5 Popular Types of Flooring for Your Home

By Niko Papaheraklis

So, you’re thinking of changing your flooring, but you’re not sure what all your options are. Well, we’ve got you covered! Below, we’ve listed out the most popular types of flooring, the cost of each, their pros and cons, and where each type is best suited in your home.

1. Wood Floor

Hardwood floor is popular for a good reason! It looks great and has great resale value. They’re easy to clean and maintain, and usually only require vacuuming or sweeping. It’s easy to add any type of furniture to the space, so your design options are vast.

Wood floor is perfect for living rooms because it’s stylish and can remain protected since it’s not a high traffic area.

The largest drawback when it comes to wood floor is the cost. Depending on the type of hardwood you go with, it could cost you between $3 and $12 per square foot. And on top of that, you will need to pay to get it installed. A couple of other cons is that they can be loud to walk on and are cold in the winter months.

2. Laminate

Probably the best thing about laminate flooring is that it doesn’t easily scratch. The next best thing is that it can look like real wood or tile. Just like hard wood floor, laminate is easy to clean and is great for pets since they can’t scratch it.

Costwise, you’re looking at anywhere between $0.50 to $3 per square foot, plus the cost of installation. The best rooms for laminate flooring is in high traffic areas because of its durability. The downside to laminate is that if it gets ruined, you can’t refinish it.

3. Vinyl

If you like floor that is quiet and easy on your feet, you’ll love vinyl. However, vinyl doesn’t look as good as the real thing, and it tends to dent and tear easily. The cost of vinyl can be as low as $1 and as high as $5 per square foot. Vinyl is a great option for laundry rooms as it can reduce the noise from laundry machines.

4. Tile

Durability and scratch resistant is what tile is best known for. It’s water resistant and comes in a variety of sizes and materials. Plus, it’s not difficult to clean and doesn’t stain all that easily. Due to the variety of tiles, the price can range from $1 to $20 per square foot.

The downside to tile is that it can be very loud to walk on and it’s cold in the winter. And if your tile cracks, it can be difficult to repair. The best rooms for tile would be bathrooms or kitchens, or any space where food and drinks spill frequently.

5. Carpeting

With a wide range of styles, textures and designs, carpet offers homeowners a lot of versatility. Living rooms, Stairs, bedrooms, family rooms – carpet can be laid down in nearly any place of the home.

Here are some pluses and minuses of carpeting.

• It provides warmth and comfort to your home
• It is available in limitless colors and styles
• It tends to dampen noise
• It requires significant maintenance
• It easily attracts dirt and stains
• It generally does not last as long as other flooring materials

At Finecraft Contractors, if you can imagine it, we can build it. If you have a renovation idea or want to remodel sections of your home, call us at 301-330-9191 and we’ll give you a thoroughly thought out estimate.

George Papaheraklis is the founder of FineCraft Contractors, Inc., located in Gaithersburg, MD. Since 1985, FineCraft has been building houses, additions, kitchens, baths and more for discerning families. Their blog can be seen at https://finecraftcontractors.com/blog/ and they can be reached at 301-330-9191.