With global warming becoming an increasingly serious issue, Americans are more concerned about the environment, with a majority opting for eco-friendly activities. And when it comes to improving and maintaining your home, the first place you visit are home improvement stores. While visiting thee stores, you must have come across separate sections meant for green building materials. Today, homeowners are more interested in shopping for green building materials than going for the conventional building schemes. If you too have decided to go green, here’s some useful information about the green flooring materials available in the market.
In general, renewable or recycled products are used to make these non-toxic flooring materials. Apart from being environmentally- friendly, these can be easily installed without emitting dangerous gases. There are cork floors which are developed from stripped tree bark. Despite the fact that the cork flooring gives a warm and welcoming touch to your place, it has a major drawback. It won’t take long for cork to be scratched and change its color in sunlight.
Then, you must have heard of bamboo flooring. Basically, bamboo is a grass which is renewed every 3 to 5 years. Now, when it comes to getting bamboo flooring, keep in mind that cheap bamboo is normally younger and isn’t long-lasting either. Therefore, opting for premium bamboo, developed from adhesives that are free of formaldehyde is a wise choice. Next, we have recycled carpeting which is mostly constituted of recycled plastic food and beverage cans. Compared to nylon carpets, their vibrant color lasts much longer. Free from emissions of volatile organic compounds, these are stain resistant as well.
Talking specifically about linoleum floorings, these are made of natural raw materials including linseed oil which is a binding agent taken from pine trees. Renewable wood products, ground limestone and jute are some of the most common products that constitute linoleum. Without absorbing water, the strain resistant flooring can last for around forty years. Lastly, there’s this eco-friendly wood flooring. Brazilian Cherry and White Tigerwood are some of the exotic hardwoods that are harvested from well-maintained forests in South America. Engineered from 3-ply construction employing formaldehyde-free adhesives, the costly Brazilian Cherry is quite resilient.
