New flooring can make a huge difference to the look of any room, but with so much choice about, it’s hard to know where to start. Here at The Idealist, we love a beautiful carpet, but like many of our readers we also love the style and clean look of wooden floors. Again, like many of you, we have young families to think about, so here’s our guide to the best choice of flooring for the family home.
Am I doing it right?
As a parent, there’s a lot to think about, not just the usual “am I doing this right?” kind of thing.. no we mean there’s a lot to think about in your home. We’re pretty sure that you will have gone through all of the safety precautions that you can think of; “is the baby gate on right?” “do I need to put some foam on these door handles” “will they escape?!” – no really, if you’re in a multi-storey flat we can guarantee that this has gone through your head at least once. But have you considered the other things that could be affected by your bundle of joy? That other thing being, your floors! If you haven’t then we’re here to inform you of the choices you can make when it comes to child-friendly flooring, so sit back, relax and let us wash away all those worries you didn’t know you had…
Bamboo
Interesting fact about bamboo – it’s not just for the pandas! Over the past decade it has seen an increase in use around the home due to its ability to handle a lot of foot traffic, making it ideal for a busy family. As it is so tough there’s no reason to worry about your little one scratching or damaging the floor, it can literally take whatever is thrown at it – and we know that they like to do a lot of throwing! Aside from being the macho-man of the flooring world, bamboo has had a lot of press due to its environmentally friendly qualities, in fact it’s probably one of the most sustainable materials available. This is because bamboo isn’t actually classed as a tree, it is grass and it grows at a much quicker rate than trees do which makes it more renewable and much better for our lovely planet!
Engineered Wood
If you love solid wood but aren’t too keen on the price tag then why not look into engineered wood flooring? Ideal for those who are on a bit of a budget, it’s much cheaper than real wood but when it comes to telling the difference, you really can’t! Engineered wood is great for a busy home due to the way that it is constructed that ensures maximum durability.
To break it down, this type of wood is made from lots of different layers that have been bonded (fused together) to provide more stability to the boards. Speaking of stability, you’ll find that most manufacturers offer an impressive guarantee with engineered wood products which certainly gives you peace of mind as a parent and homeowner! If however the unlikely does happen and damage does occur to your floor then it’s worth noting that engineered wood can be sanded and refinished multiple times to give it the same quality finish that it had on the day of installation. So if something does happen, you don’t need to worry about expensive replacements etc, just fix it yourself (or ask someone else to do it for you – that always works!).
Laminate
Laminate is an old favourite in the flooring world, the beauty of it is that it’s simple but effective, in fact you’d be surprised at the impact that laminate can have on a room. The purpose of this post is to discuss the flooring options that would best suit a family home and it’s fair to say that a lot definitely goes off in one, so it’s crucial that floors can withstand any impact that they are faced with.
Laminate definitely lives up to this, whether its a kids toy, football boots or even pet claws, laminate is resistant to pretty much anything! Its scratch and stain resistant properties are probably why it remains to be such a popular choice in homes across the world. Again, this is another type of floor that is really easy to keep clean, which helps it keep up with the family-friendly vibe. A simple dust or sweep should do the trick or, for a bit more of a thorough clean, a warm damp cloth or mop will be fine. Although it bears a similar appearance to real wood laminate is a much cheaper alternative and comes in a plenty of shades and designs, so you don’t always have to go for the stereotypical wood effect if you fancy something a little different.
Vinyl
When you mention vinyl to people you’re often greeted with the same response, a quick turn up of the nose and onto the next option. But in truth, we don’t agree with the bad rep that vinyl gets because in hindsight it’s one of the most family friendly options out there at the moment. You see, for years there has been a common misconception that vinyl is cheap and flimsy, but again, we wouldn’t have included it in our ‘best of’ list if this was the case! Yes, vinyl is a bit lighter on your wallet than the other choices we have mentioned, but it’s by no means any less in quality. Due to the way that vinyl is manufactured (baked using felt or foam) it provides a softer surface with plenty of flexibility and give – which is ideal for homes with smaller children.
Another key quality for parents alike is that the material is easy to clean, something which we can definitely vouch for with vinyl. Simply mop or wipe any mess that your little cherub has made and wait for the next lot – easy!
Without further deliberation, there they are, our favourite floors ideal for a family home!
There’s a whole host of choices of flooring at Luxury Flooring and right now they’re offering free samples, free delivery on larger orders and 28 days return.
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Feature photo © goodluz / 123RF Stock Photo
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