Cuts

The angle at which a board is cut makes a big difference in how the finished product looks. Wood flooring is either plainsawn, quartersawn or riftsawn. Plainsawn ~ Plainsawn is the most common cut. The board contains more variation than the other two cuts because figure patterns resulting from the growth rings are more conspicuous. Quartersawn ~ Quartersawn produces less board feet per log than plainsawn and is therefore more expensive. Quartersawn wood twists and cups less and wears more evenly. Riftsawn ~ Riftsawn is similar to quartersawn, but the cut is made at a slightly different angle.

Species of Solid Wood Flooring

There are various domestic and imported wood species used for solid wood flooring. The most common of these are Red Oak, White Oak and Maple. Following are the most common domestic and imported woods used for flooring. The various hardwood species differ in their degrees of hardness, but most are suitably durable for use in the average home. See galleher.com/flooring for color photos of species, and galleher.com/green-products for green choices.

What are the advantages of solid wood flooring?

Although every hardwood board will predictably share the characteristics of its species such as - oak, ash, alder, maple, cherry, hickory and poplar- each board displays a face which is uniquely its own, having been formed over the long lifetime of the individual tree from which it came.  In addition, another great advantage of solid wood flooring over engineered is that the solid planks almost always have a thicker wear surface (the wood above the toungue & groove), allowing for additional sanding and refinishing. 3/4” solid wood has about 1/4” of wood above the T&G, which in most cases will allow for 3 to 5 sandings. Most engineered wood floors will allow for 2 to 3 sandings, depending on the thickness of the wear layer, the hardness of the wood and the skill of the craftsman.

Types

Engineered long-strip ~ Engineered long-strip may be floated, glued, or stapled down over almost any sound, flat and dry sub-floor above, on or below ground level. Generous single board surface widths are particularly suited to large, open spaces, while triple board surface widths complement any décor.

Engineered plank ~ Engineered plank may be floated, glued, nailed down or stapled down above, on or below ground level over an OSB board, plywood or concrete sub-floor. Once installed, the single board surface width gives the appearance of a solid wood floor.

What are the advantages of Engineered Wood Flooring?

The installation process of Engineered wood flooring is several days faster than the installation of Solid wood flooring since there is no sanding involved.  There is no dust created during the installation of Engineered wood flooring. There are seven thin coats of polyurethane (applied at the factory) vs. the three coats applied to solid, unfinished wood flooring at the job site.

Engineered wood flooring is generally less expensive to install than solid wood flooring, especially when it is installed directly over concrete sub-floor s. Solid wood requires a plywood sub-floor , as it generally has to be nailed down. If a jobsite has concrete sub-floor s, then purchasing and installing plywood on top of the concrete in order to accept solid wood floors adds significantly to costs and uses extra resources.  Because of its layered construction, engineered flooring expands and contracts less than solid wood flooring.  Engineered wood flooring can be floated over and glued to concrete and other non-wood sub-floor s as well as nailed or stapled down to wood sub-floor s, making it more versatile.

The other benefits of engineered wood flooring include their efficient use of resources. Engineered flooring uses high quality wood only where it counts, which is in the visible wear surface of the floor. The raw material yield is far superior. In the substrate, engineered wood flooring generally uses relatively abundant grades and fast-growing species of wood. Solid wood flooring is generally all higher grades of a desirable species, which are a precious and limited resource. From the tongue & groove down, which is usually about 2/3rds of the product, this precious wood is essentially wasted.

Laminate wood flooring is produced in:

Strip ~ Strip - thickness’ of 5/16", 3/8", 1/2" or 5/8" and in widths of 2 1/4" and 3”

Plank ~ Plank - thickness’ of 5/16", 3/8", 1/2" or 5/8" and in widths of 3” to 8”

Parquet ~ Parquet geometrical patterns composed of individual wood slats held in place by mechanical fastening or an adhesive. Many various sizes and patterns available.

Varieties of Laminated Flooring

Laminated wood flooring products are finished at the factory, and several finish options are available.

What are the advantages of Laminated Flooring?

