Best Flooring Options for Allergy Sufferers

allergiesKeeping your interior as allergen free as possible is important for businesses and residences alike. Nobody wants to suffer through sneezing, nasal congestion, or a runny nose. The type of flooring you have is one of the biggest factors in allergy prevention and luckily, choosing the right type of flooring can eliminate a majority of allergens found inside a home or business. Let’s go over some options.

Carpet

Allergy sufferers should not fear carpets or stereotype them for a ground that catches onto dust. If you want to go with carpeting, it’s not bad news. Synthetic fibers like nylon and polyester repel water and are easy to clean. Vacuuming with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) vacuum to ensure proper removal of dust and dirt will greatly diminish the presence of allergy causing materials. Not to mention, wool is an exceptional type of flooring option! Wool provides a healthier indoor environment by removing contaminants in the air that roam around and can trigger allergies. It doesn’t help in the development of dirt, grime, or toxins.

Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood is an excellent choice for those trying to avoid allergens. Besides being aesthetically pleasing for any space, wood flooring is very easy to clean and does not trap dust or dirt.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is exceptionally easy to clean, so maintaining a low level of allergens is definitely feasible. However, you should keep in mind that laminate flooring is manufactured with adhesives which may contain VOCs (volatile organic compounds). VOCs may trigger allergy symptoms in some people, but you can always check the emission ratings of a laminate floor and choose one with low levels.

Cork Flooring

One of the most ideal flooring materials for allergy sufferers, cork is naturally resistant to allergy causing materials due to the presence of antimicrobial suberin. You might think that since cork is a porous material, dust and dander would have a place to hide, but that’s not the case. The finish on a cork floor will prevent this.

If you’re in the market for new floors, our Lane Sales representatives are ready and willing to answer any questions you have. We are here to help guide you to the floor that suites all your needs, so contact us today by giving us a call at (800) 731 3483 or write us a message and we’ll get right back to you.

How to Measure a Room for Hardwood Flooring

Chances are if you are reading this, you are shopping online looking for new hardwood flooring. If you are looking for an estimate, one of the first things you will need is the total square footage of the area you are looking to have done.

Measuring for Floor Installation

Below is a quick method you can use to find an estimate for total square footage. Of course if you are going to have the job done, a qualified contractor will come to your home and measure first. This method is only to get a rough estimate during the sales process.

For the purpose of this post, let’s imagine an area that looks like this:

how to measure a room

In this illustration, you have a main room area, a closet and a hallway. This is sometimes referred to an “L shaped room.” Instead of trying to measure the “L” itself you want to block off each section into its own square.

  1. Begin by “squaring off” each room, hallway or closet. Imagine each room is a square or rectangle. When measuring for flooring do not go outside the boundary of the room, closet or hallway.
  2. Measure each area length x width and write it down. For a room similar to the illustration, you will have 3 numbers: e.g. – 48×128, 24×48 and 60×128 for example
  3. Add all numbers together: 48×128 (plus) 24×48 (plus) 60×128 (equals) 132 x 304 or about 278 square feet.
  4. We recommend adding another 5% for extra pieces

Also make sure you don’t mix up the length and the width. Be sure to always keep the numbers in the same column.

calculate measure a room
Example calculation, always be sure to keep the lengths and widths in the same column (don’t mix them up)

Once you have this number you are ready to get a flooring estimate. When measuring always remember to measure in a straight line. If your tape measure slides to the left or right you are going to get an inaccurate measurement.

Please keep in mind that the number you came up with might vary depending on the type of room you have, baseboards, and any other room features you might have.

Flooring is also sold in different widths. So if you have 278sq ft room and boxes are sold in 100 sq ft you might have to order 300 sq ft. Remember it is always better to over order than to under order.

Also a lot of families and businesses order an extra box or case of flooring in case something happens to the floor or it gets damaged. For instance if there is water damage, something heavy drops on it or some other floor damage happens it is always good to have a few extra pieces on hand just in case.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please don’t hesitate to give Lane Sales, Inc. a call at 800-731-3483, or visit us on our website.