When it comes to the floors of your home, you want them to look great, as well as be durable. If you decide against carpeting, there are six types of flooring that you can choose from for your house. Below are the flooring types that are the most popular and common, and then some information about them.
1. Ceramic Tiles
When you’re looking for a floor that will need waterproofing, your best choice is ceramic tile. Some ceramic tile types come with a very glossy finish but they often will scratch as time goes by. Ceramic tiles that are unglazed are great for flooring outside since you may have a greater chance of having standing water outside. Some popular finishes that ceramic tiles come in are embossed, textured for an anti-slip surface, matte and glazed. A drawback of using ceramic tile is that the grout lines often are extremely hard to keep clean, and if you buy low-quality tiles, they could chip.
2. Hardwood Flooring
This is the flooring that a lot of people choose because of its durability and beauty. It comes in beech, birch, cherry, maple, oak, pecan, pine, walnut and others. This kind of flooring gives you a product that lasts with a surface that is wear resistant. You can refinish hardwood flooring if you want. But some kinds of this flooring can darken as time goes by and some also expand and shrink, which will lead to gaps in the surface of your floor.
3. Laminate Flooring
If you’re looking for an inexpensive option for your floor, this is the one to choose. It’s very low maintenance and gives you a durable, strong surface which is able to resist chipping, scratches and burns. It’s a great choice for areas that have a lot of traffic, it will resemble natural wood and is available in many different designs and colors. However; it can’t be refinished and it’s easily scratched. It’s become very popular, and one reason could be is that installing and maintaining it is easy
4. Marble Flooring
When you’re looking for something versatile and durable, there’s no better choice than marble tiles. They are easy to clean and maintain. It’s also very simple to have them engraved with stylish designs and textures that suit your décor. They give you an elegant look to your foyer and are available in many different colors. They’re easy to install and come in different sizes to suit your needs.
5. Cork Flooring
When you’re looking for a flooring option for a play area, you can choose cork flooring. It’s very expensive, but you can often find them anywhere from $1.10 a tile, up to $6.25 a tile. This is going to depend on the material’s color and characteristics.
6. Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo is one of the newest additions to the world of flooring, and it can be a great choice when you are looking for an earth friendly solution rather than other materials. It’s very elegant, durable and its available in many different colors from lighter to darker. It gives you a surface that is strong and clean but it can darken as time goes by when its exposed to the light from the sun. You shouldn’t leave it wet. Bamboo flooring typically is made in planks either with horizontal or vertical grains. With vertical grains, the pieces are vertically stood on the edge that is narrowest and then they’re press laminated while they’re side by side. This gives a lined and nearly uniform look to your finished floor’s’ surface. When it comes to horizontal bamboo flooring, they’re arranged horizontally on the piece’s widest edges and they’re then joined next to one another with a laminating system that is high pressure.
When you’re thinking about your floors in your home, consider your budget, your lifestyle and if you have kids or pets. This will help you with choosing the right one for you.
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Claudia Leah is the owner of Decorating Den Interiors. A native of Germany, she’s worked as a interior decorating specialist since 2000. Claudia offers interior decorating services many areas of Southwest Florida including Naples, Bonita Springs, Estero, and Marco Island.