The flooring that you choose for various rooms of your home will have cosmetic and practical implications. A certain style of flooring can provide a look that sets your space apart while also keeping the room comfortable and easy to clean. Understanding what types of flooring are ideal for different spaces in your home is an important part of making your home what you want it to be.
Available Flooring Options
There are as many different types of flooring options on the market as there are styles of homes. Each flooring option comes with its own list of pros and cons. Some of them will work well in one space while being problematic in another. Before you settle on a flooring type, consider factors such as:
- Will children or pets be using this surface?
- Will the surface be exposed to moisture?
- Does the floor need to be easy to clean due to lots of spills, pet accidents, or foot traffic?
- Are you willing to pay more for a floor that lasts longer and is more durable?
- Will you need to finance your flooring?
Some popular flooring types include:
- Carpet
- Tile (Porcelain or ceramic)
- Laminate
- Wood
- Cork
- Bamboo
- Linoleum
These certainly aren’t all of the flooring options on the market, but this provides a good starting point. You will need to consider the look that you’re going for in the room you want to re-floor, how easy each type of flooring is to maintain and other factors before making your decision.
Cheapest Type of Flooring
Prices vary wildly between types of flooring. In fact, when you narrow things down to a particular type of flooring, the prices there vary as well. Depending on whether or not you’re going to install your flooring yourself or have it professionally done, the price of your flooring can vary even more. However, overall, the cheapest type of flooring is vinyl tiles, which can be found for as little as $1 per square foot.
FAQs
What are new flooring options for kitchens?
Kitchens are often referred to as the “heart of the home,” so you want it to be a comfortable, welcoming space. However, there are also practical design implications that you will need to consider. For instance, you probably want to avoid carpet in the kitchen. If you spend any amount of time cooking, there will probably be spills and splatters that make carpet a poor choice for a kitchen floor. There is a reason that tile has been the preferred option for kitchen floors for years. Not only is tile easy to clean, but if it is installed correctly, it also provides a waterproof barrier between spills and your subfloor. Professionally installed and grouted tile in your kitchen can last a lifetime, and sometimes longer.
For homeowners who want a farmhouse look in their kitchen, woodgrain is a popular choice as well. However, the natural cracks and crevices between wood planks or pieces of laminate flooring can make it difficult to clean small pieces of food debris. Furthermore, not all laminate flooring is created equal, and cheaper flooring options may not be able to withstand spills as well as others can. While practicality matters in every room of your home, it’s crucial that you choose a kitchen floor that is able to endure frequent spills and moisture.
What is the best flooring material for a bedroom?
Deciding what type of flooring is best for your bedroom is largely about personal taste. Some people hate the idea of waking up in the morning and stepping on a cold hardwood floor. For those individuals, carpet is the best option. Other people hate the idea of having to vacuum any space, so a wood or laminate floor in the bedroom is the clear-cut winner. Ultimately, your bedroom will probably have very little exposure to spills and potential water damage, so that’s not a factor you will need to consider. The flooring you choose for your bedroom can be picked based on the design elements you’re looking for and your personal comfort choices
What are the best flooring options for basements?
In most cases, basements are damp spaces. Even if you insulate and “finish” your basement, the fact that it is below ground means that there will be some moisture in the air. You should choose a flooring option that can withstand the moisture in the basement. Ceramic or porcelain tile can attach directly to the concrete floor of your basement while providing a waterproof service that will last forever. Other options such as carpet or vinyl are prone to absorbing moisture, so if you choose one of those, you will need to do some serious waterproofing of your basement.
You also have the option of not doing anything to the floor of your basement. Concrete doesn’t have to be a bland and boring pale gray surface, thanks to the introduction of paints and stains that are specifically designed to penetrate concrete surfaces. If you decide to simply redo the existing concrete floor in your basement, you are opting for the least expensive option that doesn’t require the installation of any additional moisture barriers. You can also choose a color of paint or stain that complements what you’re trying to do in the room, putting you in full control of your basement remodel.
Can you put ceramic tile in a mobile home?
In short, yes! You can install any type of flooring you want in your mobile home. However, since mobile homes are considered “manufactured,” there may be certain factors that you need to consider. In non-manufactured homes, the existing subfloor may be enough for you to attach your ceramic tile to. Depending on the age of your mobile home, you may need to install a backer board so the tile has something sturdy to attach to. Ceramic tile is a great tiling option for mobile homes, primarily because of its weight. Stone tiles are obviously much heavier, and some mobile homes (especially those that are older), are not naturally designed to withstand their weight. Ceramic tile provides an easy-to-maintain surface that can easily be installed in your mobile home.
The flooring that you choose for various spaces in your home will have as much of a design impact as the paint color on the walls. You can make a room feel larger, more inviting and brighter simply by choosing the right flooring option. When the time comes to replace the flooring in your home, find a flooring retailer that accepts the Synchrony HOME Credit Card and take advantage of promotional financing and cash back offers.
- Flooring Costs Overview homeadvisor.com