Download our brochure
Sustainable wood flooring for developers is made from materials that have a minimal environmental impact, such as bamboo, cork, reclaimed wood, and FSC-certified timber, offering a responsible choice for developers looking to combine eco-friendliness with style and durability.
The Importance of Sustainable Timber Flooring
Spotting an eco-friendly product can be tricky in a world full of greenwashing, but it shouldn’t have to be. Below we lay out the ‘what’ and ‘why’ behind eco-friendly timber flooring and how to identify it and specify it for your project.
Wood is a renewable and natural resource that – when managed correctly – can provide abundant materials for the flooring industry and ensure that a development project stays on track with its sustainability goals. Making sure that as many elements of a project are as environmentally friendly as possible is of increasing importance as our human impact on the world around us continues to grow. While cutting down trees to make anything may seem counter-intuitive, when these products all come as part of a carefully managed system, the benefits of using wood flooring are unmatched.
Responsible Sourcing: Certifications and Practices
In the UK, most of our timber comes from strictly managed forests across Europe, North Eastern Asia and North America, and all of these countries have programmes for replanting and maintaining sustainable forests that can be certified by bodies such as the FSC and PEFC. These certifications carry huge weight globally and help to ensure that the flooring you’ve purchased comes from a forest that is responsibly managed.
Engineered Wood Flooring: Financial and Environmental Benefits
For the past decade, there has also been a move towards engineered wood floors rather than solid ones, which carries both financial and environmental benefits. Here’s a quick breakdown of the main benefits:
- For every 100m2 of solid timber boards produced, around 400m2 could have been produced as an engineered plank, and engineered planks are far more reliable and structural than their solid counterpart.
- The plywood base of engineered boards is made from fast-growing trees, which can be easily replanted and replaced within a shorter period of time.
- Engineered boards don’t move, expand or shrink as solid boards can, so their durability and longevity are arguably much higher as a result.
As the exclusive manufacturer of all of our wood flooring, The Solid Wood Flooring Company has complete control over the sources of our raw materials. This means that – unlike some competitors – we have no need for industry traders and can be certified with a chain of custody certificate confirming the origin forest of every product in our range, which has earned us our FSC certificate.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What makes a wood floor sustainable?
Sustainable wood flooring for developers is sourced responsibly, using materials from well-managed forests or reclaimed wood, manufactured with eco-friendly processes, and has minimal environmental impact throughout its lifecycle.
2. How does sustainable flooring benefit the environment?
Sustainable flooring reduces deforestation, minimises carbon footprint, promotes biodiversity, and decreases landfill waste, contributing to a healthier environment.
3. Are sustainable wood flooring for developers more expensive than traditional options?
While initial costs may be higher, sustainable wood flooring for developers often offers long-term savings through lower maintenance, improved indoor air quality, increased property value, and potential tax incentives or certifications.
4. Can sustainable wood floors be as durable as conventional wood floors?
Yes, sustainable wood floors, particularly engineered wood and certain species, can be as durable as conventional hardwood floors, offering stability and resistance to wear and damage.
5. How do I verify the sustainability of a wood flooring option?
Look for certifications like FSC or PEFC, check for recycled content, assess eco-friendly manufacturing processes, and consider the company’s commitment to environmental stewardship.
6. What are the best sustainable wood flooring options for high-traffic areas?
Engineered wood flooring for developers made from fast-growing trees or bamboo flooring is durable, easy to maintain, and ideal for high-traffic areas.
Taking Action Beyond Certification
An FSC certification and certificates from other programmes like PEFC and Timber Trade Federation is the first step in confirming that a timber floor is sustainable and eco-friendly. The TTF have an Environmental Code of Practice and a Responsible Purchasing Policy (RPP) that we have implemented as a standard, and the RPP will one day ensure that all forests will become totally sustainable. So, as a result, there will be more than one replacement for every tree harvested.
To really be eco-friendly, a company needs to be intentional about their impact and how they counteract it, and ideally, give back more than they extract. There is always room for improvement, so The Solid Wood Flooring Company supports Gone West. This not-for-profit organisation plants trees globally in an effort to offset our impact on the planet further.
Explore our range of sustainable flooring options tailored for developers.
Make a responsible choice for your next project with green flooring solutions for developers.
To learn more about sustainability in the development world and why our products will meet your requirements, just ring us on 01666 504015.
