The Most Popular Environment-Friendly Flooring Options

Are you looking for environmentally friendly flooring options? You are not the only one who feels this way! If you are anything like us, your ideal flooring isn’t just robust and beautiful—also, it’s environmentally responsible and sustainable.

Finding the right eco-friendly products for floor decor has never been easier!Manufacturers have stepped up and provided the design industry with many attractive options to choose from as more designers seek out eco-friendly materials for their ecologically conscious consumers.

Maybe you are looking for mudroom flooring that will not pollute the environment. Perhaps you are looking for the most environmentally friendly wood flooring for your pets.

Maybe you fantasize about sunroom flooring that keeps the sun beaming on a greener tomorrow. Whatever the case may be, we are here to assist you.

Cork

Cork is a relatively new flooring material. It is usually seen on walls or in your favorite bottle of wine, but it is also a great flooring material. Cork is made from the bark of the cork oak tree. Cork flooring can endure anywhere from 10 to 30 years, depending on the quality. For expert floor solutions, from floor sanding to natural coating, we recommend a company called ‘Floor’, based in Brisbane.

The trees aren’t chopped down to harvest the bark since it regrows every three years, making it a long-term source. It contains antimicrobial characteristics that help minimize allergens in the home, is fire resistant, easy to clean, and functions as a natural insect repellent.

Cork, like wood, can be painted or stained in several colors and styles to match any color scheme or design style. Because of its longevity, it may be used in every room of the house.

Bamboo Floor

Another wood-like choice that is gaining favor in Brisbane is bamboo flooring. It is grass with qualities akin to hardwood. It is long-lasting, simple to maintain, and simple to install. Bamboo is a sustainable product manufactured from natural flora that matures in three to five years, compared to the twenty years it takes trees to grow.

While bamboo is typically light in color, it is available in various tints to complement any location or decor. Its various grains and an extensive range of colors give it an advantage over traditional flooring by allowing customization not found in other types of flooring.

Glass Tiles

Have you ever wondered what happens to wine and beer bottles that are sent to a recycler? They’ve been turned into beautiful glass tiles. As a floor, kitchen, and bathroom wall covering this renewable resource is increasingly gaining favor.

Glass, like other ecologically friendly materials, has a number of advantages. It is non-absorptive so that it won’t mold in moist environments. It’s easy to clean and won’t stain your clothes.

Glass is available in an almost infinite variety of colors, patterns, and finishes, making it appropriate for virtually any design concept. Mirror, unlike ceramic tiles, will reflect rather than absorb light, offering that extra layer of light that some interiors require.

Linoleum

When people think of linoleum flooring, they usually think of vinyl, although the two are nothing alike. Vinyl is a hazardous substance made from chlorinated petrochemicals. Cork dust, linseed oil, wood flour, pigments, smashed limestone, and tree resins are used to make linoleum. It is fire-resistant and water-resistant, just like a cork.

Linoleum was a common product in the market before the 1940s; it was phased out after that when vinyl was launched. As builders and designers in Brisbane started asking for it again, it resurfaced with a wide range of brilliant, lively colors and a new sealer to protect it from stains. It can tolerate a lot of damage and has a lengthy shelf-life.

Wool Carpet

Carpet has long been a popular choice for most homeowners. It is soft to walk on, plush to sit on, and available in various colors and designs. Unfortunately, most carpets are produced with chemicals or volatile organic compounds that damage the environment and our health.

There are, however, environmentally responsible options available in Brisbane. Woollen carpets are a good example. Wool is a natural resource that can be spun into a thread and dyed any color before being woven into a carpet. It was one of the first materials to be used as a floor covering, and it is highly durable, lasting hundreds of years.

Concrete

Polished concrete is an unusual but growingly popular sustainable material. In some residential contexts, concrete is often slab on grade and used as a subfloor. There is no need to cover it with standard flooring if it is polished and colored to the homeowner’s liking.

The design possibilities are unlimited, from creating a tiled impression with various colors to inlaying other materials such as glass. Concrete is incredibly long-lasting, easy to clean, and requires no maintenance.

Polyester Berber

Polyester Berber is another option for a long-lasting carpet. It is created from recycled plastic bottles and has a low environmental impact.

Every plastic bottle used to make this carpet is one less that will end up in our landfills.

This recyclable material has several advantages. It is long-lasting, spill-resistant, and comes in a range of attractive colors and designs. Its flecked look makes it appropriate for a wide range of color palettes.

There are other disadvantages. Berberis is readily snagged, and if not fixed soon, it will unravel. In your bare feet, the recycled material can be a little scratchy.

Rubber

Rubber flooring created from recycled tires is commonly found in gyms and playgrounds throughout Brisbane. As a versatile, elegant, and long-lasting alternative, it progressively makes its way into kitchens, sunrooms, and bathrooms. It is comfortable to walk on and resistant to water. It is also available in a variety of colors and patterns.

Using reclaimed wood

Traditional hardwood flooring, while not usually considered eco-friendly owing to deforestation concerns, might still be a choice if you have your heart set on it. There are two different sorts of hardwood to think about. Reclaimed wood is good since it recycles old lumber from trees that were cut down decades ago. In older homes or a beach cottage, salvaged wood flooring can look stunning.

The other alternative is to buy hardwood that has been certified by the Forest Counsel of many states worldwide. The Forest Council has given this certification to organizations that promote responsible forest management around the world while adhering to high social and environmental criteria.

Leather

Leather is an unusual material that can be used as a flooring option. It is made from the thickest section of the cowhide and is wider than the leather pieces used for belts, handbags, and wallets. It is ideal for closets, bedrooms, and other small areas with less foot traffic since it has a warm, soft sensation underfoot.

However, it is not the best choice for kitchens, bathrooms, or other wet sections of the house. It is pretty durable and will last a long time. Leather that has been scuffed, worn, and weathered takes on a personality of its own and can be stunning to look at for years.

Reclaimed Hardwood

Speaking of wood flooring, we recommend looking beyond new materials and into reclaimed wood if you are looking for the most excellent hardwood floors for your home.

By definition, reclaimed hardwood is an environmentally beneficial flooring option in Brisbane because it is essentially a recycled product!

Consider the enormous environmental impact of removing trees and turning them into flooring. As a result, reclaimed hardwood avoids this process and reduces the environmental impact on your floors.

Softwoods such as Pine and other Softwoods

Softwood flooring, such as pine and Douglas fir, can survive for decades if properly cared for. That is not why we believe pine flooring to be one of the most environmentally friendly flooring solutions available.

Pine is a sturdy, tenacious tree that proliferates—much faster than hardwood trees such as oak or walnut. Plus, because pine trees are readily available in Brisbane locally, you will not have to worry about the environmental impact of transporting your floors halfway around the world.

Softwoods are not just environmentally friendly; they are also long-lasting.

Softwoods may not be the most scratch-resistant wood flooring, but their softness makes them relatively easy to restore.

Final Thoughts

Fortunately, with today’s technology and a little innovation, eco-friendly flooring does not have to be boring. Consumers who are smart can have both.