The flooring that you install in your home should last several years before you even have to consider replacement. If your flooring isn't lasting that long, chances are, you aren't choosing the type of flooring that will fit into your lifestyle very well. This blog is all about choosing flooring that will fit into your lifestyle and last you many, many years before you have to rip it up and replace it. You will also find tips for keeping it looking like new as it survives the abuse that your family, friends and pets put it through during the course of the year.
Hardwood flooring offers a lot of advantages over other types of flooring. It is durable, attractive, versatile and easy to maintain. However, hardwood is not a building material usually associated with being kind to the environment. Though hardwood flooring does require harvesting trees, it is much more sustainable than most people think.
Ways hardwood flooring is sustainable
1. Its durability. The average hardwood floor can last for generations and can be sanded and refinished multiple times. The average medium-grade carpeting will last around 5-15 years. By not having to replace hardwood flooring nearly so often as carpeting, it keeps a plethora of used products from ending up in the local landfill.
2. It's local. Another way many types of hardwood are sustainable is that they come from local American and Canadian forests, reducing the need to ship products in from overseas. Indigenous hardwood species include maple, oak, pine and cherry.
3. You can buy hardwood from recycled barns and scrap. Hardwood flooring is also available made from old barn wood or wood gathered from houses before they are torn down. So-called reclaimed wood adds a charm to kitchens, family rooms and other rustic spaces. You can even find parquet flooring made from recycled hardwood flooring boards. Of course, when the hardwood flooring you install reaches the end of its useful life, your heirs can have it recycled once again.
4. They harbor no toxic chemicals. Most carpeting has a menu of potentially-toxic chemicals added to the fibers, things like moth-repellents and stain blockers. In addition, industrial-grade glue is often used to adhere the carpet to a concrete slab or other base. Carpeting is also notorious for absorbing lawn chemicals, pesticides and other outdoor chemicals that you might track in on your shoes.
5. Look for certified sustainable wood. If you're still concerned about deforestation issues associated with your hardwood flooring, look for flooring that has by certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). This seal means that the wood has been harvested using responsible foresting methods that reduce the impact to the environment. Examples include companies that plant two trees for every one they harvest.
While you may not have considered hardwood flooring to be an eco-friendly choice, this type of flooring lasts much longer than most other types of flooring, is manufactured right here in North America, may be recycled and harbors no toxic chemicals. If you've shied away from hardwood because you didn't feel it was a "green" choice, it's time to reconsider.
Share29 December 2015
