Reclaimed wood flooring is a unique, organic, and natural design element. Choose wisely and wood floors are a highly sustainable and durable flooring option even in high traffic commercial settings. Asking and answering key questions at the beginning of your project will ensure your floor not only looks great at installation but in the months and years to follow. When choosing reclaimed wood, a few more questions get added to the mix.

Here are key tips to finding the perfect type of reclaimed wood flooring for your next project.

Start with the end in mind

The floor has to look great. That’s a given. Asking pertinent questions upfront can ensure your selection will not only look great at installation, but 60 days later as well as 5 and 10 years later. Start with the end in mind when selecting wood flooring. Achieving the Wow Factor at installation is a nice rush but no designer wants a phone call 60 days later from a distressed and angry customer because the flooring has been compromised. You’ll go from hero to zero. In order to look great, the flooring must be durable so as to withstand the intended occupant usage and it must be able to meet required cleaning standards.

Key Questions:

• How will the space be used?
• How much traffic is expected?
• What kind of traffic?
• Where do you land on the aesthetic scale, highly rustic or super clean?
• Is some patina or character acceptable?
• How must the floor be cleaned and how often?
• Are there required cleaning processes?

An office with 20 occupants and the occasional visitor has far fewer flooring concerns than that of a reception lobby in which 100’s of occupants wearing hard soled shoes (many of which are high heeled) will traverse a specific path on any given day. The care and maintenance for a lobby will vary from that of a restaurant. Some spaces may require the movement of furniture or have the need to slide equipment from place to place. Understanding how the space will be used will guard against a flooring selection that will fail in short order.

From TerraMai: CBRE chose Teak Engineered Kukui for a refined rustic look that will work with any imperfections that might arise along the way while still maintaining a crisp, clean space.

Enter Durability Standards – Janka

Industry wide, the test used to evaluate flooring hardness and wear is the Janka hardness test. It measures the force required to embed an 11.28 millimeters diameter steel ball halfway into a sample of wood. The industry median for hardness is red oak (northern) at 1290 lbf.

Photo from Wikipedia.

Although Janka is a good starting place, don’t discount species that fall below red oak on the hardness scale. There are other factors to consider when determining whether a species is suitable for your flooring project. Use the questions above to reflect on desired aesthetic and how the space will be used. Walnut, which falls below red oak on the Janka scale, may not be suitable for a high traffic elevator lobby as it may dimple and dent under the pressure of high heeled shoes. If you’ve fallen in love with walnut for a high traffic area, staining a harder wood so that it resembles walnut is an option that will deliver a similar look. If some dimpling is acceptable, using an oil finish on the walnut will help diminish any indentations whereas a polyurethane finish can magnify them. In a low traffic environment like a residential home, walnut flooring is perfectly appropriate.

From TerraMai: MC Walnut Engineered Flooring in a reception area.

Doug fir, which also falls below red oak on the scale, has been used for flooring for centuries. Just like walnut, situations of high wear and tear may result in scratches and indentations. Some installations may embrace these “imperfections”. If one embodies character and has intentionally selected a reclaimed wood with a naturally distressed face or one with nail holes and circle sawn markings, then any new “imperfections” will further add to and enhance the floor’s appearance.

From TerraMai: The Doug fir flooring in the Breslin Bar and Dining Room in NYC looks as good today as it did when it was installed in 2009.

One of the best things about the large variety of reclaimed woods available is the range of unique characteristics you can find. When most people think of reclaimed wood, they think of a rustic aesthetic. However, reclaimed wood isn’t limited to the typical rustic appearance associated with it. When opting for a cleaner more pristine design look, woods higher up on the Janka scale will ensure your design intention is maintained.

From TerraMai: The Perkins+Will Chicago office selected MC White Oak Pale Ale for their expansive, uncluttered space

Choose a Wood That Enhances the Experience

Today, experience design is an important concept in Architecture & Design. Designers are striving to create built environments that not only look great but also feel great. The goal is to provide occupants with a wonderful, engaging experience. That means facilitating interaction with the built environment, developing a unified design aesthetic, and designing for occupant well-being.

