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Flooring Sustaining Our Environment Design Dilemma

Eco-conscious flooring dilemma : look vs the planet

3 years ago

last modified: 3 years ago

New homeowner facing aesthetic and environmental dilemmas...

Of course I should pick the planet before the look of the flooring. Yet, 90% of the flooring supplied in my region is PVC Vinyl planks (noteworthy for their terrible environmental cost). I've turned to Marmoleum as a solution, but I worry that our home will look like a daycare or a hospital.

Hence, I turn to you, community, to get a sense of how the flooring options compare. Keep in mind the paint will be changed and some of the finishings and light fixtures will be refreshed; but my main dilemma is the floor. I find the two looks are quite different: I was not able to find equivalent tones/textures supplied where I reside.

Vote for your favorite and don't hesitate to share thoughts and experiences on Marmoleum click tiles and planks (not considering sheets).

Flooring 1

Flooring 2

Flooring 1

Trying to embrace a fully different look instead of copying wood?

Flooring 2

Flooring 1

Flooring 2

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Comments (6)

SJ McCarthy
3 years ago
Cork. Yep. Good ol' cork floating flooring. It can be 'made' to look like wood, or stone, or flowers, or Hello Kitty. As a cork flooring expert, this is my 'wheelhouse!'. Eco-flooring comparisons are my jam! Don't get me going on bamboo (oiy vey).

Cork flooring was the precursor to linoleum. Linoleum is made from linseed oil (can you see the word "Lin" in linseed?) and cork particles and wood dust (pretty much anything you can sweep up off of a manufacture's floor). The mixture then solidifies and you have linoleum.

Right. Back to my point. You can EAT your cake and have it too. Both linoleum and cork have some basic maintenance to them...that's fine. Cork floating flooring can give 25+ years of life. A linoleum floating floor can offer 25+ years of life. So far they are equal.

Cork floating flooring can be installed in kitchens and entrance ways (sealant must be used). So can click linoleum (seam sealers are needed at time of install). NEITHER one of them can go in a bathroom...BUT you can 'match' the look by using a glue down version in the bathrooms = continuous look throughout 100% of the house!!! How COOL is that???

You can work with a traditional cork 'look'. Or you can go with a 'printed cork' (the cork is coated in white primer and then it is run through a DIRECT INK INJECTION process = biggest photocopier in the WORLD!!!) that gives you ANY look you want (including Hello Kitty...nope...not kidding...it sells REALLY well in Asia!).

If I have intrigued you, feel free to reach out to a former colleague of mine, Anne, at iCork Floor LLC. She will get you some samples.

www.icorkfloor.com

I love their Design Cork. It is out of SWITZERLAND! These are some SERIOUSLY impressive cork floors. They tick all the boxes...without ruining the planet. The Swiss produce the best products in the world (ahem...watches, chocolate, private banking...etc). Their flooring products are the MOST STRINGENT in the world (they are tougher than the Japanese requirements).

Cork Archives - iCork Floor Store

Have a look. Poke through the traditional floating flooring. The favourites are 'Silver Birch', 'Leather', and 'Logan'. All of which are patterned by traditional cork floors. They are instantly recognizable as cork floors - of the HIGH END variety. Anyone who knows ANYTHING about eco-flooring will recognize cork as being the luxury finish that it is...without looking like a hospital.
É Voilà thanked SJ McCarthy
PRO
Dragonfly Tile & Stone Works, Inc.
3 years ago
Another perspective: https://whytile.com/healthy-spaces/#sustainability
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É Voilà
Original Author
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
I'd love cork but it is quite hard to source where I live and the delays are over half a year in supply (hello from way way up North). I will however get in touche with Anne. Our hearts are set on cork for our future (more permanent dwelling) and we will know to get it supplied way in advance!
PRO
Steveworks LLC
3 years ago
Keep it natural, PVC is an eco-disaster ( and it's Eart Day today) LOve cork, as long as it's a good durable product. Try Marmoleum, a version of linoleum, with lots of beautiful colors and patterns. another idea is the "wood look" tile. It's ceramic and that's better than PVC.
JDMCCL
3 years ago
What about bamboo? I don't know if it is readily available in your area. I have it here in my Florida home and I am very pleased with it.
SJ McCarthy
3 years ago
Are you in Canada? Look at Cancork Floors. They ship next day! Everything listed on the website is in stock in Vancouver, BC.

www.cancork.com

If you can afford them, have a look at Duro-Design in Laval. Hopefully you can chat with Carman. She's a wealth of information on her floors!

https://www.duro-design.com/en/

Duro is the top of the top! Even I'm envious of their of their cork!

Remember: these are bespoke items. They do not make your floor until you order/pay for it. Lead time will be 2-6 weeks.

And the factories are CLOSED due to Covid!!!! Portugal is closed. Spain is closed. France is open...but their infection numbers are OBSCENE! Italy has closed once again (3rd time).

Ontario should close...but they won't. Quebec is in lock down. The Globus cork factory in New York is closed as well. Have patience.

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