Hardwood Floors August/September 2018

Log yard. During this process, logging trucks pick up the logs harvested from the forest and transport them to the log yard. Logs are sorted by grade and size and are stored either in wet or dry conditions depending on the species and the season. When ready and needed, logs are transported from storage to the mill bucker and debarker. Inputs include fossil fuel for the log haulers and water and electricity for the sprinklers. Outputs include water that is released during the we ing process along with emissions from the trucks. Bucking and debarking. During this process, the logs are bucked to the needed length, and bark is removed to expose the usable wood. Inputs include fossil fuel for the fork li s or rolling stock, and electricity to operate the saw and the debarker. Outputs include material lost when cu ing the logs to size, and bark. ese outputs are burned as fuel or are sold as mulch. Block conditioning. During this process, the wood is either placed into a hot water bath or exposed to steam, to so en the wood. is makes the wood easier to peel from the log. Inputs include fossil fuel for the equipment that loads and unloads the log, hot water or steam, and electricity to operate the machinery. Outputs include air emissions from the boilers providing heat for the hot water or steam.

Inputs include electricity to run scanners, conveyor systems, and other machinery. ere are no outputs included in this process. In summary, the study revealed that solid un nished wood ooring has signi cant advantages. e rst is that wood is a low- carbon neutral product, and the second is that wood sequesters carbon during its service life. ENGINEERED FLOORING In 2010, the University of Wisconsin Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology again funded by the NWFA published a second life cycle inventory of pre nished engineered wood oors. e research conducted for this study was performed applying the methods found in CORRIM guidelines, and ISO standards. Typical manufacturing of factory nished engineered wood oors includes eight processes. ese include the log yard; bucking and debarking; block conditioning; peeling and clipping; veneer drying; layup; trimming, sawing, sanding and moulding; and factory nishing. Inputs and outputs for each of these unit processes were collected as part of the research to help the ooring industry identify ‘environmental’ hot spots along their product production chain.

include fossil fuel for the equipment that delivers the boards to the rip saw, and electricity to operate the machinery. Outputs include shavings and sawdust. ese outputs are burned as fuel or are manufactured into other items like wood pellets or wood bricks. Trimming. During this process, the boards are trimmed to eliminate defects. e boards also are cross-cut to create desired lengths. Inputs include fossil fuel for the equipment that delivers the lumber to the trimmer, and electricity to operate the machinery. Outputs include trimmaterials, shavings, and sawdust. ese outputs are burned as fuel or are manufactured into other items like wood pellets or wood bricks. Moulding. During this process, the boards are end-matched and side- matched into tongue and groove ooring. Bevels can be added at this stage as well. Inputs include fossil fuel for the equipment that delivers the lumber to the moulder, and electricity to operate the machinery. Outputs include trim materials, shavings, and sawdust. ese outputs are burned as fuel or are manufactured into other items like wood pellets or wood bricks. Sorting. During this process, individual ooring boards are sorted by grade according to their visual appearance.

the magazine of the national wood flooring association

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