It might not be easy to choose the right flooring for you house or office. Whether you go for a carpet or a vinyl flooring 70 percent of them are made from nylon. While nylon comes from petroleum, carpets are known to harbour allergens that may even cause asthma. Carpets and vinyl floorings also result in formation of volatile organic compounds that can increase indoor toxicity. Going green is a healthy way to keep your indoors toxin-free and to embrace nature. We look at some greener alternatives for flooring your house or office.
Wood Certified by FSC
Forest Stewardship Council ensures that the wood suppliers are not only involved in supplying
you the desired hardwood but also are involved in afforestation, and protecting natural habitats
in the forest. Hardwood is more durable and most people prefer installing it themselves. Getting
a FSC certified wood for your floor is a simple way to go green.
Cork Flooring
Cork is harvested from the trunk of a tree, which regrows after some time. It is grown in protected forests in Spain, Portugal and other Mediterranean countries. The cork flooring gives your floors a soft touch in case you like to walk barefoot as cork traps air inside, which makes it soft. Some other advantages of using them include their ability to absorb noise, dents and good thermal insulation. It is sturdier than hardwood and is easy to install in the form of tiles.
Bamboo Flooring
One of the fastest growing plants in the world, bamboos are preferred by those who like to
embrace nature infused designs in their homes. Bamboo is a more renewable source of flooring
as it grows back every 5 years after harvesting. It is stylish, easy to install and sturdy.
Wool Carpets
Wool carpets are often more expensive but they don’t invite allergens inside like vinyl carpets. Thy
can be vacuumed and are durable.
Carpets made from plants
Many plant fibres are also utilized in making carpets that are durable as well as eco friendly. Some of
these include Sisal, seagrass and jute. These options exclude the possibility of off-gassing and
don’t cause any indoor toxicity.
Marmoleum
Made from linseed oil, pine rosin and wood floor, Marmoleum too doesn’t cause formation of volatile
organic compounds inside your house and is also a more affordable option for flooring.
Recycled materials
A variety of recycled materials can be used for your flooring such as ceramic glass, tiles, plastics etc.
A number of companies are selling non-toxic carpets made from recycled materials.
You have to choose wisely when going for a greener flooring option. Make sure you test the options you are considering and are not stuck with something you don’t like later.