Wood flooring has been popular for many years. In fact, the first known wooden flooring can be dated back to the 1600s when hardwood planks rested on wooden beams.
Flooring has changed a little since those early days but some of the classic styles, such as herringbone flooring will never go out of fashion.
Of course, today there is a much greater emphasis on sustainable flooring. If you are keen to buy sustainable flooring you should be aware of the following five facts:
Green Vs. Sustainable
Green is generally taken to mean environmentally friendly. It’s the option most people choose when trying to help look after the planet. However, green doesn’t necessarily mean sustainable.
Green can be used to describe wooden flooring that has been created from old wood. That’s good, but the same wood may end up in a landfill as it can’t be reused.
In contrast, sustainable sustainable bamboo flooring is based on complete sustainability. That means taking wood from trees about to die and letting young ones grow. Waste wood and even the flooring when it has reached the end of its life is converted to fibreboard or pellets as a form of biomass fuel.
Check The Supplier
It is essential that you verify the reputation of the supplier. There are plenty of people now posing as suppliers of green flooring when they aren’t. The truth is that a supplier only needs to carry one green brand to earn the certification. This certification is then on all their products, even though the majority of them are not green or sustainable.
That’s why you need to verify the reputation of any supplier by checking them out online.
Sustainability Isn’t Everything
If you focus exclusively on sustainability you may forget to check out the other accreditations that a company may have. Things such as Lifecore indicate the company and the products are compatible with Californian carb regulations. These are very tight, making the acquirement of this accreditation an important consideration.
Check Maintenance
Every wooden floor needs to be looked after properly. You’ll find instructions regarding this in with the product. It’s important to read these before the floor is fitted, even if you are not fitting the floor yourself. The instructions will provide essential tips and you can’t assume that the contractor knows and follows the instructions.
Most of these floors don’t need a lot of maintenance but you need to be aware of what they do need before you invest.
The Next Step
Purchasing sustainable flooring means you are taking a positive step for the environment. But, you can do more if you select the right wooden flooring. Simply consider what else is in the wood and make sure all the ingredients are within the government guidelines for VOC and ideally have minimal or no formaldehyde.
That way you are protecting the health of your family while looking after the environment. Your floor won’t just look great, you’ll feel great too.