5 Flooring Materials to Consider for Your Home: Where Style Meets Sustainability
Think about it for a second, which part of your home is the most susceptible to everyday wear and tear? What’s the literal backbone of your interior? That’s easy – it’s the floor of course!
And as important as this household feature is in the grand scheme of things, it’s sadly overlooked during most home makeover sessions. Most people tend to focus on furniture and accent pieces rather than the foundation itself, which is a big no-no. You always start from the bottom and build your way up.
With that said, you don’t exactly change the floors in your home all that often which is why there’s an added sense of pressure to get things right. Every time you browse through a flooring store, you’re faced with a number of options, each one bringing something special to the table. Let’s do a deep-dive into some real classics to get you going.
What Flooring Is Used in Modern Homes?
Whenever you’re redecorating, it’s easy to get carried away and shop based on appearance only but that shouldn’t be the deciding factor. Sure, there’s no shortage of options in contemporary flooring stores these days, but you know what they say, looks can be deceiving.
In other words, be mindful of where and how you shop so that you don’t have to deal with any inconveniences later on. Needless to say, there are a few fan favourites in the bunch so you might want to check them out first.
Vinyl Flooring
This is perhaps the most versatile flooring solution on the market. It’s available in planks, sheets or tiles, depending on how you want to arrange your space. Its exterior closely resembles hardwood, providing neutral and warm tones to make your home cosier and more welcoming in an instant.
On the inside, vinyl is a multi-layered blend of synthetic materials, including fiberglass, PVC vinyl and a plasticiser. As a result of this particular design, vinyl flooring is inherently quite sturdy, durable and resistant to both scratches and spills.
It’s also highly sound absorbent, which means that you likely won’t hear creaks or squeaks when walking around. It’s safe to say that you won’t have to worry about waking anyone else up when you’re on a mission to secure a midnight snack from the kitchen. It’s no wonder that vinyl is a real star at every flooring store.
Hardwood Flooring
The signature brown undertones of hardwood floors provide a touch of crisp elegance all while bringing some warmth into the room. Its durability largely depends on the exact type of wood that’s used in production but you should still get a relatively long lifespan regardless.
Keep in mind that you’ll have to refinish the surface every five to eight years, based on the level of traffic accumulated throughout the years. By doing so, you’ll bring back its original shine without splurging a lot of money on new floors.
Sadly, hardwood floors are susceptible to noise amplification and may produce echoes. For some, it’s not really that big of a deal whereas for others it becomes a real challenge.
Laminate
Once again, we have another contender whose exterior design mimics the appearance of hardwood. Laminate consists of a pressboard surface that is quite resilient to external damage. This type of flooring is readily available and easy to clean, which is why it’s a common choice for many households.
Unfortunately, unlike vinyl, laminate isn’t water-resistant. This means that moisture can find its way through and damage internal layers. Once this happens, signs of deterioration become quite apparent and difficult to manage.
Cork
If you’re looking for a more environmentally-friendly solution, then cork flooring is your new best friend. Its cushion-like structure is what makes it very comfortable and warm to walk on, particularly in colder weather conditions. In addition, its antibacterial surface acts as a repellent for bacteria and all kinds of microorganisms, a feature that’s quite useful for those who struggle with allergies.
However, the downside is that it’s pretty high maintenance. You’ll have to wax its surface regularly in order to maintain its original form and prevent additional damage. If this isn’t something you’d rather avoid, then you should consider other, more suitable options in accordance with your needs.
Carpets
Last but certainly not least, you’re bound to run into some stylish carpet flooring on your shopping journey. It doesn’t matter what material is underneath, carpets add an undeniable charm and warmth to your existing space, unlike any other flooring solution out there.
Not only do carpets offer sufficient insulation during the winter months, they’re also pretty comfortable to walk or even sit on, depending on your preferences. Plus, carpet flooring prevents slip-and-fall accidents due to its textured surface. Seeing as it’s much easier to slip on hard and flat surfaces than it is on carpets, it’s clear which option is safer and more convenient.
One thing that makes carpets stand out from the other flooring solutions is the sheer diversity and extreme versatility when it comes to their appearance. If you want to add a pop of colour to your interior, you’ll find much to love in the patterned models with bright and vivid undertones. On the other hand, those that are looking for simpler styles will be more appreciative of the monochromatic designs which are just as striking as their more playful counterparts.
If you’re not exactly a fan of carpets that stretch out from one side of the room all the way to the other, then rugs are the best of both worlds in that scenario. You can position them right at the heart of your space, turning them into the focal point of the room. To achieve a more unique and decorative ensemble, you can mix and match different-coloured rugs on opposite ends of the room.
At the end of the day, there’s an endless number of ways that you can mix and match carpet designs to suit your liking. All you have to do is pick your favourite ones from a flooring shop and everything else just falls into place on its own.
