Is there a planet-friendly type of flooring that's still warm and comfortable?
Answer:
My personal favorite is bamboo flooring. Bamboo is a highly renewable resource, harvestable only four to six years after being planted. Its low moisture absorption properties make it ideal for humid climates and applications where moisture might pose a challenge for other types of flooring. Since wood is far and away more comfortable than tile or concrete, you can rest assured that you won't suffer after standing on it for a few minutes barefoot, and it stays nice and pliable for the give and flex that so many people love about wood. It's available in tons of styles and finishes to suit pretty much any taste, but be sure to look for high quality manufacturers, as there are currently many companies putting out sub-par products that are widely available. Hope that helps!
Tatami mats are widely used in Japan. They are harvested without killing the plant. Most kinds of woven mats meet this criterion.
For a wood floor, definitely go with bamboo. It looks like the normal plywood we're all used to but it's denser and is in my opinion, much easier to clean.
Here is one source for bamboo flooring:
http://www.ecofriendlyflooring.com/...
For wall-to-wall carpeting, definitely go here!
http://www.environmentalhomecenter.com/l...
It's totally recycled and looks great too.
For smaller rugs that are nice looking and soft as well go to:
http://www.vivaterra.com/pls/enetrixp/!s...
It generally costs more to get eco-friendly flooring options but in the long run it's a good purchase because especially for rugs, the eco rugs you buy will not have any harsh chemicals in them that was imbued in the making of them (the wall to wall carpeting in cheap apartments is terrible!)
Good luck!
When you think about it there is no possible way to get a planet friendly flooring because under the flooring is wood that come from a tree in the forests. But as of the flooring you walk on maybe but they still use fossil fuels to produce it so there for they materials can be planet-friendly but how they are made are never planet-friendly. I would say carpet in my own opinion because its all artificial.
Bamboo flooring is considered eco-friendly because it's renewable (harvesting doesn't kill the plant) and bamboo (which is technically a grass) grows faster than trees. Bamboo can be harvested every 5 years, whereas trees can take decades to grow large enough to be cut down.
Cork flooring is an option similar to bamboo. It is a renewable resource because it doesn't require killing the tree. Cork is the bark of the tree and can be removed without harming the tree. Cork flooring is not as strong as bamboo, but it's still pretty durable. It's advanatge, though, is that it is slightly softer than wood. The softness makes it nicer to walk on and gives the floor more ability to absorb sound, which reduces noise in the room. Cork flooring is frequently used in libraries because of its sound absorbtion.
Another option that is eco-friendly is stained concrete flooring. If you are building a new house with a concrete slab foundation, you can stain the concrete and use that as the floor. It's environmentally friendly because it avoids having to use another layer of material over the foundation. Stained concrete has become very popular in many businesses because it is inexpensive and highly durable.
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