Bedroom Flooring-Tile and VinylTILE FLOORING: Tile flooring can be a good choice for bedroom flooring, but the caution with this is to make sure it is made of natural materials. However, many natural and man-made tiles do contain chemicals as well as lead which are harmful to humans. Since it has recently been discovered that granite (which is popular in many kitchens and bathrooms) CAN off-gas radon, a known respiratory carcinogen, I would be careful about the stone I choose. At the very least, have it tested for radon (or lead if using tile) before installation. It's a small price to pay to prevent a serious and costly health problem. Some people have problems with tile because of the glues that must be used to secure them to the floor. The tiles and the sealants put on the grout can also contain lead. Again there are products available that can eliminate or reduce some of these problems. Advantages with tile, are that it can be kept quite clean, and doesn’t need refinishing once installed, but may need grout resealing later. Some people choose a concrete floor. This should have a sealant placed on it as well to prevent chemical outgassing from the concrete’s high formaldehyde and other chemical levels, known to be harmful to humans. Disadvantages are that tiles or concrete can feel cold unless your house is well-heated, and can crack if something really hard falls on it or stresses it. It can also be quite unforgiving if you slip and fall, or if you accidentally drop that favorite glass vase!
Vinyl flooring is also a good, less expensive choice for bedroom flooring from the standpoint of being able to keep it clean. But it is made of synthetic materials, all of which outgas. The harder vinyl floorings are generally tolerated by most individuals. The softer, often cheaper vinyls, will outgas more than the harder vinyls. As they continue to soften, more and more chemicals will dissipate into your environment. One of the main chemicals is poly-vinyl chloride. This chemical has a long track record of causing cancer, birth defects and genetic damage. It also becomes more toxic when burned, producing cancer-causing dioxins. The glues used to secure the vinyl flooring down can be a problem as well. If you choose a safe, eco-friendly glue, and put a sealant over the vinyl (this can be applied after installation quite easily and quickly), it will take care of this problem. I have done this for my bathrooms, and was amazed that there was NO odor after installation. But just because you can’t smell anything, doesn’t mean it’s totally chemical-free. Many chemicals which outgas are odorless to us, yet are still very present and harmful. But it is still amazing to walk in and not be able to detect any odor when you expect something like flooring, to have that “new” smell after it’s been installed. Disadavantages to standard vinyl floors are that they can get gouged easily depending upon how durable the vinyl is that you select. It can also loosen at the seams or edges over time, and can allow for water damage to the floorboard if water leakage occurs and remains. It is recommended that the topical sealant be reapplied at least yearly, as it does slowly wear away over time. Many people do not care for the look of vinyl floors in the bedroom. But for those with allergies, it can be a good alternative especially if one cannot afford wood flooring. There are also many attractive types which look very much like tile. A great eco-friendly alternative is Marmoleum. It can be found at
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