From hushed cathedrals to sumptuous yachts, mafi has supplied natural wood floors to clients around the world for over 100 years. This family-run enterprise from Austria is recognized as a flooring trendsetter for a product line that is stable, natural and healthy. Architects, designers and boldface names like Giorgio Armani, Claudia Schiffer and Luciano Pavarotti trust the quality of mafi’s sustainable, tailor-made wooden floors. Walter Lourie, Sustainability Manager at mafi, revealed how the company’s green approach safeguards both indoor and outdoor environments.
Gwen Donovan: Can you explain the process that makes mafi’s wood flooring sustainable?
Walter Lourie: mafi floors are made using only local natural materials. Most wood floors are natural at production, but for the last 80 years, it has been the practice of most contractors to apply a barrier finish on the surface for protection. At mafi, we build our floor to withstand heavy traffic without adding the hazardous materials used to make barrier finishes like polyurethanes or varnish.
GD: Where is the wood harvested from?
WL: All mafi floors come from regulated and regenerative woodlands near the factory in Schneegattern, Austria. mafi does all the processing in-house, which allows us to have complete control of the supply chain. This ensures top-to-bottom transparency concerning the materials and the labor. This way, no harm is done to the environment and no unfair work practices are tolerated.
GD: mafi’s innovative floor finishing process is completely natural, can you explain how this method impacts an interior environment?
WL: Because we use a holistic free surface that allows human skin to physically touch the wood, you can benefit from the proven health benefits of it. Did you know that over 265 scientific studies prove a neutral or a positive reaction when humans interact with natural wood? From cleaner, fresher air to a shorter recovery time in hospitals, and even better scholastic grades, there is value from simply being in the same room as wood.
GD: Do you have a favorite mafi floor style? What do you like best about it?
WL: Personally, I love the Douglas Fir wide plank. It’s an unsung hero that feels amazing under bare feet and looks amazing in any style of design. It is wide and long, can be golden deep red or a cool washed white, and smells amazing!
GD: What is something people may not understand about flooring?
WL: So often the floor is an afterthought, but it shouldn’t be. A tree takes 80 years before it can be used as a foundational surface in your most personal space with your family and friends, yet in most cases, folks see only the budget and its limitations. “It’s just a floor, just get the best deal!” Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a surface that you can literally eat from, get as wet as you want, while it actively filters and cleans your air all the time? No other product you can buy will do this without plugging it in… the best part is, only mafi comes from nature and stays natural.
This or That? Choose one in each pair that most appeals to you personally.
- Wide plank or herringbone? Why not both? mafi often makes full length and full width herringbone floors.
- Underfloor heating or not? Please use underfloor heating. It is a more efficient way of heating and all mafi floors work over it. Because of the way we build our floor, it can be put right up to the shower or under the bathtub, it can get as wet as it wants and feels amazing when you come out of the shower. Additionally, only natural wood will be the same temperature as the air, so mafi wood never feels cold– and ceramic tiles always feel colder.
- Dark wood or lighter tones? Darker tones… mafi uses a thermal-heated vulcano process that naturally darkens wood without chemicals. This also helps to make the floor more durable and creates a sweet smell that is unmistakably relaxing.
- Smooth-looking wood surface or character-filled knots and texture? My 15-year-old boots fit better than my new sneakers. I think it is respectful to keep the character. Like my scars, they are reminders of my history.
- At home- barefoot or socks? Always barefoot. Feeling the texture of wood is a uniquely relaxing experience. Your brain instantly recognizes that it’s real and that you are safe. No other man-made surface will do this.
Read more of this series from aspire design and home editor Gwen Donovan, here.
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