Trees play a hugely essential part in both our lives and our homes, the wood used to put together the frame and foundations for our houses acts as a strong and reliable material with which to build on. When it comes to building a home or adding an extension, there are some eco-friendly materials we can use to do our bit for the environment!
Thoughtful Materials
The appearance of natural wood can give any home an extremely classy look, even in a world filled with modern materials such as plastic and chrome. It is because of this that wood is still such a desirable commodity, but it may surprise you to know that it is extremely difficult to find any home in the United Kingdom in which all the wood is responsibly sourced.
Many companies are now making a commitment to use ‘forest friendly’ wood, which is made up of recycled wood fibres. Companies such as ‘B&Q’ are going one step further, the wood they use must have a guarantee that the material can be tracked back to its original source, ensuring that the wood is sourced responsibly; they have experts in the field policing the entire word sourcing process too!
Certified and responsibly sourced timber are just as good as any other wood, and opting to buy them is something we should really to automatically, so be sure to keep an eye open for the ‘forest friendly’ label which indicates it is recycled. There are a fantastic range of products made from forest friendly wood to choose from; from stylish kitchen cabinets, made from a combination of forest friendly wood and recycled wood fibre, to cool modern wallpaper, which is also made from forest friendly wood pulp and recycled paper.
More Great Alternatives
You’re not just stuck with wood and paper when it comes to sourcing some great eco-friendly alternatives; there are plenty of wood stains and ecological paints to choose from which contain a much lower amount of polluting chemicals than traditional paints and stains.
Recycled paint is made up us unused paint from discarded tubs and cans; every drop is recycled to result in a high quality paint which doesn’t require any more chemicals.
There is now a huge amount of eco-friendly alternatives when it comes to finding building and decoration materials; you can find some fantastic quality products and do your bit to help the environment all at the same time!
Remember: Always be on the lookout for the forest friendly or eco-friendly label when buying wood products, this way you know it has been sourced responsibly.
Daniel Travis – Brown loves to share his eco-friendly lifestyle and DIY tips on behalf of Bathshop321 bathroom furniture; for more great environmental and home renovation tips find Dan on Twitter @DanTravisBrown