Carpet or hardwood
April 07, 2009
By Jessica Tobacman, NARI marketing & communications coordinator.
This article was first published in Home Improvement Magazine.
There are multiple environmentally friendly options for flooring. One is to purchase carpeting comprised of all-natural, biodegradable products, such as wool, hemp and jute. “This is ideal for people with allergies or sensitivities to synthetics,” says Glenn Stockdale, owner of G & K Floor Covering in Ypsilanti, Mich. “[For basement floors, select] a synthetic carpet with a synthetic backing and a pad that won’t absorb moisture,” Stockdale writes in an email.
Another option for carpeting is to use Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) Polyester, Stockdale suggests. Made from recycled plastic bottles, PET Polyester produces a beautiful, stain-resistant carpet, he says. However, it is not as durable as nylon. “Nylon has historically been the most durable yarn made, but because of its porous nature, it is not very stain resistant,” Stockdale writes in an email.
Hardwood is also an alternative. If choosing this material, consider applying water-based finishes, Stockdale says. These have low amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), whereas oil finishes have much higher levels.
In the past, homeowners with allergies have been advised to install hardwood, rather than carpeting. This is because carpet has traditionally worked as a filter, trapping allergens, such as dust and mites. However, carpet constructed with natural products can be as healthful as hardwood, if not more so.
Unfortunately, carpet might also absorb water, which could lead to mold growth, says Dawn Zuber, owner of Studio Z Architecture in Canton, Mich. To avoid this, consider covering sections of a tile floor with smaller, rubber-backed rugs with pads that are machine-washable, she says.
Tips from the experts: More flooring suggestions
- Stockdale says to consider using water-based products. These are very durable and have low amounts of VOCs. In addition, adhesives with no VOCs are available for carpet and other flooring.
- Stockdale notes in an email that underlayments with low-VOC levels are available as a base under linoleum, sheet vinyl and other products, and some have recycled content.
- Diane Foreman, CKD and Allied ASID, designer at Neil Kelly Company in Portland, suggests using Lyptus for flooring. It is a sustainable product, and comes from a tree that reaches maturity in 14 to 20 years and is a hybrid of two different species of eucalyptus, the Eucalyptus Grandis and Eucalyptus Arophylla. “Due to its rapid growth, it’s a good alternative.” However, it requires the usage of a large amount of fossil fuels to ship it from Uruguay or Brazil, where it usually originates.
- Foreman says Lyptus can resemble Brazilian cherry wood, which is currently popular. “[However,] the grain in Lyptus varies widely.” Homeowners can use a stain to even out the appearance.
- Foreman says, “There are so many different ways of being green.” If a product is available within 500 miles of its destination, then many environmental organizations would say that it qualifies as environmentally friendly. However, the fast growth of species including bamboo, cork and Lyptus makes them renewable, and mitigates the negative impact of the emissions of fossil fuels used to transport them. They are sustainable products with high carbon footprints. “It’s a matter of weighing the pluses and minuses. We still have a lot to learn.”