Hardwood Flooring Must-Know Shopping Facts

With so many available options for hardwood flooring, today's environmentally responsible consumer wants accurate information to simplify the process of selecting a new hardwood floor.

"Be a knowledgeable consumer," says the American Hardwood Information Center, www.HardwoodInfo.com, "and get the facts about U.S. hardwoods. They're 'green,' exceptionally beautiful and can last a lifetime." Shop with confidence! These hardwood facts will guide you in making the right hardwood flooring choice.

• A solid hardwood floor will provide decades of extraordinary beauty, durable service and flexibility. It may initially cost a little more, but remember that solid hardwood flooring can be refinished for excessive wear or changing tastes.
• Hardwood floors are non-toxic and trap no allergens. Simple maintenance -- dust mopping, sweeping or vacuuming -- will keep them looking great and allergen-free.
• U.S. hardwoods are truly sustainable. A recent US Forest Service report verified that the volume of hardwood timberland in American forests is almost double that of 50 years ago.
• U.S. hardwoods are an all-natural, carbon-negative material. They have no emissions for methane, nitrogen oxides and other particulate matter and they're homegrown, further minimizing their carbon footprint.
• When considering a particular hardwood, pay attention to its hardness rating. Consider Oak, Maple, Cherry and Ash for high traffic areas.

  Which One?

  Pre-finished solid hardwood flooring is already sanded and sealed with at least four coats of ultraviolet-cured urethane resin by the manufacturer. It offers consistent quality, quicker installation and immediate gratification, meaning you can walk on it as soon as it is laid. Time and money saved during the installation typically offset the initial higher material cost.

  Unfinished solid hardwood flooring must be sanded and sealed on-site. While it offers more color choices, it requires extensive preparation. The sanding process is messy; significant drying time is needed after each sealing application often requiring up to five days for completion. While the initial material cost is lower, remember the additional finishing cost.

  Engineered flooring, consisting of a plywood base that's covered with a 1/16- to 1/8-inch thick layer of wood, works well in bathrooms and basements where light moisture might be a concern. It's almost always pre-finished. However, because the top layer is so thin, it can't be sanded more than one to three times. The less expensive choices cannot be sanded at all due to the very thin top layer.

  Don't be Misled by Lookalikes

  The least expensive flooring option is laminate. It looks like wood, but it's really a printed paper affixed to a wood-chip base or high-density fiberboard, covered with a clear surface layer. Remember, it's not hardwood. Scratches or dings can't be repaired.

  Bamboo flooring is being called hardwood. It's not. It's a grass typically grown in tropical regions of the world. To make it into flooring, it must be glued together under tremendous pressures. Glue content can range from three to 20 percent, and often contains urea formaldehyde, a probable human carcinogen. Flooring manufacturers approximate it lasting 30 years. Unlike hardwood, it's not carbon negative and because it's typically manufactured in Southeast Asia, shipment to U.S. shores increases its carbon footprint significantly.

  Tropical woods, not native to the U.S., are being renamed and falsely marketed as favorite hardwoods. Be careful. Brazilian Cherry is jatoba and Chilean Cherry is lenga. Neither is Cherry. Tasmanian Oak and Australian Heritage Oak are really eucalyptus and Malaysian Oak is rubber wood. When in doubt, visit www.HardwoodInfo.com to review the U.S. hardwood Species Guide.

  As you contemplate your home improvement projects, make choices based on fact. For flooring, furniture, mouldings, millwork and cabinetry that will last, choose U.S. hardwood, nature's quintessential "green" material.

  For additional information about U.S. hardwoods, visit the American Hardwood Information Center at www.HardwoodInfo.com.