Floor coverings in children's rooms should be selected especially carefully. In this room, the child spends most of the day, which means that all objects and materials in it must be safe.
Soft flooring fully meets this criterion. Products of this type have recently appeared on the Russian market, but have already managed to prove themselves from the best side. Consider all available options for soft coatings.
Types of soft floor coverings
There are a lot of materials for creating soft flooring on the market, which complicates the choice of the buyer. If you appreciate the hygienic finish, you should pay attention to the soft types of linoleum or laminate. For those who put softness in the first place, carpet is the best choice. And if you need to combine both properties, consider cork floors and soft tiles.
When deciding in favor of any soft floor covering, do not forget about a number of criteria that the decoration for a children's room must comply with. Namely:
- security;
- resistance to abrasion;
- lack of harmful substances in the composition;
- practicality;
- resistance to moisture.
You should pay attention to the texture of the surface. It is better if the flooring is smooth, but not slippery. The presence of a large number of seams and corners can lead to frequent falls.
Carpet and its properties
For several decades, carpet has been used in residential buildings, so its characteristics are known to everyone. First of all, floorings made of such materials are appreciated for their softness. Today on the market there is a huge variety of carpet with different thicknesses, which allows you to choose the most suitable option.
As a soft floor covering for a children's room, you should choose a coating with an average pile height, since in a thick carpet a small child can get confused.
Another advantage of this material is its rich color scheme. It will not be difficult for parents to choose a carpet for any room design. However, it should be remembered that as the child grows, it may be necessary to replace coatings with children's drawings.
If we talk about the shortcomings, then there are two of them:
- difficulty in cleaning;
- the presence of synthetic fibers.
Carpet is not recommended for use in the rooms of those children who are predisposed to allergies. It is impossible to ensure perfect cleanliness of such coatings; dust quickly settles and accumulates in the pile.
Rubber coatings
Soft rubber flooring for the home is presented in the form of roll materials of various thicknesses. In appearance, the product resembles soft rubber. The products are presented on the market in different colors, and a variety of intersperses are used as a pattern.
There is a bulk type of rubber coating. Liquid material spills on the floor and forms a monolithic surface. The result is a seamless, soft and smooth surface.
The main advantages of the material include:
- resilience and durability of the flooring;
- simplicity in leaving;
- resistance to moisture;
- lack of toxic substances;
- resistance to mechanical damage;
- the ability to mount on any base.
The springy effect of the rubber floor protects the child from injury. The blow when the baby falls is mitigated to the maximum extent, which prevents the occurrence of bruises.
Cork flooring
Special attention is paid to the soft cork flooring. Its main advantage is absolute environmental friendliness. Using such a flooring, you can be sure that it definitely will not have a negative impact on the health of all family members.
Among the advantages distinguish the following positive properties of such materials:
- naturalness;
- simplicity in leaving (the floor can be washed and cleared of plasticine and paints);
- low thermal conductivity, which provides comfort during the game on the floor;
- the porous structure of the material helps to reduce the load on the spine while walking;
- the coating is smooth, but does not slip.
Cork flooring is capable of absorbing sounds, which allows it to be used as noise insulation. The coating is soft and durable. However, he has some disadvantages:
- cork wood materials cannot be called cheap;
- they are afraid of prolonged exposure to moisture;
- Do not like contact with sharp objects.
The soft cork flooring can be easily punctured or cut. But if you choose modular types of flooring, a failed element can be easily and quickly replaced.
Soft EVA Puzzles
More recently, a new type of soft coatings - puzzles (EVA) has appeared on the domestic market. They are a kind of carpet of different sizes, which is assembled from numerous squares. Such elements are made of ethylene vinyl acetate, which is very similar in characteristics to rubber coatings.
Soft flooring (EVA) is very flexible and light. It can be laid on any basis. The diverse design and rich colors allow you to transform and fill any room with brightness. The cost of puzzles fluctuates at a minimum level, which makes them available to anyone.
The main advantages of coatings include:
- convenience in leaving;
- the ability to assemble at any necessary time;
- low thermal conductivity;
- high wear resistance;
- easy installation;
- resistance to frequent wet cleaning.
Soft puzzles can be transferred to another room at any time, without the need for complex repair work.
Soft tiles with vinyl and carpet
When you need to ensure a high level of noise and heat insulation in the room, you should pay attention to the modular soft flooring in the form of tiles. Their bottom layer is made of polymeric materials and can be supplemented with reinforcing elements.
The front part of the tile is made of polypropylene or vinyl coating. There are options with nylon pile, forming a continuous carpet.
All elements of the coating have the same parameters, which allows them to be quickly and easily laid on the base. Installation of tiles can be carried out on an adhesive or in a floating manner. There are products with an adhesive back side.
Soft floor installation
All types of soft floor coverings are laid very simply. The most difficult installation of rubber bulk floors. Their arrangement requires the participation of specialists and the availability of appropriate equipment.
Products in a roll can be stacked independently. In this case, care must be taken to securely fix the edges so that they do not cause frequent falls of the baby.
Cork, polypropylene and nylon flooring elements are joined using special grooves. For the installation of some coatings have to use glue.
Soft puzzles (EVA) are stacked the easiest. To do this, special locks are located around their perimeter, with the help of which the elements are securely fixed to each other. The flooring is not attached to the base, which allows you to move it to different parts of the room.
Soft puzzles can completely cover the floor or make a small corner for games. However, it is not necessary to use them only for arranging horizontal surfaces. Bright elements look great on the walls, where they also act as noise and heat insulators.
Soft Coatings Reviews
Recently, they are trying to refuse the traditional carpet, since most parents consider it a real dust collector. Cleaning of carpet surfaces is also complicated: it’s quite difficult to clean the carpet from watercolors, clay and food stains on your own, so you have to contact cleaning companies from time to time.
In terms of hygiene, the rubber backing wins the carpet, but the artificial origin of the material alarms some parents.
Cork wood surfaces earned only positive reviews. Their owners note the softness, warmth and naturalness of the product. However, not everyone can afford such a floor.
Vinyl and nylon tiles also speak well. The only drawbacks are that the elements of the flooring should be laid on a flat base, and this leads to additional costs.
A huge number of positive reviews can be heard about soft puzzles (EVA). Parents give them preference for a number of reasons:
- affordable cost;
- availability;
- beautiful appearance;
- ease of installation;
- the presence of developing elements.
As the only drawback, dust is named, which quickly clogs into the seams between the elements. However, this drawback is eliminated by frequent wet cleaning.
Conclusion
Soft floor covering for the room is designed to minimize the risk of injury to a child. The listed varieties do an excellent job of the task, so the choice should be made only on the basis of their preferences and financial capabilities.