Bella Cera Floors Launches Hardwood Flooring Line Inspired By Furniture Making Techniques

SAN FRANCISCO, June 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Bella Cera Floors announces the launch of its innovative line of premium, yet affordable, hardwood flooring planks made using the techniques of the fine furniture industry. Known as the Amalfi Coast Series, the line for the first time brings the hand-stained beauty of fine furniture to hardwood flooring, as well as the unique design potential offered by exclusive 4"/6"/8" variable-width planks.

Most furniture is typically stained multiple times by hand to produce the rich layered colors buyers of such furniture have come to expect.  In contrast, hardwood flooring products are usually stained just once by a roller which produces a more uniform look and more superficial wood coloring.

In a revolutionary innovation never before applied to the manufacture of hardwood flooring, Bella Cera leverages the techniques of fine furniture craftsman, hand-applying two coats of stain to its Amalfi Coast planks.

"Our dual-coat Valspar stain is custom formulated to heighten grain patterns and deepen rich brown and red surface tones," said Jeanette Lam, the company's president.  "Most hardwood stains are machine rolled on, but we hand-apply a bright undertone followed by a darker UV stain. This sets rich, bright undertones aglow." The effect, she added, is different hews and unprecedented color depth and richness highlighting the natural beauty of the wood.

"Detail is everything," said Lam. "We really believe that. We work extra hard to create a product unrivaled at this price point."

Another unique feature of the Amalfi Coast series is its 4-, 6- and 8-inch variable or random width planks.  Unlike uniform machine-milled boards, Amalfi variable width planks reflect the random sizes and shapes of wood found in nature.

"Random widths offer subtle but unique variations to floors as a design element," said Lam.  "This gives homeowners an opportunity to create their own look, whether using the boards randomly or in a pattern."

And like all Bella Cera products the Amalfi Coast line is also hand-scraped by craftspeople, as opposed to machine scraped.  

To produce the line, Bella Cera starts with high quality Maple, Hickory, Cherry and Walnut hardwood planks.  Using up to 32 different hand-held tools, the company's highly trained artisans then meticulously hand scrape each plank and hand carve the edges and ends.  

"We let the wood dictate the scraping, as opposed to a machine," said Tony Robison, Bella Cera's hardwood flooring expert.  "Our craftspeople are trained to read the wood and use the right tools to bring out the natural beauty of the wood."

The result, Robison explains, is a natural look of time-worn elegance, as opposed to the unnatural repetitive patterns of machine-scraped wood.

The Amalfi series, which is inspired by fine Italian furniture making processes, is named after the Amalfi Coast region of Southern Italy.

The Amalfi Coast series is sold as part of the Bella Cera product line via a network of flooring specialty stores across much of the United States.  The Reserve Collection is sold under the California Classics brand through flooring retailers in the Southwestern part of the country.

To learn more about Bella Cera and Amalfi Coast Collection, please visit www.bellacerafloors.com or www.californiaclassicsfloors.com for California Classics and The Reserve Collection.

SOURCE Bella Cera Floors