Choosing the floor material for your house, office or any additional space is not a simple task. For one, there are tons of options out there, and choosing the most eco-friendly flooring options requires a lot of exploring and reading. If you have the budget, then locally sourced, sustainably grown wood flooring or even recycled wood flooring would be perfect: eco-friendly, nice looking and long-lasting. But this isn’t an option for many of us.
This post will go over some of the most commonly used flooring options to see how eco-friendly they are (or are not!), and will consider why they could be a good, eco-friendly fit for your needs. We will discuss the biggest pros and cons, and also share some inexpensive eco-friendly flooring options (on which you can then display some gorgeous fair trade rugs!).
- Why Choose Eco-Friendly Flooring Options?
- How Eco Friendly (or Not) Are These Flooring Options?
- 1 // Bamboo
- 2 // Ceramic and Porcelain
- 3 // Composite Decking
- 4 // Concrete
- 5 // Cork
- 6 // Glass
- 7 // Hardwood (Engineered and Reclaimed)
- 8 // Laminate
- 9 // Linoleum
- 10 // Recycled Metal
- 11 // Recycled PET Carpet and Other Textile Flooring Options
- 12 // Rubber
- 13 // Softwoods (Pine, Douglas Fir, etc)
- 14 // Stone
- 15 // Vinyl
- What is the Most Cost-Effective Eco-Friendly Flooring Option?
- Where Can You Buy Used & Reclaimed Flooring Options?
Why Choose Eco-Friendly Flooring Options?
Firstly, a lot of flooring options contain VOCs – Volatile Organic Compounds. They are found in a lot of house maintaining products and evaporate toxins into the indoor air. Prolonged exposure can increase health risks as well as environmental risks, so the best way to protect from them is to exclude them, especially from your flooring choice. Eco-friendly wall paint is also zero-VOC, so do look into that, along with non-toxic exterior paint and non-toxic wallpaper options. Since all of your home areas will have flooring, VOC-rich options might threaten your indoor air quality by slowly releasing toxins.
Secondly, choosing an eco-friendly flooring option means you are minimizing the associated carbon emissions. Extensive production procedures and the transportation of goods release a lot of carbon dioxide. So, the best way to go green is to choose a locally found, repurposed flooring option that doesn’t have an energy-draining production process.
So, in our list, we’ve included 15 different flooring options and their biggest pros and cons.
How Eco Friendly (or Not) Are These Flooring Options?
1 // Bamboo
Bamboo flooring has been getting popular in the last few decades and it’s in demand as an inexpensive eco-friendly flooring option. Bamboo is biodegradable, recyclable, and easily renewable due to its fast growth. It also absorbs carbon and is free from germs and fungus.
But, it doesn’t last more than 25 years, and bamboo plantations are shrinking the natural biodiversity due to their boom on the market. Mainly produced in Asia, its production process and transportation increase carbon emissions. Plus, unless stated otherwise, it might contain toxic VOCs and urea-formaldehyde. What you could do to overcome these drawbacks is to opt for a local supplier and make sure the flooring is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council.
Explore bamboo flooring online
2 // Ceramic and Porcelain
Ceramic and porcelain tiles are another eco-friendly flooring option that is recyclable and renewable, since it is made from clay. They are also very durable, don’t contain any kinds of toxins, and are not susceptible to mold. Plus, they stay cool at higher temperatures, so they are a good option for warm climates, lowering cooling expenses.
The production process itself emits carbon (especially for porcelain), while the grout used for sealing the tiles may contain toxic ingredients. In a lot of cases, these tiles are also glazed which may also have a negative toxic input on nature.
Explore ceramic and porcelain tiles online
3 // Composite Decking
Made from a combination of wood by-products (sawdust and wood chips) and plastics, composite decking is less expensive than hard or softwood, and it lasts fairly long. It’s quite durable, water and rot-resistant, and it’s also easy to clean and maintain.
