Environmentally Friendly Building and Remodeling Materials

Once seen as extreme or eccentric, environmentally friendly living spaces are going mainstream. You don't have to strain your budget or your sense of style to choose a healthy home -- these days, it's easy being green. Here's what's new in environmentally friendly products and materials for the home.

This category encompasses materials that are recycled, sustainably harvested, or organically grown. One retro option now available again (from Forbo and Armstrong) is real linoleum -- made from biodegradable linseed oil, pine rosins, and wood flour on a jute backing.

• Recycled products are filling the market faster than aluminum cans at a sporting event. Look for rubber and polymer roofing that imitates slate to reduce weight and maintenance. In countertops, IceStone blends 75 percent recycled glass with concrete for durable countertops, backsplashes, shower surrounds, walls, and floors. See 20 standard colors at their Web site, www.icestone.biz.

• Lumber choices may seem confusing. Avoid products produced from old growth timber or endangered tropical hardwoods. Seek out certified and managed forests, recycled or reclaimed wood (salvaged from riverbeds or old buildings), or composites such as hardwood-veneered MDF (medium-density fiberboard) for doors and cabinets. An early green favorite with architects, fast-growing bamboo makes beautiful, durable flooring. Teragren sells bamboo in random lengths, wide planks, and a new "floating" (non-glued) product. Look for inspiring photographs at the Teragren Web site, www.teragren.com.

• Outdoor products have evolved, too. Treated lumber eliminated arsenic for less toxic preservatives. Formed from ground wood fibers and resin, composite decking and railing won't rot or need painting. CorrectDeck (www.correctdeck.com) is splinter-free and cool underfoot, and its woodgrain planks can be joined with hidden fasteners.