image from www.treehugger.com
Continuing our tour of the green and sustainable options for the kitchen. Part II of the Sustainable Home Series is about green kitchen flooring solutions. Each of the options discussed in this post have advantages and drawbacks, which may impact your individual living situation. I recommend you do more in-depth research on these choices to determine which one is the right one for you. But each has solid sustainability credentials and therefore make for outstanding options for anyone looking to put down an environmentally friendly kitchen floor. Bear in mind that many of these materials would work well in rooms other than the kitchen as well. Unlike Part I, I was unable to determine local distributors for each of these products, though I believe most, if not all, can be found within a reasonable radius of Western Massachusetts. If you are interested in any of these flooring options, I suggest you locate a national manufacturer of the product and inquire as to a local distributor, or do a local search on your own. I will keep looking myself and If you know of a local distributor, please let me know and I will post it here. I hope this brief summary of some of the available green and sustainable kitchen flooring options is helpful and informative!
Image from www.furniturehomedesign.com
Cork
Cork is not just good for sealing in those bottles of chardonnay and chianti. Cork has become a very popular choice for its sustainability, durability and beauty. Many color and pattern choices are available. Cork flooring achieves its color by being baked, the darker the color, the longer it was baked. Cork flooring is fire and water resistant. Due to the resilient nature of cork, it is easier on the legs and feet than harder surfaces like stone and concrete. Also, cork flooring is a natural insulator. It absorbs sound and remains warmer than other surface. So bare feet will appreciate! Cork is also a relatively soft material, so there are some risks. Heavy objects left on the surface for a period of time could leave indentations in the floor. So take precautions such as under-padding when placing heavy items such as furniture on the floor. Age and direct sunlight may discolor the cork flooring over time as well. So keep this in mind. You will want to maintain the floor by keeping it swept and mopped regularly.
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Bamboo
Bamboo flooring has been gaining in popularity with homeowners due to its sustainability, its durability and its amazing aesthetics. Its a very strong, dense wood which makes it very water resistant. Bamboo grows significantly faster than hardwood and therefore its harvesting for flooring is a much more sustainable choice than hardwood. Another benefit of bamboo is its easy maintenance needs. As well as bamboo flooring being very strong and durable, it is also easy to install. You used to be limited in your choice of colors and hues with bamboo, however manufacturers have developed ways to add additional colors to the process, so you will likely be able to find a color you like. Like hardwood, bamboo flooring is susceptible to scratching. It is recommended to use padding under furniture to prevent scratching and indentations. Most bamboo is harvested and shipped from China, so it is not a local product and must be transported by ship to the United States.
image from www.jetsongreen.com
Eucalyptus
Another more sustainable wood option that is not the typical hardwood is Eucalyptus. It is often cheaper than bamboo and comparable to standard hardwood flooring. Although not as fast as bamboo, eucalyptus is a fast growing tree. It typically grows twice as fast as species like oak, pine or cherry. A very very hard surface, eucalyptus has the same advantages of typical hardwood. Choices in color and patterns are very similar to those of hardwood as well. Eucalyptus is primarily harvested in New Zealand and Australia and has to be shipped to the United States. The same risks of scratching and indentation exist for eucalyptus as for any hard wood flooring.
image from www.restorationtimber.com
Reclaimed Wood
Bamboo and eucalyptus are sustainable because of their high rate of growth and abundance in their native lands. But is there a green option in our own country that doesn’t rely on new growth? Absolutely. Reclaimed wood is any type of wood that comes from a pre-existing structure and is being given new life. Wood that has been salvaged from old barns, mills, bridges, warehouses and other wood buildings and structures. Reclaimed wood can add wonderful character to your home. Its age and time tested durability can make it a better quality choice than new wood that is often cut from less mature trees. Due to the fact that it was not originally meant to be your kitchen floor, reclaimed wood may require repair work such as removing nails, sanding, planing and varnishing. Because its not manufactured to specifications, It may be difficult to find the wood that works best for you and it could be more expensive than other options due to the work that will be required to customize the reclaimed wood for your purposes.
image from www.architectmagazine.com
Marmoleum
Marmoleum is linoleum, thus it has a bad reputation. It is however a surprisingly eco-friendly and attractive option. Available in just about any color, it has no off-gas (unlike its vinyl counterparts) and is considered a very safe and sustainable product. Marloleum is very durable and easy to clean.
image from www.furniturehomedesign.com
Eco-Hardwood
Hardwood floors are very popular today and add great appeal and value to your home. It is also well known to be more expensive than most choices for flooring. But if you have the money and love hardwood, there are sustainable ways to use it. The first thing you can do is look for the FSC certification. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a nonprofit group that promotes environmentally responsible forestry practices. A wide range of flooring woods come with the FSC stamp, including oak, maple, ash, cherry, birch, Douglas fir, pine and others.
image from capefearriverwood.com
Suppressed Wood Flooring
Wood is also harvested occasionally to protect the health of the forest. If a forest becomes too dense with trees, it can become susceptible to disease and fire. Thus in some locations, a thinning out process results in the availability of wood for flooring.
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Stone Flooring
Stone flooring is another eco friendly choice, A natural product, stone is very durable, stain resistant, has a cool surface temperature and looks fantastic. There are many types of stone flooring. Options include quarried rock such as marble, travertine, granite, limestone, sandstone, slate, ceramic and flagstone. It tends to be expensive and can be hard on the legs and feet when standing on it for extended periods. You’d want to do further research on the particular types of stone you are interested in. They each have unique positives and negatives that you should familiarize yourself with.
image from http://img.diynetwork.com
Recycled Glass
Annie Lennox might feel at home if you opt for this amazing looking flooring alternative. Made from recycling old glass from wine, liquor and other bottles, as well as old windows, etc. Most often recycled glass is manufactured in one of two ways, glass tiles or terrazzo tiles. Glass tiles are made by melting down the glass and remolding it into tiles. These can had a wide variety of sizes, shapes, colors and finishes. Terrazzo floors are made by embedding chunks of material in concrete or resin and then sealing it, creating a smooth surface. Recycled glass is good for the environment, reusing a product which could otherwise end up in the landfill. It is extremely easy to keep clean.
