Artistic Finishes Adds New Coatings to Finishing

St. Paul, MN, May 10, 2007--Artistic Finishes, Inc., a leading pre-finished molding and accessory manufacturer in the hardwood flooring industry, is pleased to add to its list of “firsts” the introduction of Nanotechnology coatings and Xenon cold curing to its finishing process. With an investment of over half a million dollars, Artistic is blazing new trails by incorporating Xenon curing alongside Nanotechnology into its new roll-coat Stair Nose finishing line.

Nanotechnology is the engineering of functional systems at the molecular level. Artistic Finishes has evolved its finishes to include Nanotechnology with the addition of microscopic particles – fragments as small as 20 nanometers, which is 5,000 times smaller than the width of a single hair. Dispersed evenly throughout the topcoat layers of Artistic’s Stair Nose moldings, these tiny particulates help achieve a clear, nearly flawless finish, while contributing to a more durable and abrasion-resistant product. Denny Leach, Artistic Finishes’ President stated, “We’re very excited about this Nanotechnology innovation and its expandability to our other molding shapes and product lines in the near future. Our ultimate goal is to further Artistic’s reputation as the wood flooring accessories leader.”

The Xenon curing lamps also work on the molecular level to efficiently cure the clear topcoats, while the Stair Nosing roll-coat process applies multiple thin layers of sealant for a superior, full-filled finish. “Unlike traditional ultra-violet curing methods, Xenon lamps are cold so factory personnel can easily work around them without getting burned, while also being significantly more energy efficient. We have created a safer working environment, while producing Stair Nosings of unmatched quality,” according to Daniel Amezquita, Artistic’s Director of Operations.

Xenon curing and Nanotechnology-based finishes are currently being used at Artistic Finishes’ production facility in St. Paul, Minnesota. For more information on this technology, contact Trina Patrick, Director of Marketing at 888-783-0374.