Exotic Hardwood Flooring: Australian Cypress

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Catalfamo Gallery

A rustic country home, warm ski lodge, or farm house are just a few examples of Australian Cypress’s most suited environments. This knotty wood from New South Wales and Queensland, Australia offers contrasting colors. This is a warm and inviting flooring option with a lot of character.

The heartwood ranges from honey-gold to brown and the sapwood ranges from a cream color to straw-like color. Australian cypress has darker knots throughout its typically straight grain. It’s the color variations that attract many people to install this rustic beauty.

Australian Cypress has some special characteristics that must be known and appreciated before installing. The color changes over time with slight muting and possible ambering. Australian Cypress is the only commercial softwood that is harder than red oak, but it is still softwood that can crack slightly in and around the knots. Some people find these exact characteristics the best qualities of Australian Cypress. If you want a floor that will not change and develop over time, Australian Cypress probably is not for your home or office.

Machining and sanding are not difficult with this product but it can be brittle. Care must be taken when nailing in boards. Australian Cypress takes to staining well mostly, but the knots can be more challenging when it comes to staining. Before selecting a stain, test the stain on the knots first to see if it holds or fails.

The Janka hardness of this wood from Down Under is 1375 and is 1 percent harder than white oak, 5 percent softer than hard maple and 62 percent as hard as santos mahogany. Of the softwoods, Australian Cypress reigns as the most superior.

Color variations, changing character, and rustic finishes make Australian Cypress the ideal choice for those environments looking for warm and inviting flooring.

To learn more about Australian Cypress hardwoods, please contact one of our design consultants at 1-800-764-1633.

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Forest Accents Bamboo Flooring

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Catalfamo Gallery

For a unique, international flair to your home’s design palette, check out Forest Accents Bamboo Flooring. These exotic floors are created from wood that is selectively harvested from bamboo forests in Southern China, the western regions of Africa, the tropical areas in Northern Brazil, and other geographic areas that are well known for the beauty and quality of their hardwoods.

Forest Accents offers bamboo flooring is part of their engineered wood flooring line, which affords you the flexibility to glue down directly over concrete, or staple down over existing plywood subfloors.

When you install a Forest Accents bamboo flooring, you can be sure that it is a good investment for your home, because it adds beauty and value. Caring for a Forest Accents Bamboo Flooring product is easy, as the floors are low-maintenance.

Forest Accents Bamboo Flooring comes in an array of different colors to suit every taste. Horizontal Carbonized comes in a matte finished, with a carbonized color. It is steamed a warm, brown color with compressed large-width bamboo strips which makes for a distinguished, natural decor. Horizontal Natural also comes in a matte finish, with a natural color. You can find this flooring in light natural-colored bamboo with compressed large width bamboo strips ultimately providing a clean and natural contemporary décor – a must-have in any modern home.

Stranded Carbonized is a matte finished flooring that is carbonized in color; this floor is strand-woven (which not only looks like real wood floors, but also twice as hard as regular bamboo due to their manufacturing process. This is a perfect choice for high traffic or commercial applications. Stranded Natural carries a matte finish and is a natural color.

Vertical Carbonized has a matte finish with a carbonized color. You will find that this floor has a warm, rich brown color with compressed thin width bamboo strips. Vertical Natural has a matte finish and a natural color, making it perfect for modern interiors.

To learn more about Forest Accents Bamboo Flooring, please contact one of our design consultants at 1-800-764-1633.

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Casa Italia Tile

Posted on August 16, 2011 by Catalfamo Gallery

For a company specialized in the world trading of floor, ceramic and glass tiles, check out Casa Italia Tile. They have been in business since 1967 and today, is boasting more than 40 years of experience in the field. Casa Italia Tile offers a wide variety of distinct tiles with many sizes, colors, and finishes available. Their sole aim is to satisfy whatever need the customer may require.

Choose from the following collections to instantly enliven your home: America, Eolie, Futura, Mete, Metropoli, and Stone.

In the Soluble Salts collection, you can see finishes such as the Kansas Extra White and Montana Beige (both in 60 x 60 cm & 11 mm thickness), Kansas Extra White in a 30 x 60 cm (and 11 mm thickness), Iceland Super White and Africa Extra Black (60 x 60 cm in 9.5 mm thickness), Kansas Extra White and Alabama (40 x 40 cm in a 9.5 mm thickness), and Rodi & Corfu (in a 50 x 50 mm size with a 9.5 mm thickness).

In the Double Charged Polished collection, you will find the Indiana Bianco, Texas Noce, Maine Grigio, Ohio Beige, Nevada, and Antracite all in a 45 x 45 cm size in a thickness of 10 mm. In the 30 x 60 cm size, you will find Indiana Bianco, Texas Noce, Maine Grigio, Ohio Beige, and Nevada Antracite – all in a 10 mm thickness.

