Photo: courtesy National Wood Flooring Association
These words describe not that new associate in your firm, but rather the ideal spec for today's wood floor. Informing this SNAP roundup of new products and advice are new ideas in conserving resources and ensuring adequate hardness - without sacrificing good looks. Experts and architects alike encourage careful, judicious comparisons of rival products. Many manufacturers know they're competing primarily on these performance criteria and take pains to sound like the best choice. But there's more to know: Occupational safety impinges on any nonresidential flooring choice, and the margin for error is increasingly slim. The National Floor Safety Institute, for example, reports that flooring is the leading cause of slip-and-fall accidents. That places the liability for construction defect claims at least partly in the design team's bailiwick. The good news is that new finishes (that are low in VOCs and free of toxics) can make a beautiful hardwood finish safe for even the most challenging occupancies.
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Low-voc Bamboo Plywood Manufacturer: Smith & Fong Performance: Formaldehyde emission less than 0.2 ppm Price range: $-$$ Applications: PlybooPure is produced with no added formaldehyde and is FSCcertified. Options include finished or unfinished, amber or natural, and flat or vertical grain. Product is GreenSpec-listed. |
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Engineered Cork Flooring Manufacturer: Available through Architectural Systems, Inc. Performance: Durable anti-scratch transparent PVC wear layer, FSC chain of custody and GreenGuard certified Price range: $–$$ Applications: This flooring offers a real wood veneer with many of the resiliency and sustainability benefits associated with renewable cork. The highly durable, anti-scratch polyvinyl chloride finish helps the floor meet any durability requirements. |
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Acrylic-Impregnated Hardwood Manufacturer: Armstrong Performance: 50% more crush-resistant finish Price range: $–$$ Applications: Armstrong's Premier Performance line spans six hardwood species in a wide selection of colors and lengths. Resists crushing 50% better than unprotected wood of the same species. Through-color construction hides scratches and gouges. |
Joseph MacNeil, LEEP AP
Associate, YAS Architecture, Chicago "Here are two quick tips for specifying
wood flooring: Hardwoods, which vary
in actual hardness, are measured by the
Janka hardness test - the higher the rating,
the harder the wood. When specifying for
sustainability, generally the faster a tree
grows the more renewable the resource
is. As an example, bamboo flooring is typically
more sustainable than oak.” |
Sonja Bijelic, AIA
Principal, ArchSTUDIO2227, Philadelphia “Consider strand-woven bamboo, the
hardest and most resilient hardwood
known. The strands are treated with a
low-VOC, heat-sensitive resin, then compressed
into a dense log that is milled into
flooring and other products. The process
increases the yield from the material,
which adds to bamboo's superior environmental
attributes. And it's about as hard as
Brazilian cherry, but easier to work with —
and more affordable, too. Review the resin
product data carefully before selecting a
manufacturer.” |
Marc Chavez, AIA, CSI CCS CCCA
Associate Partner, Specifications Writer, Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects LLP, Seattle ”In the old days, maple gym floors were
put down with roofing asphalt over the
concrete slab to control moisture. Why
should our installations on concrete be
any different? Even a plywood subfloor
should be examined for moisture content
before laying down the new floor.
Manufacturers limit moisture to 3 pounds
per 1,000 square feet of floor area, as per
ASTM 1869 — or better yet comparable
numbers using probes and ASTM 2170.“ |
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| Photo © National Wood Flooring Association |
Wood Floors: Stable, Sturdy, Sensuous
Hardwood floors are a minefield for specifiers, especially in commercial applications. Yet the benefits in perceived value are high. A word to the wise: Keep in mind these top concerns.
Species. Much more than matching a project's color palette, species should offer high-dimensional stability while being easy to machine and finish. Other design concerns are texture, grain, and color.
Sapwood. The highest-grade flooring lumber is sapwood, a tree's newest growth closest to the bark. It's lighter in color, free of markings — and the most expensive cut.
Survival. Clients should plan to sand and refinish wood floors only once every 10 to 15 years — about 10 times in a floor's installed life cycle.
Soothing. 70% of sports floors are wood because the material matches durability with comfort: Soft, supple, and shock absorbing — yet also highly resilient and delivering increased energy return while reducing body fatigue.
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