Different Types of Flooring and How to Choose
Flooring in a home is often neglected and takes quite a beating; we walk on it everyday, spill food and drop dishes on it, give our pets and their claws free reign, and shower it in products and chemicals to keep them clean. To make matters worse, nice floors tend to be the least interesting feature in a home, yet outdated carpet will always catch a visitor’s eye. Additionally, flooring goes throughout our entire homes which can make it a pretty expensive aspect of a remodel. With all the wear and tear to consider, how is a homeowner supposed to know how to choose the flooring that will best suit their needs?
When choosing the type of flooring for your home, you’ll want to consider the needs and purpose of each room, your budget, style preferences, family size, and durability.
Some spaces have unique needs, like kitchens and high-traffic living rooms, that need a certain type of flooring. The cost of flooring varies by material, and with the material and trade labor shortage happening due to the COVID 19 pandemic costs may be even higher, which is something to consider when budgeting for your latest remodel. If you have young kids who like to throw toys around or pets with long nails, you may want to consider scratch-proof flooring, or you may have a home-gym that needs rubber flooring for your weights.
The flooring each home needs depends on the needs of the homeowner. One of the more important things to consider when choosing the type of flooring for each room is the possibility of moisture retention. When choosing a floor for your kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, or entryway, you’ll want to stray away from carpet, laminate, and hardwood floors. High quality and durable flooring can be quite expensive but is worth it if you ever plan on selling your home. Flooring that lasts is flooring that will increase the value of your home and make you money in the long run.
All of these features are things to keep in mind when flipping through those flooring samples.
There are 6 Common Types of Flooring Used in Homes:
1.Hardwood
- Works best in shared living spaces, is visually appealing, increases home value, can be resurfaced every couple years, and offers a variety of stylistic choices
- Expensive, can retain moisture, can show scratches and dents over time, not great for bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms
2. Laminate
- Best for high traffic areas, cheaper than hardwood, lots of style choices, durable, easy to install
- Not great for kitchens or bathrooms, retains a lot of moisture, hard to repair
3.Vinyl or Linoleum
- Best for high traffic areas, affordable, easy to maintain and keep clean, multifaceted, can be installed on your own and save on installation costs
- Less popular, low return on investment
4. Porcelain or Ceramic Tile
- Best for kitchens, bathrooms, and entryways, waterproof, durable, lots of design choices
- Difficult to install, one of the most expensive choices, can chip with heavy use
5. Natural Stone Tile
- Best for homeowners with kids or pets, durable, insulated, eco-friendly, lots of style choices, great for heating
- One of the more expensive options, expensive to repair, can chip or scratch, some stones can be absorbent
6. Carpet
- Best for soundproofing needs, cost-effective, feels soft and warm on your feet, stain-resistant options, variety of choices
- Moisture prone, difficult to maintain and keep clean, absorbs smells, not great for homeowners with pets
Less common but available flooring types are rubber, parquet, terrazzo, marmoleum, bamboo, and cork. These options can be more sustainable and bring a more unique style to a room and offer other options for personalization.
Choosing a flooring for your home is no easy task and there’s a lot to take into consideration- cost, durability, style, and your home’s needs. Don’t be afraid to play with your flooring- not every room has to match! Give yourself the opportunity to explore the different options- try a fun, patterned, vinyl flooring to give your home a personal touch or mix different stains and types of hardwood.
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