Eco-Friendly Flooring Options for Oak Park Homes
Oak Park isn’t necessarily known for its new developments. With a deep history under its feet, the homes in Oak Park have amazing roots and shine from inside to outside. So when it’s time to update them, most people don’t even know where to start. They want to respect the integrity and the history of the house, but they also want new floors that will last them through the next period of their lives.
The eco-friendly route is on everyone’s mind when thinking about updates to their home. What has low environmental impact and high reward? The good news is that going green with your flooring doesn’t mean sacrificing style. Flooring Clarity explains: “Choosing eco-friendly flooring is the best way to ensure the material in your home has been responsibly sourced and manufactured with quality control in mind.
Green flooring has stricter standards and guidelines that it needs to adhere to across the board, so while it can help the environment, it can also ensure that the flooring inside your home is safe.” Check out six eco-friendly flooring options that will work well and look beautiful in any Oak Park home.
1. Reclaimed Hardwood
The first choice for many in Oak Park to protect their century-old homes is reclaimed hardwood. It looks like it’s always belonged and ranks at the top of the list of eco-friendly options. According to the same article, “Reclaimed hardwood is the most eco-friendly type of wood flooring as it comes from wood that’s been previously used in other structures. Solid hardwood from domestic species is the next best option. Engineered hardwood flooring can be a green alternative, but it largely depends on how it was manufactured and the other materials used in the construction of the planks.
Especially if you love a vintage touch on your home, salvaging wood from old barns, factories, and old buildings can carry a patina that you simply can’t fake with modern wood.
2. Refinished Original Floors
Before you dive too deep down the rabbit hole looking for the best eco-friendly options, don’t take for granted what you have under your feet. A lot of Oak Park homes still have their original maple floors hiding under carpet, and restoring them really is the most eco-friendly move of all. Using zero new material and throwing zero old flooring in landfills, a nice sanding and refinish can keep your home in its original condition while looking better than ever. In a town that’s so protective of its architecture and heritage, saving the original floors on your home is the best option for sustainability and for your home’s look, value, and preservation.
3. Bamboo Flooring
A major trend in modern homes: buying bamboo flooring has become the poster child for sustainability. Flooring experts at IFTI say that “Bamboo is a popular choice for eco-friendly flooring because it is a rapidly renewable resource that can be harvested in just a few years. It’s also extremely durable, making it a good choice for high-traffic areas. However, it’s important to note that some bamboo flooring is produced using harmful chemicals, so be sure to look for products that are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) or the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).”
Warm-toned strand-woven bamboo is a beautiful finished product and can hold its own against many vintage looks. It’s great for kitchens and mudrooms and other places that have really heavy traffic in your home.
4. Natural Cork Flooring
Naturally insulating and a quiet flooring option, cork is a welcome update to your home, especially during wintertime. Word of Mouth Floors says, “Cork flooring is made from the bark of the cork oak tree. The tree bark is sustainably harvested and then processed into tiles. Cork flooring is durable, water-resistant, and easy to clean. It is also a natural insulator, which helps keep your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer.
Because the bark regrows, the tree never gets cut down. Cork is the best in places that need to keep the most warmth, like basements, living rooms, and playrooms.
5. Linoleum Flooring
Not to be confused with vinyl flooring, true linoleum is made from linseed oil, cork dust, and tree resins, and it’s fully biodegradable. It’s also having a major comeback with a ton of modern brands offering new rich colors and styles for modern and vintage homes. It’s also naturally anti-static and anti-bacterial, so it’s great for households with a couple of kids and some pets.
6. New Hardwood Flooring
Sometimes, to complete a project to the standard you’re looking for, only new hardwood will do. This is best for times when you’re trying to match an existing flooring or extending original oak into a new home addition. The most sustainable move is choosing domestic species certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, which verifies responsible harvesting from well-managed forests.
Oak Park and the residents have always cared about doing things thoughtfully. With its beautiful landmark buildings and history and historical roots, respecting what came before you goes all the way down to what’s under your feet.