What You Need To Know About Sustainable Flooring

13 Mar What You Need To Know About Sustainable Flooring

As the world becomes more environmentally aware, the types of materials that we use to build our houses have faced more scrutiny when it comes to being sustainable.  However, when it comes to the types of flooring we install it can be confusing for homeowners to gauge the sustainability of one material over another. To help you make your decisions, we’ve come up with a list of what you need to know about sustainable flooring.

Manufacturing

When it comes to floor manufacturing there are new ways of production that can increase the sustainability of the resulting end products.  Reducing waste, using natural materials, reusing waste products and assessing energy and water usage are ways that today’s flooring manufacturers can make their products more sustainable.  Not only can these processes create more sustainable flooring, but they can help their companies become more profitable at the same time. Look for companies registered with environmental certification agencies, implement reutilization design practices and offer recycling programs to minimize material use.

Supply Chain

Much of the environmental damage created by the flooring industry occurs through the transport of raw materials over long distances.  If sustainability is a concern, it makes good sense to use raw materials that are easily accessible locally. Investigate from where your chosen flooring materials originate and the path they take before they end up inside your home.

Longevity

Flooring materials that are more durable means that they will have a longer lifespan before they end up being replaced.  Certain flooring materials may end up being replaced in a few short years whereas others could last a lifetime if properly maintained.  If choosing your flooring materials based on sustainability, the longevity of said materials should be an important consideration.

Recycling

Recycling is actually a relatively new concept in the flooring industry.  And although materials such as reclaimed wood might seem trendy, they can also relieve a lot of pressure on our landfills and forests.  Manufacturers of other flooring materials, such as carpeting, have devoted research into how used products can be reintroduced into the manufacturing process to create more of a closed loop with reduced dependence on the creation of new material.