"Everyone gets excited when they first see it," says Pete Gargano, market development manager for Weyerhaeuser when asked about Lyptus® flooring. "Everyone who sees our floor asks, ‘What is this?' Already two families who saw our floor have installed it in their homes," adds Mike Garner, co-owner of Lafferty Lumber in Lemoyne, Penn.

Recently released on a national scale, Lyptus® flooring is catching on with many homeowners looking for an alternative to mainstream hardwood choices. And, since all Lyptus® products come from trees grown with sustainability in mind, it's an ideal choice for homeowners looking to convey a statement of environmental wisdom and responsibility.

Lyptus® materials come from a Eucalyptus hybrid grown on plantations. One-third of the area is kept in native vegetation to help maintain elements of the natural ecosystem. After the first harvest, Eucalyptus trees are grown from the stump or root structure of the prior generation of trees, minimizing disturbance of the land-and making Lyptus® products a smart choice.

As for the environmental aspects of Lyptus® hardwood, according to Ian Firth of Weyerhaeuser Building Materials, "We spent five years conducting research and extensive testing to bring something new to the high-grade wood industry that we believe is truly sustainable for the environment."

Lyptus® hardwood features a beautiful grain that takes a wide range of stains and finishes evenly making it a versatile hardwood that can take on the look of walnut, cherry, mahogany or maple depending on the finish material used. Better yet, industrial tests carried out in Europe and the United States have shown that Lyptus® materials can be processed with the same tools and finishes as other hardwoods, making the transition to Lyptus® hardwood products easy.

"It's not every day that a new hardwood comes around, especially one that comes from a sustainably managed source. Lyptus® hardwood provides an entirely new flooring option when customers are looking for ‘green' products," adds Gargano.

Lastly, Lyptus® hardwood products are versatile yet elegant hardwoods that can be used for both flooring and cabinetry as staining floors and cabinets in complementary colors provides a visually inviting kitchen. A lighter floor will set off dark cabinetry beautifully or vice versa - the higher the contrast, the greater the impact.