Hardwood flooring manufacturer AHF Products has introduced a new engineered product that is 100 percent waterproof.
Part of the Bruce flooring brand, Hydropel is a waterproof wood product that is durable and easy to install but is infused with technology that allows it to resist water for up to 36 hours. As a result, it can be installed anywhere, in any room of the home. With Hydropel, the company says, the product can be installed in areas where there are spills and splashes, such as kitchens, bathrooms, basements, mudrooms, and entryways.
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“There are sensitivities around hardwood to moisture, and we have addressed those directly with Hydropel,” says Wendy Booker, vice president of marketing and new product development for AHF Products. “It is real hardwood from top to bottom – and that’s what people really want in their homes. Other flooring products in the category that claim to be water resistant are not hardwood in the sense that they have a plastic core.”
As the company explains it, Hydropel is built with a unique core technology AHF Products calls ultra-high density fiberboard. The construction is denser and more water resistant than typical plywood or high-density fiberboard cores and helps protect against everyday spills, wet moping or even pet accidents from absorbing into the wood or leaking between planks into the subfloor. A high-performance coating protects the hardwood from scratches, scuffs, and stains and even indentations, the company says.
“We developed and executed several different tests to prove the performance of Hydropel, including large scale water testing, sunlight buckle testing and scratch testing,” Booker explains. “We repeated these countless times to verify the performance. You can comfortably live on these floors without worrying about damage from moisture.”
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Hydropel by Bruce is available in Oak and Hickory, in smooth, scraped, and brushed textures. The low gloss finish is available in 5-inch planks up to 48-inches long to give consumers extensive design flexibility.
AHF Products says it developed the new product because wood is one of the most popular and desirable flooring choices on the market. Wood never goes out of style, is adaptable to many décor and style changes, and is relatively easy to maintain. Hardwood flooring also can add significant value to a home, potentially raising its sale price and making it easier to sell and sell faster, the company adds.
“At the end of the day, hardwood is what most of us really want in our homes, and is a natural and sustainable choice for flooring,” Booker says. “Wood delivers warmth, visually and to the touch, providing beauty and comfort to a wide variety of spaces.”