Huntingdon Valley, Pa.-based Czar Floors' M.C. Escher-inspired projects famously toy with the onlooker's visual expectations. But when it comes to client expectations, it's a different story. "We want to make sure clients' expectations are set in a certain way," Czar Vice President Edward Tsvilik says. For their latest Escheresque floor, the Czar team not only showed the homeowners numerous sketches, colors and species samples, they also drew out the 400-square-foot design on the plywood subfloor. "You cannot make a mistake on this," Tsvilik says. "It's very expensive to make, and some clients are very finicky." Only after multiple levels of approval did the Czar team begin to cut the design, using CNC to cut the smaller pieces and shaping the longer merbau "web" pieces with a band saw. The 3D floor, which also features white oak, maple and walnut, was preassembled in Czar's factory and approved again by the clients before being transported to the home in 3-foot puzzle-piece-like segments, which were then glued down before being sanded and finished on-site. Despite its challenges, the lengthy design process remains Tsvilik's favorite part of his complex projects. "Because in the end, you'll just get a reply by email that says, 'Perfect, go ahead,'" Tsvilik says. "That's a big, beauteous occasion."
Suppliers:
Abrasives: 3M | Adhesive: Bostik | Filler: Bona US | Finish: Basic Coatings | Sander: Lägler | Saws: Festool