Smart & Beautiful Floors

If you’re building or remodeling this spring, there are more choices than ever before when it comes to sustainable, environmentally friendly products. Choices in flooring materials, for example, can help to preserve our forests and other resources, and cork and bamboo tops this list.

Cork floors are made from the harvested bark of the cork tree. Because the tree is not cut down and the bark is a renewable resource, it’s a desirable choice for environmentally aware consumers. Cork is cushiony soft and helps to diminish noise. Cork flooring is offered in many colors in both planks and tiles. Like solid wood, cork can be finished, stained, or painted.

Bamboo flooring has been used for centuries in Asia because of its beauty, hardness, and durability. Recognized as the fastest-growing plant on earth, bamboo offers 25 times the yield of hardwood, yet is just as durable. Bamboo can be harvested every 5 to 7 years, unlike 15 to 100 years for many tree woods. Today’s bamboo floors are available in many colors and textures.