Eco-materials are beautiful, perform well, are third party eco-certified, and are great for the environment and your health! They are now mainstream and a popular choice in kitchen and bath renovations or in an entire LEED-certified home. Examples include materials that are locally sourced, have recycled content, are designed to have a better impact on our planet, and lack toxins that can affect our health. Paints with low or no VOC’s, bamboo floors, cabinets, low-flow water fixtures, energy efficient lighting, recycled glass tiles, quartz countertops, and repurposed wood are all great eco-design choices!
If you want to renovate “green”, look for third party certifications like Cradle to Cradle®, GREENGUARD, FSC sustainable forest lumber, etc. Consider working with a contractor who has the vision to reuse and repurpose your architectural home features and helps you find eco-friendly materials to give your family and your pets a healthy, beautiful, and eco-friendly home. Steve Thompson from Thompson Remodeling, LLC can help with that.
Steve believes in reusing materials whenever possible. “On one of our job sites we took down a beautiful mantle,” says owner, Steven Thompson. “The homeowner told us to throw it out, but we saved it. And now, we’re using this nice custom mantel on another job. We’re not the type of business where we’re just going to toss things that can be reused.”
Countertops are also definitely undergoing a makeover. “Granite is kind of old news now,” he says. “People are more often using quartz. Some are doing concrete countertops, which can be durable, nice and elegant. Others want recycled copper. These products will last a long time. “
“We always try to recycle what you already have. For example, for a lighting fixture, let’s try to clean it up and reinstall it in a basement bathroom.”
For hardwood floors, polyurethanes are on the way out. Healthier and more earth-friendly products are being used to seal and protect wood. “We use a water-based substance for hardwood floors, which is protecting us from all those toxic elements used back in the 70s and 80s,” he says.
Caring for products correctly and using natural cleaners also helps materials last longer. “People talk about cleaning tiles using bleach and other chemicals, but these break down the actual materials that are in the product,” says Steven. By throwing chemicals on it, it’s going to take the polish away, break down the grout, and the tiles will start pulling away from the surface.”
Once a home is remodeled, you want it to not only look nice, but also be energy efficient. Well-sealed windows are critical, and spray foam insulation works great, he says.
For your next home renovation or addition, think “green”! You will be happy you did. https://thompsonremodelingnj.com/.