Healthy Flooring: Choosing the Safest Option for Your Living Space
With a growing majority of people focusing on keeping their homes healthy and clean, it’s easy to overlook flooring as a source of toxins and allergens. If not managed properly, these can pose serious risks.
This blog will help homeowners like you make healthy flooring decisions for your homes.
What Makes It Healthy Flooring ?
There are factors to consider when it comes to your healthy flooring. One key thing is to minimise VOC (organic compound) emission. Ideally, VOC emissions should be zero to maintain excellent air quality for everyone in your building.
You can achieve this by using non-toxic products for your floors, such as third-party-certified finishes and adhesives. Also, moisture and bacterial resistance are crucial for keeping your floors in great condition.
Natural Healthy Flooring Options
There are several flooring materials which can be used for different purposes and needs.
These include, for example, solid hardwood flooring, which offers a natural aesthetic with long-lasting materials that can be recoated numerous times, though it can be prone to moisture damage.
A more sustainable option could be bamboo, which offers a highly sustainable flooring option with high moisture resistance, though it can be problematic unless well sealed.
Other healthy flooring materials could be cork, which offers antimicrobial properties and high resistance to mould growth, though it must be well maintained with regular resealing.
Low Emission Manufactured Flooring
If natural flooring is not a suitable option, there are manufactured options that can also be low-emission and provide a natural-looking finish.
This includes engineered wood, which features low-formaldehyde cores that provide high moisture stability and offer the aesthetic of real timber. Vinyl alternatives are another low-VOC certified option and are easier to maintain than natural wood.
Hypoallergenic and Easy-to-Clean Flooring
With many people suffering from allergies, the importance of hypoallergenic, easy-to-clean flooring is evident in many homes and organisations. This includes smooth flooring that does not allow allergens, such as dust mites and mould, to collect, and does not require harsh chemicals for cleaning.
Hypoallergenic flooring includes hardwood flooring (oak, maple, and walnut), which is securely sealed to prevent contaminants, as well as luxury vinyl flooring and laminate flooring, which can be cheaper alternatives.
Flooring to Avoid or Use with Caution
Flooring that may cause issues down the line includes poorly sealed or installed wood planks that absorb moisture easily, older vinyl flooring that may contain harmful chemicals, and carpets that trap allergens and dust mites, leading to long-term health conditions and reactions.
Best Flooring Choices for Different Rooms
When deciding on the best flooring for each room in the building, it is important to consider the activities that will take place there. For instance, the kitchen requires floors that can withstand moisture and should be easy to clean. Luxury vinyl tiles can be used as kitchen flooring since they resemble wood and are waterproof.
The bathroom requires floors that do not allow slipping, even when wet. This is a critical consideration, as it affects the safety of people using the floors. Porcelain tiles are a popular choice for bathroom flooring because they are waterproof and non-slip.
The bedroom and living room floors (i.e., cork floors) are suitable, comfortable, durable, and do not accumulate much mould or dust. Additionally, they are hypoallergenic, which is important for the bedroom and living room floors.
Environmental and Sustainability Considerations
Being mindful of our surroundings and how our flooring contributes to them will prompt us to buy sustainable, recyclable, and biodegradable products. A good example of this is bamboo, which has a rapid growth rate and a maturation period of 3-5 years, compared to traditional hardwoods.
Another example is reclaimed wood, where they salvage old barns and use the wood for flooring to avoid deforestation.
In summary, healthy flooring helps create an ideal environment for everyone. By choosing materials prioritising durability and making informed decisions, you can improve air quality and create a comfortable space for all occupants.
Looking to improve the health and performance of your space? Precision FM can support healthy flooring upgrades, maintenance, and broader facility solutions tailored to your needs.
Contact us today to discuss your requirements and discover how we can help create safer, healthier environments.
