cork flooring in southlake - FCINeed some peace and quiet in your busy family home? Changing the flooring can help limit sound transmission, and there is a range of different flooring products available to help dampen the noise. Eco-friendly products are often excellent for noise absorption, with the additional benefit of being a healthy and sustainable product for your family.

Learn more about our favorite eco-friendly flooring products for quiet homes from the experts at Floor Coverings International Southlake.

Cork

Cork flooring is probably the number one material that comes to mind for both its environmentally friendly benefits and its sound-absorption qualities. It is a natural product harvested from the bark of the cork tree. Cork flooring is typically made from the byproduct of other cork production, and the tree bark quickly regenerates after harvesting so the same trees can be used again and again.

The reason people avoid cork is that they often think it looks like the tan cork pegboards used to hold tools in the garage. Yet cork comes in all types of colors and styles as flooring. It can also be painted and stained. Cork flooring comes in sheets as well as tiles, and it offers a shock absorbing and cushy surface. It is also warm to the touch.

A disadvantage to cork is that it can dent and scratch, so you have to be careful with moving furniture and heavy foot traffic. It can also absorb water, and spills must be cleaned up immediately.

Rubber

Rubber flooring has also arrived to the residential scene, as it is another natural eco-friendly material. Rubber comes from the Para rubber tree as latex that can be harvested.

This flooring material is soft, durable and resilient, and the product is easy to clean and maintain. Rubber flooring is also water resistant, so it can be used in laundry rooms and bathrooms. Keep in mind you will need to add a vapor barrier if you want to use it in a basement. Rubber is commonly found in home gyms and playrooms. Its sound-absorption qualities can stop the noise of gym equipment and kids roughhousing from echoing throughout the house.

A drawback to rubber is that the material can be slippery when wet. So you want to select a textured surface in places where there will be a lot of moisture. You also have to be careful when using strong cleaning chemicals as they can stain rubber flooring.

Carpet

The quiet properties of carpeting are well known to most homeowners. Carpet provides a soft and insulating surface, although it does require more maintenance than rubber or cork materials. With all the benefits of carpeting, many homeowners avoid if because carpet can contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can be harmful when breathed in.

Luckily, there are many eco-friendly carpet options out on the market, as well as carpeting that contain low-VOCs. It’s best to speak with a flooring professional about eco-friendly carpeting, especially if you have a sensitivity to VOCs, so you can get the right material to install in your home. Natural fibers such as wool and cotton are great options, and natural fiber backing is available too.

Create a quieter home environment with these eco-friendly flooring options. You can mix and match flooring types throughout the home, or select one for a uniform look. Contact the team at Floor Coverings International Southlake when you are ready to get started. We’ll come to you with our mobile showroom for a free in-home consultation!

Photo by © Elena Elisseeva