Arimar Hardwood Floors Distributors and Wholesalers

What You Need to Know About Reactive Stain Oak Flooring

by Arimar | Apr 9, 2018 | Blogs

Pictured: St. Tropez Rustic European White Oak

Reactive stain promotes the antique look of the wood. You will see reactive stain flooring at any major tradeshow from many flooring manufacturers. It is one of the most advanced ways to bring the wood’s color and character to life.

What it is

Reactive stain is a water-based wood stain to give wooden floors, particularly oak, an aged and rustic character. The stain itself is pigment free. The color on the oak becomes alive with depth and richness. Tannins are present in most species of wood and are responsible for the color changes in trees. Left alone, tannins will change the color of wood to an “antique” appearance after many years. The reactive staining process facilitates this natural change more rapidly.

How it works

Reactive stains work by “reacting” with natural components in the wood. Tannins, which are present in most wood but are highly concentrated in white oak, react with the stains to naturally weather or age the wood’s appearance. Using the latest technologies, the color is created from an oxidative reaction between the dissolved minerals and the tannins in oak, and other tannin rich wood species. The process is done by hand making each board unique. Also, the process mutes any red in the oak, so whites do not look so pink. Multiple layers of distinct colors can also be done in succession giving limitless, creative looks.

The look

With reactive stains you can achieve a much brighter, almost 3D appearance in the graining, which is very difficult if not impossible to achieve with traditional stains. The reactive staining process penetrates the wood more as opposed to sitting on the surface like most other stains. The flooring really catches your eye. Combined with lightly tinted natural oil finishes the visuals are stunning and deliver a true artisanal looking floor. The wide-plank floors Arimar carries from Floor Art also have a Bona Naturalle finish, an innovative and superior finish that makes the floor look like oil.

Floor Art pushes forward and collaborates with design talents to explore new and innovative finishes to create truly beautiful results. If you or your client have any questions about floor finishes in general or would like to learn more about the finishes of our hardwood floors, please contact us and we’ll be happy to help.

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Miami Area Gets Newest Crop of Condos

by Arimar | Apr 3, 2018 | Blogs

From Miami Beach to Fort Lauderdale to Palm Beach, these high-end apartments are new as can be.

Article at Mansion Global by Bill Cary

After a rocky 2017 that was filled with uncertainty, the Miami real estate market seems poised for a stronger 2018. “The market is definitely rebounding,” said Daniel de la Vega, president of One Sotheby’s International Realty. “Consumer confidence is extremely high and the stock market continues to rally. Hedge funds have recovered after a couple of bad years.” Two very high-end Sotheby’s offerings—the 62-story One Thousand Museum by Zaha Hadid Architects and the 54-story Turnberry Ocean Club in Sunny Isles Beach—have performed particularly well, he said.

Miami luxury condo sales have risen in three out of the last four months (January, December and October), according to the report. Single-family luxury home sales in January rose 7.1%, from 56 to 60 year-over-year, and they, too, have risen for the same three out of the last four months.

From an inquiry perspective, “we’re seeing a little more time between inquiry and closing,” Mr. Parker said.
He attributes that to more buyers looking at Miami as a primary residence rather than as a second home market. “Buying a primary residence involves a longer thought process—you want to look longer, think longer,” he said.
“We’ve had a huge domestic surge from the Northeast, from Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York of course, and Connecticut,”

Mr. Parker said, which may have something to do with the fact that there’s no state income tax in Florida, unlike the high-tax states in the Northeast. He has also seen greater interest from Canadians, he said.
In the international market, “Brazil and Argentina are both coming back,” Mr. De la Vega added. “They have always been a strong market for us. Whenever we see Latin America coming back, we’re excited.”

There is also a lot of activity in the rest of the South Florida market, Mr. Parker said. He described the Fort Lauderdale market as “explosive.” “All of our developments there are seeing tremendous activity,” he said.

In Miami, “downtown has experienced a surge of completion of new development product, and a lot of people are concerned about that,” Mr. Parker said. But he remains generally optimistic about downtown and its ability to absorb the inventory. “There is a lot of capital in that market, and the rental market has been strong,” he said.

In general, developers can be somewhat more patient now than they were in 2017, Mr. De La Vega said. “Developers who are under construction or topping off don’t have to give away the house. There’s not this rush to sell.” Developers who have launched sales without breaking ground, however, are having a tougher time, he said. “If you haven’t broken ground right now, I think it will be tough to get off the ground.”

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Does Hardwood Flooring Increase Home Value?

by Arimar | Mar 13, 2018 | Blogs

Pictured: Lucca Rustic European White Oak

Does Hardwood Flooring Increase Home Value?

Flooring, regardless of the type, is the focal point of any home and ties the rooms of a house together. The right flooring can add value to a home now and in the future when it comes time to sell. The rule of thumb on flooring is the most resilient and long lasting, the higher the upgrade, but the higher return is on investment – wood flooring, solid and engineered, is on the higher end of the spectrum.

Hardwood floors are often on the top of the wish lists of renters and home buyers alike. In fact, the National Association of Realtors has found that more than half of home buyers are willing pay more for a home that has hardwood floors. Homeowners have also seen a higher return on investment if they sell their home with new or refinished hardwood floors.

Likewise, a survey by the National Wood Flooring Association noted a majority of real estate agents said that houses with hardwood flooring are easier to sell, sell for more money and sell faster. Anecdotally, this is especially so when homes have wood flooring in key rooms, such as living room, dining room and family room, as well as master bedroom.

Wood floors add beauty and charm, and its character and sophistication are hard to match. Another major reason why many people looking to buy a home prefer wood floors is that they are durable and easy to clean Wide plank hardwood floors, like those in our Floor Art Collection, have experienced a major uptick in popularity in recent years. Hand-scraped, distressed and reclaimed wood, which add rustic undertones to a room, are also on trend.

While the up-front cost may be higher, hardwood flooring can greatly impact resale value. There is no doubt that wood flooring brings a “wow” factor to a home.

New Hardwood Flooring Collections

by Arimar | Mar 6, 2018 | Blogs

Pictured: Verona Rustic European White Oak

New Hardwood Flooring Collections

We are excited to introduce our new hardwood flooring collections from Floor Art. The antique wide plank collection offers style, beauty and timeless appeal.

Endless style.

Style meets beauty in the new Antique Wide Plank Collection by Floor Art. With simplicity at its finest, this collection is characterized by balance, design and craftsmanship. Select from a range of colors, from the dark Livorno Rustic European Oak to the lighter Verona, styles and exotic finishes. You’ll find the perfect flooring solution for every room.

Superior stability.

Flooring planks are made of Hevea brasiliensis or Ruberwood, a hardwood timber with a similar density to White Oak. The unique 3-Layer engineered construction is stronger and more reliable than other species used in the market due to its physical and mechanical strengths.

Green product selection.

Our company employs sound environmental care policies by using renewable resources and VOC safe components. Our 3-Layer flooring composition encompasses the usage of legal and renewable timber resources.

Construction you can trust.

The strength of our technology and production processes allows us to distribute and install our timber flooring products worldwide with confidence, even in extreme climates. This offers a complete flooring solution to suit your design preferences and needs that lasts the lifetime of the floor.

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