Bring sustainable practices into your home. Rather than choose flooring materials with a short shelf life that contribute to pollution, take a different approach. Read below to learn the five most eco-friendly flooring options for your home.
Tile Flooring
Tiles made from ceramic, porcelain, and terra cotta are notable sustainable flooring materials. They consist of natural clay fired in kilns at high temperatures. The process yields durable surfaces that’ll withstand decades of use when properly maintained, reducing the need for frequent replacements. Consequently, they’ll produce less waste.
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring comes from composite wood pressed together at high temperatures. The top layer undergoes sealing with a photographic applique that mimics the outward characteristics of traditional hardwood, stone, or other materials.
Creating the flooring requires less wood than conventional hardwood floors. Therefore, laminate doesn’t depreciate plentiful trees in the construction process.
Laminate’s durability is another contributing factor to its eco-friendly qualities. It’ll resist scratches, dents, and staining, so homeowners don’t feel the need to send the material to a landfill quickly.
Reclaimed Hardwood
When you combine strength, elegance, and sustainability, you’ll get all the benefits that reclaimed hardwood has to offer. This type of hardwood comes from old buildings, barns, and more, preventing waste. By limiting the demand for brand-new hardwood floors, you’re lowering the consumption of new trees.
The aesthetic appeal of reclaimed hardwood is unmatched; there's a piece of history within each plank. Despite its age, reclaimed hardwood is tough and able to withstand years of traffic in your home.
Engineered Hardwood
If reclaimed hardwood isn’t the look you desire, another eco-friendly flooring option is engineered hardwood. Traditional hardwood requires the harvest of entire trees, but the engineered approach is much less impactful on the environment. A thin top layer of natural wood adheres to a base of high-quality plywood or recycled wood fibers.
Engineered hardwood can last up to 30 years! Plus, most materials are recyclable once they reach the end of their life cycle.
Bamboo
Bamboo is a rapidly renewable resource. It’s a fast-growing grass that reaches maturity for harvest within 3 to 5 years. In return, forests suffer less pressure and reduce deforestation rates.
These plants are known for their ability to sequester carbon at a higher rate than many trees, which helps combat climate change. Bamboo cultivation also has a low impact on the environment, as it requires no fertilizer, no pesticides, and little water compared to other crops.
The durability of bamboo flooring is comparable to that of traditional hardwood. The long lifespan reduces the need for frequent replacements. It results in less waste and a positive impact on the environment.
View Portland Floor’s array of services and flooring materials. We’re a flooring store in Portland, Oregon that’ll help you find eco-friendly flooring options and stunning patterns to complement your home.