Flooring Options
There is such a wide variety of different flooring options available, so you can be sure to find something you like to suit the look of the house. Below are some of the different flooring installation options available for your household:
Contents
- Flooring Options
- What Aesthetic Are You Wanting?
- A Comparison Of Flooring Ideas
- Which Is The Best Flooring For You?
- Summary
Hardwood
A floor made of solid wood is a popular type of flooring where you usually have wooden planks or boards. This option comes with different types of wood such as oak and maple etc. With this type of flooring, it can either be finished or unfinished when you buy it, however, with unfinished wood, this would need to sanded down and treated before being installed.
Solid wood flooring can look good in any style of home and it’s very long-lasting. They’re easy to clean by just sweeping and mopping them to keep on top of them. It is also said that wood flooring can increase the value of your house.
However, there are some downsides to having hardwood flooring. They don’t last well if exposed to moisture so they wouldn’t be ideal to use in a bathroom. They can also shrink and swell with temperature change and vulnerable to scratches and dents.
If hardwood flooring is something you want, you would have to keep it maintained to prevent things such as scratches from occurring. This type of flooring is best to use in living rooms, hallways and bedrooms.
Tiles
Ceramic tiles are a mixture of clay and shale which is a hard material that comes in lots of different varieties, shapes, colours and patterns.
There are four main types of tiles available which are glazed, porcelain, quarry and terracotta. Glazed ceramic tiles have a glossy coating on them and come in a variety of colours and textures. They are also very low maintenance to look after. Porcelain tiles are very hard and durable tiles due to them being fired at very high temperatures. These can be available glazed or unglazed and are stain-resistant. Quarry tiles are unglazed and have more of a rough texture to them, which makes them more slip-resistant but these don’t have such a wide variety of colours like the others do. Finally, we have the terracotta tiles that are also unglazed and come in earth tones. These are less durable than all the other tiles and they require regular sealing to prevent stains.
The good thing with tiles is not only that there is such a variety of them available, but that most of them have a choice of different colours, shapes, patterns etc. which is great for styling a room in your house. They are also low maintenance and durable for flooring so it’s unlikely you will get any scratches or dents on them.
On the other hand, there are some downsides to having tiles for flooring and one of them is that it can feel cold and hard on your feet. Glazed tiles can also be slippery so they’re not always great for walking on at home. If you were wanting a warmer feeling to the room than perhaps a different type of flooring would achieve that better. It is also hard to fix a single tile if something was to happen to it such as it cracks.
So, tiles are a great option for flooring if you’re wanting the option to have a variety of colours, shapes and patterns to bring some life to the room. However, they may not always be the best option to give you that cosy feeling as they can be very cold on the feet. They are probably best to be used in a room such as the kitchen, bathroom, porch and/or a conservatory/sunroom.
Laminate
Laminate flooring has a thin veneer over layers of plywood under a clear plastic coating. This means that it can have the same effect as wood, stone or tile, but actually, it isn’t! This comes in either planks or tiles and they can be laid over your old flooring.
The great thing about laminate flooring is that it can give you the same effect of wood and stone etc. but for a lot less money. It’s easy to clean and doesn’t require much maintenance at all and due to the hard material of it, it isn’t easily scratched or scuffed making it durable.
The only disadvantage of this is that it can be slippery when wet and if waterway to lay on it for a length of time, it would cause damage to the laminate flooring. Also, when the flooring has worn out, it would all need replacing which may not be the most cost-effective thing to do.
Laminate flooring is a great option if you’re wanting to achieve the look of wood, tiles etc. but don’t want to pay the same price for it. It’s affordable and comes in a wide range of different options and colours so you can be sure to find the right one for your house. The only drawback is that in the long term, it may need replacing which isn’t the most cost-effective option. This type of flooring is great for kitchens and hallways.
Vinyl
Vinyl is a type of resilient flooring that is a flexible material that gives a softer feeling than wood and tiles do. It’s made from a PVC layer over a layer of felt and some will come with foam in to give you a more cushioned flooring. You can also get thicker types which have a textured surface to give you the look of wood or stone.
