Home Q&A: What is the most environmentally friendly wood flooring?

'It might seem natural to jump to reclaimed flooring as utterly sustainable but this will depend on the finish after installation'

Moso flooring, Bamboo.ie.

Question

What is the most environmentally friendly wood flooring?

Answer

It might seem natural to jump to reclaimed flooring as utterly sustainable but this will depend on what you finish the floor in after installation (varnish, waxes, oils). Look for products with low or no VOC content and always examine the source. 

The Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) is a great start, pointing to sustainably managed plantations (Coillte is included, but its choice of timber species is limited). Wood is naturally low in embodied carbon, so put into a house and well cared for, solid wood and engineered floors with a top surface deep enough to take a couple of sandings (5mm would be excellent), could last a lifetime. 

Even when choosing a laminate, look up the company’s ethical code of conduct — does the floor include recycled materials, for example? 

Bamboo is regarded as one of the most durable and Earth-friendly timbers for flooring on the market. It grows to a useful lignified stage in four to five years but has the properties of hardwood.  It also requires very little in terms of environmental resources and chemical helpers like pesticides. It can be easily manufactured from strands and fibres compressed by machine. For a great selection of laminated and high-density products go to bamboo.ie to explore products by Moso.