Carpet

Carpet has one of the shortest lifespans of all flooring types. It wears poorly and therefore needs to be replaced frequently. The immense, four billion pound waste stream from carpet disposal consumes nearly 2% of solid landfill waste space. When burned, it releases dioxin and other chemicals into our air. Maintain carpet properly and consider carpet alternatives when replacing flooring. Learn more about how to prevent carpet waste.

Another reason to minimize the amount of carpet in your home to is to improve your indoor environmental quality. While it may seem harmless, carpet fibers collect household particles like dust mite, pollen, pet dander, moisture and dirt which can lead to allergies and poor indoor air quality. This is especially important in bedrooms for people who have asthma. Avoid using carpet in spaces like bathrooms, kitchens, dining rooms, entry areas that are prone to moisture. In basements and concrete slabs on grade, carpet and carpet padding can trap moisture wicking up through the slab and cause condensation under the carpet, and mold and bacteria growth can quickly become a problem. When carpeting is desired for reasons of cost, comfort, or acoustics, consider an area rug. If you choose to install wall-to-wall carpeting, keep the following questions in mind:

• Have you thoroughly considered other floor products and carpeting alternatives? Cleaning and durability of carpet is important; you may be able to achieve the qualities of carpet without all the maintenance.
• Is the carpet you’re considering made of natural or recycled fibers, and what is the end-life recyclability of the product you’re considering?
   

Carpet itself is composed of two parts: the carpet fiber (either pile or loom to form various textures and patterns) and the backing material. A separate padding layer installed beneath carpet is also important; this helps add cushion and extends the life of the carpet. The products used to create carpet fibers, backing, and padding can off-gas VOC's into your home. Carefully consider stain protection products applied to your carpet. Carcinogens and high VOC levels in these products can lead to adverse health effects. VOC levels are typically higher at the time of installation and can vary based on the material composition of your carpet.

Wood-based Flooring

Regardless of which wood flooring option you choose, many finishing products release VOC’s that can negatively impact your health; for this reason, it’s important to use Green Seal certified water-based finishes.

Solid wood:

Just like it sounds, solid wood floors are made entirely of milled lumber planks. Solid wood is durable and can be sealed and refinished, typically every 15 to 20 years. During installation, solid wood requires the use of nails, and sometimes glues, to secure it to the subfloor. Whenever an adhesive is involved, be aware of VOCs and the potential for off-gassing. It is susceptible to shrinkage and expansion and is not recommended for use in bathrooms, basements, or on concrete slabs.

One solid wood option is reclaimed wood.  Reclaimed wood flooring can be made from old timber, siding, flooring, logs, and many other original sources. Reclaimed wood products can add character to your home without requiring further depletion of natural resources. Rather than send the wood to the landfill, some manufacturers “rescue” the wood products and remanufacture them into wood flooring and other home finish products. Wood flooring can come prefinished or site-applied finished.

Wood flooring can come prefinished or site-applied finished.

Potential green attributes:  waste reduction, recycled content, durability, locally-sourced, environmentally-friendly production, third-party certified, healthy, recyclable or compostable.

Engineered wood:

Thin layers (plies) of wood are glued together to compose engineered wood flooring. The layering process of gluing together hardwoods, sometimes as many as 10 plies, contributes to greater strength than solid wood. Consider the VOC of the glues used during manufacturing and installation. It is less susceptible to shrinkage and expansion, which allows it to be used in moisture-prone areas such as bathrooms and raised flooring in basements. As a layered product, some engineered wood can be refinished while some can only be recoated, dependent on manufacturer and stated warranty.

Potential green attributes:  waste reduction, recycled content, durability, locally-sourced, environmentally-friendly production, third-party certified, healthy.

Laminate Flooring:

Although laminate flooring looks like real wood, stone, or other natural flooring materials, it is actually a photographic image that has been printed and layered into the flooring material.  Laminate floors have a finish or wear coat, an image layer to get the look of a desired flooring material, a laminate layer made mostly of resins, and most have backing layer to act as moisture barrier.  Because the inner layer is a resinous, pressure treated laminate product, VOC off-gassing can be an issue.  In addition, glue used to apply the laminate to the subfloor may off-gas; look for Low or No-VOC adhesive products. The wear coat can sometimes be refinished once, dependent on manufacturer and stated warranty.  For this reason, laminate flooring is not recommended for high-traffic areas.

Potential green attributes:  locally-sourced, third-party certified, healthy.

