6 sustainable flooring possibilities that will suit your home

Considering building an eco-friendly home or replacing your existing floors with a sustainable product?

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Considering building an eco-friendly home or replacing your existing floors with a sustainable product?

The good news is that sustainable flooring solutions are becoming increasingly popular and easy to find. When we talk about sustainability we’re not just talking about the product source, but also to the cleaning and maintenance of that product.

Floors generally have a lifespan of between 10 and 25 years depending on the type, so when opting for sustainable flooring you should also keep in mind that the cleaning and maintenance products we use may also have long term, environmental implications.

If you’re considering building an eco-friendly home or replacing your existing floors with a sustainable product, there are a number of possibilities that will suit your home and help to protect the planet.

Reclaimed timber flooring

Reclaimed hardwood floors create immense character and are a point of interest in the home while also being a great way to save trees. Sourcing the timber boards from sites marked for demolition or from specialist timber recycling companies is satisfying and will provide you with many years of visual pleasure and moral comfort. Of course they make a great conversation piece too, especially when repurposed from somewhere of interest like an old church, pub or an outback homestead.

New timber flooring marked as FSC certified

Many timber floors are now sourced from sustainably managed plantations which are FSC certified. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) take care of forests as a whole, not just the trees but the wildlife that rely on the forest environment. Purchasing FSC certified timber floors or AFS (Australian Forestry Standard) compliant floors means you can rest assured that your hardwood floors haven’t negatively impacted on our native flora or fauna. In other words, you haven’t ousted any koalas from their homes.

Install engineered timber floors

Timber floating floors such as Carpet Court’s Stockmans Ridge collection mark the next generation in engineered timber flooring. Utilising specially selected Australian native hardwoods, Stockmans Ridge is a highly durable and visibly appealing engineered timber floating floor sourced from plantations which are FSC certified and harvested using environmentally sustainable methods. Timber floors last a long time and can be cleaned and maintained without the use of harsh chemicals so are considered sustainable from a maintenance point of view. And the less chemicals we use in our homes the better for everyone, right?

Opt for bamboo flooring

Popular with pandas and home stylists alike, beautiful bamboo is a durable, eco-conscious flooring option for your home. Carpet Court’s bamboo floating floors have a natural, organic appeal and come in a variety of warm shades and textures to suit a range of décors. Because of the speed at which bamboo grows and the fact that it regrows from the roots after harvesting, it is a highly sustainable flooring choice. Reaching maturity in just 3-5 years, bamboo plantations are fast growing, renewable resources which make a visibly stunning and hardwearing flooring solution.

The ever-popular classic wool carpet

Home grown, 100% pure wool is a natural, renewable resource abundant throughout Australia and New Zealand. Wool is spun, dyed and woven into carpets and has been a popular floor covering for centuries, providing excellent insulation while being soft yet durable under foot. Carpet Court’s vast flooring range includes luxurious, 100% pure wool carpets such as the Natural Formations and Parklife collections which carry Environmental Certification (ECS).

Carpets and rugs made from alternative fibres

Carpets or rugs made from viable eco-friendly renewable resources such as sisal, jute, cotton and seagrass make great alternatives to wool. These biodegradable, plant-derived products are not just ethically sourced, non-toxic and eco-friendly but offer a natural weave and colour palette which complement neutral home styling trends with their rich, authentic textures.

With so many options available, choosing sustainable, visually appealing and durable flooring solutions that suit your home and lifestyle is easy, while also being beneficial to the planet, your family’s health and your environmental conscience.