Month: June 2021

Customizing your home is a great way to make it more personal. You want to wake up every day excited to spend time in it. Upgrading your flooring is a fantastic way to do just that! Wood floors make any space feel more luxurious and warmer, and we’re here to help make sure you get the most value out of them.

One of the most important things to consider is the functionality of your flooring. High-traffic areas of your home will need durable floors. Think bathroom, kitchen, and family room. Wherever you spend the most time is where you’ll want to ensure you have a strong floor. Options cherry, walnut, or oak are best for these busy rooms to ensure they will last for years and look just as new as the day you have them installed.

Professional installers can make just about any design dream come true. You’re able to put fun patterns like chevron or herringbone in your home. Keep in mind that simple and timeless will give you the best resale value. Lighter-colored woods will help keep your home feeling light and airy, but darker colors will more easily hide dirt and stains.

Quality should also be a top consideration when choosing your floors. You don’t want to skimp on wood so that it will last you for years to come, but you also need to know your market. Keep in mind that your current home may not be your forever home. Are the other houses in your neighborhood decked out with luxury high-end flooring or simple, cost-effective options? You want to make sure you don’t stray too far away from most current homes to ensure your ability to resell for a profit later.

When you’re ready to upgrade your flooring, get in touch with us here at Flooring.org. Online ordering is available 24/7 and you cannot beat our huge inventory at incredible prices! For immediate assistance, please give us a call at 800-689-9006!

This post appeared first on http://www.flooring.org

If you were building your dream home today, what kind of flooring would you install?

According to a National Wood Flooring Association survey, just more than half of homeowners – 52 percent – say they currently have hardwood somewhere in their homes. But when you ask them what kind of flooring they would install in their dream home, two-thirds say hardwood floors. That includes 81 percent of current hardwood flooring owners, with the most common reasons given being it’s durable, easy to clean, and attractive in every room in the home.

While those numbers are based on averages from homeowners across the country, we would bet the statistics actually rise here in Colorado. Coloradans love hardwood. Maybe it’s because we’re right at the base of the Rocky Mountains. The idea of a mountain retreat is appealing to us because it’s our normal. The scent of pinewood, the look and feel of pine throughout a home, even adding another log to the fireplace are high up on our wishlist.

If you’re changing out the flooring in your home, and wondering if hardwood is the way to go, even a little bit of research online might leave you confused and overwhelmed. Do a quick search and you’ll find articles touting all kinds of issues with installing a hardwood floor. You find articles on:

• How difficult it is keeping hardwood floors clean
• Why hardwood flooring is a bad choice in busy households
• Why hardwood flooring is fragile, dents easily, and is a wrong choice in homes with pets and kids

Of course, it’s easy to start questioning everything when you read these words of advice.

But before you form your own opinion, especially if you’ve never lived with hardwood floors before, we suggest you stop by and speak with an expert to learn more before you make your final choice.

What can you do to make hardwood floors look their best?

Clean up spills quickly

In many cases, what turns people off of hardwood flooring is the look and feel of hardwood after spills penetrate the wood.

Because wood swells and shrinks depending on moisture levels, both on the wood itself and in the air, it’s important to keep moisture at steady levels all throughout the year. If moisture seeps in between cracks in the planks, and slips down into the subfloor, it can quickly start to damage the wood. Swelling, expanding, contracting, warping and more can occur rapidly once moisture impacts the wood.

That’s also a reason to ban wet shoes at the door. Set up a mat as soon as you enter and require all shoes to be left at the door. That creates less of a mess throughout your home, and prevents water from accumulating in small puddles without you noticing.

Water and hardwood can also cause another potential problem – slip hazards. Water puddling combined with a hard lacquer finish can make the flooring slippery. This is especially dangerous on staircases or areas where the potential of falling increases.

Sweep and dust daily

Cleaning daily may seem a bit excessive, but it’s a great way to ensure the look and feel of hardwood floors stays in top condition.

