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While it’s important for floors to look and feel pleasant to walk on, buyers should also consider other factors when choosing flooring for their space. Durability, maintenance, and comfort are crucial, but one often-overlooked aspect is slip resistance, which is also incredibly important.
Whether it’s a home, office space, or commercial building, accidents are inevitable. From young kids running around the house to a clumsy colleague, slips can happen for various reasons and are a common occurrence.
This is particularly concerning for the elderly, as studies show that nearly 30% of individuals over 65 experience at least one fall each year, with many incidents occurring at home.
In this article, we’ll be taking a look at 4 best slip-resistant flooring options that are guaranteed to make your space feel a little more secure, all while preserving its appeal.
4. Luxury Vinyl Plank
There’s a good reason why vinyl has become such a popular choice in recent years. When it first gained popularity in the 1970s, it was primarily valued for its affordability.
However, it has evolved significantly since then. Modern vinyl flooring is now known for its durability, versatility, and a wide array of prints that beautifully replicate the appearance of more expensive materials like hardwood.
Luxury vinyl is suitable for almost any room, including kitchens and bathrooms, thanks to its moisture resistance (with waterproof options available) and a textured surface that offers excellent traction, even when wet.
3. Hardwood
Driftwood Home in Great Outdoors
Hardwood flooring has been a timeless favorite for centuries. It brings warmth, elegance, and character to any space, perfectly matching both contemporary and traditional aesthetics.
While smooth hardwood can be slippery, many modern hardwood floors come with textured finishes that significantly improve slip resistance, with options like hand-scraped, wire-brushed, or distressed hardwood not only adding visual interest but also providing better traction.
While it’s true that hardwood requires more maintenance than some other options, making it less suitable for moisture-prone areas, its durability and ability to be refinished make it a long-lasting investment that’s sure to pay off.
2. Tile
Ceramic and porcelain tiles are exceptionally versatile and look stunning – if we do say so ourselves.
Many tiles are available with specially engineered surfaces designed for maximum slip resistance. Look for tiles with a high coefficient of friction (COF) rating. Textured tiles, such as those with a matte or slightly raised surface, provide excellent traction even when wet.
You can’t go wrong with tile flooring in high-moisture areas like bathrooms, kitchens, and entryways. Pair that up with the fact that they’re incredibly easy to clean, and you have an ideal non-slippery flooring solution.
1. Carpet
At #1 on our list, we have carpet – the all-in-one combo of all the good features you want in a floor.
It’s incredibly soft and comfortable to walk on, has sound-dampening properties, comes in an endless variety of designs, and is one of the least slippery flooring options. Thanks to these qualities, it’s a no-brainer for use in bedrooms, living rooms, and home offices.
However, due to the nature of its materials (typically nylon or wool), carpet flooring isn’t suitable for kitchens and bathrooms for several reasons, even if that seems obvious.
