NOT my floor!
When building a new home, or updating your current one, your choice of flooring will impact on the entire design and feel of the space. Not only that, but it can impact on your health and that of your family and can certainly impact on the environment. Our house has a variety of flooring materials, most of those need an update. We did have 1980’s Slate for many years in the foyer and hallway which was the worst part, and a few years ago we had it ripped up (that was fun). We discovered Oak boards in the foyer (the same as the lounge and dining room), and pine in the hall. Due to the old fashioned process of adding tar as a sticking agent, the boards had to be well sanded, meaning they are quite thin. We have been considering replacing the hallway with a modern option such as bamboo.
As a design element, flooring can really lift and pull together a room. The decision about what to use for your floors, or what to replace them with is an important one, as usually you will not change the floors in your home very often over the years. The issue of sustainability must now also be considered, and this includes both the floor surfaces and whatever else you choose to cover them with, such as decorative rugs.
The range of materials and colour options for floors are now huge! Thankfully the sustainable options are also growing.
fair trade and eco friendly rugs from Armadillo & Co
Carpet Court Ambassador Darren Palmer, one of Australia’s best Designers and judge on The Block, is giving us some tips today for sustainable flooring. He says that in recent years, eco-friendly products for the home have become much more accessible. If you’re searching for an aesthetically pleasing, eco-friendly flooring option, he suggests taking a look at Redbook green™ life from Carpet Court. Manufactured in Australia using Sorona® polymer, this carpet it made from 37 per cent natural corn sugar. Made by unlocking and harnessing the solar energy stored in corn and separating naturally occurring compounds, this natural corn sugar component is then used to create the unique monomer that is joined with others to form the DuPont™ Sorona® polymer, then extruded to make triexta yarn. This is then converted into Redbook green™ life carpets. To reduce wastage, unused parts of the corn are utilised for agricultural feedstock. Redbook green™ life carpets are exceptionally resistant to stains, pets, soil, wear and carry colourfast protection combined with a luxurious look and texture.
Redbook Greenlife
When you are considering floors, some of my top tips include:
1) Think about who lives in your home and the areas you frequent.
2) How much foot traffic is a room or passageway going to have and how much will it need to withstand?
3) If you have young children, pets or people with health conditions such as asthma , these things will also impact on your choices.
4) How much time you want to spend cleaning and maintaining your floors should be part of your decision making process.
5) Having a neutral floor and then adding rugs, is one of the best ways to allow for changes to your decor.
6) The choice in fair trade and eco friendly rugs and materials is now large. You can find a range of recycled plastic rugs which feel amazingly soft. Rag rugs and those made from recycled cotton are also lovely. Wool is a sustainable material so choosing a woolen rug is a great sustainable option. Along with wool, natural fibres such as hemp, jute and sisal are not only beautiful underfoot and lovely to look at, but offer strong sustainable aspects.
Darren Palmer and Bamboo Beachhouse Grey
Bamboo flooring is an alternative to timber floors, which is now widely available. Bamboo is actually a grass that shares similar characteristics as hardwood. It is durable, easy to maintain and is easy to install. And it looks great! Bamboo is sustainable because it is very fast growing, reaching maturity in three to five years. Bamboo is a light material and you can find it in a variety of colours to match your décor.
Secondhand and recycled products are also an option. Recycled and reclaimed timbers are now being used more widely for flooring. You can find a range of salvage yards and specialty recycled timber companies to source from and reclaimed timbers can be extremely beautiful. Natural lino products (not to be confused with vinyl) including Marmoleum which has Good Environmental Choice Australia accreditation, are a great choice. Lino is a durable, long-lasting floor covering made from a renewable resource that is biodegradable. It can be swept, which reduces the need for water, power or chemicals for cleaning. Lino can be dried easily and is great for wet areas, preventing the build-up of mould and mildew.
Trash Garden Rug collection via The Upcycle Studio
One of the main sources of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that is often overlooked is carpet backings and underlays. Make sure that what you have underneath your natural flooring option is also non-toxic and comes from a sustainable, renewable source. Darren Palmer’s tip for DIY options for laying your own floor is to look at Carpet Court’s exclusive Laneway Collection of vinyl planks and tiles.
“They are perfect for DIY dabblers, as the Laneway Collection doesn’t require adhesives or sealing so you can lay it yourself. The planks and tiles have a unique honeycomb backing which keeps them in place and a hygienic polyurethane surface treatment protects the vinyl, and the sanity of whoever has to clean them!’ says Darren.
More info on the Carpet Court site.
What do you have on your floors at home? And are you planning any updates?
Helen
xx
