Bella Cera Engineered Hardwood Flooring
Bella Cera Engineered Hardwood in the Bergamo Collection shown in Mocha in our Bellflower II Plan.
Why Bella Cera Engineered Hardwood Flooring?
Bella Cera engineered hardwood floors are installed in our Affinity Homes main living areas. They look and feel exactly the same as solid wood floors, but they are more beautiful and far more flexible, especially great for higher humidity climates such as Iowa. So for most homes, engineered hardwood is the better choice and greener choice.
How it’s constructed.
Engineered flooring is composed of seven cross-stacked layers which make it more resistant to humidity and moisture, unlike a strip of solid wood, which can bend or bow, as can happen with longer solid planks.
Hand-Scraped Technique.
Bella Cera flooring artisans have been personally trained by a nationally-renowned hardwood flooring master to "read" each piece of wood, determining its one-of-a-kind personality, and then to choose the right tools and techniques to fully bring out this character. Bella Cera flooring craftsmen are highly skilled at adding natural-looking chatter marks, antique wear and tear, distressing, scraping, worm holes and more, in different areas of each board, without repetition of patterns, depths, etc.
There are no machines, no assembly lines, no large quantities being pushed through quickly to save time and money. Each flooring plank is individually inspected for its unique patterns, grain and colorations, and hand-carved and scraped to complement its beautiful marks of individuality. No two floor boards are the same!
The Finish
The finish of fine wood flooring is critically important to both its appearance and maintainability. It should protect the wood floor while preserving the fine details of its character: its grain, patterns and subtle colorations, a mediocre floor finish will cloud these subtle yet beautiful details.
Bella Cera partnered with Valspar, a world leader in the aluminum oxide based floor finish business, to develop their unique dual-stain, aluminum oxide based wood floor finishes. Finishes protect the hardwood floor without compromising its beauty-or the environment.
Some additional benefits of a Valspar finish:
Intense, crystal clarity that won't go yellow over time, as some finishes will.
Excellent hardness for superb protection.
Enhanced UV protection to protect against sun-bleaching of our hardwood floor.
Environmentally friendly: HAPs-free and zero VOCs making it one of the greenest finishes on the market.
Bella Cera’s super-clear coat enhances the look of the grain, and shows off every nuance of color, pattern and texture. In contrast, other brands' flooring often has a milky layer resulting from inexpensive hardeners, clouding their finishes and diminishing the appearance of the grain.
Green First & Sustainable Wood Sources
Bella Cera’s mission is to add beauty to the world, without compromising its health. That's why they take great care to ensure that all of their hardwood comes from certified green, self-renewing sources, where trees are farmed and replanted just like the vegetables you eat. There's no net woodland loss or negative impact on the environment.
Nothing is Wasted.
Tree bark is processed into mulch and soil conditioners.
Sawdust fuels the boilers that operate dry kilns, and is used in animal bedding.
Trimmings are chipped and processed into paper and other products.
Small wood pieces are recovered for use as products such as finger-jointed wood components.
Warranty
Limited Residential Warranty for Engineered Hardwood Flooring. See Bella Cera website for details.
Sources: Bella Cera Website
Flooring Care
Sweep or vacuum regularly to rid your floor of dust and eliminate abrasives that can scratch the floor finish.
Quickly wipe spills from floor to protect wood from excess liquid.
Regularly swept or vacuumed floors will almost eliminate any need to "clean" the floor with a cleaning product.
When a cleaning product is needed, we recommended a Norwex mop and water. We’ve created a guide using our favorite Norwex products to keep your floor looking new for years to come available below.