Advisories supplied by the experienced team at Inner Space Flooring. Wood Floor experts based in Birmingham UK. Supplying stunning ranges of Hardwood flooring & Parquet flooring to customers throughout the West Midlands UK. Providing professional wood floor fitting services to homes and businesses.

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In the last few years, we have witnessed a huge cultural shift as a planet with society becoming more eco-conscious and embracing sustainable and environmentally-friendly living.

As a result, we’ve seen the introduction of a charge on plastic bags, a ban on plastic straws and the new Clean Air Zones in Leeds and Birmingham to help reduce the levels of toxic emissions - and that’s just a few of the more commonly-known initiatives that are driving our planet towards being more ‘clean’.

As it extends to the world of home interiors, a lot of property owners - both domestic and commercial - are more intentional when it comes to their purchasing decisions, opting for sustainable brands and eco-friendly furnishings, including wood flooring.

Firstly, it’s important to understand what is meant by ‘eco-friendly wood flooring’.
In simple terms, being ‘eco-friendly’ is all about the effect a product has on the eco-system which means asking yourself two important questions before making a purchasing decision - does the material come from a renewable source, and is using this material going to have a negative impact on the environment in any way?

The importance of a material being renewable is all about sustainability and this is key when looking for an eco-friendly flooring which is why many people are opting for wood.
It’s the only renewable choice of building material for flooring.

When trying to make the most eco-friendly decision about which wood to use for your flooring, you’ll need to consider the source.
The wood for wood flooring is sourced from trees; hence, a more sustainable wood will come from a tree that grows quickly or that is not considered an endangered species.

Generally, this means that the rarer the tree species, the less sustainable the wood is which means that the commonly grown oak and pine are good examples of sustainable options.

You should also consider whether the wood can be recycled at the end of its lifespan, as well as the actual lifespan of the wood itself, because if you are using something that’s only going to be useful for a year or two and then discarded and replaced, this will contribute to landfills.

Fortunately, all the woods that are used for our flooring can be recycled and have an extensive lifespan.
In fact, most of our wood flooring can last upwards of 50 years if they’re well-maintained and looked after which already makes it a great sustainable choice for your flooring.

FSC-certified wood flooring

The first thing to look out for when purchasing a wood floor is the FSC logo. When a company or product features that logo, it means that they are FSC-certified and that their wood has been harvested from forests that are responsibly managed and environmentally conscious.
This is considered the ‘gold standard’ of wood.

Inner Space Flooring only works with suppliers who are FSC-certified so you can guarantee that when you purchase with us, you are getting a socially beneficial and eco-friendly product.

What are the most environmentally-friendly types of wood for floors?

Taking into consideration all of the above, here are the most eco-friendly and sustainable options for wood flooring:

BAMBOO

One of, if not, THE most sustainable types of wood flooring out there is bamboo.

This is due to the fact that bamboo is a regenerating grass that takes just 3- 5 years to harvest compared to the 10 - 20 years needed for most other softwoods.

Furthermore, this fast-growing plant has roots that are self-generating and not damaged during harvesting which means that it doesn’t need replanting like trees, making it a very renewable flooring material.

Not only would you be doing something for good for the planet by opting for bamboo, but it also makes a great material for flooring due to its durability and versatility with over 1500 species of bamboo to choose from.

CORK

This wood is made from organic and renewable materials that are both biodegradable and recyclable which makes it great for the environment.

It’s sourced by removing the bark of the Cork Oak, which regenerates every three years, without harming the tree itself.

Although it may not be one’s first choice when they think of wood flooring for the home, it works really well as it has many great properties aside from its sustainability.

• It’s sound-proof
• A great insulator which keeps the flooring warm
• Comfortable to walk on
• Looks stunning

RECLAIMED WOOD

When anything is reclaimed it’s automatically going to be that much more environmentally friendly due to its very nature.

Reclaimed wood flooring is, simply, reusing or repurposing wood from another property or elsewhere on that property rather than throwing it away. For example, you might find a stunning wood floor in a restaurant that is in great condition but the place is closing down or about to undergo refurbishment and the owners are going to rip everything out, including these floors. By taking the flooring off of their hands and installing it in your home, you are prolonging the woods’ life and preventing it from ending up in a landfill which makes this process great for the environment.

Can oak wood flooring be eco-friendly?

Seeing as it’s the most popular type of wood flooring, it would be remiss of us not to briefly look at how you can still make more eco-conscious purchasing decisions when opting for a wood that may not be the most sustainable choice available.

Oak wood flooring is the most common type of wood flooring for its many benefits; from the aesthetic appeal to its durability and easy maintenance, but it isn’t necessarily known for being sustainable. However, there are programs being put in place by suppliers to ensure that this changes.

When buying your oak wood flooring, as mentioned earlier, ensure that you only purchase from a company that is FSC-certified as this means that they’re carefully and consciously managing the forests from which they obtain the oak wood so that oak trees are continually being replanted and biological diversity is being preserved. So, in simple terms, yes - oak wood flooring can be eco-friendly if you are sourcing it from the right place, i.e. FSC-certified forests.