Express Flooring’s Earth-Friendly Flooring

When it came time for Robert and Mary Lizunno to replace the floors in their home in Phoenix, they struggled with the options. "It had to be beautiful," the Lizunnos say, "but we also wanted to make sure we were conserving nature."

In the end, they chose Express Flooring’s Tigerwood, an amber-striped hardwood from Bolivia. The 3-inch tongue- and-groove planks came from trees that had been grown without chemical pesticides or fertilizers and were selectively cut down one at a time, rather than clear-cut in one fell swoop. "The decision to buy eco-friendly wood was the socially responsible thing to do," the Lizunnos say.

Robert & Mary are part of a growing group of consumers who, when it comes to flooring, actually can see the forest for the trees. They're driving the market for "sustainable" products—those made from trees that have been raised and harvested with minimal damage to the environment.

Unlike homeowners of a few decades ago, who had fewer options when it came to saving trees, today's environmentally conscious remodelers don't have to sacrifice the look, feel, and durability of wood underfoot. In fact, sustainable flooring comes in all the popular species: white and red oak, cherry, maple, red birch, hickory, even exotics like teak, rosewood, and cumaru. And it doesn't cost a fortune. Four-inch wide, medium-grade American cherry that has been certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)—an international nonprofit organization promoting responsible forest management — costs low as $2-5 a square foot, the same as standard cherry.

Express Flooring, a retailer in the Phoenix, & Tucson markets, has seen its sales of certified wood double in the last three years. "Environmental concerns are starting to have a very real effect on the wood marketplace, and it's about time," says Jason Bryan, Express Flooring’s director of product sales and marketing.