Living green has become the talk of the town nowadays, and guess what? It starts right under your feet!
The flooring you choose for your home must check quite a few boxes – your floors have to be durable & easy to care for, and also eco-friendly. Given that the market is brimming with options let’s check out some of the excellent sustainable flooring solutions for every room in your home.
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Why “Go Green” on Flooring?
Since climate change continues to be a looming concern for many of us, “going green” with home upgrades like flooring feels more relevant than ever. The materials we choose make a real difference in reducing our environmental footprint around the house!
If you want to figure out just how “green” or sustainable flooring options are, you have to consider:
- Where do the raw materials come from? Were the floors created using sustainable, rapidly renewable resources? Or were virgin materials like fresh-cut trees and mined minerals used?
- What’s the manufacturing process like? Do cleaner, greener production methods get tapped? Or do they rely more heavily on toxic chemicals and fossil fuel energy sources that dirty up the process?
- How durable will the flooring be once you install it in your home? Short lifespans that require replacing flooring after just a few years create more waste, ending up in landfills.
- Can the floors be easily recycled, reused, or composted once they’ve reached the eventual end of their lifespan in your home?
Natural Linoleum – A Longtime Eco-Friendly Contender
Let’s start our green flooring exploration from the ground up with linoleum options, which check a lot of eco-friendly boxes we just covered.
Linoleum, made mostly from linseed oil derived from the flax plant mixed with pine resin, cork dust, wood flour, and colour pigments – wins when it comes to using abundant, fast-growing renewable resources. Especially compared to alternatives like vinyl made of fossil fuels. Not bad!
Production-wise, linoleum generates far less pollution than vinyl or rubber flooring over its life cycle. And it gets brownie points for being naturally antibacterial! As for durability – linoleum can hang in there for several decades if properly cared for. That means fewer resources are used up since replacements are not needed every 5-10 years.
Minimal upkeep is required except for a little sweeping and damp mopping now and then – no need for harsh chemical cleaners with linoleum. And here’s the best part – at the end of its long lifespan, linoleum flooring can even be recycled, reused, or safely composted!
Linoleum plays well as flooring in kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kids’ playrooms where spills happen. And style-wise, it comes in sheets or tiles, laying out lots of decorating possibilities with various colour and pattern options.
For a budget-friendly floor covering with longevity and one of the smallest environmental footprints, linoleum deserves your consideration!
Renewable Cork – Naturally Great Green Flooring
Another eco-all star worth exploring is cork flooring. Made from the thick outer bark of special cork oak trees, it’s rapidly renewable without harming the trees, which can live 100-300 years!
Cork Oak trees thrive in Portugal, Spain, and across the Mediterranean. Their bark gets gently harvested by hand every 9 years or so without cutting down trees – now that’s renewable manufacturing done right!
Natural cork crafted into planks, tiles, and sheets is waterproof, sound absorbing, and cushions underfoot comfortably. Its honeycomb cell structure gives it bounce-back durability that even high heels can’t seem to dent!
Cork deserves huge accolades for being antimicrobial and mould-resistant, making it ideal for kitchens, baths, and basements prone to moisture issues. The natural insulation properties provide energy efficiency wins in heating and cooling homes, too.
As for the cleaning and care, little is needed beyond occasional vacuuming or sweeping. No heavy chemical cleaners are required. Refinishing can restore scratches or scuffs, preventing total replacement for years.
And we’d be remiss not to mention cork flooring looks fabulous with loads of colours and patterns that complement all design styles nicely. Durable, sustainable, AND gorgeous – what a combo!
Hardwood – A Classic Flooring Choice
Let’s shift our focus to one of the most classic and beloved flooring options out there – good old hardwood flooring. Gorgeous oak, maple, hickory, and more have graced homes for ages thanks to durable beauty and value-adding appeal.
Can you beat natural wood floors when it comes to style? Today’s manufacturing puts more focus on responsible harvesting following sustainable forestry standards so forests stay healthy. Efficient milling equipment helps make the most usage out of every log now, too.
The best part is that quality hardwoods, when properly installed and cared for, can stick with your home, staying lovely for over 100 years thanks to refinishing possibilities. Now that’s our kind of durable!
Yes, hardwood costs more upfront than trendy luxury vinyl planks, which replicate its style. But remember, you’re investing in genuine natural beauty made to last. Besides, hardwood’s enduring style simply can’t be duplicated.
More Eco-Flooring Stars
While linoleum, cork, and hardwood cover some of the best eco-friendly options, there are a few other flooring types worth a nod to when it comes to sustainable homes.
Bamboo remains a renewable favourite, easily regrowing to maturity in 3-5 years without chemicals. Concrete stained floors utilize abundant raw materials like stone in creative ways. Recycled rubber floors give worn tires new life in patio spaces, laundry rooms, and play areas – smart reuse at its best!
Certified Marmoleum brand linoleum takes the natural linseed base up in durability and decor span for contemporary spaces. Even carpet squares gain green credibility when made from recycled plastic bottles transformed into soft fibres.
Wrap-up
We hope this tour of excellent eco-friendly flooring options makes choosing the perfect sustainable flooring refresh for your home both easy and exciting. Bringing green materials into your home’s décor creates healthier, more beautiful living spaces while protecting the planet. Choose renewable floors showcasing natural hues, durability, and feel-good backstories to make your home shine bright.
