As we continue to proceed as a society in the midst of the coronavirus, 1 thing is for sure: we do not have a fantastic understanding of prevention procedures. Of course, this can change over time. But , when you wish to do right by your family, it’s hard to know what to do. It is difficult to separate reality from fiction, and rely upon the appropriate resources for the information that you need now.
Every business, every market, is scrambling to figure out the best direction to go. Floors is no different. We are continually evaluating the effect of the coronavirus and the way that it can be dispersed between people.
What we do know
The most appropriate plan of action is to stick to the advice from leaders who make it their business to learn more about taking action.
The CDC has general guidelines for the way to clean and disinfect different things in your home.
For hard surfaces — non-porous surfaces:
Wear disposable gloves while cleaning and replace them after every cleaning. If you use reusable gloves, be sure to wash and disinfect them promptly after use.
Clean all surfaces before you disinfect.
Utilize an EPA registered cleaner to ensure appropriate cleaning and disinfection. Use them according to guidelines to avoid health problems.
For soft surfaces — solid surfaces:
Including things like carpeting and rugs. Sterile with an EPA-registered cleaner according to manufacturers recommendations.
Now in time, we are still not sure how long that the coronavirus can stay on several different items throughout your home. It depends on the surface structure — can it be porous or non-porous? Studies show it can survive anywhere from 2 hours to a day or two, based on the surface.
Obviously, it’s very important to restate that at this time, we simply don’t understand.
Which makes cleaning your surfaces and installing the proper stuff in your home that much more significant.
There are many ways to separate out flooring. When you consider cleanliness and the capability to keep it clean, considering relation to solid and non-porous flooring can help you figure out the ideal flooring option for your home.
A non-porous floor prevents soil and moisture from penetrating inside. These would include things such as glazed ceramic tiles, glazed ceramic tiles, and vinyl.
Porous floors would include materials such as non-glazed tile, carpeting, and hardwood.
A non-porous floor is a lot easier to wash. That’s why they are generally found in commercial programs, particularly warehouses, medical facilities, and colleges.
Porous flooring can be utilized in residential settings because of its simplicity of use and comfort features.
Will we begin to rethink our flooring options due to the coronavirus?
But if you’re considering new floors for your home, and the concept of installing non-porous options are piquing your interest, we have a few options in mind.
Vinyl
When many of us think about vinyl floors , we envision the stuff we discovered in our grandmother’s toilet. It was yellowed, curling around the edges, and frankly, not quite aesthetically pleasing.
Even now, if you walk the aisles of your regional big box store, you might observe massive traces of sheet vinyl and believe: Nope, not for me personally. It is so… clinical. It just doesn’t seem very great.
This usually means you haven’t taken a fantastic look at what today’s vinyl flooring really looks like.
Vinyl is made with artificial veneer, basically a plastic which will hold up nicely in your home. It has four layers that include:
- A backing coating made from felt or fiberglass
- A core layer made from plastic
- A decorative coating which may imitate some of the best flooring products on the market
- A protective layer also made from vinyl, called the wear coating
- In the luxury vinyl tile market — LVT — these flooring options can mimic rock, tile, hardwood, and more. Sometimes, they seem to be so real that people in the industry need to have a closer look to see that it is not the actual thing.
Plus they manage better than the real thing in a lot of situations.
- They’re waterproof — they stay up to spills and water, which means that you can wash them well.
- They are stainproof — that nonporous surface means common staining items can not penetrate the surface.
- They’re comfortable — vinyl has give, which makes it a comfortable choice if you stand a lot, particularly in places like the kitchen.
- They’re budget-friendly — in case you’re searching for an economical way to improve your space, look no farther than LVT.
Glazed tile
Ceramic tile may be the 1 flooring option that looks good in each room in the home. Here in Colorado, you will often discover it in baths, laundry rooms, and kitchens. But we predict that it will shortly be spreading to additional rooms in the home as homeowners contemplate their flooring options.
That’s a big plus for homeowners where a household member has a compromised immune system. It’s also a plus for homeowners worried about how readily they could wipe down every fixture in their houses.
Tile can also be one of the most flexible flooring goods, one which can take on any look you would like. Keep it subtle using a neutral color. Go bold with something bright or dark. Or make elegance using modern technology to mimic hardwood.
Yep, that’s possible with the current technology. Select them in plank fashion and put them in similar fashion as your hardwood, and you are going to have the great looks you demand combined with functionality that may endure for decades to come.
What’s more, many homeowners are giving this tendency a second look because you may put in them over glowing heat. If you believed tile was cold for our Colorado winters, you are going to love having toasty flooring to step down on even on the coldest of mornings. And since heat rises, the better way to maintain your home better temperature-controlled than by getting the warmth start at the base?
What is the correct option for you?
While none of us understand exactly what the future holds, 1 thing is for certain: we’ll be changing how we look at our homes.
If your home needs new flooring, and you want a floor that’s both lasting and can be cleaned easily regardless of what’s tracked into your house, consider hardwood flooring — vinyl and tile may make the perfect alternative for you.