Soft flooring is a big category of floor coverings, with options ranging from truly soft to fairly rigid. If you’re looking to learn more about what some of the most popular soft floor tiles are made of, you’re in the right place.
Rubber Floor Tiles
Rubber flooring is any type of flooring that is made primarily of rubber, but its softness can vary. Rubber was originally naturally derived from different trees across the globe, from South America to Asia. Trees are tapped, much like they would be for maple syrup, to harvest latex, which is then processed into the rubber we all know. Rubber can also be produced synthetically using petroleum, making it a unique material with many sources. Rubber is highly recyclable, making it a great option for eco-conscious homes and business owners looking for soft tile flooring.
Rubber floor tiles come in a few forms. Some are applied using adhesive, others interlock with puzzle-piece-like edges (you may have seen these in gyms or garages), and some types of rubber tiles are peel-and-stick. Rubber has a lot of upsides, such as its high durability, recyclability, renewability, and softness. Rubber can be fine-tuned to be bouncy or rigid, making it a good choice for a number of applications, both commercial and residential. One of the biggest downsides to rubber is the odor that it can have. While high-quality rubber is usually treated to emit less of a smell, cheap or worn rubber can give off an unpleasant scent. This makes rubber a good choice for garages or gyms, as well as production spaces where air circulation is already necessary.
Carpet Tiles
Soft floor carpet tiles are a bit different from the type of carpeting you may be picturing, which often comes on large spools or rolls. Carpet tiles are usually applied using adhesive or come with peel-and-stick backs, much like rubber tiles. They can come in many colors or patterns and are excellent in homes or commercial spaces where the comfort of carpet but the convenience of replaceable tiles is necessary. Since carpet tiles are only about 12 inches wide, replacing a section of carpet tiling is much easier than patching a traditional carpet. Simply remove the affected tile or tiles and place some new ones there, then use a brush to blend the fibers together. Carpet tiles are a great choice for people with pets, children, or those in commercial spaces where damage can occur.
What are soft carpet tiles made of? There are many materials that can be used to make carpet, but the most common for carpet tiles are synthetic fibers. These materials are produced using plastic and other polymers, including nylon, polyester, and acrylics. Like rubber, carpet tiles can be made of recycled materials, making them another environmentally conscious soft floor tile choice.
Cork Floor Tiles
Cork is perhaps the least commonly used type of flooring in homes and commercial spaces, but cork floor tiles are an excellent soft tile option. Cork is made from the bark of cork trees, which are harvested without the need to cut the tree down. This fact, coupled with the ability to recycle cork, makes cork flooring eco-friendly. Cork is soft and has a naturally earthy brown tone, giving it a hardwood-like aesthetic. Cork floor tiles are usually applied with glue, and they are waterproof when installed properly. Cork is durable against scratches and dents since it bounces back quite well, but it is susceptible to discoloration in rooms with year-round sun. Cork is one of those tile flooring choices that can work in many commercial and residential settings, and its popularity does seem to be growing.
Explore Your Soft Flooring Options
Each of the types of soft floor tiles we’ve reviewed here are excellent choices for your home or business, but they all have their pros and cons. Call Ozburn-Hessey today for a free consultation and estimate to see which is the best option for you.
