This is a sponsored post.
Many people try to live more sustainably these days, it has become clear for most of us, that we need to change a lot of things around us, what we buy, things we use, the way we live – to ensure the planet will sustain the generations coming after us. Because people are more aware of this, they try to make conscious purchases when they can. This is especially true when they have to decide about a big purchase, like anything related to home decoration and renovation. When a lot of money is involved, people think twice if not thrice what are they spending their money on, making sure it last and it’s a sustainable investment.
In this post, I will talk about how engineered herringbone flooring meets both the sustainability and quality standards and is a good investment.
What is engineered wood flooring?
Engineered wood flooring is made up by bonding multiple layers of wood together and finished with a solid wood top layer or wear layer. Woods of several different types are pressed together to create this flooring material. Planks made from this type of composite material have a much more increased stability and resistance than traditional hardwood planks. Typically, engineered wood will have a layer of plywood with a veneer of a chosen hardwood. Reliable, versatile, and created from real wood, it’s the perfect way to update your interior decor with a warm and cosy feel. It looks just like hard wood, but cheaper, less likely to warp and simple to install.
Why engineered wood flooring is a sustainable choice?
Engineered wood flooring better for the environment because it either uses reclaimed wood or utilises much less of the tree per wood plank than your average solid hardwood. Often used woods are oak, maple, hickory, pecan – these options are all more sustainable than the traditional solid hardwood. Many manufacturers will use wood from recycling suppliers, especially to create the plywood beneath. This helps to save healthy trees and lessens deforestation. However, the difference will not be noticeable when people are just glancing at the floors.
Of course, it’s also good to idea to check if the manufacturer has FSC certification. FSC certification shows that each stage of the process involved with creating the floor, has shown to take responsibility for the environment. So, it could be the manufacturer only uses wood taken from sustainable forests.
Another issue lies with processing the hardwood is pollution, because cutting the veneer can create a lot of sawdust, waste of wood and if course it requires fuel. Solid wood floors are made by cutting down trees and processing timber to create planks. During the cutting and the sawing of timber, there’s a lot of sawdust produced, which reduces the amount of useful material a single trunk can provide. The engineered wood process cuts the veneer instead, as cutting into a composite doesn’t always go well. This process creates much less sawdust and pollutants, wastes less wood, and uses less fuel. It also is much quicker.
Sustainable benefits of engineered wood flooring
There are also benefits when opting for engineered wood flooring that are indirectly beneficial for the environment.
- It can be refinished. This means the material lasts longer so it’s not only a good investment but creates little waste at later stage of its lifespan too. Once you’ve re-sanded your engineered wood floor, you can refinish it to protect it and make it look like new again.
- It circulates the heat. Due to their dense core, engineered wooden floors are excellent at conducting heat. You won’t need to use as much energy to keep the home warm. Your wallet will thank you too.
- It’s very durable. This an obvious advantage – but really, they are incredibly tough and will stand up to heavy footfall. Engineered hardwood flooring is much more resistant to temperature changes as opposed to hardwood. It’s incredibly strong and tough.They’re also resistant to buckling or rippling. It will last years and years to come, which is what you want when you buy new flooring.
- It’s easy to look after and keep clean. Any eco-friendly floor cleaning detergent will do and help to clean the floor clean. If you look after it the proper way, it will last for a lifetime.
- It’s water and moisture resistant. The planks come already water and moisture resistant, so there’s no need for any more work after installation. Engineered wood planks won’t absorb moisture and thus cannot be structurally damaged by humidity.