Laminated flooring is more dimensionally stable and is ideal for glue-down installation or float-in installation above grade, on grade or below grade, including basements and humid climates. Laminated flooring is used for areas where solid wood flooring may not be appropriate, such as basements or utility room.

In general, laminate flooring is NOT healthy, as it uses adhesives that release VOCs.

As a material, wood is inherently "green," especially in comparison to non-renewable resources such as steel and concrete. The manufacturing of a non-renewable building material such as steel studs requires 25x more water, causes 2x the water pollution, and creates 3x more CO2 in the atmosphere. Besides being renewable, wood is non-toxic, energy-efficient to grow and manufacture, as well as recyclable and biodegradable. Wood is the only major building material whose production yields life-sustaining oxygen and absorbs the main agent of global warming, carbon dioxide.

Think a greener floor means a budget in the red? Not anymore. Today's eco-flooring choices boast competitive prices, rich colors, and varied surfaces -- and all of them spell good news for your health.

With home construction materials, the greenest product is one that not only has minimal impact on the environment but also minimal impact on your health. That certainly holds true for flooring.

Impacts of Clear-cutting

Some of the impacts of the large-scale clear-cutting of natural forests include the loss of wildlife habitat, soil erosion, and siltation of rivers and lakes.

Ancient or Frontier Forests

The most controversial logging is in forests that have been around for a long time. These ancient or “old-growth” forests are likely to contain rare species and the most vital ecosystems on the earth. In most parts of the world these forests only remain in remote areas, so they are also occasionally referred to as "frontier forests". If the remaining old-growth forests continue to be harvested, the effects will be devastating. When they are cut down it causes extreme habitat damage and reduces biodiversity (the range of organisms present in a given ecological community or system), while also releasing carbon into the atmosphere. The world’s frontier forests have dwindled dramatically since people began logging them about 8,000 years ago.

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.”
~Native American Proverb

Climate Change

Currently, deforestation and the burning of tropical forests is the second leading cause of climate change. These two devastating practices are responsible for more greenhouse gas emissions than all cars, trucks, ships, trains and other forms of transportation combined. When forests are cleared for agriculture and other uses they release enormous amounts of carbon into the air, adding to rising global temperatures.

Subsistence Farming

Roads that are cut into tropical forests by illegal loggers, miners and oil companies open the way for subsistence farming. Millions of people, each clearing a few acres of forest every few years adds up to an ecological catastrophe. One primary method of clearing the land is to use the slash and burn technique, which can be extremely destructive, especially when done on such a large scale.

Make Wise Choices - Stop Global Warming

Sources of Formaldehyde

In residential and commercial construction, the most significant sources of formaldehyde are likely to be pressed wood products that are made using adhesives that contain urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins. Engineered wood flooring is one example of a pressed wood product that often uses adhesives containing urea-formaldehyde. Other pressed wood products that are made for indoor use includes particleboard, hardwood plywood, medium density fiberboard (MDF), and high-density fiberboard (HDF). MDF and HDF contain a higher resin-to-wood ratio than any other UF pressed wood products, and are generally recognized as being the highest formaldehyde-emitting wood products. MDF and HDF are often used as substrates for laminate and some engineered wood flooring.

Other engineered wood products, such as softwood plywood and oriented strand board (OSB) are produced for use in exterior construction and contain the dark-colored phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin. Although formaldehyde gas is emitted from both types of resins, pressed woods that contain PF resin generally emit formaldehyde at considerably lower rates than those containing UF resin.

Eco Friendly Flooring Using Zero Formaldehyde Adhesives

To avoid formaldehyde off-gassing, high quality eco friendly engineered flooring is made with a non-formaldehyde glue called EPI. Once EPI adhesives have cured, they are inert (no off-gassing whatsoever). EPI glues are also superior in performance as they are stronger and more flexible than the urea-formaldehyde glues traditionally used in the wood flooring industry.



Some of the more common reported complaints related to carpet exposure are; difficulty in concentrating, headaches, nervousness, chills and fever, nausea and burning in the eyes, nose and sinuses. Needless to say, most of us would prefer avoiding these health risks!