In the Uni-Color Polished collection, you will find colors like Bianco, Giallo, Salmone, Verde, Blu, Grigio, and Nero.

In the Eolie Collection, you will find such exciting colors such as Lipari Beige, Salini Grigio, Stromboli Marrone, and Vulcano Nero. Each comes in 60 x 60 cm size for your convenience.

The Futera collection offers such colors as Beige, Grey, and Black. Choose from 60 x 60cm size or 30 x 60cm size for your flooring needs.

The Mete collection contains such colors as Banyan Tree, Sabi Sabi, Madinat, Taj Lake, in a thickness of 10.5 mm in two sizes: 20 x 60 cm or 60 x 60 cm.

The Metropoli collection comes to you in a 10.5 mm thickness, in either 60 x 60 cm size or a 30 x 30cm size. Choose from Helsinki, Perth, Mombaza, Nadi, or Cordoba.

Finally, the Stone collection is offered in Grey, Black, White, Beige, or Brown, and choose from either 30 x 60 cm size or a 60 x 60 cm size – all in a 11 mm thickness.

Quality and good service are hallmarks of Casa Italia Tile.

To learn more about Casa Italia Tile, please contact one of our design consultants at 1-800-764-1633.

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Exotic Hardwood Flooring: Amendoim

Posted on August 15, 2011 by Catalfamo Gallery

Looking to add a rare, exotic wood species with a pinkish red color to your home? Then you may want to consider Amendoim. It is not an endangered, but this South American tree, (grown primarily in Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil) can be difficult to find. The rich color and  limited availability makes Amendoim a higher-end, exotic species for flooring that will surely “wow” those who walk upon it.

Unlike most other South American species, Amendoim does not darken in color over time. This flooring naturally showcases a pinkish red finish that brings an elegant beauty to any room. Applying lacquer or oil-based finishes can deepen its color over time  to help preserve its rich pinkish red color.

Amendoim is rarer than many other Brazilian wood species harvested today. It weighs about 3 pounds per square foot, with a Janka hardness of 1,912, making it a very heavy and durable product. Amendoim resists heavy traffic, dings and dents very well. This sturdy exotic species remains fairly easy to install when using either hand or power tools, as it glues and nails with ease. Unlike some exotics, Amendoim is an agreeable wood that polishes and stain with an attractive finish.

The most difficult aspect of working with this pinkish exotic is its limited availability. Those wishing to install Amendoim in the United States will most likely have to settle with standard, pre-milled lengths and widths. Typically Amendoim is imported in bundles measuring 7-feet long and widths of 2¼” and 5″. Due to South American localities trying to support their local economies with milling factories, it is very difficult to obtain the lumber of Amendoim in this country. While Amendoim lumber can be imported, it will cost almost double.

Amendoim an attractive flooring option. The dense nature of this species, its finish versatility and installation flexibility make it a perfect fit for any space needing elegant durability.

To learn more about Amendoim hardwoods, please contact one of our design consultants at 1-800-764-1633.

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Stepco Hardwood Flooring

Posted on August 11, 2011 by Catalfamo Gallery

For those of you who want to get a beautiful flooring for any room in your home, you will want to consider Stepco Hardwood Flooring for your underfoot needs. Now is the perfect time to capitalize on their brand awareness campaign and take advantage of their economical prices for high-quality, durable, and spectacular floors.

Stepco Hardwood Flooring has every kind of flooring to fit your need: solid or engineered, finished or unfinished, domestic or exotic. Why not outfit every room in your house with Stepco Hardwood Flooring to maintain a seamless look throughout your home?

Stepco began producing hardwood flooring in 1979. The focus back then remains the same today: to bring their customers the absolute best quality flooring at economical prices. While other flooring companies talk about offering a good price to customers, behind closed doors, it’s all about the bottom line. Not so with Stepco!

Also, most flooring companies import a large amount of their products from around the globe and have very few factories that they can call their own. When you buy Stepco Hardwood Flooring, you get the value of having a consultant that will monitor the production and the quality of the product all through the manufacturing process. But Stepco has more than hardwood. If you’re so inclined, check out their other lines of laminate, bamboo, and cork flooring.

Stepco also realizes that more and more consumers are using the Internet to shop. That’s why, instead of allotting a larger percentage of the advertising dollars to television, magazine, or radio, Stepco focuses more on Internet branding. This allows the company to sell directly to dealers (like us) for less, and translates into a lower price to you, the consumer.

Currently, Stepco Hardwood Flooring comes in sizes from 2.25″ to 7.5″ wide. This means you have a lot more flexibility when shopping Stepco’s lines. Depending on what type of hardwood you choose, you will be able to nail down, glue down, or staple down these attractive floors and then spend years admiring your new floors.

