Eco Friendly Flooring

Once upon a time, not so very long ago, you only thought about three things when you were considering hardwood floors for your home. You wanted to know how the floor would look. You wanted to know what it would be like to live with. And you wanted to know how it would affect the value of your home.

Today, there’s one more thing to consider. You want to know how your flooring choice will affect the planet. Here are some things about eco-friendly flooring that will help you make wise decisions.

Eco-friendly isn’t the only term you’ll hear used for flooring that’s good for your home and the planet. Different stores and manufacturers may use environmentally friendly, nature-friendly or green. They all mean the same thing: the flooring or process won’t damage the environment.

You will also hear the term “sustainable.” This usually means that the material is harvested in a way that the resource is neither depleted nor permanently damaged.

There’s no industry standard for any of the terms. Different people use them in different ways. Be sure to ask, so you understand what’s being promised.

Some hardwood floors are described as eco-friendly. These are almost all engineered flooring. Sustainable usually means that the wood for your floor comes from a managed and sustainable forest.

Some wood floors are described as “FSC certified.” The FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council. It’s a nonprofit that evaluates whether a wood product, in this case flooring, comes from a forest managed so that “trees are regenerated, biodiversity is conserved, and air and water quality are preserved.”

In addition to the hardwoods, there are two flooring materials that are popular with home owners who are searching for an eco-friendly option. They are bamboo and cork.

Bamboo is not wood. It’s a hollow reed that grows so fast that it’s considered a renewable resource. Don’t worry, though, mature bamboo is as hard as hardwood. It can come in a variety of colors.

The other popular eco-friendly flooring alternative is cork. Cork is not a wood either. It’s the bark of the cork tree. Cork is not as hard as a hardwood, but that can be a plus. Cork floors are softer to walk on and help deaden sound.

Don’t choose an eco-friendly flooring material and forget about the installation. We can help you make sure that the materials and methods used to install your eco-friendly flooring are eco-friendly, too. Not only that, we’ll guarantee that your floor will be installed according to the manufacturer’s specifications, so you can be sure that your warranty will be protected.

Eco-friendly flooring is only one set of options that will add beauty and value to your home. TipTop Flooring is a professional flooring firm that will help you make wise choices about your flooring investment.

Explore our site to learn about wood floors and the ways to finish, install, and maintain them. While you’re here, we hope you’ll take a moment to find out more about TipTop Flooring, professional flooring services and the professional flooring services that we deliver in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Also we provide commercial flooring.

If you have a question, we’ll be happy to answer it. When you’re ready to schedule a consultation, we’ll be ready to help.