Flooring is an important part of any building, as it adds beauty and charm to every room. The flooring provides a smooth, clean, impervious, durable, colourful, hard and attractive surface. If you are a working parent and have kids crawling on the floor or kids playing mostly outdoors, the type of flooring in your house will affect your quality of life.
There are many options available to select a flooring of your house. But for kids’ room there only a few kid-friendly flooring options available in the market. Flooring for kids is generally temporary and after some years is to be replaced. Hence a parent is confused as to which flooring to select? Wood flooring? Laminate flooring? Carpets? Vinyl Flooring? etc. The list is endless. Here we have discussed some kid friendly flooring options, parents must consider, before buying flooring for their house.
Kids love to play on floors; however, they are prone to falling and get hurt. Hence, one of the major considerations while buying flooring for kids is safety. The flooring must be such that it does not hurt the kids playing around. Along with safety, the flooring must be hygienic.
Here are some kid friendly flooring options that you must consider for your kids’ room.
01. Area Rugs:
Area rugs are common choices for budget-friendly parents. If you have wood flooring or laminate flooring in your house already installed, installing new flooring over it can be an expensive option. Area rugs are a form of temporary flooring. They are portable and handy and hence are very popular. If you are working in the kitchen and you want to keep an eye on your child, then you just have to take the area rug in the kitchen. Area rugs are soft and warm and thus are comfortable for kids. They are very easy to clean and maintain. These are perfect for toddlers and kids who have just started walking. In the future, as your child grows, and if you do not require a rug, you can remove it. It is recommended to select area rugs made from natural fibers and not foam pads.
Courtesy – Kobra
02. Rubber Flooring:
Rubber flooring is also a good kid friendly option and widely used in day-care centres and nurseries. Rubber can take a high load and hence is more used in high traffic areas. It is very easy to clean; you just need warm water and a cloth. It provides a soft surface for accidental falls and absorbs sound up to 18 decibels. Rubber flooring is known to emit odour. The odour is not harmful to children, but they sometimes find it irritating.
Courtesy – Walker Tiles
03. Cork Flooring:
Cork gives a look of wood flooring, but is soft underfoot, just like a carpet. It has a major advantage over a carpet that does not collect bacteria and dust and can be easily cleaned. Hence it is a hygienic option for kids. Cork is a natural material and can be recycled after its use. Cork flooring resists spills and stains if sealed properly. As cork is very soft, it is susceptible to damage and scratches.
04. Wood Flooring:
Wood flooring is a popular option for parents. Wood flooring is made from natural wood and hence is non-toxic to kids. It is very easy to clean and maintain wood flooring. A vacuum cleaner and a damp mop are sufficient to clean the wood flooring. As wood has less porosity, they do not promote the growth of bacteria. It can be easily repaired by sanding and lasts several years.
But they are prone to scratches, which can be very common if you have kids which love to play in the garden. Wood flooring is not recommended for toddlers, as it can hurt if they fall. Wood flooring of light coloured trees is most preferable, as they make the room bright.
Courtesy – ESBflooring
05. Laminate Flooring:
Laminate flooring is one of the popular kid friendly flooring options and is perfect for parents who are budget conscious and want a luxurious look for their home. Laminate flooring is cheap, easily available and easy to clean. It has a protective overlay due to which spills can be easily cleaned. It is also scratch resistant unlike wood flooring. Laminate flooring is available in a variety of designs and patterns of wood, stone, or custom made designs.
Laminate flooring is very easy to install. It consists of the core made up of HDF or MDF, which is softer as compared to natural wood. Hence, accidental falls will be less hurtful. It is to be noted that laminate flooring is very slippery when wet. Also, it is known to emit VOCs which are harmful to humans. Alternatively, low VOC laminate flooring is also available.
Courtesy – Carpet Guys
06. Vinyl Flooring:
Just like laminate flooring, vinyl flooring is easy to install. Vinyl flooring is highly water resistant and spill resistant. It does not promote the growth of bacteria, as it non-porous. It provides a soft surface for accidental falls. Vinyl flooring can be easily cleaned using a vacuum cleaner and a damp cloth.
While selecting vinyl flooring, you should select flooring from manufacturers which do not use phthalates in the manufacturing process. Phthalates are harmful to human bodies.
07. Carpets:
Carpet is a very popular option for parents whose kids are only a few months old. Due to its soft and warm properties, they are very comfortable for kids. For toddlers who are prone to falling, it is a perfect option. Carpets absorb sound and are slip-proof. But carpets are known to promote bacteria growth and in-house allergens which can cause allergies to kids. It is important to clean carpets regularly and carefully. If you are a working parent, this can be a very difficult task. Also spills on carpet are not easy to clean. The carpets are to be replaced periodically, as they have less durability.
If you select carpet flooring for your kid’s room, it should be cleaned regularly. Choose carpet made of natural material such as wool. Avoid selecting synthetic carpets which are made of propylene and nylon fibres.
Courtesy – Infokids
Amongst the aforementioned kid friendly flooring options, you can select suitable flooring according to your requirements. The flooring, you select must be attractive, safe and comfortable for your children. If budget permits, luxurious wood flooring covered with area rugs is the best flooring for kids. For people who are budget conscious, rubber flooring or cork flooring may be a good kid friendly flooring option. Laminate flooring or vinyl flooring is also a popular option, as they are very easy to clean and are inexpensive.