If you’re like most people, you’re concerned for the planet and want to minimize waste of the Earth’s natural resources. If you’re remodeling, flipping, or selling a home, installing eco-friendly flooring is just smart. The good news is that New York Carpets & Flooring has some great eco-friendly choices.
Hardwoods – flooring that’s sourced from eco-friendly forests
Naturally, one of the eco-friendliest flooring choices are hardwoods. They are better suited than other flooring products for recycling when eventually replaced, but other attributes place them solidly into the eco-friendly category. Since 2008, the Lacey Act passed by Congress, mandates that all imported wood for flooring must come from legally-logged timber.
New York Carpets & Flooring sources its hardwood flooring from manufacturers who strictly abide by the Lacey Act, minimize waste of the raw wood material but also use more eco-friendly varnishes and sealants. To minimize waste at the flooring mill, as raw wood planks are fed into automated cutters, each dried wood plank is measured precisely with sensors to make a calculated determination on the greatest number of usable pieces each plank maximizing yield.
These practices help to promote the sustainability of forests and their ecological infrastructure so those woods can be used for future generations without adversely impacting the surrounding environment.
Other Flooring Options
But what about other flooring options like vinyl, carpeting, tile, and even linoleum? Each have their positive environmental attributes and some negative aspects to be wary of, so choose wisely.
Porcelain Tile – a hard natural surface that’s not a hard choice.
Porcelain tiles are made from naturally-occurring and renewable substances and are recyclable. In fact, some tiles feature a significant amount of recycled material already. And of course, because of their inherent strength and durability, tile flooring doesn’t need to be replaced as often as some other flooring products, and with proper care and maintenance could well last for the lifetime of the home.
Laminate Flooring – a naturally renewable resource that’s recyclable.
Laminates are also sourced for the US market abiding by strict environmental laws and regulations. Laminates are comprised of layers of engineered wood and wood fibers (fiberboard) and a design layer that mimics the look of wood, stone or tile. It is then sealed on the upper surface to protect it from wear, tear, stains and fading.
Wool Carpet – count it in.
As long as there are sheep grazing in fields hither and thither around the world, there will be a demand for wool. Wool is naturally natural, warm, soft, sustainable, renewable and biodegradable. Of course, wool is also the most expensive of carpet fibers on the market, so those who are budget-restricted may not flock to it. But for those who wish to create a warm and cozy ambiance for a luxury home’s master bedroom, for example, then installing wall-to-wall wool may be the most appropriate “green” choice.
Choose Mohawk’s Air.o™ Carpeting – save a whale.
This innovative carpeting from Mohawk makes it even easier to be “green” because Air.o is recyclable and made from 100% recycled Polythylene Terephthalate or PET, the same plastic used in water bottles; therefore, helping to minimize plastic waste on the planet and in the oceans. Choose from many attractive Air.o carpet styles that are stain resistant, repel moisture, hypoallergenic, and odor-free. Now, that’s a smart eco-friendly choice. Mohawk’s Air.o is in stock in our showroom now!
Vinyl Flooring – Not destined for landfills as frequently as most carpeting.
Vinyl? You cannot be serious? Even though vinyl is a petroleum-based product it still has numerous eco-friendly attributes. It clearly lasts longer than most carpeting no matter how well-maintained the carpeting, so it needn’t be replaced as often. And many of today’s vinyl flooring and tile products (LVT) are designed to elegantly simulate the look of hardwood or natural stone and even contain a high degree of recyclable materials. So, for those on a budget and who need to surface an area often exposed to water or moisture, like entryways, bathrooms or utility rooms, vinyl just may be a viable option.
Protecting mother earth from needless and harmful waste by using recycled, recyclable, renewable and naturally-occurring flooring materials for our home is a worthy endeavor. Hopefully, this quick overview of the types of flooring options available from New York Carpets & Flooring has been beneficial and can help you achieve that goal, whether you’re a homeowner, Realtor®, property manager, contractor, or builder. We look forward to answering any questions you may have on enhancing the look, value and comfort of your home or your next flooring project with these eco-friendly options.