Are you looking to renovate your old home? Or are you in the middle of building a new one from the ground up? Then one of the key areas you need to pay careful attention to is your home’s flooring. You’ll also want to factor in the cost of floor installation contractors, as that usually won’t be cheap.
If you’re improving your home, replacing old floors with new ones is one of the best ways to increase your home’s value. But of course, that is if you invest in the right type of floors that perfectly match your home’s specifications.
And when it comes to choosing new floors, there are important factors you need to consider. But what exactly are these essentials that you should keep in mind?
Continue reading below as we discuss five essential things to consider when shopping for new flooring.
The Durability of New Floors
One of the first things to look into when choosing new floors is their durability. When determining the level of durability, the key is to align it with the room you are planning to use the floors on.
For example, your entryways, kitchen, and bathroom come with high foot traffic. That means these rooms are the ones where you and your family tend to go to most often. Thus, pick a type of floor with tougher materials for these spaces.
For starters, you can invest in floors that use harder types of wood. Some of these harder woods can last for up to five decades, depending on how well you maintain them. When going for wood flooring for your kitchen, make sure to pick the pre-finished wood floors.
These floors can withstand water stains, as well as heavy foot traffic.
Alternatively, you can go for flooring that uses porous materials. An excellent option is limestone flooring. But if you’re on a tight budget, you may consider pressurized plastic laminates.
These laminates are cheaper alternatives, especially if you’re using them on bathroom and kitchen floors.
Style Preferences
You also want to pick the types of flooring that meet your style preferences. Do you want something rustic? Or do you prefer something contemporary?
Whatever your preferences are, make sure the floor complements the design of the room. Otherwise, the flooring may come out as an eyesore or off-putting.
Thus, you need to revisit the colors that will dominate the rest of the room’s décor. Furthermore, determine the focal point of the room that you want. If you want your guests to marvel at your stunning cabinets, then pick a type of floor that is easy on the eyes.
If you want something that blends with the room’s contemporary color scheme, go for floors that come with rich hues. As for your bathroom and kitchen, add a little twist by using tiles with strips and borders.
Lastly, go for a style that will excite you for many years to come. Some designs will look pleasing for several months but will end up boring after a year or so.
Maintenance Requirements
Like your roof, walls, and other key installations, your new floors require proper maintenance. To lessen your burden, consider going for flooring that requires low maintenance.
If you love cooking a lot, expect your floors to get dirty and grimy often. Hence, minimize your upkeep by investing in a low-maintenance, water-resistant floor type.
Vinyl flooring is one of your best bets if you want to slice your cleaning time in half. If the vinyl does not meet your design preferences, traditional hardwood flooring is an excellent alternative. Make sure to go for a well-treated hardwood.
Another good option is pre-finished wood floors.
Size and Light
Even if you pick the right flooring designs, you need to make sure the floor matches the size of the room. If you want your bathroom or kitchen to look larger, lighter types of flooring will give you that effect. Furthermore, floors with lighter hues can help illuminate areas that require more lighting.
If you wish to go for wood flooring, go for wide-scale planks and tiles.
Aside from the size of the room, you also need to consider its lighting. Does your room or kitchen receive a substantial amount of sunlight? Then bright flooring may result in possible glare problems.
To avoid this, pick a flooring type that comes with mid or darker tones. Alternatively, you can pick a design that features alternating light and dark shades. Make sure the shades come in the same color.
But if your rooms don’t get a lot of natural light, you can help brighten it up a bit by using floors with lighter materials. That will help reflect the natural light coming from your windows. In turn, it can help create the illusion of having a bigger space.
Your Budget
Last but not least, you need to consider your budget. That is a crucial factor, especially now that there is a pandemic. Also, you need to plan your budget carefully if you are looking to replace tiles in several rooms.
The key to avoiding budget-related issues is to buy the types of flooring that you can afford. If they go beyond your budget, do your best to look for something more affordable.
The average cost for wood floor replacements can go anywhere between $430 and $1,350.
If you don’t have a big budget, vinyl flooring is one of the friendliest options available. Another good option is laminate flooring. The good thing about laminate flooring is that it comes in different styles and colors.
But if you want something that looks closer to natural stone, porcelain tiles are good alternatives. And if you want something more affordable than hardwood flooring, vinyl planks should do the trick.
Check out this laminate flooring vs vinyl flooring head-to-head comparison.
Increase Your Home Improvement Knowledge
Shopping for new floors can be simple if you know what to look for. By looking at these key considerations, you will get the right type of flooring that will match your budget and specifications. But there is more to learn about home improvement than getting your floor right.
Increase your knowledge by reading our other home improvement articles. We give various tips and suggestions that can help increase the beauty and value of your home.