Even if you’re a “no shoes” household, dust, tiny rocks, and other particles can easily make their way into your home and onto your floors. Baking cookies? What happens when a little bit of sugar spills underneath your feet? It’s easy for fine particles to be ground into the finish, dulling the look. You might not notice one or two tiny scratches, but over time, they can have a heavy impact on the finish or your flooring.

It doesn’t take much to run a broom or swiffer across the hardwood once a day to pick up these small amounts of dust and remove them from the finish.

Then once a week, go for the deeper clean. Run a vacuum over it and pick up things you missed. Be careful about using a wet mop as too much moisture on hardwood can quickly cause damage.

Use furniture pads

Scratches are one of the biggest problems for hardwood flooring. Those tiny scratches quickly add up, and can mar the look of your floors.

While some scratches are inevitable, others are preventable. Be aware of what items in your home have the potential for causing the greatest damage.

If you have island chairs, a breakfast nook, or dining room chairs, they will be pulled out and used every day. Adding furniture pads to the legs will help buffer the potential of damage caused by daily use.

Don’t ignore sofas, tables, and other furniture with tiny wooden or metal legs. These furniture pieces may be stationary, but it’s possible to bump them and have them move even a fraction at a time. Because of their weight, they can produce severe damage to the flooring underneath, especially if you bump and move the item regularly. You’ll notice it when you move the piece and add something new, or redecorate and change things up.

Use approved floor cleaners only 

You want clean floors. You find a product at your favorite market that promises clean wood floors. What could be wrong with picking up this product for weekly use?

A lot.

Many of the products on the market contain chemicals and other by-products not meant for use on wood floors – even if they state they’re safe for wood floor use. If you use the wrong product, you can damage your floors, and possibly null and void the warranty that came with your flooring.

Before you select a cleaning product, check with your flooring’s manufacturer first.

Schedule refinishing every three to five years

A single homeowner who travels a lot is different from a busy family with lots of kids and pets. Only you know how much activity your floors see on a daily basis.

With that in mind, schedule refinishing every few years to keep your floors looking good, and ensure they have a protective layer that helps prevent spills from penetrating. This will ensure the wood underneath lasts for years, and continues to look good no matter how often you change your decor.

The post How To Keep Hardwood Floors Looking Their Best first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

This post appeared first on https://pro-flooring.com

When purchasing a new wooden floor, you are more than likely going to have lots of questions running around in your head.  Here are our top 5 questions most asked by people buying a wooden floor. Read More

If you have an existing décor or have a new one in mind, you may be wondering which flooring will match your décor. The beauty of hardwood flooring is that the neutral and natural colour tones will give you a timeless appearance and usually match most decors. The tones and colours of hardwood are usually determined by the wood species, but some floors do have a colour stain added to give them different shades, such as greys, caramels and dark browns. Read More

Flooring isn’t something you replace regularly. When you decide it’s time for new floors, you start your search in different ways.

Maybe you’ve visited your local big box store to see what’s on sale. Maybe you’ve searched online to find out what’s popular.

With those ideas in mind, you start your search. Yet if you’re relying on “truth” from those two sources, you might not have a clear picture of what’s the right flooring for your home.

Let’s look at bamboo flooring. While it’s been growing in popularity over the past few years, if you come across an older website discussing the pros and cons of bamboo as a flooring choice, you might not fully understand this resource. Bamboo has been growing in popularity because manufacturers have been getting better at turning it into a flooring choice that works well for your home.

When you really know the facts about bamboo flooring, it’s going to rise to the top of your list for every room in your home.

Fact: Bamboo is a hard, durable flooring material

Bamboo is often compared to hardwood, yet it isn’t hardwood at all. Instead, bamboo comes from grass, not a tree.

