When it comes to flooring, there’s a standout choice for most homes; Wood. Whether it’s solid or engineered, wood flooring is a focal point in any room in the house. However, regardless of the beauty of this product there are a lot of concerns as to how environmentally friendly that it is. What sort of price are we really paying (or should we say, is the planet paying) for a cheap flooring product? We will run down the facts on eco-friendly flooring so that you can make an educated choice.
Forest Stewardship Council
Well, we’re here to inform you that the price isn’t as high as you might think. This is because wood flooring is currently more eco-friendly than it has ever been due to rules and measures that have been put in place by manufacturers who work closely with the likes of the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) to ensure that our forests are protected and managed responsibly.
By working alongside the FSC manufacturers can have peace of mind knowing that the products they are distributing have come from forests where for every tree that has been felled, more are planted in its place. This is of course to prevent deforestation. Unfortunately, a majority of forests have suffered from deforestation thanks to illegal logging over the years. If you buy from a brand that work towards FSC guidelines you know that your flooring comes free from any kind of guilt and that you have personally assisted them in achieving a more sustainable world.
Another great thing about wood flooring is that it comes from a naturally renewable material. This all comes back to the careful management of forests. Which means, it ensures that large amounts of building materials can be supplied without the materials themselves depleting over time.
Environmentally Friendly
While the majority of wood floors are environmentally conscious, some materials are naturally more sustainable than others. Lets take Bamboo for example, this rapidly renews and regenerates very quickly, typically within only three to five years. Bamboo is no less strong than other species and can hold its own in both durability and longevity. Similarly, cork is also a very sustainable choice of floor that can renew within a shorter time frame. Cork takes only ten years to replenish giving it an advantage over other species. Another key advantage of cork is that some manufacturers now include recycled cork from wine bottle corks to further increase their eco-friendly properties.
Sustainable Floors
We know that some floors are undeniably more environmentally friendly than others. However, all wood floors are sustainable. Considering their long life as they are likely to outlive yourself and your property. This means you would be unlikely to ever need to replace a solid hardwood floor as you would a carpet, for example. This saves the environment from additional environmental damages caused by manufacturing. In a nutshell; wood floors are environmentally friendly whilst also able to offer you a gorgeous aesthetic and undeniable quality all at the same time!
There are more cleaning gadgets and electronic wizardry than any home could possibly need – which is, of course, the problem.