History
MIRAGE was acquired by Pierre Thabet on September 1, 1983 and has been a family operated business since. On March 3, 1984, the facilities were destroyed by a major fire, and the construction of the new facilities was completed on May 28th of the same year. This incident provides the spark that gave rise to the company’s philosophy of “Spirit” - representing the passion and dedication that drives the entire team of employees.
Headquartered in St Georges, Quebec, MIRAGE has been a leading manufacturer of high quality hardwood flooring for decades. Renowned for the quality of its products, MIRAGE leverages the expertise and talents of 750 employees, spread over 5 plants and a dealer network of more than 1200 dealers across North America and is also recognized as a top Canadian employer.
Production Process
At the production facility in St Georges, every step of the manufacturing process is done in house and taken through multiple layers of quality control. The two main aspects of production can be divided into wood preparation and manufacturing. Wood preparation refers to receipt of the raw materials, inspecting the grade of lumber, optimizing lumber to various sawing boards in various widths, and drying lumber to the proper internal humidity for flooring purposes. Drying is done using air drying techniques, controlled kiln drying, and a cooling shed.
The manufacturing process includes: assembly of platforms in case of engineered hardwood, creation of raw planks in engineered and solid formats by sanding and planing them, application of stain (colour), drying the colour and finish under UV lighting, final inspection and packaging, and when necessary storage of the material for shipping in a temperature and humidity controlled warehouse.
Awards and Innovations
Since the very beginning, Mirage has been providing excellence within the industry. The company has earned many awards for quality and design and is the top ranked manufacturer of prefinished hardwood floors in North America. Mirage has been recognized as one of the most outstanding brands in hardwood flooring by different industry surveys. In fact, Mirage has been ranked first 47 times on industry surveys conducted by magazines such as Floor Covering News, Floor Focus, and Floor Covering Weekly. Mirage has also received the prestigious Gold Trophy Award at the 2013 and 2018 Canada Awards of Excellence.
“The enthusiasm, commitment, and dedication of our employees combined with the trust of our strategic partners got us where we are today and will allow us to keep raising the bar for years to come.” Said Pierre Thabet, President at Mirage.
Mirage has received multiple industry awards year after year, reflecting the exceptional quality of their products. Their precise milling process is widely recognized as superior, which is why dealers, designers, and installers love working with their products. We often hear from installers about how much they enjoy using their product—one even referred to it as the “Bentley of hardwood flooring.” Designers also frequently recommend their products because they know they can count on lasting quality and reliability.
Mirage as a company strives to produce the finest hardwood floors. Their entire focus is on making superior quality flooring that exudes well-being and gives dramatic new life to your home decor dreams.
Mirage and the Environment
At Mirage the belief that positive impact on the health and well being of people and the environment through transforming responsibly harvested wood into the best hardwood floors in North America is central to everything they do. Mirage as a company believes more than ever, that being in harmony with nature and protecting the environment are principles that are not only non-negotiable, but they are at the heart of their corporate philosophy and are reflected in all of their actions in the manufacturing process. Mirage respects the highest environmental standards which means providing future generations and the entire ecosystem with a healthy and non-polluting product.
The respect for sustainable manufacturing is seen through:
Preservation and reforestation : Partaking in preservation and reforestation projects to improve air quality and replenish resources
Energy: Reducing energy consumption by using wind power technologies for drying wood in open air.
Community Engagement: Contributing to more than 350 organizations and foundations that fight issues like poverty, violence, illiteracy and disease
Well - being: Applying a hypoallergenic finish on Mirage products to support a healthy environment
LEED Credits - Producing first-rate products that contribute to LEED credits in any project.
Proudly Canadian - by purchasing Canadian manufactured products, you get the chance to minimize the carbon footprint of your project, putting less strain on the environment, reduce transportation costs, and stimulate the local economy. It also means you have more control over the quality and customizability of your options.
Finishes
The finish is one of the most important aspects of quality hardwood floors. The finish is what protects the wood surface, the stain, and renders the surface water-resistant. Years of innovation and continuous improvements have allowed Mirage to craft finishes that combine remarkable durability with the enduring beauty of wood. Formulated for superior protection, these finishes help extend the lifespan of your hardwood floors, ensuring they remain stunning for years to come.
