The floors in your family’s home need to be able to cope with the pressures of family life. Children spend a lot of time on the floor, whether they’re learning to crawl or playing with their toys. Family floors need to be easy to clean, durable and safe. Could wood floors be the right choice?
They’re Healthier
If you’re looking for a floor that is safe for kids, then you might want to choose a natural material like wood. Materials like carpet and LVT are full of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) which could be dangerous to your children and to the environment.
In fact, solid wood flooring can improve the air quality in your home. Wood floors don’t trap dust as carpet does, and they also don’t trap debris and other allergens. This is great for asthmatic children or for any child who likes to play on the floor.
They’re Shock Absorbing
A lot of parents worry that wood floors are too hard for children, and will cause injuries if they slip and fall. Accidents happen in all family homes, but wood is not actually as hard as you might think.
In fact, wood acts as a natural shock absorber and is much softer than falling onto tile or LVT, making wood floors a better alternative for flooring in your home than you might think. If it’s combined with high-quality, thick underlay, wood flooring shouldn’t hurt your children any more than any other flooring type.
They’re Easy To Clean
Children spill things, drop things and knock things over. Carpet won’t cope well with spilled drinks, knocked-over paints, or dropped food. Over time, the carpet will absorb all these things and get dirty and very hard to clean. This can end up costing you a lot of time and money either trying to get your carpets clean again or having to replace them.
Wood flooring is harder and has a flat surface, so most spills will sit above the surface and can be cleaned away with a quick wipe with a cloth. Even more stubborn spills will be easier to clean if you know how to clean wood floors correctly.
They’re Easy To Fix
Spills might be no problem to sort out, but what about other damage? Flooring can end up scratched and dented if your children are enthusiastic with their toys or like to run around the house. With some floors, this is a big problem. However, with a wood floor, you can hide the damage by sanding and refinishing the floors, which is much cheaper and easier than making major floor repairs.
Being able to easily sand out the damage is a big advantage if you have clumsy children who drop things.
Wood floors can be a great option in a family home, especially in busy areas like the kitchen. They’re hard-wearing, easy to clean and a lot less dangerous than you might think for falls. The improved air quality is an extra bonus of a floor that will work hard and look good.
