The flooring throughout the rooms of our house is an often underappreciated element of overall home sustainability. Many homeowners might limit their choices to the most appropriate color that complements the rest of your interior design. However, some flooring options can have severe environmental and health-related drawbacks. For example, some can have a substantial carbon footprint. In contrast, others can negatively affect your indoor air quality (IAQ) or might come from tropical forests that were unsustainably or even illegally logged.
Below, Rise offers a complete analysis of the different flooring options available to environmental and health-conscious homeowners. We evaluate the pros, cons, and cost considerations for the most popular flooring choices in North America today.
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By Tobias Roberts, Rise Writer
Feb 13, 2025 · 24 min read
Before we dig into the pros, cons, and cost considerations of each flooring type, it is essential to consider the sustainability and health-related issues associated with these products.
A quick analysis of a few of the main problems associated with carpeting for the home can help homeowners determine the most critical features of sustainable flooring for their homes. Today, just over half of all floors in U.S. homes are carpeted, significantly less than just a decade ago.
Most carpeting options are made from synthetic fibers such as polypropylene, nylon, or polyester glued to a backing. These synthetic materials are unnatural, but they also have a sizeable carbon footprint associated with the manufacturing process.
Carpeting can also be a significant source of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the home. Though carpet itself emits relatively low amounts of VOCs, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finds that poorly maintained carpets can act as a "sink" for many types of VOCs. For example, the VOCs from that fresh coat of paint in your living room might be absorbed and released later by your carpeting. This reality can substantially aggravate VOCs' potential danger affecting indoor air quality by prolonging exposure times to VOCs, some of which might even be linked to cancer. Carpeting has also been linked to a buildup of allergens within the home through "trapping" pollutants, allergens, and other airborne contaminants such as dust mites and pets dander, cockroach allergens, particle pollution, lead, mold spores, pesticides, dirt, and dust.
Cheap, apartment-grade carpeting options are generally shoddily made. At best, these carpeting options will only last between 1-5 years before requiring replacement.
When searching for the ideal flooring for your home, then, homeowners should prioritize flooring options that:
The most durable and longest-lasting flooring type depends on several factors, including maintenance, use, and other homeowner behaviors. In general, however, ceramic and porcelain tile floorings can be highly durable. This flooring type is generally resistant to scratches, dents, and other cosmetic or aesthetic damages that might require replacement. Unlike different flooring alternatives that we will explore below, ceramic and porcelain tiles are resistant to water and moisture.
The 2009 American Housing Survey of the U.S. Census found that 9.9 percent of houses in the United States experienced water damage due to exterior leaks. A further 8.1 percent of homes suffered moisture damage from interior leaks associated with plumbing systems. Many more homes could suffer from mold or mildew that negatively affects their flooring. If your household is at risk for water or moisture damage, ceramic or tile flooring is undoubtedly one of the longest-lasting options. However, hardwood flooring is also a very durable option in homes that are at less risk for water or moisture infiltration.
Spending time sweeping, mopping, or polishing your floor is probably not one of most people's favorite household chores. For homeowners who want a flooring option that requires limited maintenance, ceramic tile, engineered hardwood flooring, and luxury vinyl tile are generally the easiest to care for. Besides sweeping up underneath your toddler's chair at the dining room table and occasional light mopping, these types of floors typically take care of themselves.
Without further ado, below, we offer a concise breakdown of the pros, cons, and cost considerations of the most common (and a few unusual) flooring options. The cost estimates below do not include installation, which varies widely by region.
Hardwood flooring is made from wood species that are hard or durable. For this reason, hardwood flooring is one of the most popular flooring options and has been used for hundreds of years. Popular hardwood flooring species include oak, maple, cherry, walnut, and ash.
The cost of hardwood flooring varies widely from around $2 per square foot for pine to upwards of $13 per square foot for engineered white ash or certain tropical hardwood species.
Engineered hardwood flooring is a solid wood veneer of hardwood glued to multiple solid wood layers, commonly plywood. Due to this layering, engineered hardwood can only be sanded and refinished once or twice during its lifespan.
Higher-end engineered hardwood flooring options will cost somewhere between $8 and 12 per square foot, while some cheaper options might be as low as $5 per square foot.
Bamboo is a type of grass instead of a tree that is highly processed. During manufacturing, the grass strands are sliced, shredded, and then pressed together with heat and glue. It's fast growth habits mean that it captures an enormous amount of carbon dioxide, purifies the surrounding air, and can quickly be regrown after harvest. Bamboo flooring falls into the hardwood flooring category but is often marketed separately due to its popularity.
The average bamboo flooring costs between $5 and $8 per square foot. Strand woven bamboo mixes are the most durable type of bamboo flooring and will be on the higher end of this cost.
Cork flooring costs between $5 and $10 per square foot, depending on the overall quality.
The average cost of reclaimed wood flooring is $2 to $5 per square foot unless you are able to source and mill the wood yourself.
There is a wide-ranging cost for concrete floors. Simple concrete floors (such as those for an unfinished basement) can cost as little as $2-$5 per square foot. Higher-end designs that incorporate different textures, colors, and even geometrical designs can cost upwards of $30 per square foot.
Vinyl plan flooring starts at under $2 per square foot, though higher-end options can cost up to $5 per square foot.
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Laminate flooring is usually costs between $2 and $4 per square foot.
Porcelain tile flooring usually costs Between $5 and $12 per square foot.
