Our roundup includes safer and smarter resilient flooring options that apply sophisticated production techniques alongside natural materials. The latest in wood flooring includes a bamboo floor company that has made formaldehyde-free adhesive a standard offering. — Rita Catinella Orrell
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VOC-free flooring
FreiFloor is a new PVC-free contract floor covering made from 80 percent natural minerals and 20 percent polymers. Designed for hard-traffic applications where indoor air quality is a concern, FreiFloor does not have any detectable VOCs and does not need to be waxed
or sealed. The heterogenous floor has
a compact, ionomer-impregnated wear layer, which gives it excellent wear-, slip-, scratch-, and stain-resistance. Allstate Rubber Corp, New York City.
www.allstaterubber.com
Bye-bye formaldehyde
EcoTimber is the first flooring company in North America to offer bamboo flooring made with formaldehyde-free adhesives as a standard product. Other companies offer formaldehyde-free on a special-order basis at a significant premium. The flooring is made of 100 percent bamboo in a multi-ply or horizontal construction with micro-beveled edges. It is finished with an aluminum-oxide-enhanced acrylated-urethane system and a hardened acrylic antiscratch topcoat. EcoTimber, Mill Valley, Calif. www.ecotimber.com
Reclaiming a bit of the tropics
TerraMai has introduced an engineered flooring made with reclaimed tropical hardwoods. The engineered, prefinished, reclaimed teak flooring (below) offers the rich color, tight grain, and durability found in centuries-old teak, while the World Mix product offers a blend of reclaimed exotic hardwoods in a kaleidoscope of colors. With a wear layer of reclaimed tropical hardwood over a substrate of FSC-certified new wood, the flooring can be nailed, glued, or floated over a plywood subfloor or a concrete slab. TerraMai, McCloud, Calif. www.terramai.com
Locked-in performance
UnderLock, a new installation solution containing hidden locking tabs, is now offered for Johnsonite’s Triumph and Inertia rubber flooring tiles. Designed to withstand constant foot traffic, heaving, rolling, and static abuse in demanding sports-related environments, the floor’s hidden locking tabs are installed without adhesive and give the appearance of a more traditional square tile floor. Applications include sports facilities, workout areas, and trade-show floors. Johnsonite, Chagrin Falls, Ohio. www.johnsonite.com
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