To learn more about Stepco, please contact one of our design consultants at 1-800-764-1633.

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Expanko Cork Flooring

Posted on August 9, 2011 by Catalfamo Gallery

For high quality cork flooring, simply look to Expanko Cork Flooring. This well-known company is dedicated to offering only the latest cutting-edge technology when it comes to cork floors. Expanko Cork Flooring is environmentally friendly, durable, comfortable, and easy to maintain.

Expanko Cork Flooring comes in Traditional Tile, Specialty Tile, Contemporary Tile, and their exclusive Artistico Collection. Each collection has its own unique features that will bring a brand new look to any home.

The Traditional Tile from Expanko Cork Flooring comes in matte polyurethane and unfinished, and ranges in thickness from 3/16″ to 5/16″. The tile size of this collection is either a 12″ x 12″ or a 24″ x 24″. You can even order custom options: any dimension up to 12″ x 36″ or 24″ x 24″ and 1/8″, ¼”, 3/8″, or ½” thickness. This collection comes in Traditional Cork – Light, Traditional Cork – Medium, and Traditional Cork – Dark.

For the Specialty Tile, you can choose either matte polyurethane or unfinished as well. Tile thickness comes in options such as 3/16″ and 5/16″. The tile size available is 12″ x 12″, and custom options here include: any dimension up to 12″ x 36″ or 24″ x 24″ (Mosaic Wide Strip, Mosaic Thin Strip and Ardosia are not available in 24″), and 1/8″, 1/4″, 3/8″, 1/2″ in thickness (however, Mosaic Wide Strip, Mosaic Thin Strip and Ardosia not available in custom thickness). Products in this collection include: Terra Tile Light, Terra Tile Dark, Wide Mosaic, Serra, Rapado, Lagos, Thin Mosaic, Granito, and Ardosia.

The Contemporary Tile Collection from Expanko Cork Flooring also comes in matte polyurethane and unfinished, and is available in 3/16″ in a tile size of 12″ x 12″. Custom options include dimensions up to 24″ x 24″ and 12″ x 36″ in a 3/16″ thickness. In this collection, you can find such exciting options as: Algarve, Douro, Coreia, Castello, and Strada.

Finally, in the exclusive Artistico Collection from Expanko Cork Flooring, you can explore such lovely choices as Viale, Topazio, and Listra. You will need to inquire about thickness and tile sizes for the specific option you’re interested in.

To learn more about Expanko Cork Flooring, please contact one of our design consultants at 1-800-764-1633.

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Duro Design Bamboo Flooring

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Catalfamo Gallery

For over 35 years, Duro Design has been committed to creating environmentally friendly flooring solutions.  The company is based in Quebec, Canada.  They specialize in bamboo, cork, eucalyptus and engineered oak. Duro Design can speak highly of all of their eco-friendly flooring materials, but attention has to given to their extremely “colorful” bamboo offerings. That’s because “green” isn’t the only color you’ll find on Duro Design pallet. Their Moso Bamboo can be tinted in 62 luxurious colors!

Actually it’s over 62 if you consider it can be custom colored too  Any way you lay it, Duro Design can be ordered in any variation of 62 stylish colors.  Have a unique home or exotic taste? This incredibly durable and modern flooring can be tinted to make any room as unique as its owner. Duro Design has its rainbow of colors organized into several categories: vivids, pastels, neutrals, warm woods, dark & rich, and desert sands. Since every customer is sure to find the right hue and texture, it might be easier to choose a floor to match your decor than the other way around.

Of the newer flooring products entering the market in recent years, no one single product has been able to satisfy all of the criteria that make a truly “green” floor. However, bamboo and cork come close. They are at the top of the list when it comes to sustainability and low environmental impact.

In the words of Duro Design, bamboo is a truly sustainable harvested grass. Bamboo can regenerate itself more than eight times faster than traditional hardwood forests. And as an added bonus, harvesting process does not kill the plant. Selected for its hardness and overall strength, and the fact it matures in about six years, Duro Design is steadfast about using mature Moso Bamboo.

Duro Design produces two types of bamboo flooring, Solid Strip flooring and Extra-Wide Engineered Planks. Solid strip bamboo is installed in a similar way to traditional hardwood flooring, usually using nail- or glue-down techniques. The engineered planks can be enjoyed for their width. They are also more versatile and can be installed as a floating floor with a bit more flexibility as to what kind of subfloor is required.

Unequivocally passionate about making a small environmental footprint, Duro Design creates products that meet and exceed industry standards. Their fine selection of bamboo floors is no exception. And with over sixty-two marvelous colors to choose from, Duro Design bamboo floors will certainly make an impression in any home.

To learn more about Duro Design bamboo, please contact one of our design consultants at 1-800-764-1633.

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