Here at V4 Wood Flooring, we are all about brining nature inside through the use of our sustainably sourced engineered wood flooring. Read below to see just a couple reasons why we only use real wood

When it comes to product consumption, choosing a more environmentally friendly option is quickly becoming standard practice in everyday life, and at V4 we believe this should include materials you put in your home and projects. With a greater understanding of the harmful effects that synthetic floors can have on their surroundings, now more than ever people are choosing to go with natural products such as wood to best create an environment that aids health and wellbeing.

Man-made flooring alternatives such as LVT have been vastly popular over the last 50 years due to their durability and versatile designs, coupled with the fact that they are a budget-friendly flooring solution. However, the benefits that are to be gained from these floors do not outweigh the dangerous side effects they pose.

Made from materials including polyvinyl chloride and fibreglass, Vinyl flooring contains alarming levels of carcinogens which can be detrimental to your health. There is evidence linking the use of toxic materials such as PVC with health issues such as respiratory disorders, skin irritations, multiple myeloma and reproductive disorders. In a study by Shu et al., they found that children who had PVC flooring in their bedroom were more likely to develop asthma during the following 10-year period and that exposure during pregnancy could offer similar health concerns to children. Furthermore, in homes where vinyl flooring covered all areas, the concentration of benzyl butyl phthalate metabolite in their urine was fifteen times higher than those in children living with no vinyl flooring in their homes, according to researcher Kate Hoffman et al.

Not only are these toxins dangerous to your health, but they also have an adverse effect on the environment. During the manufacturing process of PVC, harmful toxins are created such as dioxins, vinyl chloride, and ethylene dichloride. Once exposed to the environment, these pollutants can have a
very harmful effect. For example, Dioxin is highly toxic and can infiltrate the earth’s soil and water before accumulating in the food chain, which according to the Environmental Protection Agency, can account for more than 90% of human exposure to Dioxin.

One of the main materials in Vinyl flooring is petroleum. Not only is this often imported for the creation of vinyl, increasing global emissions through transport, but it is also a non-renewable material. Unlike the wood that is used for our flooring, the use of petroleum is  unsustainable. Finally, unlike wood flooring, the majority of vinyl flooring is not biodegradable and cannot be recycled with other plastics due to the risks of contamination, meaning that a vast amount will end up in landfills.

Click here to see more about the benefits of wood flooring and why you should choose wood flooring for your home.