Blog > What type of flooring is best for your unique project?
What type of flooring is best for your unique project?
Wednesday, April 27, 2022 10:22 AM
Unlike many other house decor decisions, flooring tends to be long-lasting (about 10 years for carpet, up to 50-100 years for tile or hardwood) and is a major investment in time and money. Your flooring will last through changes in style trends and can influence your home’s value. How do you decide what type of flooring is best? While there isn’t a wrong answer, some factors to consider are:
- How is the space used?
- How much traffic does the room get?
- Do kids or pets live in the home?
- What aesthetics or style vibe do you want to project?
- What is your budget?
- How much are you concerned about the return on investment (ROI)?
What type of flooring is best: The categories
Hardwood
Hardwood flooring has been the flooring standard for centuries, not only for its beauty but also for its longevity. While simple maintenance will keep your floors looking great for years, damaged hardwood can be sanded out and refinished to look like new. If you are concerned about ROI, the answer to what type of flooring is best is easy: hardwood floors are a major selling point. Realtor.com estimates the ROI to be 70-80%. Today’s styles come in 4-10 inch planks that are installed in linear strips or other patterns. It works well in any room but is especially well-suited for common areas such as living rooms, halls, and dining rooms.
Stone
Stone floors have been around for centuries. Today there are hundreds of natural stone options including granite, marble, quartz, quartzite, glass, limestone, onyx, slate, and travertine. Durable and versatile, stone is a good option for homes with kids and pets. It works well with radiant heating, is long lasting, and eco-friendly. The hard surface makes it unlikely to show wear, but stone can be unforgiving – for example, a dropped glass is likely to shatter. Like hardwood, it can be used in any room, but is especially popular for bathrooms, entryways, and kitchens.
Mosaic
Mosaic flooring dates back at least to the ancient Greeks. Modern mosaic flooring is most often a repeating pattern, but also can be arranged to create a single image, in effect, floor art. Tiles are made of a variety of materials such as glass, metal, and natural stone. Mosaic tile sheets also come in patterns composed of a combination of materials, such as stone and glass. While it is more commonly used on walls, mosaic tile is also a popular flooring option for small areas like bathrooms or showers.
Carpet
A more modern option, also known as wall-to-wall, carpeting provides both visual and physical warmth while also providing a level of soundproofing. It is a popular choice for bedrooms and hallways where soft and warm fibers are most appreciated under bare feet. While simple maintenance steps will make your carpet look new longer, it will hold up best in areas with lower foot traffic.
Tile
Like mosaic tiles, porcelain and ceramic have been around for centuries. They come in a large variety of styles and materials in sizes ranging from 1’ x 1’ to 20” x 20”. While they may resemble natural stone, they are less expensive. Tile flooring is durable, non-porous, long lasting, and low maintenance, making it a good choice for high moisture and high traffic areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, mudrooms, and entryways – places where shoes track in dirt, chairs are dragged across the floor, and water drips no matter how hard you try to prevent it.
Laminate
A relative newcomer on the flooring scene (dating to the 1970s) laminate flooring offers the look of real wood at a fraction of the price. Durable, affordable, and resistant to UV light damage, it is best in low-moisture areas and is easy to clean and stain-resistant. When trying to decide what type of flooring is best for high traffic areas such as living rooms, dining rooms and hallways, laminate is certainly a good choice to consider.
Vinyl
Vinyl flooring has come a long way from its early 20th century origins. Today’s vinyl flooring is resilient, versatile, attractive, and water-resistant, and comes in styles that look like real wood, stone, or concrete. It is affordable and easy to maintain, making it a good option for almost any area in the home, but especially for high traffic areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and basements.
Stop in or make an appointment to speak with one of our experts to help you determine what type of flooring is best for your needs. And be sure to check out the kitchen and bathroom visualizers on our website to help you get an idea of how new flooring will look in your home.
Floors USA Ccn help you decide what flooring is best for you
Getting access to the perfect flooring for your project is vital, and you don’t have the time to waste hunting it down. With the extensive industry contacts we’ve built up over 45 years in the industry, we have access to the widest selection of flooring in the area to make finding the ideal fit for your needs easier. With our expert sales guidance, there’s no hassle — you’ll find the perfect match for your project without any guesswork or uncertainty.
Right now, schedule an appointment by February 28, 2022 to save 10% on items in-stock and 5% on special orders!