Getting your floor replaced gives you a lot of options. There are many different types of flooring that are available. The kind you get depends on how you want your home to look, how you want the floor to look, where the floor is located with in your home and other variable factors. For example, you wouldn’t want carpeting in your kitchen or bathroom because those floors tend to get wet often and the carpet would eventually grow mildew and even mold. A better bathroom design would be to use a type of flooring that dries easily and efficiently. Let’s look at a few different types of floors that you could choose from and their pros and cons.
Hardwood flooring
There are even different types of hardwood floors for you to choose from. From various types of wood to different kinds of installations and patterns and level of stain.
Pros
- Hardwood floors are probably the best looking type of floor that there is.
- It also feels good on your feet. It doesn’t get too cold or too warm.
- It’s easy to match your furniture to hardwood floors. It’s neutral coloring works with almost everything.
- Hardwood floors last a long time.
- They are easy to clean and maintain.
Cons
- Moisture deteriorates the wood so spills have to be cleaned up fast. This means that a hardwood floor would not work in the bathroom, laundry or kitchen.
- The floor underneath has to be perfectly even and stable otherwise the wood may bend.
- Most finishes for hardwood floors get scratched easily. If you have a pet or wear high heels, The sharp points could leave scratches and even dense.
Steps are loud because the wood does not absorb noise. - It is very expensive.
Tile flooring
The great thing about tire was that it can work in pretty much any room. However, that doesn’t mean that tile works for everyone. Here are the pros and cons.
Pros
- Tile flooring increases the resell value of a home because of its timeless appeal.
- Tile requires very little maintenance once it is glazed or sealed.
- These type of floors are non-toxic which is great for people who suffer from allergies or have pets.
- There’s no worry about the tile getting scratched.
- There are many different types of tile so the homeowner can pick something within his price range.
Cons
- Tile can get very cold to walk on.
- Tile must be installed by a professional because the mortar is very unforgiving.
- Tile has no insulation so it can make a room sound echoey and empty.
- The seal that is put on tile can get slippery when it’s wet.
- If something heavy is dropped on a tile it could get chipped or cracked and getting it fixed is a pretty big job.
- It’s uncomfortable to sit on if you were having a large gathering in your home.
Laminate flooring
Laminate has long since been considered cheap and unprofessional looking. However, there are some good things about laminate floors.
Pros
- Laminate is very easy to install and can happen quickly.
- It is very easy to clean by just using a broom and a mop. You’ll never have to wax.
- Laminate can resist some water as long as the boards are fitted tightly together.
- It is very difficult to dent or scratch laminate flooring.
- Laminate flooring can reproduce the same look as word, stone or other kinds of materials without having to pay the full cost.
Cons
- Laminate flooring does not give the house a higher resale value.
- Laminate flooring can be a little slippery even when it is not wet.
- It tends to create static electricity when it hasn’t been cleaned for a couple days.
- If the laminate does get worn or scratched it has to be replaced it cannot be sanded or refinished like real wood.
- If excessive water gets into the seams then it would cause the boards to swell. This is why you will have to use special cleaner specifically made for laminate floors.
The type of flooring that you decide on really has to do with what your personal desires are. The climate where you live might play a part to. These are not the only options either. There are vinyl floors, marble floors and more and all have their own set of pros and cons. You’ll have to weight the benefits of each type of flooring against the disadvantages and see which one comes out on top.