DurAlive - Resistant and silky to the touch, this finish allows for vivid colours to shine through this transparent finish. Available on a smooth texture in Autumn and Lively Collections.
DuraMatt - This finish provides the look of a pre-oiled floor without the hassle of regular application. It acts like a second skin for your floors, providing optimal protection while preserving the appearance of the natural wood. This finish can be found on wire brushed floors in Blanc, Muse, DreamVille, Imagine, Sweet Memories and Natural collections.
Cashmere - This finish, using Nanolinx Technology, gives a matte finish while minimizing the appearance of daily wear and tear. Easy to maintain this finish provides the durability you seek for your hardwood floors. This finish is featured in Admiration Red Oak, and Admiration Hard Maple in a smooth texture and on the Escape collection on a wire brushed texture.
There is also a commercial grade finish available for commercial projects. While you won’t have this finish readily available on all floors in a showroom, for commercial projects it can be applied on a custom order basis. So if you are looking for a wood floor for a commercial application, then the commercial finish from Mirage will be there to ensure the durability and longevity of your hardwood floors even in the highest traffic areas.
Collections
Mirage offers you a wide variety of species, textures, colours, and finishes on their hardwood flooring products. To make things easier and more streamlined, they have now created collections based on species, texture, and finish. Let us explore each collection briefly:
Blanc Collection - The embodiment of frosty notes of a songbird’s melody lingering in the crisp winter air, this collection brings elegance and timeless sophistication to your project, with colours that are timeless classics that will never go out of style. The Blanc Collection evokes the tranquility of a blank canvas awaiting an artist’s vision, the playful flutter of white feather drifting softly after a pillow fight, or the sweet fragrance of fresh gardenias in glossy ceramic vases on white marble countertops. Each element expresses light and purity, creating a gentle setting for your artistic expressions. A collection of 8 colours on White Oak, mostly light to natural in colour, featuring a wire brushed texture with the DuraMatt finish, you can choose the products in this collection in both Exclusive and Character grade, allowing you to choose the level of built-in imperfections (such as knots, mineralization streaks and other natural imperfections) of your floors. The entire collection is also available in TruBalance, TruBalance Lite and 4 ¼” Classic Solid formats, providing versatility of installation depending on site needs and conditions, and the client’s preferences.
Muse Collection - Inspired by the outstanding achievements of amazing women throughout history, the Muse Collection, comprised entirely of White Oak, has been designed to bridge the past and the present by enabling you to combine traditional and contemporary styles that emphasize harmony and balance between the old and the new. In the same spirit of innovation and forward thinking displayed by these women, the sophisticated wood floors colours of this collection are versatile and adapt to any contemporary design style, from minimalistic to eclectic, providing a surprising juxtaposition with sleek modern elements that push the boundaries of what is possible in modern home design. The wire brushed texture of these floors and the DuraMatt finish also provide long lasting beauty while allowing you to minimize the appearance of imperfections created through regular use, allowing the floors to remain beautifully timeless for a long period of time. This collection is available in Engineered format in TruBalance, TruBalance Lite, and lock formats, in both Character and Exclusive grades.
DreamVille Collection - Meant to be the gateway to heavenly hideaways, the DreamVille collection looks to bring out tranquility, natural beauty, warmth, and the memories of serene sandy beaches in your home designs. Each natural-adjacent stain colour on Oak hardwood flooring, embodies the essence of breathtaking destinations, beckoning you to explore enchanting realms and bring a piece of their serenity home with you. This collection allows you to create your temple of peace in your home from the ground up with genuine warmth that is designed to stand the test of time. This collection is available in TruBalance, TruBalance Lite, and Lock formats, as well as 4 ¼” Classic Solid format, in both Exclusive and Character grades. The flooring options in this collection also have wire brushed textures and feature the DuraMatt finish on all the selections, making it a durable and long lasting option for your flooring needs.
