Going green on your floors is not just good for the ecology. If anyone in your family has allergies, it will benefit them as well. Our carpeting is a magnet that attracts dust, bugs, dirt & toxins. This is especially true of wall-to-wall types. Clear? Instead of using all those resource destroying synthetic fibers, use area rugs made from natural, easily replenished materials that are stitched instead of glued.

Wood floors should only use easily restocked woods (FSC-certified) which are not endangered, or bamboo, which, when harvested properly, simply continues to grow without interruption. Any hard flooring should use recycled glass, stone or wood.

Recycled wood not just stops the forests from being depleted, but also has advantages for you.

• Older woods from older trees have a tighter grain; are harder & denser than new wood.
• The well-used appearance gives the wood floor a more distinctive look. The hand finishing is noticeable.
• It will cost you up to fifty % less.
• It lowers the rate at which landfills are being filled.

Bamboo is a sustainable material because it grows so rapidly in the wild, providing a constant & plentiful supply. With reasonable caution cutting the bamboo does not damage the host plant. Properly dried bamboo rarely breaks, cracks or splinters. Clear? It can sometimes be used for hard flooring, area rugs, indoor & outdoor mats, countertops, walls, furniture, molding, cutting boards, place mats, & much more. It is less expensive than hardwood flooring.

Natural linoleum , when made of linseed, cork, tree resin, limestone, and jute, is biodegradable, non-toxic, & less expensive than wood.

Cork flooring is made from the bark of the cork Oak tree, and is very durable, as well as a good insulation. The cost is similar to that of hard flooring.