Choosing eco-friendly options for your home? One of the best steps you can take is right under your feet.
Earth-friendly flooring materials reduce damage to the environment and avoid toxins that other flooring might expose you to. Many hardwood companies are working toward ecological forestry, producing environmentally responsible products, and refining their finishing products to include water-based technology.
Carpeting companies are also taking an ecological stand, producing family friendly carpets from recycled products.
A product at the forefront of the flooring industry is bamboo, a sustainable resource with subtle grains and colors that complement a number of design styles.
Diane Morse, showroom manager of Everett’s Abbey Carpet and Floor, encourages customers to thoughtfully research the different bamboo floorings available, noting that the age of the bamboo should be a factor in your choice.
“I prefer the brand Teragren because they let the bamboo grow longer so it’s a harder bamboo,” she said. “The market’s been flooded with bamboos that are cut way too young – you can almost take your fingernail and dent them.”
Bamboo can be harvested in as little as four years, but Morse recommends choosing a bamboo that is at least five and a half years old. At that stage, bamboo provides remarkable strength and beauty throughout your home. Teragren’s product line is finished with a five-coat German finish that is water-based and solvent-free.
Cork flooring also comes from a sustainable resource, the bark of the cork oak tree.
These trees have an average life expectancy of 100 to 120 years. The thick bark of the tree is harvested every nine to 11 years and is made up of millions of tiny air pockets that provide excellent thermal and acoustic insulation, making cork a sensible alternative for multi-level houses and office spaces.
The air pockets also create a resilient cushiony surface that is gentle on feet, back and joints, ideal for individuals with back or leg pain.
“I’ve put cork into people’s homes after their physical therapist suggested putting it in,” said Leslie Beach, manager of Arlington’s Virtual Floor.
Cork can be used in kitchen areas, but care should be taken because wet maintenance is entirely forbidden. Spills should be cleaned up right away. Regular maintenance includes routine sweeping and vacuuming to avoid buildup of abrasive particles.
Beach noted that cork is available in a number of colors and styles, including floating floor planks, floating square tiles and underlayment for other flooring materials. The floating planks and tiles do not attach to the substrate. Instead, the product uses a tongue-and-groove process allowing for interesting patterns, such as checkerboards, as accent pieces or borders.
Another natural product that allows for unique design opportunities is Marmoleum, a linoleum product made from linseed oil pressed from the seeds of the flax plant.
“The thing homeowners like about Marmoleum is you can use so many different colors and designs,” Beach said. “The different patterns you can create are fantastic.”
Marmoleum’s extensive color options are all created using environmentally responsible pigments. Its backing is made from spun yarn of strong jute fiber, a plentiful and highly renewable resource. Other ingredients used in the product include pine rosins from pine trees and wood flour obtained through controlled forestry, including the planting of special forests.
“Many floorings can float over existing vinyl,” Morse said.
From a green point of view, by retaining the existing floor you are keeping that much waste out of the landfill. When removing carpeting from your home, Morse suggested selling or giving away gently worn carpet through a newspaper ad.
“We can also take a piece of carpet and bind the edges to create an area rug for your home,” she said.
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