When it comes to saving the environment, every little bit helps. But just because you’re trying your best to make eco-friendly choices doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style, form, or function from your flooring. Believe it or not, some of the options widely available right now are very eco-friendly. Let’s take a look.
What Are the Most Eco-Friendly Floors?
Bamboo Flooring – Soft Underfoot and on the Earth
One of the most eco-friendly flooring options is bamboo flooring. Why? It’s all in the harvesting. Bamboo grows back twice as fast as the next fastest type of hardwood and ten times as fast as others.
When some people hear about bamboo flooring, they think of it as a soft, non-durable option reserved for those trying to give their homes or offices a taste of the exotic. While bamboo is one of the softer hardwoods available, it is still hardwood, meaning that it can handle a lot. It’s not going to crack under the weight of furniture or repeated foot traffic.
That being said, bamboo is a particularly absorbent plant, meaning you will have to keep that much more of an eye on it when it comes to water. It’s not exactly great with moisture either, making it less than ideal for a humid place like Nashville. As one of the softer hardwoods available, it will knick and scratch more than traditional hardwood flooring, such as oak.
All things considered, however, bamboo flooring is a great option for someone looking for a flooring material that is eco-friendly and easy on the wallet.
Cork Flooring – Not Just a Stop Gap
Another eco-friendly option is cork flooring. The material used to make this flooring is harvested directly from the cork tree’s core, so the tree is left standing to continue it’s helpful work. To add to its eco-friendly nature, many manufacturers are now using recycled cork (think wine stoppers) to make floors.
Cork flooring is on the softer side, but still retains the durability and longevity you would expect from a tree-based flooring option. One of the unexpected benefits is the way it feels underfoot. In many ways, it is just as comfortable as the residential carpeting you find in homes. Additionally, cork flooring is a great sound barrier, making it ideal for rooms with a lot of excess noise.
Laminate Flooring – Best of All Worlds
The best option for eco-friendly flooring is laminate flooring. This material is made from a series of organic layers, including resin, before it is laminated. The laminationprocess bonds all of the layers into one unit, making it incredibly difficult for water to seep into the floor. Since water and moisture are the biggest killers in flooring, having something that can stand up to it is very important. Laminate flooring can also be styled to look like any other kind of flooring option, so it is ideal for someone looking for a specific look, but who also wants to save the planet (or at least not make it worse).
There are a variety of eco-friendly flooring options on the market, so finding the right one is up to the buyer. Confused by the options? Talk to the professionals at Ozburn-Hessey. We are here for all of your flooring needs.