To create hardwood, it requires you to harvest trees and produce them in plank format. That process can take several decades of growth. Bamboo is a fast growing plant, and can be harvested within five to seven years. What’s even better is it is a sustainable crop, meaning once it’s cut down, it grows right back to the same height in another five to seven years. That makes it a perfect choice for people who are trying to reduce their carbon footprint, and look for building materials that add green technology into their homes.

Yet don’t let the fact that it’s a grass make you think it isn’t durable. All hardwood is sold based on a Janka rating for telling consumers just how hard the product is. The Janka test is performed on a sample 2×6 inches in size. The rating is calculated by determining how much pressure it takes to push a 0.444 inch steel ball halfway into the wood sample. Oak is ranked around 1360. Brazillian cherry is at 3650. Strand woven bamboo registers at 4000.

A lot of misrepresentation happened with the original bamboo put on the market back when it was first introduced in the 1990s. Today’s bamboo is nothing like the original building material. If you want a durable floor that will last through all your family can dish out, bamboo may be the right choice.

Fact: Bamboo is a great choice for kids and pets

One of the most common questions we have from homeowners is in finding the perfect mix between a flooring they want, and one that handles well to all their family can dish out. And we get it; your kids and pets aren’t going to stop being kids and pets just because you installed new floors.

You may tell them to be careful the first few days. But after a while, all bets are off – you’ve got living to do.

Older generations of bamboo were soft enough that pet’s nails and other sharp objects could easily scratch the surface. But if that happens today, it’s because the bamboo flooring you installed is of poor quality.

Because bamboo is one of the hardest surface materials, it can take all your family can dish out. With the right finish in place, it can withstand years of use, even with the heaviest of dogs walking over the floors each day.

Fact: Bamboo can be installed anywhere

Homeowners love hardwood – they want it everywhere. Yet if you’ve ever tried placing hardwood in your basement, for example, you know that is a recipe for disaster.

Yet this can be a perfect place to install bamboo. Bamboo is so versatile, it can be installed below grade on a plywood subfloor, or even right over concrete. It does well in most climate conditions; just be sure you check with the manufacturer of the product you select to ensure it meets the standards of where you’ll install it.

Fact: Bamboo isn’t automatically made with chemicals

If you read enough online, you’ll find many stories about how bad bamboo flooring can be for your health. They have high concentrations of formaldehyde, and can cause a host of problems, especially with vulnerable family members.

This simply isn’t true. Yes, you can find some materials that are made in less than honorable ways. But high quality manufacturers are going to create products that stand the test of time.

This is also an example of why you should pay attention and do your due diligence as you shop. If you find a low cost source that seems too good to be true, it probably is.

All sorts of products on the market today are created using chemicals. The more aware we become of how they are impacting our health, the harder some companies work to reduce the chemicals in their product lines.

Ask questions about the products you’re interested in. If you want truly sustainable bamboo flooring materials that are chemical free and will help you live a cleaner life, we’re happy to show you products that meet your guidelines. Can you find that on a fly-by-night resource online? Of course. But when you choose reputable dealers, you’ll be able to dig deeper into the sources to choose from, and understand your product on a deeper level.

Fact: Bamboo flooring provides a great looking floor

If you want a durable flooring product that looks great throughout your home, bamboo can be the resource you’re looking for. If you want a product that can be refinished to give it an even longer lifespan, bamboo might be a perfect choice. If you’re looking for a flooring product that comes in a variety of colors and patterns, and will work well no matter what your family can dish out, we highly recommend you give bamboo another look.

As flooring dealers, we understand that individual homeowners have a variety of wants and needs. Stop by today and we can share with you a variety of flooring products perfect for your busy lifestyle.

The post These Facts Will Make You Want Bamboo Flooring In Every Room In Your Home first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

This post appeared first on https://pro-flooring.com

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Considering buying Laminate Flooring but not sure what style to opt for? 2021 has a fantastic variety of Laminate Flooring trends for you to take inspiration from for your home this year! From popular colours to timeless patterns, we’ve picked some of our favourites from an abundance of Laminate trends. 

