Archive for the ‘Flooring’ Category

Cork Flooring

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

Cork! When most people hear that word a pop sound enters their minds as champagne spurts out of a bottle. Or a smaller pop thumps their brains when their favorite red wine is uncorked. But, as more wine bottles are shedding their natural cork stoppers in favor of more economical twist-offs and silicon plugs, more floors are being covered with cork as an economical alternative to wood and tile flooring.

Cork serves a world of good under your feet. Cork comprises a unique galaxy of flooring with it’s own benefits and qualities superior to other styles of flooring. First, cork flooring is less expensive than hard wood flooring and is just as beautiful. Like hardwood flooring, it can ad re-sell value to your home and is appealing to home buyers. Cork flooring is also great for noise reduction. Cork is such a soft material, it cuts down on the noise factor under your feet, making it a superb choice not just for your home, but also for apartments and condominiums. Another perk is that cork is a great insulator, helping you save on energy costs.

Cork flooring is also extremely comfortable under your feet. It is a smart choice for people with achy body parts, the elderly, and romping kids. Cork flooring has health benefits as well. It is naturally hypo-allergenic, waterproof, and resistant to the growth of mold and mildew.

Installing cork flooring is a “Green” thing to do. This might cause your friends and neighbors to become green with envy. Cork is obtained from the bark of the Cork Oak tree. Cork Oak trees are unique in the fact that stripping their bark away does not kill them. They continue to flourish and about every ten years the bark can be utilized again. Cork Oak trees are able to survive up to 200 years.

And let’s not forget about style. As there are a plethora of flavors and hues to choose from in the world of wine, there is a vast variety of styles and shades to explore in the realm of cork to complement your lifestyle and your living space. Cork ground covering is an art form all of it’s own from nature’s pallette. It is available in a variety of textures, patterns, hues and variations to enhance any living environment for years to come.

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Thinking About Natural Flooring?

Thursday, October 1st, 2009

Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo Flooring

Natural flooring is a great way to add a touch of style to your room, while keeping it safe for the environment. There are a variety of materials available to design your floor naturally. Synthetic flooring may be cheap but can cause long term harm. Natural flooring reduces the chances of chemicals contaminating the air inside your home. If you want to replace your vinyl or carpet with more eco-friendly materials, you might want to consider some of the materials mentioned here. Make sure you consider the pro’s and con’s when it comes to how the final look will meet your needs, your financial limitations and the amount of maintenance that might be required.

The carpeting that most homes come pre-installed with are manufactured using petroleum based nylon. Today several carpets made from plant based fibers. The most popular sources include jute, sea grass, abaca, coir and sisal. Natural fiber carpets can also be made from the hair of animals such as llamas and sheep. Natural carpets are usually resistant to stains and fire but can be much more expensive to their synthetic counterparts.

Cork is another great option for flooring. It does not require cutting down trees, but rather uses the bark of the cork oak tree, which grows back. The costs involved are a lot less than hardwood since cork can be easily installed in the form of tiles. Cork tiles have a relaxing soft feel about them due to air pockets in the cork.

Another inexpensive flooring option is earthen flooring, which can bring a sense of antique class to your room. But keep in mind that earthen floors crack over time and cannot be used in moisture prone areas.

An alternative to vinyl based flooring is linoleum. Linoleum is prepared from ingredients such as linseed oil, limestone and natural resins and have a longer life than traditional vinyl. It can produce the smell of linseed oil which wears of within a few months. It is important to ensure that the linoleum product being used is all natural.

Hardwood flooring has always been a popular option due to their durability and ever classy look. It’s recommended to use wood which has been pre-approved by the Forest Stewardship Council.

Last but not the least, bamboo is strong alternative to wood, as it can withstand a lot of weight and grows much faster.

Now that you know some of the options, get to work thinking about how you might use natural flooring for your next home project.

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Lumber Seems To Be Recession Proof

Tuesday, September 1st, 2009

According to richmondbizsense.com, the lumber liquidator industry is doing great in spite of the recession.

“Top and bottom lines were better than expected, and we saw an increase in sales despite the economic environment,” chief executive Jeff Griffiths recently told industry analysts on a conference call.

Apparently the less expensive lines of wood flooring are becoming more popular as remodeling takes a greater effect than new construction.

“Sales for construction goods suppliers nationally are down overall. Harvard University’s Joint Center for Housing Studies reported last month that remodeling activity, a leading indicator of goods sales, has dropped 12.3 percent this year. But center director Nicholas P. Retsinas has said he sees some stirrings of life due to low financing costs and improved home sales.”

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