From TerraMai: This REI location in Seattle uses Dirty Face flooring to add to the outdoorsy environment

When choosing reclaimed wood flooring, considering its role in the experience will help to select the right wood. Is the wood a backdrop that frames and allows other design elements to shine or is it a major statement maker? For example, using a bold yet clean, eye-catching wood like Acacia Metro or Teak Metro in a minimalist environment will draw people’s attention toward the flooring while creating a sense of energy in the space.

From TerraMai: Agave’s striking, ethnically inspired atmosphere is bolstered by Teak Metro flooring

One important aspect of experience design is the presence of an emotional connection. Flooring can actually help achieve this by thematically uniting the design as a whole and providing various visual textures for occupants to feel connected to nature to enhance overall well-being.

Sam Edelman’s Palm Beach location does this by using reclaimed Mission Oak White flooring in conjunction with an abundance of reclaimed oak throughout the store. This results in feelings of calmness and tranquility that help shoppers focus on the experience without being distracted. The wood also helps to tie in and fortify the store’s brand, as the reclaimed wood reinforces the culture of heritage and craft.

From TerraMai: Sam Edelman’s use of wood fosters a strong emotional connection in shoppers

Which wood is the best to maintain?

This is a bit of a trick question. The wood is not being maintained; the finish is. Maintain the finish and the wood is protected.

If heavy traffic will result in wear patterns, oil is likely the best finish option. Surface scratches, dents, and stains can be spot treated by rubbing a small amount of oil into the area and buffing it with a cotton cloth until the affected area blends with the surrounding floor. The same is true for spot recoating larger areas of wear. Floors with extreme traffic may require a complete recoat every several months but floor areas of light traffic may not need a complete recoat for many years and can be managed with touch ups. At any rate, when the wood looks dry or starved, it is time to recoat. Always recoat an oil finish before it wears through completely exposing raw wood. This is especially true in layered finishes in which a stain has been used then an oil topcoat. Stain is a colarant and offers no protection. It is difficult to restain a small area and have it blend well. Maintaining the oil topcoat will eliminate concern with wearing through the stain layer.

An oil finish penetrates the wood. Polyurethane finishes coat the wood. If the wood flooring is finished with polyurethane, occupants are walking on the finish. A polyurethane finish is more damage resistant but comes with some drawbacks. Damage on a poly finish is more noticeable and cannot be spot repaired. To repair wear and tear, the entire floor needs to be sanded and refinished.

Cleaning standards and expectations must be well understood. If the installation requires routine wet mopping, an option other than wood floors may be best. Floors with a polyurethane should be dry mopped or vacuumed while oil finished floors can be damp mopped using the cleaner recommended by the oil manufacturer. Nothing will ruin a floor faster than improper cleaning and maintenance.

Conclusion

Flooring is a critical aspect of any built environment, so it’s important that it unifies the design and creates an unforgettable experience. No matter what type of project you’re working on, there’s a great reclaimed wood flooring option for you. With these tips, you’ll be able to select the right wood species and finish to create and maintain the look you want.
Contact us for free reclaimed wood samples and while you’re at it, check out our new collection of wide plank flooring.

The library has always been an important social hub in many communities. One might think the importance of the library as diminished with the world becoming more and more digital but usage is up driven by millennials who are visiting and using libraries more than ever. Libraries are no longer the quiet, austere spaces they used to be.  

Instead, they’re buzzing with activity. They host community events and workshops and give patrons access to a wide variety of multimedia resources such as recording studios and game development labs. The library has always been the great equalizer, offering access to worlds of information and resource to everyone regardless of social status or income. This is still one of the great beauties of the local library.

