Flooring is integral to a home’s style and feel. But we often overlook just how much flooring is inside a home. If you consider that the average new home in the US is well over 2,000 square feet, it’s hard to wrap your brain around how much flooring we’re installing in new builds and renovations year after year. And that’s even more reason to choose eco-friendly materials.
Luckily, there are a lot of eco-friendly flooring types on the market with something for every taste. That means, finding a flooring material that will complement your style without wreaking havoc on Mother Nature isn’t too difficult. Here are some options for you to consider.
Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo is one of the most popular options for eco-friendly flooring out there. Most folks know that it’s a wood alternative, but it’s actually a fast-growing grass. A bamboo plant can grow to maturity in 3 to 6 years, making it a highly renewable resource. Yet, it can be harder than many hardwoods and harvested without killing the plant, plus bamboo flooring provides a clean, modern look.
Bamboo flooring has evolved significantly since its introduction to the U.S. market. Early products from the late 1990s, like Bamtex, touted hardness ratings higher than hard maple and stability 50% greater than red oak. Today’s strand-woven bamboo continues this legacy of durability while offering improved moisture resistance.
There are a few things you need to know about bamboo, though. For one, the most durable option is strand woven, and it’s the best choice for high-traffic areas and homes with pets. Make sure to check the Janka hardness rating to learn the product’s durability. That said, bamboo is moisture sensitive and not great for wet areas like mudrooms or bathrooms.
When it comes to pricing, bamboo is at the entry-level to mid-range. There are lower-cost options, but they often contain VOCs in the finishes and may off-gas. Look for bamboo products that contain low VOCs and are sustainably sourced; a third-party certification from FloorScore or GREENGUARD can indicate low VOC emissions.
Homeowner Experience: Amy from South Bend, Indiana, shared her experience with bamboo flooring: “We had bamboo installed in our new house. We did the entire first floor and we love it in every room. It is a great color and looks beautiful with any decor.”
Cork Flooring
There are excellent cork flooring products made from the bark of cork oak trees that can perform surprisingly well. The material itself can be harvested without harming trees, making it naturally renewable, and it’s biodegradable as well as recyclable.
Here’s the need-to-know about cork. First, it’s soft underfoot, so it’s easy on the joints, warm, and reduces noise. It’s also naturally antimicrobial. It does, however, require sealing, so it’s not always the best option for bathrooms, kitchens, mudrooms, or laundry rooms, however waterproof cork planks are now available on the market. But, it has an earthy, textured feel and can be stained, patterned, or left natural.
Cork flooring options are generally in the mid-range when it comes to price. They require the same level of maintenance as wood floors, but also a recoating of polyurethane every 3 to 10 years, depending on the level of use it gets. Cork floors can last on average 15 to 20 years or even up to 40 years with careful care. It can be prone to scratching so it’s best to avoid if you have pets and may fade in sun-lit rooms.
Cork flooring is available in various installation methods, including interlocking floating construction that requires no glue and uses tongue-and-groove locking systems. This type of installation works over wood, concrete, or existing floors (except carpet), making it a versatile option for renovations.
Reclaimed Wood
If you’re determined to go eco-friendly but prefer wood flooring, consider reclaimed wood. These wood products offer character, history, and sustainability, as they’ve been removed from homes, barns, warehouses, and industrial buildings and repurposed for reinstallation in a new home. No new trees are harvested, but the owner gets the look of beautiful wood flooring.
In most cases, reclaimed wood is extremely durable, as it’s often made from old-growth lumber. It may require refinishing or even stabilization, and it’s not typically a great option for wet areas. Kiln-dried reclaimed wood with a moisture content between 6% and 9% for interior use is recommended by The National Wood Flooring Association. Reclaimed wood is known for its imperfections, but, don’t forget how great all that character actually looks.
Now, reclaimed wood is generally pretty expensive. If you’re getting it from the source, you have to pay for the removal. But even if it’s already been removed, it requires a lot of effort to prep and install. This typically leads to a higher up-front price.
Sustainably Harvested Hardwood
If you’re shopping for hardwood flooring certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), you’re making a responsible decision for the environment. FSC-certified forests are harvested using eco-conscious management practices, allowing consumers to get the look of new hardwoods with as little impact on the environment as possible.
Hardwood in general is durable and great for high-traffic areas. It looks amazing and can be refinished when it starts to dull, which is almost like recycling, right? This makes FSC-certified hardwood floors a great long-term investment for you and the environment.
To call it like it is, FSC-certified hardwoods do have a higher initial cost than products like engineered wood flooring or even unsustainably sourced hardwoods. Domestic species are typically cheaper than exotics, which could appeal to budget-minded hardwood shoppers.
