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What flooring is especially suitable for children's rooms?
Special selection criteria for the children's room
Bei Kinderzimmern sollte immer das Wohl und die Gesundheit des Kindes im Vordergrund stehen. Es ist schon erstaunlich, wie unkritisch Bodenbeläge für Kinderzimmer empfohlen werden, die vermeidbare gesundheitliche Risiken für Kinder bedeuten. Das Thema Schadstoffe im Bodenbelag spielt eine wichtige Rolle. Deshalb widmen wir ihm zusätzlich einen extra Artikel.
The well-being of the child in any case includes a thought about the hardness of the floor. With natural stone floors or ceramic tiles in the nursery, the risk of serious injury, especially to the head, is comparatively very high.
Aspekte wie Langlebigkeit sind für Kinderzimmer zweitrangig, wenn man bedenkt, dass selbst die kurzlebigsten Bodenbeläge aus Kunststoff nicht selten auch 20 Jahre halten. Dabei natürlich immer auf Garantieleistungen achten! Bei CERAMIN Tiles (Fliesen) beginnen die Garantien sogar erst mit 15 Jahren. Auch das Design erfüllt gerade in den ersten Lebensjahren meistens eher den ästhetischen Ansprüchen der Eltern, als dem Empfinden des Kindes.
Everybody cares about the welfare of their own child
But PVC (polyvinyl chloride), for example, contains the plasticizer category of phthalates. Their proportion in PVC products is between 8 and 30 percent, depending on the product group. The softer and more elastic the product, the more plasticizers it contains.
Plasticizers do not form a permanent bond with the base material. They basically volatilize. Of course, this depends on various influences, but liquids, saliva and even simple contact with the skin are essential factors. The damage to health from these plasticizers alone is well known and has been documented in renowned studies for at least two decades. More about this also here: PVC and health.
However, the problem of harmful substances affects not only laminate and vinyl flooring, but also carpets or rugs. Short pile carpets and loop carpets are quite popular for children's rooms. On the one hand, they are comparable to plastic floors in terms of load-bearing capacity and do not fluff out. On the other hand, they are even softer, offer good sound insulation and are comparatively much more slip-resistant. Short pile carpets and loop carpets are available in synthetic fabrics/composites, but also in natural materials such as cotton.
Fakt ist: Hersteller müssen keine Angaben über die Inhaltsstoffe von Bodenbelägen machen. Wer auf Kunststoffboden setzen möchte, steht somit vor der Wahl:
- Manufacturers must, upon personal written request within 45 days, provide information on at least all ingredients in their products that are on the list of substances of concern.
- Sie orientieren sich an seriösen, anerkannten Gütesiegeln wie der »Blauen Engel«. Er garantiert, dass die Produkte frei von schädlichen Weichmachern und generell lösemittel- und schadstoffarm sind. (PVC-Produkte können dieses Siegel grundsätzlich nicht erhalten.)
Ein weiteres gleichermaßen anerkanntes Siegel ist das »Eco-INSTITUT«. Es untersucht unter anderem Produkte auf schädliche Inhaltsstoffe wie z. B. Phthalate (Weichmacher), Schwermetalle oder Pestizide. - Sie wählen Kunststoffböden, die alle Vorteile anderer Kunststoffböden haben – etwa Belastbarkeit, leichte Verlegung, pflegeleicht, wasser- und schmutzabweisend, kostengünstig gegenüber Naturmaterialien – ABER auch komplett frei von Weichmachern und allen anderen gesundheitlich bedenklichen Inhaltsstoffen. Die Antwort: CERAMIN.
Soft, comfortable, easy to care for: a comparison of floor coverings
Children have significantly more contact with the floor than adults. Not only do they fall on the floor more often, they also like to sit and play on the floor.
Ceramic and natural stone tiles are not recommended in this respect, but rather dangerous. A criterion that cannot be compensated by durability, resilience or low maintenance.
