Choosing the Right Flooring for Your Home

Your choice of flooring for your home depends on both lifestyle and desired look. Durable surfaces tend to work best for active households while those that can withstand moisture well are suitable for kitchens and bathrooms.

Tile can make an excellent addition to kitchens, offering a range of styles that complement almost any decor scheme. But wood feels warmer underfoot and is gentler on both your back and feet.

Hardwood

Hardwood floors add timeless beauty and value to your home, providing years of enjoyment if they are properly cared for. Refinishing is usually possible as long as proper maintenance practices are followed.

Hardwoods come in various species, widths and stain colors. Lighter shades such as ash or birch are often chosen for their ability to brighten smaller rooms and open up larger ones.

Select a hardwood floor that suits your design aesthetic and lifestyle needs, whether that means accommodating kids or pets, as well as how much maintenance time and commitment level is involved with cleaning and maintaining it regularly. Oak or hickory hardwood is highly resilient against wear and tear; for modern looks try opting for wider planks while narrow strips may suit more classic aesthetics.

Tile

Tile is a timeless, durable flooring choice that adds character and warmth to living spaces. Perfect for bathrooms, kitchens, foyers and mudrooms alike – tile can even add warmth!

Before purchasing tile or any other form of flooring, it’s wise to assess how much time and maintenance effort are available to you. Furthermore, be mindful of its environmental impact – some products emit toxic fumes during production that might threaten human health and the ecosystem.

Remember that many types of tile are heavy and will likely need additional support during upper-story installations. Furthermore, they should only be installed over an even surface and on a stable subfloor – making them unsuitable for homes on slab foundations and ceramic tiles that could potentially crack under pressure.

Vinyl

Vinyl flooring is an economical, sturdy, and practical option that stands up well under heavy foot traffic and drops of pots & pans, and crayon scribbles – not to mention moisture resistance! Perfect for children’s rooms & laundry areas!

The core layer can either be made of WPC (comprised of wood and plastic) or SPC (stone-plastic composite), with the design layer printed to emulate high-end materials like hardwood, stone, and marble.

Today’s vinyl is equipped with a wear layer that protects it against stains and scratches, with many colors, patterns and textures to choose from. Vinyl tile and luxury vinyl plank floors now virtually indistinguishable from natural wood or ceramic/porcelain tile floors are slip resistant – ideal for bathrooms.

Laminate

Finding the ideal flooring solution for your home should come down to personal choice; however, it is also essential that you consider how that flooring will perform over time and endure daily wear and tear. When making this big decision, take your time in making your selection – this decision may affect you for quite some time so think it through carefully!

Laminate flooring can be an economical alternative to hardwood, offering homeowners the look they crave without breaking their budget. Thanks to technological advances, laminate can now mimic various materials including wood, stone and brick flooring – while being water resistant, durable and stylishly versatile – making it a fantastic option. In addition, many manufacturers provide eco-friendly versions sourced from forests certified by Forest Stewardship Council with little or no harmful emissions.

Engineered Wood

Engineerered wood floors offer a modern alternative to traditional hardwood, boasting real hardwood veneer bonded with plywood backing in a special process for maximum dimensional stability and water resistance. Engineered floors can fit seamlessly into any room in your home without compromise!

Engineered hardwood can be sanded and refinished multiple times, providing long-term and durable floors. To maximize longevity and durability, select products with at least nine layers. Baltic Birch Plywood, designed to withstand marine environments is usually the best choice.

Purchase your flooring from a flooring store near you rather than from an online retailer, as local dealers have more knowledge regarding all aspects of flooring from plies counts to thickness of veneer.