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AUGUST 2017 | 29 Hardwood Flooring F Demand for hardwood flooring is being driven partly by the customers' respect for the natural environment by LAURIE JONES From European luxury to West Coast custom creations and points in between, the options for hardwood floor- ing in 2017 are truly stunning. European Touch Hardwood Inc. (ETH) has added the timeless elegance of Chevron and Herringbone patterns to its exclusive Mozart Collection hardwood f looring – the exquisite line of hardwood f looring manufactured by Scheucher in the forested regions of Styria in Austria. "All plank flooring can be now co-ordinated with Chevron or Herringbone patterns in any wood species, style and colour available in the collection," says Alicja Kudyba-Maurer, managing partner. Mozart planks are available in widths of 5.5-inch, 7.2-inch or 8.75-inch with all boards 7.2-feet long. Mozart Chevron and Mozart Herringbone flooring are each available in two size options: Chevron 500 – 5.5- inch by 3∕8-inch by 19.7-inch; Chevron 740 – 5.5-inch by 3∕8-inch by 29.1-inch; Herringbone 500 – 2.75-inch by 7∕16-inch by 19.7-inch; Herringbone 1000 – 3.5-inch by 7∕16-inch by 39.40-inch. "The exquisite styling of the Mozart Collection is available with the state-of-the-art 5G-click connection technology that delivers the option of perfectly seam- less flooring," says Kudyba-Maurer. She adds that the Mozart Collection hardwood floor- ing has been installed in many private residences fea- tured in the interior design magazines and also in public spaces such as the Audain Art Museum in Whistler (Vancouver Regional Construction Association Awards of Excellence 2016) and Crofton House School. TRC Distribution has seen a continuation of styles popular in 2016 with growth in sales for wide, textured floors, but the demand is for even wider widths and varying textures. "On the West Coast, seven-inch width and wider are the norm while five-inch and wider is common on the prairies," says Terry O'Neill, manag- ing partner. "Of course, higher demand for wide widths increases the market share for engineered floors." He says surface textures continue to shift from hand scraped to more subtle textures like saw-cut or wire brushing. Dark colours are giving way to medium or white washed looks, though grey continues to be popular. "A new product, Fidbox, is now available to help consumers monitor their humidity levels and radiant heat slab temperature," O'Neill explains. "The device is installed under the floor and measures and stores humidity and temperature levels. If the site conditions fall outside of preselected parameters, an alert is sent to the homeowner advising them to correct the condition." TORLYS offers a truly exclusive hardwood solution that is perfect for the North American market. Unique to engineered hardwood, TORLYS SuperSolid is all hardwood containing no softwood filler or fibre. "The construction is a patented innovation called E-Lock, a cross-joined, compression-locked structure that uses the same species of hardwood for its bottom, core and wear layers," says Cheryl Royer, manager, marketing. "It is finished with the highest quality Klumpp top coat for remarkable durability and performance." Royer says superior engineering and advanced construction allow SuperSolid hardwood to outper- form solid wood across a much larger range of relative humidity, ensuring the planks do not cup and gap. "Even seven-inch wide and six-foot long planks will perform." Recently, TORLYS introduced SuperSolid 6 hard- wood. SuperSolid 6 is the third collection in the line- up and features beautifully styled planks of Oak and Birch in six-inch wide planks and random lengths for a completely natural feel. The SuperSolid 7 and 5 col- lections have also been updated to offer new colours and textures. The entire program offers elegance and tradition, with a balance between classy and contem- porary colour options to suit any décor. People are reclaiming the idea of home as an organic, natural place where they nurture themselves and their families. Because of this trend, Lauzon Distinctive Hardwood Flooring is focused on natural floors and furnishings that reveal the artisanal work- manship of designs that accentuate the characteristics of grain and texture of the woods homeowners choose. "We hear from both homeowners and designers that they are very concerned about origin and quality of the materials in their homes," says Priscilla Bergeron, brand manager. "They want their design choices to reflect a respect for the natural environment. Our Organik Series, with three new colours, is inspired by earth tones. We use a natural process to reveal the deeply beautiful grain, texture, knots and mineral streaks of Hard Maple. That, and the fact that it is combined with our Pure Genius light-activated, air-purifying technol- ogy integrated in our Titanium finish, means that the floors visually convey a sense of well-being and con- tribute to a healthier in-home environment, while being sustainably sourced." The new colours, Sombra, Rustica and Minera, play on a palette of brown and grey, and offer an array of harmo- nious pairings with furniture, wall and ceiling colours. They also enhance the play of natural light in any room. The team at Wiston Building Materials Co. controls every aspect of procurement and production to create a consistent and reliable floor in each and every batch. "Wiston floorings exceed the quality and environ- mental requirements of the world's most demanding Keeping It Real The Mozart Collection from European Touch Hardwood. SuperSolid 5 — Cove Springs from TORLYS Inc. Organik Series from Lauzon Distinctive Hardwood Flooring.

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