Real wood flooring the Healthy Choice

When looking around for a new floor covering, many consumers are impressed by wood's natural beauty and durability, but forget another positive aspect of wood flooring: its environmental soundness. From Its sustainable source to its healthy qualities indoors, wood flooring makes a smart choice not only for  the environment in your own home but also for the world's environment.

Forests With A Future
Unlike most floor coverings, wooden floors come from a natural resource that is sustainable. Long gone are the days when trees were cut down with little thought for the long term consequences on the world's forests. Today most timber is cut from forests that are carefully managed to ensure continued resources in the future. In fact, according to U.S. Forest Service statistics, almost twice as much hardwood timber is added every year through new growth than is harvested. Additionally, there is more standing hardwood timber today than there was 50 years ago.

We at Mercia Flooring are careful to choose our sources for wood flooring and we only buy from companies that obtain their raw material from properly managed and sustainable forests.

Wood floors are generally produced with an efficient manufacturing process that wastes very little material. Usually, byproducts such as wood dust are used to generate heat or electricity at the flooring mill. In addition, producers of engineered wood flooring make maximum use of lumber materials by using various grades of timber for the different layers that make up the wood flooring.  Once in the home, wood floors not only improve the structural integrity of the building but are one of the best insulating materials thereby helping to conserve energy resources and save money on heating bills.

Healthy Living Environment
It has become evident that indoor air quality is one of our top health threats whether it be from smoke or dust or some other source. Installed in the home or elsewhere, wood flooring helps contribute to a healthy living environment. Hard surface flooring such as hardwood floors do not trap or harbour dust mites.  This creates better air quality for homeowners and is especially beneficial to those who suffer from allergies.

A Lifetime Floor
Wood flooring is not a short-term investment. In 10 years it won't be taking up space in a landfill as it will probably last the lifetime of the building it's installed in. If at some point the home owner wants to dispose of it, it's a naturally biodegradable product and can be disposed of without damaging the environment. In most cases the real wood flooring can be refurbished by sanding and sealing so the natural beauty is never lost.