Home remodeling is an exciting undertaking — at first. You decide to remodel your home with bright eyes, ready to finally have it looking exactly as you want it to. There are definitely fun aspects to remodeling — you get to pick out paint swatches and decide on things like lovely new counters or a Jacuzzi. But there are practicalities to consider as well. One of the easiest things to wear out in a home is, naturally, the flooring Floors just naturally take a beating, can be looking and feeling worn down very quickly. This is why many homeowners find themselves frustrated with their floors, especially if they’re planning on selling in the future. Many potential buyers decide against homes that would otherwise be great if not for the floors. Changing the flooring of your home is challenging, but it’s a lot easier when you know what type of flooring you want. That way, you can hire a professional to put that flooring in place — and the positive benefits of changing flooring can last for a long time. Changing a kitchen floor from something that easily shows stains and dirt, for example, to something that does not can make a major difference in the look of your home. With that being said, there are so man different types of flooring to choose from, with their own pros and cons. Let’s dive in.
1. Carpeting
Carpeting is a standby in decor that has been around and popular for decades. Many people find carpeting cozy, and in fact a great way to either blend in — with cream or beige carpeting — or express their personality through bright colors and patterns. That’s part of the beauty of carpet; from texture to color, you have many options to choose from. As of 2012, 37% of the flooring industry’s sales in the United States was made up of carpeting. Of the total market, carpeting makes up 51% of sales. Carpeting isn’t the most difficult type of flooring to install, and therefore it can be changed in a manner simpler than other types of flooring. With that being said, a con of carpeting is that it can easily show stains. It also has a more involved cleaning process; while vacuuming can surface clean a carpet, a carpet should be professionally cleaned every eight to 12 months to ensure its longevity.
1. Hardwood
Hardwood is another classic and immensely popular type of flooring that has a major following with many people. There are many different types of hardwood flooring, as there are with carpet. Hardwood is considered perhaps more universal than carpet — while most would not imagine carpet as a part of a kitchen or bathroom design, hardwood could fit into almost any type of room. The more natural hardwood flooring is, the more likely it is to last — natural flooring can last up to 100 years. They’re also very sustainable, with the average net growth of hardwoods being greater than their annual removal. Due in part to this fact, the volume of hardwood timber in North American forests today is double what it was 50 years ago. Just like carpet, hardwood requires a certain level of maintenance; the sanding process involved in putting these floors down is messy, and about five days is required for sealant to dry after it’s been applied. But many hardwood floor enthusiasts find it more than worth their while.
3. Tile
Last but certainly not least is tile. Tile is known for the wide variety of colors in which it comes and its unique look. Due perhaps to this uniqueness, tile is not as commonplace as hardwood or carpet in the home. Usually, it’s kept in kitchens or bathrooms, but it makes a statement. Fairly simple to clean and durable, tile is fresh and new-looking, while at the same time holding an old world charm. This flooring can be painstaking to place, but it pays that off with plenty of character.