What Is The Most And Least Heel Friendly Flooring?
We based our rankings on a few factors. Can someone safely walk on this flooring while wearing heels? Is it comfortable to walk across? Are there puncture indents, and if there are, how fast did the indents go away? Is there any damage done to the surface such as scratching? We tested Outdoor, Garage, Carpet, Vinyl, Foam, and Gym Flooring.
Here is an example of how flooring can be damaged from walking in heels. A 150-pound person has around 4.8 pounds for every square inch (PSI) while remaining on one level foot. When wearing heels, the force of their weight increases to 2,400 pounds for every square inch. To put that in perspective, 2400 lbs is the size of an adult Pacific Walrus.
These are the top 7 highlights of our test and the ranking from most to least heel-friendly flooring options.
1. Slate Floor Tile
Our Slate Floor Tiles are an affordable yet attractive flooring solution suitable for most commercial or residential settings. This Slate alternative flooring is durable and stain resistant making it a great choice for any indoor area especially kitchens, basements, and bathrooms.
This PVC product features a hardness of Shore A 82 which means scratches or indents are not likely to happen from walking in even stilettos. Out of all the flooring we walked on, this felt the safest. This is a great flooring option for ones who wear high heels regularly.
2. Max Tile Raised Floor Tile 5/8 Inch x 1x1 Ft
Max Tile is a versatile raised flooring suitable for countless uses including athletic courts, portable dance floors, trade show booths, basements, and dining rooms. It is one of the highest quality interlocking tiles on the market because of its strong polypropylene and vinyl materials and interlocking installation design. This is a Best Selling flooring option, so it was a perfect candidate for the High Heel Test.
This flooring was completely safe and sturdy. There was no movement from the tiles, and it truly felt like walking on hardwood, but without the indents that stilettos can cause to hardwood. No visible scratching or indents could be seen. This is ranked 2 instead of 1 just because of personal preference of what it felt like to walk on it compared to the Slate Floor Tile, but it’s still highly suitable for high heels.
3. Portable Outdoor and Tent Tile 3/4 Inch x 1x1 Ft.
Our Portable Outdoor and Tent Tile is designed for temporary installations in party tents or outside a top grass, dirt, or gravel. We recommend this product for weddings and other gatherings, so it was something we needed to find out if high heels would puncture the plastic surface.
Because the connectors are just a bit lower than the tile we were thinking this would be problematic, but it wasn't. It truly was like walking on any other flat surface.
This PVC flooring has a hardness of 95, so it is highly unlikely that a heel would scratch or damage this flooring. Our Portable Outdoor Tiles are heel-proof!
4. Royal Interlocking Carpet Tile 5/8 Inch x 2x2 Ft.
Interlocking Carpet Tiles offer several benefits and are a versatile flooring choice. They are a great option for Basements or Trade Shows since it is light, waterproof, stain-proof, and easy to install. Because of its many uses, we needed to make sure everyone was safe while walking on it.
Out of all of the foam-based flooring, this felt the firmest and most stable. This is because of the strong EVA material and high-quality carpet top. There were small divots for only a few moments, and it then bounced back to its normal state. Even though it's the best foam option, we are ranking this 4 on our list just because there is a bit of cushion to this tile making it not as flat as a hard floor, but it is still safe to walk across in heels.
5. Perforated Garage Tile 5/8 Inch x 1x1 Ft.
This is usually recommended for garages or warehouses, but Perforated Garage Tiles can also be fantastic outdoor flooring.
Because of its perforated surface, we were thinking this would rank lower on the list. Even though it isn't like walking on a perfectly flat surface, our tester could easily walk across without an issue. There was not a scratch which was to be expected since this flooring is made for vehicles up to 10,000 to be on. This isn't the best option, but if someone in heels walks on this there will be no damage to your flooring and it’s safe for the person walking.
6. Foam Kids and Gym Mats Premium 5/8 Inch x 2x2 Ft.
Foam mats are made to add comfort and safety to an indoor area by giving a soft cushion below your feet. They are waterproof and stain resistant. These qualities make them great for Kids Play Areas, Exercise rooms, or Basements. But we had a strong sense this was not going to go well with heels.
Because of the foam material, the heel indented every step. Our team assumed that the indents would bounce right back, but this was not the case. Even after a few weeks, the indents were still there. It didn't show any scratches, but after heavy heel traffic, no scratches would probably not be the case. Walking on Foam Kids and Gym Mats Premium was not as safe as the Royal Carpet Tile, which is also foam. At times our tester even wobbled. This is not a safe flooring option for an area where someone may wear heels in.
7. StayLock Tile Perforated Colors 9/16 Inch x 1x1 Ft.
StayLock Tiles are an easy DIY upgrade for any deck or outdoor area. The option can be used around pools or shower areas because of its raised base and drainage system. It is a fantastic option for those areas but Staylock Tiles are ranked 7 against heels for a good reason.
This was the last tile we had tested, and it was also the most unsafe in heels. Because of the perforated top, the heels very quickly got stuck through the open areas.
This could lead to an injury if someone were not careful while wearing stilettos. StayLock Tiles are beautiful and can make any outdoor space look great, but we would not recommend it to anyone who will be wearing high heels in the space.
Overall, most vinyl, and PVC materials will more than likely hold up to damage than carpet and foam flooring. We recommend being mindful of any flooring with a perforated surface even if it is a hard material.
It is important to know how to prevent damage to your investment. This test gives Greatmats the clarification that the flooring that we recommend for parties and heavy traffic will hold up to even the tallest stilettos.