Are you trying to find the right flooring material for a nursery? Or maybe you are looking to redecorate the entire home in anticipation to welcoming a newborn? Then there are two main aspects to keep mind at once:
- You need a flooring option that will help protect your child
- You need a flooring option that will be protected from your child
Failing to observe either of these aspects is asking for trouble, one way or another. Luckily, there are now many viable options available in terms of flooring options suitable for kids. This article will provide a useful overview of your best available options, which should make your decision process simpler and quicker.
From traditional carpets to eco-friendly materials such as cork and wood, from (certain) laminate flooring to modern composite decking boards, there are some really interesting options out there – each with particular benefits and disadvantages that are ultimately subjective and depend on your preference and your lifestyle… as well as your available budget.
Any of the options listed here will be suitable to provide a safe ground for your child that will endure the abuse which is to be naturally expected from a toddler. Read through the following sections, and you will quickly grasp your best options and realize which material best suits your household as well as your budget.
Hardwood
Hardwood is one of the most common, traditional choices for children friendly flooring materials. Up until recently, hardwood was indisputably the best available choice – the only notable downside being its substantial costs. While there are now very appealing alternatives (that you’ll learn about below), for many the style and comfort provide by hardwood makes this a premier choice.
Asides from its pleasing, high-quality look, hardwood is very durable and very easy to clean.Yes, its cost is also a bit steep, but when you think of hardwood as a long-term investment, you often realize it can be a solid option. Unlike lesser quality materials that will look worn out after a few years, hardwood can last for a lifetime and remain in excellent condition, provided it’s taken good care of.
Another notable benefit of hardwood is how it contributes to keeping a healthy air quality indoors, since it won’t serve as a nest for assorted germs and parasites like carpets will, for example. Since this material has a high density, that also means it will improve the acoustics of a room, by dismissing hollow sounds and odd vibrations which are so common in lesser quality materials.
It’s also worth pointing out that hardwoods are available in a wide variety of styles and colors, depending on the type of wood (along with the species and its particular stain patterns) that was used as the base material.
Cork
This is a material which has been growing in popularity in recent years, since it has some unique properties that make it very suitable for a modern home – and especially for a nursery or child’s room. While it’s not as prestigious looking as hardwood, it can be very aesthetically versatile, and the cost is typically much lower in comparison.
Security, comfort and convenience are the main selling points of a cork flooring… which is why so many people are turning to this material when it’s time to decorate a nursery or otherwise renovate their entire house in anticipation for a new baby. This could be one of the best available options when you consider its low cost and high quality.
Cork flooring is very easy to install, and it won’t crack nor will be susceptible to abrasions. Moreover, it’s impermeable to liquids – which can be a major selling point when you realize that accidental spillings are a very common occurrence when you’re raising a child. There is really no need to cry over spilled milk when you choose a flooring material like this, which is so very easy to clean.
Not only is it impervious to liquids and gas, cork flooring is also resistant to mold, termites and mildew, and it’s very fire-resistant (it does ignite, but at much higher temperatures than wood). Its natural insulation properties also make this material very comfortable, and suitable for walking around barefoot like children always do.
Bamboo
Bamboo flooring is one of the greatest innovations in modern housing (second in potential only to composite decking boards), and while it’s relatively new, its use is quickly gaining traction. Many people claim that bamboo has more benefits and higher durability than hardwood, and its cost tends to be lower. But there are many other reasons why you may want to choose bamboo flooring.
A major selling point of bamboo flooring over hardwood is how it will withstand constant and moisture pressure without ever bending – which as you may now, is the Achilles’ heel of hardwood flooring. This can be particularly useful for a young child’s room since it will keep you from getting too worked up in face of accidental spilling, which will be absolutely harmless when you’re dealing with bamboo… and not so much when you have wood based flooring.
This is only possible since bamboo is such an incredibly flexible and resilient material that is also very easy to clean, wax and maintain in excellent condition. Since it also features a high density, it will make for both effective thermal insulation, as well as a noise buffer – with virtually no squeaking and stepping sounds to be heard.
Laminate Flooring
Laminate materials are one of the most common options used in modern interior flooring. While it’s not exactly a stellar long-term investment (since it won’t add value to your home), its low cost and ease of installation make it very appealing to anyone who is on a budget. It also offers many of the benefits available from higher grade materials, at just a fraction of the cost.
By choosing laminate materials, you will get a resilient surface that is very easy to clean and maintain, as well as one that often does a very good job at emulating more expensive materials.
Laminate flooring typically features a top coating that makes it very resistant to dents and scratches as well as keeping the inner coating impervious to stains and fading out, which means this material can last a long while if it’s taken good care of.
The major downside of laminate flooring is that when it does start to wear out, it will quickly degrade into a unsightly horror, since this typically happens when top layer was eroded. Luckily, you now have modern alternatives to laminate materials which work around these common issues.
Plastic Composite Decking
Plastic composite decking is a huge trend in modern flooring, because it essentially combines all the benefits of premium materials in a new option that has a fraction of the cost and is also very eco-friendly, since it’s made of recycled materials.
This is state of the art material, which many specialists claim actually outperforms wood in term of durability – especially where it concerns its resistance to sun damage. Plastic composite decking has been engineered to handle all the damage which is common in a busy household with children; it will not warp, splinter, crack or rot, and it will preserve its appearance much longer than conventional laminate materials, it comprises materials like grey decking, anthracite grey decking etc.
It’s also strikingly low maintenance, and its superior quality coating will dispense the need for periodic refinishing (which is an absolute requirement in wood based materials). Additionally, it is available in many styles, and this material can be cut down and adapted into virtually any decoration style and renovation project. For these reasons, many people are now choosing the top quality composite decking boards supplied by Ultra decking as the leading option for a family-friendly flooring.
