Every great innovation begins with a simple question: There has to be a better way. A devoted husband and father, and a cabinetmaker with an unwavering passion for wood, Marcel Mercier believed that every piece of timber deserved to reveal its natural warmth, character and beauty. His craftsmanship reflected a deep respect for the material—a philosophy that extended well beyond the workshop.
Marcel and his wife cherished the hardwood floors in their home, but maintaining them was another story. Refinishing meant moving the family and their furniture out for weeks, enduring clouds of sanding dust, overwhelming varnish fumes and the disruption of daily life. The process was messy, time-consuming and far from practical. Rather than accept the inconvenience, Marcel imagined a different approach.
Inspired by the flawless finishes he applied to custom kitchen cabinets, he wondered: “Why couldn’t hardwood flooring be finished before it was installed?” It was a bold idea at a time when on-site finishing was the only accepted method.
His solution was as ingenious as it was unexpected. Using a wringer washing machine, Marcel coated hardwood planks with finish outside the home. What began as a simple solution to a family challenge soon transformed an entire industry. That spirit of curiosity and craftsmanship became the foundation of Mercier. From breakthrough finishing technologies to industry-first solutions, the company continues to push the boundaries of performance, durability and design.
As the industry evolved, many manufacturers started incorporating nanoparticles in floor coatings to improve performance. Wanting to protect people’s health and with the willingness to stop using petroleum-based products, Mercier took an entirely different approach. The company started adding plant-based oil in its finishes. Thanks to this innovation, Mercier won an Eco-innovation Award.
Advent of aluminum oxide
Nobody believed Mercier could, but it”non-toxic” aluminum oxide into its finishes to improve the protection and durability of wood floors—an industry first. To prove how ingenious the concept was, Mercier would rub the surface of its floors with steel wool!
Next, Mercier focused its R&D efforts to achieve even higher technical performance levels. The goal was to maximize our floors durability and resistance to impact, scratches, water, abrasion and other wear and tear, all while preserving the original beauty of the wood. This was a technological tour de force! Thanks to its livUP finish, it is now possible to enjoy wood flooring in commercial applications and high-traffic areas, without compromising durability. (Note: Mercier was the first manufacturer to guarantee its finish in commercial applications with direct outdoor access.)
The introduction of layering coats of stain
In the beginning, the whole industry was confronted with a problem: Due to wood’s inherent coloring, nobody could achieve some of the neutral colors that customers craved by simply sticking to the traditional staining process. To keep complimenting wood’s natural beauty while achieving these colorations, Mercier started decomposing stain colors and adding them in layers, creating shades that previously could not be attained. Its proven process is now used throughout the industry.
The Naked Collection: As natural as it gets
At Mercier, the focus is on what wood “wants to unveil,” rather than forcing it to become something that it is not. To pay tribute even more to wood’s sublime nature, the company created the Naked Collection, featuring raw-looking boards with an exclusive finishing process that seals the color of the wood before applying a protective finish. With the Naked Collection, the floor’s grain remains natural and does not fade over time.
A pioneer in sustainability
Mercier is one of the industry’s pioneering manufacturers that has a long-term vision to reduce its ecological footprint for generations to come. The company understands the importance of wood as a natural resource—and trees for the Earth’s future. That is why it has implemented the most advanced environmental policies and sophisticated production methods throughout its entire supply chain to maximize sustainability.
Sustainable practices
Mercier is committed to sourcing wood only from environmentally responsible suppliers. All the species come from sustainably managed North American forests and adhere to rigorous traceability standards. With Mercier’s wood flooring, customers are guaranteed peace of mind knowing they are benefiting from outstanding quality and environmental stewardship.
Mercier’s approach to sustainability is so thorough in that it achieves the lowest amount of waste in the industry—2% vs. 5%, the industry norm. What’s more, the company reinserts 100% of its residues back into the plant to heat its factory, for example. All our products are packaged using recycled and recyclable packaging.
Greenguard Gold certification
Mercier is one of the few manufacturers of prefinished wood to be certified Greenguard Gold , the highest standard on the market. This certification confirms that its finishes are free of thousands of chemical substances that are harmful to human health, such as VOCs and other pollutants. The goal is to provide peace of mind to clients who are concerned about the air they breathe.
LEED-certified flooring
Mercier’s high-quality floors also contribute to making buildings LEED-certified, an essential requirement for facility mangers, architects and designers.
Passionate about wood
Mercier’s passion for genuine hardwood is undeniable. It is naturally noble, undoubtedly authentic and inimitable. The company has mastered the art of handling wood because it respects its true essence—from its initial preparation to its finish. Each plank—from its color, texture and grain— is unique and should be treated as such.
In order to create high-quality wood floors, Mercier rigorously selects only the finest wood, and it optimizes each step of the production process to ensure impeccable and consistent quality, all while reducing waste.
Being vertically integrated for over 20 years, Mercier’s Drummondville, Quebec, hardwood sawmill provides the raw lumber materials utilized in its flooring products. The installation is also the home of the company’s kiln drying units and production lines where the raw planks are transformed into wood flooring boards. The meticulously manufactured solid and engineered wood floorboards are then sent to Montmagny, Quebec, to its head office, which regroups finishing operations, from the finish and staining applications to delivery. It is at the Montmagny facilities where Mercier’s floors get their final finishing touch and quality approval. Mercier counts on the hard work and dedication of nearly 300 wood specialists.
Thanks to its high-performance finishes, Mercier wood floors can be installed in both residential and commercial applications where they will continue to make people proud of their living and working spaces for a long time. Mercier believes in both the timelessness of wood and its ability to be fashionable today, and it has always been steps ahead in terms of its technological innovations as well as its designs. Mercier offers one of the industry’s broadest selections of products and features. While its wood flooring collections are profoundly aligned with the latest in interior decorating, they are nevertheless infused with a classic style to remain striking day after day, year after year. Every Mercier wood floor reflects the care, craftsmanship and dedication that have defined its work for generations—qualities the company’s customers can see and feel in every plank.
Growing with great partners
Across North America, Mercier’s valued partners, distributors and retailers continue to recognize the value the company brings to the market through exceptional Made-in-Canada quality, sustainable practices, reliable service and supply.
For more than 45 years, Mercier has continued to grow by listening to its customers, embracing innovation and building lasting partnerships.
In closing, Mercier Wood Flooring proudly congratulates Floor Covering News on its 40th anniversary. Here’s to celebrating another team that shares our passion for excellence and our commitment to advancing the floor covering industry.
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