What’s the first thing you think of when you look at your floor? If it’s ‘urgh!’, then maybe it’s time to think about upgrading it. But before you rush headlong into making a decision, it may be worth taking a bit of time to work out exactly what type of floor you need.
Hard floors are durable and easy to clean but aren’t always great for small kids to play on while soft carpeted floors are just perfect for kids, right up until a drink gets spilt! So, what else can sway your choice, one way or another?
The low down on hardwood flooring
Hardwood flooring is one of the pricier flooring choices you can make. It’s also attractive and hard-wearing, so many of us are willing to take the financial hit.
But how expensive is it, compared to other flooring types? Well, the cost of installing hardwood flooring varies depending on whether you’re having solid or engineered wood floors and what wood type you’re going for. You’ve also got to consider the cost of having it fitted. It can be as cheap as £30 per square metre which is comparable to carpet costs, but it can be three times this if you’re looking at solid oak.
Other than price, you need to consider the likelihood of scratch marks spoiling it; keeping it well maintained when you’ve got a million other tasks to do; and how noisy little feet are on it. On the plus side, it adds value to your home and does make a scruffy room look a lot more sophisticated and grown up.
The pros and cons of carpets
Carpets are the floor covering of choice in many lounges and bedrooms. They’re soft and warm, so they’re generally really good for family homes. But there’s more to it than that.
If sustainability is an issue, then you may be looking at wool, jute or sisal materials. However, these can be much harder to clean, and jute and sisal do stain easily. Pests such as carpet beetles and moths are also partial to chowing down on these textiles. You also need to work out whether the costs involved in these high-end carpets are really worth it as they do tend to cost between £20 and £50 per square metre. Perhaps keeping carpets to areas such as bedrooms can solve this dilemma though.
Why vinyl is a valid option
Is vinyl flooring really a good option? Vinyl flooring used to mean cheap and a little bit tacky. However, vinyl’s come a long way and it’s fast cornering the luxury flooring market. But why is that? Well, better materials, installation methods and design have given it a new image.
What does it really offer us that wood and carpet doesn’t? Well, if you want a modern or stylish design with all the durability of wood and a smaller price tag, then luxury vinyl can give you that. But it’s also worth noting that the top brands are may match the price of a wood floor.
However, it’s the quick and easy installation that tempts many people. Busy home lives don’t usually make space for big and lengthy flooring installations. It can just be too much to handle. So, being able to rip out an old carpet and lay some vinyl planks in a day is a big advantage and because it’s easy to cut and lay, this is a possibility.