Childminders - advice on flooring

[TrulyScrumptious]

What flooring do have?

I've just had a new conservatory added to my house and mainly we use it as a dining room. There is also a bit of spare floor space with a sofa, so I expect it will be somewhere the kids and I use to play (although not solely - as there is also a living room and playroom) once I'm registered.

My Dh wants ceramic with underfloor heating which is nice but not v. homely. I'd love to go for sisal but am concerned that it will get really grubby. The website says it's really hardwearing but I've heard stuff to the contrary...

Anyone got any advice? Wood's not an option as I have real wood in the living room and I don't like it because it's so drafty!

and so slippery what is sisal?

I have tiles and underfloor heating in my playroom, just put down some rugs....maybe?

My CM has taken up carpet and put down wood. I think it seems cold and hard for the tinies. DS takes off his socks so he doesn't fall over, but always comes home with cold feet (which doesn't seem to bother him, but would make me uncomfortable). Am buying him slippers tomorrow.

Thanks everyone.

JellyJelly Sisal is a natural fibre type carpet. \link{http://www.naturalfloor.co.uk/} Looks great but would it stay that way?

katymac would you recomment underfloor heating? Is it enough to heat the room on it;s own or do you need central heating as well? My DH is v. keen on the idea but I don't know anyone whose got it, so am a bit cautious!

Easy We've got original floorboards in the livingroom. They look really nice and are very practical but because of the gaps it's gets really really drafty. I've out a great big rug down but stupidly bought cream and it's wreaked! My DD doesn't seem to feel the cold, I'm always going on about slippers but she won't have any of it!

Love U/F heating - it's so warm enough

Not the cheapest option, but very childfriendly

I really like it

I'm thinking that's probably the route to go down then! Thanks Katymac

I run round in the winter with bare feet and light trousers, with a jumper on the top half

The children stay all toasty and warm, but it is quite hard if they fall over

katymac,

Do you remember what wattage you went for. We're looking at 150 but we've seen them up to 200.

Is yours the Devimat system?

TS

Don't know - sorry

That name doesn't ring a bell - it was a mesh mat with wires in (doesn't help much does it?)

Actually it sounds like the same stuff! Not to worry, I'm sure there won't be much difference between the systems anyway.

My registration is taking forever - it's been 4 months now. It's driving me insane! I give up work on Friday this week - so it had better come soon!

Thanks for all your help

TS

Phone OFSTED and hassle them

I've got lino in my playromm/conservatory. It's east to clean and warm for now but would love tiles once the toys go and the plants move in, i.e. when I retire.

goosey at least the lino isn;t so bad if the little ones fall! I do worry about that!

I've got lovely stained carpet everywhere, and will never replace it until I give up childminding! It has seen every bodily fluid possible, and more besides.

i would def recommend a hard floor over a carpeted floor for childminding, when i did childminding, my lovely carpet was wrecked by spilt drinks, playdoh, pens, crayons etc.

even though we have lovely origional floorboards in our house we chose to put down solid wood flooring (like laminate but real wood) so no gaps and not drafty, don't find it cold at all, i know laminate can be cold, but the real wood doesn't seem to be ime.

We've also had a conservatory built this summer, which has underfloor heating in it. It is super in there for the children to play in because the floor feels so warm to run around on. At present I have still got rugs down (cheapies from Ikea) to cover the concrete floor as we have been waiting for it to dry out enough for us to put down the flooring we want. This is going to be Creation Flooring, which is a vinyl flooring laid in strips which makes it look like floorboards & can come in different colours & textures. The rest of our downstairs is like this so we wanted it to match. Although it is coolish in winter it isn't too cold & you can easily put rugs on top in places if wanted. We have had the rest of the flooring down for several years & it still looks really good, is easy to keep clean, either by sweeping and or washing. As a childminder I find this an ideal surafce as it is so easy to clean up after spills of food, drink, paint, playdough etc and it also looks really good.