Green Flooring

Discover eco-friendly, sustainable flooring options.

Environmentally-Friendly Flooring Solutions

Environmentally-friendly flooring is any flooring that is sustainable, eco-friendly, contains recycled content, is recyclable, leaves a small carbon footprint, and/or has low VOCs (Volatile Organic Compound). There are different degrees of green when referring to different types of flooring.

Bamboo Flooring

  • Bamboo is a rapidly renewing resource that matures in three years
  • It regenerates without the need for replanting
  • It also requires minimal fertilization or pesticides
  • There currently is no FSC-certified bamboo, so it is important to see what you can confirm about the bamboo you are interested in before purchasing.

Carpet

  • According to the Carpet and Rug Institute, The carpet industry is minimizing the environmental impact through the new “3 Rs,” which stands for reduce, reuse, and recycle. When carpet reaches the end of its long life, it is reused to make new carpet or recycled into a variety of products, ranging from roofing shingles and railroad ties to automotive parts.
  • Factors that determine if the carpet is “green:” carpet fibers, toxics content, dye, VOC emissions, and recycled content.
  • The Green Label and Green Label Plus from the Carpet and Rug Institute ensure that customers are purchasing among the lowest emitting carpet, adhesive, and cushion products on the market.

Natural Stone

There is no clear data on the impact of using stone as a building material on the environment; when the data is collected, it will contain information on water and energy consumption, yields from raw materials, recyclability, and other measures that are considered in life cycle assessments, energy used in transportation, processing, and selling the material.

Stone has the following features:

  • It’s a natural product
  • It has an enduring lifecycle, so it doesn’t have to be replaced
  • Ease of care and maintenance
  • Recyclable
  • Quarry and manufacturing use best practices
  • Can be reclaimed

Hardwood Flooring

  • Natural Resource
  • Renewable
  • Recyclable
  • Suitable for a “healthy home” environment
  • Forests are managed for replanting

Travertine and Ceramic Tile

  • Rarely release emissions
  • Some contain recycled content
  • Long-lasting and not replaced frequently
  • Requires little maintenance
  • The value is unclear due to its weight, which causes more fuel during transportation.

Carpet Cushion

The Carpet and Rug Institute has established the Green Label program to test for VOCs in cushions used under carpet. This program helps you choose a low-emission cushion. You can identify these products by looking for the program’s green and white seal. These products are continuously monitored to ensure that they maintain compliance.
Cushion products are characterized as prime polyurethane, bonded polyurethane, mechanically frothed polyurethane, rubber-hair, rubber–jute, synthetic fiber, resinated or coated synthetic fiber, rubber, and rubberized polyurethane.
Cushions are tested for total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), formaldehyde, and 4-phenyl cyclohexane (4-PCH).

Carpet cushions can be:

  • Made from 100% recycled bonded cushion from polyurethane foam or 100% recycled content in Rebond Carpet Cushion, a bonded polyurethane product
  • Made with 97% recycled rubber for carpet underlayment
  • Made with no CFCs, latex, or chemical additives
  • Made with 100% recycled tire rubber carpet pad. Withstands temperatures from 40 to 120 degrees. Free of toxic materials such as PCB, mercury, and formaldehyde
  • Made from ground tire scrap rubber granules bonded with latex and 92% recycled tire rubber

Carpet Cushion Installation

  • Use adhesives with low VOCs
  • Choose water-based finishes over solvent-based
  • Acceptable adhesives are listed here: http://www.greenhomeguide.com

Tile and Hardwood Adhesives

Adhesives are just as important to consider when purchasing flooring as the flooring itself. Adhesives with harmful toxins can damage indoor air quality by giving off harmful gasses.

Tips for Adhesives:

  • Choose low VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)
  • Do not contain formaldehyde
  • Qualify for the Carpet and Rug Institutes Indoor Air Quality green label
  • Once installed, floors still give off gas compounds
  • Less durable floors have to be replaced more often
  • High-maintenance floors use more harsh chemicals

Consider floors that don’t have to be refinished.