I f someone had mentioned sustainable and eco-friendly flooring options a decade ago, it would have been an alien concept to many. But today, with the increasing focus on going green and building homes with a similar aesthetic, several flooring materials have been developed that are recyclable or have recyclable content, low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).
All of them leave a small carbon foot print and are sourced from either sustainably harvested, recycled or reclaimed sources. These essentially qualify as eco-flooring options and make for great ideas to responsibly build or renovate your home.
Options galore
Innovation as well as research and development have given rise to several versatile materials like bamboo, linoleum, glass tiles, cork, reclaimed wood and even handwoven Berber carpets (known for their knotting patterns, dyes and fabric textures) that can be used as sustainable flooring options in homes today. “Bamboo is a natural material and usually grows in 2-3 years, unlike conventional wood, such as teak, that requires around 20-30 years to grow.
Aqua bamboo, a moisture resistant variant, can be installed in the kitchen and other wet areas,” suggests Mallikarjuna AV, Vice- President, Sales & Marketing of Vitero Tiles.
Cork is yet another sustainable material as only the bark is harvested and the tree is not destroyed in the process. It offers advantages like noise insulation, has anti-microbial properties, is fire retardant and is extremely durable and easy to maintain.
Tile it right
Glass tiles made from recycled glass are non-absorptive and can be used in wet areas, apart from being an excellent reflector of light. Carpet tiles is an innovation that is made from recycled textiles. Linoleum created from a mix of natural products like linseed oil, cork flour, tree resins, wood flour, pigments, jute and limestone is a low toxic green material used widely for floors today.
Vikas Kesarkar, Chief Executive Officer of Morbi (Gujarat) based Lioli Ceramica, says, “Porcelain tiles are 100% recyclable and do not contain volatile organic compounds or emit harmful gases. They are non-porous, heat and water resistant and offer a longer lifespan with almost zero maintenance. They are also available in different effects such as wood, metal, natural marble and fabric and thus help save forests and natural landscapes.”
What’s popular?
Vitrified tiles and reclaimed wood are some of the options that are fast gaining popularity. Vitrified tiles are made from clay and are usually manufactured using natural gas thus reducing carbon foot print. “Vitrified tiles such as double charged variants are durable and easy maintain due to their superior surface finish, polishing and moisture resistance,” says Mallikarjuna.
Wood flooring that is either PEFC (Pan European Forest Certification) or FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified is another example of sustainable flooring. While PEFC is the world’s largest forest certification system and is an internationally accepted benchmark in sustainability, FSC is an international organisation with a mission to manage forest resources world over.
Dhamotharan, Director-operations, Fountain Head Designs Group in Hyderabad, adds, “PEFC/FSC wooden flooring comes in many forms such as laminate flooring and engineered wooden flooring. It is easy to use as it is non-messy and dry fixed, hence, doesn’t require glue or chemical adhesive. The cost of a good quality laminate flooring is comparable to high quality vitrified tiles.
