By Jennifer Weldon

Porcelain Tile
Porcelain tile has been available for decades; however, the selection of styles, sizes, shapes and colors has exploded in the past five years. One of the reasons for this rapid expansion is the need for eco-friendly building materials. Porcelain tile is made from natural products and is designed to last for years. It is extremely hard and is great for heavy traffic areas like bathrooms and kitchens. Tile floors should be installed by a professional flooring contractor to make sure they don’t crack and separate within a short time.

Natural Stone
Natural stone is of course eco-friendly as it is from nature. The selection of stone flooring is considerably limited compared to that of porcelain tile. The usual candidates for stone flooring is granite, marble, limestone, sandstone and travertine.

If you are considering using stone it is recommended that you contact a local flooring contractor to exam the condition of the existing floor and floor joists. Stone is extremely heavy and additional bracing may be required.

Wood
Wood and engineered wood flooring has made a huge come back because of its natural beauty and easy maintenance. The traditional wood flooring is usually made of oak, cherry, maple, walnut, beech and ash. Some of these are woods are from long and old growth trees. Although all trees are a renewable resource, it can take years for some of them to mature. Engineered wood flooring helps solve that problem by using just a veneer of the wood laminated to a manufactured substrate.

Contact a local flooring contractor to help you design and install a floor that will make you proud and last for years.

Bamboo
I separated bamboo from the wood category because it is actually a grass. Its growth rate is phenomenal. Bamboo that is five years of age is fully mature and tough as nails. This fast growth rate and durability makes it a great choice for an eco-friendly floor. Bamboo can be stained to provide a deep rich tone to the floor.

Terrazzo
Terrazzo is made of stone chips mixed with concrete and poured into place. Like other stone floors it is very heavy. Once the concrete is dry it is ground back to reveal the stone. Then the revealed stones are polished and a sealer is applied. Terrazzo would outlast the home it is put in.

All stone and most wood flooring requires special tools for installation and experience to properly install to guarantee that it won’t crack or splinter prematurely. Give your local flooring contractor a call to assist you in choosing and installing your new floor.