How to Choose Flooring
Tips From Top Industry Professionals
Every aspect of a home plays an important role in your comfort. You want your home to reflect your personal style, as well as meet the needs of your daily routine. Choosing the right flooring is a huge part of that.
So, how does one choose the right flooring? Should floors be lighter or darker than the walls? Should every room have the same flooring? How often do you want to clean it? Read about the different types of flooring and find the answers to these questions below.
Once you know how to choose flooring for your home, Footprints Floors is here to provide professional installation. Contact Footprints Floors today for a free estimate!
Types of Home Flooring
There are many different kinds of flooring to reflect every kind of style. Choosing flooring for your home - or even a particular room - depends on a number of lifestyle and environmental factors. Here is a brief overview of five different kinds of flooring:
Solid Hardwood
Hardwood is a classic for a reason. Adding hardwood flooring to your home can add to your home value, potentially increasing the resale price. It’s hypoallergenic and easy to clean. If you want to change the color at any point, hardwood can be sanded and refinished - something Footprints Floors can take care of for you.
Hardwood floors come in a variety of colors and finishes for every style, and offer different levels of durability depending on where they’re located in the home (and whether or not you have, say, toddlers or pets running around). Hardwood floors can be glued directly to concrete and have some insulation properties that may help lower energy bills over time.
Laminate
This material is budget-friendly, easy to clean, stain and scratch-resistant, and super durable. It can be installed over most existing floors if you want to change up the look of your home without having to rip out old flooring. This material is a great option for sunny rooms because it resists fading from UV light.
Engineered Hardwood
If you live in a place with high humidity or greatly varying temperatures throughout the year but love the look of solid hardwood, consider engineered hardwood instead. Engineered hardwood expands and contracts less than solid hardwood, meaning it can even be used in a basement and with radiant heat. It’s available in a variety of colors and finishes, and it costs less than traditional solid hardwood.
Ceramic, Porcelain and Stone Tile
Tile is waterproof so it's the favorite for use in kitchens, bathrooms and basements. Tile is low maintenance and can increase your home’s value. From the material to the look, tile provides tons of options for style, color and textures - even tile that looks like wood if you like the look of hardwood but want something different. It can even be installed outdoors on a patio, or in direct sunlight, and it’s easy to repair.
Luxury Vinyl Plank or Tile
Vinyl is making a comeback. It comes in a variety of colors, patterns and textures; it’s durable, attractive and affordable. Vinyl is a great option for homes with lots of pets or kids because of its durability, and it’s also a quieter option than ceramic or hardwood floors (no click-click-click of heels or dog toenails). Vinyl can be installed over most floors, so if you want a change you don’t need to remove existing flooring. All vinyl is water-resistant and some of it is even waterproof, making it a great option for bathrooms and kitchens. It’s easy to clean and stain resistant.
If you’re someone who loves to cook big meals, vinyl is more shock-absorbent than other flooring, making it good for standing for long periods (or accidentally dropping dishes. It happens).
The Right Flooring For You
When you’re wondering what flooring to choose, there’s always the big question: Should you use the same flooring throughout your home? The answer? You can if you want to. However, some rooms require different flooring based on moisture content. For example, even if you love the look of hardwood, it’s probably not the best choice for your bathroom.
You should keep the look of your flooring consistent in one continuous space, but feel free to change it up at naturally existing barriers like walls or doors. If you feel strongly about having the same look throughout your home with your floors, picking something like laminate or vinyl that works in every room is a great option.
As for colors, darker floors next to lighter walls can help make a room feel more spacious. However, if you have low ceilings, a floor that is lighter than the walls can create an illusion of height. In the end, it’s up to your personal preference, and what you think will look best with already existing decor.
Now that you know more about different kinds of flooring, it's also time to consider your lifestyle. How often do you need to (or want to) clean? Do you have young children or pets that make messes?
Footprints Floors is the Top Flooring Company Near You
If you are searching for floor installers near you, you have come to the right place. Footprints Floors has some of the highest ratings, thanks to our quality craftsmanship and incredible customer service.
Schedule With Footprints Floors
Your Professional Floor Installer
Whichever kind of flooring you choose, Footprints Floors is here to provide you with professional-grade installation. Footprints Floors only hires qualified, licensed contractors so you can feel safe about having us in your home. Footprints Floors is also able to offer incredibly competitive prices.
Contact Footprints Floors today for your free estimate on floor installation!