You step on them every single day, but how much time do you spend thinking of the floors in your home? While many homeowners spend a lot of time and effort on decorating and furnishing their homes to look as beautiful as possible, the floors could go neglected. The problem with this is that the floor of a room has a huge impact on the overall look that you achieve.
Replacing a floor could get very complicated and expensive, but if you are handy and do the work yourself, you could save quite a bit of money, and there are some beautiful types of flooring available that are made to be as simple as possible to install. So, let us consider a few different options that are on the market that could let you improve the overall look of your home from the bottom up.
Wood
A material considered by most to be beautiful is wood. If you want wood flooring in your home, there are a few different options to choose from. The main decision to make is whether you want to get solid wood floors or engineered floors. Solid wood will cost you more, but it does give you more freedom to sand and refinish the floor, while engineered flooring only has a veneer of real wood which could be difficult to fix if it gets deep scratches.
On the other hand, solid wood is more susceptible to humidity, which could cause it to warp, while the engineered flooring with its high-quality plywood base can handle it better. This is why solid wood shouldn’t be used in any areas where humidity is a problem.
There are many different types of wood that are used, and naturally, the harder the wood, the better for use as flooring. Oak and maple are common choices, but it is good to shop around to find the best price for the material you’re looking for.
When it comes to installation, solid wood is a little more difficult to install than engineered flooring, but it will be a longer-lasting investment.Linoleum
Another, very durable option for your floors is linoleum. It has been around for a long time, and it can be produced in a sustainable way which is good for the environment. It is naturally resistant to dirt, bacteria, and water, which makes it appealing for parents with young children that might be crawling on the floor.
Linoleum is made from Linseed oil, cork dust, wood flour, pine resin, ground limestone, and pigments with a jute backing. It can last for decades if cared for properly, and you have several different options for installation. Most commonly the flooring will come in sheets or tiles, and installation isn’t too complicated. It’s usually not too expensive, but the type of linoleum flooring you select will affect the price.
The flooring will be sealed at the factory to make it water resistant, but it’s important to re-finish the floor after years of wear and tear to keep it sealed. Since it is a porous material, the finish will help it stay in good shape for much longer.Vinyl
Vinyl flooring has some similarities to linoleum, but it is not made from renewable materials, so it has a greater impact on the environment. It is also possible that it off-gasses VOCs that can be harmful to your health. They usually only have a thin layer that shows the color and pattern which could fade over time.
On the other hand, it is a very low-maintenance flooring material, and one of the easiest to install. It is also waterproof, so you don’t need to worry about using a mop when cleaning it. Since it is a non-organic material, it also gives you a wide range of patterns and colors that you can choose from.Carpet
Carpet has been very popular through the years, but it has lost some of its appeal in our time. There are many factors that play into the popularity of carpet. It is one of the cheapest materials you can use for flooring in your home. It is soft and quiet, something that many like to feel under their feet, especially in the morning. It also hides dirt from view, which we will bring up later in one of our cons as well, and it is very easy to install.
On the downside, carpet does wear down fairly quickly in high-traffic areas, and the wear will be easily visible to the naked eye. This means that you will need to replace your carpet sooner than you would the other materials in our article. There are also areas where carpet wouldn’t be a good choice, most notably your kitchen and bathroom, but also other areas where there is a risk of water leaking onto the floor. Lastly, cleaning a carpet well is more difficult than flat surfaces. There can be many contaminants hiding in a carpet, and if it gets wet, there is even the danger of mold growth starting in the carpet.
If you choose to have carpet installed in your home, you should have a vacuum cleaner that can really dig out the dirt well, or it might even be a wise choice to have a small steamer at home to use for deep cleanings.Conclusion
Of course, there are some other types of flooring as well, but these are some of the more common ones that you will encounter. There are many factors to keep in mind when deciding on the type of flooring that is best for you. The conditions that exist, such as the amount of traffic and the risk of water damage, as well as the cost, and the overall appearance that you want to have. Hopefully, the information in this article gave you some ideas of what to consider.
Looking for more articles on improvements you can do to your home? Have you read our articles To DIY or Not to DIY – That is the Question and Underestimated Costly Home Improvements?