Cork Flooring, Linoleum Flooring, and Concrete Flooring: Green Alternatives

This week we highlight some greener flooring materials that may have been hiding ‘under our feet’ without widespread knowledge of their environmental nature. And, we are excited to inform you Sungloss Marble Restoration is able to refresh, renew, and restore these flooring materials for you!

Cork Flooring is a renewable resource. It is harvested every nine years, from trees that continue to produce healthy yields despite periodic trimming. It can be compressed up to 40% and return its’ shape, which makes it a comfortable floor to walk on. And, with care, it can be stripped, sanded, or otherwise renewed. It’s an interesting alternative, and unlike hardwood, it automatically comes from sustainable sources.

Linoleum Flooring can be one of two things – the ‘fake’ linoleum introduced in 1947 is really vinyl (the latest being made from PVC which has been shown to cause indoor air health issues). Real linoleum comes from a lot longer ago (1863), and is all-natural! It is made from wood flour, rosins, ground limestone, powdered cork, pigments and linseed oil on jute backing. It is making a comeback in many beautiful shades and colors. Prices are reported to be similar from the plastic stuff to the real stuff. If that were the case, wouldn’t you rather pick the all-natural version of this beautiful material dating from the Gilded Age? The maintenance on linoleum includes occasional waxing and/or light stripping and cleansing, all services Sungloss Marble offers.

Finally, Concrete Flooring is better known than the two flooring materials above. But what is not typically thought of, is concrete has thermal properties that make it an energy-saving tool in your home or building. Through earth-coupling or direct sunlight, the concrete will absorb heat, and then release it later. Also, this material dating back to the Roman Empire, comes mainly from limestone and natural compounds. It can also be cleaned and refinished much like natural stone – a process Sungloss knows well. On a side note, some concrete professionals mix bits of cork into concrete to improve the thermal conductivity and density of concrete. In search of smart, sustainable energy-saving methods, we seem to have gone full circle from cork, to concrete, and back!

If you currently have any of these flooring materials installed, we wanted to let you know Sungloss Marble Restoration Company is an option for servicing, renewing, cleaning, and restoring your ‘green’ floor. If not, now you know about the earth-friendly characteristics of some interesting materials. We hope these will permeate the next conversation between you and your architect or designer!