Know What’s Underneath Your Feet: Flooring Facts

Unless you have a home renovation project coming up that also implies refinishing or replacing the floors, or you have to do some maintenance work on them, you probably don’t pay much attention to the floors you step on every day. They’re just a core structural component of a building that people tend to take for granted most of the time, so one rarely bothers to learn more about them.  

But if you’d ever care to lower your gaze and take a closer look at what’s underneath your feet, you might discover some pretty interesting facts about floors that not many people know. Some of them might intrigue you, others might flat out floor you – pun intended. 

This is not about becoming a flooring specialist, but about enriching your general knowledge with information that might come in handy one day. For those who are interested in interior design or simply want to feed their curious minds with all sorts of knowledge, we’ve rounded up some fun flooring facts that everyone should know. So, take a seat (on the floor, if you like) and get ready to get educated. 

Vinyl and linoleum are different products 

It’s time to put an end to this longstanding confusion once and for all. A lot of people think that vinyl and linoleum are one and the same thing and use the terms interchangeably, but that’s just a widespread misconception that keeps on circulating. While both have become popular flooring options due to their cost-effectiveness and may look similar to the untrained eye, there are fundamental differences between these two products. Vinyl is an all-synthetic man-made material, having polyvinyl chloride (PVC) resin as its main component, whereas linoleum is based on a blend of natural ingredients, primarily linseed oil, cork, and tree resin. 

Other floor types that often get mixed up are engineered hardwood and laminate flooring. That’s because they both mimic the appearance of natural wood, but as in the previous case, they differ in composition. The first is made of a combination of natural wood on top of a composite mass of plywood and fibreboard fused together by resins and adhesives, while the latter is fabricated from multiple layers of materials, typically with a core of HDF or MDF fiberboard. 

Carpets have a long and rich history behind them 

Given the comfort and the cosy ambience they provide, many people tend to assume that carpets are a relatively new invention belonging to the modern age, when in fact the practice of weaving carpets stretches back to the earliest days of civilization, being practiced by humans for millennia. 

How do we know that? Various historical discoveries and records confirm the ancient origins of carpets, showing they were commonly used in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and other regions of the planet. What’s even more fascinating is that the oldest existing carpet, known as the Pazyryk carpet, is approximately 2000 years old, being found in a Scythian tomb in Siberia that dates back to the 5th century B.C. That’s quite a remarkable journey through time for a piece of floor covering fabric. 

Not all carpets are bad for allergies

Staying on the same topic, another common misconception that gets spread around is that carpets are a no-go for people who suffer from allergies because they harbour dust, bacteria and mites that can trigger or aggravate allergies. That might have been true back in the day, but modern carpets made of innovative materials are a safe option for allergy sufferers, having anti-bacterial properties and being easier to clean. 

In fact, various studies suggest that carpets may actually be more allergy-friendly than hard surface flooring and ensure a healthier living environment by trapping allergens at floor level and thus considerably reducing the amount of dust floating in the air. 

Want a sturdy floor? Choose granite 

Different floors have different durability levels, so if you’re looking for the strongest of them all, granite’s hardness is unmatched. Wooden flooring is often praised as one of the most durable flooring options available, and indeed, it can last up to 100 years and more with proper care. 

However, hardwood floors are nowhere near as resistant as granite floors, since they’re susceptible to moisture damage and can be easily scratched or dented, particularly in high-traffic environments. Granite, on the other hand, has a hardness rating between 6 and 7 on the Mohs hardness scale, meaning it can withstand the wear and tear that comes with intense traffic. This guarantees a longer lifespan – and a higher price tag. 

Bamboo is stronger than most wood types  

Speaking of robust flooring materials, bamboo is also quite high up on the list. Don’t get fooled by the fragile look of bamboo plants. They may appear delicate and weak, but they make one of the strongest types of wood used in construction and interior design. 

Bamboo excels in terms of tensile strength, which means it can endure a lot of stretching and bending without breaking, making it ideal for industrial scaffolding. According to the Janka hardness rating, some bamboo species are comparable or superior in strength to oak and maple. Moreover, bamboo is also resistant to moisture and is a rapidly renewable source, so it’s also a very sustainable option. 

Some floor covers are worth a fortune

High-quality flooring materials are known to be quite expensive, but if you want to know exactly how expensive flooring can get, we’ll give you a number: $1 million per square meter. This is the estimated cost for the Pietra Frimas LuxTouch tile – a black marble tile featuring 95 cut diamonds, abalone shell, mother of pearl, and black onyx.

Obviously, this is a one-of-a-kind creation and not a type of flooring that most people would normally install in their homes. Still, it’s interesting to see the degree of opulence that high-end flooring can reach. 

We hope that these lesser-known insights have caught your interest and will encourage you to pay more attention to the floors beneath your feet from now on.