Choosing the Right Type of Floor

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Choosing the Right Type of Floor

Many of us often spend quite a bit of time, money and effort in giving a better look to our homes. When we talk about a good looking home, especially the indoors, we cannot afford to ignore the importance of the floors. There are many reasons for the same. To begin with, having the right floors protects the home and prevents it from getting dirty and soiled. It also insulates the home from the elements of nature outside. Most importantly, good flooring goes a long way in enhancing the overall looks and appearance of our homes. Hence, we must pay attention to the floor which we choose. With many options, colors and materials available in the market, choice often becomes a challenge and even confusing. If we do not do our research and choose the right flooring, we could end up spoiling the entire looks and appearances of our homes. We need to bear in mind the flooring which we choose could impact the overall ambience of our homes and of course the look and feel. Therefore, there are quite a few things which we must bear in mind when planning to choose flooring. Here are a few tips which we believe could be useful.

The Lifestyle Which You Lead

The way in which a family lives and leads their lives and the way in which they use their home is one of the most crucial factors while deciding on flooring. For example, while carpets enhance the overall looks and appearances of homes, it may not be suitable for homes where there is a high traffic. If your home has kids and pets it is likely that you will not find carpets and rugs of much use. You will end up damaging these expensive fixtures and therefore you would do better to look at some other options. On the other hand, if you have family members who do not often walk around then carpets could be a good option. Many family members might have calluses in their feet and would like to have flooring that is soft when walking. For such people carpets again could be a choice. Hence, the type of flooring you choose would certainly depend on the lifestyle that you lead.

Cost Is a Factor

The cost of flooring could mount without your knowing it. Rates of floors are calculated per square foot and therefore you could suddenly find that the bill has gone up quite significantly. Floors also come in different grades and materials and you must do your research and choose the one which offers you the best value for money. To cite an example, a synthetic rug might be less expensive when compared to Berber carpet.

When calculating costs, we often tend to overlook the maintenance costs. Though maintenance costs are lower for some materials they are significantly higher for wood and other such soft materials. However, if you look around you will be able to come across flooring materials which are easy to maintain and the initial cost could also be quite affordable. Even in wood, there are many new options available and you could do some research and choose wood and laminate flooring. They are not only less expensive but are also durable and long lasting. If you keep your ears and eyes open, you could come across many new technologies too which could offer you very good value for money.

Location in Home

The location of the flooring in your home is also another important point to be considered. While having good looking flooring in your foyer is desirable, in the process you must not overlook the need for quality flooring in your lobby or entrance. This is the area which is exposed to different kind of risks. Further, if your home entrance is the source of snow, mud or rain, you would do better to choose a durable floor which could either be tile, slate or wood. You should also look into the possibility of placing entry mats at the entrance of the house. This could go a long way in absorbing moisture and grime before you enter the house.

Further, if you have children then you must try and look for flooring which is very comfortable for children when they move around in their bare feet. Also, you must look for flooring that is water resistant in bathrooms and toilets. The same also applies to laundry rooms and other utility rooms where there is a need to use water on a regular basis. You would be advised to stay away from hardwood flooring or laminate wood flooring in areas where there is big concentration of moisture. It will not be long before the flooring suffers irreversible damage.

Is Your Flooring Eco-Friendly?

It would be always better to install flooring that is not only great looking but also eco- friendly. Cork flooring for example is one such choice which combines good looks with environment friendly attributes. The same is the case with bamboo wood. Cork may not be suitable for those who move around with high heels, but when it comes to reducing sound pollution in the homes they could be a wonderful choice. Exposed or stained concrete is also another environment friendly flooring choice which is becoming quite popular these days.

Is It Easy to Repair and Maintain?

You have to make a decision between the best of looks and ease of maintenance and strike a good balance to the best extent possible. In some floors both the above may not be possible as you would perhaps like it. Carpets make your home flooring look great but without maintenance, they will become dirty and could also spread diseases and illnesses. On the other hand, if you want convenience as the most important priority, you could go in for laminate flooring. Hardwood flooring might look good but they require regular maintenance. Hence at the end of it all, as an end user, the onus lies on you to choose the right floor taking into account various factors such as lifestyle, ease of maintenance, looks, costs and also it being environment friendly.

It calls for quite a bit of research and if you are installing floors you must not rush through it. You have to spend some time looking up as many sources of information and take the required inputs and then decide which floor is right for you.

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