Right here in central Pennsylvania, four Penn State Alumni are setting out to change the future of hardwood flooring, and they are building a new, local manufacturing facility. Hardwood flooring has a long history in the US because of the beauty and warmth it adds to a home. However, these same beautiful floors buckle, warp, accrue water damage and wear, and ultimately require expensive disposal and replacement. To resolve this, Steller Innovations has developed and patented a clever alternative to traditional nailed-down hardwood floors.

“The wood in the floor came from a tree, and the tree needed water to survive. That’s why when wood’s exposed to water it changes shape. When you use nails to prevent that movement, it only makes the problem worse,” says Steller Innovations president, Evan Stover, describing traditional tongue-and-groove hardwood floors. 

“The Steller hardwood flooring system uses plastic along with the wooden flooring planks to support the floor, and every component of Steller flooring is made in the USA.” In addition to supporting the natural behavior of the wood, Steller floors are made of full-thickness, top-quality lumber that is sealed on all sides which helps the boards resist changes due to moisture. And their most attractive feature is the ability to remove a single board from your floor using a simple suction cup. You have to see it to believe it.

The new central Pennsylvania start-up boasts a total of four team members—five including their pup, Amos.  Their woodshop in Tyrone, PA has been coming to life this fall, and they’re finally ready to start installing floors in 2019. “We’re really excited, because people’s response to the flooring has been really overwhelming,” exclaimed Marketing and Communications Director, Britta Teller. Amazingly, one YouTube video that featured their system generated 250,000 views in two weeks. This response has been so overwhelming, that they are now raising funds through a crowdfunding campaign to purchase additional machinery to make their flooring more affordable and accessible to customers.

So far, over 50 people have contributed to the campaign, and most have donated a small amount because they are simply excited to see a new manufacturing facility in the region. Every little bit helps during a startup’s growth, and to support Steller Innovations and the jobs that their operation can bring to the region, check out the funding campaign here.