Also - carpeted floors harbor more microorganisms than any other type of floor despite the chlorinated hydrocarbons that the fibers are treated with to act as a pesticide. The fibers provide a safe haven for mold, bacteria and other allergy-causing organisms to flourish. And finally, yet another concern is the ability of carpet to trap and hold airborne VOC's, (Volatile Organic Compounds). This is known as the "sink effect." Walking across the floor with the same shoes that have been exposed to the numerous chemicals in daily life w ill distribute those chemicals into the carpet fibers, where they will remain - sometimes up to 7 years.

3d rendering of a bacteria

Outgassing from new carpeting can persist at significantly high levels for up to three years after installation. In general the most active stage of outgassing is 4 weeks to 3 months.

In order to receive this certification seal, landowners must devise explicit management plans for maintaining ecological balance and log only within the limits of the forests ability to grow back. Certifying agencies conduct annual inspections and audits of timber shipments to ensure that these businesses honor the guidelines.

In fact there's even an accreditation program to ensure that certifiers are above board. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is considered to be the gold standard for this task. The FSC supports environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world forests by establishing sustainable forestry guidelines. Another role of FSC is the accreditation and monitoring of third-party certifiers. The FSC is endorsed by the World Wildlife Foundation, the Wilderness Society, The Natural Resource Defense Council, the Rainforest Alliance and the World Resources Institute. Since it's founding in 1993 by indigenous groups, timber companies and environmental organizations, the Forest Stewardship Council has authorized three European groups and two in the United States- SmartWood and Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) to dispense the FSC logo.

For landowners the environmental stamp of approval reassures neighbors, workers and the public that they are practicing good forestry. Some high profile certified wood users include Martin and Gibson (guitars), Char-Broil (grills) and smith and Hawken (outdoor furniture). Home Depot and Lowe's have pioneered a commitment to certified wood by assigning a phase out of conventional wood in exchange for FSC certified lumber.

As a consumer, the opportunity is yours to communicate that you are in support of forestry practice that protects habitats. When shopping look for the FSC logo (a check mark with a tree) stamped on the end of the lumber. By choosing products with this logo you can be assured that the wood you select comes from forests managed in an environmentally and socially responsible manner.

25% Pre-Consumer Recycled Content

Recycled content refers to the portion of materials used in a product that have been diverted from the solid waste stream. If those materials are diverted during the manufacturing process, they are referred to as pre-consumer recycled content (sometimes referred to as post-industrial). If they are diverted after consumer use, they are post-consumer.

Post-consumer content is generally viewed as offering greater environmental benefit than pre-consumer content. Although pre-consumer waste is much more vast, it is also more likely to be diverted from the waste stream. Post-consumer waste is more likely to fill limited space in municipal landfills and is typically mixed, making recovery more difficult.

To claim that it is using pre-consumer recycled content, a company must be able to substantiate that the material it is using would have become garbage, had they not purchased it from another company’s waste stream, for example. If a manufacturer routinely collects scraps and feeds them back into its own process, that material does not qualify as recycled.

Because it grows much faster than trees, bamboo is an excellent flooring choice for those looking for more sustainable flooring options. However, the idea that bamboo flooring is a more environmentally-friendly choice than wood is an over simplification.
 Buying sustainably-harvested wood pushes the timber industry in a more responsible direction, discourages illegal logging, and helps create economic value for a forest ecosystem that might otherwise be cleared for agriculture or development. For these reasons, sustainably-harvested wood is a more proactive environmental choice than agricultural products like bamboo.

Also, while bamboo resolves many sustainability issues, it has the same potential pitfalls as wood floor products, especially other laminates. In some cases, bamboo may need additional sealants or protective waxes, which are not always free of harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Bamboo Hardness: Fact & Fiction

The Janka test can give misleading information about bamboo’s durability as a flooring product. Because of the strength of the bamboo fibers, the floor resists impact with round objects like the steel balls used in Janka tests. The fibers act like a trampoline and bounce the steel ball out. However, as noted, the bonding material between the bamboo fibers is much weaker than the lignens in wood. If a sharp object such as a rock in someone’s shoe cuts the bamboo fibers, the bamboo scratches or gouges easily because the material between the fibers is relatively soft. Therefore, if a bamboo floor and a hardwood floor have identical Janka test ratings, in reality the hardwood floor will dent and scratch less than the bamboo. It is also important to note that some bamboo flooring companies report very misleading Janka test ratings. They get high ratings by performing the test on the ‘knuckle’ or node of the bamboo stalk, which occupies only a tiny portion of the floor’s surface area and is substantially harder than most of the floor.

