Flooring has come a long way from the days of simply using just plain old dirt (believe it or not there are homes in my neighbourhood – East York – that still have a dirt floor basement). Choices for what can go under your sensitive feet are plenty, and new products are being introduced into an ever-crowded marketplace on a regular basis. Below are just a few of your choices and some of the pros and cons related to each.
Considerations Regarding Your Ultimate Choice Of Flooring
In my own two-story home I have four different types of flooring: Ceramic tiles (in kitchen and bathrooms), hardwood (on each floor), linoleum (in laundry room), and finally carpeting for the basement. There are many things to consider when choosing the right flooring for you and your family. These include:
1) What type of foot traffic will the area see? Will it be heavy, moderate or light?
2) If someone suffers from allergies or asthma then perhaps carpet, as it captures and holds dust, is not your best choice; whereas hardwood or tiles may be better suited for your needs.
3) Cost factor. How much will the product be to buy and install per square foot of area space?
4) Maintenance and durability. How much care will your choice of flooring require to keep it looking good year after year?
5) Indoor air quality. This is important as certain types of flooring, because of glues and chemicals used in their construction ‘off gas’ for months, which can cause health problems for sensitive people. A good rule of thumb is that if something has a strong odour then it is ‘off-gassing’. (example: new carpet smell)
Types Of Flooring
Many products fill countless big box stores, and here are just a few of the more popular choices for your home.
Hardwood: In my home I have hardwood on every level. In fact, most of it is the original hardwood that was put down when the home was built in 1920′s! The material used in hardwood floors can be oak, beech, maple or birch. The beauty of hardwood is that with proper care it can virtually last forever. It’s easy to clean, and for those with asthma it’s the perfect choice. Many of my clients look for homes with hardwood floors so using this product can increase your home’s value.
Some problems with using hardwood is that over time because of shrinking and expanding (as all wood does) cracks may appear between the boards. Hardwood is very hard but if you drop something heavy onto it, it will dent the floor. As well, standing water will discolour and wear away the finish, and fixing small, damaged areas is difficult as the entire floor may need to be sanded and then re-finished to effect repair. Also, outfitting your home completely with hardwood can be very expensive.
Laminates: From the same family as hardwoods this choice is proving ever-popular with homeowners for a variety of reasons. Laminates are relatively inexpensive per square foot compared to hardwoods, and like hardwoods reasonably durable. Laminates are not difficult to install, virtually anyone can do it, and are easy to maintain. They come pre-finished, and are less likely to suffer from the shrinking and expanding that hardwoods are prone to.
Another excellent feature of this product is that because it employs a tongue and groove method for installation the need for a lot of glues can be reduced. One problem though with laminates is that because they come pre-finished from the factory if they become worn they cannot be re-finished in your home and need to be replaced. Also, they can warp easily in moisture prone areas, say by your front door where winter boots will be placed onto it.
Carpeting: There certainly is nothing like the feeling of luxurious, rich carpeting under your bare feet on a cold winter’s day, and this makes carpeting the flooring choice for many Canadian families. Carpeting also absorbs sounds, comes in myriad colours and can be quite luxurious. Many materials can be used in the making of this product such as: wool, cotton, polyester, nylon etc. and each has its own durability factor. One would probably not want to place a thick plush wool carpet in a high traffic area such as a foyer; here instead a durable polyester/rayon blend would likely be a better match.
The look of carpeting throughout a home can be quite inviting and warm, but it is not without its share of problems. Carpets accumulate dust, mites and moulds and can ‘off-gas’ for months after installation. For those with allergies/asthma carpeting might not be the wisest choice for your floor covering. Carpets can also stain easily and be expensive to clean, and any source of water spilling onto them poses a definite problem for both carpeting and the under-padding (potential mould and rot). Hence, carpeting should not be used in kitchens, bathrooms or basements with moisture concerns. And, unlike laminates which can be a do-it-yourself install, carpeting over large areas requires a professional and adds to the cost factor.
Ceramic Tiles: This type of flooring works well for high-moisture areas, and is great for covering radiant floor heating. Unlike the other choices mentioned thus far, ceramic tiles are non-combustible and fire resistant. If spilled upon they generally clean up well. And, colour choices are endless! Also, they tend to hold their original appearance well over time, and can tolerate heavy foot traffic (you tend to see a lot of tiling in shopping malls). With regard to your health, ceramic tiles are a good choice as it resists dust and mould problems.
Some drawbacks to tiles are: can be very costly to install as it is very labour intensive and if not done by the right professional will begin to show problems early like cracking, grout deterioration etc. When wet, tiles are slippery and as one gets older may prove difficult to manage. If a tile becomes damaged and needs replaced unless you have some extra ones lying around from the original batch you purchased, then finding a match will prove elusive. Unlike carpeting, tiles do not muffle sound nor are they comfortable to stand on for long periods of time. And, they require a proper sub-floor, again adding to cost.
There are many other materials which can be used as flooring. These include: cork (softer under your feet – better for standing on); bamboo (highly sustainable and eco-friendly); linoleum (good for laundry rooms/kitchens); rubber (durable) and even concrete! Whatever product you choose make sure it is a healthy, aesthetic, and functional one for you and your family.
