Tag: flooring options

Allergy-Friendly Hardwood Flooring: The Perfect Choice for Allergy Sufferers

For individuals or families dealing with allergies, selecting the right flooring is crucial for maintaining a healthy indoor environment. Hardwood flooring emerges as an ideal solution due to several key advantages that directly benefit allergy sufferers.

Non-Allergenic Surface: One of the primary advantages of hardwood floors is their non-allergenic nature. Unlike carpets that can trap dust mites, pet dander, pollen, and mold, hardwood surfaces remain smooth and do not harbor these allergens. This makes it easier to clean and prevents the accumulation of particles that can trigger allergic reactions.

Easy Maintenance: Keeping hardwood floors clean is straightforward and effective in managing allergens. Regular sweeping to remove dust and debris, along with occasional damp mopping, is usually sufficient. This minimal maintenance routine significantly reduces the presence of allergens compared to carpets, which require more intensive cleaning to maintain indoor air quality.

Improved Air Quality: Hardwood floors contribute positively to indoor air quality by minimizing the presence of airborne allergens. Unlike carpets that release particles into the air when disturbed, hardwood floors retain cleanliness and reduce the overall allergen load in the home environment. This characteristic is especially beneficial for allergy sufferers who are sensitive to airborne particles.

Durability: Another notable advantage of hardwood flooring is its durability. Once installed, hardwood floors can last for decades with proper care. This longevity not only provides a stable and allergen-free surface but also reduces the need for frequent floor replacements that may introduce new allergens into the home.

Comparison with Other Flooring Options

Carpet: Carpets have a high potential for harboring allergens such as dust mites, pet dander, and pollen within their fibers. Despite regular cleaning efforts, carpets can retain allergens, impacting indoor air quality and exacerbating allergy symptoms.

Laminate: Laminate flooring offers a hard surface that does not trap allergens, similar to hardwood. It requires simple maintenance and is a viable alternative for allergy sufferers looking for easy-to-clean flooring options.

Tile: Ceramic and porcelain tiles have non-porous surfaces that do not trap allergens, making them another excellent choice for allergy-friendly flooring. However, attention to grout lines is necessary as they can accumulate dust and require periodic cleaning.

Vinyl: Vinyl flooring is non-porous and easy to clean, making it a low-allergen option suitable for allergy sufferers. Choosing low-VOC products further enhances indoor air quality.

Cork: Naturally hypoallergenic, cork flooring resists mold and mildew, contributing to better indoor air quality. Regular cleaning is essential to maintain its allergy-friendly properties.

Hardwood flooring stands out as an excellent choice for allergy sufferers due to its non-allergenic surface, easy maintenance, and positive impact on indoor air quality. While other flooring options such as laminate, tile, vinyl, and cork also offer allergy-friendly benefits, hardwood’s durability and timeless appeal make it a top contender for creating a healthier home environment. When considering flooring options, prioritize those that minimize allergen accumulation and contribute to better indoor air quality, ultimately supporting a more comfortable living space for allergy-sensitive individuals.

Hardwood Flooring Buying Guide

When you finally come upon the decision to purchase a hardwood floor, you must now figure out a way of going about this. There are steps one should take during the choosing part of the process of installing your very new brand new floor. First of all, double check to make sure this is what you want. Make sure to read up all about the pros and cons of hardwood flooring, and also make sure you can afford it. Installing a hardwood floor can be an expensive project, and you don’t want to put yourself into a financial hole just because you wanted your living room to look pretty.

 Next, check out your yellow pages to find local dealers who can show you samples of hardwood flooring. Look at the different types of wood and determine which type will work best in your household and which one you can best afford. Give this a couple of days and don’t jump to quick decisions; a specie that looked good yesterday might only look average to the one you found today. Give it time. Make sure the type of wood you pick out has different stain colors. Different stain colors allows you to be creative and create different styles according to your own tastes.

Consider in what room the floor will be installed. Its not wise to put floors anywhere near moisture, because that could quickly ruin them. Kitchens don’t look too good with dark flooring, and anywhere that has a lot of movement will probably need a durable and sturdy finish to go along with it. Take a few more days to consider what type of wood, where it will be placed, and how durable you need it to be. And finally, decide how large of planks you want to use. Depending on the size, the complete finished look will give out different effects.

You can quiz your local dealer on all of this, and work with him to pick out something that looks good for your household. They’ll be more than happy to help, knowing that you’re a paying customer. And if they don’t, you should probably find a different dealer. Anyways, happy hunting!

Characteristics of a Laminated Floor

A Laminate flooring is becoming more popular today all over the world, even though it started as a strictly European innovation. Laminated flooring is a good option for houses and offices which require a low maintenance solution. Laminated flooring has been known to be a great choice for its durability, attractiveness, and being easy to install. Laminated flooring is very affordable when compared to other flooring options. However, despite the fact that laminate flooring is popular, there are a many misconceptions. Before one should consider buying laminate flooring, several myths have to be cleared up.

 The biggest mistakes people make is confusing laminate flooring with solid hardwood flooring. The two should never be thought of as similar, (yet attractive laminate flooring can often resemble hardwood visually). Laminate flooring is not made of any real hardwood species. In fact, the surface of a laminate floor is actually a photograph, often of a hardwood species. Mind-boggling! This top, decorative layer, is sealed by a resin-based coating. This resin based coating gives the laminate flooring resistance to the many types of abrasion. The other two layers of laminate flooring are the core and backing layers. The core layer is most often made of high-density fiberboard, which serves as a means to absorb the stress of impact. The backing layer, (also known as the stabilizing layer), is the layer of the laminate flooring which binds all the other layer together.

One of the key characteristics of laminate flooring is how easy it is to install. Of the many designs, some of the more efficient designs are the glue free variety. With this variety, the laminate flooring is generally fitted together what is called a “tongue and groove” design, with interlocking elements that slide into place secure each row as it is laid down. Basically, unlike hardwood, no nails are required. Some types of laminate flooring feature more sophisticated locking systems. With some limited skills in carpentry, laminate flooring can be installed by “do it yourselfers” in most cases. Choosing to install laminate flooring cuts down on expenses, especially if you choose to not hire an installer, although many people do for the sake of convenience. Contractors also love laminate flooring, for it is a time-saving alternative to hardwood flooring allowing them to take on more contracts.