Choosing eco-friendly flooring for your kitchen remodel or new construction builds is an excellent way to lower your environmental impact. Eco-friendly kitchen floors come in various sustainable materials that are durable, easy to clean, and stylish. This guide will walk you through the factors to consider when selecting green flooring for your kitchen and the best options available.
What Makes Kitchen Flooring Eco-Friendly?
Kitchen flooring is considered eco-friendly when it meets certain sustainability criteria:
Locally Sourced Materials
Opting for flooring materials extracted and manufactured regionally reduces the fossil fuels required to transport them to your site. Some eco-friendly flooring companies use recycled content or rapidly renewable resources that further lower their carbon footprint.
Natural and Recycled Materials
Many green kitchen flooring options utilize natural materials like bamboo, cork, wood, linoleum, and natural stone. Others incorporate recycled rubber, glass, and plastic. These minimize the need for virgin resources.
Low VOC Adhesives
Installing floors often involves glues and adhesives that off-gas VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Eco-friendly adhesives used for green flooring contain low or no VOCs.
Reusable and Recyclable
At the end of its lifecycle in your home, eco-friendly flooring should be reusable, recyclable, or biodegradable. This keeps it out of landfills.
High Durability
Sustainable flooring is designed to last decades with proper care and maintenance. Their long lifespans prevent the need for frequent replacements.
Factors to Consider For Eco-Friendly Kitchen Flooring
When choosing a green flooring material for your kitchen, keep the following considerations in mind:
Type of Kitchen Use
A home chef’s kitchen sees far more dirt, spills, and wear than a lightly used kitchen. Opt for ultra-durable, easy-to-clean finishes like concrete, tile or high-performance linoleum that can withstand heavy use.
Amount of Natural Lighting
The color and style of flooring you choose can expand a dark kitchen or make a bright, sunny one feel warm and cozy. For dark kitchens, light colored reflective floors work best. Deeper hues like walnut hardwood help prevent glare in sunny kitchens.
Noise Levels
Hard surface flooring like tile, stone and concrete boost noise levels in an open kitchen. If a quieter space is desired, choose softer materials like cork, bamboo or rubber which absorb sound.
Budget
Eco-friendly kitchen floors span a wide range of budget-friendly to luxury. Set realistic expectations based on what you can spend. Some affordable green options are sheet vinyl, linoleum tiles, and pine wood. Higher end choices include slate, reclaimed hardwood, and renewable cork.
Personal Style
Eco-friendly flooring comes in a diverse array of colors, patterns and textures to match any style. Consider a distressed reclaimed wood plank floor for a farmhouse kitchen, colorful recycled glass tiles for a retro cottage, or minimalist polished concrete for an urban loft.
Types of Eco-Friendly Kitchen Flooring
These are some of the most popular sustainable flooring options for green kitchen remodels and new builds:
Bamboo
Bamboo is a rapidly renewable grass that reaches maturity in 3-5 years, compared to 50+ years for hardwoods. Bamboo floors are constructed from the plant’s sturdy stalks which are crushed and formed into planks. The woods are available in various stain colors and plank styles.
Pros
- Extremely durable and scratch-resistant
- Beautiful warmwood aesthetics
- Made from rapidly renewable plants
- Available in many price points
Cons
- Prone to denting from heavy impacts
- Susceptible to moisture damage
Cork
Cork flooring comes from the bark of cork oak trees stripped every 9 years without harming the tree. Cork is naturally waterproof, antimicrobial, sound absorbing, comfortable underfoot and is available in many colors and patterns.
Pros
- Soft, comfortable feel underfoot
- Highly sound absorbing properties
- Naturally water and stain resistant
- Easy DIY installation
Cons
- Shows wear over time
- Not suitable for high-moisture areas
- Needs occasional resealing
Concrete
Concrete makes an ultra-durable and stylish flooring option for kitchens. Stains, dyes, and polishing techniques create varied looks from rustic to modern. Concrete is naturally antimicrobial. New products like stained overlays apply a thin concrete layer over existing floors.
Pros
- Extremely durable for heavy use
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Available in many colors, textures and finishes
- Can be poured or applied over existing floors
Cons
- Hard underfoot for long periods of standing
- Prone to cracking if poured poorly
- Requires resealing
Reclaimed Wood
Reclaimed wood flooring reuses old barn boards, fencing, wine barrels, railroad ties and other antique lumber. This prevents usable materials from ending up in landfills. Reclaimed wood imparts a rustic, timeworn look and is very durable.
Pros
- Made from recycled materials
- Rich patina and vintage aesthetics
- Very long-lasting and scratch-resistant
- Wide range of sizes, colors and types
Cons
- Expensive compared to new hardwoods
- Installation is labor intensive
- Limited supply
Linoleum
Linoleum is made from all-natural materials like solidified linseed oil, cork dust, tree resins, wood flour and pigments. Modern linoleum comes in over 500 colors and patterns. It’s antibacterial, durable and scrubbable in both sheets and tiles.