Traditional bamboo flooring has Janka ratings of 1300-1600 PSI for the Natural color, and 1100-1300 for the Carbonized (‘Amber’) color. The inherent hardness, combined with a tough finish (often acrylic), makes bamboo a durable choice for flooring, but the hardness of traditional Bamboo flooring has been greatly exaggerated by some manufacturers. Woven Bamboo, on the other hand, rivals the hardness of the most dense tropical hardwoods.

Palm wood is considered greener than bamboo because it is harvested from already existing plantations, and unlike bamboo, it is not cultivated on land where nothing else is grown. In effect, coconut palm wood is a by-product of coconut production and therefore it has Forest Stewardship Council approval.

Although palm wood, like bamboo, has to be shipped across the Pacific from Southeast Asia, container-shipping, pound-for-pound, emits less carbon and uses much less energy than cross-country trucking.  (Data is from the Network for Transport and the Environment (NTM), a nonprofit organization based in Sweden.)

Distinctive graining, which looks like flecks of thread floating in resin, gives coconut palm wood a beautiful quality seen more often in more expensive endangered hardwoods.

Palm wood may be plentiful in 100-year-old plantations that are no longer productive but it does not fare well in its natural, tropical habitat, where ants abound. Hence, the raw material is more expensive than bamboo. In raw form, it is also not available in large planks and joining this hard-as-maple wood is not easy. Its patterning is random and the color is difficult to match from board to board.

CORK SPECIFICATIONS

These physical properties provide cork all the famous advantages:

Frictional Quality: Cork is a highly frictional material, both in its natural form as well as in cork composition. Even when wet or coated with oil or grease, cork retains this quality which surpasses that of leather, rubber, and many other products used for frictional or non-skid purposes.

Low thermal conductivity: Next to a vacuum, a "dead" air space minutely divides one of the most efficient non-conductors of heat. The cell construction of cork provides this property for which cork is so famous.

Ability to absorb vibration: Cork, with its 200 million air cells per cubic inch; of which 50% is air, essentially acts as an "air cushion", absorbing vibrations and direct impacts.

Stability: Cork is a tough, durable substance with remarkable capacity for retaining its initial properties wherever recommended. The high degree of stability under varying conditions is paramount to the continuing success and use of cork in the world today.

Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT) Flooring Defined

Hardwood is a natural material which is produced when trees are harvested from forested areas. Vinyl is a man-made material, manufactured from petroleum. LVT flooring refers to vinyl that has been printed with the colors and markings found in
natural wood.

Durability and Life Cycle

• LVT: There are two major types of vinyl; printed and solid. Printed materials have an invisible wear layer that protects the surface of the floor. The longevity of the material is therefore determined by the thickness of the protective coating on it. With solid vinyl, the colors are true through the depth of the material, but the surface can be scratched or marred over time. On
average, manufacturer warranties will guarantee this material for a 10 to 20-year lifespan.

• Hardwood: If well maintained and cared for hardwood flooring can last for generations. Depending on the type of wood, the  material may be extremely hard and resistant to damage, and treatments can be used to reinforce the natural strength of  hardwood. If the floor does get damaged, it can also often be repaired, or refinished, which will completely revitalize the material and make it look brand new.

Versatility

• LVT: The surface of vinyl hardwood flooring is just a printed representation of what the actual material looks like. Because of this, the appearance of virtually any species of wood can be achieved. Vinyl also offers you the ability to install padding  underneath the floor.

• Hardwood Floors: All wood is not alike, and there are a number of factors that will determine what your floor ends up looking like.  This includes the species of wood, the grade, the cut, and any color or finish treatments which you choose to apply. The price difference between different types of wood can be quite substantial.