Eco-Friendly Types of Flooring: Sustainable Choices for a Greener Home

When it comes to any living space, it is the flooring that we all tend to notice most notably. How? Because residents and visitors to a home don’t just see the flooring; they are actively feeling it all the time. Be it ambling about from room to room, having dinner at the table, working on your desk, or perhaps sinking down to the floor for a quick home workout, you tend to be in contact with your home’s flooring throughout the majority of your life. This makes the decision of choosing the right type of flooring even more important than ever.

Thankfully, one trend that is rejuvenating our attention towards the type of flooring at home is sustainable and green living. Look, flooring is not only a major part of your home's aesthetic but also a factor that affects its environmental impact. Thus, some types of flooring are more sustainable than others, meaning they use less resources, emit less greenhouse gases, and have less negative effects on the environment and human health. 

So, is it possible to opt for an eco-friendly type of flooring and lead a happily ever after in your abode of dreams? Very much! Here are four sustainable choices for the type of flooring for a greener home.

Recycled Glass Tile Flooring – 10/10 on Elegance and Eco-Friendliness

When you think recycled or refurbished materials, you tend to think of glass. So, what better way to start off our list of feasible flooring options than recycled glass tiles? Yes, these reflective, colourful, and pristine looking tiles add not only a layer of superiority to your home’s aesthetic but also its sustainability. After all, each recycled glass flooring tile is made from wasted glass and bottles! It doesn’t even have a high energy or water cost during production!

But it gets better: recycled glass tile flooring is also durable, stain-resistant, and easy to clean, and can withstand high temperatures and moisture levels. On top of that, you get to contribute massively to the environment by doing your bit for reducing waste to landfill. Given that this is glass flooring, one can expect better insulation in your home as well, further bringing down the need for regulating temperature. Do go for one that is textured or matte in terms of its surface. 

Bamboo Flooring – The Evergreen Sustainable Option

Bamboo is indeed one of the most versatile materials on this planet. On one hand, it can serve as the food for pandas. On the other, it is a fantastic option for an eco-friendly type of flooring! At the end of the day, bamboo flooring is durable, easy to install, and comes in a variety of colours and styles. However, as a precaution, you should only consider bamboo flooring that are 100% naturally-made. Those that emit harmful VOCs are a strict no-no! 

Bamboo flooring is also naturally resistant to moisture, insects, and mould, which makes it suitable for humid climates and allergy sufferers. If you are indeed looking for a type of flooring with a low carbon footprint, bamboo should be your choice, as it requires less energy and water to produce than hardwood flooring. 

Cork Flooring – An Alluring Alternative

Move over all traditional types of flooring, for the cork flooring is here! Yes, even cork can be used to make exceptional quality home flooring – one that not only looks and feels great but is also complete eco-friendly! 

Made from the leftover material of cork wine stoppers, which reduces waste and saves resources, cork flooring is becoming all the rage these days due to its soft, warm, and comfortable underfoot. It also has excellent sound and thermal insulation properties. Buyers should note, though, that cork can fade away over time. Thus, it is essential to make sure your cork flooring is UV resistant and water-proof. Since cork flooring does not require deforestation or harmful chemicals to produce, and since cork can regenerate easily as well, it is the perfect sustainable flooring choice!

Reclaimed Wood Flooring – Putting the Past to Use 

Lastly, you can also consider reclaimed wood flooring. After all, who does not like the look and feel of wood inside their home? But doesn’t wood flooring defeat the purpose of sustainability? Not when it is reclaimed wood flooring! 

See, reclaimed wood is wood that has been salvaged from old buildings, barns, or other structures and reused for new purposes. Ultimately, you are not only preventing typical wood from ending up in landfills or being burned but also saving the energy and resources to produce new wood flooring! Reclaimed wood flooring also tends to be stronger and more resistant to wear and tear than new wood flooring. It can last for decades with proper care and maintenance. 

Final Thoughts

The trend for eco-friendly flooring options for home is definitely on the rise as the sensibilities of home buyers and home owners enhancing with time. But they should also make sense from an investment and practicality point of view for many. Thankfully, the above-mentioned options for eco-friendly flooring have passed many quality tests and continue to wow buyers today! Welcome to greener living!