Environmentally Friendly Flooring: Making the Right Choice
With continued interest in environmentally friendly products and practices, it’s no surprise that many wood flooring manufacturers are looking for products and suppliers that meet their customers’ expectations. For wood flooring and woodworking professionals, “green” wood can mean several different things.
There are different types of eco-friendly flooring products on the market today. What are the options for sustainable materials, and do they really add up to responsible environmental stewardship over time? One sometimes overlooked source of eco-friendly wood is reclaimed lumber.
Buildings that are being rebuilt or demolished, and even trees that have to be removed for various reasons, can be good sources of wood that has already been processed and can be reused with less impact on the environment.
Bamboo is an increasingly popular flooring product. Bamboo is actually a grass, not a wood, and it grows quickly with very little need for pesticides or fertilizers.
Once harvested, bamboo regrows from its roots and can be harvested again within a few years. It can be very durable and a good choice for most areas of a home or business. But the adhesives and finishes used to manufacture bamboo flooring vary from producer to producer, and so does the quality, density, and consistency of the finished product.
Cork also regenerates quickly, and it’s unique because the tree doesn’t have to be cut down to harvest it. Cork is the tree’s bark, which is stripped off and allowed to grow back.
Several other trees can be harvested in a relatively short time, but again, the manufacturing process should also be considered when you’re looking for a truly eco-friendly flooring product. Certification programs can help you confirm that a flooring manufacturer is making environmentally responsible choices in how its wood is grown and harvested.
Free Download – Wood Flooring Installation: What To Expect
But there’s another side to environmentally friendly flooring. What good is eco-friendly flooring to the environment if it fails because of a moisture problem? It’s not worth investing in sustainably sourced hardwood if the flooring isn’t properly installed, finished, and maintained.
A proper installation requires a thorough understanding of the moisture conditions in both the subfloor and the flooring itself. Different woods interact with moisture differently, and flooring from mixed sources, like batches of reclaimed hardwood, needs to be measured thoroughly and accurately to get a true picture of its moisture condition. The subfloor should also be checked to ensure proper adhesion for glue-down flooring.
After installation, applying the finish also calls for attention to moisture conditions, especially when applying multiple coats of a waterborne finish. High humidity slows drying and can lengthen the time before the next coat can go on. An improperly applied finish leaves the wood more likely to absorb moisture.
Finally, proper maintenance keeps a beautiful floor in top condition. Clean the floor according to the manufacturer’s guidelines, don’t let water sit on the surface, and protect it from unnecessary damage.
With so many eco-friendly and sustainable flooring options available today, shopping wisely, installing carefully, and caring for the floor properly will protect your investment for years to come.
As Sales Manager for Wagner Meters, Ron has more than 35 years of experience with instrumentation and measurement systems in different industries. In previous positions, he has served as Regional Sales Manager, Product and Projects Manager, and Sales Manager for manufacturers involved in measurement instrumentation.
Last updated on October 13th, 2026
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This is amazing. Bamboo and cork can do such wonderful help in protecting the environment. It was a great knowledge about these wonderful things that help the environment. The cautions are also explained pretty well. Thank you so much for the great knowledge shared.