The flooring material that you choose for your home can impact everything from how your home looks to your daily cleaning tasks and even how much your home is worth. With so much on the line, it is important to carefully consider all of the options available through your local flooring supplier. Taking the time to explore the three popular flooring options below can help you to decide which option best meets your specific needs.
Option #1: Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood flooring is perhaps the most traditional option on the market. This type of flooring offers the benefit of being extremely durable. For many homeowners, this will mean that installing a hardwood floor will be the last time they need to replace their flooring materials for as long as they own their home.
In addition to being very durable and offering a long lifespan, hardwood floors are also very easy to repair if they should become damaged. Unfortunately, this type of flooring will require sealing from time to time to prevent moisture damage. This additional maintenance can be both time-consuming and expensive.
Option #2: Laminate Flooring
The primary reason that many people choose laminate flooring is that this option offers a beautiful appearance that closely mimics the look of hardwoods but without the additional maintenance requirements that hardwood floors have. Laminate floors are very easy to care for and are often much more affordable to install than real hardwood flooring. The simplicity of installing laminate floors often lends itself to a do-it-yourself approach. This allows many homeowners to avoid the cost of professional installation altogether. However, laminate floors do not offer the same durability and ease of repair that hardwood does. Consequently, laminate flooring materials will not have the same positive impact on the value of your home that you can expect to enjoy when installing a hardwood floor.
Option #3: Carpet
If you are not a big fan of the hard flooring surface that both wood and laminate floors offer, you may want to consider the option of carpeting. Carpets can add a splash of color to any room and offer a soft, warm surface beneath your feet. Consequently, this flooring option is most popular in areas of the home that require the highest comfort level such as the bedroom or living room. Since carpets can be easily damaged by excess moisture, this flooring material is not appropriate for use in kitchens or bathrooms. This option may also be inappropriate for people with indoor allergies since carpets can harbor significant amounts of dust and debris deep within their fibers.
For more information, contact a local flooring supplier.
