Celebrate Earth Day With Fantastic Floor!

Earth Day is almost here – April 22, to be precise – and we here at Fantastic Floor invite you to take a look at the many ways we are committed to the environment. The following is a summary of our environmental practices, examples of articles from our blogs that touch on eco-friendly topics, and links to important industry resources regarding the environment. Enjoy!

Fantastic Floor Standard Environmental Practices
We pride ourselves in selecting only legally harvested wood products. We require our suppliers to be Forest Stewardship Council certified or to be certified under the source country's laws.
We offer more certified flooring than any other retailer on the web. Both our Paraguay Collection and our Engineered Collections are certified.
Our Brazil Collection is certified by government rules through the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and National Parks (IBAMA). The Brazilian government has made enormous strides in the fight against illegal logging. And now with recent passage of The Lacey Act by the US government, all imported products must have proof that they came from legal sources.


The following are articles from our sister blog, EngineeredFlooring.org:

Green Certified Hardwoods
You love the look of cherry or oak flooring, but how can you be sure that the material you’ve chosen isn’t harming the environment? Luckily, there are certain certifications that wood flooring materials can receive to prove that they have been grown, harvested and distributed in eco-friendly ways.
The Forest Stewardship Council, along with third-party conservation organizations and local governments, help ensure the sustainability of many types of wood species. The following are the top five “green-certified” wood flooring materials. Go Earth!

How Buying Local Can Help Save the Economy and the Environment
There is a lot of talk about sustainable forestry and responsible timber harvesting techniques, but how can you determine just how green wood flooring material is? Buying locally-sources varieties such as oak flooring can help lessen the environmental impact your new floors will have on the world. How? Glad you asked. Here are the top three ways locally-sourced products help you go green.



Aiming for That NWFA Seal of Approval
Think all hardwood flooring distributors are the same? Think again! According to a recent press release, the National Wood Flooring Association has started offering what’s called the Accepted Product Seal Program. This completely voluntary program will help manufacturers and distributors earn recognition for meeting certain industry performance standards. It will also help consumers identify companies that meet these standards and, most likely, offer high quality hardwood products.

Have questions about the impact hardwood flooring has on the environment? Call Fantastic Floor at 888-448-9663 today!

Hardwood Flooring Maintenance – 5 Quick Tips You Can’t Afford to Miss

Most home owners install hardwood flooring because they know it will add aesthetic as well as financial value to their home. With this in mind, many people go crazy trying to keep their newly installed floors looking brand new. Unfortunately, this can lead to a stressed mind and a distressed floor. The solution? Keep it simple! The following are five quick tips you can’t afford to miss if you want to keep your hardwood flooring in tip-top shape.'

1. Clean spills immediately.
Uh-oh. Aunt Lucy just finished her third glass of red wine and is refilling her glass when – CRASH! She spills, she cries, and red wine runs all over your new oak flooring. But Auntie’s tears won’t clean up that spill. You should, however, and as quickly as possible. The best way to avoid a nasty stain on your new flooring is to clean it up as quickly as you can. Use a soft, slightly dampened cloth and pat, don’t wipe.

2. Vacuum often.
Vacuuming is the best way to get rid of dirt, gravel, sand, and stones that can build up over time and cause major damage to your finished hardwood flooring. Use a vacuum with a soft-bristle brush and vacuum as often as you need to keep your floors free of debris.

3. Use the right cleaner.
Many people think that when it comes to washing or mopping hardwood flooring, any ol’ cleaning solution will do. This is not true. Many common floor soaps are oil-based and can dull or damage your floor’s finish. If you have to mop (and you should do so as infrequently as possible), use a water-based surface cleaner or whatever type the manufacturer recommends.



4. Wax on, wax off…your finish?
Polyurethane finishes don’t mix well with paste waxes. In fact, waxing a polyurethane-finished floor can create a sticky film that will attract dirt and debris. If you’re unsure what your floor’s finish is made of, contact the flooring manufacturer or installation company.

5. More cushion, less pushin’.
Big, heavy furnishings or appliances can wreak havoc on hardwood flooring. The best way to avoid this is to place small felt glides under heavy furnishings. This includes tables, chairs, sofas, pianos, cabinets, refrigerators, and much more. Putting glides under your furnishings may seem like a hassle, but it is much less of a hassle than getting your entire floor refinished.