5 “Green” Flooring Products
(Picture: Stained Concrete)
There is nothing warmer and more pleasing to the eye than brand new wall-to-wall carpet. With freshly- painted walls the space becomes as new as the day it was first built and decorated.
Environmental Disease
However, carpet is also associated with giving off chemicals which can affect peoples’ allergies and immune systems. This so-called “new carpet smell” is called “off-gassing” and is a by-product of the manufacturing process.
With the rise in knowledge of environmental diseases and asthma it is no wonder that homeowners are looking to other products for floor covering. A new trend is to replace the existing carpet with “green” products such as reclaimed wood, linoleum, cork or bamboo, products that reduce wastage while providing a lasting beauty to any room.
1. Reusable Wood
Wood is one of those products that becomes more beautiful as it ages. Even wood planking that has mars from use or rust stains from old nails can either be re-planed and finished or just lightly sanded and clear-coated before being put down as flooring. This adds character to a feature room such as a library, office or den. These products are available from second-hand building supply depots.
2. Cork
Cork flooring originates from the cork oak tree. The cork itself is actually the bark and is harvested by peeling it off the trunk and branches. This harvesting of the bark is done about every 10 years but does not hurt the tree so it will be ready again for another batch down the road. Cork trees have been known to live for 200 or more years so it is a truly renewable resource.
3. Bamboo
In addition to being as hard as maple one of the best things about bamboo is that it is, like cork, a truly renewable resource and is farmed in a pasture . However, unlike cork you can harvest bamboo every 2-3 years. When we think of bamboo our thoughts usually drift to overseas origins but the continental U.S. and Mexico is now growing it. Bamboo is available in two distinct types: natural and carmelized, which means that an amber stain is applied. There are three (3) methods of putting down bamboo: floating floor, glue-down, nail-down.
4. “Green” Linoleum
A new formula is paving the way for floor coverings. Made of the same linseed oil that the original linoleum used almost 140 years ago there is the addition of cork, tree rosin, limestone, and jute to form a biodegradable floor covering that is non-toxic, easy to maintain and anti-bacterial. And this new material is not solely limited to the floor. Wallcoverings are also being made of this composite.
5. Stained Cement: Earth-friendly-heat-energy-saver
Stained concrete interior floors are gaining in popularity because consumers can create nearly any color or design. They are especially easy to put down on a cement slab and can mimic everything from polished marble to tanned leather or stained wood. When placed over an in-floor heating system their high heating and cooling retention allows floors to absorb, store and release this energy when conditions are ideal resulting in lower energy costs.
Add comment February 6, 2008
