There is no getting away from the fact that since timber is a natural solution, solid hardwood floors has a inclination to expand and contract with changes in ecological conditions and those expansions and contractions may result in gaps in the ground. If you believe differences between the floorboards might pose a danger to your child, it is well worth contemplating engineered hardwood floors.
Solid wood flooring, as the name suggests is constructed using planks made from one piece of wood, whereas engineered wood flooring consists of layers of various kinds of timber that are topped with a wood coating to make the end result look like solid wood. As a result of its setup, engineered wood flooring is much less vulnerable to expansion and contraction compared to solid wood and as such doesn't pose the exact same threat of openings for small hands and feet or indeed toys to get trapped.
By its very nature, wood flooring is a harder choice than rug so parents commonly worry about kids using a hard landing a fall. A floating hardwood flooring is a floor that is neither nailed nor glued into the sub-floor. In a floating installation, the sole place glue might be used is between the groove and tongue. In a domestic situation, a floating flooring can be laid over a sub-floor or over an existing floor after placing a suitable underlay. It is the debut of this underlay that might help soften the impact of any falls (along with acting as a solid barrier).
A few final things on the list for any parents of small children or babies considering the purchase and installation of a wooden floor is the finish and some other ecological dangers. In terms hardwood floors complete , lacquers and hard wax oils offer a coating that will permit the floor to take the wear and tear thrown at it by even the roughest of children. Of course with the proximity of small hands and small mouths into the floor, as parents you'll want to make sure your new flooring and its end have reduced (and preferably no) volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) thus reducing the risk of hazardous emissions.