• Popular Colours
• Patterns
• Waterproof Laminates 
• Distressed Wood Look 

What is Laminate Flooring 

 

Laminate is a popular household flooring type, famous for being practical, budget friendly and excellently replicating real wood flooring in a wide range of colours and styles. 

Laminate is manufactured from multiple layers of high-density fibreboard (HDF). A digitally printed top layer covers densely-packed wood fibres to create a stable core. High-quality wood image is printed, which is often paired with authentic-feeling bevels and grains, to create a hyper-realistic wood effect.

Benefits of Laminate Flooring 

 

Firstly, before we jump into the latest trends in Laminate Flooring, let’s take a look at the benefits.

 

• Manufactured to be highly durable
• Easier and cheaper installation
• Scratch and water resistant
• Hygienic, easy cleanable surface.
• Realistic design
• Available in a wide range of styles
• Available in a wide range of budgets 
• Pet-friendly 

 

If it’s practicality you’re looking for, as you can see from the list above, Laminate could very well be your answer! 

 

Now for the reason you’re really here; tips and tricks on keeping up with the latest and greatest in the world of Laminate Flooring!

Popular Colours 

 

Where interior design is concerned, colour is everything. Mood boards, inspiration pages and home décor magazines are a great source of idea generation for your home renovation. However, does this match up to what’s on trend in 2021?

 

Grey Laminate 

 

Grey Laminate has been a staple in Laminate trends for the last couple of years, and this year is no different. With a sleek and neutral appearance, this colour has unmatched versatility in complementing a wide range of colour palettes incorporated into your room design. 

Whether you’re one for a bold aesthetic, or a subtle design, grey Laminate will perfectly set off the design. This will help to deliver a beautiful contemporary finish.

 

Light Wood Laminate 

 

Additionally, another popular colour trend is one you surely expected to see in this list. The beginning of 2021, a neutral minimalistic aesthetic has been unavoidable in the interiors industry. 

 

Neutral walls, pampas grass, and light wood coloured furnishings have seen a rise in the trend department. 

Laminate flooring is no exception. Further adding to the neutral minimalistic interiors, Laminate is available in a wide variety of warm earthy tones to brighten up your space and feature a touch of nature. 

 

Introducing these tones can create a warm and welcoming space for the whole family to sit back and relax in. Sound like something you want out of your space? Then be inspired by the light wood Laminate look. 

 

Dark Laminate

 

Classic. Luxury. Sophistication. These are often all words that spring to mind when you picture a room with dark wood flooring. 

 

If it’s a touch of timeless charm you’re looking to achieve with your flooring, then a dark Laminate should turn your head. 

 

This popular colour has always been among the more favourable shades when it comes to Laminate. However, it has recently seen a rise, complementing bold designs. Contrasting well with bright colours, this helps to accentuate colourful pieces and furnishings making them stand out in your space. 

This trend as a whole has been largely adopted this year, with dark Laminate being the perfect component. If you’re opting for that real wood look on a budget, this is definitely an option for you, as Laminate replicates real wood exceptionally, for a fraction of the cost. 

 

Being no stranger to a minority of timeless classics in the flooring industry, opting for your Laminate in this shade will mean you can count on it standing the test of time. Additionally, it gives peace of mind that you can easily change your interiors around it over time without concern if it will match the flooring. 

Patterns / Styles

 

Who doesn’t love a pattern? Clothes, furniture, accessories and wallpaper can often be desirables we seek to find striking patterns in. And your flooring doesn’t have to be an exception.

 

Herringbone, chevron and wide plank designs are all eye-catching patterns available to purchase as a Laminate within the flooring industry. 

 

Undeniably, these designs are well established when it comes to real wood, offering that extra essence of elegance. This can however be a pricey investment. 

 

With these captivating patterns being available in a Laminate, you can get these amazing finishes for a fraction of the cost.

