analysis: How to Choose the Perfect Floor for Your Home

1. Most popular floor type – hardwood floors

Notes:

• Hardwood floor is one of the most popular options in homes around the world. Not only it looks fantastic in your living space, but it also comes in many variations! Depending on the type of wood you’d like your floor to be from, prices may vary, a lot.
• Also, solid wood floors may come finished or unfinished. If you’d like a somewhat cheaper option, pick unfinished floors, sand them before and finish after installing. However, unfinished floors aren’t the same quality as finished floors, and they can get damaged easier.
• Hardwood floors are ideal for living rooms and bedrooms. But they can’t stand moisture, which makes them inadequate candidates for bathrooms, laundry rooms and even kitchens. They’re quite easy to maintain, just ensure to mop them regularly.

• Some hardwood floor styles to consider (from google images):

  Hardwood Floor Styles
  	alder
  	aspen
  	basswood
  	beech
  	black walnut
  	cherry
  	cottonwood
  	elm
  	green ash
  	gum

  #
  	hackberry
  	hard maple
  	hickory
  	pecan
  	red oak
  	soft maple
  	sycamore
  	white oak
  	yellow birch
  	yellow poplar

• Softwoods
  	cedar
  	fir
  	hemlock
  	pine
  	redwood
  	spruce

  Tropical Woods
  	mahogany
  	rosewood
  	teak
  	wenge

• Quik scroll to next topic about how to choose the perfect floor …

  

•    ideas to view and compare from the photo above      

  hardwood vacuumdust mophardwood floot protectors

2. Cheaper alternative – engineered wood floor

Notes:

• Is hardwood floor way over your budget? Consider the marginally cheaper, budget-friendly alternative engineered wood floor. It looks similar to the solid wood floor except it’s made differently. Instead of being completely out of the wood, only a thin layer on the top is made out of real wood.
• The engineered floor is made out of layers of plywood. This makes this type of flooring sturdier and much cheaper than a solid wood floor. Similar to the hardwood floors, engineered wood floors come in a variety of designs and patterns. However, it is more resistant to moist areas, so it’s also suitable for basements.
• Unlike solid wood, engineered wood floors don’t last as long. They can only be finished once before the top layer wears out.

• Some engineered wood styles to consider (from google images):

  Wood Species
  	red oak
  	white oak
  	carbonized bamboo
  	maple engineered
  	american cherry
  	birch
  	rosewood
  	walnut
  	hickory

  Color Styles
  	beige
  	black
  	brown
  	gray
  	orange
  	red
  	white
  	yellow

• Quik scroll to next topic about how to choose the perfect floor …

  

•    ideas to view and compare from the photo above      

  engineered hardwood planksflooring installation kitengineered floor repair

3. Soft and stylish – cork

Notes:

• Like walking on clouds, cork is a soft and stylish type of floor that is made out of the bark of the tree. As only particular trees can produce such bark, it can be harvested every 10 years, without cutting the tree. It’s a sustainable and resilient material, ideal for a home!
• Cork floors are very easy to install. You can do it yourself! It has many benefits, from softness over slip-resistance to warmth, which also makes cork a great choice for your bedroom or playroom! This eco-friendly type of floor comes in tiles and planks.
• Even though it may seem perfect, cork floor comes with its challenges. This type of flooring isn’t very moisture resistant, which means you can’t use it in a bathroom no matter how much you’d like to. Similarly, it’s prone to scratches and damages. If you want to make it last longer, you’ll need to wax it every two or three years to keep it in usable condition.

• Some cork flooring styles to consider (from google images):

  • natural cork flooring types [view samples]
  • textured cork flooring types [view samples]
  • colored cork flooring types [view samples]

• Quik scroll to next topic about how to choose the perfect floor …

  

•    ideas to view and compare from the photo above      

  cork flooringcork underlaymentcork flooring protectors

4. Durable and versatile – vinyl floor

Notes:

• More flexible and softer than hardwood floors, vinyl flooring is quite durable and comes in many different colours and patterns. Unlike most types of wood in this list, vinyl isn’t made out of natural materials. It’s made out of PVC, which is, simply put, plastic over a layer of felt.
• Even though this doesn’t sound as comfortable as carpet, for example, you can purchase a cushioned vinyl that makes walking over it a pure pleasure. On the other hand, if you’d like to imitate the hardwood floor or wood for a cheaper price and more comfortable material, pick a thicker vinyl with wood or stone texture.
• One of the main disadvantages of vinyl is that it’s not environmentally friendly, and can be quite harmful to the environment. Even though it’s pretty durable, cheaper options for this type of floor may look too fake and ruin the aesthetic of your home.

• Quik scroll to next topic about how to choose the perfect floor …

  

•    ideas to view and compare from the photo above      

  vinyl wood planksluxury vinyl floorvinyl floor underlayment

5. Children’s paradise – carpets

Notes:

• Many people think that a house isn’t a home without a carpet. Even though it’s up to you whether you’ll decide to implement carpets or not, it can be a great solution if you have kids! You can opt for wool, fuzzy, nylon or polyester carpets for your homes, but which one is the best?
• If you’re all about the style, fuzzy carpets can transform your house into a cosy nook. However, they are prone to wearing out and collecting too much dust from the air. On the other hand, if you like a strong and natural material, wool is the perfect option for you. It naturally resits stains and moisture, which is ideal for youngsters.
• The long-lasting carpets are usually made out of nylon, while colourful and customisable, but prone to stains are made out of polyester. The only downside is that carpets are much harder to clean than any other type of material.

