FloorTalk – for all the latest flooring fashions

Coconut wood flooring is not a wood, it comes from the palm family. It is one of the fastest growing species on the planet. It reaches maturity in 5-6 years making it a truly sustainable resource. The coconut palm tree is grown in hot areas. It likes frost free areas and grows in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific region. The trees grows near seas in these areas so the roots can find moisture. In the US, it is found only in Hawaii, the southern tip of Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Palms produce nuts for up to 80 years, then non producing palms are removed and replaced. Once the old palms that have completed their coconut bearing years have been removed, those trees are used for flooring.

As the rainforest continues to be tapped for timber needs, coconut palms have been overlooked and under utilized resource.

Like bamboo, it is either a natural tan color or a darker carbonized honey color. Also like bamboo, it is offered in vertical or horizontal configurations. It is also offered in strand configurations. The vertical grain version accentuates the linear look while the horizontal format reveals more of the true character of bamboo. Strand coconut has the most homogeneous look.

To maintain coconut flooring, it is a simple as maintaining typical hardwood floors. Mats should be used to prevent dirt from entering the room and scratching the floors. Spills and standing water should be wiped up immediately. Oil soaps should be avoided. Furniture should be carried and not dragged across the floor. Chair protectors should be used under the furniture.

One company – coconutwoodfloorings.com uses material from plantation grown coconut palms which are abundant throughout much of the world. Coconut wood floorings can vary greatly in color and density. They use only hard, dark palm for their look and durable surface. The wood produced is all solid wood rather than engineered wood.  Their goal is that through their work, palmwood will one day be recognized as a valuable building resource and help reduce rain forest harvesting.

Window treatments are more than just decorative. Here’s what you should know about Hunter Douglas energy efficient window treatments:

They help insulate against cold:

R-Value is a measure of a product’s ability to resist heat flow, which is especially important in the cool winter months. They higher the R-Value number, the more insulation it provides and the better it is at reducing heat loss.

A bare, low-e double-glazed window has an R-Value of about 3.5. Add a properly installed Duette Architella 1 1/4″ honeycomb shade with Panache opaque fabric and the R-Value peaks at 7.86, more than doubling the energy efficiency and reducing heat loss by over 50%

Window treatments act as insulation:

In the winter, as much as 40% of the heat that escapes a home flows through the windows. During the summer, heat from the sun’s rays coming through the windows can make it harder to keep a home cool. Energy efficient window treatments can help decrease heat loss and heat gain, thereby reducing heating and cooling costs.

Some window treatmetns are more energy efficient than others, so make sure to check a product’s R-Value and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) rating.

This will help you save money on utility bills, conserve natural resources, lessen fading of carpets, fabrics, artwork and wood.

Reduce solar heat gain:

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) is the amount of solar heat that passes through a window, where 0=none and 1=all. The lower a product’s SHGC, the less solar heat it transmits, which can help a home stay cooler in the warm summer months.

The SHGC of a bare, double-glazed window is 0.76, which means that 76% of solar heat is transmitted through it. Add a Duette Architella 1 1/4″ shade with Elan opaque fabric and the solar heat gain coefficient drops to 0.15- only 15% of the solar heat is transmitted.

Filter Natural Light:

UV exposure is not only harmful to the skin, it can also damage furnishings, floors and fine art. Most HUnter Douglas products have fabric options that filter out 99% of these harmful rays in the closed position.

Many Hunter Douglas window fashions, including Silhouette window shading and Luminette Privacy Sheers, filter out as much as 86% of harmful UV rays in the open-vane position.