Tread lightly: the sustainability of engineered timber flooring

Timber flooring is a durable option that can last a lifetime, and has been found to be highly energy-efficient. Going a step beyond this, though, is engineered timber flooring.

What is engineered timber flooring?

While solid timber uses the entirety of a slow growing tree, such as oak and eucalyptus, engineered wood is composed of multiple layers – therefore, only requiring the top layer of the same trees. For the middle and bottom layer, fast growing trees such as hevea, spruce or poplar are used instead.

Jens Van Rompaey, general manager of wood from Unilin – the parent company of Floorscape, NZ distributors of the Quick-Step and Pergo brands – explains that this makes engineered timber a much more sustainable option.

“Compared to solid, we make better use of our critical, scarce and slow growing trees – oak and eucalyptus. Because we only use the slow growing tree on the smaller top layer, we can get much more per square metre out of a tree.

“We focus on thinner top layers that are vertically integrated in order to optimise the yield of our process and therefore can deliver 80% more per square metre out of the same tree.”

Sustainability certainly is a key focus for the company, and it is one of few wood manufacturers that use HDF as a middle core in the flooring.

“We are vertically integrated and produce the HDF ourselves,” shares Jens. “HDF consists of recycled wood and/or the parts of a tree that nobody wants. That way, we make sure that no part of the tree goes to waste.”

The same approach is taken during the waste flow of Unilin’s production process, reusing wood chips and sawdust as a thermal energy source – either by selling it to a contractor who produces briquettes or reusing it themselves for the boiler and thermal processes in the factory.

“Another thing we do is to make sure that we use the full tree, is to make use of all the small leftovers of the tree that would otherwise be considered as waste. We reuse them for our special pattern floors – the only ones in the world to do so.”

The latest range from Floorscape encapsulates this sustainability, paired with convenience and the ability to be used throughout the entire home – helping to achieve a seamless look.

By using special click-together technology, a surface protection lacquer and a unique hydro-repellent technology that is applied to the timber joints, Jens says Floorscape’s Quick-Step Amato is protected from damage and is deemed to meet the requirements for an alternative solution according to E3.

“Like all Floorscape products that have a lacquer or melamine surface, we deem to meet the requirement as an ‘Alternative Solution’ through our system of impervious surface, joint, and perimeter finish.

“There is a protective layer to let dirt float instead of penetrate deeper into the grain structure. As a consequence, you can easily remove any dirt. Special technology on the click makes sure that there is no way that liquid can penetrate, and a special mixture of glue makes sure that even defects – cracks and knots that are part of the natural beauty of wood – are protected against potential penetration.

“Our total package of fully watertight floor (with focus on surface protect) ensures your floor stays young and you don’t need to sand down.”

By having a lacquer instead of oil, the Amato flooring is also scratch and wear-resistant.

“With our easy-to-clean technology, we enable thinner top layers and make them more resistant through the hands of time – no more need for re-sanding and the worry of replacing your floor. We guarantee that your floor remains as good as new,” says Jens.

From warm tones of Blackbutt, Natural Oak and Spotted Gum, to lighter shades of Cliff Grey Oak, Creamy White Oak, Pure Oak, Wintry Forest Oak and a darker Slate Grey Oak, the Quick-Step Amato range has a style for every home.

So what’s Jens' advice when it comes to selecting the colour of flooring for your home?

“Use the likes of our Quick-Step Room Viewer to help select the right choice for you.”

Explore Floorscape’s Quick-Step Amato flooring range on ArchiPro.