Floor It

The scope of wood flooring available today is deep and wide. Manufacturers have developed new durable finishes and stains that provide a variety of looks, more companies are offering reclaimed products in a variety of species, and manufacturers are finding more ways to add a new twist to an old product. Earlier this year at the Surfaces show, the building community got an introduction to Bolefloor -- what The Netherlands-based company by the same name calls the world's first industrial-scale manufactured hardwood flooring with curves that follow a tree's natural growth. By now everyone is familiar with bamboo flooring, which is usually lumped into the wood category, but in addition to bamboo, San Francisco-based Smith & Fong offers flooring made from coconut and sugar Palm. The beauty and benefits of wood remain the same as they have been for many years: The product is durable, environmentally friendly, and offers many design options, the wood flooring association says.