Refinishing wood floors is more than just a home upgrade; it’s a chance to do something good for the environment. When you choose eco-friendly refinishing, you’re picking a mix of beauty, durability, and earth care. This allows you to refresh your home while being kind to our planet.
Typical refinishing methods often use strong chemicals that can be bad for our environment. Studies have found that these usual methods release a lot of VOCs, which can pollute the air inside homes. But eco-friendly refinishing can cut these harmful emissions by as much as 90%.
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What’s Great About Eco-Friendly Refinishing Materials
Materials used in eco-friendly refinishing are known for having low VOC levels. For instance, water-based finishes have about 50 grams per litre of VOCs, which is a lot less than the 500 grams found in some traditional products. These sustainable materials are derived from renewable sources, making them a responsible choice for the planet. In fact, in a trendsetting initiative, many providers of hardwood refinishing in Edmonton have begun exclusively using eco-friendly materials, setting a new standard for the industry.
The benefits of using eco-friendly materials in wood floor refinishing are significant and varied:
- Fewer Chemicals in the Air: Eco-friendly refinishing greatly reduces the release of harmful chemicals into the environment. This reduction is crucial for improving outdoor air quality and reducing the refinishing process’s carbon footprint.
- Healthier Indoor Air: The health benefits of using low-VOC materials are clear. Fewer chemicals in the air mean better quality air inside homes, which is especially important for families with young children, the elderly, or those with respiratory issues. It also ensures a safer and more comfortable living environment during and after the refinishing process.
- Sustainable Material Sources: Many materials used in eco-friendly refinishing come from renewable sources. This sustainable sourcing has a lower environmental impact compared to traditional materials, which often rely on finite resources. Using natural oils and waxes provides a durable finish and ensures the materials are biodegradable and environmentally friendly.
New Ways to Make Floor Refinishing Better for the Planet
In the world of making floors look new in a planet-friendly way, there have been some cool new ideas in both the stuff they use and how they do it. These new ways are not only better for the Earth, but they also make the job better and quicker.
- Dust-Free Sanding: A big new thing in this area is sanding without making dust. Old-style sanding made lots of dust, which wasn’t good for the Earth or people’s health. But dust-free sanding uses special vacuum tech to catch dust right when it’s made. This keeps the place where you’re working much cleaner and cuts down on dust in the air, which makes the air better and saves time cleaning up after.
- Tools That Use Less Power: There’s also been a move to tools that don’t need as much electricity, which means the whole job of making floors new again uses less energy. This is great for our planet, and also means lower costs for both the people doing the job and the homeowners.
- Smarter Ways to Apply Finishes: The way they put the finishes on the floors has gotten smarter, too. These new methods put the finish on more evenly and use less material, which means less waste, and the finish lasts longer. These smarter ways also usually let the finish dry faster, so the whole job doesn’t take as long.
Why Eco-Friendly Refinishing is Good in the Long Run
Choosing eco-friendly ways to make floors look new again has lots of long-term pluses, making it a smart choice for homeowners and the Earth.
- Stronger and Longer Lasting: One of the best things is that eco-friendly finishes last longer and are tougher. Floors don’t need to be redone as often, which saves money over time and is better for the Earth because you’re not redoing floors all the time.
- Costs Less to Keep Up: Even though it might cost a bit more at first, eco-friendly refinishing ends up being cheaper in the long run. You don’t need to fix and touch up the floors as much, so it costs less to keep them looking good.
- Healthier for Your Home: Using materials with fewer VOCs means the air in your home is healthier. This is good for families with kids, older people, or anyone with allergies or breathing problems. Using fewer harmful chemicals also means better air quality in your home over time.
- Adds Value to Your Home: Eco-friendly stuff like refinishing floors in a way that’s good for the planet is becoming popular when selling homes. Homes with these green features often sell for more, so eco-friendly refinishing is a good investment for your home’s value in the future.
Choosing the Green Way: How Homeowners Can Go Eco-Friendly
Switching to eco-friendly methods for making wood floors look new again needs smart choices and good planning. Here’s a step-by-step guide for homeowners:
- Learning First: Start by learning about all the eco-friendly ways to refinish floors. This means understanding the different types of earth-friendly materials, like water-based finishes and natural oils, and techniques like dust-free sanding. It’s important to also know how traditional refinishing impacts the environment compared to greener choices.
- Picking the Right Stuff: After you know your options, find the best products for your needs. Look for finishes that have low VOCs and are from sustainable sources. Always read labels and descriptions carefully and think about getting advice from experts in eco-friendly home improvements.
- Choosing Experts: It’s significant to find professionals who are good at eco-friendly refinishing. Look for contractors with certifications or a history of using sustainable practices. Do this by checking their past work, reading reviews, and asking for references.
- Comparing Prices: Before deciding, get quotes from different contractors. This helps you understand typical prices and see the different methods and materials professionals suggest.
- Understanding the Costs: Eco-friendly refinishing might cost a bit more at first, but it’s critical to think about how it saves money and is better for you in the long run. This includes lower costs to keep it up, healthier air in your home, and possibly a higher value for your property.
- Getting Ready for the Job: Talk to your chosen contractor about how long the job will take and what you need to do to prepare, like moving furniture. Also, learn about any special care needed for your floors after they’re done.
- Looking After Your Floors: Finally, know how to take care of your eco-friendly refinished floors. Ask for tips on maintenance and cleaning to keep your floors looking great for a long time.
Conclusion
Eco-friendly refinishing of wood floors is a great choice for homeowners who care about the environment and want to make their floors look beautiful again. By selecting sustainable materials and methods, you help the planet and get a safe, good-looking, and lasting finish. Embrace these green choices and make a positive difference in your home and the world.
