We’ve already covered which carpet types are the most environmentally-friendly. But what about carpet and flooring in general? Indeed, there are many lovely choices out there. But if the environment is important to you when choosing flooring for your home, you may want to consider that some forms of carpeting and flooring are more eco-friendly than others. There are many reasons for this; some are treated or manufactured with harsh chemicals, and others are not environmentally sustainable.
Hardwood Flooring
Standard Hardwood Floors
Where it comes to the standard hardwood floor, there are several things that should be taken into consideration. The first is that all hardwood floors use wood from trees. But some stands of trees are better ecologically managed than others. Therefore, it’s important to trace the source of the wood used in the hardwood floors you wish to purchase. Ensure that all wood used in the manufacture of the flooring you want has not only been grown for harvesting, but has been responsibly harvested. It’s also a good idea to ensure that these sources engage in sustainable forestry practices.
Engineered Hardwood Floors
At the other end of the spectrum, engineered hardwood flooring actually help to solve the issue of waste disposal, because they are manufactured using wood that’s been left over from other projects. In addition to having more eco-friendly sources, engineered hardwood floors can be cleaned without having to use chemicals.
Vinyl Flooring
Whilst vinyl floors are great because they don’t require the use of chemicals to clean them, and they offer several benefits to people with allergies, many of these types are manufactured using new PVC. And unfortunately, the production process of PVC carries its own threats to the environment because of the significant toxins it creates. These toxins include dioxin, which is one of the most toxic compounds in existence.
Cork Flooring
Cork floors are one example of a stellar product where friendliness to the environment is concerned. Material for these floors comes from the cork oak tree. This tree can live as long as 200 years and when cut down, grows back in just nine. Not only that, but cork floors are constructed from champagne and wine cork leftovers. These completely renewable and sustainable materials are also able to be reused, meaning no additional stress on landfill sites.
Bamboo
Bamboo, although quite woody is a grass. Because it only takes 5 years to grow bamboo, this is a very sustainable source for the creation of flooring. There are two types of bamboo flooring available; regular and strand-woven. The latter is actually made from the leftovers of regular bamboo flooring, and tends to be tougher and stronger than the regular option, as it is woven together and fused to form a durable product.
Carpeting
Some of the carpets available in Bedfordshire and beyond can contain chemicals, especially if they’ve been shipped from overseas locations. These chemicals can trigger severe reactions in people with sensitivity and allergies to various chemicals. Not only that, but in order to clean carpeting, additional chemicals may need to be used, as well as special machines for deep cleaning. As well, electricity is needed to power the machines that clean carpeting. Overseas shipping also means more spent fuel.
Regardless of the flooring you choose, keeping the above considerations in mind can definitely help you if your goal is to redo the floors in your home in way that’s easy on the environment. You may even find that environmentally friendly flooring comes in at far less money than you were expecting to pay. Whichever flooring type you desire, always be sure to try and learn about every step in the company’s manufacturing and shipping processes.