January 5/12, 2015; Volume 28/Number 14
By Ken Ryan
Mirage has long been respected for its high quality hardwood floors. Now, the Saint-Georges, Quebec-based manufacturer believes it has produced an oil finish to match.
DuraMatt, which is being launched this month, is the culmination of years of research and development. The company set out to create a finish so singular in its refinement and functionality that there is no perceptible boundary between the coating and the wood—all while offering a superior protection against wear and tear.
“We truly believe we have reinvented the way finishes will be perceived with our DuraMatt,” said Luc Robitaille, vice president of marketing, Boa-Franc, makers of the Mirage brand. “This finish can’t be compared to anything on the market right now. We are very proud to be the first company to be able to develop such an innovation.”
Featuring an ultra-low gloss and high resistance, DuraMatt is designed to recreate the look of an oiled floor while being easy to maintain. “This is what people have been wanting for many years,” Robitaille said. “They can also forget about the hassles of regular oil application and low wear resistance that normally goes with a conventional oiled floor.”
DuraMatt provides a matte, long-lasting finish that stands up to stains and scratches, and is said to be 20 times more wear resistant than a traditional oil finish. DuraMatt comes with a 35-year warranty against finish wear, which Mirage said is a first in the industry for an oil-look finish. Like other Mirage finishes, DuraMatt is hypoallergenic and free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde. As the third finish system developed by Boa-Franc, DuraMatt joins Nanolinx, created using nanotechnology and launched in 2006, and Alumix, launched in 1999.
The DuraMatt finish is exclusive to Mirage’s new Flair Collection launched this month. Flair offers rich natural character marks and color variations, wide widths of 5 and 6½ inches, and popular species such as maple and white oak. White oak is available in two different grades: light character (in a 6½-inch width) and heavy character (in 5- and 6½-inch widths). Maple is available in heavy character grade in a 5-inch width only.
“This collection is by far the most high-end collection among the Mirage lineup,” Robitaille said. “The combination of the wood’s inherent features with the ultra-matte finish that brings out all the natural beauty—and reveals the grain—is what makes this collection so special. The result is a very trendy, rustic-chic looking floor.”
Robitaille said the Flair Collection fits with the latest contemporary designs and meets the high standards of durability and superior quality expected of Mirage floors.
In other company news, Mirage announced a new color, Sepia, to its Alive collection. Sepia is a warm brown hue available in white oak, rift and quartered (R&Q) engineered in 5- and 6½-inch widths, as well as red oak in classic technology in 3¼- and 4¼-inch widths, and in engineered technology in 5- and 6½-inch widths.