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A common error some people make about bamboo is that it is a type of hardwood. Not to be confused with common associations of many species of grass, bamboo is actually a type of grass which matures into a material that can rival the hardness of maple! Well adapted to their environment, bamboo plants thrive in areas of fair-to-poor soil quality and still remain one of the fastest growing plants in the world. Controlled harvesting has very little impact on each individual stalk, which will continue to grow long after harvesting. This is what makes bamboo such a renewable source of flooring material, and why it is often associated with environmentally minded choices for flooring. The fact that it is so uniquely attractive makes bamboo flooring an extremely beneficial choice for your own interior environment!

How Bamboo Flooring is Made

Once the bamboo has been harvested, the outer layer of green skin is removed and each stalk is cut into lengthwise strips or fillets. These curved fillets of bamboo are milled along their outer edges in order to flatten them. The excess elements of this process will go into another type of bamboo flooring that is called strand-woven bamboo flooring. The flattened strips of bamboo are then kiln dried in order to remove the natural moisture in the bamboo, and are then boiled. The bamboo fillets are now ready to be glued together to make a solid, dependable surface that is more than suitable for flooring. The bamboo undergoes one final compression stage, which makes it that much more durable and ready to ship. Tongue-and-groove elements are added in order to make installation as easy as possible. The outcome of this manufacturing process is dependent on which kind of bamboo flooring is being made. There are several types of bamboo flooring, both in terms of cut and of color, and some differences in how they are processed.

Horizontal or Vertical Bamboo Flooring

During the gluing process, the bamboo can either be bound with the narrow edges facing up, which results in a thin, channel pattern, or so that the broader surface of the bamboo is bound facing upward, making for a surface that is more akin to traditional hardwood patterns. These styles of bamboo flooring are known as vertical and horizontal bamboo flooring, respectively. There are visual benefits to each one, depending on your personal taste, but both remain decorative choices. The horizontal style is striking for its knuckle or node patterns (the pattern naturally occurring in the bamboo that is the equivalent of growth rings in many hardwood species). The vertical style is a unique surface that remains unmatched by any other natural flooring material.

There is very little wasted material during the bamboo flooring manufacturing process, making bamboo a truly renewable and sustainable source of flooring materials.
With more and more demand for green products Trillium Construction has found itself promoting Bamboo flooring for is unique appeal, ease to install and relative durability, we also find ourselves educating our clients on where this product as well how it should be maintained.

When considering a home renovation to improve the resale value of your home, keep in mind what has the highest return on investment (ROI).
Bathroom and kitchen renovations seem to still lead the market place with ROI. Painting both the exterior and interior or upgrading the floors will pay for itself in value. Renovating the basement, creating a recreation room, or building a garage to add square footage all offer a high resale value. Installing a fireplace, replacing windows and doors, installing central air and improving the heating and furnace system will all appeal to the energy-conscious buyer and also offer better pay backs at selling.
Working on your landscaping is always recommended, but be a minimalist as this is not the area to gain your ROI. Adding a skylight may seem like a good alternative to light your home, but for resale it has the same returns as using energy-efficient bulbs.
Set out a budget, the amount you are willing to invest to get a higher price for your home. Talk to a professional who is able to assist with improving your home, as well as your bank manager. These people should be able to tell you exactly what your house needs to get the highest ROI. Then, decide which areas you are going to focus on and start the process.

In the current economy, it has become fashionable to define “value” as simply the lowest price. For many, lowest price means best value. It’s a tact that has become commonplace in residential remodeling. But doing so discounts the value of providing a high level of construction quality, as well as a remodeling contractor’s service before, during, and after a remodeling project is finished. This may not be in a family’s best interest.
Remodeling a home is a significant financial investment. Why, then, would an owner trust that investment — both financially and in his and her enjoyment of it — to the lowest price and a limited definition of value?
As a professional remodeling firm, we operate with a broader definition of value. We believe value includes a positive experience for the owner and a sense of confidence and pride about the project’s quality. Value should also consist of a high level of personal service and a commitment to maintaining a relationship built on trust well after the project’s completion date.
Some remodelers play the low-bid game. They narrowly define value as a stripped-down set of specifications and a project on the cheap to achieve a cut-rate price. The goal: make a sale and move on. They typically don’t have the staff or systems in place to respond to issues once the remodel is complete.
Here’s how we define and deliver a higher level of value:
Communication: As professional remodelers, we listen and respond to our clients’ ambitions and dreams for their project. While working within budget, we help define and discover specific wants and needs. We educate them about the complexities of the remodeling process, set realistic expectations and keep them informed about what happens — and why — as their project takes shape. Our intent is to be prompt and respectful when we meet. We follow through on promises made and keep our clients informed about a job’s progress.
An Efficient Job Site: Our crews and job site managers follow an agreed-upon schedule and detailed list of specifications that we develop with each client. Materials for a project are ordered and delivered as needed and on time. We manage and coordinate our trade partners and materials suppliers toward the common goal of meeting our company’s standards and our clients’ expectations.
Follow-Through: When a project is complete, we don’t disappear. We know that it is critical to our clients’ ultimate satisfaction that we continue effective communication while providing thorough and prompt service. When issues crop up — and they always do — we have policies and procedures in place to respond in a timely fashion. We work the problem; we don’t pass the buck. We belong to this community. This is where we’ve chosen to raise our family and we intend to be here for years to come.
We believe our definition of value instills confidence and helps ensure client satisfaction. We respect that our clients’ entrust us to deliver a project that initially only exists on paper and is created before their eyes. It’s a responsibility we take seriously, and it’s the cornerstone of what we call value.
Warm regards,

Rick

You’re on your dock, with an ice cold beer in your mitt. The faraway whine of an outboard engine, the cry of a loon, a cool late afternoon breeze on your face as the sun begins dipping behind the trees. And you’re sitting uncomfortably in a green plastic molded chair you bought at the supermarket. What’s wrong with this picture of cottage bliss?

Of course – you’ve gotta have a Muskoka chair.

How can something crafted of wood be so darn comfortable hour after hour? That is the secret of the Muskoka or our friend down south call Adirondack which was invented almost exactly a century ago near the shores of Lake Champlain in upstate New York. In fact, according to the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake, N.Y., they were originally known as Westport chairs, named for a nearby town.
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