Sustainable Flooring: Keeping it Green
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All About Sustainable Flooring
In this day and age sustainable, Eco-friendly solutions are always best. As well as being good for the environment, sustainable solutions are also often economically friendly too! Today we’re going to be discussing sustainable flooring options, so those of you who are looking to build or renovate can be fully informed before you begin your projects!
Just What is Sustainable Flooring?
Sustainable flooring is manufactured using sustainable materials (and by using sustainable processes) that attempt to reduce the demand on our ecosystem. The ethos of sustainability is that resources should be renewable and accessible in order to reduce environmental damage and the potential ripple-on effects such as climate change.
Types of Sustainable Floors
There are a few different types of flooring that are manufactured using sustainable materials. We’re going to be looking at five of them.
1. Timber Floors
In a comparative study that pitted wooden flooring against linoleum and vinyl, it was discovered that wooden flooring had lower energy use and carbon dioxide emissions in its manufacture and installation. It was also shown to be much more environmentally friendly in areas such as resource use, toxic emissions, pollution and waste generation. Timber can also be sustainably farmed, with new trees being planted as their older brothers and sisters are cut down for flooring.
2. Reclaimed Wood
Reclaimed wood is used in the place of traditional hardwood flooring. It is timber taken from a variety of different sources, including old buildings, barrels and driftwood. The argument is that no trees need to be harvested for this type of flooring.
3. Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo is a fast-growing, easily renewable source of wood. It has some excellent natural properties, including water-resistance, anti-bacterial features and high durability. Bamboo flooring can be expensive, but you can usually find it at similar prices to traditional hardwood flooring options. Some types of bamboo flooring can be somewhat less sustainable due to toxic products used in the finishing and adhesive process. If this is important to you, be sure to do your research prior to purchasing.
4. Rubber
Rubber flooring is another eco-friendly solution that is either manufactured from the rubber tree (which can be farmed sustainably) or created synthetically. Rubber is an effective all-rounder type of flooring, due to its ease of installation and maintenance, anti-static properties and sound insulation qualities. It’s also resistant to fading and burns – in fact, many councils around the world use it for pavement in the place of asphalt.
5. Natural or Recycled Carpet
Another option for your floor is sustainable carpet. There are carpets on the market that are completely sustainable due their use of natural fibres such as cotton, wool, coconut husk or jute. If carpet is your preference, these natural products may provide an alternative to synthetic options.
Find Out More
If you’d like to learn more about sustainable options, or to organise a quote, please feel free to get in touch with our friendly team. At The Wooden Floor Company we’re more than happy to share our knowledge. Come and visit our Auckland showroom to find the perfect surface for your needs.