Fwd: Sustainable Hardwood Floor Options

March 27, 2007

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March 23, 2007

Sustainable Hardwood Floor Options by Alison Rogers Hardwood flooring has long been a popular choice among homeowners. Its beautiful, easy to clean, and unlike carpet, doesnt harbor harmful chemicals, dirt or dust mites that can affect indoor air quality. Properly installed, high-quality hardwood floors can last for decades, and even add value to a home.

If youre considering a new hardwood floor, but want to stay true to your earth-friendly ideals, youre in luck theres a long list of sustainable hardwood flooring products to choose from. Weve assembled a few to get you started. Keep reading for a list of companies that provide them.

Certified Wood FlooringThe Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a nonprofit group that promotes environmentally responsible forestry practices. Companies can offer peace of mind to consumers by displaying the FSCs stamp of approval, which is awarded by third-party organizations that ensure certain stewardship standards have been met.

You dont have to sacrifice your options when you choose responsibly. A wide range of flooring woods come with the FSC stamp, including cherry, maple, birch, ash, Douglas fir, oak and more.

Reclaimed Wood FlooringAs the name implies, timber salvaged from old buildings, river bottoms, or even trees removed from urban settings can become your new hardwood floor. The finished product can have either a like-new or antique appearance, and comes in a variety of lengths and widths. Availability can be unpredictable, so plan as far in advance as possible.

Suppressed Wood FlooringFrom time to time, a forest can become overly dense, resulting in disease and fire susceptibility. Small trees in the forests understory are the casualties of the unavoidable thinning-out process, but theres good news: They make excellent hardwood floors.

Less Expensive Wood FlooringSome softwoods, such as pine or spruce, also make excellent lower-cost floors. To learn more about choosing and installing softwood floors, go to www.motherearthnews.com/Green-Home-Building/2006-10-01/Install-a-Beautiful-Affordable-Wood-Floor.aspx

Once youve chosen the perfect wood floor, dont reverse your efforts to lessen your homes impact on the Earth by using toxic finishes and adhesives during the installation process. Water-based products are less energy-intensive to manufacture, less polluting when disposed of, and less threatening to indoor air quality.

Where to find:

Certified woodDwight Lewis Lumber/Lewis Lumber ProductsPicture Rocks, Pa.www.lewislp.comCascadia Forest Goods, LLCDexter, Ore.www.cascadiaforestgoods.comPlaza Hardwood, Inc.Santa Fe, N.M.www.plzfloor.comTembec, Inc., Huntsville DivisionHunstville, ON, Canadawww.muskokaflooring.comReclaimed WoodCitilogEwing, N.J.www.citilogs.comElmwood Reclaimed TimberKansas City, Mo.www.elmwoodreclaimedtimber.comVintage TimberworksTemecula, Calif.www.vintagetimber.comBig Timberworks, Inc.Gallatin Gateway, Mont.www.bigtimberworks.comVintage Material SupplyAustin, Texaswww.vintagematerialsupply.comSuppressed WoodGreen Mountain WoodworksPhoenix, Ore.www.greenmountainwoodworks.com

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Go Irish and Craft a Shillelagh

You don't have to be Irish to make a sturdy walking stick or cane, known in Ireland as a shillelagh (pronounced shih-LAY-lee). In fact, the gnarled, hardwood wallopers (which the Celts carried as weapons or rabbit killers) are really pretty easy to craft. The traditional walking stick's name comes from an old Gaelic word meaning "oak club," and before the eighth century these weapons were made of oak cut from a great forest near the

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Green Remodeling: Changing the World One Room at a Time by David Johnston and Kim Master Whether because of changing lifestyles or simply because existing houses are becoming outdated, millions of North Americans are renovating their homes every year, spending more money annually on renovation than on new-home construction. But renovations can be fraught with unintended consequences like indoor air pollution. How do you remodel in a healthy, environmentally friendly way? For a Limited Time Only save 20% on this great resource from the Mother Earth News Wiser Living Book Series. Normally: $29.95Today Only: $23.95 | Order Now

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March 27, 2007

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cyndikrall

RealSimple

Tuesday, March 27, 2007 2:08 PM

[RealSimple] Fwd: Sustainable Hardwood Floor Options

Another great 'green' alternative hardwood flooring option is Bamboo.

Bamboo is a grass, not a tree and grows quickly, making it one of the most

sustainable options. And if you don't like the very pale color of bamboo

flooring, they now make a darker alternative that is produced by heating the

sugars found naturally in the bamboo. Doing this carmelizes the bamboo and

gives it a darker tone.

And the cost is coming down too so it's comparable to buying other

hardwoods. It's not as cost prohibitive like it use to be.

Once I get some other problems fixed in my living & dining rooms, we're

putting in bamboo floors.

sluggy

March 28, 2007

I love the look of bamboo. I bet that dark bamboo is gorgeous! Did you get the problem with the walls fixed? Just curious what you ended up doing?Cyndi

In a message dated 3/27/2007 1:53:48 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, arcure writes:

Another great 'green' alternative hardwood flooring option is Bamboo. Bamboo is a grass, not a tree and grows quickly, making it one of the most sustainable options. And if you don't like the very pale color of bamboo flooring, they now make a darker alternative that is produced by heating the sugars found naturally in the bamboo. Doing this carmelizes the bamboo and gives it a darker tone.And the cost is coming down too so it's comparable to buying other hardwoods. It's not as cost prohibitive like it use to be.Once I get some other problems fixed in my living & dining rooms, we're putting in bamboo floors.sluggy AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com.