 

Herringbone 

 

Where trending patterns are concerned this one has taken the interior industry by storm! Herringbone flooring is a form of parquet flooring. 

 

Herringbone arranges wooden blocks in a zig-zag pattern to produce beautiful results. This is how parquet flooring is defined – using wooden blocks to create geometric patterns.

Herringbone flooring comes in many different colours and variations. Whilst some lend themselves to contemporary interiors, others will look just as at home in older interiors – just as they did when herringbone wood flooring first made its way into homes in the late 16th Century.

 

So if you want to acquire a compliment or two with your interior design, this timeless classic is certainly a contender for that!

 

Chevron

 

Another amazing pattern, not far behind the whirlwind that is herringbone, is chevron. 

 

The chevron design utilises a zig-zag pattern that’s similar to Herringbone. However, rather than being laid in a staggered pattern, they’re more uniform and are laid to form a true point. The regularity of a chevron pattern means it creates a simple and much cleaner look. Due to the pattern’s features, it also helps to make rooms look more spacious. 

 

Incorporating this into your home is a great way to add a feature piece to your space. With a pattern like this found throughout your flooring, you can make this a stand out element in your design, keeping the rest of your room design minimalistic. 

 

Wide plank 

 

Lastly, another one to watch out for in the Laminate trends department is wide plank Laminate. 

 

You may be thinking “what’s so stylish about a wide plank?” Well, you’ll be intrigued to know that a wider plank provides the opportunity to show off more of the natural grains and knots in the wood, delivering a stunning authentic wood design. 

 

Moreover, wider planks also mean that you’ll use fewer boards. This result in a more seamless finish, as well as it will save you money on the amount of packs needed for your installation. 

 

To conclude, if it’s a natural wood design you want, Laminate is available in wide planks. This offers a larger surface of more natural imperfections in the wood and supplies a rustic charm to your home. 

Waterproof Laminates

 

Next up is another type of Laminate that has hit the trends in 2021. Waterproof Laminate. 

 

Yes, you heard us! Waterproof Laminate. 

 

Previously, Laminate has been renowned for its practicality, ability to replicate real wood and appealing price points. However, its downfall was in its ability to survive the pressures of moisture. 

 

We’re pleased to inform you that this is no longer an issue. With a wide range of waterproof Laminates approved for use in bathrooms, you can acquire that endearing real wood look in even the most demanding rooms of the home. 

And people are acquiring it! Being one of the latest trends in Laminate, we’re seeing an abundance of stunning bathroom transformations featuring this versatile Laminate.  

 

Valencia Tile Retro Blue Grey	Supreme Everest Oak Bronze	Residence Narrow Dark Peterson Oak
Valencia Tile – Add Samples to Cart	Supreme Everest – Add Samples to Cart	Residence Narrow – Add Sample to Cart

 

Without reservation, you can now don’t need to miss out on the opportunity to feature a real wood look in your bathroom.

Distressed Wood Look

 

The last trend we’ll be showcasing is the distressed wood look. 

 

Shabby chic, vintage chic and upcycling are all popular interior stylings in recent years. These styles tend to feature a mix of beauty and distressed pieces within the design.

 

Whether this is translated through furniture or flooring, this narrative gives off an appealing rustic charm.

 

Why not introduce a distressed wood look? This can add an enchanting authenticity to the design. The composition of Laminate includes a printed design. There are no limits to what wood effect designs are available. 

 

There are a wide variety of distressed wood looking Laminates available. As a result, you aren’t limited when it comes to getting the desired look for your space. 

 

 

Amazing right? 

 

Overall, it’s clear to see why these trends have taken the interior industry by storm. Laminate is extremely versatile and is a great contender to pair with a wide range of interiors.  

If you have any questions regarding Laminate flooring, get in touch with one of our flooring experts today who will be happy to assist you. 

The post Laminate Flooring Trends 2021  appeared first on Direct Wood Flooring Blog.

