Flower Love
There are many factors you can consider when choosing flooring, such as: B. the effect on the appearance of your room or whether or not this is contributing to your family’s allergy problems. One of the things that you may not have thought about is the impact your flooring choices can have on the environment.
When you choose a flooring material, you want to be sure that you are getting great value for money. Your floors are heavily used and no matter which material you choose, they have to be durable because they have to have a long lifespan. Floor coverings are expensive and are usually rarely replaced.
With the current drive for eco-friendly options and environmental awareness, the flooring has recently undergone a review which increases the demand for sustainable flooring. The market has therefore seen an increase in sustainable flooring solutions, from the floors themselves to their coverings. There is now a growing selection of options in different colors and materials. It’s now easy to find sustainable flooring ideas that blend beautifully with the style and decor of your home while staying on an affordable budget.
What is sustainable flooring?
Sustainable floors are made from renewable and environmentally friendly materials. These surfaces are manufactured and manufactured using environmentally friendly processes and have minimal impact on the natural environment at all stages of life, from harvesting and processing to home use and disposal. Much of the natural flooring, such as bamboo and sisal, also has a positive impact on the communities that grow, supply, and manufacture it, ensuring that the people of these regions continue to thrive.
For those interested in buying sustainable flooring and wondering which option is best, visit the American National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Buildings for Energy and Environmental Sustainability program website, which lists a wide range of environmental impacts Floor coverings are shown. This page shows that cork, linoleum and wood are the best choices for those who are determined to improve the sustainability of their home.
Here are some of the greenest flooring available:
Sustainable carpet
Wool, sisal, and jute are three options for those who prefer a carpet store. Alternatively, you can opt for a rug from one of the companies that specialize in recycled carpet underlay. By using this material, 1200 tons of waste from the landfill can be saved annually.
Some companies are now using recycled plastic bottles to make carpet tiles. This is a great sustainable alternative to regular carpet tiles, especially when used with an environmentally friendly underlay.
bamboo
Bamboo is a wonderful floor covering and a fantastic renewable raw material. Bamboo has been used across Asia for centuries and is finally finding its way west. Because it is a grass, it replenishes quickly and grows back to its full height in about five years, making it grow back much faster than trees.
Similar to hardwood floors, it’s much more environmentally friendly as it doesn’t have to be replanted to replace harvested bamboo. The roots remain intact when harvested and can easily grow back. The good news is that bamboo contains 70% more carbon than hardwoods, which improves the overall environment.
In addition to being good for the environment, bamboo is also a great choice for your home. It is hard-wearing and long-lasting, has antibacterial properties and is insect-resistant. In addition to all of these benefits, it is moisture resistant, making it ideal for use in humid climates.
There are numerous forms of processed bamboo floors. The traditional method in Asia is to use thin, flat-cut stems that are left in their natural state or colored in the desired color. Alternatively, there is a more technological method of making bamboo flooring that uses strips of bamboo rod that have been peeled and cooked to remove starches and sugars. After this process, the bamboo is dried and planed so that the end product looks similar to beech or oak.
There are two methods of laminating bamboo for use as flooring. Urea-formaldehyde resins are the most commonly used, and although less of this substance is used in the manufacture of bamboo than in the manufacture of particleboard substrates, it is still not ideal for the environment. Fortunately, there is now an alternative method that is much more environmentally friendly and involves the use of bamboo locking systems connected to joints. These are easy to install and ideal for customizing to the look you want.
Polished concrete
Polished concrete is an extremely attractive and durable flooring that is also environmentally friendly, especially when using recycled materials. It is very durable and energy efficient due to its insulating properties.
linoleum
Linoleum and vinyl floors are by no means the same. Vinyl floors are not environmentally friendly because of their harmful synthetic content. Linoleum, on the other hand, consists of natural substances such as cork, dust, linseed oil, tree resins, ground limestone, wood flour and pigments. Since it is fire and water resistant, it is an ideal floor covering. Linoleum, which was popular before World War II, has recently regained popularity and is now available in a wide range of colors and patterns, protected by a sealer that prevents stains. It is a hard-wearing floor covering that will last a long time.
Hardwood
Hardwood floors have been popular for generations because of their attractive appearance and warm feel. They are easy to clean and also a great choice for allergy sufferers as they have no fibers to trap impurities. When you choose wood that has been grown on a sustainable plantation for commercial harvesting, you can rest assured that you are making an environmentally friendly choice.
Trees trap carbon dioxide that would otherwise be released into the atmosphere, and this remains in the wood even after it has been felled and processed. If you want to change your flooring material in the future, your wooden floor can even be recycled again, which extends its lifespan even further. New types of hardwood floors have now been developed that are finished sanded and stained and can be installed quickly and easily right out of the box.
Sustainable carpets
Carpets are the perfect way to personalize your living space. As an ideal way to bring style and color to a room when paired with neutral flooring, you can now buy carpets made from eco-friendly materials like recycled plastic and cotton. Alternatively, you can make your own rugs from sustainable wool. Hemp, jute and sisal carpets are also attractive and comfortable underfoot and very environmentally friendly. Choose Fairtrade carpet products to further enhance the positive effects of your flooring choices.
Thanks to today’s technology, sustainable flooring options can be attractive and affordable as well as environmentally friendly. There is no better way to decorate your home.