Eco-Flooring
At King’s Flooring, we understand that raising our children in a cleaner environment is an important thing. We also know that there are many clients who are searching for Eco-Friendly Flooring options. For that reason, we carry both Cork Flooring and Bamboo Flooring, both very popular and eco conscious choices for your flooring needs.
Here is more information about these products:
Bamboo floors are manufactured from the bamboo plant. The majority of today’s bamboo flooring products originate in China and other portions of Asia. The species of bamboo used for flooring is commonly known as “Moso”.
The most common form, particularly in southeast Asia, uses thin bamboo stems that are cut as flat as possible. They are cut to similar lengths and can be stained, varnished, or simply used as is. They are then nailed down to wooden beams or bigger pieces of bamboo stems. This form results in more space between each bamboo stem; flatness and tightness is not emphasized. This technique is usually used on stilted houses, resulting in better air circulation especially during the warmer summer months.
The manufactured bamboo flooring commonly found in North American markets is highly processed. The bamboo is split and flattened, dried, and then laminated in layers with glue under high pressure. Manufactured bamboo floors are typically made available in planks with either vertical- or horizontal-grain orientation.
The two major colors are natural (similar to beech) and carbonized (similar to oak). The process of steaming bamboo material under a controlled pressure and temperature is called carbonization, in which bio-organisms and sugar breaks down, and the color of the material changes into brownish. The natural and carbonized bamboo floors are typically referred to as solid bamboo, although in fact the structures are layered, similar to a plywood.
Bamboo floor manufacturers and sellers promote its durability as well as resistance to insects and moisture. Bamboo has also gained a reputation as an eco-friendly, highly renewable source of material, as the bamboo plant (technically a grass) reaches maturity in considerably less time than the trees used to make wood floors.
Cork flooring is undeniably the single most environmentally friendly floorcovering you could consider. Cork is quiet and durable, is a natural product that is harvested from the bark of the cork oak tree. Cork flooring production involves a completely harmless process which allows the cork oak tree to be continuously harvested every 9 or 10 years. An average tree can live to well over 100 years, so one can see how viable and productive this process can be.
Portugal and Spain are major exporters of cork due in large part to the number of sustainable forests in these regions.
Cork flooring is actually made from the reclaimed waste from other manufactured cork products. Through a unique process where high pressure and heat is applied to ground up cork granules, making in essence a large block of raw agglomerated product, it now becomes possible to produce such things as cork underlayment, cork planks, cork tiles or cork sheet goods in both unfinished and prefinished products.
These products are now available for your use as underlayment, crack suppression, plank or tile floors. Soft, luxurious, beautiful flooring that will last a lifetime is at your disposal. The availability of this product is greater than at any time within the last 20 years, as is your choice of colors and finish. If one word can sum this product up, it would be resilient. It possesses a unique ability to adapt to various climate conditions as well as hold up under the highest traffic. Cork also comes in different colors/shades.