For many homeowners, remodeling and renovation are at the top of their lists this year. And for good reason.

After the changes we’ve made to our lifestyles over the past year, we want homes that allow more flexibility. We want space so we can enjoy the activities we do best.

Above all, we want space that’s easy to clean and healthy for our families.

For all those reasons and more, hard flooring is a logical choice.

Does flooring affect your health?

At the base of your home decor sits your flooring. It takes the brunt of everyday activities. If you drop food and don’t fully clean it, particles start accumulating. If you walk across it with your shoes on, trace contaminants can lodge into place, and impact your health.

The type of flooring you have underfoot matters. It sets the stage for how well your floors handle under normal everyday living. It’s also about how well the flooring can be cleaned.

Hardwood is one of the oldest and most widely used materials for flooring because it’s durable, easy to clean, and creates pleasing aesthetics at the same time.

People also associate the surface of harwood with being healthier than other types of flooring. If something spills, it’s easier to wipe away. If dust or other particles accumulate, you simply sweep them away.

If things like pet dander, hair, pollen, mold, and other pollutants accumulate, they have the potential to put your health at risk. It most often starts by triggering allergic reactions. If you find coughing, sneezing, and itchy eyes extend beyond the typical cold, it might be allergies.

Reducing these triggers is the most effective way to reduce allergy flare-ups. Based on many different studies, hard flooring is easier to control, and therefore is easier to manage and keep allergic reactions at bay.

In many cases, however, the focus should be put on keeping floors clean more than what material the flooring is made from. If hardwood floors, for instance, are rarely cleaned, they have an accumulation of pollutants from indoor and outdoor messes, they can still affect your health.

Beyond hard and soft – materials matter too

Reducing exposure to triggers is the most effective way to keep your family healthy. To do that means creating a surface that’s easily cleaned, and remains free of particles that increase the chances of flare-ups.

Studies show that hard surfaces are able to do that easier. Carpets, for example, can act as storage for allergens. One of the most troublesome areas is in the bedroom, where you can be exposed to these allergens every night while you sleep.

For people with asthma and other respiratory problems, it can easily exacerbate the situation. Like any flooring material, keeping it clean is the key to avoiding problems. That goes beyond regular vacuuming, and includes steam cleaning it regularly too.

When many homeowners think about carpet, they automatically assume it aggravates allergies and asthma symptoms. That’s not always the case. Like hardwood, carpeting has been around for centuries in various states. Instead of selecting synthetic materials, jute, wool, and other natural fibers can make a significant impact in keeping your home clean.

Because natural fibers aren’t created in a lab, and don’t use chemicals to create barriers between spills and your floors, you’ll have to take extra precautions to keep it looking its best. That may mean vacuuming frequently and using a steam cleaner regularly too. You might be more careful with where you place them, and change your daily habits accordingly.

But will a natural carpet be better than some hard flooring choices?

Synthetic flooring has been known to off-gas, which, when tested, have been shown to be as bad or worse than what carpets may harbor. Synthetic floors may contain volatile organic compounds – VOCs – that can aggravate symptoms and release these VOCs continually into the air supply, especially as it’s newly installed and settling into the surroundings.

It goes beyond the flooring material itself

Carpet or hardwood? Tile or laminate? Vinyl or linoleum?

If you’ve shopped for flooring, you know there are thousands of options available to you. It can be overwhelming selecting what type of flooring, and once you do, the options compound by giving you style, color, and pattern choices.

While most homeowners focus on the material and the aesthetics it creates, there’s another concern as well: installation.

Carpet gives you a soft, warm, comfortable flooring that works well in bedrooms. Carpet padding sets the stage for how well the carpet performs, so it’s equally as important as the flooring you choose.

Tile comes in a variety of sizes, colors, and patterns, but it’s the glue that holds it in place that will ultimately determine wearability and how long your tile functions and looks good.

