The AODA does not yet include standards governing the housing sector. However, the Third Review of the AODA recommends new standards in various sectors, and suggests guidelines for future housing standards. In addition, the review recommends that future AODA standards should align with existing standards in other parts of the country. For instance, Accessibility Standards Canada (ASC) and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group) have developed federal standards for accessible housing. Future AODA housing standards may include some or all of these guidelines and requirements to make people’s homes more accessible. In this article, we explore guidelines in the federal housing standards for accessible floors and carpets in housing.
Accessible Floors and carpets in Housing
All floor surfaces leading to, and inside of, housing should be accessible. Therefore, the standards list technical requirements for floors and carpets. For example, all floor surfaces should be:
- Level, unless sloping towards a drain
- Secure and stable
- Slip-resistant when they are wet or dry
- Not reflective
- Free from glare and visual patterns
To avoid glare, designers can choose floor materials with a matte finish. Likewise, designers can choose flooring without visual patterns which may disorient people. For example, flooring with multiple colours or patterns may distract people. Alternatively, colour changes in flooring often indicate a change in level. As a result, more than one floor colour in the same room may cause people to expect a change in level.
In addition, designers should also avoid changes in level on the same floor of a home. For example, designers sometimes create entrances to one (1) room on a floor with a small step up or down. On one hand, designers could create ramps in these entrances to raised and sunken rooms. On the other hand, a simpler solution is to design homes without these small changes in level.
Similarly, floor surfaces that are textured, such as decorative paving, can create obstacles for people using assistive devices. Therefore, designers should also avoid these textured flooring surfaces.
Furthermore, the standards list technical requirements for carpets or carpet tiles. For example, carpets should have a pile or loop that is:
- Low
- Firm
- Level
Moreover, the standards list other requirements for:
- Underlay materials below carpets
- Combined height of the carpet and the padding below it
Finally, the standards provide measurements for the sloping of slight changes in level under five centimeters (5 CM). These requirements apply to both flooring and carpet.