With the rise of green living, many homeowners are considering updating their homes with eco-friendly flooring options. However, choosing an environmentally friendly option can be tricky.
First, look for flooring products that are made from recycled materials. This will reduce the amount of waste that is sent to landfills.
Hardwood
Hardwood is a great choice for homeowners looking to go green with their flooring. It offers a variety of benefits, including low maintenance and high resale value.
Wood is also one of the most environmentally friendly options for home flooring because it is biodegradable and can be easily disposed of when it’s no longer in use. It can be recycled into other products, such as furniture and building materials.
Another benefit of hardwood is its aesthetic appeal. It comes in a wide range of styles, from traditional to modern, and can be customized to suit any taste.
It can be refinished multiple times, extending its life and increasing the overall eco-friendliness of your floors.
If you choose to install hardwood, be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. This will ensure that your floors are installed correctly and last as long as possible.
Additionally, be sure to purchase hardwood that is FSC certified – a label that signifies that the trees used to produce the product have been properly managed and are not harvested illegally.
You can also choose to install reclaimed hardwood, made from wood previously used for construction or other purposes. It helps keep forests intact and reduces the need to cut down more trees.
Lastly, consider the type of finish you want to use on your hardwood floor. Oil-based polyurethane finishes may contain VOCs, which can cause health problems for those who suffer from asthma or other respiratory conditions.
Water-based urethanes are an alternative option that are much more eco-friendly. However, they will not last as long as the oil-based ones and can be more expensive.
A good rule of thumb is choosing a floor finish with ZERO-ADD technology – this means it contains no VOCs and will not cause health problems when the floors are used by people who suffer from asthma, bronchitis, or other respiratory ailments.
If you’re interested in going green with your flooring, talk to a dedicated floor professional about what hardwood products are right for you. They can help you navigate through the many options available and find the perfect flooring for your needs and budget.
Bamboo
There are several factors to consider when going green with flooring. You want to make sure the materials used are renewable and sustainable, that there is no pollution involved in the manufacturing process, and that the floor will be able to last for a long time. You also want to be sure that the floor can be recycled or that it will biodegrade.
Bamboo is one of the best eco-friendly options available for flooring. It can be harvested quickly, in about 5-6 years, so it doesn’t take a lot of resources to produce. In addition, it grows well in regions where heavy pesticides and fertilizers aren’t required, making it a more environmentally friendly material than traditional hardwoods.
It’s also an insulator, which helps to keep your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer without adding to the workload of your HVAC system. Plus, it’s a natural antimicrobial that can help to reduce dust mites and other household allergens.
You can find a wide variety of eco-friendly bamboo flooring to suit your needs, including solid, engineered, hand-scraped, strand-woven, and colored floors. Some of these types of bamboo are even sourced from sustainable forests, ensuring that the floor you install is made with a green conscience.
In order to ensure that you’re buying a sustainable bamboo floor, check to see if the company selling it has a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certificate. The FSC is a non-profit that promotes the responsible management of the world’s forests.
Unlike hardwoods, which can take 20 to 120 years to mature, bamboo is ready to harvest in five to six years. During that period, the tree can continue to grow and reproduce, helping it become a renewable resource better for the environment than many other wood species.
The most environmentally friendly type of bamboo is strand-woven bamboo. This is created by slicing the stalks of the bamboo plant and then milling them into thin strips. The strips are then boiled to remove any pests, grime, and starches that may be present.
Another option is engineered bamboo, which is a cheaper alternative to strand woven but can be more difficult to maintain than other types of bamboo flooring. This type of bamboo can be sanded and polished, but it’s less resistant to stains than strand-woven bamboo.
Linoleum
Choosing an eco-friendly option for your flooring can be a great way to make a difference in the world. Whether you are building a new home or replacing old floors, green flooring options can provide you with the beauty and durability of traditional hardwoods, tiles, and carpets without negative environmental impacts.
Using recycled materials and products that have minimal impact on the planet are just two ways to go green when shopping for your next floor. You can also find a manufacturer that sources their flooring sustainably, ensuring that all materials are ethically produced.
Linoleum is an environmentally friendly flooring option that can last years if well cared for and installed properly. It is made from natural ingredients, including linseed oil, pine resins, cork, and jute.
It is also a relatively low-cost option and is resistant to moisture. Lastly, it has a very low impact on indoor air quality and can even be anti-microbial.
Aside from being an eco-friendly choice, linoleum is also a durable floor, holding up well to heavy traffic and abrasions. It is available in a variety of colors and styles, and it can be used on both wood and concrete surfaces.
Despite being a long-time staple of the building industry, linoleum is now making a comeback thanks to renewed interest in natural and sustainable building materials. Although linoleum has a long way to go to be truly environmentally friendly, it is a good alternative to PVC and vinyl for those looking to go green with their flooring.
However, like any product, linoleum has its pros and cons. One of its major downsides is that it can off-gas harmful volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
To help address this issue, linoleum manufacturers such as Forbo and Tarkett offer week-long training courses for installers, which can be very helpful when installing a new linoleum floor.
Linoleum can also be more difficult to install than other floor types, and you may want to hire a professional.
Porcelain Tile
Porcelain tile is a popular flooring option for many homeowners. It’s durable, low-maintenance, and water-resistant. The material also doesn’t contain harmful chemicals, which makes it a great choice for environmentally conscious homeowners.
The best way to choose an eco-friendly flooring option is to understand its impact on the environment and how it’s made. For example, it’s important to look for materials made from recycled or sustainable materials, are produced responsibly, and have an eco-friendly certification program.
It’s also helpful to consider the longevity of the product and whether or not it will add value to your home. If you plan to sell your house, it’s always a good idea to pick a floor that will increase the value of your property, which can help you get a higher selling price and more return on investment.
One of the biggest porcelain tile benefits is that it’s moisture-resistant and tough to scratch. This means that it’s a great flooring choice for rooms with high traffic or areas where the flooring will get wet on a regular basis, such as the kitchen or bathroom.
In addition to their water-resistant characteristics, porcelain tiles are very stain-resistant. They can easily withstand stains from coffee, wine, oil, and other common household spills, and they’re easy to clean with simple products that don’t require harsh chemicals or abrasive scrubbing.
You can also find porcelain tiles in a wide range of colors and patterns. This allows you to create unique, personalized designs for your walls and floors. The possibilities are endless!
While it isn’t a cheap flooring option, porcelain tile is definitely worth the cost. It’s durable, resistant to wear, and has a long lifespan, making it a great choice for businesses or rental properties.
Porcelain tiles are available in a wide variety of styles and colors, so you’re sure to find a design that matches your space and personal style. For example, you can choose from wood-look and classic white subway tiles to more intricate patterned options that will make your room pop with color.