A lot of people want to have hardwood flooring, but they worry about the impact of hardwood flooring on the environment. After all, trees are a necessary part of the environment and logging can be destructive. However, there are ways that you can have your hardwood flooring and still not impact the environment too heavily.
Bamboo
Bamboo isn't actually a tree, it's a grass. But it's not like the grass that is growing in your front lawn. For one thing, it is much stronger, even though it's hollow. Bamboo has been used for building in many countries for thousands of years. Bamboo also grows very fast. In fact, bamboo is actually the fastest growing plant in the world. That's part of what makes it an excellent source of building material. Farmed bamboo can be harvested for flooring, carpeting, and even clothing, and then the harvested area can grow back very quickly while other areas are harvested. That makes it environmentally friendly.
Reclaimed Lumber
Reclaimed lumber is lumber that has been used in other houses, barns, or structure. The reclaimed lumber is taken from those buildings when they are being de-constructed. That means that they are taken carefully apart instead of just being demolished. That lets people take advantage of all kinds of fixtures, including lumber. The reclaimed lumber can be taken and refinished so that it looks brand new or it can be left in the same basic state it was when it was taken out of the previous structure. Many people choose to go that way because it gives the wood character and can really enhance the look of the house. The flooring material will have had any significant damage repaired, but things like nail holes and knots will be left alone so that they show through.
Cork
Cork is another option. Cork has been used for years for soundproofing, but it has also shown up in use for floors. The soundproofing quality is a nice benefit, making it a good choice for an upstairs since it will deaden the sound from one floor to the next. It also comes from a quick growing tree, so it is another reasonably good environmentally friendly choice.
You don't have to give up your hardwood flooring dreams if you want to be environmentally friendly. There are options that you can choose so that you can still get the beautiful hardwood flooring you want.
Share18 January 2016
Having to place children's furniture in a small bedroom presented a problem for me. With two growing kids, I needed a dresser to accommodate both boys, as well as two beds. With two beds, desk and chair, toy chest and floor lamp, the room seemed overly crowded. My solution came with a highly functional bunk bed. Bunk beds take up minimal space. Better yet, my choice was a bunk that included a storage drawer. This compartment is used for storing the boys' small toys and other necessities. I didn't have to have a separate toy chest, so I reduced clutter which was great! When you have multiple children all in one room, you need all the help you can get!
