Eco-friendly materials are rapidly gaining popularity in today’s homes. Personal health and environmental concerns are turning more builders, designers, and homeowners to sustainable flooring.

Eco-friendly flooring is cost-effective, durable, and devoid of harmful pollutants such as formaldehyde, benzene, and volatile organic compounds (VOC’s). Sustainable flooring is also designer-friendly. You can choose from a wide variety of sustainable materials in beautiful colors and patterns.

Try one of these 7 eco-friendly and beautiful flooring options to enhance your home:

1) Cork: 

• Produced from the bark of cork oak trees.
• Trees are not cut down to harvest the bark, which grows back every three years.
• Provides thermal and acoustic insulation.
• Hypoallergenic, fire-retardant, and natural insect repellant.
• Can be finished in a variety of paints and stains.
• Lasts 10-30 years.

2) Bamboo:

• Grows quickly reaching maturity in 3-5 years.
• Naturally resistant to water, mildew, and insects.
• Varied grains and colors offer many design options.
• Edges out conventional hardwood flooring in durability.

3) Linoleum:

• Made from renewable materials such as linseed oil, cork dust, pine resins, wood flour, ground limestone, and pigments placed on a burlap or canvas backing.
• Durable, fire-retardant, and water-resistant.
• Available in a large variety of colors.

4) Hardwood Floors:

• Choose Forest Stewardship Cpuncil, FSC-certified lumber.
• The FSC promotes the conservation of biodiversity, air, and water quality of the world’s forests.
• FSC-certified wood is available in hundreds of colors and styles.

5) Glass Tiles:

• Made from recycled glass bottles.
• Mildew and mold-resistant.
• Easy maintenance.
• Available in a wide array of colors, patterns, and finishes.

6) Rubber:

• Flooring is made from recycled tires.
• Water-resistant.
• Comfortable to walk on.
• Versatile and durable.
• Available in many pattern and color options.

7) Green Rugs and Carpets:

• Choose natural fibers with little to no chemical treatment.
• Use water-based low VOC glues for carpet installation.
• Try tacking instead of gluing carpet.
• Consider P.E.T. Berber carpeting made from recycled plastic bottles.
• Berber carpeting is durable, economical, spill-resistant, and available in many color and pattern options.

Sustainable flooring is a stylish, durable, and economical choice to enhance your home. Create a naturally beautiful and healthy home with eco-friendly flooring.

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