This type of flooring comes in several different forms. Sheet vinyl is a large sheet that you cut to fit the size and glue down. Click-style planks are also available which are similar to wood and one piece gets glued in at a time. Some forms of it also come with a peel and stick so there’s no need to add your own adhesive before laying them down.
The advantages of vinyl flooring are that it’s a tough material so it lasts longer. It’s also a lot comfier and warmer to walk on than tiles are and comes in a wide range of colours and patterns. It’s more a cheaper option but still very durable and high quality that will last you for years. They’re also so easy to install that you could even do it yourself, saving you the expense of paying someone to fit it for you.
Depending on the type of quality of vinyl you go for, will affect the varieties of colour options and how durable it is. A cheaper option can also look a bit more artificial and may be obvious to people that it isn’t the best quality flooring. However, you can opt for a more expensive type of flooring which will give you a wide range of colours and also ensure that the floor is comfortable and durable. Another thing about it is that it’s said to be non-eco-friendly due to the plastic softener that is found in it, so always make sure to look into this before purchasing.
Vinyl flooring is a great, cheaper option that can be done yourself, saving you more money. It can be a durable type of flooring depending on the quality you get and also comes in a wide variety of colours and patterns so it will be easy for you to achieve the right look for your house by using this option. It’s great to be used in bathrooms, kitchens, hallways and living rooms as it can tolerate moisture and lots of traffic on it.
Carpet
Carpet is a very popular choice in houses, especially for living rooms and bedrooms. It’s made by using soft fibres such as wool and pulling them through a woven backing and then gluing on more layers. It’s a great option for comfort and cushioning.
Carpet also comes in different varieties of colours, textures and materials used. It can be made from wool, nylon, acrylic, polyester and polypropylene. These all vary in thickness and density and the higher the density, the more durable the carpet will be.
The best thing about carpets is that they’re soft, warm and comfortable for walking on and is slip-resistant. They are great for giving off a more cosy and warm feeling to your rooms and they’re easy to look after and maintain. The installation of them is also quick and easy to do.
Carpets do require more cleaning such as hoovering them to keep them maintained. One downside about having a carpet is that they can be stained and they can be very hard to remove from carpets, so you do need to be careful with them.
This type of flooring is great to give you a warm and comfortable feel; however, they do require more looking after. They are good to be used in rooms like living rooms and bedrooms as typically, less dirt will be brought into those rooms.
These are just some of the types of flooring that are available for household use, each coming with their advantages and disadvantages. It’s worth looking into each one so you can see what they look like and then you will get a better idea of which one will achieve the look you’re wanting.
What Aesthetic Are You Wanting?
With your home, you will find that each room has its own, individual feeling to it, which can also be seen as a theme of the room. For example, the bathroom might have a beach theme with blue colours throughout and beach like decorations. The living room might be filled with warm colours to create a relaxing look. Whatever the look is that you’re trying to achieve, there are so many flooring options to help you do this.
As we have already had a look at the different flooring options available, it now depends on which would suit your room and vibe the best. It’s always good to have a vision on what you want the room to like and what you want to achieve with it, as this makes it a lot easier to decide which flooring is best for you.
With most types of flooring, they come in a variety of styles, colours, patterns and sizes, so there’s plenty of choices to be able to find the right one for you. It also depends on the room you’re putting it in as you need to have a think about the durability of it and how well it would last.
Below are some ideas below for what flooring would best suit the theme you want:
For a natural bathroom look either tiles or vinyl would work best as these come in a variety of colours and are durable in moisture and if they were to get wet. There’s plenty of options in terms of colours, patterns and sizes as well so plenty to choose from.
For a cosy and warm feeling, living room, a carpet or hardwood flooring could achieve this look. A carpet would give you that warm feeling as it’s warmer and more comfortable but hardwood would also give off a warm feeling in terms of the colour. With lots of different varieties available and colours, these are perfect in achieving that look.