As the world changes, the library is adapting and architects and designers are tasked with reinventing and creating spaces that meet the new requirements of society and the digital age. The result are libraries that continue to inspire and bring together entire communities under one roof. Libraries are being designed as a flexible, multi-purpose spaces that can be adjusted to meet ever-changing occupant needs. Many contemporary libraries are doing just this, and wood is playing an integral role in their development.

The Evolution of the Library

From John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library: This mid-1980s snapshot depicts a typical library from yesteryear

The library has evolved throughout the millennia, but the 20th century in particular was a pivotal time for the institution. This era saw the quick adoption of computer-based technologies that would forever transform what libraries would look like. Eventually, the way patrons used libraries changed. Instead of coming in just to check out a book or read a magazine, people visited to use the computers or borrow a DVD.

So while libraries still hold a reputation for being extremely quiet and full of books, they look quite different today. Libraries are still repositories of information, but they’re also communal gathering places. Their design has changed accordingly. Throughout the late 20th century (and even the early 21st), libraries largely consisted of warm yet often windowless indoor spaces, reflecting the design of many other educational institutions at the time. Today, libraries are open, naturally lit spaces that are ideal for a host of events. As a result, library usage has gone up. According to Pew, millennials use libraries more than any other generation.

Naturally, building design has been critical for libraries’ success. Material selection has had an especially significant impact on this transformation. Let’s look at how wood has become instrumental to the renaissance of libraries.

The Changing Uses of Wood in Libraries

Traditionally, wood has been an important material for libraries. It’s contributed largely to the aesthetic of the library in the collective conscious as a studious, intellectual space, as wood is often associated with refinement and elegance. It also serves multiple design functions. Its natural acoustic properties make it a good natural noise dampener, which is ideal for libraries, and it also fosters a feeling of comfort. In many of the world’s biggest libraries, such as the New York Public Library and the Bodleian Library, wood has a strong presence in almost every room.

From the New York Public Library: The Wallach Division of the New York Public Library features ample wood in a timeless style

Today, wood does all of that and much more. It still adds a polished touch, but it also boasts several practical applications that benefit patrons directly. In other words, wood is no longer solely for aesthetics in the contemporary library. Instead, it’s used to increase productivity, facilitate interaction, and bring people together, reinforcing the role of the library as a communal space and ensuring that patrons can get the most out of their experience.

Several studies have proven that wood can have a significant effect on the experience people have within the built environment. People find wood to be welcoming and relaxing and associate the material with feelings of innovation, energy, and comfort. These emotional benefits are accompanied with physical benefits including lowered blood pressure and reduced levels of stress, ultimately culminating in an inviting, rejuvenating occupant experience when wood is present.

Wood can have a positive effect even before patrons walk inside the library itself. Wood exteriors are great for setting the tone for what people will experience within and has been shown to make a building seem more inviting. Kenmore Library in Washington is an example of a library with an open and inviting exterior. Clad with reclaimed teak siding, the building presents a timeless look with lots of character. The golden-brown warmth of teak nicely complements the building’s other materials of glass, cement and metal providing a biophilic, natural element to the building’s contemporary aesthetic.

From TerraMai: Kenmore Library’s reclaimed teak siding greets patrons and creates a stunning first impression

For the interior, the library takes a similarly biophilic approach. Panoramic windows allow natural light to pour in and give ample views of the surrounding nature. These feelings of openness and a connection to nature haven’t always been found in libraries, but they’re becoming more and more common. Minimal furnishings, brightly colored bookshelves, and thoughtful lighting add to the atmosphere, making the library ideal for all sorts of events.

From ArchDaily: The interior of the Kenmore Library is bright and biophilic

The Kenmore Library is a far cry from the stuffy libraries of the 20th century. It’s open, bright, and, in many ways, modular, allowing patrons to modify the layout to meet their needs. While there’s lots of technology present, the Kenmore Library is still dominated by print books, and there are plenty of spaces to sit down and read. All in all, it’s inspiring and refreshing. Libraries like Kenmore are paving the way for a new generation of libraries to not only stay relevant but also continue to serve the community in new and evolving ways.

