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MFMA MAPLE:
TODAY'S PREFERRED SPORTS SURFACE Sports flooring differs immensely from floors designed for any other purpose. Because the needs of athletes come first, performance, safety and comfort are inherent characteristics. Floor design can focus on a specific activity, say aerobics versus basketball, or on multiple purposes to suit the exact need of a facility or application: gymnasiums; handball, squash and racquetball courts; basketball courts; health and fitness clubs; international Olympic facilities; professional sports arenas; aerobic/dance exercise facilities; dance floors; auditoriums and convention centers; church and religious facilities; primary and secondary schools; colleges and universities; corporate exercise facilities; YWCA/YMCA's; family life centers; roller skating rinks; theater and performance stages; or commercial, industrial and residential applications.
Athletic performance is enhanced by its hard-but-resilient character. Subfloor systems enhance maple's natural shock absorption and area elasticity. And, the surface provides dependably uniform grip and traction to athletic footwear. Safety is vastly enhanced by these same characteristics as documented in a study*** which showed that athletes were 70% more likely to sustain a floor-related injury on a synthetic floor than on a maple floor. MFMA maple's life cycle cost is surprisingly less than that of synthetics. Life cycle cost comparisons reflect original installed price plus manufacturer-recommended maintenance over a 30 year floor life. A maple surface requires considerably less maintenance and most of it can be done "in-house" without special equipment. Northern hard maple was first used in sports flooring nearly 150 years ago. From the beginning, it was evident, however, that even "nature's perfect flooring" needed a little help if consistently outstanding floors were to be built. Consistent quality became the mission of a handful of producers who, in 1897, formed the Maple Flooring Manufacturers Association -- the MFMA. Their purpose was to research and develop the best procedures for the selection and grading of the wood. Over time, a set of strict, self-imposed manufacturing standards evolved for members which they adopted in pursuit of consistent quality. The association established itself as the authoritative source of technical and general information on sports flooring. Equally important, the MFMA established installation and maintenance standards to help its contractor members deliver and assure a product that lives up to its promises. More than 150 MFMA associate member contractors and distributors worldwide follow procedures affecting the handling, storing and installation of MFMA maple. MFMA manufacturers continuously test and develop various subflooring systems in order to maximize athletic performance on maple sports surfaces. To top it all off, the MFMA publishes a list of tested, recommended floor finishes which are designed to optimize athletic performance while enhancing the legendary durability of the maple playing surface.
An MFMA mill number is embossed into the back of every strip of MFMA maple. It is your guarantee that strictly enforced MFMA grading rules and quality standards have been painstakingly followed in the production of each strip of flooring. It assures the wood has been kiln dried to 6% to 9% moisture content which makes it dimensionally stable before manufacturing begins. It assures that the finished maple strip has been milled to consistently exact tolerances as mandated by the MFMA. * 1994, Ducker
Research Company, Inc. FREE TECHNICAL DATA Complete Grading Rules for Random Strip, Finger Jointed and Parquet flooring are published by MFMA for reference by architects and specifiers. Grading permits selection of MFMA maple flooring according to use and budget.
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