Flooring remodeling is typically not one of the first projects which come to mind when homeowners begin budgeting to improve their household, but it is very valuable both to your home's resale value and your desire to tie any new stylistic choices together. So how do you know which type of flooring is right for your room? Here’s a quick rundown of the most popular types of flooring across America right now along with what each could do for your rooms.
Hardwood Flooring
Cost: $3 - $14 per square foot
Pros:
Incredibly durable, classic styling, fits almost any style choice, able to be refinished
Cons:
Prone to shrinking and expanding, weaken with time, prone to moisture damage
Bamboo Flooring
Cost: $3 - $12 per square foot
Pros:
Incredibly strong, highly renewable, contemporary, stylish, popularity growing
Cons:
Very prone to water damage, fade/darken with time and wear
Engineered Wood Flooring
Cost: $4 - $18 per square foot
Pros:
Same look as hardwood, quicker to install, installed prefinished and prestained
Cons:
Only able to be refinished once or twice, lower quality brands may weaken quickly
Laminate Flooring
Cost: $3 - $12 per square foot
Pros:
Highly durable, inexpensive, incredibly easy cleaning, wide color selection, easy installation
Cons:
Cannot refinish, low quality brands prone to peeling, prone to scratching
Linoleum Flooring
Cost: $2 - $12 per square foot
Pros:
Highly durable, highly customizable in color and pattern, entirely renewable and environmentally friendly
Cons:
Needs to be resealed at least once a year, can’t be left wet, prone to scuffing
Cork Flooring
Cost: $5 - $11 per square foot
Pros:
Soft, resistant to mold, mildew, and water damage, easy to clean, stylish and modern
Cons:
Depending on the type of finish applied it may need frequent reapplication
Tile Flooring
Cost: $4 - $12 per square foot
Pros:
Durable, resistant to stains and water damage, enormous customizability
Cons:
Low quality brands may chip/break, hard walking surface, hard to repair, slick when wet
Vinyl Flooring
Cost: $2 - $7 per square foot
Pros:
Highly durable, incredibly easy to clean, comfortable, wide selection of colors and styles, affordable
Cons:
Hard to repair, low quality brands may lose color, require some sealing
Carpeted Flooring
Cost: $4 - $16 per square foot
Pros:
Warm, soft, easy to replace and care for, large selection of colors, styles
Cons:
Stains if not cared for, low quality brands can fray easily
Stone Flooring
Cost: $7 - $100 per square foot
Pros:
The best durability, classic style, available in many forms, colors, and patterns
Cons:
Potentially high cost, hard to repair, prone to stains, require sealing, slick when wet
