What Makes Hardwood an Eco-Friendly Choice?

  • Posted on: 19 February 2017
  • By: admin

Homeowners are increasingly making home decorating and renovation decisions based in large part on the environment. Certainly, cost and aesthetics are factored into any home improvement decision, but many homeowners are overwhelmingly choosing to use eco-friendly products in their home as well. If you are interested in installing a new hardwood floor in your home, you may be wondering what elements of this material make it great for the environment. With a closer look at some of the benefits of hardwood, you will see why this is a wonderful material to choose.

Improved Indoor Air Quality
Many synthetic materials, such as some types of carpeting, are known to release unhealthy chemicals into the air. Because modern homes today are so well-sealed, many of the chemicals that your carpeting releases into the air remain trapped indoors. Hardwood, on the other hand, is a natural material that is not known for harboring unhealthy chemicals. In addition, it also will not hang onto elements brought into the home that affect indoor air quality, such as pet dander, pollen, bacteria and more. If you want to enjoy superior indoor air quality, wood floors are a great option to consider.

Sustainable Forestry Practices
There are various types of hardwood that you can select for use with your floors. The best options are those that carry the Forest Stewardship Council seal. This seal or certification ensures that the wood was derived from a forest that is sustainably managed. The use of any wood products can lead to deforestation, which has a tremendously detrimental impact on the environment. This seal, however, is a testament that the wood used in your home’s floors did not lead to deforestation.

Durability and Longevity
A key aspect of protecting the environment relates to keeping waste out of landfills. While recycling old wood floors is one way that hardwood can be used in an eco-friendly manner, the durability and longevity of this material is also beneficial. Consider that hardwoods have a life span of several decades more when properly cared for. Carpeting, on the other hand, may last 10 or 15 years if you maintain it very well. When carpeting is no longer needed, it is often tossed into the trash. When your wood floors begin to look dated and worn, you can simply refinish them to breathe new life into them.

The decision about which type of flooring to use in your home is not a matter to take lightly. Wood is an exceptional choice that is eco-friendly, and it also can add value to your home, has a sophisticated elegance and is easy to maintain. With so many clear benefits associated with hardwood, now is a great time to explore the different styles available.