The WOW Factor

A library provides a great number of services while also symbolically representing the community. Architects and designers have an opportunity on these special projects to really tap into their creative talents to give patrons big WOW experiences.

From ArchDaily: The design of Calgary Central Library, Calgary, Alberta was inspired by arch-shaped Chinook cloud formations.

Completed in 2018, Calgary’s Central Library has six floors of well-designed spaces that provide for digital, analog, group, and individual interactions. There are areas where the indoors merges with the outdoors, there is ample natural lighting and fun areas as well as serious areas. The design goal was inclusivity and the facility reflects the urban community, its culture and natural surroundings.

From Architectural Digest: Calgary Central Library reading room

Throughout the facility, an extensive amount of wood was used especially in areas for focused study and quiet time. People believe they will think more creatively in spaces with wood and studies have shown that wood does promote higher beta waves, an indicator of focus.

From Architectural Digest: Mansueto Library, University of Chicago

University of Chicago’s Mansueto Library is sure to impress the students lucky enough to study in this space. The glass domed ceiling is great inspiration for innovative and expansive thinking. The 3.5 million books are all stored underground and can be retrieved by robots. Wooden floors and tables help with focus and stress reduction while adding to the clean natural look of the reading room.

Conclusion

Libraries are reaching farther and wider than ever before, and they’re getting design upgrades to match. As libraries continue to enjoy increased levels of patronage, these flexible and multi-purpose designs will enable them to consistently serve their communities. Wood is at the center of it all; it’s a material that is inherently humanistic and social, perfect for library settings where people gather to learn and edify themselves. The library is one of our most important and treasured institutions, and these updates are helping to ensure that libraries will live on to benefit future generations and provide an abundance of resources to those who need it most.

Change is a vital part of architecture and design. As occupant needs change and morph, designers constantly reevaluate and redesign the built environment to meet those needs. This is especially evident in the workplace. Over the years, the workplace has undergone a dramatic transformation from a windowless room of cubicles to bright, inviting spaces that inspire and rejuvenate. In this article, let’s take a look at how office design has changed and where it’s headed.

The Open Office Revolution

If there’s a design style that has dominated the workplace for decades, it’s the open office. The open office was developed in the early to mid-20th century in an attempt to create more spacious offices. This layout revolutionized the workplace by removing walls and other borders, and it was meant to improve social interactions between workers, which would theoretically boost everything from productivity to idea generation. Other variations followed, such as Bürolandschaft, a German school of thought that literally translates to “office landscape,” that prioritized informal layouts.

On paper, the open office seems ideal, but in practice, the open office has had its fair share of challenges. When the design first became popular in the mid-1900s, it didn’t quite take the form architects had hoped. Instead of hubs of innovation, open plan offices consisted of long rows of desks packed to the brim with workers. There weren’t any gains in interaction, either; if anything, this early iteration of the open office more closely resembled a factory.

From the Electronic Engineering Journal: A vintage photograph of a mid-20th century open office

Throughout the 20th century, the open office continued to evolve, and while some of the initial issues were remedied, the design was still proven to be ineffective. Contemporary research from Harvard University looked at two Fortune 500 companies that switched to open office layout and found that workers spent 72 percent less time interacting face-to-face. Electronic communication shot up, but personal interaction decreased substantially. However, the open office was an important step in workplace design, and it led to the creation of what would be a hugely popular office design element: cubicles.

The Advent of Cubicles

Today, most people think of the cubicle as an outdated, old-fashioned relic of a past era. So it might be hard to believe that the cubicle was designed with the goal of empowering people. The cubicle was a response to the open office and claimed to solve some of its problems.

First, the cubicle brought privacy back into the office. Instead of working in tight spaces directly next to one another, workers could have spaces all their own. This also brought an aspect of personalization to the workplace.

