Green Flooring in Orange County, CA


It’s Easy Being Green!
They say it’s not easy being green. But when it comes to floor coverings, that old adage couldn’t be farther from the truth. But what exactly are green floor coverings and how do you as a consumer make an environmentally sound decision about them?

GREEN refers to a substance or manufacturing method that utilizes renewable and/or recycled material or energy sources. Non-renewable materials are those that come from sources that once depleted, are gone forever.

In addition to green flooring products, there is another category called sustainable. Sustainable flooring products are those that that minimize impact on the environment at each phase of their life cycle.

Unlike some industries, the flooring industry has put considerable time, dollars and research into designing and manufacturing a wide variety of great looking green and sustainable products. Some of the most popular green products include carpet tiles, cork, bamboo and linoleum. Many new and existing flooring products qualify as sustainable, including recycled/reclaimed wood and carpet, natural carpets made from cotton, wools and grass, ceramic tiles, stone, chlorine-free resilient, recycled rubber VCT and sheet vinyl.

Here’s some detailed information on each of these categories:

  •  CORK

To create cork floors, only the bark is extracted from the tree, meaning that the tree is left completely intact. In time, the tree will grow a new layer of bark that can be harvested again, usually in 8-10 years. Cork floors offer great insulation qualities they absorb sound unlike harder surfaces and come in a wide variety of colors and styles.

  •  BAMBOO

Bamboo flooring has been on the scene for a number of years, but recent advancements present the product in finer detail and darker shades. Unlike hardwood, bamboo does not come from tress. Bamboo is a fast growing grass. It can grow from sprouts to harvesting in three to five years, thus an acre of bamboo can provide more flooring than an acre of trees. When bamboo shoots are cut the roots remain intact and fresh new sprouts grow in their place. The dense root mass of bamboo helps prevent soil erosion and provides a viable crop opportunity in hilly acres where other crops cannot grow.

  •  LINOLEUM

Linoleum flooring, which has been enormously popular for well over a century, is manufactured from renewable resources, such as linseed oil, resin, wood flour, flax, cork powder and pigments. Its durability — up to 40 years as flooring — makes it very suitable for high traffic areas. Linoleum is also naturally biodegradable, and, because it is naturally anti-bacterial, there are no chemical agents needed in its manufacture or maintenance. It comes in tile or sheet form and is available in almost every shade on the color wheel, which also lends to its popularity. Linoleum is also available in a rug form too. The rugs, which consist of intricately carved designs, can be put on top of or integrated into other floors.

  •  SUSTAINABLE FLOORING PRODUCTS

Almost every category of floor covering — from wood to vinyl — is available as a sustainable product.

  • CARPET/CARPET TILES

Sustainable carpets must use post-consumer and industrial materials like water bottles and glass, biodegradable dyes and solutions and recycled waste water (most new carpet tiles are made from post-consumer content some are as high as 85%). Some carpet tiles have PURALEX filter backing. PURALEX is a salt compound - a mixture of organic and inorganic ingredients that are effective against virtually any indoor odor - smoke, food and cooking smells, ammonia, and other organic odors.

  • HARDWOOD

In the hardwood category, sustainable floors are made from recycled wood and/or antique woods that offer a timeless, weathered look. Sustainable wood is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and comes from managed forests so impact on the environment is lessened.

  • CERAMIC

Ceramic floors are primarily made from natural and renewable resources and are exceptionally durable.

  • STONE

Stone floors offer low extraction impact on the planet and are exceptionally long lasting.

  • RESILIENT VINYL, RUBBER & TILES

Resilient floors are available chlorine-free and are typically made from recycled vinyls and plastics. In this form, it is a highly durable product with a long life cycle.

  • RUBBER

Rubber floors, a popular trend lately, can be made from recycled tires and other materials and typically have less negative impact on the environment than non-synthetic rubber products.

  • VINYL TILE

 

Vinyl Composition Tile (VCT), is made primarily of limestone, is long lasting and offers a high performance rating. Backed by decades of proven performance, quality and value.

GREEN and sustainable products are produced around the world. We prefer products recycled and manufactured in the USA but, not limited to and including a number of developing nations, like China, Mexico, and India and throughout South America. The purchase of these products is not only good for our planet, but helps support the people of these nations also.

So as you can see, it’s easy being green. There is something for everyone in this ever-expanding, environmentally conscious world. No matter what your needs CCFSI  is committed to providing you with the information, service and support to make informed choices and feel confident about your floor covering decisions.

HOW CAN MY BUILDING GET LEED® CIRTIFIED

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has approved flooring products certified by the FloorScore program as an alternative compliance path to achieve credit in the LEED® Rating System for New Construction. A good start is by using some of these environmentally friendly materials above. Check on all the details at USGBC website. The carpet and rug institute is another good source of information, here is the link  CRI.