On the other side, composite decking is heavier than real wood, absorbs heat, and might be hot to step on in summer. Furthermore, their color might fade with time, especially on the darker colored ones. It can also get slippery and might bend in the places with the most weight. On top of that, the pricing isn’t on the low end.
Explore composite decking online
4 // Concrete
Concrete is widely used due to its high durability and strength, scratch resistance, and its capability to absorb heat during the day and release it at night.
The cons are in its production which takes up a lot of heat and energy, thus releasing CO2 in the process. Plus, it might be a bad flooring idea for houses with offspring or elders. It is also moisture-prone, so it might crack and bend if not installed properly.
Explore concrete flooring options
5 // Cork
Cork is known to be one of the least harmful flooring options out there. It has anti-microbial and anti-allergen properties, and that is surely one of its biggest pros, alongside its heat insulation. In the process of production, only the bark of the tree is stripped and used, and the tree trunk itself stays untouched.
The cons, on the other hand, are the transportation CO2 emissions, since it is mainly produced in Europe. Plus, it’s prone to cracks, so it will only last up to 30 years and its color will fade with time.
BTW, have you heard of hemcrete blocks as a sustainable building material?
Explore cork flooring options
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6 // Glass
Glass tiles are one of the most recyclable eco-friendly flooring options. Glass can be easily repurposed, and empty glass bottles can turn into the most beautiful, colorful tiles, made in millions of different shares and colors. They are also cost and CO2-effective in production, durable, and mold-resistant. Plus, they reflect light which makes them the best flooring option for dark rooms.
The cons include its cost, for one. They surely aren’t the cheapest option out there, and you still need a professional for installation. Other cons include the possibility of breakage, especially if something heavy is dropped on them, and their susceptibility to scratches after a longer period of usage.
Explore glass tiles online
7 // Hardwood (Engineered and Reclaimed)
Usually, the most eco-friendly flooring option is hardwood. It might sound counter-intuitive, because of the global deforestation problem, but we are talking about reclaimed hardwood and engineered hardwood.
Understandably, the biggest two pros of reclaimed hardwood are low carbon footprint (transportation to your place is the biggest impact) and its durability, while the biggest cons are certainly the possibility of it being subjected to chemicals, mold, or bugs; and the installation adhesives that might be toxic.
Explore engineered hardwood flooring
8 // Laminate
One of the best flooring options due to its resistance to scratches, moisture absorption, durability, and floating installation process that doesn’t include any harmful adhesives. The materials used include sawdust and bark which reduce deforestation by using waste wood products.
Nonetheless, the process of producing laminate itself includes a compressing technique where a lot of possibly toxic adhesive is used and carbon is released.
Explore laminate flooring online
9 // Linoleum
Produced with completely natural, biodegradable materials like linseed oil, linoleum stays one of the eco-friendly green flooring options, compared to its vinyl counterpart. It’s not susceptible to burning or moisture retainment and it also becomes stronger as it ages.
The production process itself though, includes some high CO2, toxins, and VOCs emission in the air. Plus, if exposed to a lot of sun or water it might give off a strong odor.
Explore linoleum flooring online
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10 // Recycled Metal
Mainly made from aluminum alloys or brass, the recycled metal is another eco-friendly flooring option. One of the biggest pros of recycled metal is that it lowers landfill metal waste. The process of production is much simple and less energy-consuming compared to actual aluminum mining. Plus, it’s fairly simple to clean, quite durable, and water-resistant.
The cons include its extensive installation process, its coldness, and hardiness. It’s not the most suitable flooring option for houses with kids.
Explore recycled metal flooring online
11 // Recycled PET Carpet and Other Textile Flooring Options
With synthetic fiber made from recycled materials, PET carpets are an eco-friendly flooring option made from recycled plastic. The other textile flooring options out there are made out of wool or a combination of wool and synthetic fibers. PET carpets are durable, spill-resistant, and aid plastic recycling. On top of that, there are hundreds of colors available, so it is easy to combine and include them in your décor color palette.