Lively Collection - Inspired by the most vivid moments in life, such as your first kiss at summer camp, walking down the aisle on your wedding day, or your child’s first sleepover, the Lively Collection captures the essence of these moments, infusing your home with authentic energy of each of these moments. This collection aims to serve as a foundational centerpiece for future memories. Vivid like the moments they represent, this collection showcases a stunning array of tones on Red Oak hardwood flooring, designed to elevate your design with flair. Paired with curved lines in the space, plush materials, and contemporary design elements, the options in this collection create an inviting ambience grounded in the organic beauty of natural wood. With a smooth texture and DurAlive finish, these floors are easy to clean and maintain, while staying beautiful in the long run. The collection is available in TruBalance, TruBalance Lite and 4 ¼” Classic Solid formats in both Exclusive and Character grades. No matter what your site needs or conditions may be, this collection will have something to offer your design.
Escape Collection - Red Oak hardwood floors have been a staple in the world of flooring for decades. Over the last few decades this unsung hero has gone through many transformations, specially in terms of the colours that are applied to it. The escape collection features some of the more traditional, warm, brown tones that have been everlasting on Red Oak hardwood floors. Featuring a wire brushed texture, and Cashmere finish, these traditional colours have been a staple of design for many decades. As trend cycles progress, what was old becomes new again and this collection offers some of the colours that have proven their staying powers over the decades. This collection is available in both TruBalance engineered and Classic solid formats, in Character grade only. If timeless traditional is what you are looking for, this collection is certainly worth a look.
Autumn Collection - There is nothing more quintessentially Canadian than the vivid and vibrant colours of the fall. From the deep reds, oranges and golds to the presence of different shades of green of the evergreens, an atmosphere of warmth and togetherness envelops us like a cozy wool shawl. The Autumn collection represents the eternal beauty of the season by featuring 5 stunning, rich hues, as well as a natural option. This collection offers a stunning palette that infuses your space with refined charm, warmth, and natural beauty. With its smooth, even texture, this palette of neutrals and earthy tones, seamlessly adapts to elevate and soften any space. Maple flooring has the ability to add layers of comfort and moody elegance, establishing the ideal backdrop for anything you choose to make the focal point of the space. With both Exclusive and Character grades, this collection is available in both TrueBalance and Classic formats, giving you flexibility for plank width, technology, and level of built in imperfections, allowing you to achieve any vision you have for the space. With its smooth texture and DurAlive finish as well, these floors will be easy to clean and maintain as well as being timelessly beautiful.
Sweet Memories Collection - This collection showcases the natural character of Maple floors with a touch of nostalgia. These floors bring back sweet memories of our childhoods with old familiar colours with the smooth texture of Hard Maple. Ranging from light, natural colours, to grey beige, to grey, to traditional browns, this collection brings the nostalgia of the old colour palettes to life, with a DuraMatt finish that is sure to keep your smooth Maple floors looking great and new for years to come. This collection is available in both character and Exclusive grades of Hard Maple, as well as TruBalance, TruBalance Lite, and 4 ¼” Classic Solid formats. So, no matter where you would like to use these floors, or how you would like to install them, this versatile collection of Hard Maple floors is a must see.
Admiration Collection - Available in both Red Oak and Hard Maple species, this collection featuring smooth textured hardwood floors contains some of the most classic colours from the light beige to dark warm browns. This collection features the Cashmere finish, which uses Nanolinx technology to provide you with long wearing, beautiful finish on any colour you choose. The options from this collection are available in both TruBalance engineered and Classic solid formats in the Exclusive grade. So if the traditional look with less knots and imperfections is what you seek, this collection is a great starting point.
Imagine Collection - Another mixed species collection (featuring the same colours on both Red Oak and Hard Maple) the Imagine collection is the most textured flooring options offered by Mirage. These floors provide a “cork” texture on both species. This highly textured surface as well as the built-in imperfections of the character grade material used to create them, provides for the most wear-resistant floors. Since the floors will already come with built-in imperfections and texture, the appearance of imperfections you would create during use are minimized the most in this collection. If you want a flooring option with timeless colours that will remain essentially the same even after many years of use, then take a look at this collection.
To explore all the options from Mirage, visit our showroom and let one of our experts give you a full tour of all your options and discuss what would be your best option, based on your needs, site conditions, and aesthetics. We look forward to introducing you to the wonderful world of Mirage in person.
