When it comes to flooring, know all the options you have. While most people only use appearance as the basis of their decision, different flooring types actually have different characteristics. We prepared this article for more information on this:
Flooring Options
Interior design is not just about choosing a type of flooring that suits a room’s overall appearance. You also need to take note of the materials used in each flooring type to guarantee that they can last for an extended period of time. That being said, below are your best options for your home’s flooring.
Hardwood
One of the most popular choices in home flooring is hardwood. This is mainly because hardwood material combines visual appeal with durability. If you’re going to find a contractor for hardwood floor installation, make sure that you also ask for the available varieties and styles, as this type of flooring often has plenty of options to choose from. However, the downside of hardwood flooring is that they are quite costly, often ranging from $6 to $12 per square foot, but every penny you pay for this is worth it as it can last for more than five years before you need to resurface.
Laminate
Your next best option for reflooring your home is laminate. It is relatively cheaper than hardwood and easy to install. On top of that, it maintains almost the same level of durability as hardwood floors. However, laminate flooring is easily damaged, especially by water or moisture, and it’s quite difficult to repair.
Vinyl/Linoleum
One of the cheapest options for home flooring is linoleum. Although this used to be just a temporary flooring option before installing a permanent one, there are now many vinyl flooring variations that mimic the appearance of ceramic, wood, or stone. You often just have to lay them down to the floor and cut corners to get the proper fit. However, one major drawback of this flooring type is that it isn’t as visually appealing as the ones we’ve mentioned earlier.
Porcelain/Ceramic
One type of flooring that works well with water and other liquids is porcelain or ceramic. There are plenty of variations to ceramic and porcelain floorings, and they all maintain the non-porous quality you will look for in bathroom or kitchen floor installations. However, they are also the most expensive flooring option, ranging from $13 to $83 per square foot. They are also quite fragile with heavy use and can break when hit with too much impact from harder materials. Not to mention that it is one of the hardest types of flooring to install.
Natural Stone
If vinyl is the cheapest type of flooring, on the other side of that spectrum is natural stone. Ranging from a wide variety of materials such as marble, sandstone, and granite, natural stone floorings cost around $800 to $3,000, including the labor. Natural stone is quite heavy, but it’s durable eco-friendly and can function as an insulator for your home. However, you have to keep in mind that natural stone is quite difficult to repair, and some of them are porous, which means you need to take extra measures not to get them soaking wet.
Carpet
If you don’t want to go with linoleum, but you want something that’s just as cheap, another popular is carpet. It has plenty of available designs, and they can aid in soundproofing your home. Ranging at about $3 to $11 per square foot, carpet flooring is one of the cheapest options, not to mention that it feels soft and warm on your feet. However, if you have pets at home, you may want to reconsider your options because carpets often absorb foul smell, and they require constant maintenance to keep them sanitized and hygienic.
Flooring installation is an essential part of home improvement. You need to conduct adequate research on the different materials available to guarantee that you’re installing the right one for a particular room. While there are still lots of flooring options out there, such as bamboo or rubber, to mention a few, the most common and cost-effective options are listed above. Make sure that you choose wisely.
