The trend today is
green building materials. It makes sense to want to preserve our environment and use environmentally friendly products. I realize some builders like to install flooring after the cabinets are installed to save on cost, but I prefer to do it before.
- Cork Floors.
Cork is made from stripped tree bark, leaving the trees intact. It is warm and inviting, but cork can yellow in sunlight, scratches easily and moisture makes it swell.
- Bamboo Flooring.
Bamboo is a grass, not a wood. It renews itself every 3 to 5 years. Ask for premium bamboo, made from adhesives that do not contain formaldehyde. Bamboo can be nailed, glued, stapled or floated, and comes in horizontal or vertical patterns. Do not install in areas that get wet.
- Recycled Carpeting.
Most green carpeting is made from recycled plastic food and beverage containers. Their vibrant color options tend to last longer than nylon carpets. This shock-free static product does not emit volatile organic compounds (VOC), which are part of the typical "new carpet smell" but can irritate the lungs, and recycled carpets are stain resistant.
- Linoleum Flooring.
Linoleum is a manufactured product made from natural raw materials such as linseed oil, a binding agent obtained from pine trees (without harming the trees), renewable wood products, ground limestone and jute, which is a plant fiber. Linoleum floors are stain resistant, do not absorb water and are biodegradable at the end of its useful life, generally around 40 years.
- Eco-Friendly Wood Flooring.
Certain types of exotic hardwoods such as Brazilian Cherry or White Tigerwood are grown in South America. These are harvested from well-managed forests with renewable resources. Brazilian Cherry is engineered wood made from 3-ply construction using formaldehyde-free adhesives. It is generally more expensive but resilient and harder than oak.