Pros
- Naturally waterproof and antimicrobial
- Made from rapidly renewable materials
- Does not offgas VOCs
- Affordable compared to other green floors
Cons
- Prone to scratches and dents
- Difficult for DIY installation
- Needs regular polishing to look its best
Rubber
Sustainable rubber flooring contains recycled tires and other rubber materials kept from landfills. It comes in varied colors and textures. Rubber is sound dampening, comfortable underfoot and slip-resistant. New topcoats make it easy to clean.
Pros
- Excellent shock absorption and noise reduction
- Highly durable and waterproof
- Easy DIY installation
- Made from recycled materials
Cons
- Limited color and style options
- Prone to scratches and scuff marks
- Can fade over time when exposed to UV rays
Natural Stone Tiles
Slate, travertine, limestone and granite are durable eco-friendly options often salvaged from old buildings or quarries nearby. Stone lasts for decades with minimal maintenance. It comes in a wide variety of natural patterns and colors.
Pros
- Extremely durable for centuries
- Timeless, classic aesthetics
- Keeps cool underfoot
- Sourced close to project site
Cons
- Expensive material and installation
- Can crack or stain
- Hard underfoot for prolonged periods
- Cold to the touch
Pine or Maple
Pine is an affordable eco-friendly softwood that’s sustainability harvested from plentiful fast-growing pine forests. Hard maple is a durable eco-friendly option. Both can be finished in low-VOC stains or paints and re-sanded and refinished through the years.
Pros
- Affordable option for green floors
- Softer than oak while still durable
- Can be repeatedly refinished
- Widely available from local sources
Cons
- Prone to scratches and dents
- Not as durable as exotic hardwoods
- Needs periodic refinishing
Pros and Cons of Eco-Friendly Kitchen Flooring
Pros
- Made from renewable and recycled materials
- VOC-free adhesives and finishes available
- Long-lasting and built to last decades
- Sourced close to project site
- Wide variety of colors, textures and looks
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Healthier for people and the environment
Cons
- Can be more expensive upfront than synthetic floors
- Limited style and color options with some materials
- May require special installation skills
- Prone to scratches, water damage, and other wear issues
- Needs periodic resealing and refinishing
Costs of Eco-Friendly Kitchen Floors
Here are rough price ranges for both materials and installation of popular green kitchen flooring options:
Bamboo
- Material – $3 to $8 per sq. ft.
- Installation – $3 to $7 per sq. ft.
Cork
- Material – $2 to $7 per sq. ft.
- Installation – $3 to $7 per sq. ft.
Concrete
- Material – $4 to $8 per sq. ft.
- Installation – $4 to $10 per sq. ft.
Reclaimed Wood
- Material – $6 to $16 per sq. ft.
- Installation – $3 to $7 per sq. ft.
Linoleum
- Material – $2 to $5 per sq. ft.
- Installation – $3 to $7 per sq. ft.
Rubber
- Material – $2 to $6 per sq. ft.
- Installation – $3 to $5 per sq. ft.
Natural Stone
- Material – $15 to $50 per sq. ft.
- Installation – $5 to $15 per sq. ft.
Pine or Maple
- Material – $2 to $7 per sq. ft.
- Installation – $3 to $7 per sq. ft.
Eco-Friendly Kitchen Flooring FAQ
Is cork flooring a good choice for kitchens?
Cork is an excellent eco-friendly choice for kitchens because it is comfortable, naturally waterproof, antimicrobial, and sound dampening. Topcoat technologies make it very durable and scratch-resistant. Regular resealing is needed.
What is the most durable eco-friendly kitchen floor?
Concrete and natural stone like granite and slate are generally the most durable eco-friendly kitchen floors. Properly sealed and maintained, they can potentially last for centuries.
Do green floors increase resale value?
Many studies show eco-friendly home upgrades like sustainable flooring increase resale value. Buyers are willing to pay more for healthy, environmentally-responsible materials.
Are bamboo floors scratch resistant?
Strand woven bamboo is as or more scratch-resistant than most hardwoods. Vertical bamboo and bamboo with softer jute fibers are less scratch-resistant but gain a patina over time. Regular poly coats help.
Can you install eco-friendly flooring over existing floors?
In many cases, eco-friendly floors can be installed over existing flooring to avoid tear-out waste. This works for floating floors like laminate, engineered wood, vinyl plank, cork and rubber.
How long do sustainable kitchen floors last?
When properly maintained, most eco-friendly kitchen floors should last anywhere from 20-80 years. Some materials like concrete and natural stone even longer. Reclaimed wood longevity depends on the age of the wood.
Final Thoughts
choosing eco-friendly kitchen flooring allows you to impart style while also benefiting human health and the environment. Sustainable options like cork, concrete, reclaimed wood and bamboo not only look beautiful but also stand the test of time with proper care. Consider both your lifestyle needs and design aesthetics when selecting green floors. And take comfort knowing your kitchen remodel or new build will tread much lighter on the planet.
