What factor would you consider when purchasing flooring materials? Style or durability? I bet you chose durability. Most homeowners are more concerned about how long their flooring can take the continuous beat from frequent foot traffic. Some rooms in the house are used more frequently than others. As such, you need to find different types of flooring for each.
Thanks to innovative manufacturing solutions, homeowners can now enjoy the durability and upscale looks with different types of flooring materials. Some examples include laminate, porcelain tile, vinyl, and engineered wood, to mention but a few. These make excellent options when it comes to flooring. To get the best value and visual impressions install specific flooring materials in particular rooms. Also, work with experienced home remodeling contractors for the best home upgrades.
If you are planning a flooring upgrade soon, this guide will come in handy. We will highlight key rooms in a home and the type of flooring you might want to consider for each. Besides, matching a room with the perfect flooring material improves your home’s market value, aesthetic appeal, and functionality.
Below we discuss some different types of flooring materials and their desirable characteristics that make them a perfect match for particular room(s).
Kitchen and Mud Rooms
The kitchen and the mudroom require the most durable types of flooring material that does not absorb water. Any home remodeling contractors will tell you that. Soiled shoes, raincoat drips, and frequent friction, and spillages are some examples of daily beating that mudrooms and kitchen floors have to endure. Although you might consider using wood for the flooring, the material has some downsides. For instance, it is more prone to dents and water perforation, which lowers its durability.
Porcelain tile is an excellent choice when selecting the best types of flooring for your kitchen and mudroom. It is highly resistant to scratches/dents and water. You can find porcelain tiles in a wide range of styles and patterns. Finding an option that matches your interior décor will not be a challenge. If you have a 20th-century home, you might want to use small-format hex tiles to spruce up the interior. Alternatively, you can opt for 4-foot faux planks to add a unique element to the kitchen.
Many home remodeling contractors recommend tiles for the kitchen because the material is low maintenance. This is the same logic when it comes to epoxy flooring with garage surfaces—vacuuming or mopping is enough to keep them looking clean and attractive. Besides, tiles last for a long time.
Bedroom
A lot of householders install hardwood or engineered wood flooring throughout the entire home. Although they are among the best choice for the bedroom, they do not provide the needed comfort for the feet in the morning when you get out of bed.
Instead of hard-surfaced flooring materials, look for a high-end, soft carpet. If you already installed hardwood, you can still throw in a rug. A carpet and a hardwood-flooring surround make the bedroom feel cozy and gorgeous.
That also applies to the kids’ bedrooms, although you may want to find something easy to clean. Perhaps one made of nylon or polypropylene fiber. Instead, look for carpet tiles and arrange them on the floor in whichever pattern or design that will match the interior decoration. An advantage of using carpet tiles is that they are low maintenance, and you can interchange the patterns as you please.
Bathroom and Laundry Room
When working on a bathroom makeover project, you need to understand that it is an area with high moisture content. Toilet overflows, shower drips, and splashes when using the tub are some of the culprits that can compromise the flooring’s look and longevity.
Among the top types of flooring for the bathroom or laundry room, porcelain tile is the most preferred. Even the homeowner who purely prefers hardwood flooring should seriously consider using tiles in the bathroom. The material is highly resistant to moisture. It is also an excellent bathroom design as the flooring can freely extend into the shower without the need for a lip or a raised section. Go for textured tiles to provide that traction to prevent slips when the floor is wet. If your home lies in an area with a cold climate, you may enhance the comfort by installing underfloor heating systems.
Living and Dining Rooms
These are the rooms that your guests and potential homebuyers will see first. That said, you need to invest in a type of flooring material that delivers a stand-alone aesthetic appeal. Furniture feet, wheeled kids’ toys, and dirt-covered shoes may damage the floor, but hardwood is proven to have the most significant impact on your home’s value than any other available option. Spillages and food soiling in the dining room are also inevitable.
Hardwood flooring can be prefinished or unfinished wood, which is sanded and finished following installation. The former makes a better choice. You won’t have to deal with dust from sanding or irritating fumes from finishing. Moreover, prefinished wood is affordable, and chances are you might be able to utilize the floor shortly after installation. Hardwood is also low-maintenance and ranks among the most durable types of flooring.
If you don’t want to install solid wood, you can go for engineered wood planks. They feature a thin layer of finished wood attached to plywood. They are more affordable than solid wood. Since they are engineered, these types of flooring options can be found in different kinds of tree species, including maple, oak, tiger wood, and Brazilian walnut.
Do You Have Pets Around?
If you are a pet lover, you need to also cater to your furry friends’ comfort needs. It would be best if you considered natural flooring materials such as bamboo. If it’s not within your budge, porcelain tiles wouldn’t be a bad option for your rambunctious pets. You can also add a layer of soft rug that you can easily clean after staining by your Fido or cat.
One secret to choosing the best types of flooring for a home with pets is selecting a cut pile carpet instead of a loop rug. The design controls damage by preventing your pet’s nails from snagging the loops to cause premature wear-n-tear. It also helps to match the carpet color with that of your pet’s for the perfect blend.