Green Flooring for Kitchens
Choose Kitchen-Appropriate Flooring
Kitchen flooring should be durable, water-resistant, and washable. Avoid carpeting in kitchens. Carpeting traps dirt, dust mites and moisture. It can also lead to unhealthy mold growth. The best kitchen flooring options are hard surfaces such as ceramic tile, bamboo, exposed concrete and natural linoleum that are easily maintained.
Wood – While wood might be soft underfoot, avoid using wood varieties, like Oak. Oak turns black with long term exposure to water. Always use water-based, low-permeability sealants to avoid harmful off-gassing.
Tile, Stone, Concrete – Recycled-content ceramic tile, stone tile, or exposed concrete are more durable surfaces than wood. Concrete can be mixed with various pigments to create beautiful, warm patterns. Pigment adds to the cost of concrete but the finished flooring will not require any ongoing maintenance, making exposed concrete a cost-effective choice.
Natural Linoleum – Natural linoleum is the preferred alternative to vinyl. Although similar in appearance to vinyl, linoleum is made from natural materials including linseed oil, jute, and wood dust. It is durable, available in a variety of patterns and colors, and can be installed without toxic adhesives.
See Chapter 6, The Kitchen in the book Green Remodeling for more details.
Review Our Green Kitchen Remodel Best Practices