It’s important to understand the environmental impact of building materials. Many people fear that wooden flooring is unsustainable and therefore bad for the environment. However, research by the National Wood Flooring Association shows that it is in fact an environmentally sound choice.
Firstly, wood floors are made from a renewal product – trees. While it does take a hardwood species 40-60 years to mature, the NWFA calculate that the inventory planted today won’t be needed for over 100 years. The Department of Agriculture Forest Service confirm that the average annual net growth for hardwoods is greater than average annual removals.
The manufacturing process has much less of a harmful impact on our planet too. Firstly, wooden flooring lasts decades, over generations. As it lasts longer, it doesn’t need to be replaced as often.
The production of wood floors uses less water and energy than other flooring options, according to the University of Wisconsin Wood Products Program. It can also be burned or recycled at the end of its life.
Petroleum products are used in the manufacture of carpets for the adhesive yarns in the backing and in padding. They are also produced with the use the use of volatile organic compounds that are bad for the environment and to our health. As they contain non-biodegradable materials, they will clog up landfills for hundreds of years. Similarly, lots of chemical materials are required to produce synthetic linoleum and vinyl. The latter contains harmful chlorinated petrochemicals.
While there are greener choices available such as wool carpet or genuine lino (made from linseed oil and resins) wood is still considered the most natural option, with the least environmental impact.