Local Sourcing In Minnesota and surrounding regions, forestry is a major industry, allowing us to source wood flooring products locally. Local sourcing supports the local economy and lessens the environmental impacts of product transportation. Similarly, we should be aware of harvesting and manufacturing processes. Responsible forestry management is important in order to maintain our wood resources and lessen the ecological impact caused by over harvesting. Purchase FSC certified wood products, including lumber, windows, and flooring.

Renewable materials are resources which can be naturally grown and harvested in a period of ten years or less. This is important because it reduces the demand for product made from limited supplies of raw materials, like mining or quarries. Using products that require long term growth and are harvested before they can mature and reproduce can have damaging environmental impacts. Loss of biodiversity, erosion, and flooding are just a few of the possible effects. Learn more

Porcelain & Ceramic Flooring

Made from fired clays and available in a seemingly infinite selection of colors and textures, ceramic tile is a great flooring option in terms of cost. While the manufacturing process is energy-intensive, it's a very durable product.

Consider recycled content when selecting a ceramic tile.  Recycled glass is often added to tiles to create flecks of color, and sometimes tiles are made entirely of glass. Kaolin, a form of weathered feldspar and a byproduct of mining, is also a common source of recycled content in ceramic tiles. Many manufacturers have been using recycled content in their products for years; recycled content tiles are competitively priced. The higher the recycled content, the better.  This means more waste is diverted from landfills and less virgin material is extracted to make a product.  Ceramic tile can be recycled at the end of its life.  It is often ground up and used as fill material.

Adhesives, grouts, and sealants used to apply and protect tile installations can contain VOCs. Look for Green Seal, GREEN GUARD, or Scientific Certification Systems certification on these products to ensure they are Low- or No-VOC. Make sure that adhesives, sealants, and grouts are applied properly and maintained to prolong the life of your tile installation. Over time, grout can soften and crack. Optimize the life of your grout by re-grout any cracks or chips and resealing every two or three years (if not using epoxy grout). Clean regularly but avoid the use of abrasive or acid-based cleaning products such as bleach or ammonia.

Potential green attributes:  waste reduction, recycled content, durability, locally-sourced, healthy,

Linoleum & Rolled Flooring

Resilient flooring is typically a sheet or tile flooring material that is flexible, durable, and “springy” in nature.  Look for Floor Score labeled products for improved indoor air quality.

• Linoleum: Historically, the term “linoleum” referred to an environmentally friendly resilient flooring option made from linseed oil, wood flour, cork dust, and resins applied over a jute, burlap, or canvas backing. Over time, the name “linoleum” also came to refer to vinyl sheet flooring. Here, we reserve “linoleum” for non-vinyl products. Pigments are added for a wealth of color options. It’s flexibility allows linoleum flooring to be inlaid, creating a variety of patterns and color combinations. Because the color goes through the entire product, it hides gouges and scratches well. When well maintained, linoleum can last nearly 40 years. It does require regular application of a sealer or topcoat to maintain wear strength. Refinishing products can contain VOCs so look for products that have been Green Seal certified to protect your health. As an added benefit, linoleum flooring is naturally anti-bacterial and is biodegradable at the end of its lifecycle.
  
  Potential green attributes: waste reduction, durability, locally-sourced, environmentally-friendly production, third-party certified, healthy, recyclable or compostable.
• Vinyl: A popular competitor to linoleum flooring is vinyl flooring. Vinyl is available in tile or sheet form. Vinyl manufacturing involving chlorides (hence PVC) and petroleum based resources.  Dioxin is released during manufacturing and through the life of the product and is a potent and damaging greenhouse gas.  Sheet vinyl tends to crack and dry as it ages over time, requiring replacement.  Installation adhesives and sealants can release VOCs. Frequently, it is incinerated at the end of its lifecycle, releasing more dioxins into the atmosphere. While vinyl floor products seem maintenance free, it’s highly toxic manufacturing and disposal, process, extreme flammability, and relatively fast degradation mean it is a poor choice in terms of sustainability.
• Bio-based Alternatives: Other sustainable, renewable resilient flooring alternatives beyond linoleum include rubber and cork floors.  Both are softer, durable options that are easily cleanable. Rubber and cork are shipped from overseas. 
• Composition Tile: VCT/MCT/LCT: Popular for its durability and low-cost, vinyl composition tile (VCT), made of vinyl chips melted together, now has alternative composition tile options. Limestone composition tile (LCT) and marmoleum composition tiles (MCT) are more environmentally preferable options. Vinyl off gasses over the life of the product the manufacturing process releases dioxins. LCT is made of 85% limestone and recycled vinyl chips.  MCT is made only of natural linoleum.  All three products are low maintenance in a residential setting. Composition tiles are installed using adhesives to secure it to the wood subfloor. Look for low-VOC adhesives and Green-seal certified sealants when selecting these products.