Sustainable Feature #3 // Flooring

We will be looking at the possible options of flooring which include Hardwood Flooring, Bamboo Flooring and Stained Concrete. 

Intro and Descriptions

Wood Flooring is a type of flooring made from the timber of hardwoods, or of spruce or hard pine. There are two basic manufactured types of hardwood. Wood flooring comes unfinished, and once installed is sanded, then finished on site.  More modernly, the product is pre-finished in a factory.  The products that are pre-finished are often a polyurethane finish tat has added aluminium oxide, however some companies use titanium dioxide or other oxides instead. These metal oxide finishes are used in various types of floor coverings and increase the wear a hardwood floor can handle.

Bamboo Flooring is growing in availability and popularity in the United States. Although bamboo has a number of attributes that make it a suitable flooring option, one of the primary marketing points has been its perceived environmental benefits. Bamboo is a tree-like grass. There are thousands of species of bamboo that grow around the world, including some in the United States. Some species of bamboo can grow well on poor and unstable sites, which makes it a useful crop alternative. Bamboo has the potential for rapid growth: shoots have been observed to grow over 3 feet in a single day.  It is the rapid growth and natural regeneration properties of Bamboo that are primarily responsible for the "green" reputation for bamboo. The Bamboo plant grows so fast that it matures to reach market in about four years. With the exception of quick-yield trees, hardwood species take about 60 or 70 years to reach harvesting age.

Stained Concrete and Decorative Concrete flooring is a perfect example of the synergy of beauty, sustainability and economy, giving a durable, low-maintenance floor that will last the life of a home. Concrete floors, when left exposed, conserve resources by functioning both as a foundation slab and finished floor.  This eliminates the need for carpeting and other floor coverings that would eventually require replacement. In addition to conserving materials, decorative concrete flooring offers many other environmental benefits, such as contributing to better energy efficiency, improving indoor air quality, and design versatility. 

Assumptions

We will assume that the space to be analyzed for flooring will be 400 square feet, which is an estimate for (2) bathroom areas and the potential office space (pending architectural design). 

Comparative Cost

Lowes experts were employed for providing an estimate on potential flooring costs which includes the cost of installation. Note that these costs are purely an estimate based on comparable alternatives. Actual figures will vary based on the type, quality, and extent of detail. For the sake of this analysis we will go with the figures provided as they will sufficiently display the costs in comparison to one another.

Locking flooring was chosen as a comparison between Hardwood and Bamboo Flooring.

Hard Flooring / Wood Flooring

     Brand: Bruce Hardwood Floors
     Type: Gunstock
     Lifetime Warranty
     Price: $3.78 /sqft
     Boxes needed for 400sqft: 19 @ $83.16 equals approximately $1710
     Moisture Barrier: $.50 / sqft equals $200
     Installation is $1.99 per sqft
     Installation for 400 sqft = $796

          Total: $2706

Bamboo Flooring

     Brand: Natural Floors
     Type: Natural Bamboo
     25 Year Warranty
     Price: $3.28 /sqft
     Boxes Needed for 400 sqft: 24 @ $55.44 equals approximately $1440
     Moisture Barrier: $.50 / sqft equals $200
     Installation is $1.99 per sqft
     Installation for 400 sqft = $796

          Total: $2436

Stained Concrete

     Product: Quikrete Staining Kit
     Price: $99
     Installation: Approximately $250

          Total: $349

These costs represent the initial costs of product and installation.

Considerations

Some considerations that need to be made are about maintenance costs. Bamboo is still a relatively new alternative to traditional Hardwood flooring and the longevity and maintenance are not fully determined. The principle of "what you pay is what you get" is applicable. Bamboo is reported to be softer than hardwood, but is certain species are comparatively as dense as hardwood. Maintenance revolves around refinishing and protecting the floor. Preventative maintenance such as cleaning debris and mopping help to reduce the potential costs of maintenance.

Conclusions

At this point, it is purely a decision of preference by RED Church. Each product offers it's own benefits and psychological satisfaction. The Hardwood flooring is traditional and proven. The Bamboo Flooring is a more modern approach to flooring and considered environmentally sustainable. Stained flooring is the cheapest alternative and uses the least products. Whatever the choice, RED Church will end up with handsome flooring.