Do you need a Los Gatos Contractor that can help you build an environmentally friendly home? Then look no further because Westhill Construction Company can be that contractor for all of your flooring needs.

What’s underfoot is a big deal. Your floors cover hundreds–maybe even thousands–of square feet, affect the look of every room, can use heaps of materials, and therefore come with a big price tag. Fortunately, they also offer you a chance to make positive esthetic and environmental changes. The key is to start by asking the right questions about materials, installation, durability, and maintenance. Soon you’ll be on your way to a home that is as healthy as it is beautiful.

Top Tips for Flooring

At home

• Take a second look at your old floor. Often the greenest approach is to keep using what’s already in your home. Pulling out and discarding the old floor takes its toll on the environment. If your floor is made of wood, can it be sanded and refinished to restore it to its original beauty? Does the carpet need to be torn out or would a deep cleaning brighten it? Can your stone floor be polished to its original luster? Can cracked tiles be chiseled out and replaced?

• Materials. What are the raw ingredients? Are they primarily renewable or nonrenewable resources? Where did the materials come from and where was the product made? Think twice before choosing products made from materials that were harvested or mined in countries with lax environmental laws. Also, products that come from far away use more energy for transportation than local products. What kinds of additives, glues, finishes or other chemicals were used in making the product? Will the flooring send potentially harmful chemicals into your home? Does the product bear a seal of approval from a reputable certification agency that vouches for the material’s low emissions?

• Installation. Consider the costs, not just of the materials, but also for the labor to install it, including preparing the subfloor if necessary. Some materials, like floating wood and bamboo floors, go in relatively easily and quickly and are forgiving about imperfections in the subfloor. Others, like sheet linoleum or concrete, require an experienced installer.

• Durability. Is the product durable? Can you refinish it if it becomes scratched or worn? Long-lasting flooring products are better for your wallet because you’re less likely to have to replace them and better for the environment because they’re less likely to wind up in a landfill or incinerator.

• Maintenance. What are the manufacturer’s recommendations for maintaining and cleaning the product? Can it be easily cleaned using nontoxic, biodegradable soaps and does it have low or no VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in the finish?

Westhill Construction Company is a Los Gatos Contractor based home remodeling specialist. If you’d like to contact us to get started on a project, please click here!