Oftentimes, we concentrate on other aspects of home décor and we tend to sideline the floor. The ambiance of your home is so much dependent on the type of flooring you decided to go for. There are so many factors that dictate the type of floor you chose, some of which may include your budget, the room/location in question, and your lifestyle, among others. With all the varieties of flooring options in the market today, deciding on a particular one may seem like an impossible task.
Additionally, depending on priority and function, you could easily find yourself in a dilemma when choosing different flooring options for the rooms in your home.
Before we get to the flesh and bone, let’s do some skinning first by looking at the most common flooring types on the market today. Some of these include the following:
- Stone flooring
- Tile flooring
- Wood flooring/Timber flooring
- Marble floors
- Terrazzo
- Mosaic
- PVC floors
- Glass
- Laminate etc.
As you can see, you’ll be spoilt for option. Whether renovating or choosing a floor for your new home, picking right flooring can be a game changer for your home, especially as far as aesthetic appeal, functionality and value are concerned.
Nonetheless, below are 10 tips for choosing the perfect flooring for your home.
1. Consider the Location
Your flooring options may very well depend on room location. For instance, at the entrance, you’d expect a floor option that is durable and strong enough to withstand the elements. The foyer should be able to impact that wow effect, in addition to being durable and strong. For your bathrooms and utility rooms, water-resistant floors are most recommended. The bedrooms, on the other hand, would look fabulous with warm and comfortable floors to accommodate bare feet. By all means, it’s best to avoid laminate and wooden floors for areas most likely to be moist and damp.
2. Your Lifestyle
The best flooring option for you may also be impacted by how you live and use your house. It may also depend on how much traffic the floor will be subjected to. This may involve both humans and pets. In addition to this, you may have future carpeting plans. If this is so, wooden floors are ideal as carpets, protect them against scratches.
3. Durability and Stain Resistance
Before you decide on any kind of floor option, it may be wise to ask yourself the following questions. Will it be easy to replace the floor? How long is the warranty? If you plan to have the floor for a short period of time, don’t invest in an expensive floor option. More so, ensure that the floor of your choice is as durable as possible if you have a long-term goal. You would also base your decision on how easy the floor will be to clean, resist stains, and hide footprints.
4. Consider the Cost and Your Budget
These two aspects go hand in hand. Do you have the financial ability to do all the rooms or just one at a time? It’s best to get purchase and installation estimates early enough to help prepare for all the costs. This way, you’ll not risk exceeding your budget.
5. Timing Is Key
In most instances, flooring materials are ordered in advance. Some floor options will require placing special orders depending on how fragile they are. Some of these may include glass, special tiles, and laminates, such order may take several days to arrive.
6. Do You Have Future Renovation Ideas?
Choosing the right type of floor will depend on whether you have further ideas to upgrade or renovate. It will, therefore, be wise to choose a colour scheme, pattern, or style that matches that of the upgrade.
7. Fashion Trends
The construction industry shares the same principles as that of the fashion industry. Most decisions are affected by what is trending mostly. Below are 2018 flooring trends.
- Blonde floors – these floor options are the new thing and they are gaining popularity at an alarming rate. They match with almost any kind of décor and the best thing is that they make the rooms look bigger.
- Environmentally friendly floors – it’s high time that we all went green. These floors are beyond looks. They are natural, recyclable, and renewable floor options in the markets today, like this real wood flooring.
- Textured floors – back in the day, it took time and resources to hire equipment in order to develop these textures on the site. You now don’t have to worry about this as there are options that come with a classic hardwood disguise fully distressed in wood, veneer, and laminate, among other options.
- Waterproof floors – these are the ideal floor options for busy homeowners. For long, we’ve only known tiles as the only waterproof flooring options. Today, vinyl, laminate, and carpet flooring options that are waterproofed are also available.
8. Determine the Look You Want For Your Home
Once you’ve clearly decided on the kind of look you’d want your home to have, definitely, and settled on a budget, the remaining flooring decisions can easily be a walk in the park. When it comes to looks, most flooring options will have even better looks but will not retain them. They will over time, fade due to some reasons. Also, it pays to pick a flooring option that matches the rest of your interior decor.
9. Compatibility with Underfloor Heating
Most homeowners prefer underfloor heating. In this case, the flooring option, you go for should be compatible with the underfloor heating. Ceramic tiles and stone floors are some good examples of such. Before you decide on this, it can be a great idea to seek professional help from your floor supplier and a reputed heating system expert.
10. Allergy-Friendly Floors
Before picking your flooring option, it is also important to tread carefully if you happen to have an occupant or family member with allergies such as rhinitis and asthma. The introduction of asthma and allergy friendly carpets has made it possible for these individuals live comfortably and with no worries of allergic attacks. A good example of such is Brease carpet flooring, which is designed to resist the growth of bacteria, mold, and mildew.
In addition to the above tips, it’s also important to go for a floor option that requires minimal maintenance. Nonetheless, making the right choice of flooring options can be less hectic for you with the above tips. All the same, it’s important to take your time, do your homework right, and ensure you get your supplies from a reputable online flooring store. The installer you choose will also have an impact on how much you spend, the final look of your flooring and how long it will last.
