what type off flooring for the elderly

Old_Git

my aunt wants a new floor in her hall .she want a wood /laminated floor but as she walks around in her bare feet is this the best option for an 80 year old .

zzzLazyDaisy

Is it likely to get wet? I'm in a bungalow and the bathroom is off the hall. I had laminate put in the hall (which I do like) but one day I came out of the bathroom onto the laminate with wet feet to answer the phone and my feet slid from under me. I fell really heavily and was badly bruised. I had no idea that the laminate would be so very slippery if walked on with wet (or even damp) feet.

dirtyflannel

Laminate does look nice and lasts a long time but like the previous posts says it gets slippy when wet. I would definitely stick to carpet as this is a bit softer toland on just in case. Lino is bad too I once nearly broke my hip rushing into the kitchen and slipped and Im only 42

MRSTITTLEMOUSE

I've got a mixture of tiles,wood and stone floors and carpets(bedrooms only) in my home.
I'm only in my 50s and have had little accidents on all the hard floors when in a hurry.
Hard flooring is great but dangerous,especially if your'e unsteady in anyway.

margaretclare

Old_Git wrote: »

my aunt wants a new floor in her hall .she want a wood /laminated floor but as she walks around in her bare feet is this the best option for an 80 year old .

Why not?

Tell her to go for 'Karndean' https://www.karndean.co.uk

Not cheap - definitely not cheap! - but superb quality.

zzzLazyDaisy

Just a thought, you can get non-slip cushion floor in all sorts of designs, including wood look, and it is hard to tell the difference. The advantage is that it is warmer and softer under foot, and not slippery. I have a Rhino stone tile effect in my bathroom and it fools everyone - it wasn't cheap, but it might be a safer alternative.

BUT if she does have a fall, she is still landing on a hard surface.

underlay_guru

I would hate to see an elderly person choosing a laminate floor and slipping over on it, and would advise against it. Even the ones with the textured surface can be incredibly slippery when wet. It can also be like a skating rink if the walker is wearing socks or tights. I would go for Carpet....or a slip-resistant cushioned vinyl flooring. Cushioned vinyl comes in an almost unlimited array of designs, and some of the woodplank designs have an appearance which is almost indistinguishable from laminate!

Look for a product marked R10-RATED. This indicates the product has domestic slip resistant properties (usually has a light sandy texture to the surface).

scotsbob

Non slippery, absorbent and stain resistant are probably the features to look for.

Newly_retired

I had cushioned vinyl on my kitchen floor and it just has not lasted. I'm going to have to replace it far sooner than any other type of floor covering. It has torn in places, has cuts where I've dropped sharp knives and the dancing washing machine has messed it up.

TopTipper_2

Wood floors and laminate for that matter can get cold which might not be ideal for an elderly person. Sometimes people use a rug on wood floors / laminate to get the look of wood but keep it warmer however this might also be bad for an elderly person if they were to trip on the rug. Carpet could be the way forward.

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