Flooring
Hardwood Flooring
• Fiber matures in 40- 120 years
• Typically comes from old-growth forests
• Hardness ranges from soft to very hard, depending on species/age
• Installed cost and maintenance similar to bamboo
Bamboo Flooring
• Fiber matures in 4-7 years
• Reduces the need for virgin forest lumber
• Hardness ranges from that of red oak to hard maple
• Installed cost and maintenance similar to hardwood
Conventional Carpeting
• Made of synthetic materials
• Fibers and backing offgas VOCs
• Uses high-VOC adhesive
• High nap holds more particulates
Green Carpeting
• Made of recycled synthetic materials
• CRI-tested for lower VOC emissions (look for the “Green” or “Green Plus” labels)
• Uses no-VOC adhesive
• Short nap holds fewer particulates
Vinyl Flooring
• Made of synthetic materials
• High offgassing from petroleum distillates
• Production and incineration creates dioxin
• Installed cost: lower than linoleum but has shorter life span
Linoleum or Cork
• Made of natural materials
• Low offgassing from natural oils
• Renewable and biodegradable
• Naturally anti-static, doesn’t melt
• Installed cost: comparable to high- end vinyl, but lasts 30+ years
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About This Project
This project was researched, designed and coded by Phil Loubere and Jordan Kennedy in Middle Tennessee State University’s School of Journalism, Visual Communication concentration.