Fashionable floors

Prosales, May, 2005 by Stephani L. Miller

Among the latest introductions in flooring are products that reflect several popular trends, including solid hardwoods and engineered planks in exotic and alternative species, and laminate planks that reproduce rustic and exotic looks. We've gathered just a few of these products and other new selections here.

Ranging from clear to rustic, the Chesapeake Collection of solid hardwood flooring from Columbia Flooring features maple and hickory species in a variety of plank formats, including 2 1/4-inch-wide Burke maple and Mitchell hickory, 3 1/4-inch-wide Calhoun maple and Turner hickory, and 5-inch-wide Walker maple and Brian hickory. Each 3/4-inch-thick plank comes with a 25-year finish. 800.654.8796. www.columbiaflooring.com. Circle 114.

Several dark, saturated stains--merlot, java, and sambuca--have been added to Mirage's line of 2 9/16-inch-wide engineered hardwood flooring. Blackberry-hued merlot and deep-black sambuca stains are available on maple planks, while dark-brown java is available on yellow birch planks; all have a semi-gloss finish. 800.463.1303. www.miragefloors.com. Circle 115.

Designed for use over concrete subfloors, Subflor Supreme flooring from Supra Floors features a finished OSB surface and a channeled polyethylene plastic under-layer that blocks moisture infiltration and allows it to flow to floor drains. The product's OSB top layer is impregnated with water-resistant resins and finished with color varnishes available in bleached white or red-brown. Subflor Supreme installs with a click-and-lock fastening system in a floating application. 866.782.3567. www.subflor.com. Circle 116.

Offering an alternative to oak, Bruce Hardwood Flooring's Eddington line of 3 1/4-inch-thick solid planks are constructed of North American white ash, which exhibits fine graining and is denser and more stable than traditional oak, the manufacturer says. The mid-gloss Eddington ash plank is available in five popular oak colors: natural, butterscotch, spice, gunstock, and cherry. 800.233.3823. www.armstrong.com. Circle 117.

Teragren now offers machine-applied color stains across its line of bamboo flooring products. The Signature Colors collection of water-based stains features espresso, cherry, walnut, and charcoal. Stains are protected by a five-coat German finish that provides the wear protection of aluminum oxide with two polyurethane scratch-resistant topcoats, the maker says. 800.929.6333. www.teragren.com. Circle 118.

Weyerhaeuser has added 24 decorative options to its line of engineered flooring, constructed of Brazilian lyptus or domestic species such as maple, ash, and oak. The flooring line features solid-sawn faces, aluminum oxide finishes, and is now available in nine strip, nine plank, and six distressed options. A factory-applied fusion-set adhesive system combines with a click-lock connection to speed installation, the manufacturer says. 877.235.6873. www.weyerhaeuser.com/lyptus. Circle 119.

Utilizing a new surface structure, Quick-Step's Eligna Country Collection laminate planks feature the look and feel of a hand-scraped surface. Each 9.5-millimeter-thick plank has recessed edges and measures 54 11/32 inches long and 6 1/6 inches wide. The Eligna Country Collection is available in dark varnished oak, natural hickory, and amber hickory planks. 866.220.5933. www.quickstep.com. Circle 120.

Five new finishes that replicate the appearance of exotic woods have been added to the Classics line from Alloc: carbonized bamboo, Santos mahogany, rustic pear, walnut allure, and country maple. Planks install with an interlocking mechanism. Constructed of 8-millimeter direct-pressure laminate, each plank measures 47 1/4 inches long and 7.3 inches wide, and is .32 inch thick. 877.362.5562. www.alloc.com. Circle 121.--S.L.M.