because of tax breaks that the Netherlands offered to them. They are possibly moving back to the US as their headquarters, but most of their stockholders are Australian. Why aren't they going to move to where their stockholders live? Well, it may be because they have some outstanding fees due to the Australian government and perhaps it is because of some fines due to litigation in the past.
The point is that the gloomy financial picture in the US isn't only about sloppy lending to US homeowners who defaulted and left the globe in economic shambles. No, the problems are much more complicated than that. Lets look to Hardie though on February 12th to share their move with the business community.
Economic Slide closes paper plants
Domtar and Tembec are closing paper plants. How does this impact the ceiling and walls business? Well, a lot of products are covered in ...you guessed it! PAPER
At this point the paper manfactured at these plants looks like the traditional 8 1/2 by 11 sized white paper, but Kraft paper costs can't be keeping paper mills in business, at least we hope not!
At this point the paper manfactured at these plants looks like the traditional 8 1/2 by 11 sized white paper, but Kraft paper costs can't be keeping paper mills in business, at least we hope not!
MADCAD brings you the Codes you need
Do you know all the codes necessary for your next construction job?
While a lot of the codes are based on manufacturers guidelines, some codes are quite stringent and it is helpful to have a grounding in what they are requiring.
Madcad is offering contractors and architects just that. March 2 they are launching their building program with a webinar and in order to be invited all you have to do is send them an email according to przoom.com.
We think it is a great idea and we hope someone we know will check it out and offer us their opinion on the product.
While a lot of the codes are based on manufacturers guidelines, some codes are quite stringent and it is helpful to have a grounding in what they are requiring.
Madcad is offering contractors and architects just that. March 2 they are launching their building program with a webinar and in order to be invited all you have to do is send them an email according to przoom.com.
We think it is a great idea and we hope someone we know will check it out and offer us their opinion on the product.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Peanut Plant with Salmonella
There is a suggestion that the Peanut plant that distributed peanuts or peanut meal with Salmonella poisoning had been cited for having health violations repeatedly. One source said that the walls and the ceilings of the plant were coated with mold.
Mold growth has been an important concern for homeowners and business owners. Mold has been shown to irritate or sicken humans who are inhaling the spores. Lab testing has been done that takes fiberboard, or ceiling tile and macerates it and then tests an almost soupy mixture for mold growth. Mold needs moisture, a porous surface and some kind of 'food' to grow. Even with the addition of preservative materials fiberboard and ceilings can grow molds.
Our tip is to recommend thorough cleaning of surfaces and we also recommend contractors connect homeowners with professionals who know how to deal with mold.
The Best Team
Mold growth has been an important concern for homeowners and business owners. Mold has been shown to irritate or sicken humans who are inhaling the spores. Lab testing has been done that takes fiberboard, or ceiling tile and macerates it and then tests an almost soupy mixture for mold growth. Mold needs moisture, a porous surface and some kind of 'food' to grow. Even with the addition of preservative materials fiberboard and ceilings can grow molds.
Our tip is to recommend thorough cleaning of surfaces and we also recommend contractors connect homeowners with professionals who know how to deal with mold.
The Best Team
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Women in Construction
Did you know that approximately 10 percent of the jobs in Construction are held by women. Of that number approximately 5.8 percent of those jobs are in offices where women earn less than their male co-workers. With a new emphasis on re-building infrastructure perhaps now is a good time to invest more in training for women so that they can be a real force in the construction industry!
The Best Team
The Best Team
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Panasonic Electric has slashed over 800 jobs
Why are we talking about Panasonic in a Walls and Ceilings Blog?
Well because they have a building products division that makes modular fixtures and walls and ceiling products. It is remarkable the strides the Japanese are making in creating products that enhance the environment. For example Panasonic created a panel that used ambient room light to scrub the panels of formaldehyde and there was a pad built right into them that held the by-products.
We hope that Panasonic has met the challenges for the 2009 year so that we can see them putting energy back into great technology in the near future!
The Best Team
Well because they have a building products division that makes modular fixtures and walls and ceiling products. It is remarkable the strides the Japanese are making in creating products that enhance the environment. For example Panasonic created a panel that used ambient room light to scrub the panels of formaldehyde and there was a pad built right into them that held the by-products.
We hope that Panasonic has met the challenges for the 2009 year so that we can see them putting energy back into great technology in the near future!
