Green flooring options are available to fit a variety of tastes and budgets. Here are a few things to consider before you invest in the popular products.
Look:
- As far as colors and finishes go, there aren’t any major differences between green flooring and non-eco-friendly flooring. For some eco-friendly carpeting, the color is dyed into the chips that become the carpet yarn, which prevents fading over time.
Feel:
- For carpeting, soft, eco-friendly fibers are more readily available to consumers than they have been in the past, but, as with most things, as the quality increases, so does the price tag.
Cost:
- Wool carpeting is extremely eco-friendly, but comes with a higher price tag. If you’re looking for something green but not as pricey, Michael Lamendella, owner of Mr. Carpet Shop at Home in Chicago, has offered eco-friendly flooring since 2001 and says many of his customers have been fascinated with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) carpeting, which is made from recycled plastic bottles that are ground into little chips, melted and extruded into a fiber that is spun into a carpet yarn.
Maintenance:
- Eco-friendly carpet requires the same attention as regular carpet. Weekly vacuuming and annual cleanings will help ensure your carpet has a long, eco-friendly, life.
- Bamboo flooring is easy to keep clean due to its natural resistance to water, moisture and stains.
- Cork flooring requires slightly more care. According to Lamendella, spills on a cork floor must be wiped immediately.