What makes wood flooring so “green” for the environment?
The easy answer is, “duh, it’s a tree.” But, it gets more complicated than that. Wood floors are eco-friendly for many reasons. And, I am here to lay them out for you.
Long lasting – Real, solid hardwood flooring can last a very long time, especially when properly maintained. We are consistently seeing wood floors in the Saint Louis area that are 100+ years old. Wood floors are considered part of your home unlike wood patterned LVTs and laminates that are discarded after a small life cycle of just a few years. *If you’re interested in reading about how and when wood flooring got started, check out this blog by The Doc.
Renewable – Clearly, wood is renewable. We plant trees. But, you may be surprised to hear just who is planting these trees. Wood floor mills and manufactures are leading the pack. They, more than most, are invested in the longevity of the wood floor industry and know that responsible harvesting is key to that permanence. *You’ll find they also establish mills to gather local trees, cutting down on the carbon footprint to truck in logs for milling. Southern mills will offer southern species; northern mills offering northern species, etc. And, they use or sell everything from the bark to sawdust. Looking for more information about how a mill is taking care of their resources? Check out Mirage.
Biodegradable – Wood flooring that does get torn out and thrown away (after a long life in the home, we hope!) will not sit in out landfills for 100s of years. It is kiln dried wood. It will decompose unlike the faux wood floors made of plastic and resins.
So, if you are looking for the greenest floor around, look no further. In fact, look back at one of the world’s oldest flooring options to be the floor of our future.
