Choosing Your Floor

Home flooring options abound, and it can be difficult to decide which flooring option to put in your home. Your floor should be a reflection of your style and your comfort level. When choosing a floor, it is important to consider what room the flooring is going in and what flooring your budget can afford.

Carpet

Pros
Carpet can be inexpensive–in the short term. Carpet helps soften the noise in a room. It is warm to walk on, and when objects fall on carpet, they don’t break. Carpet is available in thousands of colors, patterns, and textures. Also it can be installed over any sub-floor and a thick pile carpet can hide an irregular sub-floor.

Cons
Carpet has a relatively short life span, especially on stairs and high traffic areas. It can be difficult to clean and maintain. Carpet will also fade in the direct sunlight.

Vinyl

Pros
It is less expensive than other hard surface floors. It is easy to maintain and works well in high traffic areas, such as kitchens and hallways. It comes in various colors, designs, textures, and finishes. It can be installed by homeowners, especially the vinyl tile squares.

Cons
It is susceptible to rips, tears, and gouges. It must be installed on a smooth and level sub-floor. Cheaper vinyl can yellow over time.

Laminate

Laminate has a decorative top of aluminum oxide bonded to resin-based melamine. These are bonded to a wood composition core. It works in any room in the house, especially in kitchens.

Pros
Laminate comes in an endless variety of finishes, colors, and designs. The most popular are the designs which look like wood or stone. It is very durable and holds up to heavy foot traffic. It is also resistant to stains. It cleans up easily with soap and water. It is a great floor for do-it-yourselfers to install.

Cons
It is more expensive than vinyl. It can be scratched. It can not be refinished.

Ceramic Tile

Pros
It is durable. It comes in thousands of colors, shapes, designs, and patterns. It is easy to clean up and keeps looking good. It is water and stain resistant. It doesn’t retain allergens, so it is great for people with allergies.

Cons
It is cold to the touch. When objects are dropped on it, the objects usually break, and it is noisy. The tiles can be slippery when wet. It can be difficult to keep the grout clean. Home installation is possible; it just takes time. Professional installation is expensive.

Hardwood

Pros
Hardwood floors are durable and solid, and they go great with the wood for kitchen cabinets. Because of their natural beauty, they add warmth to any room. If damage does occur, they can be repaired. Because of the elegance they add to any room, hardwood floors add value to your house.

Cons
They are susceptible to water damage. They can be easily dented if heavy objects fall or sit on them. Sunlight can fade the color. They are also expensive, both the material and the installation.