The flooring of any home must be as functional as aesthetically pleasing. Floors impact the looks of homes significantly, and it changes the value of homes. Everyone wants to have the best flooring, whether for building a new home or replacing any existing flooring that may have got damaged or does not seem appealing anymore.
With plenty of flooring types, choosing the best one might sometimes seem overwhelming, but there are ways to take a methodical approach that makes the task easier. Before focusing on the various types of flooring, consider the essential aspects of selection. Since flooring is expensive and could be the second biggest investment in the property after the roof, its longevity is the most important factor to consider. The maintenance cost is another factor, and the last one is the aesthetic value or appearance. All these aspects are important because it has a cost perspective.
Maintenance
When creating a budget for flooring, you must consider the maintenance cost too because it adds to the overall expenses, and some types of floors require more maintenance than others like wooden floors require periodical refinishing and resealing. But tile flooring, which is also hard flooring, does not require much maintenance except for regular cleaning. The cost of cleaning floors depends on the cleaning that it needs.
Laying a cement floor and using a carpet on it can enhance the aesthetics at a low price. While you save on the flooring cost, you must consider the cost of maintaining the carpet with regular vacuuming and annual deep cleaning. All floors need regular cleaning, which typically means you’ll need a good vacuum cleaner, in addition to a duster, mop, and other floor cleaners (depending on your floor type) visit moderncastle.com.
Longevity
Floors must be long-lasting because changing floors often is not feasible for cost and convenience. Floors must be able to withstand heavy load and stress, especially in high traffic areas like the kitchen living room and hallways, which are likely to undergo high wear and tear.
The floor longevity justifies the investment, and you must know the average life of the floor before deciding to install it. Carpets last for 10 years, laminate and linoleum floors last for 15-25 years, vinyl floors last 50 years, and hardwood floors can last for more than a hundred years. It now becomes evident why some types of floors add more value to homes.
Appearance
The variety of flooring is vast that even if you decide about flooring, you still have other things to consider like the color and finish as there are so many colors and finishes to choose from. Moreover, there are personal preferences that come into play because the floor must complement the overall home aesthetics and match with the other architectural elements. Balancing the floor type with the overall home décor and style is vital to create harmony.
Hardwood floor
Installing hardwood floors is simple, and it has remained a popular choice in the US for decades. It consists of planks or wooden boards, 0.75 inches thick, installed by nailing these to the wood subfloor. The hardwood strips are usually between 1.5″ to 2.5,” and the planks are 4″ to 8″ wide.
Hardwood flooring is made from many different types of wood, oak, and maple, being the most common variety and sold in finished or unfinished form. Installing incomplete form would require finishing by sanding. However, prefinished floors cost less and involve less work during installation. Solid wood floors have high aesthetic appeal and suit any style of home décor. However, it needs careful handling and can warp due to exposure to moisture for a long time. Solid wood flooring by storiesflooring.co.uk has been one of the most recommended products in the market for the past years.
Ceramic tile floor
Ceramic tile is a product of clay and shale mixture fired in a kiln to form a hard material that comes in a variety of shapes, patterns, and colors. Consider the toughness of tile when choosing it for flooring because all ceramic tiles are not tough enough to withstand the heavy loads.
- Ceramic tiles are available as Glazed tiles that have a glass-like coating that makes it maintenance-free and available in a variety of colors and texture.
- Porcelain tiles are fired at high temperatures to make it harder and more durable and available as glazed and unglazed tiles. These are stain-resistant and good for outdoor rooms.
- Quarry tiles are a type of unglazed porcelain tile with a slightly rough texture and good as slip-resistant tiles, but the variety is not much.
- Terracotta tiles are unglazed earth tone tiles but less durable and require regular sealing to keep it free from stains.
Tiles are highly versatile can match any home décor as it is available in a wide range of colors and shapes.
Laminate floor
A thin veneer placed on layers of plywood or compressed fiber is the method of making laminate flooring. The top layer is a thin plastic sheet printed with a photograph under it. The laminate can look like any material from wood to tile, stone, or anything.
These are available in the form of tiles or planks, and as most of these are floating flooring system, you can install it on your existing flooring without nails or glue. Laminate floors are cheaper options for replicating wood or stone floors and require low maintenance. It has better scratch resisting properties than wood, and its easy installation saves time and money. However, it is not water-resistant and can become slippery and even warp.
Vinyl floor
This is a type of resilient flooring that creates a soft feeling on foot as compared to tile or wood. It consists of a layer of PVC on felt, and some type can have a thin layer of foam as well to create a cushion-like feeling. Thicker vinyl flooring can look like wood or tile flooring. Vinyl flooring is available in rolls and cut to size to meet the installation needs by fixing it to the subfloor with glue. Vinyl planks are also available.
Vinyl is moisture resistant and can withstand wear and tear in high traffic areas. It is durable but inexpensive.
Nina Smith 
Kim Marks