Natural Flooring


There are 5 main types of natural flooring and carpets.

  • Coir from coconuts
  • Seagrass grown in paddy fields flooded with sea water
  • Sisal from the Agave sisalana bush
  • Jute from the jute plant
  • 100% Wool Carpets

Things to look for with Natural Flooring & carpets Products

Natural fibre carpets not only look good, but they are sustainable and recyclable.  Natural flooring products like sisal carpet look fantastic in the right setting, however before considering natural flooring on looks alone you need to be aware of the practical characteristics of natural carpets and flooring.  By doing this you will ensure you get the right type of flooring for your home.

Coir is very hard wearing, hence doormatting is made out of very coarse coir. However it has a rough hairy finish so it may not be suitable in areas where you might want to sit on the floor or walk around with bare feet.  Excellent for areas where you get a lot of traffic.

 

Seagrass is extremely hard wearing but it is smooth and slightly slippery so it should not be used on stairs. It is very resistant to staining.  However it is difficult to dye therefore is only available in a limited range of natural colours.

 

Jute is soft underfoot, but not very hard-wearing so is most suitable for bedrooms.

 

 

Sisal carpet is a strong hard wearing versatile product that comes in a number of designs and colour ways.  It makes and excellent choice for stair carpets and hallways.

 

Wool carpets are also in the natural fibre section, as like the other products which are more normally regarded as natural fibre products, it has all the same features.  It is completely sustainable and recyclable. Wool carpets have been around in the UK much longer than the other natural fibre products.  This is because the other products have to be imported as they are sourced from plant fibres not grown in the UK, (so if you are looking for a truly environmentally carpet you need to think about the airmiles).   Sadly there are only a few uk carpet manufacturers.   100% wool carpets are available, however in high traffic areas, like lounges, stairs and landings a mix with some other harder wearing fibres are recommended. 

Maintenance of Natural Flooring

All carpets and flooring including natural flooring should be vacuumed regularly to keep dust levels to a minimum. It is not recommended that natural flooring are used in rooms likely to have spillage like a kitchen because stains can be trapped in the weave.  The Alternative Flooring Company offer a stain guarding  treatment for their rugs, carpets and flooring that we would recommend.  This stain treatment is applied before delivery and fitting of the carpet.

Installation of Natural Flooring

These carpets floorings should be fitted by a natural carpet and floor fitting expert, using a double stick system. That is using underlay stuck to the floor and then the flooring stuck to the underlay.  This prevents these products stretching and moving.

Our preferred supplier for Natural looring Products is the Alternative Flooring Company, however we also work with Kersaint Cobb, Roger Oates and Crucial Trading.

If you are looking for Natural flooring products, including Jute, Sisal carpet, Seagrass and Coir matting in the Rugby, Leicester, Daventry and surrounding areas please call Stewart on 07860 869169 for a FREE no obligation home quote.

Take a look at our blog for a range of information about carpets, vinyls and wood flooring.