Hardwood Floors December 2017/January 2018

Michigan Hardwood Floors Services LLC Farmington Hills, Michigan

FEATURED CATEGORY: Best Textured Wood

mosaic neared the center heart of this project. For the mosaic, I used hickory, pecan, walnut, and maple wood,” said Mulbauer. e next step was to hand-carve the seven tiles, four leaves, and two ends around the frame. Once those pieces of the project were ready, Mulbauer made another drawing of the oor in the room where the installation would take place. He double-checked the measurements would match every single piece he had worked on, to ensure the wood pieces would t and the project would not fall apart. e installation began with the frame, then the four leaves and two ends were installed, which are elevated. Next, the hand-carved tiles and the other 20 hexagonal pieces were installed. e next step was to ll with mosaic starting from the edge all around and inside the frame. Because the pieces of the mosaic were top grain, all the pieces were directed in the same grain direction since a wire brushed technique was used to give the oor an antique look. Once the frame and the interior were complete, Mulbauer nished the rest of the room by installing Brazilian cherry outside the frame and also by inserting a thin maple border. e entire oor was sealed and nished with water- based sealer and nish. “My inspirations are deeply rooted in my heritage. I was born in a part of the world where wood and sculpture are deeply appreciated because they bring beauty to the homes and churches. Wood and sculpting puts food on the table, and such inspiration is what I used to convey the design ideas for this project,” says Mulbauer. “I carry with me a deep appreciation for hardwood oors, and in today’s society, where everything is increasingly automated, I take pride in having the ability to create something with my hands that is deeply appreciated by my customers and colleagues.”

Photos courtesy of Victor Mulbauer

CATEGORY DETAILS: Entries in this category may include scraped, wire-brushed, distressed, or any surface that is not traditional at. Applications can include job site nished, manufacturer nished, solid or engineered wood ooring. SUPPLIERS: Adhesive: Bona | Moisture Meter: Lignomat | Edger: Bona | Abrasive: Bona | Filler: Bona | Finish: Bona Stacy Brown is the Editor/Publisher of Hardwood Floors magazine, the official magazine of the National Wood Flooring Association. She can be reached at stacy.brown@nwfa.org.

Glue-Down Solid Plank Job Site Finished Satin Surface Finish: Water-based AfricanMahogany, White Oak, Walnut, Maple, Poplar, Hickory, Pecan, Brazilian Cherry 175

INSTALLATION TYPE: FLOORING TYPE: FLOORING STYLE: FLOORING FINISH: FINISH SHEEN: FINISH TYPE: SPECIES:

SQUARE FEET: PATTERN:

Hand-carved wooden tiles embellished by a contrasting mosaic and bold wooden frame

the magazine of the national wood flooring association

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