Eco-friendly and inexpensive flooring: what to choose besides wood?
Which floor, except wood, is the most environmentally friendly and affordable? Quartz vinyl has a price similar to wood ...
Irina.
Expert Answer
Good day, Irina!
I would like to immediately “separate the flies from the cutlets” in order to separate such concepts as “environmentally friendly” and “natural”. At the present stage of technology development, there are materials that are not inferior to natural ones in terms of harmlessness. As for environmental safety, this concept has wider boundaries than we often imagine. So, a product can be called environmentally friendly only in cases where a number of factors are observed:
- manufacturing technology involves the use of renewable resources;
- all measures are being taken to reduce energy consumption at the stage of production, storage and transportation;
- absolute non-toxicity for living organisms;
- The material remains environmentally friendly at the end of its life.
In fact, not a single material guarantees a 100% environmental friendliness. For example, a “warm” and comfortable tree is able to accumulate toxins and radiation in itself, eventually becoming even more harmful than the cheapest linoleum with a persistent chemical smell. Most often, the security guarantee depends on the name and decency of the manufacturer, as well as the effectiveness of the certification organizations.
As for harmless floor coverings, in addition to wood, the maximum environmental safety is:
- ceramic tile;
- floors made of natural stone;
- cork floors;
- natural linoleum;
- bamboo flooring.
I would like to note that the “harmfulness” of certain coatings can be greatly exaggerated. So, even a high-quality laminate from well-known manufacturers can be much more environmentally friendly than an inexpensive natural wood parquet board - in the production of the latter, adhesive compositions containing harmful chemical compounds can be used.
