Teragren Portfolio Collection

By Emily Hooper
Flexibility is the name of the game when it comes to cork and bamboo, from actual pliability in virgin states all the way down to visuals once manufactured. Compressing bamboo results in one of the hardest wood floors available thanks to strand woven technology, and cork composites range visually from traditional wood to stone looks, all with the utmost effort for responsible action and reduced footprints from some very green plants.

USFCONTRACT CORK DÉCOR
Made by the largest user of solar energy in the state of Georgia, USFContract manufactures cork and bamboo products. Cork Décor from Natural Cork is finished with Endura AR+Nanto surface coating that employs an acrylic nano bead lacquer finish to provide improved scratch, scuff, stain and slip resistance for demanding commercial applications. With GreenGuard Children & Schools certification, Cork Décor can be used to earn credits in the CHPS Best Practices Manual for K-12 schools, U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Green Building Rating System, Green Guide for Healthcare, NAHB Green Building Guidelines, Green Globes, ReGreen and other building codes promoting environmental stewardship.

WE CORK TIMELESS COLLECTION
A timeless look provides enduring value in a glueless floating floor system with traditional and unique shades and patterns. The line is available in tiles or planks with a micro-bevel profile and Unilin locking system. Tiles and planks both are finished with Greenshield and tough enough to stand up to the heaviest of foot traffic in light commercial applications with little maintenance. Regular vacuuming or sweeping, along with occasionally damp mopping with a good wood floor cleaner, is all that is required to keep the floor looking its best.

DASSOSWB FROM DASSO
Deriving from an abbreviation for strand woven bamboo, DassoSWB is produced by compressing hundreds of strands of bamboo grass into a solid plank on a Valinge 5G click system. Suitable on, above or below grade, DassoSWB has an aluminum oxide coating that adds to a Janka rating of 3014 (red oak is usually around 1600). During the finishing process, some boards are handscraped, others are wire brushed and some have a dark border around the edge, known as a French bleed, to enhance the visual effect of the coloration underneath. As a member of the U.S. Green Building Council, Dasso’s environmental commitment is transparent: Its floors are made from one of the most rapidly renewable materials on the market today.

SUEDE BY STYLE
The philosophy at Style Flooring is to take low-value raw materials and turn them into prized items. The company uses Moso bamboo, renowned for making the highest quality bamboo floors. It crushes the fibers to create a higher performing material for a compressive strength greater than concrete and a tensile strength superior to mild steel. With a Janka rating of 15.8 – where Brazilian cherry comes in at 10.5 – every strand woven product is commercially rated because they are the hardest, most durable wood floors in the category, said Dewevai Buchanan, president, Style North America. “We have installations in the Singapore airport, Starbucks, car showrooms and Pizza Hut in the U.K. The product really resonates with the A&D community.” In addition to contributing to LEED points, Style flooring has also been accredited by Australia’s GECA (Good Environmental Choice Award) and Singapore Green Label, both members of the stringent GEN (Global Ecolabelling Network).

TERAGREN PORTFOLIO COLLECTION
The line is an environmentally responsible alternative to rainforest hardwoods in 10 colors and textures on handscraped, strand woven, wide planks in a glossy, golden brown. Made from Moso bamboo grown in the Zhejiang province of China, this variety of the phyllostachys genus is one of the strongest of more than 1,500 species. A seven-coat wearlayer is also water-based and solvent-free, resulting in FloorScore certification and passing standards for 78 VOCs. Simple installation with the patented Välinge 2G fold-down, self-locking system does not require glue, staples or nails, and coordinating stair parts and flooring trim are available.