Engineered Wood
Engineered wood flooring is a unique option. While the top wear layer uses a veneer of high-quality slow-growing hardwood, the core is made from plywood or a fast-growing wood species, making it more material-efficient than solid planks. These floors come in a wide variety of styles and finishes, and they’re typically refinishable at least once.
Engineered wood is far more stable and water-resistant than standard hardwood, so it’s a good choice for basements and other wet areas. Durability does depend on the thickness of the wear layer, though, so some products might not last as long in high-traffic areas as others. Also, low-quality products may have higher VOC levels and off-gas.
A mid-range price point is where you’ll find most engineered wood products. They’re more affordable than standard hardwood but certainly not the least expensive option. One of the biggest factors in price is the veneer thickness (the wear layer), with thicker veneers being more expensive and more durable.
Linoleum
When we talk about linoleum flooring being eco-friendly, we have to be clear that we’re not referring to vinyl. Linoleum is made from all-natural materials like linseed oil, cork dust, and wood flour. It’s been around for over 100 years, and it’s becoming popular once again with folks shopping for green building materials. It’s available in a ton of retro and modern colors and patterns as well.
Made from linseed oil and cork and wood byproducts, linoleum is naturally antibacterial and biodegradable. It can break down a bit with UV exposure though, and it needs to be waxed in high-traffic areas, but it’s a good, durable option that won’t harm the environment.
One of the best aspects of linoleum flooring is that it’s one of the most affordable eco-friendly flooring options available. Installation can be complex depending on the product so you may want to get the floor professionally installed, but a linoleum floor can be long-lasting with care.
Recycled Tile
Tile recycling is a tricky deal. Obviously, tiles don’t grow in the wild, but they do end up in landfills when they’re not recycled. But the process of recycling tile can be less than eco-friendly, so one must choose their path carefully. However, if your heart’s set on tile, recycled is the way to go.
Recycled tiles made from post-consumer glass and ceramics look great. They reduce the need for harvesting new material, and tile floors are long-lasting. They even come in a wide variety of colors, styles, shapes, and sheens.
The price range for recycled tile is generally mid- to high-end. The products themselves aren’t inexpensive and paying someone for the labor to install them can add up quickly.
Wool Carpet
Luxurious, eco-friendly, and looks great, and eco-friendly, wool carpet is a great alternative to synthetic carpets. It is made from a renewable resource, it’s biodegradable, and it’s free of plastic and microfibers. It’s also the product of low-energy manufacturing.
Wool has a lot of benefits including a soft texture and good insulation properties. It’s also flame-resistant and durable under moderate traffic. Although it can trap allergens like most standard carpets, its warm, plush texture and the wide variety of colors and weaves make it a versatile choice.
Cost-wise, wool carpets come at a premium price point. The material is long-lasting and repairable, but it’s expensive to purchase and slightly more expensive than standard carpet when it comes to install. Wool also requires occasional professional cleaning, so long-term affordability might be an issue.
Rubber Flooring (Recycled)
If you’re looking for a sustainable product for a child’s room or play area, recycled rubber could be a smart decision. These floors are ideal for playrooms, home gyms, or utility spaces, and since they’re made from recycled tires, they keep waste out of landfills. It can even contribute to LEED points in commercial buildings.
What makes rubber flooring a great option for a lot of spaces is that it’s waterproof and shock-absorbing. It also reduces noise and promotes a slip-resistant environment. Cleaning rubber flooring is also a breeze as is installation. Maintenance is minimal, and the material is generally long-lasting.
Rubber flooring tiles are typically affordable, though some might touch the mid-range price point. They offer an industrial look, though some do come in colors or feature color specks, but they’re typically utilitarian in style. It’s important to buy quality tiles, as low-cost options will typically off-gas their VOCs.
Palm Wood
If you’re looking for something relatively unique and new, but still eco-friendly, palm wood might be the way to go. Made from coconut trees that no longer bear fruit, this exotic hardwood flooring is typically dense, dramatic, and very sustainable.
There are a lot of benefits to palm wood flooring. For one, it’s an agricultural upcycled product, preventing good material from going to waste. It’s often harder than many traditional wood species, making it excellent for high-traffic areas. It’s so hard in fact that it typically require pre-drilling, which does make this variety a bit of a hassle to install.
Palm wood floors are expensive because they’re not widely available. You’ll need to find a niche supplier, and there may even be import fees tacked onto the costs. But the grains are beautiful and lend a tropical, contemporary look that’s well worth the price.
Choosing Responsible Flooring Options for a Healthier Planet
While our homes require a significant amount of flooring material, there are sustainable, eco-friendly options that can dramatically reduce environmental impact. From FSC-certified hardwood, bamboo, cork, and recycled rubber to upcycled palm wood, there’s a material that suits your home’s style and your budget.
Choosing eco-friendly flooring isn’t just a trend. It’s a smart, long-term investment in both the comfort of your home and the well-being of the planet.
