Green flooring requests are on the rise where I work

I recently had three jobs in a row where customers picked green materials like bamboo or cork. It's different from when I began, where laminate was popular. Now, people seem to care more about where their floors come from. This means I've had to learn new ways to put these floors in. It's cool but also tough. What kind of eco-flooring are you putting down now? How do you deal with the underlayment?

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3 Comments

emery_martinez157mo ago

Figured all eco-floors were just overpriced and delicate. Used to avoid bamboo jobs after seeing one fail in a bathroom. Then put in a strand-woven bamboo floor for a client with two big dogs, and it held up better than the laminate I used to swear by. Had to switch to a closed-cell foam underlayment with a vapor barrier, which adds a step but cuts down on moisture complaints. Now I see why people ask for it, even if the install is a bit more fussy. Still keep a roll of cork floor patch for those furniture leg dents, though.

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robinf347mo ago

My cousin's cork floor still looks new after ten years.

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amy3147mo ago

But are these green floors really worth the hassle? I've seen bamboo warp in damp basements, and cork gets marks from heavy furniture. The underlayment needs extra moisture blocks that cost more and slow down the job. Sometimes a good vinyl plank lasts longer without all the extra trouble.

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