What floor is best suited for the children's room?

The floor in the children's room needs to withstand a lot. Additionally, it should also create a cozy atmosphere and be comfortable for the children. After all, small children especially play a lot on the floor. Therefore, you should not just buy the floor for the children's room based on its appearance. Moreover, the flooring in the children's room should last for several years. It is definitely worth considering some aspects before making a purchase and carefully weighing the various options against each other. The following article is intended to assist you with exactly that.

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Requirements for a Good Floor for a Child's Room

• The floor should be comfortably warm underfoot.
• It should easily withstand wild jumps, Bobby-car races, and similar activities.
• Accidents like spills of water, juice, glue, or paint are bound to happen, so it should be easy to clean up.
• Naturally, a floor covering for a child's room should be free from harmful substances.
• It would also be nice if the floor could absorb sound effectively since children's games are rarely quiet.
• Finally, the floor covering should look good and create a cozy atmosphere.

Quite a long list of qualities that the child's room floor should have. You are unlikely to find a flooring material that meets all these requirements one hundred percent. Therefore, in the following, we will take a closer look at carpet, laminate, and parquet concerning the above-mentioned demands and their general properties. Parquet vs. Carpet in the Children's Room

Advantages of Parquet Flooring

• Parquet has a positive impact on the room climate as a natural building material. The wood of the parquet floor can store or release moisture depending on the room's humidity, thereby maintaining it within comfortable levels for humans.
• Wood feels pleasant underfoot. It may not be as warm as carpet but is much warmer than, for example, stone tiles.
• Wood is an elastic material, making walking and playing on a parquet floor gentle on the joints.
• Wood does not build up electrostatic charge, so it does not attract dirt.
• As long as it's dry dirt, a parquet floor is easy to clean by sweeping or vacuuming.
• The oiled or waxed surface of the parquet is relatively scratch-resistant.
• A parquet floor is highly durable. If signs of wear and tear appear after years of use, it can be easily sanded and resealed with oil or wax.
• The service life of a parquet floor is about 30 years.
• Parquet comes in an almost endless variety of colors, surface finishes, wood types, and designs. So, it should not be difficult to find a parquet floor that you like.

Disadvantages of Parquet Flooring

• At a minimum of 20 euros per square meter, parquet is a costly flooring option.
• Installing parquet flooring is more labor-intensive than installing carpet.
• Underneath the parquet floor, impact sound insulation must be installed. Otherwise, the floor would be too noisy.
• Standing moisture, for example, from a spilled glass of lemonade, must be promptly removed. Wood does not tolerate standing water well.
• Most parquet floors are not lightfast. As a result, light-colored floors may darken over time, and areas where furniture has been placed for a long time may remain lighter.
• If the surface of the parquet is lacquered, caution is advised. Not all components of all lacquers are safe. Therefore, pay close attention to the composition of the lacquer on lacquered parquet. If in doubt, opt for an oiled or waxed parquet.

Advantages of Carpet Flooring

• A carpet flooring provides a cozy and warm feeling. It is also warm underfoot.
• Carpet is soft. If a child falls on this floor, the risk of injury is lower compared to a rigid floor.
• You can find carpet floors in numerous colors and patterns.
• Carpet flooring is a relatively affordable flooring option.
• Carpet flooring is a quiet flooring option.

Disadvantages of Carpet Flooring

• Synthetic fibers, the adhesive used for installation, and/or the foam backing of carpet flooring can emit unhealthy fumes.
• With carpet flooring made of synthetic fibers, there is a risk of minor skin burns in case of a fall.
• Carpet flooring is difficult to clean. While dry contaminants like dust and crumbs can be vacuumed easily, wet stains and moisture are challenging or nearly impossible to remove completely.
• Carpet flooring has a relatively short lifespan, typically around 10 years.
• If you have pets, pet hair tends to get trapped in carpet flooring. This isn't ideal for a child's room from a hygiene perspective.
• Cats might sometimes confuse carpet flooring with a scratching post, which can have negative consequences for the appearance and durability of the flooring.

Laminate vs. Carpet Flooring in a Child's Room

Advantages of Laminate Flooring for a Child's Room

• Laminate flooring comes in numerous designs, styles, and qualities. You can surely find a flooring option that suits your preferences.
• A laminate floor is relatively affordable, starting at around 10 euros per square meter.
• Laminate is easy to install yourself.
• The surface of laminate flooring is relatively scratch-resistant and resistant to stains.
• Laminate is easy to clean.
• A laminate floor is quite durable.
• The lifespan of laminate is approximately 15 years, slightly longer than that of carpet flooring.
• Most laminate floors are lightfast.

Disadvantages of Laminate Flooring for a Child's Room

• Most people perceive laminate as relatively cold. Its surface is definitely not as warm as carpet flooring.
• Underneath the laminate flooring, you must install sound insulation (unless it's already integrated) to prevent excessive noise. However, it's still noisier than carpet flooring.
• Laminate doesn't tolerate standing water. Spilled liquids must be promptly removed.

Vinyl Flooring vs. Carpet Flooring in a Child's Room

Advantages of Vinyl Flooring for a Child's Room

• Vinyl flooring is pleasantly warm underfoot.
• Vinyl floors are available in numerous designs, including wood or stone patterns. You'll surely find something suitable.
• This type of flooring is very easy to clean. Even spilled liquids are not a problem.
• Vinyl flooring is soft and elastic, which is gentle on joints and helps cushion small falls.
• With a high wear class (NK 23 or NK32), the floor is highly durable.
• A sound insulation is usually not required for this type of flooring as it is quiet.
• You can easily install this flooring yourself.
• Vinyl flooring is typically 4 mm to 5 mm thick, which is ideal for renovation as it doesn't require doors to be shaved to fit.

• Individual planks can be replaced if you install the floor as a floating floor (without adhesive).
• Vinyl floors are ideal for allergy sufferers as they are resistant to dirt.
• Vinyl floors are colorfast, meaning they do not fade over time.
• You can get vinyl flooring starting at approximately 12 euros per square meter, making it a budget-friendly flooring option.
• The surface of vinyl flooring is relatively scratch-resistant.

Disadvantages of Vinyl Flooring

• Heavy furniture can potentially leave permanent impressions on the vinyl floor.
• Be cautious with extremely budget-friendly offers: Vinyl floors may contain health-hazardous plasticizers. Brand-name products typically do not contain these. Look for appropriate certifications.
• Even high-quality vinyl flooring is made of plastic. So, if you value natural materials, this type of flooring is not suitable.
• With a lifespan of 10 to 15 years, vinyl flooring has a relatively short lifespan for a flooring material.

Conclusion:

There is no flooring material that meets all the requirements for a child's room.

You need to set priorities. If you value natural materials, then only parquet or laminate are suitable. Both are good, sturdy, and durable flooring options, but they also have their disadvantages.

If these flooring options don't seem warm enough, you can possibly place a loose carpet on top of them. However, you should not underestimate the risk of slipping caused by a loose carpet.

Carpet flooring may initially seem like a good choice for a child's room, but from a hygiene perspective, it's not recommended. A good alternative is vinyl flooring. It meets most requirements. Products from the EU are unproblematic in terms of emissions and plasticizers. However, always look for certifications and labels like the "Blue Angel" when considering vinyl floors.