Hardwood can be securely glued to the subfloor, or use click and lock technology, so it floats above the subfloor.

Flooring choices are important, but equally important is how the flooring is secured to the subfloor.

If you use adhesive, it can contain just as many VOCs as synthetic flooring, making your natural flooring choice just as volatile. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America has stated that the key to creating a healthier home is to pay attention to everything that goes into creating the home you live in. Pay attention to what triggers symptoms, and reduce their use. That includes keeping your home clean, and paying attention to the products you use to clean it with.

Everything matters in creating healthy indoor air quality. From the materials you use to build your house, to the personal items you bring into your home. Question anything that can be considered toxic, and make wiser choices.

Is hard flooring healthier for your family?

Hard flooring is only healthier if you pay attention to how you’re introducing it into your home. Synthetic hard flooring may be more symptomatic than natural carpet, for example. In this case, it would come down to your cleaning patterns, and how well you care for your home.

Only you can make the right choice for your home. To create a healthy environment for your family, stop by today and see the many different flooring choices available to help you create the environment that keeps you happy and safe for years to come.

The post Why Hard Flooring Is A Cleaner, Healthier Choice For Your Home first appeared on PRO! Flooring.

This post appeared first on https://pro-flooring.com

When a lot of homeowners decide to upgrade their interiors, the first place they start is with the flooring. After all, it’s one of the easiest ways to make a big impact in your home.

Here in Colorado, hardwood remains ever-popular. It’s where many homeowners start, especially for the main living spaces inside the family home. But if you have the desire to improve the sustainability of the materials you choose, and to reduce your carbon footprint, you start paying attention to the material and how it’s sourced. You love hardwood, but is it your best choice?

That may just give you a push to look at other sustainable products. You’ll find both bamboo and cork have many of the same qualities as hardwood, yet either can give you even more environmentally friendly aspects you’ll love bringing into your home.

Which should you consider? Start by understanding the pros and cons that each offers to your home.

What does environmentally friendly mean?

Before we get into what material is the most environmentally friendly for use in your home, it’s important to have a greater understanding of what it means to be environmentally friendly.

To live eco-friendly means to focus on preventing as much harm to the environment as you can through your daily intentions. It means selecting eco-friendly products that promote green living and prevent air, water, and noise pollution. They don’t drain the resources in the environment, while at the same time prevent human health deterioration.

To build a life around eco-friendly choices, it takes time to learn what’s out there, discover how it impacts the carbon footprint you create through your daily life, and support others who are also working to reduce emissions and create a more sustainable lifestyle.

The reason the three materials mentioned here – hardwood, bamboo, and cork – are closely associated with eco-friendly living is because of how they are produced as well as their popularity in the marketplace.

Bamboo and sustainability

One of the reasons bamboo has grown in popularity is its ability to mimic the looks of hardwood. It’s available in a wide array of colors and patterns. Leave it in its natural state to bring out aesthetically pleasing qualities. Or look for a broader range of options to match any design preferences.

One of the things that attracts people to bamboo is its sustainability. Bamboo isn’t actually a hardwood, and isn’t a product made from trees. Instead, it’s created from a rapidly growing grass that rejuvenated itself regularly from rhizome stock.  It can be harvested annually once the plant reaches full maturity, which can occur within five to seven years.

If bamboo is well managed, it grows rapidly in areas that require little work to create a dynamic stock. It requires neither pesticides nor fertilizers to grow, and works to prevent runoff into rivers and lakes. It’s important to check out the supplier carefully, to ensure the manufacturer is sourcing the product from well managed resources. This ensures they care about the material they are selecting, the process used in manufacturing, as well as creating the best product for your home.

If you select wisely, bamboo will be just as durable as other hardwood options. Bamboo can be as hard as red oak, and offer moisture-resistance that makes it a great choice for many rooms in your home. Care for it well,  and it can easily give you 20 to 25 years of life or more.

