Building a custom home is an exciting experience, but planet Earth is everyone’s first home. At Sina Architectural Designs, we specialize in creating stunning eco-friendly custom homes. You may even be surprised to learn you don’t have to sacrifice much when it comes to look or budget to fit sustainable products into your design.
Here are some of our favorite green flooring options to consider putting in your custom home!
Cork
Cork is actually a relatively new product in the flooring world, and people have only really embraced it in the past few years. You’re probably most familiar with this material on bulletin boards and in your favorite bottle of wine, but it is also a great material for floors. Cork is made from the bark for the cork oak tree, but unlike other wood, trees don’t have to be cut down to harvest the bark. The bark also grows back every three years making it a renewable resource. Cork is also great as its anti-microbial, fire retardant, easy to maintain, and a natural insect repellent. Like wood, cork can be finished in a variety of paints and stains to suit any design!
Bamboo
If you’re looking for luxury and sustainability for your custom home flooring, bamboo is the best option! Bamboo is actually grass, and this plant only takes three to five years to mature making it a great renewable resource. Bamboo flooring is similar to other hardwood in that is durable, easy to maintain, and easy to install. It’s become popular in the last few years, and it is available in many grains and colors to fit your needs.
Linoleum
When most people hear “linoleum” they tend to think of vinyl, but those are actually two different materials. Vinyl is synthetic, while linoleum is made from a combination of linseed oil, cork dust, tree resin, wood flour, pigments, and ground limestone. Like cork, linoleum is fire retardant and water-resistant. It’s been used in homes since the 1940s, but its rise in popularity again has resulted in tons of new colors and styles.
Recycled Glass Tile
If you’re looking for some color in your floor, glass tile is a great option! Glass can be recycled, making it a great sustainable choice. Recycled glass tiles are often made using old bottles and other glass products. It’s also non-absorptive, won’t mildew, is easy to maintain, and doesn’t stain. This makes it a great choice for a kitchen, bathroom, or entryway flooring.
Concrete
Polished concrete flooring has been growing in popularity in recent years. It’s a great option if you love a bit of an industrial vibe to your home. These days, concrete can even be stained to be any color. Concrete is also a good flooring option as it’s durable, easy to clean, and never needs to be replaced!
Eco-Friendly Carpet
A lot of people are against carpet, but there’s something so nice about getting out of bed and feeling plush carpet beneath them. Finding green carpet can be tricky as many are produced from petroleum and can trap dust. However, there are eco-friendly options like wool, jute, and seagrass. There is also PET Berber carpet which is made using recycled materials!
Ready to start building your dream, eco-friendly custom home? Contact us today!
