The Best Flooring Options for Walking Around Barefoot

If you prefer to walk around your home barefoot, then show your feet some love and make sure your flooring isn’t doing a disservice to your body. Certain types of flooring can be tough on your joints, but there are quite a few barefoot-friendly flooring options available, too. That’s why we’re here today: to talk to you, as experienced flooring contractors, about the best flooring options for bare feet. 

A Flooring Contractors Guide to Flooring & Bare Feet

Before we dive into the specific flooring choices that benefit walking barefoot, let’s look at what makes flooring supportive. For a flooring to be considered good for going barefoot it has to be:

• Flexible: You don’t want inflexible flooring like concrete as it’s hard on your joints; what you need is something that has some “give” to it, like carpet — this could mean some underlayment to help cushion your step.
  
• Texture: You’ll want smooth and even flooring, as this will help prevent stubbed toes on raised or uneven porcelain tiles.
• Softness: Plush or softer floors also offer warming or comforting qualities; this is especially nice for harsh Canadian winters.

The Best Supportive Flooring for Your Home

As flooring contractors, these are the best floors to install in your home to compliment barefoot walking:

• Bamboo: For hardwood lovers, bamboo is an excellent alternative. It has the look of hardwood, but it falls between softer cork and inflexible hardwood in terms of flexibility. Bamboo is also a sustainable resource, so it’s eco-friendly!

• Carpet: Carpet is synonymous with cozy and soft flooring. It is especially beneficial for those who prefer to walk around barefoot. Carpet comes in a variety of styles and features interwoven fibres, so it’s ideal for living rooms or bedrooms. The downside to carpet is that it traps in dust, debris, and stains, so it requires regular upkeep.
  • Tip: For homeowners not ready to part ways with hardwood or stone tiles, use a plush area rug to add some padding.

• Cork: Another option for hardwood lovers is cork. Cork is eco-friendly with a wood look as it’s a variety of softwood. Cork is an insulator, meaning it’s warm underfoot and absorbent, so treading across a cork floor is relatively quiet compared to hardwood.
• Engineered Stone: For stone tile enthusiasts, engineered stone tiles may be right for you. Engineered stone is made to mimic the look of stone using resin and limestone composite. What makes it barefoot-friendly is it’s softer than natural stone, porcelain or ceramic tiles.

Flooring for Bare Feet

Let’s face it, sometimes it’s nice to kick off your shoes and socks and pad around barefoot, but for the homeowners that spend a great deal of time without footwear, you want to consider your flooring choices carefully. We love being flooring contractors, and we want to make sure you find the ideal flooring that meets all of your needs so you love the finished product.If you’re in the market to update the floors in your house and you frequently walk around barefoot, give us a call and let us help you discover the best flooring for your space! We offer free consultations, so don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re more than happy to help!