A wise decision when choosing wooden flooring depends in large part on sustainability. When looking at Span Floors engineered wood flooring, it is not only an elegant and practical choice but also a very sustainable one. Using relevant statistics, let’s look at the relative sustainability of engineered wood, solid wood, and laminate flooring.

1. Effective Use of Wood Materials

The efficient use of recycled resources by engineered wood makes it more sustainable than solid wood flooring. Solid wood floors are constructed from a single piece of wood, whereas engineered floors have a wooden core made up of either HDF/ MDF or a solid wood layer of Oak, Birch, Spruce, Pine or Fir and covered with a layer of real Oak, Walnut, Teak on top. This means that fewer trees must be chopped down to provide the same amount of engineered wood flooring’s surface area. Additionally, the core of the engineered wooden flooring can be made up of recycled wooden material.

Because the core layers of engineered wood are recycled, it can take up to 75% less wood than solid wood to achieve the same covering. On the other hand, solid wood flooring tends to be less sustainable because it requires 100% hardwood, usually from slower-growing tree and natural forests.

Engineered wood flooring vs. solid wood flooring!
Minimalist bedroom with light-toned wood floors and contemporary furniture.

2. Durability and Maintenance

Span Floors engineered wood floors have a lifespan comparable to that of solid wood, and their construction makes them more resilient to variations in humidity and temperature. This promotes sustainability by requiring less frequent maintenance or replacement of the planks. This also provides the consumer with ease of mind as they have to spend less time worrying about their expensive floors.

Span Floors engineered wooden floors have a 20–30 year lifespan and can be refinished multiple times depending on their top layer thickness. Usually during refinishing about 1mm gets sanded and the original colour of real wood comes out and then once can stain it.

Although solid wood floors have a 40–50-year lifespan, they may eventually need to be replaced because they are more prone to warping and shrinking in humid settings.

Engineered wood floor on staircase installed at a luxury apartment in Gurugram!

Minimalist bedroom with light-toned wood floors and contemporary furniture.

3. Smaller Carbon Footprint during Manufacturing

Compared to solid wood, engineered wood flooring has a smaller carbon footprint during manufacturing. This is due to the fact that the production method for engineered floors produces fewer emissions and allows for the use of smaller, more accessible timber species. When engineered wood flooring is produced instead of solid wood, carbon emissions can be lowered by as much as 50%.

4. Comparison to Laminate Wood Flooring

Because laminate flooring is made of a synthetic layer and requires plastic for finishing recycling, or other processes, it typically has the greatest environmental effect of all flooring materials. Furthermore, due to its low cost, laminate flooring may initially appear to be an environmentally beneficial choice, but it is not truly sustainable. After years of use, laminate flooring frequently ends up in landfills since it is constructed of synthetic materials that cannot be repaired and do not break down naturally.

Laminate floors are not recyclable and typically last 10 to 20 years. Long-term, engineered wood is a greener option since it can be recycled or refinished.

Construction of a laminate Floor plank!

Minimalist bedroom with light-toned wood floors and contemporary furniture.
Photo credit – © Kaindl

Construction of a three layered engineered wood floor plank!

Minimalist bedroom with light-toned wood floors and contemporary furniture.
Photo credit – © Coswick

In conclusion, purchasing top-notch engineered wooden flooring includes making an environmentally conscious decision in addition to purchasing a long-lasting and beautiful product. Engineered wood, particularly when constructed from certified, sustainable forests, offers a combination of sustainability and luxury when compared to solid wood and laminate flooring. You may have the cosiness and looks of wood flooring with the confidence that you’re picking a more environmentally friendly choice when you go with engineered wood.

So, next time you’re considering flooring options, remember: engineered wood floors are not just an elegant choice—they’re eco-friendly too, when sourced from sustainable forests. Reach out to us at +91 9971509922 / +91 9212096387 for exactly that!

Until Next Time!

Raymon Chawla

Sources:

  1. https://www.woodfloors.org/
  2. https://wwf.org