5 Reasons Hardwood Timber Flooring is Eco-Friendly
There are plenty of things to think about when you're deciding on flooring materials, and the eco-friendliness of each option is certainly becoming more of a concern for homeowners across the country. With that in mind, it's no surprise that hardwood timber flooring remains popular.
It might not seem the most eco-friendly option at first since you need to fell trees in order to obtain timber, but it's actually one of the best materials out there for those concerned with the environment. Here are just five reasons why.
1. Sustainable and Renewable
Timber is a completely natural material that can be grown responsibly in timber plantations. When sustainably managed, trees are planted to replace those that are felled, which means the source of your flooring will be renewable and the practice sustainable.
2. Incredibly Long-Lasting
It doesn't really matter how eco-friendly the production and installation of a product is when you'll just need to replace it in a few years. After all, that's going to involve using more resources and energy. This isn't a problem you're likely to face with hardwood flooring since it can last for decades when properly treated. Even if it is scratched or stained, all you need to do is sand it down and refinish it.
3. Easy to Reuse
While hardwood timber flooring can last an incredibly long time, there's always the chance that it might need to be removed in the future. Luckily enough, hardwood timber planks are very easy to reuse. Some will simply be installed as flooring in other homes, but those same planks can be used for anything from furniture to construction. This means your hardwood timber is very unlikely to end up being discarded.
4. Low Energy Consumption
Some materials seem eco-friendly until you check out the energy and resources required to make them. If a material requires a lot of energy during its production, it isn't going to be good for the planet. However, timber only needs to be cut to size, which involves very little energy compared to synthetic flooring materials.
5. Carbon Storage
Trees absorb carbon dioxide as they grow. This means carbon is stored in the wood, and it is generally only released when the wood is burned. Since young trees absorb more carbon dioxide than mature ones, felling those older trees for their timber and planting two or more young ones in their place can help absorb far more in the long term, and that's great news for the environment.
Contact a professional for more information about timber hardwood flooring.
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