A Buyers Guide to Custom Home Flooring Types

A BUYERS GUIDE TO Home Flooring Types The meticulous process that is turning a “house" into a “home" is a series of careful decisions regard- ing comfort, style, color, and (of course) cost. And few decisions are as crucial to this home building process as what type of flooring you choose. Make sure you decide on a flooring option that is right for you using this handy buying guide. $4 Cost Durability Installation Cleaning 1 Lowest --> 5 Highest 1 Easiest --> 5 Most Difficult 1 Least --> 5 Hard 1 Easiest --> 5 Difficult Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Strong, durable, wide variety of colors and designs, stain resistant, easy to replace sections if chipped or cracked. Imperfections are hard to detect. Easily cleaned and easily sterilized. Pros Hard glazed squares typically Grout can attract stains and can be difficult to clean. Very rigid, hard underfoot, not suitable for comfortable living area. Almost all brittle items (glass, plates) will break if dropped on tile surface. made of ceramic or porcelain. Cons Tile has been used for centuries to provide a durable coated surface that is hygienic and $$$$$ XXXXX easy to clean, for indoor and outdoor environments. COST INSTALLATION DIFFICULTY TTTTT DURABILITY CLEANING DIFFICULTY Floating Wood Tile Extremely simple installation, some laminate tiles have a T&G (tongue and groove) system, which locks into place and eliminates the need for adhesive. Stain resistant, easy to replace, easy to clean, very hygienic. Pros Floating wood tile is a relative Hard underfoot, Synthetic is not genuine wood and as such it cannot be sanded or refinished. Can also be very slippery when wet (though slip resistant layers are available) shows scuff marks. Cons newcomer to household flooring. Composed of a synthetic material that simulates a wood $$$$$ XXXXX (or sometimes stone) appearance, which is then laminated. COST INSTALLATION DIFFICULTY TTTTT DURABILITY CLEANING DIFFICULTY Carpet Creates a comfortable atmosphere and acts as insulation to retain warm air in cold months. It also acts as a noise dampener and can even improve indoor air quality by trapping pet dander and debris. Pros Designed for warm dry applications. Synthetic options are conventionally made of polyester, nylon or polypropylene while natural carpet can be made of wool. Comes in many patterns, colors, and styles. Can stain relatively easily when compared to other flooring options, can become difficult and costly to clean, also carpets placed in high traffic tend to wear out if made of cheap material. Cons $$$$$ XXXXX COST INSTALLATION DIFFICULTY 1-4 (de pending on material) TTTTT DURABILITY CLEANING DIFFICULTY Extremely durable, hardwood floors can be sanded and refinished many times over their lifetime. They are also extremely easy to clean, sturdy and very wear resistant. Hard wood floors give a house a very earthy yet luxurious feel. Hardwood Pros Any flooring that is milled from a single piece of timber. Oak, walnut maple and hickory On the more costly end of the flooring spectrum, and can be labor intensive to install. Do not retain heat and will not damper sound, Hardwood floors also may shrink or expand depending on season and temperature. Cons are common types of wood used for Hardwood flooring. $$$$$ XXXXX COST INSTALLATION DIFFICULTY TTTTT DURABILITY CLEANING DIFFICULTY Can be ideal for below grade installation (basements) as it is much more resistant to the effects of moisture than Hardwood. Engineered Wood Pros Extremely fast installation. Can be installed over any subflooring type (padding, concrete) with relative ease. Sometimes called composite wood, engineered wood differs from hardwood in that it is a Quality and durability can vary greatly according to brand, and there are limited refinishing options available as engineered wood can typically only be sanded and refinished once. Edges of the panels lack a finish and can fray or allow water in. Does not last as long as real hardwood. Cons veneer of hardwood on top of several wood layers underneath. It is processed or machined to have a specific look and feel, and $$$$$ XXXXX COST INSTALLATION DIFFICULTY typically comes pre-laminated. TTTTT DURABILITY CLEANING DIFFICULTY Bamboo Easy to install and is hypoallergenic. Natural coloration is a sandy blonde much like beech wood. It is remark- ably durable, as well as being easy to install and clean. Pros Much like hardwood flooring, bamboo flooring is an ultra durable natural option that The coloration of Bamboo is vulnerable to sunlight and may fade over time. The adhesive used to create the flooring can release volatile organic compounds (VOCS) into the air over time. Susceptible to water damage. Cons utilizes bamboo reeds installed over sub-flooring. Bamboo flooring is an eco-friendly, and $$$$$ XXXXX highly renewable option for COST INSTALLATION DIFFICULTY flooring modern homes. TTTTT DURABILITY CLEANING DIFFICULTY Cork Highly sustainable, eco-friendly. Durable and "springs-back" from wear in high traffic areas. Stain resistant and resistant to mildew. Pros A flooring derivative that is made from the bark of the May absorb water if improperly finished. Durability is highly dependent on type of finish used. Typically more expensive than other flooring options. Cons cork oak, cork flooring makes for highly sustainable flooring option that adds an earthy $$$$$ XXXXX natural look. COST INSTALLATION DIFFICULTY TTTTT DURABILITY CLEANING DIFFICULTY Stone Appearance typically improves with age, and is easily the most durable option of all flooring types. Adds an earthy aesthetic to any home, and has a timeless appeal. Pros A flooring option that makes use of different types of natural rock carved out of a quarry and then cut for a flooring application. Limestone, granite, marble and A comparatively expensive option with extremely labor-intensive installation. Certain stone types absorb stains and dirt. Can be very slippery when wet. Cons $$$$$ XXXXX slate are common stones used for flooring. COST INSTALLATION DIFFICULTY TTTTT DURABILITY CLEANING DIFFICULTY Vinyl Extremely inexpensive and easy to install. Can be glued or nailed over a sub-flooring. Durable and flexible, easy to clean and highly also water-resistant. Pros Vinyl flooring is a fully synthetic polymer flooring option with pigmentation added for color. Flexible and non-porous. The process and chemicals needed to make vinyl flooring can emit VOC's into the air over time. The soft quality of vinyl flooring means sharp objects can easily gouge it, after which it is extremely difficult to repair. Cons $$$$$ XXXXX COST INSTALLATION DIFFICULTY TTTTT DURABILITY CLEANING DIFFICULTY DirectBuy. http://www.realtor.com/home-garden/do-it-yourself/flooring/carpeting-for-flooring-pros-and-cons.aspx http://www.builddirect.com/Laminate-Flooring/Laminate-Floors-Articles/Tongue_and_Groove_and_Locking_Systems_For_Laminate_Wood_Floors.aspx http://www.wfca.org/Pages/flooring-comparison.aspx http://www.constructiondb.com/wiki/stone_flooring http://home.costhelper.com/stone-flooring.html http://www.findanyfloor.com/article/InstallingFlooringOnAboveandBelowGrade.xhtml %24