For a bright kitchen, dining area or office, laminate or tiles would achieve this look as they come in a variety of colours and textures so you would be able to go for a bright and fresh look. They’re also easy to maintain so shouldn’t go dull and if anything is spilt on them, they can easily be cleaned up and no stains are left.
For a bedroom, vinyl or carpet would be a good option as these are more comfortable for a bedroom and give you a nice and cosy feeling. They also a wide variety of colours so you can find the right one to match your room.
A Comparison of Flooring Ideas
We’re now going to take a look at the different flooring ideas we have already discussed and compare them. This will give you a good insight as to what it is you want and help with deciding what the best flooring option is for your house.
As already discussed, each flooring options have their own advantages and disadvantages along with a different feel and look, so it’s down to you to decide which one would be best for your room. The likes of hardwood, tiles and laminate can all be a bit harder and colder on the feet, which may not be nice to have in certain rooms, especially if you want them to have a warm feeling. On the other hand, they are great for certain rooms as they’re not easily stained and they’re durable, so this is where you would need to consider which room it is and if the flooring would be durable enough.
The likes of carpet and vinyl are great options that offer a bit of comfort and warmth and would typically be used in bedrooms and living rooms. Again, you would need to consider which room it is and if these would be the best option for that room.
Which Is The Best Flooring For You?
Now we’ve had a look at the big variety of flooring options and thought how you want the room to feel, it’s not time to consider what is the best flooring you and your needs. Each flooring is different in its own way and each can create a very different feel and look, so you want to make sure you get the best one for what you’re after.
The best thing to do is have a vision and a plan of what you want that room to feel like as this will help you towards deciding the best flooring for your needs. Each flooring has its own great benefits but you do need to think about whether it will be durable enough and practical. The good thing is that most flooring options have a wide variety of colours, patterns, textures, shapes and sizes so there’s plenty available to fit the image of your house.
Some things to consider when finding the best flooring for you are:
- The image and style of the room and what you’re wanting to achieve from it.
- The durability of the flooring, dependent on what the room is used for.
- The comfort of the flooring.
- The cost of the flooring.
- The appearing of the flooring.
Hopefully, you will find that when looking for a new flooring idea, these things will come in handy when deciding and make you think more about which one is best for you and your home.
Summary
So, in this article, we’ve discussed all things about household flooring ideas. From the different types of options available and their advantages and disadvantages, to what to consider when looking for the best flooring option for you.
There is a wide variety of flooring options available, all that are good for different rooms and uses so it completely depends on the room you’re wanting the flooring to go in. We had a look at the pros and cons of each flooring idea to give you better knowledge on each of them and what challenges you may face with choosing them.
We then looked at some ideas dependant on the look you’re wanting to achieve in the room and what the best flooring idea would be to achieve this. With each flooring option having such a wide variety of colours, it’s quite easy to find the right one, to achieve the look you’re wanting.
Then we had a look at comparing the flooring and how the likes of hardwood, laminate and tiles are a more hard and durable material but isn’t as comfortable or warm to walk on. Opposite to this, we looked at how carpet and vinyl are a more cushioned and comfortable option to go for. All options are durable for use in a house but some do come with downsides that aren’t practical for use in every room.
Finally, we took a look at what to consider when finding the right flooring option for you. There are multiple things to consider when it comes to finding the right flooring for your house but you should also make sure to consider all the different options and look into them. It’s good to do some research on each one to learn a bit more about them and do some browsing to see what they look like in a house, so you can create a better image in your head. This will help you to achieve the look you want and make sure that you get the best flooring option for your house.
We hope that this article has been useful to you and you have gained knowledge in all things about household flooring ideas. The best thing to remember and take from this is to always plan out a vision of what you’re after and consider the advantages and disadvantages of the flooring option and if it’s the best one for your requirements. There’s nothing worse than rushing into a decision and committing to it, to then regret it later on. So, make sure you take the time to think about it and we hope this article has been able to help you with household flooring ideas.
