There are several types of home flooring to choose from when building or remodeling your home. The type you choose will depend on your taste and in which room the flooring will be installed. The major types of home flooring are hardwood, tile, vinyl and carpet. Knowing some of the important features and pros and cons of different types of home flooring will help you better understand your options.
Traditional hardwood floors consist of nailed down planks of wood. Hardwood is very elegant in a home, but is not very moisture resistant and collects a lot of dust. Although hardwood floors are one of the most expensive options in a home, they are the only type of flooring which may be refinished. Many types of hardwood may be sanded and refinished at least two times and sometimes three times, giving hardwood longevity that is not available in most other types of home flooring.
Many people opt for a tile floor when choosing home flooring for their bathroom, kitchen or entryway. After the floor is prepped, individual tiles are adhered to the floor using thinset mortar and space between the tiles is filled with sanded or unsanded grout, depending on the type of tile used. Tiles are made of ceramic, porcelain or natural stone, such as marble or granite. Ceramic and porcelain tiles are both fired in a kiln, but porcelain tiles are fired longer causing them to be much stronger than ceramic tile.
Natural stone tends to be softer and can scratch and chip much easier. Natural stone also requires regular upkeep by coating the stones with sealant to protect them and keep them shiny. The cost of a tile floor can range from being a bit cheaper than a hardwood floor to being many times more expensive depending on the type of tile used. A homeowner’s budget will help guide her through the best tile options.
Another common type of home flooring is vinyl. Vinyl flooring is glued to cement or subfloor with special adhesive and is a popular option for bathrooms, kitchens and entryways because of its moisture resistance. Vinyl flooring can be purchased to look like wood, tile, marble, granite and almost any color you would like. Although vinyl is resistant to moisture, it is very susceptible to dents, tears and scratches if something is dropped on it. Vinyl flooring is the least expensive of all types of home flooring.
The final type of home flooring is carpet. In the past, houses have had carpet in every room, including kitchens and bathrooms. Because of the unsanitary nature of this practice, carpet is very rarely found in kitchens and bathrooms anymore, and only seen in bedrooms, hallways and living areas.
There are different kinds of carpet for different uses and traffic. Commercial grade loop or berber carpets are sometimes used throughout a home because of its durability. However, they are most often seen in home offices, home gyms and basements. The most common type of carpet is a cut pile carpet that may be a traditional plush carpet or a cut pile carpet that has been twisted, called a frieze.