Green Flooring, Cork-Bamboo-Reclaimed

Floor coverings is one of the most changes products in a home. Floors wear and need replaced more often than walls or ceilings, but new floor coverings and some new paint renews a room. Many are wanting to help the environment and be more green, but they are already in a home and don't plan on a major remodel. Putting new floor coverings in can renew the home and add some green to any home. But not all floor coverings are green, so finding the proper manufactured product is key. Cork, Bamboo and reclaimed wood seem to be the hot products for green and sustainable floor coverings. Each have their attributes and limitations. Cork is great for areas that could get wet, but not as good for heavy, rough traffic. Bamboo is extremely dense and durable, but has limitations to colors and design. Reclaimed wood has a very wide array of products but not as easy to find. So read more about each of these products and see which one best fits your project.

Cork is a great option for comfort and eco-friendly products. Cork is one of nature's most unique materials. It is incredibly elastic and compressible, and soft underfoot, while at the same time being strong and durable. It is also resistant to moisture. It is also very light and has natural rot-resistant and fire-resistant properties. There is not a synthetic material that can replicate cork's unique set of properties, which is a result of its flexible membrane, its honeycomb structure.
The cork that is used to make cork flooring tiles and planks comes from the Cork Oak, which is almost exclusively found in a narrow band around the western coast of the Mediterranean. It is considered a natural treasure in these areas. The tree that cork is derived from is unique too in that its outer bark (cork) can be stripped and removed several times, with little harm to the tree. Since these cork oak trees - which are indigenous to Spain, Portugal, Italy and Southern France - can live up to 200 years, this constitutes a steady source of a truly renewable raw material.
The unique properties of cork combine to give cork flooring a wide range of benefits:
* Soft and comfortable - cork has a wonderful cushioning effect, due to its extreme elasticity and compressibility.
* Warm - low heat conductivity makes cork one of the best insulating materials in the world, with insulating r-values better than many carpets.
* Durable - cork flooring has superior durability to many other types of flooring.
* Quiet - the bubbles of air trapped in cork's honeycomb structure also provide fantastic insulation against sound and even vibrations.
* Natural resistance - cork is naturally resistant to many things: it is naturally resistant to rot, fire-resistant and anti-static. Because it does not shed irritant fibers and does not attract dust, cork is ideal for people with allergies.
* Water-resistant - moisture cannot permeate cork because it contains a natural substance called suberin which makes it impermeable. This makes it ideal for many areas where there may be high moisture.
* Easy care - cork is very easy to clean and resistant to soiling.
* Natural beauty - cork offers a natural beauty that is soothing to look at. It comes in a range of natural honey tones, as well as being available in stained shades, that can vary from red to green to black.
* Eco-friendly - as a completely renewable resource that is also 100 natural and biodegradable, cork is a fantastic choice for those looking for sustainable flooring.

Bamboo's durability, warmth, and beauty make it one of the most unique and desirable flooring materials. Bamboo is actually not a tree at all but a fast-growing grass - almost like a weed - it can be renewed every 5 years. Hardwood floors come from hardwood trees which require 30 years or more. Some species shoot up 3 feet a day and reach heights of 60 feet within the first few months of growth. In fact, if bamboo is not cut down within 5 years, it would fall on its own. If not harvested it would fall and be wasted.
Bamboo also grows in large feilds and adapts easily to a regular cycle of harvesting every 5 to 6 years. It is prevalent all over Asia and is essentially, one of the most abundant and renewable resources on the planet. For centuries, it has been used extensively all over the Far East to make flooring, building structures and furniture as people have appreciated its extreme hardness and durability. Despite its graceful, willowing appearance as plant, it is harder and tougher than some hardwood varieties and provides a wonderful eco-friendly alternative to traditional hardwood flooring.
Bamboo is actually one of the hardest natural materials available and superior to traditional hardwood flooring, like oak and maple. Bamboo has incredible tensile strength - exceeding that of several grades of steel and a much higher fiber rating than any hardwood, so it provides a durability that is hard to match. Bamboo does not suffer from contraction and expansion extremes as much as hardwood, so it can often be installed in areas of high moisture with lesser problems. It also copes better than traditional hardwoods with temperature changes, showing less warping, bulging and cupping.
Like hardwood, bamboo is available in a range of beautiful natural colors, ranging from light tans to dark caramel. This is a natural color created by heating the bamboo strips during production and literally caramelizing the sugars. Bamboo can also be pre-stained and is available in a wide range of colors and shades.

Reclaimed wood refers to any timber which is taken from disused, old buildings and refinished for use again in modern settings. Sources of reclaimed wood include timber and decking from old buildings, piers, barns, bridges or factories. Other sources may be more exotic, such as oak from old beer, wine or pickle vats. The bottom of old railroad box cars can be a source. All these structures were planned for destruction and their materials wasted so by reclaiming wood, the valuable timber can be rescued and recycled for use again, while also preserving some historically significant or just an interesting story.
For those wanting to "go green" but unwilling to compromise on style and quality, reclaimed wood flooring could be the way to go. Not only is reclaimed wood flooring as beautiful as traditional wood flooring but it often has additional historical value and character which cannot be replicated in modern flooring, Have you ever seen pickle wood flooring in a flooring store? Probably not.
Some of the benefits of using reclaimed wood are listed below.
* Using reclaimed wood flooring, which is a recycled material, means that you are making an environmentally responsible choice and promoting an alternative to cutting down more trees.
* Reclaimed wood gives you complete confidence of durability and stability as you know that it was used in old, original structures which have been standing for hundreds of years.
* Reclaimed wood provides the beauty and feel of wood flooring without the associated damages caused by deforestation.
* Reclaimed wood is unique - you will never find another piece to match its look, quality and unique history. It is a link to our past. Depending on where is came from, the wood will have unique variations in color, grain structure and character. The origin of the timber and the elements that the wood was exposed to during its life in the antique structure determines the look.

Trestlewood is a great source for reclaimed wood flooring. Read more about Trestlewood at Green Building Ideas