Healthy Flooring Choices

When looking for healthy flooring options, there are two major culprits to avoid: toxicity and dust. While this seems obvious, many flooring options will involve either or both.

At Clarum, we believe your home should be comfortable, beautiful, easy to maintain and above all, healthy. Our approach to flooring reflects that.

Toxic Floor, Dusty Floor

According to Jeff Gearhart at SustainablePractice.org, the same toxic chemicals found in children’s toys “show up everywhere in home improvement products” including flooring, and have been linked to conditions including “asthma, birth defects, learning disabilities, reproductive problems, liver toxicity and cancer.” In Gearhart’s words, “If we don’t want these chemicals in our toys, we certainly don’t want them in our floors.”

For those with allergies, your ability to control particulates (pollen, dust, dander) should also be a priority. As HealthyFlooring.org puts it, “Much of the existing advice for allergy sufferers focuses on bedding and air pollution, yet the floors we choose can also have a major impact on allergy sufferers.” Dust build-up can lead “to a build-up of dust mite allergen, an important trigger for asthma and other allergies. Dust also absorbs toxic pollutants from the indoor and outdoor environments.”

Healthy Flooring at Clarum

The flooring we use is non-toxic and environmentally responsible. It reduces your exposure to allergens, and involves minimal off-gassing. The result? Healthy floors, superior air quality.

Sustainable Hardwood. Hardwood is durable, beautiful and easy to clean. It’s also a natural, highly healthy choice. When paired with low-emission adhesives and natural sealants, it reduces dust, resists build-up and doesn’t off-gas.

We’re proud to use wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, ensuring a sustainable history for your floors, and a healthy future in your home.

Bamboo Flooring. Bamboo has natural defenses against pests and moisture. Paired with a low-VOC finish, it meets strict air quality standards and doesn’t off-gas.

It’s also fast-growing and renewable. We source ours from sustainably managed forests: a healthy, long-lasting, low-maintenance choice.

Cork Flooring. Inside the cell walls of natural cork bark, there’s a waxy substance called suberin. Thanks to suberin, cork is anti-allergenic (it doesn’t hold onto pollen or dander when you vacuum), and resistant to pests, mold, fire and rot. With no toxic fumes, off-gassing or shedding, cork flooring contributes to good indoor air quality.

It’s also resilient. Cork is less likely to get dinged or scratched from shoes, furniture or pets. It’s a unique, warm and durable choice, harvested sustainably without harming the tree.

Recycled Content Carpet. Smooth flooring is considered healthy because it’s easy to clean. True! Yet according to a recent study, carpet too can support your health. By filtering allergens out of the air, it keeps them from recirculating. The key is simply proper cleaning.

Our recycled content carpet supports not only your health, but the health of the environment too. Created from recycled plastic bottles, it conserves resources, minimizing your home’s embodied energy.

For sustainable flooring that adds to your health, call Clarum Homes at 650.322.7069.