Flooring

Flooring: Latest isn't greatest

Brazilian cherry, bamboo, and cork are among this year's esoteric options as manufacturers push faraway names and "greener" claims. But you might want to stick with conventional hardwoods and other familiar flooring to fend off kitchen scrapes and spills after reading this flooring review.

While oak still outsells other solid-wood floors, Brazilian cherry is growing fastest because of its attractive grain and wide palette of hues. It's also sold in engineered wood (a veneer over plywood) and plastic laminate, which makes do with a photo of the real stuff.

Other alternatives use only part of the tree. One of them is cork, which is taken from the bark without killing the tree. And there's bamboo (a fast-growing grass) and linoleum, which is made using cork and linseed oil. But at up to $9 per square foot, these green flooring options can be as pricey as solid wood.

Companies are also pitching engineered wood and vinyl that can be laid down, or floated, for easier installation. Some did well in our tests. Yet months of simulated foot traffic, dragged-in debris, dropped plates, spills, and sunlight show that newer options may not be better, and some green flooring could leave you seeing red. Here are the details:

Brazilian cherry varies. We tested solid- and engineered-wood versions. Thomasville's Jatoba resisted scratches and staining better than most solid wood. But it was among the worst for wear in our flooring review, and quickly darkened in our UV tests. The engineered-wood BR-111 resisted sunlight, but it stained more than many engineered woods and its micro-thin veneer can't be refinished.

Cork proves vulnerable. Quietness and softness underfoot are among cork's talking points. Ronda Cork by US Floors was quiet in