The Best Team
Missing or broken ceiling tiles are dangerous
How often have you seen broken or missing tiles in suspended ceiling systems? If we were asking this question of an average group of people their answers would probably be in the 'not very often' range, but as interior building specialists, you probably see it all too often, but did you realize that that gaping or broken ceiling is a violation of fire saftey rules?
OSHA requires that the ceiling system is fully enclosed with saftey items like sprinklers and smoke detectors built into the ceiling, or suspended immediately above it as per specifications. The point of this is that the systems are designed to pick up smoke or fire at the level of the intact ceiling. If any holes are in the ceiling when a fire starts, either because someone moved the tile, or because a tile broke or was damaged by water etc, then what you create is a ceiling jet. The hot gasses, or flames can build up in the area above the smoke detectors or water sprinklers and in this way fire can break out in several areas of the building without there being necessary protection.
Make sure that you inform business owners, end users and any facility owner that it is their responsibility to fix ceiling systems not just for aesthetic appeal, but for saftey!
The Best Team
OSHA requires that the ceiling system is fully enclosed with saftey items like sprinklers and smoke detectors built into the ceiling, or suspended immediately above it as per specifications. The point of this is that the systems are designed to pick up smoke or fire at the level of the intact ceiling. If any holes are in the ceiling when a fire starts, either because someone moved the tile, or because a tile broke or was damaged by water etc, then what you create is a ceiling jet. The hot gasses, or flames can build up in the area above the smoke detectors or water sprinklers and in this way fire can break out in several areas of the building without there being necessary protection.
Make sure that you inform business owners, end users and any facility owner that it is their responsibility to fix ceiling systems not just for aesthetic appeal, but for saftey!
The Best Team
A new glass ceiling tile offers sound control
Pinta is the name of the company that designs this new tile made of recycled glass that has excellent sound control ratings. If you aren't familiar with Pinta, maybe that is because you weren't aware that Pinta once was Illbruck which was the company that featured Sonex products for acoustical control.
Pinta is the company's name because the founder Willi Illbruck was an avid sailer and his vessel was the Pinta named after Christopher Columbus's ship- the fastest of the three.
It sounds like Pinta is still in the fast lane when it comes to designing products for the interior/exterior ceiling industry. Their new product Phonstop can be used in grid systems and it has an NRC of .90. Check out their website at pinta-acoustic.com.
The Best
Pinta is the company's name because the founder Willi Illbruck was an avid sailer and his vessel was the Pinta named after Christopher Columbus's ship- the fastest of the three.
It sounds like Pinta is still in the fast lane when it comes to designing products for the interior/exterior ceiling industry. Their new product Phonstop can be used in grid systems and it has an NRC of .90. Check out their website at pinta-acoustic.com.
The Best
Monday, February 2, 2009
Formaldehyde Free Insulation
Winter is the time everyone thinks about insulation. When we talk about insulation we have blown in, sprayed on, or the batts that are rolled out with either a kraft facing or without. Those batts often are made of fiberglass material and they have formaldehyde added to them.
John Mansville Insulation is formaldehyde free. Another interesting feature about that insulation is has been noticed to be less itchy than some of the other choices in batt insulation. It is a great choice when your installers don't mind working with a product. Check out John Mansville's website at JM.com.
The Best
John Mansville Insulation is formaldehyde free. Another interesting feature about that insulation is has been noticed to be less itchy than some of the other choices in batt insulation. It is a great choice when your installers don't mind working with a product. Check out John Mansville's website at JM.com.
The Best
Thermoplastic Tile Ceilings
There are products that are intended to be attached to existing acoustical ceilings or to be installed new with mineral fiber ceilings underneath them in a traditional grid system.
There are some things to consider though in using these products:
Cost- figure that you are installing a standard acoustic lay in panel system with the thermoplastic panels attached to the surfaces.
This entire system then needs to figure in both costs to the final price.
Renovating older ceilings by simply attaching the thermoplastic panel to them means that you have to start with a 'clean surface'
The manufacturers sometimes recommend that you paint the existing acoustical panels with a primer before gluing up the thermoplastic panels. This adds time in priming to the job and it also takes away the manufacturers warranty on sound control in the existing mineral fiber panels. Make sure that your owners know that the acoustics may change.
Thermoplastic tiles offer beautiful patterns and flexibility when a customer wants to update their space. As long as contractors remember there are some important things to bring to the table before the job starts, then they are a great design choice.
If you need information on where to get them, just contact us here.
