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flooring options for your retail space

When opening a retail store, you may have to make a decision about the flooring being installed. If you are fortunate enough to get to plan the design of the interior of the building, you have quite a few great options to consider. Our blog is all about commercial flooring for retail spaces. You will learn about the different types of flooring available that will help to reduce the amount of noise that is carried through the building, how to find easy to care for flooring and what you can do to make your decision a little easier on your mind and your budget.

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flooring options for your retail space

Three Ways To Make The Carpet Installation Process Greener

by Vanessa Douglas

If you value green living, then you were probably careful to choose a carpet that is made with eco-friendly and perhaps even recycled materials. That's a great first step towards eco-friendly flooring, but it's not everything. To ensure your carpeted floor is as green as possible, it's important that you (or the people installing your carpet) take three steps during the carpet installation process.

Use a low-VOC carpet padding.

As you may know, VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, are chemical substances that may leech out of a material as it sits. They include benzene, acetone, toluene, and a host of other compounds. These have been linked to headaches, nausea and dizziness, and they can increase the risk of cancer -- not just for you, but for any living being that is exposed to them.

Since carpet padding is a common source of VOCs, make sure you specifically choose padding that is marketed as low-VOC or VOC-free. Your carpet installation specialist should be able to suggest a padding that meets these standards.

Use an all-natural carpet glue.

Not all carpet installation projects require glue. Depending on the layout of your room, your installer may be able to use just tacks to secure your carpet. Ask if this is a possibility. If your installer says that glue must be used for the project, then request that an eco-friendly, natural glue be used. Fewer pollutants are generated when making this kind of glue than when making the adhesives typically used for carpets. If your installer does not typically carry all-natural glue, ask if you can purchase some separately and supply if for them to use on the day of installation. You can find such products at a home improvement store.

Recycle your old carpet.

Don't just let the installer haul the old carpet away to a dump, where it will add to the mountains of waste. Some great ways to recycle the carpet include:

  • If it is in good shape, look for a carpet recycling center to take it to. Many centers use their donated carpets for charity purposes -- like carpeting homeless shelters and temporary housing.
  • Sell it online for a small fee. Someone might be interested in using it for projects like building cat climbing towers or lining a dog house.
  • Use it yourself for a range or projects or to add some comfort to a lounge room in your garage or basement.

With the tips above, you can ensure your carpet installation is better for the environment. Many carpet installation companies have begun to adopt greener practices and will thus be happy to accommodate these requests.

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