Consider unusual flooring options such as cork and bamboo. Both are sustainable resources that give a floor an interesting look. Bamboo flooring is made of thin layers of bamboo laminated together. Light or blond in color, with distinctive patterning, it's very durable, doesn't shrink or swell as much as hardwood yet is harder than oak. Bamboo grows all over the world and can be harvested every four to five years. In contrast, oak and maple may take decades to reach harvest size. Cork flooring, made of the ground bark of the cork tree, is a durable yet soft flooring option, available in a variety of earth tones. Grown primarily in southern Portugal, the new trees grow for 25 years before being stripped of their bark and then are reharvested every 9 years. The stripped bark is ground, baked in a mold and cut into slabs. It's sorted according to its natural color variations, and no dyes are used in its production. Sealed with wax or polyurethane, it's durable, lasting up to 80 years, but soft to walk on. Drop a plate on a cork floor, and it'll probably bounce.
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