Article Number : 3936 |
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| Date | 12/1/2008 8:15:09 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=3936 |
| Abstract | In addition to the many built-in green qualities by manufacturers, laminate flooring as a whole has numerous inherent environmentally friendly characteristics that make it easy for retailers to use as selling points... |
| Article | In addition to the many built-in green qualities by manufacturers, laminate flooring as a whole has numerous inherent environmentally friendly characteristics that make it easy for retailers to use as selling points. The following is a sampling of some of those innate traits as well as some of the more general things the major mills are doing to make the category green. • Laminate floors can effectively imitate any of the very popular endangered materials. From exotic hardwoods to rare stones, not a single tree is felled or rock mined. • Laminate is made from wood chips/fiber. Mills can use any type of easily renewable species—pine, oak, etc. • Everything but the bark and leaf are used so close to 100% of the tree is utilized, making for less waste. • Just about all laminate floors in the market today utilize some type of mechanical locking system. This means there are fewer materials to use to install it; the product can be easily repaired without lifting or repairing the whole floor, and there is no need for any power tools, which means less energy, less noise and less waste. • Laminate flooring requires minimal maintenance. This means no harsh chemicals are needed to clean the product. • Laminate flooring is a very durable and long-lasting product. This results in less need for replacement—and, thus, less discarded flooring sent to landfills. • Most of the product’s cores today are produced using recycled materials, with some ranging between 75% and 100%. Check with the specific mill for its recycled content. • Some no longer use adhesives in the manufacturing process—products are created using heat and pressure only. • The decorative paper is printed using water-based, low-VOC inks. • Many mills now package their laminate products in cartons that are made from recycled cardboard. • Because of its mechanical locking system, laminate floors can be donated to organizations such as Habitat for Humanity instead of being thrown into the landfill. |