Deciding on a floor for your entire home or one particular room seems like an easy task. After all, it should be as easy as picking the type, color, and installing it, right? What most individuals don’t realize about flooring is quality should always matter over price because flooring (literally) gets walked all over. Why? It’s the one product that will be used the most in your home. Think about it… you will use your flooring every day, every time you go into that room, and it covers the most surface area in each space. So, this being said, flooring deserves your time and money. After all, it’s doing most of the dirty work in your home!
Let’s walk a little farther and decipher what makes a quality flooring. After reading the stats below on certain flooring options, you might want to run as fast as you can from that sale. Think long term, not in the moment, it’s like choosing your spouse all over again! 😉 First up…
~Carpet Flooring~
Carpet flooring gives everyone “love – hate relationship” symptoms. Everyone loves the soft, warmth it gives to a room, BUT hates how it can be high maintenance. AND, lets not forget if you spill… (pray your best friend likes white wine over red) #nospaghettizone Getting back on track, here is what to look for in a quality carpet for your home:
#1 – Durability
How to check if carpet is durable?
- Choose a heavy carpet…..how do you know if a carpet is heavy?
Check the “Face Weight” number, which is the weight of carpet pile per square yard. You will want to find carpet with a face weight number between 40 oz – 65 oz.
- Choose a dense carpet…how do you know if a carpet is dense?
This refers to how close the fibers are stitched together, meaning the closer the fibers the thicker the carpet.
- Choose high fiber twists.
The tighter the twist the stronger your carpet. Carpet that has thick fibers and high twist counts will last longer, plus hold up better in the long run.
#2 – Nylon vs. Polyester
When leaning toward a type of carpet go with nylon. Even though, polyester carpet material offers more vibrant colors, plus it’s a green certified product. Nylon is better for high traffic areas, because it’s stronger and more durable.
#3 – Warranties
A carpet is only as strong as its warranty. The stronger the warranty, the more confident you can be in your purchase.
~Hardwood Flooring~
The most classic and valuable flooring option for your home is Hardwood. Sometimes Hardwood is overlooked for more durable options, but look again because it adds richness and value that no other flooring option can duplicate.
#1 – Durability
If you want hardwood floors, but are concerned with it not being strong enough look for these wood species. The strongest wood is Hickory or Oak. If you aren’t crazy about all the texture, veining, or knots check out Maple flooring options. Maple floors offer a cleaner and more subtle style.
#2 – Stains
Your wood flooring is only as strong as its finish. Urethane oil based finish is the highest recommended finish for a hardwood floor. It’s the finish that will hold up the longest, especially in high traffic areas.
#3 – Solid vs. Engineered
Engineered is a better option in certain geographic areas because it does not expand and contract due to the attached plywood backing. There are also three ways to install engineered hardwood: glueing, nailing, or floating. Solid can only be installed by nailing. When purchasing solid wood flooring, you are purchasing 100% of that wood species, which is why it’s so valuable. Plus, solid hardwood can be refinished more often than engineered wood flooring.
~Luxury Vinyl~
The most popular flooring is Luxury Vinyl. Luxury vinyl is a great option for individuals with kids and pets. Why…because LVT is water-proof and can live up to anyone’s busy lifestyle.
#1 – Durability
If you are looking for the most durable type of LVT look for “Rigid Core.” This type of LVT is more dense and less expensive, but it usually is colder, louder to walk on, and not as authentic looking.
#2 – Visuals
Everyone cares about the style of their flooring. If that is the most important aspect for you and your home look for “WPC” (Wood Plastic Composites) luxury vinyl. WPS offers the most authentic look. It is quieter to walk on, warmer to the foot, but tends to be more expensive and not as durable as rigid core.
#3 – Floor Backing
If you are worried about bacteria going on the backing of your luxury vinyl, look for an antimicrobial backing. That will ensure mildew won’t grow on it. The second best option is cork because it is extremely strong, durable, and sound resistant.
~Tile Flooring~
Tile, like hardwood flooring, adds value to your home. A few reasons why tile is a great option for your home is it’s hard-wearing and easy to clean. Also, tile offers a wide variety of colors and sizes. The most popular types of floor tile are porcelain and ceramic.
Porcelain vs. Ceramic
Porcelain tile is more dense. This means it is more durable and less porous than ceramic. PLUS, mildew is less likely to grow on it because water can’t seep through it as easily. Ceramic tile is much more scratch resistant. Both options are great for heavy traffic areas. It just depends on your flooring priorities… scratches or durability.
Now you know how to choose a quality flooring for your home. What are you waiting for?! Stop into one of our two showrooms and check out all our flooring options. Remember its your home…make your floors GREAT!