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Exclusive hardwood may be illegally harvested

chalmers.se

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Re: Exclusive hardwood may be illegally harvested

#121

Post by some-guy »

chmod600 wrote: post #77
bastardoperator wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would argue there is zero point in using real hardwood on floors these days given vinyl planks are way cheaper, way more durable, and look nearly indistinguishable from real thing.

The worst are floors with a thin layer of hardwood surface (a few mm) over some "engineered" material below making up the rest of the plank. I'm not sure vinyl is indistinguishable from real hardwood, but I'd take it over a worst-of-both-worlds compromise.

Good engineered hardwood has enough of a top wear layer that allows the same number of refinishes as solid hardwood (due to hitting the tongue and groove), plus you get better humidity performance.

Re: Exclusive hardwood may be illegally harvested

#122

Post by sidewndr46 »

mschulkind wrote: post #106
ulrischa wrote: post #89

Ipê wood is known for its extreme hardness and durability. In fact, it's so dense that it can sink in water. So nothing for motorboating.

That's not why boats float. Notice metal and concrete boats exist.

You could probably make a boat from lead if you wanted to, thinking about it.

Re: Exclusive hardwood may be illegally harvested

#123

Post by asah »

finite_depth wrote: post #102
thomasstephan wrote: post #98

To be spending a lot of time working in the rainforest in Peru where logging (legal and illegal) is everywhere, you can't trace properly. Certificates are easy to forge, the entire pipeline is pen and paper. How can you tell once the legal wood and the illegal wood are in a container which is which? You can't. So many people here are outraged, how many of you are supporting on the ground teams protecting rainforests?…

I wonder if there's a way to tag trees to stop this. Like, spray the protected wood with some harmless-but-detectable dose of a radioisotope so you can tell which wood is which.

the counterattack: spray all the trees with the stuff.

Re: Exclusive hardwood may be illegally harvested

#124

Post by doctorhandshake »

doctorhandshake wrote: post #115
solomonb wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How did you like Accoya? I've been thinking about using it for a few projects.

It’s absolutely gorgeous and very very expensive. Unlike the other comment I absolutely can tell the difference between synthetic and natural woods and in general while I don’t have a blanket issue with man-made materials, I do have an issue with ersatz anything, almost to the degree of having an allergy. For that reason I was boxed into real woods, and from a sustainability (and toxicity) and performance perspective…

I should also mention that it doesn’t get hot at all, even in very hot summer full-sun conditions. Very nice to walk on barefoot - it feels very soft to the touch.

Re: Exclusive hardwood may be illegally harvested

#125

Post by spandextwins »

jeromegv wrote: post #97
spandextwins wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't understand why people are downvoting advice to plant trees. Are there so many anti-tree people out there? I'll bet they use toilet paper...but maybe not. All that paper and wood has to come from somewhere. Replace and replenish.

Because planting a tree in your yard has nothing to do with the deforestation of the Amazon and the impact it has on this very unique ecosystem?

They can plant trees too.

Re: Exclusive hardwood may be illegally harvested

#129

Post by earth2jason »

thomasstephan wrote: post #98

To be spending a lot of time working in the rainforest in Peru where logging (legal and illegal) is everywhere, you can't trace properly. Certificates are easy to forge, the entire pipeline is pen and paper. How can you tell once the legal wood and the illegal wood are in a container which is which? You can't. So many people here are outraged, how many of you are supporting on the ground teams protecting rainforests?…

Unfortunately, their sites are not very friendly to privacy oriented browsers.

Re: Exclusive hardwood may be illegally harvested

#130

Post by SoftTalker »

hcurtiss wrote: post #114
AlanYx wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm curious -- are there laminates that wear naturally? Looking at the photos in your second link, I think the laminates would look more natural and less overtly plastic if they did show a little wear similar to the oak.

Living with the laminates, I wouldn't say they look overtly plastic. Hardwoods are definitely shiny too. You can see a very similar grain in the second photo with the oak. You're right that some wear might change the finish, but I would definitely not trade for the wear you see on the oak. My wife's parents have high-end oak hardwoods and full size dogs. Their flooring is a mess.

The biggest problem with laminate flooring is not the wear, it's that if they get wet the compressed fiberboard absorbs the water and swells, and the surface warps, and the only repair is to replace. Some laminates are 100% waterproof for locations like bathrooms but many are not.

Something like a spilled glass of water or puddle from wet shoes, if not noticed immediately and wiped up, can permanently ruin the floor.

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