When you’re renovating your home, one of the first things that you’ll have to decide is which type of flooring material to use. There are many different choices available, from wood floors and carpets to vinyl tile and linoleum. This article will show you how to choose the right flooring material for your home.
Identify Your Budget
The first step is to decide how much money you’re willing to spend on flooring material; your budget. There is a wide range of prices, with wood floors being the most expensive and linoleum being the least expensive. You can get vinyl for a lot cheaper than hardwood – as little as ten dollars per square meter while some types of wood can cost several hundred dollars.
Make sure to factor in labor costs, too – if your home already has wooden floors and you just want to install new floorboards then the labor costs will be negligible (as opposed to remodeling an entire room), but if you’re planning on removing existing flooring material such as linoleum or carpet then make sure that the cost of having this work done adds up to less than 20% of your total budget.
Choose A Style
The next step in choosing a flooring material for your home is deciding on a style (or more than one). The style of your floors will have an impact on how they look as well as how they feel underfoot so it’s important that you pick something that you like. Many people choose laminate because it looks nice and feels comfortable when you walk across it barefoot or in socks, but there are also other styles available such as wood, concrete, and cork. You can even incorporate a FA-H20-SL floor access door into your design or create a unique style for your floors with paint.You can even create a unique style for your floors with paint.
Choose A Material
Now that you’ve decided on the style and budget for your floor, it’s time to choose a material. There are many different materials available, such as stone, ceramic tile, wood laminate, or vinyl. The physical characteristics of each material vary widely from one another so be sure to visit any nearby stores that sell the type of flooring that you’re interested in so you can get a better idea of what it feels like. For example, not all tiles feel nice and smooth (although some do) – there are some kinds that feel rough underfoot (like quarry tiles) and these won’t be very comfortable if you walk across them barefoot.
Consider Durability
Is there any chance that water will end up on your floors? If so, then it’s important for you to consider how easily water can damage any given type of flooring material. One way to do this is by looking at a material’s “water-resistance rating” – higher ratings are generally better; laminate floors have a high water resistance rating, as do vinyl and linoleum floors. However, wooden floors have a low water-resistance rating because of their porous nature.
Is there any chance that your floors may get dirty? If so, then it’s important for you to consider how difficult it will be to clean the type of flooring that you’re planning on using. For example, wood and laminate are fairly easy to sweep or mop but a stone or ceramic tile can be difficult – some people have professional cleaning companies come to their house about once every six months just to give their porcelain tiles a good scrubbing!
Check The Warranties
Before you make a purchase, it’s always important to check and see what type of warranty the manufacturer is offering. For example, if there are multiple types of flooring available at your local home improvement store, then it’s probably worthwhile to take a look at their warranties so that you can decide which one will last the longest. The longer a warranty is, the better – it shows that the manufacturer has complete faith in their product.
Check The Certification
Before you make a purchase, check to see if the material that you want to use is certified for safety. This certification will ensure that there are no harmful materials used in the manufacturing process and it’s important that you look out for this before making your final decision. Many flooring products use chemicals to keep them looking nice and clean but these can cause health problems if used in the wrong way.
Also, some materials such as cork floors are naturally very hard-wearing but they are susceptible to mold (just like wood) so this certification will ensure that your floor is resistant to this harmful bacteria.
The floor is the part of your home that you see and touch most, so it makes sense to take time with this decision. You may be on a tight budget or have other requirements like durability for kids and pets, so it’s recommended you consider some different options in terms of material such as wood floors, carpeting, laminate tiles, or luxury vinyl planks. Make sure you’ve chosen the right style for your needs and look at warranties before making any final decisions.