Are Hardwood Floors Good for the Environment?

Hardwood floors have long been one of the most luxurious and prestigious flooring options for homes and businesses alike. Who doesn’t enjoy the feeling of proudly showing off your hardwood floors, beautifully finished and filled with natural character.  In this post we want to take a few minutes to discuss the benefits of hardwood floors that go beyond their beauty, specifically the benefits hardwood flooring has on the environment. 

• Sustainable Harvesting
  One of the primary benefits of hardwood floors is that they are made from sustainably harvested trees. Most hardwood flooring manufacturers source their materials from forests that are managed responsibly, ensuring that the trees are replanted as they are harvested. This helps to ensure that there is a consistent supply of hardwood for generations to come.

• Renewable Resource
  Hardwood flooring is also considered a renewable resource. Unlike synthetic flooring materials that are made from non-renewable resources like oil, hardwood flooring is made from trees that can be replanted and grown again. As long as the forests are managed responsibly, the supply of hardwood will continue to be available for future generations.

• Carbon Sequestration
  Hardwood floors are also beneficial for the environment because they help to reduce carbon emissions. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow, which means that the trees used to make hardwood flooring are actively removing carbon from the air. Once the trees are harvested, the carbon remains stored within the wood, which helps to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

• Long Lifespan
  Another environmental benefit of hardwood floors is their long lifespan. When properly cared for, hardwood floors can last for decades, if not centuries. This means that they do not need to be replaced as often as other flooring materials, which reduces the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.

• Indoor Air Quality
  Hardwood floors are also beneficial for indoor air quality. Unlike carpeting, which can trap allergens and other pollutants, hardwood floors do not harbor these substances. This means that they can help to improve indoor air quality, which is particularly important for people with allergies or respiratory issues.

• Recyclable
  Finally, hardwood floors are recyclable. When they do eventually reach the end of their useful life, they can be recycled and repurposed for other applications. This reduces the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and helps to conserve natural resources.

Hardwood floors are a beautiful flooring option that offer numerous benefits to the environment. They are made from sustainably harvested trees, are a renewable resource, help to sequester carbon, have a long lifespan, improve indoor air quality, and are recyclable. If you are considering a new flooring project, we encourage you to consider hardwood floors as a sustainable and environmentally friendly option.

Interested in learning more about how you can add this amazing flooring option to your home? Reach out to our team at Exclusively Floors and Cabinets and we would be more than happy to schedule an in-person at your home visit with samples or we can schedule a meeting at our Columbus, Ohio showroom.

- The Team at Exclusively Floors and Cabinets