Skip to main content

The Lacey Act



In the early 1900's the Lacey act was enacted to prevent the illegal transportation, exportation, importation and sale of any wildlife into, or out of this country. In the summer of 2008 there was an amendment made to this act. The act now covers certain types of plants and plant products, as well as illegally harvested lumber that are made into wood flooring. Those who are found taking part in these illegal acts are subject to a 500,000 penalty and up to 5 years in prison. In order for wood flooring suppliers to bring in exotic hardwoods into our country, they must abide by the regulations and have all materials declared to be free from illegal harvesting practices.

Approximately 18% of all exotic hardwood floors brought into this country have been illegally harvested and milled overseas. Suppliers who have been practicing good stewardship have been hurt by this 18%. It costs a lot of money to have products declared Eco-friendly. Those suppliers that are not abiding by the Lacey act, will either have to conform to these new rules or go out of business. Suppliers cannot compete and stay in business when they are not playing on a level playing field.

Now I know why exotic floors have become so inexpensive over the past couple of years. The Lacey Act is going to change all that. For those of us on the supply side who have legal products, this amendment could not have come fast enough. I expect over the next few months there will be a considerable amount of dumping of these products. Look for prices to remain low in the short run; in the long run however this industry will be dramatically different, because of this new amendment to the Lacey act.
Thanks,
The Floor Man
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Solid Vs. Engineered Hardwood. Which is better?

In this article I will cover the difference between engineered and solid wood flooring. I often get asked; is engineered hardwood actually real wood? The answer to that question is: Yes! There are some who think that engineered wood is inferior to its solid counterpart. Solid wood has its benefits, however it is not necessarily better than engineered. Actually, the opposite just may be true. Engineered hardwood has a cross-plywood construction, with a solid wood veneer laminated to the top. Solid hardwood is just that, solid. Both styles range in thickness from 5/16 to 3/4 inch. Both types of floors come prefinished or unfinished and come in a variety of widths and styles. There are several benefits to engineered hardwood. Here are just a few. Engineered hardwood is more dimensionally stable than solid wood flooring. Engineered floors can be glued down directly to concrete, floated or stapled. They can be installed above, on, or below grade. Engineered floors are less prone to cupping...
33 comments
Read more

Hardwax Oil vs. Urethane Finishes

In the early to mid 1980's,  a new type of urethane fini sh entered the market; water-base urethane was the new craze. With the entrance of water-base into the market-place, contractors quickly began to realize its value. The new water-base finishes added extra durability, dried much faster than its counterpart, and reduced the amount of labor hours. Prior to urethane finishes, hardwood floors were often sealed with multiple layers of shellac (lacquer was also popular); contractors would apply a coat of hot wax, which acted as a protective barrier. Finally, contractors would then polish the floor; finishing it up. Now, almost after a half of a century, the new craze is here; "Hardwax Oil".  Made from waxes and oils, such as carnauba and parrafin wax, and natural oils, such as sunflower and linseed. Hardwax Oil is quickly gaining favor in the hardwood finish industry. So, the question is, which is better. Urethane or Hardwax Oil?...
10 comments
Read more

The Valinge Locking System

If you are looking to purchase a new laminate or hardwood floor and you plan on doing it yourself, then I recommend buying Robina. Robina laminate and hardwood, both feature the Valinge locking system. This locking system is the best on the market today and is the easiest laminate/wood floor to install ever. Valinge produces a 2G and a 5G locking mechanism. The 5G versions are used on all 12mm laminates and all 1/2" wood products. The 2G systems are used on 8.3mm laminates and 3/8" wood products. The main difference between the 2G and the 5G is that the 5G products has a plastic clip on the end of the boards, the 2G does not. However, both locking systems work identically. The big advantage Valinge has against its competition is that there is no need for a tapping block or hammer. This product drops and locks right into place with no beating or banging. The Unilin system requires a tapping block and hammer (which could damage the floor) and is more difficult to install. The V...
4 comments
Read more