by Arimar | Jul 9, 2019 | Blogs
There is a growing trend in customers interested in long-term sustainable solutions for flooring. They want high quality, eco-friendly flooring for their homes, opting more often for hardwood flooring and engineered wood flooring over other alternatives.
According to the National Wood Flooring Association, of which Arimar is a member, wood floors are the most environmentally friendly flooring option available. Unlike other flooring materials, the raw materials used to make them – trees – can regrow after they are cut down, which replaces the material that is harvested.
We believe that every company has a duty to be environmentally responsible and we take this responsibility very seriously. All our materials are sourced from sustainable managed forests and meet stringent global environmental standards. Wood, if sourced correctly, is one of the most renewable resources in the world. Other kinds of man made floors are produced in factories which requires huge amounts of energy and the emission of more greenhouse gases.
In the United States, the hardwood forests that provide flooring products are growing more than twice as fast as they are being harvested, according to the National Wood Flooring Association. Although it usually takes hardwood trees about 40 to 60 years to mature (depending on the species), wood flooring can last well beyond 100 years in service when properly maintained. Wood also stores carbon during its service life and is a carbon-neutral product. This means any manufactured wood product – furniture, cabinets, wood floors, or even picture frames – continues to store carbon as a manufactured end-product.
Wood floors also reduce the amount of waste in our landfills because they can last for many generations and require fewer raw materials to produce than other flooring options. Wood floors can be recycled into other materials. Wood is combustible, which means it can be used as fuel or as a heating source. If the wood does end up in the landfill, it is biodegradable, which means it will decompose.
One of the best ways to reduce landfill waste with wood is to utilize it for reclaimed flooring. This is a process where old wood is used to make new wood flooring. Reclaimed wood can come from a variety of sources, including wood salvaged from old barns or factories, and logs recovered from river and lake bottoms. Flooring made from reclaimed wood is truly unique and displays significant history and character.
We use wood that is planted to produce natural rubber as the base for our products. This means the tree is neither removed from the forest nor cut down for timber. It is only felled when it must be replaced towards the end of its natural productive life. In fact, around 70% of every board we produce as finished flooring is from plantation sourced wood.
We at Arimar take every care to ensure that we purchase only legally sourced timber. You may therefore walk on your beautiful floor with absolute confidence that you have made the right choice for both you and our planet.
Call us today to request a sample, and ask about our latest flooring specials!
by Arimar | Jul 2, 2019 | Blogs
Ever think about how safe the flooring is in your home? When it comes to flooring, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finds that hardwood floors improve indoor air quality, according to the National Wood Flooring Association. In fact, wood floors can significantly improve indoor air quality when compared to other flooring options.
As members of the National Wood Flooring Association, we at Arimar checked in with the experts to bring you reasons why wood and engineered wood flooring make for a healthy choice for your home.
Flooring is one area of the indoor environment where the number of indoor allergens can be controlled. Certain types of flooring, such as carpet, are simply better gathering places for allergens. Small microorganisms, pollen, dust, dust mites, mold, animal dander, and other substances tend to accumulate in carpet fibers.
Other flooring types, such as wood, tend to minimize the accumulation of allergens because there are no fibers to trap these substances. Wood floors don’t trap microorganisms, allergens or pesticides that can be tracked in from outdoors. Hardwood floors minimize the dust, mold and animal dander accumulating, which makes wood floors a healthy option for you, children, pets and everyone who enters your home.
While outdoor allergens can be hard to control, there are ways to minimize the impact of allergens that occur indoors. Frequent dusting, vacuuming, and washing will minimize many indoor allergens, but these activities can stir them up as well. One way to prevent allergens altogether is to eliminate many of the areas where they can gather.
Taking steps to minimize these kinds of allergens can result in improved indoor air quality.
by Arimar | Jun 19, 2019 | Blogs
Hardwood flooring is one of the most practical and popular forms of home improvements today that offer the luxury of choice. They not only add style but also adds great aesthetic appeal and provides an air of class and elegance. However, proper care and maintenance is needed especially during seasonal changes for preserving the beauty of your wooden floors. Even the most carefully installed wood floors tend to expand and sometimes cup or even buckle due to high moisture content and high relative humidity in the air. Here, we give you some tips to maintain hard wood flooring.
Tip 1: Protect flooring from sunlight
Due to the natural qualities of the wood, sunlight can quickly damage or discolor this type of flooring. If your current windows are not equipped with the proper coverage, it may be wise to get new drapes or shades installed. Rule of thumb is to protect your floors from the sun when applicable, so close your curtains and blinds before you head out for the day to avoid unnecessary exposure.
Tip 2: Control indoor humidity levels
During the summer months, hardwood flooring can move as changes in humidity occur. If your floor planks are swelling over the summer a small amount, don’t be alarmed. If you have major shifting or floor swelling occurring, call a professional to see if it’s a bigger problem. You can control the humidity levels by maintaining air conditioning systems, watching for spills and leaks and installing a dehumidifier.
Tip 3: Ensure proper floor maintenance
The summer brings about the time when people are most enjoying the great outdoors, and more likely to trek in dirt, mud, outdoor allergens, and other contaminants back inside more often than during any other season. It’s a good idea to place floor mats by all entrances. You may also want to kindly ask family and visitors to kindly wipe their shoes before stepping on your beautiful hardwood floors. If spills occur or dirt makes its way in, vacuum right away. Vacuuming is preferable to sweeping because it allows the dirt and dust to be pulled from between the boards.
by Arimar | Jun 10, 2019 | Blogs
Wood is one of the oldest and most durable flooring types in the world. Professional designers will tell you that wood wins on its innate, natural beauty and prestige. The fact that they’re just as practical as they are pretty making wood floors a top choice for any space, whether personal or commercial. Here are five more reasons to love hardwood floors.
Wood floors make an eco-chic statement. Made from renewable resources, wood floors make a “green” statement in every room. Plus, wood’s natural qualities also encourage you to bring the outdoors in, which is a trend in modern interior design.
Wood floors keep homes healthy. Wood floors by themselves help maintain indoor air quality. Because they are easy to care for and tend to collect fewer allergens and less dirt than other flooring varieties, wood floors can help you keep a home healthy.
Wood floors offer variety. No other flooring choice can match the character, impact and warmth of a beautiful wood floor. When you consider the various species, colors, surface textures and plank widths available, the variety of options available for hardwood floors is almost endless.
Wood floors increase home value. Not only are they proven to enhance beauty of a home but also home value. Wood floors say: “This home is built of quality.” Additionally, realtors will tell you that having hardwood floors throughout your home not only increases the resale price of your home but can also limit the amount of time it spends on the market.
Wood floors last a lifetime. Quality wood floors can last virtually forever when properly installed and kept. Every piece of wood also has its own story with unique qualities making each plank truly one of a kind. And when you bring wood into your home, it also develops its own character in its home.
