The kind of flooring you choose has a huge impact on the look, feel, and functionality of your home. It’s one of those things in your home renovation projects that you want to get right the first time around because it takes a lot of time, it’s intrusive and it can be an expensive part of the process. Going back in to fix a bad flooring job is neither quick nor easy.
With all the different variables that you want to cater to and the many different flooring options available, it can be confusing to decide which type is best for you. Here are a few major considerations to keep in mind before finalizing a flooring solution for your home.
Type
When you are deciding among flooring options you will be choosing between a few broad categories of materials. This includes tiles, wooden flooring, carpets, or vinyl. Within each type of flooring, you will find multiple varieties and several color combinations. For instance, within vinyl flooring, you have the option for LVP or LVT vinyl or simple vinyl sheets. Each of these is suited to a specific purpose. If you live in a cold region and want something that will help keep the place a bit warmer, then look for something that offers better insulation such as a thick carpet. Again, within carpets, you will find different materials that are made for specific purposes. Bamboo flooring can also be a good choice to consider. Look into the different options within each type of flooring to get a better idea of what will work best in your case.
Space
To help you narrow down the specific type of flooring, consider the space you are getting it for and try to get a sample to help you decide. For instance, if you have a small room that you want to upgrade, using darker colors will make it look even smaller and more congested. Brighter colors and lighter shades will help make the space look bigger and will also introduce more light to the area.
Keep in mind the other things in the room. The color of the furniture, the amount of light, the color of the walls, and the intended purpose of that room are all important considerations. Ask your local supply store for a few samples of floorings that you are interested in and place these in the room you are working on. Seeing the sample in the room itself will give you a better idea of what the final version will look like.
Style
If you are going for a specific look, then you will need a specific kind of flooring. For instance, if you want a modern, minimalist look then something like a plain white tile or a light-colored natural stone would be very good. If you need something for a study area or something more classic, CMC Hardwood Floors will surely provide you with the best solution possible. The flooring covers a large portion of the room and the kind of style you use for the flooring will have a big impact on the final look. It is also important that the other parts of the room have a similar style or that you’re willing to upgrade other accessories to get a consistent theme throughout the room.
Practicality
How do you intend to use the space and what function will the flooring be playing? For instance, a corridor or a main entrance of the home will experience a lot of footfall. This is a part of the home that you want to use sturdy materials for and get something that will last a while. Similarly, if you need flooring for the garage or a place that is near the pool then water and oil resistance will be an important feature.
At the same time, you don’t want to overspend on something that won’t be getting used that frequently. If you have a secondary kitchen then you can get away with a fancier kind of flooring since it won’t be getting used on a daily basis and its purpose is really just to beautify the house rather than be a daily work area.
Budget
Flooring can be very expensive depending on what options you go for. You can also find a lot of cost-effective solutions, but if you don’t choose them intelligently you might have to redo the entire flooring in a matter of months. In some cases, it will be well worth the money if spent on good quality flooring but in other cases, cheaper options will do just fine.
Generally, artificial flooring such as vinyl will be cheaper and natural materials such as wood and stone will be more expensive. If you need something specific like water resistance, then artificial materials will be the better choice even if you have the budget. Look at a few different options to understand what the pricing is like for the different materials you are looking at and then also consider additional costs of materials, tools, and installation services.
Installation
Speaking of budget, you can save a lot of money by installing it yourself, but it’s not always that straightforward. Secondly, if you don’t have the tools, it can be quite the investment just to get the tools for the job, not to mention the time you will spend getting it all set up and the propensity for error you’ll have. It might be easier to hire a professional to get the job done, that way you can focus on other parts of the home renovation process which you can comfortably handle yourself.
Maintenance
Installation is the first part of the process, and certain materials will require regular maintenance. For instance, if you are getting natural wood flooring this will require periodic polishing, oiling, and even rebuffing to remove minor scratches. Similarly, natural stones like marble also require periodic maintenance to keep them in good condition. Keep the required maintenance of the material in mind when choosing your flooring option.
When done right, flooring will last you several years and will provide you with comfort, safety, and superior aesthetics. Unlike other parts of the home, you can’t modify or change the flooring once it has been installed, in the same way you can paint a wall a different color later on. With flooring, the modification options are close to none and hard to do, so it’s best to make a calculated decision beforehand so you don’t have to make major changes later on.
