Prior to the advent of waterproof floors, consumers often had to make a tough decision—purchase a “wood-look” resilient floor that could withstand the rigors of daily wear and tear, including the dangers that everyday spills and pet accidents brings, or go with a genuine hardwood floor and pray that nothing would spill on the floor and cause irreparable damage. However, with the increasing popularity of genuine wood floors that feature naturally water-repellent, non-wood cores—along with innovations in engineered hardwood flooring products that feature enhancements and installation systems designed to prevent the incursion of moisture—consumers no longer have to make that choice. They can have, literally, the best of both worlds.
Following is an overview of hardwood flooring hybrid products as well as innovative top-to-bottom hardwood floors that feature advanced topical treatments, innovative cores as well as complementary installation systems designed to prevent water from penetrating the top and edges of the planks.
AHF Products
AHF’s expanding array of waterproof hardwood offerings include products like Hydropel (under the Bruce brand) as well as HydroBlok from the Hartco lineup—both of which feature the company’s patent-pending Densified Wood technology. Hydropel and HydroBlock are 100% waterproof engineered hardwood flooring infused with proprietary technology to resist water for up to 36 hours. This is possible due to an ultra-high-density core fiberboard technology paired with a special coating and locking system that helps protect against everyday spills, wet mopping or even pet accidents from absorbing into the wood or leaking between planks into the subfloor.
Cali
GeoWood from Cali aims to offer consumers the best of two worlds: the durability and visual appeal of real hardwood combined with the waterproof qualities of SPC. GeoWood offers three wear layer options—oak, maple or bamboo—bonded to a 100% waterproof limestone composite core. This combination, according to Cali, makes the product exceptionally strong and dimensionally stable.
“An SPC hardwood hybrid like GeoWood is as close to a truly waterproof wood floor as you can get,” said Doug Jackson, president. “It’s the happy, innovative middle ground between LVT and real wood, and serves a category of customer who still wants a natural product.”
MSI
MSI has expanded its signature Everlife brand of waterproof LVT products to include Woodhills Waterproof Wood. The innovative line features authentic, hand-selected, high-end wood flooring that combines artisan craftsmanship with MSI’s proprietary engineering. Woodhills features a genuine, handcrafted wood top wear layer bonded to a rigid stone core. Available in 11 colors, the collection comes in 6 .-inch-wide x 48-inch-long planks that showcase the rich and natural aesthetic of hand-selected wood flooring. Additional features include MSI’s exclusive DryLuxe technology and a pre-attached pad for increased comfort and noise suppression. The combination of features aims to deliver a luxury hardwood floor with all the benefits of rigid core LVT—durability, visual appeal and ease of installation and maintenance.
Mohawk
To help its retail partners keep up with demand for on-trend, performance-enhanced hardwood flooring, Mohawk is strengthening its portfolio with additions to its breakthrough UltraWood line. These include new collections in character maple and European white oaks as well as enhancements to UltraWood Plus with CleanProtect. UltraWood floors also feature Mohawk’s patented WetProtect technology, a lifetime surface and subfloor waterproof warranty as well as EasyClean technology. In addition, the line features Mohawk’s Everlast hardwood protection system that guards the hardwood veneer against scratches, wear and dents.
Shaw Floors Floorté
With Floorté Waterproof Hardwood, homeowners no longer have to sacrifice the beauty of real hardwood to get flooring that can stand up to everyday life. Planks boast real hardwood backed by a waterproof core and Shaw’s industry-leading finish for extra protection and easy cleanup. Exquisite, pictured here, features a click profile for fast and easy installation, a Soft Silence attached acoustical pad for reduced noise and added comfort and a ScufResist Platinum finish for long-lasting durability.
Torlys
Torlys’ EverestXP hardwood line, billed by the company as “The Pinnacle of Hardwood,” was created to offer end users a variety of design possibilities across different wood species in wider, longer and cleaner grade planks. More importantly, products in the EverestXP collection, which are made from 100% natural materials, offer waterproof surface technology for installation in any residential or commercial space. This provides consumers with the high performance they have come to expect without sacrificing the beauty of natural wood.
Välinge Flooring
With several of the latest technologies developed and patented by Välinge Innovation, parent company of Välinge Flooring, the Hardened Wood Floor collection offers outstanding benefits compared to traditional hardwood floors. Game-changing innovations such as the company’s signature Woodura surface technology and the 5G Dry fold-down system not only make the stunning real wood floors waterproof but also three to five times stronger than the average hardwood floor. Another innovation added to the range is the collection of Brushed Lacquered Hardened Wood Floors in XL and XXL sizes (up to 10 3/4 inches wide x 94 inches long). Created with a combination of the impressive Woodura technology and a new brushing method, the result is durable, water- and impact-resistant real hardwood flooring with modern design and aesthetics.
Wellmade
Wellmade pioneered the popular hybrid flooring category with its patented HDPC/SPC waterproof hardwood and strand bamboo product lines. Featuring the natural beauty and warmth of real hardwood coupled with the performance virtues of rigid core, HDPC/SPC represents the next generation of engineered flooring with superior durability and waterproof performance. Ideal for areas prone to moisture, like kitchen, bath and below-grade applications, HDPC/ SPC hardwood and strand bamboo features a dense, non-porous surface that repels dirt and topical spills while sealing out moisture from below. The engineered hardwood product, which comes available in standard 5 x 48-inch planks as well as wider/longer premium planks measuring 7 x 84 inches, is ideal for areas of the home that are prone to moisture. Add to that an anti-microbial, mold-resistant IXPE pad and you have flooring that promotes both comfort and cleanliness.
