Flooring Options For Every Room in the Home
There are many types of flooring that you can use for your home and finding one that’s right for you can be tricky. There are usually six common flooring surfaces used in residential properties, from old-fashioned hardwood to modern eco-friendly bamboo. There are also a number of other less-used, but still important types, that come with both their advantages and disadvantages. Use the following guide to determine which kinds are right for your room.
Wood is perhaps the most widely-used kind of flooring throughout the country. While it’s no doubt true that wood adds warmth and beauty to a room, in many cases it’s also a poor choice for bathrooms and kitchens, due to its porous nature and tendency to rot. Hardwood flooring is also somewhat flammable, making it a poor choice for use in bathrooms and kitchens.
Vinyl is possibly the best material to use in areas with high moisture content such as bathrooms and kitchens. It’s relatively inexpensive, easy to clean and durable. However, because of its plastic-like appearance, vinyl can often be unsightly, making it an undesirable choice for high-traffic areas such as bathrooms and kitchens. It does, however, have some unique qualities that make it ideal for areas that need extra durability, such as home office floors.
Cork floors are highly desirable for people who want to add a certain look and feel to their homes. They’re incredibly durable and hard-wearing, although they’re not always fire-resistant. They’re best suited to high traffic areas, so you won’t have to worry about them being damaged while on fire. Overall, cork floors are considered to be the best material for a number of applications, because of their durability, colorfast properties and resistance to mold and mildew. It also has a slight odor, which is easily washable with cork spray or special cleaners designed to take care of smells.
Linoleum, like vinyl, can provide the ultimate in luxury and ease of maintenance. In addition to being highly durable and fire resistant, it resists stains and scratches, and it’s available in a wide range of colors and patterns. Because vinyl is not flame resistant, however, linoleum flooring should be used outdoors only. Moreover, linoleum requires the most cleaning effort, as it must be shampooed or vacuumed on a regular basis, and the installation process involves some extra steps.
Engineered hardwood flooring is the best choice if you’re looking for the most durable and maintenance-free flooring solution. It is available in a wide range of styles and colors, and it is also quite easy to clean, thanks to its non-slip rubber backing. Engineered hardwood is an excellent choice for high traffic areas, but it can be more costly than other types of flooring, since it is made using several pieces of wood veneer. Engineered hardwood floors are best suited for small rooms, and you can expect to pay around $1000 for the best flooring options.