Natural Flooring Products Gain Popularity

Gone are the days when residential flooring options revolved around vinyl in the kitchen and bathrooms, and beige carpet everywhere else.

Overall, flooring is going “natural.” Wall-to-wall carpeting is being replaced by wood floors, including frequent use of exotic materials such as mahogany, cherry, eucalyptus, bamboo and Brazilian walnut and pearwood. Natural stone materials, such as flagstone and sandstone, are also becoming popular.

Other best selling natural flooring products and "look-alikes" include pattern sisal carpets and cut piles in vivid colors, vinyl floors that reproduce the look of marble, laminates, wood, stone and other natural elements, and multifabric area rugs. Even shag carpet is making a comeback.

In the bathroom, a return to “natural floor” materials such as limestone, tumbled marble and concrete is being seen. The finish is honed, not shiny. And mosaic tiles continue to be popular.

In the kitchen, the trend is definitely toward very rich natural flooring products in stone and wood. It’s a dressier look that often continues through the rest of the house with the advent of great rooms, where kitchens open into dining rooms and family rooms.

With so many options to choose from, where do you start? These are some of the hottest types of floor coverings available today.

Tumbled marbles such as travertine and sturnia are increasingly popular for the soft-toned, earthy feel they give to a home’s design. When using large pieces, the flooring tiles can be laid close together so that the grout lines seem to disappear. Marble makes a very formal, beautiful floor finishing for entryways and hallways, and is often continued into bathrooms and kitchens.

Larger porcelain tiles are also popular. They are more refined than some ceramics, and come in matte or polished finishes. Besides the benefits associated with marble, the color of the porcelain permeates the entire tile, so the damage is less noticeable if the porcelain should chip.

In the 1940s and 1950s, carpeting and synthetic sheet materials replaced wood flooring as the flooring of choice for U.S. homeowners. But lately, wood is making a big comeback. While traditional oak floors continue to be strong, more exotic woods are often being seen in homes across the country. Demand is also growing for custom-made borders and accents, such as medallions, which lend a custom feel to traditional wood floors.

While hardwood floors offer timeless beauty, they can be expensive. An affordable and very similar look can be achieved by using laminates. Featuring tongue-and-groove installation, the product can easily be installed by do-it-yourselfers. And because it is a “floating” floor, it can be laid directly over almost any floor or subfloor as long as it is dry, level and smooth.

Area rugs are one of the easiest ways to add character and charm to a room. There are no installation hassles – simply place the rug where you want it. If you grow tired of a particular color or pattern, simply roll up the rug and replace it with a more updated look.

Like the trend toward natural wood and stone floors, best-selling area rugs are now being made from natural materials such as sisal, hemp, seagrass and jute. Recently, these natural-material rugs have become a little softer due to different manufacturing processes and flatter weaves.

Carpeting has long been a favorite with homeowners for its softness and warmth under the feet. It makes bedrooms, or “second floor” rooms, much more cozy. On the negative side, carpeting traps dust and other particles and is not the best choice for allergy sufferers. One recent trend is the return of the shag carpet, which is now being offered in new, updated colors and in coarser, wool materials.

The increasing array of natural flooring choices and the emphasis on upscale looks makes flooring underlayment selection all the more important. Floor underlayments provide the foundation for the floor finish and are critical for long-term performance. Lauan, plywood and OSB (oriented strand board) are commonly used.

But for superior impact resistance and water resistance, check out one of the new underlayment technologies, such as United States Gypsum Company’s FIBEROCK® Brand Underlayment – AQUA-TOUGH™. This product can be used under nearly any type of flooring, in both wet and dry areas of the home.

And because it is made from 100 percent recycled gypsum and cellulose, the U.S. Gypsum Company underlayment provides an environmentally friendly alternative to lauan, which is made from wood harvested in endangered old-growth forests.

For a free copy of U.S. Gypsum’s “FIBEROCK Brand Underlayment Installation Guide,” call 1-800-874-4968 or visit the USG Web site at www.usg.com.

Courtesy: Home Improvement News and Information Center

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