The cheapest ceramic tiles can cost as low as $1 per square foot, though the average price range is between $4 and $6 per square foot.
Travertine flooring often costs between $5 to $15 per square foot. The quality and finish can impact this flooring type's average cost, with a natural finish being the least costly and a polished or sealed finished being the most expensive.
Sandstone flooring costs between $5 and $8 per square foot. The quality and distance for shipping can impact the average cost.
Limestone flooring costs between $4 and $12 per square foot. The cost varies based on finish, color and thickness.
Marble flooring costs between $8 and $20 per square foot, though specialty marble flooring can run as high as $40 per square foot.
Granite flooring comes from igneous rock. The slow process of volcanic combustion beneath the Earth's surface means that granite flooring can be found in a wide variety of naturally-occurring colors, including white, black, beige, brown, blue, and red.
Granite flooring costs $2 o $10 per square foot depending on size, color, and the quality of the tiles.
Linoleum flooring usually costs between $3 and $4 per square foot.
Depending on the type of wood used, parquet flooring can cost anywhere between $3 and $12 per square foot.
Terrazzo flooring costs between $15 and $70 per square foot. Prefabricated terrazzo flooring is often less expensive than a terrazzo floor poured on site. While the cost is high, terrazzo floors require little to no maintenance.
Recycled rubber mats are made from recycled rubber and are often viewed as a low-cost, high-quality flooring option. They can withstand high traffic levels, are durable, easy to clean, and are water-resistant.
The average cost of rubber mats is between $1.50 and $4 per square foot, depending on the thickness and quality of rubber.
Suppressed hardwood flooring is similar to the other hardwood floorings reviewed above. However, the lumber is specifically sourced from trees that grow in the understory of mature forests.
Suppressed hardwood costs between $3 to $8 per square foot. The price is impacted by the source, species of wood and manufacturing process.
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Tobias runs an agroecology farm and a natural building collective in the mountains of El Salvador. He specializes in earthen construction methods and uses permaculture design methods to integrate structures into the sustainability of the landscape.
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Cork flooring is made from the bark of the cork tree (mostly found in southern Europe). The bark of the tree is harvested once every nine years. It does not kill the tree, making this one of the most environmentally friendly, natural flooring alternatives.
Reclaimed wood flooring is one way to gives perfectly good wood a second life. Most reclaimed wood flooring comes from old barns, snow fences, or industrial factories that might have been made from virgin hardwood species. This type of wood will be much denser and more robust than the hardwood species harvested today. When properly cared for, reclaimed wood flooring can last for another lifetime (or two). The EPA estimates that over 569 million tons of construction and demolition debris was generated in the United States in 2017. Much of that debris was perfectly good wood that prematurely ends up in landfills around the country.
A polished concrete floor is an alternative to traditional flooring, where concrete is poured into a flat slab and then polished once cured. It's easy to maintain, low-cost, and a great option for passive solar heating as it can absorb and release heat throughout the day.
Unlike thin layers of vinyl flooring, vinyl plank flooring is thicker and manufactured in long planks that snap or click into place with a tongue-and-groove system. Vinyl plank flooring can take on many looks, including wood, ceramic, porcelain, marble, and granite.
Laminate flooring is synthetic flooring made by fusing multiple layers of material. Its popularity has increased lately due to its low cost to purchase, install, and maintain. Some laminate flooring manufacturers also add an antimicrobial resin layer for hygienic purposes.
Porcelain tile flooring is made from dense clay that is fired at extremely high temperatures. It is an entirely natural flooring alternative that is usually less porous than regular ceramic tile.
Ceramic tile flooring is a flooring type made from a mixture of water, sand, and clay. Like porcelain tiles, ceramic tile flooring is an all-natural and durable flooring alternative.
Travertine flooring is made from natural stone that was originally sourced from parts of Europe. Besides being naturally beautiful, this stone flooring can be manufactured into different finishes, including brushed, matte, polished, or tumbled.
Sandstone flooring is a natural flooring with earthy tones of tan, sand, gold, red, and brown. This flooring type mimics the look of beach or desert sand and is quarried from the earth in large slabs later cut into smaller pieces for manufacturing.
Limestone flooring is usually one of the most affordable natural stone flooring alternatives and is made from sedimentary rocks found at the sea's bottom. Limestone flooring is pressurized due to its origins making it a durable option ev4en though there are aesthetic signs of pores.
Marble is a natural quarried stone from the limestone family that is made from metamorphic rock. Through a naturally occurring process called metamorphosis, limestone, along convergent plate boundaries, is subjected to heat and pressure, causing calcite in limestone to recrystallize. Characterized by various colors, patterns, and swirls, marble has been used to make flooring, countertops, sculptures, and buildings for thousands of years.
Linoleum flooring is made from natural materials, such as wood flour, powdered cork, ground limestone, rosins, jute, linseed oil, and pigments. This eco-friendly flooring type can take on many different styles, textures, and colors and does not emit VOCs. Contrary to other flooring types, linoleum has a cushioning feel when walking.
Parquet flooring offers a mosaic pattern of geometrically arranged wood pieces providing a truly unique aesthetic quality to any home. It is often made from reclaimed, solid, or engineered wood. The type of wood used also influences how the flooring is manufactured.
Terrazzo flooring has long been a staple of elite homes of the wealthiest people around the world. Small granite and marble chips are uniquely set into a resin or concrete binder, leaving your home with a beautiful mosaic style flooring.
