We have learned so much about our environment over the past twenty years that we now know we have to be careful about how we use our planet’s resources. Green solutions have been invented for many aspects of our daily lives in order to reduce our carbon footprint and keep our planet clean for generations to come. The options for green flooring have really multiplied in the past few years. The home construction industry in general has been reducing its waste and using less harmful materials and now that ability comes to each and every homeowner. Today’s latest green flooring options now include cork, bamboo, and reclaimed hardwoods.

Cork Flooring

The use of cork flooring has exploded recently, with it being installed in colleges, churches, mansions and even the Library of Congress. Cork is a natural renewable resource; cork flooring is made from the bark of a cork tree, but that bark can be removed without harming the tree. Each tree lives up to 150 years and its bark can be removed safely every 9 years. As an additional environmental benefit, fertilizers and pesticides are generally not used on cork.

Cork flooring will also improve your health as it is hypoallergenic and will not absorb dust, as well as being naturally water resistant and an anti-microbial. It also provides a barrier against pests, especially termites. Cork flooring is resilient and an excellent insulator against temperature and noise, making it ideal for a condo. Overall, cork flooring is an excellent choice for the green homeowner in either a new construction or a home remodeling project.

Bamboo Flooring

Bamboo flooring is the newest trend to hit home decorating. Bamboo flooring is actually made from the grass of a bamboo plant, but it is still stronger than some hardwoods. Since it is harvested form bamboo’s grass, this type of flooring is a renewable resource; the bamboo plant does not have to be cut down for it to be harvested. Bamboo plants reach maturity in five years, so the plants will produce bamboo flooring materials quickly and over their entire life spans.

Bamboo flooring is extremely flexible and still highly durable. It is naturally resistant to water being a jungle plant and works great in wet areas of the house such as kitchens and bathrooms. Bamboo is cut into planks just like hardwoods and even has its own unique “grain” style. Decorating with bamboo flooring works just as easily as hardwood flooring.

Reclaimed Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood flooring is one of the most elegant and classic looks for home decorating and it really makes a bold statement. Unfortunately, hardwood flooring requires a tree to be cut down in order to make the floor planks. The trees can be re-grown, but the mighty hardwood trees take a very long time to reach maturity. A green option is to use reclaimed hardwood flooring. Reclaimed hardwoods are the same woods that are used in flooring now, only they have been recycled and re-milled instead of being thrown away. This option gives you the best of both worlds, you get hardwood flooring and its amazing beauty while helping to recycle and protect the environment.

Green flooring options have really come a long way. They are widely available and at a great price too. Keep these amazing options in mind the next time you are starting a home improvement project or having a new home built.

While it is not necessarily the most inexpensive of the flooring options available on the market today, hardwood floors are certainly one of the simplest and most lovely options available. Wood matches just about everything, and you don’ have to worry about vacuuming or those nasty smells that just won’t seem to leave carpet. It is an effective option for floor covering and if you take care of your hardwood floors, they will last you a very long time.

However, having hardwood flooring in your home is about more than wishing it was there and deciding to have it. Here are the three things that you should know about installing hardwood flooring in your home.

DIY Is Not Always Cheaper

Hardwood floors are certainly something that those handy people out there in the world are able to take care of. Buying wood and laying it down as flooring in your home sounds a great deal easier than it is. There are many different kinds of wood that can be used for flooring in your home and depending on your needs; there are great deals of different styles to choose from. You want your flooring to resist nicks and scrapes, but you want it to be able to get some character as well.

There are all of these things and more to think about, and if you install your wood flooring all on your own, chances are that you will not be able to get the solid advice that you might wish you had later. You want your floor to last as long as possible and although you might be very willing and able to put in your new hardwood floor all by yourself, the costs down the line might make this not-so worth it. Do you want to end up having to have your floors redone because of an error on your, the amateur’s, part?

Not All Wood is the Same

The more money that you spend the better quality of wood flooring you will be able to get as far as outward appearance goes; although a floor may not look as uniform and sleek as another type of wood floor it will probably last just as long. The quality and type of wood that you select for your floor has a lot to do with how you want your flooring to look when it’s down. Do you want a smooth look or do you like the way that natural knotholes look in the wood? Do you prefer the way that wide planks look on the floor or do you prefer the look of thinner, smaller pieces of wood for your flooring?

Depending on what you are willing to spend, there are a great deal of different ways that you can go with the wood for your flooring. You can buy First, Second, or Third wood, which is a description of the type or quality of wood on the market ranked in order of quality. Clear is the finest wood that you will be able to get a hold of. It has little to no grain marks or knot holes in it, so if you want the best quality that is the way to go.