Parquet floors are definitely softer. As a rule, they give a cozy atmosphere, accept foot warmth and also hold it well. When it comes to the necessary coating, it would be important to pay attention to a varnish that is harmless to health and does not contain solvents. As beautiful and homely as parquet looks, it is comparatively much too susceptible to scratches, the maintenance effort is high and the sealing must be renewed again and again. If the coating is completely off in some places, the aesthetics are also lost.
Laminate, vinyl and plastic floors (regardless of their ingredients), on the other hand, are considered soft floors but are not ideal for a nursery with young children in terms of appearance and warmth. Most plastics do absorb body/foot heat, but also release it quickly. Here you could sensibly counteract only with the thermal insulation of the room.
Carpet tiles and carpeting are soft, comfortable for bare feet and retain heat significantly longer. However, they can not really equalize counter-arguments such as the need for care, dust and dirt traps. And these apply regardless of whether they are synthetic or made of natural fiber.
Cork floors are well suited for children's rooms for several reasons. In terms of shock absorption, only carpet can hold a candle to them. Cork offers good sound insulation, which is of course more important in apartment buildings than in private homes. But the thermal insulation provided by cork also meets high standards. And last but not least, cork floors are natural, sustainable and hypoallergenic.
Linoleum floors were largely displaced by PVC and comparable synthetic flooring from the middle of the 20th century. A preferred choice, this flooring made from renewable raw materials is now only used in hospitals and healthcare facilities. Perhaps because of this, few can imagine that linoleum is now also available in attractive, warm and homely designs.
Like cork floors, they are hypoallergenic and generally antibacterial. While they are not waterproof, they can be easily damp mopped and are extremely durable. Also in terms of slip resistance linoleum floor can be considered the first choice.
Costs
Prices are difficult to discuss, sometimes you have to calculate. Therefore, the good news first: the most recommended so far groups of materials for the children's room flooring cork, linoleum and health and sustainable plastic coverings such as CERAMIN do not belong to the expensive coverings.
Ceramic tiles
Apart from the quality, the size of ceramic tiles also plays a role. The cost here ranges from 20 to 60 euros per square meter.
Natural stone
Natural stone floors can be very expensive. The cost depends on the type of stone and ranges from 50 to 300 euros per square meter in total.
Parquet floor
Parquet is one of the expensive floor coverings, with prices ranging from 30 to 200 euros per square meter. It is not exactly the perfect flooring for the children's room. But if you move into an apartment or house with existing parquet, do not replace it because of this. It could be more expensive than good care.
Laminate
Laminate floors are an affordable option and range in price from 10 to 50 euros per square meter, depending on the quality.
Vinyl and plastic flooring
If you calculate with 10 to 50 euros per square meter, you will find here in any case. There is a great cost advantage if you lay the floor floating, that is, without glued joints. If the children's room is redesigned after a few years, you will save money, time and nerves. But even if it's only a few years, look out for health-safe and sustainable products like CERAMIN.
Carpet
The breadth of the range in terms of designs and quality is similar to that of vinyl and plastic flooring. Per square meter you can expect between 15 and 80 euros.
Cork
Cork floors are inexpensive compared to other floor coverings and cost between 30 and 80 euros per square meter.
Linoleum
Linoleum floors range in price from 20 to 70 euros per square meter.
Recommendation for the children's room
Unter ausschließlicher Berücksichtigung für Kinderzimmer: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Sterne = besonders empfehlenswert, ⭐ Stern = nur sehr bedingt empfehlenswert.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Linoleum
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Kork
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: CERAMIN
⭐⭐⭐⭐: Vinyl- und Kunststoffboden
⭐⭐⭐: Laminat
⭐⭐: Parkettboden
⭐: Teppichboden
0 stars: ceramic
0 stars: natural stone
Checkliste - der perfekte Boden im Kinderzimmer
Wir haben für Sie eine interaktive Liste erstellt, die alle Anforderungen an den idealen Boden im Kinderzimmer übersichtlich zusammenfasst. Mit unserer Checkliste können Sie sich bestens informiert für den optimalen Bodenbelag in Ihrer Wohnung entscheiden. Unsere gründliche Aufzählung garantiert, dass Sie keinen Aspekt vergessen. Sie können die Liste kostenlos herunterladen!
