What Types Of Flooring Are Best For Your Home

Few design elements have a larger impact on the look and feel of each room than the flooring. Flooring choices can transform your rooms beyond recognition.

With innovations in flooring materials, what you see isn't necessarily what you get. You can get the look of wood flooring, for example, with ceramic tiles.

Check out this guide to understanding types of flooring options and how to choose the right material for your space.

What Are the Different Types of Flooring?

Types of flooring matters mainly for the installation process. You'll also maintain floors differently based on what they're made of.

But if you're worried about types of flooring to achieve a certain look, fret not. You can accomplish just about any look you want with a variety of flooring materials.

Here's a basic overview of the types of flooring available for your home.

Laminate

Laminate has come a long way. It can mimic the look of tile, wood, or vinyl flooring depending on the look you want.

It's highly durable making it a top choice in living rooms and foyers where visitors might track in mud or snow during bad weather. There's also a wide range of laminate to choose from so you can stick within your budget.

If you want more of a luxury look, there's laminate flooring the mirrors high-end flooring but at a fraction of the cost. Another bonus of laminate is that it can be installed over existing flooring in many cases.

This makes laminate DIY friendly if you're thinking of laying your own floors.

Hardwood

Hardwoods have always been the holy grail of residential flooring. Homeowners crave the classic charm of solid wood flooring because of its timeless value.

You can resell your home easier with its original hardwoods because it's a sign your floors can stand the test of time. Make sure you prepare for the maintenance that comes with wood flooring though.

If you want it to maintain it looks, it'll need to be treated regularly. Wood floors are also vulnerable to moisture damage.

Make sure you install wood floors in areas where there's less likely to high amounts of condensation like your bathroom. Wood floors do work in kitchens but you'll need to keep an eye out for spills so they can be immediately cleaned up to avoid damage.

Vinyl

Vinyl isn't one of the most eco-friendly types of flooring but it's perfect in high moisture environments. Many people like vinyl because it feels really good underfoot making it easier to stand over a long period of time.

Vinyl is great for kitchens where you can use planks to mimic tile or wood. The main disadvantage to vinyl is that it'll always have a synthetic look unless it's COREtec Waterproof Vinyl Flooring.

Not everyone is comfortable with the appearance of vinyl even though it's one of the cheaper types of flooring available.

Bamboo

Looking for an exotic option for your floors? Try bamboo.

It's not technically wood. Bamboo is a type of grass but it mirrors the durability of wood if you find a quality variety.

Bamboo is a more sustainable flooring substance than wood but brings most of the same aesthetic benefits.

Ceramic Tile

If you're looking for flooring with the most design flexibility, ceramic tiles are your best bet. There's a wide range of styles and colors helping you create a work of art in your flooring and walls.

Ceramic tiles don't have to be flamboyant though. There are many tiles that resemble the classic appearance of wood or other natural substances.

Tiles are famous for their water resistance but are hard to walk on. For this reason, many people choose to limit tile flooring where possible if they prefer a softer step.

Cork

Cork flooring isn't the most popular flooring option but it brings lots of value to a home. As a renewable material, it's akin to having wood flooring but without the same level of harm to the environment.

Cork is also one of the softest types of flooring you can get. Beware of sharp objects near the surface of cork floors.

You'll need a regular maintenance plan to keep your cork floors in good shape. This high maintenance flooring is very susceptible to cuts and dents.

Linoleum

Linoleum is another eco-friendly flooring option as its made from biodegradable materials. But it's a soft floor that doesn't do well with moisture.

It also ages poorly. You might notice it starting to turn a yellowish tint over time meaning it'll need to be replaced. Try linoleum in small, dry areas like storage closets.

How to Choose Flooring

Get an understanding of your flooring material and how it needs to be installed. Some floors aren't good candidates for certain materials because the subfloor isn't in good shape.

You'll need to consult with your installation team while shopping to find out the best material for your home. If you're shopping by price, a synthetic floor can give you the most value for your money.

Synthetic floors are typically more moisture resistant making them a good choice for any room. You'll just need to be mindful that they can't be refinished so their lifespan is limited.

The Best Flooring Materials

Innovations in types of flooring mean you can achieve just about any look you want on a budget. There are synthetic floors that mimic better than others.

If you're diligent in your research, you can get pretty close to your ideal floor look without breaking the bank. For more information and tips, visit our blog for updates.