Mediterranea tile design artisans have used advanced digital inkjet graphic design technology to flawlessly recreate a series of glazed porcelain tile that precisely mirrors the classic look of the first-generation heart pine timber used to build America.

The Heart Pine collection of fully-rectified glazed porcelain tile has only recently been made possible with the elevated design capabilities now offered through Mediterranea’s exclusive Dynamic HD ImagingTM program. With advanced software and superior inkjet transfer capabilities, Mediterranea has produced Heart Pine with stunning accuracy, showcasing the true-to-life details and characteristics of this iconic hardwood now in limited supply. This new design program allows Mediterranea to quite literally select the most beautiful planks and surface textures, transfer these to porcelain tile with precision, and do it in a way that ensures Heart Pine’s unique integrity with an almost limitless ability to prevent repetitive tile designs.

Mediterranea’s glazed porcelain tile in the perfect likeness of this prized heartwood helps to preserve the species and protect the long leaf pine forests once found in uncommon abundance from Virginia to Texas. With the Heart Pine collection, Mediterranea has not only made a contribution to tile design, but also taken real action in their efforts to preserve the environment. In addition, Mediterranea has helped promote the future balance of our world ecology by allowing the Heart Pine specie more time to heal and grow by providing homeowners, as well as architects and designers, with an exact replica in an easy to maintain series of glazed porcelain tile.

Produced in the U.S. with recycled content for contributions to LEED and LEED for Homes building, Heart Pine from Mediterreana is offered in one standard, 6” x 24” plank-sized format reminiscent of its storied past in American history.

More on the important role of the long leaf pine heartwood in history
First-generation Heart Pine timber simply refers to the heartwood of the long leaf pine. Unlike most species, when a long leaf pine is allowed the time to mature it will naturally develop almost entirely into beautiful heartwood with tight, concentric growth rings. In order for the long leaf pine to fully mature can take 300 years or as many as 500. When America was first settled there was some 80 million acres of long leaf pine forests, which by the early 1900s had essentially been depleted from overuse. Heart Pine was highly sought after as the ideal source for the masts of the original sailing vessels that navigated the high seas. The heart pine, or long leaf pine, inherently grows tall, strong and uniquely straight. In fact, early English explorers and settlers had named this iconic hardwood “Kings Pine,” which in the modern world would mean that heartwood lumber is simply put: “Fit for a king.”

For over a decade, Mediterranea, Italian-based developers and craftsman have been designing and producing tile in collaboration with the world’s top factories in Italy, Spain, Brazil, Turkey, Argentina and the United States. Mediterranea has the unrivaled ability to match its unique products with the right manufacturer, surpassing competition with incredible technological capabilities, competitive pricing and outstanding U.S.-based service. Contact Mediterranea/Architectural Imports, 3501 NW 115th Avenue, Doral, FL 33178. Call: 305.718.5091, Fax: 305.718.5099. Email info@mediterreanea-usa.com or visit the web for more details. www.mediterranea-usa.com