The cons of textile carpets, including recycled PET ones, are possible unraveling if not fixed right away, susceptibility to stains and need for extensive cleaning.
Explore recycled PET flooring
12 // Rubber
Recycled from old tires, rubber is a great option for gyms and playgrounds, but it is slowly finding its way into our homes. Due to its high water resistance, rubber flooring is perfect for kitchens, indoor pools, and bathrooms. Plus, you can find them in different colors and shades.
Rubber cons consist of its hard installation. Also, they might be a bad idea for homes with kids, since they are slippery when wet. Furthermore, they release a distinctive rubbery odor, especially while they are new.
Explore rubber flooring options
13 // Softwoods (Pine, Douglas Fir, etc)
Softwood flooring from pine, cypress, spruce, or cedar is next on our list. If sourced locally, they minimize the carbon footprint on the environment, and they are less expensive than hardwood flooring options. Plus, they grow much faster and thus are considered renewable. Reclaimed softwood is also a great option.
The cons include their low density, which makes them weaker, less durable, and susceptible to scratches. Plus, the lower the class of softwood, the more knots it has.
Explore softwood flooring
14 // Stone
Stone is the most durable eco-friendly option for a living room. It is easy to clean, doesn’t attract allergens or dust. If exposed to prolonged heating, it warms up and keeps the temperature in the room steady. Plus, with its unique natural color deviation, it gives off a luxurious and elegant look.
But, it can be brittle and easy to scratch, especially if it’s heavily polished. Plus, it’s really hard to replace, so once it is there, it stays there. It also is pretty expensive and it may need some additional coverage since it can get quite cold, especially if the room is not heated.
Explore natural stone tiles online
15 // Vinyl
The biggest pro of vinyl is its cost – this is maybe the cheapest flooring option out there. Vinyl is also easy for installing and comes in tons of varieties, colors, and patterns.
The biggest flaw of this flooring option is the usage of all kinds of toxins and VOCs in its production process, as well as in the adhesive used for placement. Plus, they take up a lot of energy to be produced and due to the chemicals used in the process, it’s not recyclable.
Explore vinyl flooring options
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What is the Most Cost-Effective Eco-Friendly Flooring Option?
Vinyl is the most affordable eco-friendly floor option on our list. But, unless you do proper research and buy from established sellers that use the most environmentally friendly materials, you are in danger of bringing toxins and VOCs evaporations into your indoor air.
Laminate, made from sawdust and bark pieces, does prevent further deforestation, but the process of production includes extensive energy usage as well as a few adhesives and synthetic glues that are harmful to the environment. It’s the second most inexpensive eco-friendly flooring option.
Bamboo is the next most cost-effective, with durability and sustainability on its side. But, the bamboo plantation business in Asia does greatly impact the natural ecosystem there, and it still needs CO2 emitting transportation to reach other parts of the world for retail sales.
Recycled metal is also relatively cheap, depending on its quality. But, it has some extensive installation process and it’s hard to remove, so have that in mind.
Hardwood is not cheap, but it can be repurposed. You could find some already used hardwood flooring, do a few sanding and coating processes and get yourself durable flooring for decades to come.
Where Can You Buy Used & Reclaimed Flooring Options?
One very good, eco-friendly (low waste) and cost-effective option is to go for used, or reclaimed, tiles and flooring. These are flooring materials that have been removed from homes that were remodeled or demolished, and are available for sale at various places (listed below).
1> Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore
2> Retro Renovation
3> Olde Good Things
4> Salvoweb
5> Etsy
6> Facebook Marketplace
7> eBay
Check out Vintage Timbers for some reclaimed pieces with history!
Check out your local options first, though. It’s always best if you can assess the flooring materials in person before purchasing them for your home.
If you have tiles that you want to get rid of, then you can sell them! Check out how to get money for your used tiles.
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I hope this post was useful! If you get yourself familiar with all the different flooring options you have, you will be able to opt for the most feasible eco-friendly flooring option, one that works perfectly for you and your home.
If you liked this post, please share it with your friends. Thank you!<3
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