Wooden flooring is a good environmental choice (provided it is recycled, or comes from a sustainable source). Real linoleum (lino) is also good. Its main ingredient is linseed oil, and it can be shredded and composted at the end of its useful life. However watch out for false lino, made from oil derivatives, including PVC.

Every year, a huge area of rain forest is cut down to produce timber, build roads and provide agricultural land, and is not replaced. Nevertheless, that doesn’t mean that using timber in buildings is BAD, in fact so long as you follow some basic principles WOOD IS GOOD.

Think about it:

Much modern furniture is made from bonded wood, rather than solid wood.

Products such as bonded wood, laminates, MDF, OSB, woodchip, hardboard and softboard are also very practical for flooring over an existing solid or boarded floor. Some of these forms use formaldehyde resins to bind them, which are carcinogenic.

Reclaimed timber can add a lot of character to your home. Tips for choosing and using reclaimed timber: