Many people think of cork as a relatively new and possibly unreliable option particularly as a surface flooring material. And yet, there are examples of Natural Cork floors in public buildings that were installed over 100-years ago and are still in use today. The Library of Congress in Washington, DC is one excellent case.

As knowledge about this flooring product is spreading, Cork is becoming increasingly popular, for a variety of reasons.

Cork flooring is eco-friendly, as it is harvested harmlessly from the bark of the cork tree. Grown on farms and harvested every 9 to 11 years, once the tree has reached maturity, the financial benefit lies not in felling these trees but in keeping them alive and in production for generations.

Natural Cork is still harvested by hand in the traditional method leaving the habitat intact and with minimal impact on the overall environment. Removal of the bark, known as "stripping", must be done during the active growing season, June through August. Using hand tools, a series of cuts are made in the bark, one at ground level, one just below the first branches, and two vertical cuts joining these. The loosened bark is then pried off in two large sheets where possible and smaller bits if not. Sheets of cork are stacked and left for days to dry in the sun, before being sent to factory.

Today, cork flooring is created from the post-industrial by-product of the bottle-stopper industry. This 'waste' material is ground up and then formed into sheets using minimal amounts of adhesive to bind the particles together under high pressure. The size, quantity, and type of cork granule in conjunction with varying degrees of pressure make the difference between "bulletin board" material and material suitable for flooring applications.

Cork has many unique properties that make it especially useful for flooring.

     • The cork bark is filled with millions of tiny air        cells, trapped in a dense network of 14-sided        cells. This honeycomb of cells…
            o Resists moisture absorption
            o Deadens noise and vibration, and
            o Insulates well.

     • Cork repels many bugs, including termites,        with a naturally occurring wax substance. The        same substance makes cork naturally flame        retardant.

     • Cork's most famous property is the "bounce"        of cork flooring. While not spongy, cork floors        have a softer feel than hardwood, vinyl, and tile.        The resiliency of the floor helps to cushion feet        that stand for long hours, and reduces the        wear on the floor.

Bamboo floors have gained in popularity for a variety of reasons.

Ecologically, bamboo is the ultimate renewable resource. Bamboo, a species of grass, can be harvested after three years and requires almost no fertilization or pesticides. Most bamboo used in flooring comes from mainland China, from an area known as "The Bamboo Sea." (Don't worry; this is not the same bamboo that endangered pandas eat, as that bamboo is a different, mountain-growing species.) With the growing concern about the environmental footprint left by bamboo product producers, our supplier, Teragren, has been working on becoming carbon neutral and is making great progress.

Bamboo flooring is excellent because it is extremely dense and durable. Our bamboo flooring averages 25 percent harder than red oak and 12 percent harder than North American maple. (Teragren's Synergy™ strand bamboo flooring is 154 percent harder than oak.) With a durable wear-layer on top, bamboo flooring will look great for years. In fact, our bamboo floors come with a lifetime structural warranty and a 25-year residential and 5-year commercial finish warranty.

Bamboo flooring is either left a natural color or is pressure-cooked to create an amber color. In both cases, the color of the flooring goes through the entire strip of bamboo, unlike a color applied to the surface. We also provide a full spectrum of coordinating flooring, stair parts and trim, architectural casings, floor vents, panels, veneer, edge banding and butcher block countertops to help you complete the design of your home.

Linoleum

Our linoleum by Marmoleum has been a mainstay flooring for over 100 years because it is one of the few products made from primarily natural raw materials. It is made up of linseed oil, rosins, and wood flour, calendared onto a natural jute backing.

It is a tough yet visually striking linoleum floor, highly resistant to heavy rolling loads and foot traffic. Because Marmoleum is a natural organic product, its performance is enhanced by time, as exposure to air serves to harden and increase its durability. Although Marmoleum continues to harden over time, the floor remains quiet and comfortable under foot.

Why Marmoleum?
     • It's Safe! The first floor to be certified by the        Asthma & Allergy Foundation of America as        asthma & allergy friendly™
     • It's Natural! A sustainable and natural floating        floor
     • It's Fun! 24 colors of panels and squares
     • It's Comfortable! Very warm and comfortable to        walk on
     • It's Simple! Easy, glue-less installation
     • It's Serious! Easy to clean and naturally        bacteriostatic