When you say eco friendly, what are you referring to and what are your concerns? Are you looking for something that is less toxic and won't off gas? Something that hasn't killed many trees or has a low carbon footprint? Or maybe both.

Both of these are of concern to me. When we put in a new floor we went with reclaimed wood flooring. It was made from 160 year old wood columns in a building that was being torn down. They sliced it into flooring planks, kiln dried it, and I chose a stain/finish that was a non-toxic penetrating oil.

If you are concerned about off gassing, remember that most composites have some kind of backing that they are adhered to, or slices of wood layered together. I'd ask what the adhesive is used in this process. There are a lot of nasty chemicals that can seek in there.

Also, what room of the house are you looking at and what are your concerns for durability? My parents have cork floors and have to be careful to not dent them. They do feel heavenly on my back though, like I am floating.

Hi Kendrah,

Thanks for your comment. Yes, looking for something safe for my kids and sustainable. We are replacing the main floor in the living room, playroom, and hallway as well as the kids bedrooms. Also doing the kitchen but planning tile there. We do not have radiant heating or else I would plan for tile everywhere. We were told to use luxury vinyl but I don't feel like that is the right choice for us so I'm looking at the other options I listed.

I'm really interested to hear about people's experiences with bamboo, eucalyptus and cork- sounds like cork may not be a great choice with small kids and pets?

Cork is wonderful, except with kids or pets...

Personally I like to use materials that don't get heavily processed or have to travel around the world. I like to use oak- readily available, lasts 'forever', good price, locally sourced, and with a water based poly is low voc.

I hear that bamboo is very sensitive to humidity -- like seasonal changes can be a problem. We had cork taht we loved in one room, but it got scratched by animal claws and had to be replaced.

I opted for SJ recommendation - 2 1/4 inch solid oak with a water based finish. I have kids and dogs. After many years - about 18, it does need to be refinished - but that can be done and can be done several times - which is why you see solid oak floors in homes over 100 years old. Even though mine does need refinishing and has an old oak floor look, it still is an attractive floor. For the first few months after it is installed you will notice every little scratch in the right light, but then it take on a patina of an established oak floor,adding a cozy natural warmth to your home.

Are you on a slab? If so, the solid hardwood recommendations aren't going to be useful, but we could talk pros/cons of polished or stained concrete. I'm going through the same process to cover a botched concrete stain job. We're pretty settled on cork because I can't find an engineered wood that is both eco friendly and affordable.

@SJ McCarthy, so, basically bamboo and eucalyptus are the quartz countertops of flooring? So much glue--poo!

Also, has no one figured out how to make an engineered floor with nontoxic glue?

And re cork, I'm still considering it for part of our remodel, despite the statistical analysis that says it will be a fail for resale. I plan to be on hand to educate every potential buyer! :)

@jhmarie, it's funny how little we hear about the traditional style of hardwood flooring and installation these days. I would be absolutely fine with that narrow width, especially since we're aiming for quasi Midcentury Modern style. I have yet to find any real cost comparisons, though, between that and a medium-range engineered installation. @SJ McCarthy, or other flooring pros, want to take a crack at that? (Especially since I currently have my finger close to the "Go" button on pricey, but very un-trendy, Junckers solid ash...

Another plus to that 2 1 /4" oak is that it has been around for a long time and I don't see it going out so it is available for repairs or changes in floor plan without having to replace the whole floor. Many pre-stained and wood look floorings in trendy wood tones are only made for a limited time - a problem it one needs a small amount for a repair.

Engineered is more suitable for some locations - it is a bit more stable as to humidity and can be refinished a few times if it has a thick enough wear layer. Since the OP wanted most sustainable yet durable, she would want solid hardwood over engineered unless her climate or the location of the floor dictated engineered. Many engineered floors - pre-finished in specific wood tones - are only available for a couple of years (or less) before discontinued.

The most eco friendly flooring is tile. If chosen wisely, it has a much lower lifecycle cost. It’s a lifetime floor. You spend your money once. It’s a many lifetime floor. Look at the mosaics in ancient ruins. No need to tear it out and fill up a landfill if you stay away from fads.

There is is nothing toxic to offgas ever. There are many US manufacturers, so you’re supporting a relatively local product. That lessens transport costs. The manufacturing process generates less waste and is greener than most wood manufacturing plants.

good point. I am looking at using more tile. Just not for bedrooms.

IMO tile is very hard on feet , backs and knees and I never find wood flooring a bad choice in kitchens for that exact reason. All you have to do is spend a day working on a concrete floor and you would not choose it for your kitchen. I like the idea of reclaimed wood but it is not a cheap choice for sure. There are a lot of eco friendly floors available now

I've had the same concerns, but for my kitchen. You can buy FSC certified wood floors and use low-VOC products on it. Wood that can be sanded and refinished is longer lasting, obviously ;)

This book (below) has a 3 page table listing the pros and cons of different flooring materials and "green tips" for each. It was in my public library (maybe yours too). I checked it out so often I finally bought a used copy (very green ;)

"Good Green Kitchens" by Jennifer Roberts

https://www.amazon.com/Good-Green-Kitchens-Jennifer-Roberts/dp/1586857002

Re: bamboo being made with glue, this book says there are low-quality products on the market, so maybe you can avoid those and buy bamboo with no or low formaldehyde emissions.

As much as I love some of the qualities of tile, I'm with @Patricia Colwell Consulting on the body-impact issue. Twenty years ago, I chose floating hardwood floors (laid on a concrete slab, btw) and was so happy I did. That little bit of "give" goes a long way in my experience. I know some people hear "floating floor" and cringe because their experience was mainly with Pergo or other laminate flooring, which often has a hollow feel and/or too much bounce. Our floating hardwood felt solid with just a bit of flex.

Re eco-friendly, have you considered Marmoleum? Holds up better than cork, comes in dozens of colors and patterns, and feels wonderfully soft underfoot. It's basically the "green" version of vinyl. It's reportedly used in children's hospitals due to its non-toxic nature.

Tile can be very long lasting and is the better choice for some climates and locations. However, tile can crack, grout does discolor and tile styles change frequently. My hall tile is 30 years old - probably could go on another 30 years - but there are hairline cracks in a few tiles - which I could replace with some extra tile I have stored in the basement. The repair would show since the grout is discolored. I could then use grout paint, which would hold up a few years before it needed reapplying. The tile I have is no longer in style and hasn't been for 15 years. I suppose I could claim it is vintage but it really just looks like not the best style of 1989:)

I have some friends working on an old victorian house. The wood floors are in great shape. The tile in the bathroom has a big crack running across the floor. The tile is a sweet vintage penny tile, but the bathroom floor will need to be replace. It did hold up a long time - not sure when the big crack happened as they bought the house that way.

As a wood flooring guy it sounds like you need tile. :-) Your part of the country is very dry and could cause wood flooring to crack unless you have humidity controls in place. On top of that a buys household could benefit from tile over wood.