Choosing the flooring for your home can be a complex task as once you have made a choice, replacing it can be tedious. You should be clear about what sort of flooring you actually want in your house and the budget that would like to spend on it and its maintenance costs. I recently renovated my grandma's house because of which I came to know about the kinds of flooring and here I am to share my views on the same, for more you can visit http://flawlessmania.com/
Types Of Flooring:
- Hardwood: Hardwood floors, which are made of timber, are more beautiful and durable than any other type of flooring. It will have an 8 millimeter wear which is thicker than the engineered wood. It doesn't contain any harsh components so there can be fewer chances of allergies. It is classic and goes with any decorating style. The price depends on the type of the wood selected like bamboo, rosewood, maple etc. It is costly and has high installation charges, however durable and scratch resistant. With high levels of humidity, wood begins to expand and crack. So a normal humidity of 30%-50% should be fine for hardwood flooring. Consider this option if you are using this for the first time rather than replacing the current flooring with the hardwood. It’s a good option to use it in the living area.
- Engineered wood: It is a derivative wood product in which other materials are combined in the manufacturing of the engineering wood. These products are engineered to meet some design specifications and standards. Since these are man made products, a wide variety of options are available in terms of size, thickness and durability. You can find the cheaper stuff at 2$ a square foot but a lot of better ones will be in the range 5$ to 10$ which makes it a great option for all the homeowners who want a higher quality flooring with a wider range of options. Comparatively it is a bit higher in cost than the laminate wood. It is best used in the living area, kitchen and bedrooms. It is better to avoid it in the bathrooms as it is a place which is exposed to a lot of humidity.
- Tiles: There are unlimited styles, colors and patterns you can go with in this type. Tiles are non-absorbent, easy to install and require less maintenance. Use less water absorbent tiles, which is a waterproof one, for the bathroom as it can be more slippery when wet. Tiles make the room feel cold and doesn’t bring warmth to the room like the wood. There can be cracks involved in this type of flooring and to see it in a permanent way removing it cannot be that easy. Make sure you use suitable tiles for walls and floors accordingly as wall tiles can be comparatively lighter and thin. Wall tiles are not designated to handle the food traffic. Choosing the right tile can be a solid choice for your house and it enhances the overall and look and feel to a greater extent.
- Luxury Vinyl: You can give your home the authentic look of hardwood, but at a lower cost with luxury vinyl. It is an affordable choice and installation is also quite easier. It can mimic the look of both wood and stone and it is more scratch resistant than the hardwood. Luxury vinyl will fade when consistently exposed to sunlight so they can't be installed outdoors. Being a cheaper option also makes it difficult to re-install them again and again in future.
- Carpet: Carpet can be the most economical initial investment and it also has a large selection of colors patterns and fibers. It not only provides a cozy place to relax and work, but also makes the warmth stay longer in the room in the cold season. It softens the slippery area making it a safe option for kids. It’s too easy to stain or damage and deep cleaning is often required which can be expensive and you might even have to replace it sooner. It doesn't long last and the maintenance costs are also higher than the hardwood.
- Laminate: Laminate is a strong, scratch-resistant, and durable flooring surface. It’s great for houses where there are pets and kids. They just resemble the real wood, but they are actually not, because of which they sound and feel different. If you want to feel the real hardwood you can opt for a thicker one such as 12mm or 15mm. It is easier to install than other floor types and less expensive than the hardwood. Most people can do it themselves. You can choose best for every pricing range. It is stain resistant which makes spills easy to clean. Laminate flooring is not recommended in bathrooms due to its wet surface. No debate that hardwood is more durable and attractive. But laminate is a good option as it resembles hardwood with less investment. It’s shell life can be around 10-15 years.