There are some things to consider though in using these products:
Cost- figure that you are installing a standard acoustic lay in panel system with the thermoplastic panels attached to the surfaces.
This entire system then needs to figure in both costs to the final price.
Renovating older ceilings by simply attaching the thermoplastic panel to them means that you have to start with a 'clean surface'
The manufacturers sometimes recommend that you paint the existing acoustical panels with a primer before gluing up the thermoplastic panels. This adds time in priming to the job and it also takes away the manufacturers warranty on sound control in the existing mineral fiber panels. Make sure that your owners know that the acoustics may change.
Thermoplastic tiles offer beautiful patterns and flexibility when a customer wants to update their space. As long as contractors remember there are some important things to bring to the table before the job starts, then they are a great design choice.
If you need information on where to get them, just contact us here.
Vinyl Ceiling Tiles
Ceiling tiles can be made of several materials:
Metal
Fiberglas
Gypsum
Mineral Board
Wood
Vinyl
This post is going to explore what Vinyl tiles offer to a space.
Vinyl tiles have been around since the 1950's, now some have the same UV protection that vinyl siding has enabling them to withstand light so that they don't discolor over time.
Vinyl is light and some of these panels can be mounted directly underneath lighting panels. These systems are fire safe because at 165 degrees they curl and fall out of the grid system rather than having an entire ceiling crash down in the event of a fire.
Vinyl can be washed with simple cleaning products like window cleaner and a damp cloth, but there are warnings against using bleach or ammonia based cleaners.
Vinyl also can be used in food handling areas which is important for clean areas.
Check out the Ceilume webpage to get some more information on installation and designs available.
Note: Ceilume mentions on its site that their products aren't intended for noise reduction, they mention that their product is more efficient than sheetboard attached to the ceiling and there are batts that you can install over top of the tiles, but that of course is an additional cost.
Metal
Fiberglas
Gypsum
Mineral Board
Wood
Vinyl
This post is going to explore what Vinyl tiles offer to a space.
Vinyl tiles have been around since the 1950's, now some have the same UV protection that vinyl siding has enabling them to withstand light so that they don't discolor over time.
Vinyl is light and some of these panels can be mounted directly underneath lighting panels. These systems are fire safe because at 165 degrees they curl and fall out of the grid system rather than having an entire ceiling crash down in the event of a fire.
Vinyl can be washed with simple cleaning products like window cleaner and a damp cloth, but there are warnings against using bleach or ammonia based cleaners.
Vinyl also can be used in food handling areas which is important for clean areas.
Check out the Ceilume webpage to get some more information on installation and designs available.
Note: Ceilume mentions on its site that their products aren't intended for noise reduction, they mention that their product is more efficient than sheetboard attached to the ceiling and there are batts that you can install over top of the tiles, but that of course is an additional cost.
Walls and Ceilings Magazine
Most of you know that there is an online version of Walls and Ceilings Magazine and this month's issue features some information on EIFS systems.
Remember the fire in Las Vegas when the cladding was going up in smoke? At the time many people thought that EIFS was going to lose viability in the marketplace, but then it became known that the material that burned at that Hotel was not an industry approved EIFS system, instead it was a polyurethane product that had been coated. That is what caught fire! Polyurethane definitely burns.
EIFS still has lots of great features and you can read about some of them in this month's Walls and Ceilings Magazine.
Remember the fire in Las Vegas when the cladding was going up in smoke? At the time many people thought that EIFS was going to lose viability in the marketplace, but then it became known that the material that burned at that Hotel was not an industry approved EIFS system, instead it was a polyurethane product that had been coated. That is what caught fire! Polyurethane definitely burns.
EIFS still has lots of great features and you can read about some of them in this month's Walls and Ceilings Magazine.
USG drops 172 million in 3rd Quarter
It is apparent that USG has been taking a hit in the residential housing sector and their 172 million drop in 3rd Quarter earnings shows it.
USG says they remain committed to being a player in the residential wallboard industry but that they don't expect things to change in the market very quickly, saying that perhaps 2009 will be a slow year as well.
We are glad to see that the company is going to work to maintain their business even if the building industry sees more of a decline in the near future.
USG says they remain committed to being a player in the residential wallboard industry but that they don't expect things to change in the market very quickly, saying that perhaps 2009 will be a slow year as well.
We are glad to see that the company is going to work to maintain their business even if the building industry sees more of a decline in the near future.
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