Much to the
consternation of my friend who works for the
solid wood flooring company in our area, I decided to eschew the ash wood flooring that he was pushing
me towards and opted for an Alicante carpet
in my bedroom. Carpet has so many things going for it. It’s soft, safe, warm
and quiet. It’s stain-resistant and gives excellent value for the price, and it
saves energy. Carpet is also proven to trap allergens and dander (which can
easily be removed with the right vacuum used regularly).
Although I chose
an aubergine carpet for the bedroom,
for the other floors in the house I went for textured vinyl flooring. While it is important for your flooring to
look good, you also want it to be safe.
Flooring options such as tile, stone, and concrete look fantastic but
there can often be a slip risk associated with them. It is possible these days to have the best of
both worlds, safe and good looking flooring, by using anti-slip flooring
treatments.
Anti-slip
treatments can be effectively used on flooring such as:
·
Tiles – ceramic, vitrified,
porcelain, mosaic or quarry tiles
·
Terrazzo
·
Stone – such as marble,
granite, limestone, and travertine
·
Reconstituted stone
·
Concrete
·
Brick
Benefits of Anti-slip Flooring
Anti-slip
flooring is very beneficial for a number of reasons. Firstly, you can apply the treatment without
affecting the look of your floors.
Anti-slip flooring gives you instant slip resistance as soon as it is
applied and it helps to eliminate the risk of slipping in wet areas. Anti-slip flooring works in all kinds of
conditions, such as wet, dry, or greasy.
Because the anti-slip treatment is so fast to apply, you don't have the
inconvenience of waiting for the floor to dry.
Anti-slip treatments are also guaranteed for up to five years or more.
There are
different types of anti-slip flooring treatments including:
·
Micro etching – this uses a chemical
solution in order to create microscopic channels in hard mineral surfaces (such
as granite, porcelain, or tiles). These
channels increase traction as water goes into the microscopic channels,
creating a non-slip surface.
·
Polyurethane – this is a single pack
polyurethane coating. When it cures, it
forms a strong, flexible, and abrasion resistant coating that has an attractive
textured finish.
·
Penetrating sealers – these seal porous
surfaces such as natural stone, tiles, and pavers against stains and water
damage while still retaining a non-slip surface.
There are
anti-slip treatments which can be administered at home once the flooring has
been laid but it is also possible to buy flooring which has already been
treated at the manufacture stage.
Installing anti slip vinyl flooring seems to be a
good idea, especially in a home where there are young children or old people.
These are the most prone to slipping and falling on smooth floors and this can
lead to serious injuries. Even on an anti-slip floor you still need to try and
mop any spills as soon as possible as a wet floor will still constitute danger,
especially when you are distracted.