You Are In It for the Long Haul

While hardwood floors are a great option for the floor covering in your home, be sure that that is what you want to do, and that it is an acceptable long term solution for you and your home. While the hardwood floor will not have to be vacuumed, it has to be specially cleaned and probably swept constantly (unless you are a fan of dirty feet). Also, keep in mind that depending on the quality of wood that you purchase you may have to deal with some small repairs due to warping or splitting, or simply due to damage that is unsightly for your home. Either way, hardwood floors are much easier to maintain than they are to replace and although you will probably be thrilled to keep your floors for years to come, it will be rather difficult to do otherwise.

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How to hire hardwood floor installer or floor contractor?

Flooring installation like every trade in construction requires knowledge and experience. Most states say New York, California, Hawaii has a strict regulations, and contractor has to be licensed in order to conduct business as a wood floor installer and/or refinish hardwood floor. When you looking for a professional floor installer find the licensed one, make sure to check the status of his license. License can be active, suspended, can have fines. Make sure contractor is insured, most companies provide $1,000,000 liability insurance that covers damages that contractor has caused but remember this insurance doesn’t guarantee or covers bad work. All flooring contractors should be bonded, check the status of the bond as well. Find at least two floor contractors that are licensed and insured and call them up for an estimate, ask about experience and maybe before you invite them to your house check the web site.
You should visit local hardwood floor showrooms so you can get the idea what are the options. Remember you will have to choose from a lot of different kinds of products, you should educate yourself so you have a basic idea what is solid hardwood floors, what engineered floors, what is the difference between prefinished and unfinished floors, floating and nail down. You should make a research about eco-friendly floors as well, the most popular are bamboo and cork but there is a lot more. If you care about our planet  sustainable hardwood floor may be a great floor for you. If you educate yourself before calling up flooring contractor you can ask more questions and easily will find out if he is experienced and knowledgeable.
You can find licensed contractors in the local yellow pages, local classifieds newspaper; in Hawaii and California there is a whole section under FLOOR. Notice how punctual is the floor contractor, if he shows up on time,  most likely he will start the job on time and finish as planned. Ask him about the recent projects, and references so you can call his clients. You will find out quickly how flexible he is, knowledgeable and if you feel you can communicate with him well this might be the right person for installation of your hardwood floors. Remember you are changing floor for the next 10 or maybe 20 years so take your time and do not hesitate to ask a lot of questions. What options you have as far as the species, hardness, and durability. You might contact an architect who can advise you what will suit the best your home. Good hardwood floor contractor should be able to advise you what’s good for your house you. If you want to refinish hardwood floors or getting unfinished floor this will require sanding, ask if the contractor has the dustless system. Sanding and finishing floors is a long and complicated process, so make sure the contractor uses tools with dust collectors.Make sure you receive written estimate. It is very important to have it written even if the project seems simple and clear. Even if you are changing carpet to an oak floor in one bedroom and all contractors tells you this is very easy project. Make sure everything in the estimate is clear, it has the name of the business, date, license number and address.
This could be an example of simple but correct floor estimate:

OAK HARDWOOD FLOORS
17 King Street
Kailua, Hawaii 99999
808.888.8888
Lic#22222                 November 16, 2011
CONTRACT    

Oak hardwood floors will provide following services on the house at:
14 Main Street in Honolulu, HI

1.        Provide and install hardwood floor.
2.        Comply with general contractor’s jobsite safety and behavioral policies.
3.        Finish the job in a timely manner.

In consideration of the performance of these services, oak hardwood floor will charge you:
$2100

It will be paid in the installments .The first installment shall be $100 upon signing of
a contract next payment of $1000 when I deliver the wood. Remaining installments as the
project progress.
Contractor signature
Client signature

This is an hardwood floor estimate that contain everything important.
1.    Name of the business and address.
2.    License number (remember check the status)
3.    What services will be provided.
4.    How much will this cost and very important part, how will you pay for it.
5.    Print it and have it ready to sign if you accept the terms.

You can always make changes and ask the floor contractor if he accepts the new conditions.

Ask about references and call the previous clients, make sure to ask about the skills of the workers, if they were on time if the contractor was on the job site if not if he was available on the phone. This is important to hire floor contractor that is on the job site most of the time or readily available on the phone.

Here is the short checklist of the important things before you hire hardwood floor contractor.
1.Check the license status of the color contractor.
2.Ask about insurance.
3.Call references.
4.Check the estimate very well both sign it.