Choosing the right floor for your home is a big decision to make. There are many different options out there, all of them with their upsides but also their disadvantages. If you’re looking to find out what type of flooring might be the best choice for your home, we’ll go over some of the most popular flooring types and why they might be right (or wrong) for your living space.
Hardwood Floor
Solid hardwood floors have been the most popular flooring option for many years. They’re beautiful, practical, and can suit almost any decor style. Hardwood floors can be refinished to remove surface scratches, making maintenance over time possible.
Keeping wood floors clean is one of their biggest advantages since it’s easy to sweep and mop hardwood. It’s also reasonably easy to install yourself, which allows you to save some money.
However, solid hardwood floors aren’t always the most durable option when it comes to choosing the right floor. They’re a no-go for bathrooms and laundry rooms, as exposure to water over time can warp the wood. It’s suggested that hardwood floors be refinished every ten years to keep them looking good, so expense over time can be high. They can also be pricey to install initially.
Engineered Wood Floor
Engineered wood flooring is similar to solid wood, but it’s manufactured differently, making it a less expensive option. Underneath the natural wood veneer, which shows off the grain, is cheaper plywood. Because of its affordability, engineered wood is a good alternative to hardwood floors.
Engineered wood flooring can be installed directly over concrete, whereas solid wood cannot always be installed over concrete. Some of the flat sheets can even be installed over old hardwood floors, so you don’t have to rip out the old one before installing the new one. It is especially easy to install clickable flooring yourself, so you can save even more money on installation.
It’s possible to have the look of solid wood while paying a little less for engineered wood floors. However, the cheapest options are usually manufactured from exotic woods, which are more prone to denting and scratching over time. Due to its limited refinishing capacity, engineered wood is also less durable than hardwood. Over time, you run the risk of wearing the veneer through to the plywood beneath.
Laminate Floor
Laminate is made up of layers of plywood or compressed fibers over a thin veneer of wood. A versatile choice, it can be made to resemble wood, stone, tile, or almost any other material.
Unlike wood or stone, laminate floors are much more affordable, easy to clean, and require minimal maintenance, making them an extremely low-maintenance option. It’s a hard material, so it also resists scratches, dents, and stains. It’s also easy to install laminate over an existing floor.
But just with other flooring options, laminate has its downsides. It’s slippery when wet, so wet environments such as a damp basement are not well-suited to laminate. It’s also not able to be refinished, so despite the inexpensive initial cost, it doesn’t hold up as well over time as other options like hardwood.
Ceramic Tile Floor
Ceramic tiles make a great flooring option, as there are many colors, shapes, and patterns to choose from. Floor tiles are available in a variety of colors and shapes to match any interior design scheme.
Easy to clean and durable, tile is low-maintenance and holds up well over time. Porcelain tile is the most durable tile option, resistant to scratches, dents, and moisture.
Unfortunately, tile is loud to walk on, and can also feel chilly underfoot during colder months. Tile is also notoriously slippery when wet. What’s more, tiles have varying levels of durability. Cracks and staining are possible over time, and regrouting may eventually be required. Although a durable option, if a crack in tile does happen, it’s tricky to fix.
Carpet Floor
For bedrooms and living rooms, carpet is a very popular option. Wool and nylon fibers usually are pulled through a woven backing, then extra backing layers are glued on to strengthen the fabric.
Carpet is soft, warm, and can be extremely complementary to any decor style. It’s also quiet to walk on and relatively easy to install.
Everyone loves the idea of a beautiful, luxurious carpet in their home when it comes to choosing the right floor, but it does have a few disadvantages. Carpets can be difficult to maintain and clean. They stain easily, and even with regular vacuuming, they can still easily harbor dirt and grime. Moreover, for allergy sufferers, carpet isn’t a good choice since it can hold on to allergens such as pollen and pet dander.
When it comes to picking flooring for your home, make sure you look into the pros and cons of various choices. Your flooring should look great and complement your decor, but also be practical, maintainable, and suit your lifestyle.