Cork and sustainability 

What do you think of when someone mentions cork? For many, it brings up wine bottles and bulletin boards they may have used in school. But cork flooring doesn’t resemble either of those. Instead, it’s a different flooring alternative with a lot of benefits you’ll find in other choices, such as hardwood or bamboo.

Cork flooring is sourced from the cork tree that is native and abundant in Portugal. Instead of chopping down the tree to use the internal wood, cork is taken from the tree’s bark, ground up, and processed into large sheets. It’s then baked in a kiln to achieve hardness, and brought into homes or commercial buildings for use.

Like bamboo, cork isn’t a “once only” product. Instead, cork can be harvested once every nine years from mature trees over 25 years old. When you remove the bark, it doesn’t harm the tree; it simply grows back. That means you can continually harvest it for years to come without destroying the crop.

Cork flooring has been used for hundreds of years and is found in homes throughout time. It’s both a sustainable and renewable resource that captures large amounts of carbon dioxide. If well cared for, cork can last for decades, meaning you won’t have to replace it multiple times as you update your home.

Hardwood and sustainability 

Hardwood has been a popular flooring choice, and continues to be one of the most in-demand on the market today. But is it sustainable?

Wood is a renewable resource if you select from a manufacturer that focuses on sustainable practices. Like other crops, wood can be harvested without damaging the environment if its carefully managed with sustainability in mind. Hardwood growers realize that it can take a tree up to 60 years to mature, so they manage their resources by planting more trees than they harvest. That ensures a growth rate that can always step up to date with demand. You can use the American Hardwood Export Council’s interactive map to learn more about the types and locations of where wood is harvested from.

Being environmentally friendly isn’t just about where the product is sourced from. It’s also about lifespan. If a product lasts for 60 years, it can be more environmentally friendly than one that needs changing out every 20.

It also depends on recyclability. Can the product be used again after removal? Can it be recycled into something else, without being deposed into the landfills?

Hardwood is a product that can continue to be used again and again, for projects like furniture, decorative features, or even accent walls.

What’s your preference?

What’s the best choice for environmentally friendly living – hardwood, bamboo, or cork? They each have their own unique characteristics that make them a great addition to any family home.

What’s your preference?

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Hardwoods are often a go-to for homeowners and thankfully, there are variants to choose from so you are not stuck with one choice as a homeowner who fancies hardwood. After all, variety is the spice of life and in this case, the spice of your home flooring. We have identified four domestic hardwood options for your home flooring. Go through each of them and take a pick.

Domestic Hardwood Options to Choose From

American Cherry

This dark and warm colored domestic hardwood comes with a luxurious and stylish finish. However, its luxury state is tender and we recommend installing it in the rooms in your home where you and your folks are less likely to pass through all the time; bedrooms are one of those rooms and a home office space or the study/game room in your home could be another.

Black Walnut

The Black Walnut, also known as the American Walnut, is a hardwood with a color range for you to choose from. From light brown to dark brown, the black walnut hardwood is usually laced with a red undertone or a gray undertone thereby making its experience richer on the eyes. Add the swirls to the undertones it comes with and you have a marvel on the floor of your home.

Oak

You can customize the oak hardwood more than you can customize either the American Cherry or the Black Walnut. Because of its abundance in the United States, it is one of the more popular choices and one hardwood floor you can easily maintain. Colors are available such as White Oak or Red Oak and within each color choice, there are choices to be made from different shades.

Maple

Present-day looks are what /Prefinished-Solid-Maple-Flooring are made for. So if you are looking for a hardwood flooring with a contemporary look, this is it.
Though they give you modern-day looks, they are prone to somewhat losing their color from constant exposure to sunlight, therefore, we recommend flooring dimly lit rooms in your home with this type of hardwood.

Have you picked one of these domestic hardwoods already? Let us deliver the hardwood of your choosing to your doorstep, and have it installed for you.

Contact us at Flooring.org by calling our toll free number at 1-800-689-9006!

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