• Some carpet styles and types to consider (from google images):

  Carpet Styles
  	berber
  	cable
  	frieze
  	multi loop
  	pattern
  	plush
  	saxony
  	sculpted
  	shag
  	textured

  Carpet Types
  	acrylic
  	nylon
  	olefin
  	polyester
  	wool

• Quik scroll to next topic about how to choose the perfect floor …

  

•    ideas to view and compare from the photo above      

  carpet samplescarpet tilescarpet padding

6. Pet-friendly and durable – lino

Notes:

• Made out of renewable and natural materials, lino is one of the most popular durable flooring types in the world! Even though many people consider linoleum to be old-fashioned, it’s a safer and healthier option for your home than vinyl.
• Just like a lot of flooring types, lino comes in sheets, tiles or planks. They are ideal for homes with pets as your furry friends like to run around and scratch the floors with their nails. Due to the increased popularity, linos now come in various designs that can perfectly match any type of interior.
• They are easy to clean and can be covered with an extra protective coat so it doesn’t wear out too quickly. This type of floor is soft underfoot and is biodegradable while producing no harmful emissions.

• Some linoleum designs for consideration:

  • linoleum wood styles [view samples]
  • linoleum tile styles [view samples]
  • linoleum pattern styles [view samples]
  • linoleum geometric styles [view samples]
  • linoleum concrete styles [view samples]

• Quik scroll to next topic about how to choose the perfect floor …

  

•    ideas to view and compare from the photo above      

  linoleum flooringlinoleum floor tileslinoleum floor rolls

7. Expensive-looking floors – dark colored hardwood

Notes:

• Is your goal to create a high-end looking home? Then hardwood is definitely an option. However, instead of the natural colours of the wood, opt for the dark and black ones that will provide you with a powerful contrast in your modern space.
• Did you know that a hardwood floor can increase the value of your home by 30 or more per cent? So, repairing your floor is one of the essential repairs if you’re planning on selling your house. Imagine the look on the potential buyers’ face when they see an amazing dark colored hardwood floor in the living room!

• See how darkwoods might work for you:

  • dark hardwood ideas [view sample]
  • dark hardwood floor types [view sample]
  • dark cherry hardwood [view sample]
  • dark walnut hardwood [view sample]
  • mahogany hardwood [view samples]

• Quik scroll to next topic about how to choose the perfect floor …

  

•    ideas to view and compare from the photo above      

  hardwood floor repairhardwood floor restorerhardwood cleaner

8. Floors that match any style – ceramic and porcelain tiles

Notes:

• Do you have a distinctive style that can’t be matched easily? Then porcelain tiles are a perfect option for you. Unlike wood, cork or lino, they are a perfect match to any type of design or décor. As they come in various shapes, sizes and colours, you can make your dream house come true with original tiles.
• Tiles can be suitable for every room in the house, even the outside! They are highly durable and stain-resistant, which is ideal for high-traffic areas, children, pets or just a regular home. High-quality porcelain tiles can transform your house into a perfect home.
• Besides being easy to clean and durable, thanks to technology, they can visually mimic any type of material, from wood to stone. If you want to get creative, you can even customise tiles and create ceramic art on your floor.

• Ideas for using tiling:

  • ceramic floor tiles [view samples]
  • porcelain floor tiles [view samples]
  • stone floor tiles [view samples]
  • brick floor tiles [view samples]
  • concrete floor tiles [view samples]

• Quik scroll to next topic about how to choose the perfect floor …

  

•    ideas to view and compare from the photo above      

  ceramic tilesporcelain tilesstone floor tiles

9. Eco-friendly floors – bamboo floors

Notes:

• For all the people who are aware of the troubles, our environment and planet are facing, finding a suitable type of floor that goes along with their beliefs is essential. It doesn’t matter if you practice zero-waste life or not, taking care of the planet should be your top priority.
• That’s why getting bamboo floors is a perfect solution. They look and feel like hardwood floors, except they are made out of tall grass- bamboo! Bamboo floors are easy to install, clean, maintain and take care of. Due to the climate where they are growing, bamboo floors are much more moisture-resistant than hardwood and engineered floors.
• However, you need to be careful about bamboo flooring. Even though bamboo grows much faster than wood, and absorbs carbon from the atmosphere, many farmers may use toxic pesticides to keep it growing faster. On top of that, shipping bamboo to remote locations may cost a lot of money.

• CONCLUSION

  Choosing the perfect floor for your home isn’t easy. They all have their advantages and disadvantages that may affect your choice. In the end, it’s up to you what kind of style would you like to achieve and how much money would you like to invest.

• Keep in mind that high-quality floors like hardwood and porcelain tiles increase the value of your home. So, think about the future plans. Whether you’d like to sell your house or keep living in it, choosing the perfect floor is essential.

• Quik scroll to other topics on home flooring and selection …

  

•    ideas to view and compare from the photo above      

  bamboo flooring samplebamboo floor registerbamboo tiles

• What comments can you share about
  how to choose the perfect floor type for your home