The Best Flooring Choice for Your Home
House decor is a very personal topic. Each family has its own tastes and priorities when it comes to filling their residence with the things that will make life more convenient … and more beautiful. Flooring is no different from other home accessories in this respect. The good news is that
Posted — UpdatedVinyl flooring is extremely sturdy and resists staining, fading or discoloration from the sun, wear, and scratching. High quality laminate is durable, but in cheaper brands, the upper layer may separate from the base. Concrete flooring is tough and long-lasting both indoors and out. Speaking of the great outdoors, if you are planning to install a tile floor on a patio, deck, pool surround, or balcony, make sure that you purchase dedicated tile for exterior use.
Hardwood shines in this category. Repairing nicks and scratches is a simple affair. All you need to do is sand them away and reseal. When ceramic or porcelain tile floors or flooring made of carpet tiles becomes damaged, you can remove and replace just one or two pieces as necessary.
Carpeted floors, especially wool, are the most resilient and the pleasantest to walk or sit on in either cold or warm weather. Wood and laminate floors are also fairly resilient and comfortable in all seasons.
Concrete flooring can simply be hosed down if you have a floor drain. Tile is similarly easy to wash, though cleaning the grout will complicate maintenance. Vinyl is relatively low care too, as long as any spills are mopped up quickly and manufacturer's instructions are followed.
The price of vinyl floor installation is usually the least expensive at $1-7 per square foot including materials and labor. Linoleum floors and laminate are also very reasonable, at $2-9 and $3-7, respectively. Wood and ceramic tile flooring cost more ($6-15 and $4-12 per square foot), but due to the relatively long life spans of these substances, may work out to be the best value over time. Cost of carpet is the most variable of all, according to material, style, and quality.