A Brief Guide to Environment Friendly Wood Flooring

11/11/2019

There was a time when people used to purchase wood without really caring about where it came from and how it was harvested. However, with changing times, preserving the natural resources of the planet has become essential for our own existence. This has made purchasing wood quite a confusing process.

As a result of growing public awareness of climate change and sustainability, more and more people are trying to play their role in protecting the planet by conserving water and energy, recycling household waste, and even building eco-friendly homes. There is a common perception that wood is not an environment friendly choice because it means encouraging the destruction of forests. However, this is not the case at all.

What is sustainable wood?

If you are against deforestation and want to stand up against illegal logging, you must understand what sustainable wood is and how to purchase this type of wood.

First of all, wood can be referred to as a renewable resource, if it is harvested and managed in the right manner. Trees can be a sustainable material simply because they can be continually reproduced. The recent advances in forestry management has made it possible these days to replace the number of trees that are used for furniture or flooring. However, please note that this is only true for responsibly managed forests. Illegal logging still takes place in all corners of the world, causing great harm to the environment.

Therefore, sustainable wood is sourced from forests that are sustainably managed. These forests are properly managed to prevent damage to the different ecosystems within the forest area. Anyone looking for environment friendly wood flooring should focus on purchasing wood from these renewable resources.

Why should I bother? 

If you live in Europe or Australia, deforestation in Brazilian Amazon may not seem very relevant. We may not realise the harm caused by purchasing a new Teak garden furniture or Mahogany flooring. However, purchase of unsustainable wood has a severe impact on their harvesting areas, including destruction of ecosystems, abuse of human rights, threatening the lives of indigenous tribes, and destroying the habitation of several rare and endangered animals.

Many of you will be shocked to know that only 8% of the world’s forest areas are protected from deforestation.  The timber industry around the world continues to be insatiable, and so is the craving of human beings for wood. In this scenario, one of the ways to support the future of the planet is to buy only sustainable wood.  

How to Identify Sustainable Wood?  

One of the easiest ways to identify sustainable wood is to look for official certification that the wood has been sourced from a sustainable source. In this regards, the PEFC and FSC are two of the most commonly accepted global certifications.

The FSC or Forest Stewardship Council is a global organisation working towards promoting responsible forest management as well as looking after the native wildlife and local communities. Their certification system provides procedures, standards, and quality assurance guidelines that are recognised internationally. Most importantly, the FSC certification applies to the entire wood production chain including the retailers, manufacturers, farmers, and forest owners. FSC certification is only provided to a certain product when the production chain complies with the FSC requirements.

Another international non-profit, the Program for Endorsement of Forest Certification or PEFC is the largest forest certification system in the world that manages over 740 million acres of forest area. The Chain of Custody (CoC) certification by PEFC is amongst the most rigorous and comprehensive methods for tracking wood produces, covering the entire manufacturing cycle. Compliance with PEFC’s benchmarks for sustainability involves a third-party assessment.

Which Woods are Sustainable?

 Hardwood and softwood are the two broad categories of wood. Hardwood is generally sourced from leafed vegetations such as Oak or Beech. On the other hand, softwood comes mostly from conifers like Fir and Pine. All fast growing plant species are more sustainable simply because they are more easily replaceable compared to the slow growing plants. This is what makes Pine and Bamboo two of the mot sustainable woods. Oak can also be a sustainable choice, provided the Oak forests are managed properly. However, there are certain plant species that are particularly endangered. Therefore, it is always better to avoid species such as Murbau, Sapelee, Ebony, Wenge, Brazilian Mahogany, and Teak.  

Final Thoughts: Your best bet is undoubtedly to deal with a supplier that is part of the PEFC or FSC accreditation system. Enoak can be a great destination for your next wood flooring project because the company actively participates in the PEFC program and sources all its materials from sustainably managed forests.  They have also achieved the “French ‘A+’ VOC rating in relation to pollutant emission from flooring and floor coverings.