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RCBAlive
Raw Newbie
I need to replace my existing carpet and am trying to figure out which of the three options is the safest health wise. I am considering toxicity issues related to dyes, glue, particle board, etc. I need to make a decision in a timely manner and I am procrastinating because I am afraid of the potential toxicity. I would appreciate any input.
Comments
My vote is for wood or a sustainable product like cork or bamboo. Carpet has many problems including mold, mites and dust. Not only that, but the color won’t be in style forever and carpet wears out and looks stained. Ceramic tile, marble or concrete tiles are nice too.
I would say tile or wood! And I 2nd the cork and bamboo! Too much crap goes into carpet. I do believe that there are “natural” carpets out there but I’m sure those go for a bunch of pretty pennies.
I’d go for tile! :0) Though wood adds a warming tone to the house.
Don’t do carpet! It gets all stained and harbors bacteria. Laminate is cost effective, durable, and looks great – but if you have money to spend, bamboo is amaaaaaazing. Sometimes you can get good deals on bamboo though.
thanks for all your input. i don’t want to go the carpet route because of the smell. wood needs glue, which is typically toxic. i did look at bamboo, but was told it was not really durable. the laminate i was looking at snaps into place and no glue is needed. but i wonder if laminate is toxic as it has pressed wood. does it out gas? oh, i’m so confused. but i am happy that we all agree on no carpet.
tongue and groove solid oak hardwood flooring does not need glue , its nailed to the sub floor . but you get into the finish where most people use polyurethane which you may object to . but an alternative finish could be natural tung oil (from an asian tree) with a natural type wax as the final coat , but im not sure how durable that’d be because ive only used polyurethane on floors . youd have to search say ’ hardwood floor finishes ’ , or maybe ’ natural hardwood floor finishes ’ . i’ll bring back a do it yourself link on installing hardwood flooring , a decent handman / do it yourselfer type can do it . just need a power miter saw and a few simple hand tools . and if you do it your self ide suggest getting everything from home depot as they stock the best materials / tools / support .
and on the laminate hardwood floor , 1- ide say some type of fumes off the partical board base level , then the glue used to adhere the sheet of hardwood laminate to the base of partical board . and 2 is i know they say it’ll last several decades but to me its not a durable product and ide never install it for that reason alone . ide be afraid of dropping something like say a coffee cup or near and chipping / gouging the floor down to the partical board level and it’d be lame . now with solid oak board it gets scratched / stained / etc , you just sand a little – refinish and its new .
http://www.easy2diy.com/cm/easy/diy_ht_3d_index… .
the above is link to tongue and groove installation , must keep clicking next to see next step .
also , if installed solid oak flooring could use the type throw rugs made of little quarter inch in diameter like cotton tubes that are sewn together , then dyed in quarter inch squares of many colors . ive seen them in like 6’ x 8’ sizes . theyre just cotton / polyester and dye , no glue . and cheap so can replace often for cleanth and a new look / color .
I have both tile and hardwood and I love both. Hardwood in the bedroom, which is great cuz you’re often barefoot and it’s quite warm. Tile in all other rooms for practicality. The problem with hardwood is that it’s rather delicate – scratches and scuffs easily. If you don’t mind the “lived in” look, go for all over hardwood, otherwise limit it to the bedrooms like I’ve done.
I’m partial to slab concrete lol since that’s what i’m living on, wish I could tear out the diseased carpeting on top . . .
Or…you have other options if you want eco-friendly products. Marmoleum is a “linoleum” type of tile that’s made from flax, wood and cork. Check out green living or eco-friendly products if this is a consideration for you. You aren’t talking about Home Depot pricing though!
Textured concrete flooring is popular these days. I’ve also painted floors to look like saltillo tile or stone.
I have Marmoleum in my kitchen and love it. It’s more or less the same as linoleum, but usually prettier (and yes, linoleum gets it name from flax!).