CAN WOOD FLOORING BE CONSIDERED ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY?

30 January 2014
CAN WOOD FLOORING BE CONSIDERED ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY?

In recent years there has been some debate as to the environmental impact of wood as a core commodity in developing nations like the United States, but what about the replenishment of forests and tree-growing prosperity? In this article we’ll consider some of the main arguments.

Lumber industries aim to plant more new trees than they cut down, but the biggest concern is the time it takes for a mature tree to grow. In Europe there are stringent laws in place that regulate this and there have been many regeneration projects set up to ensure sustainability.

Hardwood flooring companies can also play their part by choosing their suppliers carefully and support those brands that do care about the environment. In fact, flooring manufacturers like Kahrs continue with their maxim of “Beauty with a Conscience” and work to create products that are good for people and for the environment.

Wood is nature’s finest material and skilled craftspeople can create the most beautiful and functional furniture and flooring from it. The material itself also offers energy-saving benefits as its natural attributes include the ability to consume less heat than composite or synthetic alternatives.

This type of flooring also contributes towards a greener environment in terms of longevity as it will last longer than other floor coverings – often up to 100 years and beyond. Diseases and allergies cannot thrive as easily as they can with dust collating in carpets. Therefore, this medium actually serves to reduce your carbon footprint.

So, the argument for wood flooring certainly stands up to scrutiny, especially as it can support and protect the environment in addition to its aesthetically-pleasing advantages. When it comes to ambience and creating the right mood in a setting, there is no real competition.