I installed bamboo throughout my home and am not impressed with the quality. It doesn't seem so hard to me, as it has many scrapes and dents after 6 months and in some places is seems to be getting hairline fractures. We tried to research it and get the right kind, but we found that everyone was trying to sell us the same brand at different prices. True linoleum is enviromentally friendly, tough, and can look very nice. Although it seems hard to find. I was recently looking at rubber which was really nice looking, but kind of plain--nothing a wool area rug can't fix. Great for clean ups to!!!

cork or recycled cork flooring materials may be a good fit for your criterias.

What are the downsides to bamboo? Anybody have long-term residential experience with stained concrete?

*** It's my understanding that bamboo has to be of a certain age to be truly durable, and most bamboo flooring sold is young and "impressionable" (ha, ha). Meaning, it's not tough enough and has issues like what another poster mentioned... it gets dented and beaten up easily.

I'd love to do stained concrete, but not above my garage. ;) - Stacy

I suggest that you consider using cork for your new office space. It's renewable, excellent color choices, warm to the touch, competitively priced, and installs quickly. I plan to use the floating floor style in my new kitchen.

Jim

What about cork flooring. It's a renewable source as well as an insulator and soundproofing material.

The best kitchen floor I ever had was industrial grade linoleum in a dark slightly spattered pattern. Indestructible sheen, tight seams. But I HADDA have heart pine.

*** Yeah, those HADDA HAVEITs will getcha every time. Probably what will keep me from linoleum, myself. ;) - Stacy

True recycled wood flooring does seem expensive at first glance, but if you look around you can find some good deals. I work for Pioneer Millworks, one of the larger reclaimed wood companies in the US. We have a plethora of flooring options on our website, www.pioneermillworks.com. There you�ll also find our Bargain Basement, where we list over-runs or extra inventory, with considerable savings. There�s nothing wrong with the flooring, we simply discount it to free up shop space! No matter the cost, or where you�re buying, there's several questions to ask:

1. Is the wood kiln-dried? Any good flooring manufacturer will kiln-dry their wood for stability. While reclaimed wood is inherently more dry than green material, it still needs to be dried for consistency, and to prevent any possible insect infestation.

2. Is the wood 100% reclaimed? There's reclaimed / recycled wood, and then there's "old-growth" woods. The latter is not reclaimed or recycled at all - its cut from newly harvested trees which happen to be quite old. True reclaimed wood has been salvaged from a structure or previous use, and the company should be able to tell you where the wood came from. You get a great floor, and a great conversation piece!

3. Is the company reputable? Plenty of companies make reclaimed wood flooring, but the differences in quality amongst them are tremendous. Look for a firm thats been around for a long time, and has a proven track record of consistent materials and good availability. Make sure that what you see and order is what you�re going to get � this can be accomplished through written specifications, samples, and photographs.

The cost of recycled wood can range from $3 to $30 per square foot, but generally speaking, softer woods like White Pine or Hemlock will be less expensive than White Oak, for instance. At Pioneer Millworks, we offer a broad range of species, styles, grades, and widths to accommodate virtually any project, including this one over the garage. Our Sierra�s Choice Yellow Pine would fit the bill, and a low VOC finish such as a botanical Tung Oil would top off the floor perfectly and stick with the environmental goals of the project.

Hope this helps and gives you some good information to work from � drop me a note anytime you want to talk reclaimed wood. Thanks!

AWESOME comments. Thanks for so much to think about! - Stacy

What about cork? I was just looking it up (on www.lumberliquidators.com) for my daughter's home. It sounds like a good alternative and perfect for the space you are talking about. There are some reviews to read in there.

Has anyone lived with cork for a while? Does it hold up well?

Hey Stacy,

Wow, people are excited about cork! I have no experience with it, except for the floor at Artemis is Pittsburgh. Go talk to Janice or Linda about it when you're back in the Burgh. They've got a huge range of this stuff and love to talk about it. Their website is http://www.artemisenvironmental.com/

I think cork is probably a good choice for an office floor. I do like Marmoleum (natural linoleum) as well. I will have some going into my house after I finish the bathroom renovation.

Jered's comments about reclaimed wood are interesting. Is there a Construction Junction or Habitat ReStore sort of place nearby? They might also be a source for pre-used hardwood flooring. Of course, that requires some efforts that other options don't.

-Eric