Are you concerned with environmental issues? Does that concern influence your purchasing decisions and affect your home design? Find out why wood floors provide an eco friendly choice for your home and help to protect the planet for generations to come.
Comparing Wood Flooring With Other Options
Vinyl flooring, carpet and many types of tiling are manufactured in factories, using a list of raw materials including chemicals, adhesives and petroleum-based products. Solid wood flooring, on the other hand, is manufactured using natural materials.
Wood flooring does not create off gases and other air quality issues generally associated with carpeting and vinyl flooring. Installation can be done with staples or nails, and many products are designed with a click lock shape that creates a floating wood floor. Choosing to install solid wood floors allows you to maintain healthier air quality today and far into the future.
Laminate and engineered wood flooring use adhesives during production. Depending on the manufacturer, these chemicals may present VOCs and reduce air quality. Discuss the options with your wood flooring retailer and choose the product or brand with the most environmentally friendly features.
Wood as a Renewable Resource
Many consumers assume that clear cutting and other irresponsible wood harvesting methods continue around the globe. In reality, the US Forest Service reports that the number of trees growing across the United States is greater now than back in the ‘50s. Forests are expanding due to the diligence of government and businesses. Forestry companies plant two trees for every tree cut down or harvested, allowing nature to spread across North America.
Trees use rain water, existing soil conditions and the sun to reproduce and grow. All of this happens naturally, without any drain on existing financial or physical resources. It may take the average tree fifty years to reach a harvestable size for the wood flooring industry, but that half century is quiet and undemanding. Trees actually contribute to the environment by enhancing air quality and reducing pollution over the course of their lives. And a single tree produces many saplings, helping to maintain a healthy, happy planet.
Homeowners that invest in wood floors are supporting this natural system of trade, and contributing to the spread of North American forests. Remember to investigate brands and manufacturing processes when purchasing exotic wood floors. Look for products with FSC certification and support responsible harvesting methods worldwide.
Durability of Wood Floors
Wood floors provide impressive longevity. The National Association of Home Builders estimates that the average solid wood floor lasts upwards of 100 years, meaning that mature forests have decades to grow and enhance the environment before they’re required for hardwood production.
Wood floors also require very little maintenance over their lifespan. Good cleaning products and proper cleaning methods allow your wood flooring to last, while a professional refinishing brings new life to flooring decades old and provides many more years of beauty. These natural maintenance tasks help to reduce the use of harmful chemicals and avoid polluting.
Natural, beautiful, and durable, wood floors remain an excellent option for homeowners around the world. Be eco friendly and support a healthy environment by investing in wood flooring for your home.