From WSJ: A typical “cubicle farm” office layout

Second, the cubicle was designed to optimize productivity. Cubicle inventor Robert Propst told Fortune that he envisioned an “Action Office” that provided varying desk levels and multiple workspaces. Like the open office plan, this was excellent in theory but failed in real life. The Action Office became the cubicle, which was much smaller and cheaper. Since the workforce was experiencing a surge of new workers, the cubicle was a perfect way for businesses to minimize costs.

From Wired: A promotional concept image for the Action Office from 1964

For decades, “cubicle farms” took over the workplace. The image of a windowless room stuffed with cubicles is now part of popular culture, and for many, it’s become the standard depiction of an office building. Unsurprisingly, cubicles also lower employee satisfaction and productivity. Even Propst himself was adamantly against the cubicle. In addition, since cubicles were made with materials that contained high concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), they made workers sick. Over time, it became clear that cubicles weren’t the answer, so designers looked for a better, healthier solution.

The Rise of the Biophilic Office

Today, occupant health in the built environment has become a top concern for architects and designers. The average American worker spends 90,000 hours at work throughout their lifetime, so it’s important to design the office to promote health and wellness. In addition, offices have historically been under optimized for human health. Cubicles aren’t the only parts of offices that make workers sick––many factors can detract from worker health and result in a condition such as Sick Building Syndrome (SBS).

This is where biophilic design comes in. This philosophy of placing nature at the center of a building’s design has gained attention for its numerous health benefits, including reduced stress and lowered blood pressure. For many designers, it’s the design approach of choice for any type of commercial environment. It works well with a variety of layouts, transcending any single design approach.

Material selection is a critical part of biophilic design. In the past, illnesses like SBS often occurred because of the toxic materials used in interior design. These high-VOC materials release chemicals like formaldehyde and other pollutants into the environment. Today, architects carefully handpick and source materials that contain little to no VOCs.

Reclaimed wood is a material that designers can reply on, and it offers unique biophilic benefits. Its rich appearance and vivid textures help to connect people with nature in a way that no other material can. Perhaps most importantly, it enhances occupant wellness. It relieves stress and encourages interaction, which makes it an ideal material for the workplace. And thanks to the zero to low-VOC products we use to finish our reclaimed wood, it won’t be making anyone sick.

From TerraMai: HOK’s biophilic office helps workers stay happy and healthy

Biophilic design is often used to complement flexible workspaces. Unlike the open office or the cubicle farm, the flexible workplace is designed to be modular. Workers are able to modify their surroundings as they need, so at any given moment the same space could be used for a presentation, a solo work session, or a private meeting. Mobile furniture, adjustable surroundings, and multi-purpose furnishings help occupants get the most out of a flexible space. When biophilia is infused into a flexible workplace, it’s an ideal combination of form and function that is inspiring office design today.

Every business has specific needs, and of course budget, to consider when making office design decisions. Before latching onto a trendy (or dated) office concept, it is best to consider different worker needs and personality types. Part of the biophilic design process is polling occupants for their input. Some predict the end of the desk and chair and a trend toward all couches but according to Inc Magazine, “We are naturally territorial creatures with a need for categorization, rules and structure. We also like to have a place to put our stuff, even if it’s just some notepads and a coffee mug.”

Although remote work is becoming more common, it’s unlikely the office will disappear. Office design may be headed toward creating zones; a quiet zone with personal workstations; Collaboration/Social zone inclusive of casual open work areas, work hubs to accommodate small groups and cafe-like areas; and private offices and conference room suites. The zone concept accommodates different worker needs while still providing workers with a sense of place.

Conclusion

The modern office has come a long way since the open office plan of the 1950s. Rows of desks and cubicles have been traded for green building materials and inspiringly natural offices. Architects and designers are constantly innovating to make the office a better place to be. It’s a tall task to create a dynamic, collaborative workplace that addresses the many different working styles and situations while mitigating noise and other distractions. If done right, occupant productivity and worker happiness increase. A biophilic design approach is highly worthwhile when looking to foster a healthier office environment.