Cork, linoleum and bamboo flooring

Reviewers recommend cork, linoleum or bamboo for people who want flooring made of easily renewable resources. When people talk about "green" flooring, they are usually referring to cork or bamboo. Cork (*est. $4 to $10 per sq. ft.) is harvested without killing the tree. Bamboo (*est. $3 to $10 per sq. ft.) is a fast-growing grass that gives the appearance of wood. And linoleum (*est. $3 to $7 per sq. ft.) is composed of pine resins, sawdust, cork dust and limestone attached to a jute backing. Cork is easy to install and can be as quiet and warm underfoot as carpeting. However, uncoated cork flooring is absorbent and easily stained, making it a poor choice for kitchens and bathrooms. Linoleum is a good option for wet areas, but it needs frequent finishing because it is porous, and it's not as stylish as cork or bamboo. Bamboo is a preferred "green" choice over hardwood flooring (*est. $7 to $12 per sq. ft.) because it takes from three to six years to reach maturity compared with more than 50 years for oak or maple.

Consumer Reports covers "green" flooring options in its Aug. 2008 report. The actual rankings chart, however, requires a subscription. We found good general information on bamboo and cork flooring on the website of home-improvements columnist Tim Carter, and information about cork flooring on the website of home-improvement columnist James Dulley.