When planning your baby's nursery, things such as the crib, paint color, and changing table come to mind. But what about the flooring? It's important to include flooring options on your “baby nursery ideas list” to make sure your baby's room is as cozy, safe, and clean as possible. First, we'll walk through the things to consider, the best options and then the options to avoid. Let's get started!
THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING NURSERY FLOORING
Health
First and foremost, you want to put the health of your child above all. Things like dirt and allergens can get trapped in certain types of flooring, which can be a hassle and require constant cleaning.
Safety
Choosing the right flooring for the nursery is important especially when you consider the safety of your little ones. You want to go with an option that will help prevent those inevitable small bumps and bruises.
Easy Maintenance
Kids of all ages can make a mess in any room of the house. So, make sure the flooring option that you choose for the nursery is easy to clean and maintain. Also, take into consideration the toys and trinkets your children will play with that will put some wear and tear on the floor.
Quiet Surface
Babies and young children are light sleepers and tend to wake up frequently throughout the night. Luckily, there are quiet flooring options out there to choose from (don't worry, we'll get there soon).
Budget
Chances are, your nursery now won't be a nursery forever. Changing your floor can get expensive, so make sure you think about what the future might bring before you finalize your decision.
Now, let's get into the best floor options to choose from.
BEST FLOORING OPTIONS FOR NURSERIES
CARPET FLOORING FOR NURSERIES
Soft, comfortable and forgiving, carpeting can protect your wobbly baby from bumps and bruises, making them seem like the obvious choice for your new nursery. It will also be a nice surface for you since you'll be spending most of your time on the floor playing with your little one.
Also, carpet is generally your least expensive flooring surface, making it one of our most budget- friendly options. And, of course, the room will be quieter. So, this can really help—especially with night time feedings.
Of course, there are some drawbacks, but there always are with any material. It is a harder floor to keep clean and stain- free. Stains will happen, and for many reasons, including spit-ups and vomiting—there's no way around it. Fortunately, we happen to have some helpful information in our “Carpet Cleaning Tips blog and some great carpet options to consider in our “Family Friendly Carpet blog.
Now that we know carpet is a good option, let's take a step further and get into the top three types that are good for the nursery.
Wool Carpet for Nurseries
A natural fiber wool carpet is a great choice. It's a way to avoid exposure to most, if not all synthetic materials. It has a natural soil and stain resistance, and it retains its color over years of wear and cleaning.
In addition, wool repels dirt and liquids by shielding the innermost part of the fiber, keeping liquids at the surface. If allergies or asthma run in the family, wool carpeting is less likely to cause a problem. But most importantly, it's flame-resistant, making it a nice safe carpet fiber for the nursery. To learn more about wool carpets, check out our “Wool Carpet: Pros and Cons” blog.
Plush Carpet for Nurseries
If you're looking for something extra soft, plush carpet would be an ideal choice. The softer the surface, the better it is for your baby to learn how to crawl and play, and, better for you to sit on for a while (your behind bone will be very thankful). For more information about plush carpets, check out our “Plush Carpet: Pros and Cons”
Berber Carpet for Nurseries
Berbers are looped carpets that are genuinely flecked or multi-tonal, so they can help camouflage the dirt and hide the stains. Another big benefit is that they are easier to clean and vacuum. To learn more about Berber carpets, check out our check out our “All About Berber Carpet” blog.
HARDWOOD FLOORING OPTIONS FOR NURSERY ROOMS
Hardwood is long lasting, easy to keep clean, and they have that classic look that never goes out of style. Besides its visual appeal, it makes a great nursery option because it doesn't absorb allergens or chemicals.
An obvious disadvantage would be that it's a hard surface, making it more uncomfortable when compared to carpeting, especially when your little one gets some bumps while learning to walk. However, that can be fixed by adding the right size area rug, or two, to the room. That way, not only does the nursery have a classic style, but some soft, comfy surfaces, too. The only other disadvantage would be its high cost, which leads us to our next suggestion: laminate flooring.
LAMINATE FLOORING OPTIONS FOR BABY NURSERIES
For those who like the look of hardwood, but not the cost, laminate floors would be a good option to go with. And, just like hardwood, it's a good idea to put down an area rug to add softness to the space.
Along with being less expensive, laminate flooring also doesn't require waxing or polishing to maintain its appearance. A vacuum cleaner, brook and a damp mop are all you need to keep laminate floors clean. For any accidental spills, which of course there will be, you simply just wipe it up right away.
To learn more about the simple cleaning and maintenance tips, check out our “How to Clean Laminate Flooring" blog
FLOORING OPTIONS TO AVOID
Now that we know the best options to choose from, it's also important to know the ones to avoid.
Tile
Tile can be very dangerous for toddlers and babies since the surface is so hard. Toddlers especially can fall and seriously hurt themselves. It's an uncomfortable surface for you to sit on too, making each moment on the floor more cumbersome than it could’ve been.
Bamboo
Bamboo flooring doesn't hold up as well as the other options. It scratches more easily and prominently than regular hardwood flooring does. It also doesn't hold up very well to water. So spills mean big trouble.
As you can see, there's a good amount of safe, comfortable and practical options for you to choose from for your child's nursery. So now that you know the information for each surface, make sure you stop by one of our locations to see them in person!
Visit Avalon Flooring for Your Baby Nursery Flooring Needs
If you have questions about our products or want to discuss which flooring option is right for your baby’s room, contact us to speak with one of our design experts today!
