Hardwood Flooring's Green Message Grows on Pros and ConsumersFlowing From Forests

As recently as a year ago, Epcon Communities was not specifying hardwood flooring in its home market of Columbus, Ohio. The builder of slab-on-grade, ranch condominiums in the $180,000 to $250,000 price range installed carpet and vinyl surfaces in its homes, says Craig Thomas, vice president of development and construction for the Dublin, Ohio-based developer.

An influx of design-savvy baby boomers and success with hardwood floors among the company's franchise builders caused an attitude shift. Hardwood flooring "showcases the home and it gives it such a homier feel," Thomas says. Improvements in technology and maintenance requirements were the kicker. The Shaw Epic engineered tongue-and-groove flooring his company now specs provides consistent installation, he says, and the product's durable finish makes the surface harder and long-lasting—a particular boon for the developer's active adult buyers, who often favor lower-maintenance products.

Furthermore, Thomas notes, the product's environmental record—more efficient resource use and timber from suppliers committed to sound forest practices—helps builders and developers find a balance between cost and sustainability.

But Shaw's engineered Epic isn't the only hardwood flooring product with a green story. Both solid and engineered hardwood floors are made from a renewable resource, and both are available with certified sustainable credentials. Whether because of the green message, enhanced technologies, or simply the product's consistent, natural look, hardwood flooring of both types has seen swelling sales in recent years.

Planting the Seed
As pros like Thomas become more interested in the "green"-ness of their materials, more hardwood flooring manufacturers are touting the material's inherent environmental sustainability and finding new ways to make the most of the resource.

If forests are managed properly—and in North America, they usually are, says Timm Locke, executive vice president of the Wood Flooring Manufacturers Association (NOFMA)—they can continue to produce hardwood lumber for a long time without much environmental impact. Hardwood surfaces are also durable and often reusable, he adds. "Solid wood will outlast the people in the building, and sometimes the life of the building," he says.

Plus, hardwood supplies in the United States are continuing to grow, industry experts say. The volume of standing hardwood timber in the eastern United States, where most hardwood is found, has doubled since 1953, according to Art Raymond of A.G. Raymond & Co., a consultant for the Hardwood Manufacturers Association. And, he adds, in a recent survey of the Appalachian region, the U.S. Forest Service found that annual growth is exceeding annual harvest by 229 percent, virtually the definition of sustainability.

Many manufacturers are making even more efficient use of forest resources with engineered wood flooring that uses small strips of wood instead of one solid piece. The Shaw Epic product used by Thomas, for instance, is constructed using wood veneers on a wood core made from sawmill waste material. The 3/4-inch flooring uses two-thirds fewer trees than comparable solid wood flooring, according to John Bradshaw, environmental marketing manager for Shaw. The wood veneers are obtained from suppliers committed to sound forestry practices, the manufacturer adds. "It's a great product at a good price, and it's green," Thomas says.

Some experts, however, argue that since engineered flooring often has less of a wear layer, it cannot be sanded as many times (usually three to five times, versus four to six times with solid flooring), meaning solid flooring has a potentially longer life.