What is sustainable wood flooring? SUSTAINABLE wood flooring shouldn’t impact the environment in any way, throughout its lifecycle, from harvesting to disposal.
Today all we hear are companies declaring their products are ‘sustainable, fully sustainable, green and eco-friendly’. These are the latest buzzwords, but clients only want to buy ‘sustainable’ wood flooring for their projects. So, what’s ‘sustainable’ wood flooring, and how can you ensure what you buy and supply is truly that?
Sustainable flooring should be produced from sustainable materials and by a sustainable process that reduces demands on ecosystems during its lifecycle. That’s the essence of sustainability, which includes harvest, production, use and disposal. It’s what we’ve built our values on at The Solid Wood Flooring Company.
Sustainable timber refers to timber that’s been harvested responsibly from well-managed forests that are continuously replenished and ensure there’s no damage to the surrounding environment or native flora and fauna. An increasing number of developers are looking for ways to be more sustainable with their projects, and when it comes to sustainable flooring, engineered wood fits the bill perfectly.
The process of manufacturing engineered wood flooring uses far less of the tree per plank than a solid hardwood floor. Our manufacturing processes alone make it a more sustainable, environmentally friendly, and natural wood product. The process doesn’t involve toxic glue, making engineered wood flooring better for your health.
Bamboo, although a very sustainable product, uses very toxic glues in its manufacturing process, which can contaminate the air you breathe. Cork is made from organic and renewable materials that are both biodegradable and recyclable, making it a versatile and sustainable product for the environment.
Oak floors are considered one of the most sustainable options because forest management protection programs and regulations make sure these trees are regularly replanted in forests. Oak also has a smaller carbon footprint and releases fewer toxic emissions during the manufacturing process than other options.
Always look for official certification of the wood’s sustainable source, even if it says it’s from the EU.
To ensure you only buy sustainable wood, you should always look out for the FSC’s official certification. Their internationally recognised standards provide complete assurance you’re purchasing from sustainable sources and thereby protecting the planet’s forests for future generations. If you find a retailer with a sustainable or green logo on their website, check to see what it means. It may be all their products are ethical, but equally, there could be just one product that fits the bill.
If you can’t find the information you need to clarify the product you want is sustainable, don’t be afraid to ask.
The Solid Wood Flooring Company, despite the name, manufactures engineered wood flooring. We unreservedly condemn illegal logging or sourcing material from deforested regions. Therefore, we never harvest materials from rainforests and will not manufacture some exotic wood species.
Sadly, so much timber from these areas comes from questionable sources.
With modern oiled finishes, we can create a vast choice of colour tones on oak flooring, so it seems so wasteful that people are still selling flooring that comes from our ever-reducing rainforests. We only manufacture our own wooden flooring and can therefore control the sources of our raw material, unlike a number of our competitors who buy from traders.
We are FSC- and PEFC-certified, with membership to the Timber Trade Federation and a responsible purchaser with a full chain of custody. This means our certified flooring can be traced to the responsibly managed forest where it was harvested. This is just one way we ensure our products are sustainably sourced.
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international, non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting responsible management of the world’s forests. Covering more than 200m hectares of forest, FSC-certified forests are managed to strict environmental, social, and economic standards.
The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is a leading global alliance of national forest certification systems. As an international non-profit, non-governmental organisation, they’re dedicated to promoting sustainable forest management. They provide forest owners of any size with a tool to demonstrate responsible practices while empowering companies (like us) and consumers to buy sustainably.
Committing to creating sustainable projects isn’t difficult. It starts with sustainable wood flooring.
So, remember, when you’re investing in sustainable products, use this checklist:
- Buy FSC and PEFC certified products
- Research websites for documents and certificates
- Buy engineered wood flooring, not solid wood flooring
- Establish that the wood comes from well-managed forests
- If in doubt, ask.
We strengthen our commitment to sustainable luxury flooring too. Discover the sustainable benefits of Impervia today. With no need for additional underlay or adhesive, Impervia lets you completely reinvent a space safely and sustainably. It’s the nearest thing to real wood without the worry of humidity or water damage, as it’s waterproof, fireproof and formaldehyde-free.
Our Impervia products are certified by Green Guard and FloorScore by SCS. Green Guard certification helps you identify interior products and materials with low chemical emissions, improving the quality of the air, while FloorScore is the most recognised indoor air quality certification for hard surface flooring materials.
Choose the future – choose sustainable flooring
With the lowest forest percentage of land in Europe, we must act now to reforest. The UK has one of the worst forest coverages in Europe with only 11.76% of our land as forests. Only Ireland and The Netherlands are behind us, and we’re more determined than ever to play our part and make a difference.
Remember, you can help build and design the future, and make a difference to our planet, by choosing sustainable wood flooring. If you’re working on a residential or commercial project, and want to commit to protecting our planet’s forests, get in touch with The Solid Wood Flooring Company today.
www.thesolidwoodflooringcompany.com
