If you are building a new house or you’ve been looking at your dated floors for too long, you’re going to start considering new flooring options. Walking into a flooring store lined with stacks of tile, hardwood, carpet or laminate can be overwhelming. It’s hard to know where to begin. 

Take a look around your house and get a sense of your style. Would hardwood look best or a nice plush carpet? Once you invest in new flooring, you aren’t going to want to pay to change your mind. You should begin to think about what color or pattern choices you like. 

You might even consider doing two different types of flooring. Perhaps, carpet in the bedroom but hardwood throughout the rest of your house. Either way, you should have an idea of what your best flooring options are before you even step foot in a store. 

The Five Most Popular Types of Flooring

You will want to make yourself aware of each type of flooring and whether you think it will work for your space. Flooring options have a wide range of pricing and style types. There is no need to feel overwhelmed if you inform yourself ahead of time. 

Hardwood Flooring

When many people want to upgrade their flooring, they immediately think of hardwood floors, but is it the right choice for you? Hardwood floors fall into two categories: solid hardwood and engineered hardwood. 

Solid Hardwood For Your Floor

• Each individual piece of solid hardwood is made up of a single plank of solid wood. 
• If you notice scratches and blemishes over the years, it can easily be sanded down and refinished. You can even change colors over time. 
• The downside to solid hardwood is the tendency to warp in humid climates. It might not be the best flooring for your house on the beach.
• Think about the investment you are making. Your solid hardwood floors can last up to 100 years. It might seem pricey now, but it will be worth it down the road. 

Engineered Hardwood For Your Floor

• If you are eager for hardwood but not excited about the high price tag, engineered hardwood may be the way to go. It tends to be slightly cheaper than solid hardwood. 
• Engineered hardwood is more versatile than solid wood and would do well in laundry and bathrooms. 
• On the downside, the wood is thinner and can easily be damaged. It still has quite a life span, at around 20-40 years. 

Tile Flooring

• Tile is a low maintenance choice for your flooring needs. It’s easy to clean and helps prevent allergens from hanging around. 
• While tile is easy to clean, it’s not the most comfortable to walk on and it is easier to slip on. If you have anyone who is older living in the home, you may want to avoid tile. 
• Tile has a large range of pricing options so it’s likely you can find something in your budget. 
• Tile comes in various sizes and shapes which means you can really customize the look you are trying to achieve. It can make a real personal statement. 

Carpeting

• Carpet is often a safe bet when it comes to flooring. You always know what you are going to get with it. 
• Carpet can tend to get more expensive if it has a high density of pile. The plusher it feels on your bare feet, the more money it will cost you. 
• If you are carpeting a low-traffic area, don’t worry about spending a fortune on the carpet. You can usually get your basic needs for a great price. 
• If you do go with a lighter color shade for your carpet, expect to be vacuuming often. A white or cream color will show more dirt and grime. 

Laminate Flooring

• Laminate can give you the illusion of hardwood flooring without the hefty price tag. On average, it can be 50% less expensive than hardwood. 
• It is very durable and it is a wise choice if you have a house full of kids and pets. 
• Surprisingly, it may hold up better than your hardwood or carpet. The protective coating helps it stand up to the bumps and bruises it can get during the day. 
• Unfortunately, with laminate, you can not sand it down and refinish it like you can with your hardwood flooring. 

Vinyl Flooring

• Vinyl falls into a similar category to laminate. While durable, it cannot be refinished or repaired. 
• It will be your cheapest flooring option which makes it ideal for spaces that get a lot of wear. Consider it for your bathroom or laundry room. 
• Vinyl has great versatility. While it is firm, it isn’t as hard as tile and will provide comfort for bare feet. 
• Vinyl flooring has some longevity to it. If taken care of properly, it can last 10-20 years. 
• Consider these helpful tips if you are thinking of going in the direction of vinyl flooring. 

Important Factors to Consider When Choosing Flooring

Now you know what your flooring options are, let’s take some other factors into consideration. It’s important to think of your lifestyle and who will be walking on your new floor. 

What Room is The New Flooring Going In?

Narrowing down your choice of flooring options can be easier based on what room you are working on. Not all flooring is created equal and can serve different purposes throughout your house. Remember, you can always go with more than one type of flooring in your home. 

For the main living rooms of your home, you really can’t go wrong with any of the flooring choices. Family rooms and sitting areas should be a warm and inviting space. You can put a nice cherry hardwood in or even a neutral carpet color. 

If you are finishing off your basement, you might want to avoid hardwood. While not impossible, hardwood usually isn’t designed to go below grade level in a home. Instead, consider choosing a durable option like ceramic tile downstairs because it is not affected by moisture. 

If you are re-flooring the bedrooms in your house, you may want to consider carpet. You are likely barefoot in your bedroom and the carpet will feel better on your feet. If you are set on avoiding carpet altogether, you can always put down hard flooring and put an area rug on it for some comfort. 

Any rooms that tend to get messy, like the kitchen or bathroom, do well with laminate or tile. It makes for easy cleaning if there are any spills or accidents. The tile is less porous and won’t retain the messes as much. 

What is Your Flooring Budget? 

While it would be nice to have no budget at all, reality tends to set in as you begin looking at price tags. Your budget is something you should consider before you begin selecting your flooring. You’re likely to find something in every flooring category that falls within your budget but you need to know how much you would like to spend. 

If you are going with two types of flooring, perhaps go higher end on one and a cheaper model on the other, especially for areas that don’t get a lot of foot action. If you are on a tight budget, consider putting in the flooring yourself. An option like clink and lock vinyl or laminate would be your easiest choices here. 

Pet Friendly Flooring Picks

If you have a furry little friend running around, you may not want carpet throughout if you don’t like scrubbing the occasional, or frequent, accident. Carpets also tend to show more dirt and stains than hardwood or tile. 

If you have dogs that run free in your home, you may not want them scratching up your brand new hardwood. Porcelain tile can be a good option in homes with pets because it can hold up to the test of your animals with its durability and resistance to staining. 

If you have the slightest bit of allergies, you may want to avoid carpet altogether. Pet dander and allergens love to creep into the tiny fibers of your carpet. It can prove difficult to fully clean it, no matter how many times your Roomba rides over it. 

Are Kids Running Around? Kid Friendly Flooring Options

If you have little ones running around and have been eyeing a bright white carpet, you may want to think again. Carpet has a pesky habit of collecting dirt and stains, some of which are difficult to get out. If your son plays on the football team, you aren’t going to walk him walking on your fresh carpet with his dirty cleats. 

If you’re set on carpet, you can try a darker gray color which can hide blemishes better than a lighter color. The color of your carpet can truly make all the difference in keeping it looking great long-term. 

Carpets are great if you have a crawler around, as it’s soft on their little knees. Carpets can also help reduce the noise in the house which comes in handy with sleeping babies. They absorb sound much better than any hard flooring. 

Color Choices For Your Flooring

You’ve decided what type of flooring you want but now you have to pick out the color. If you have a smaller space, going for a lighter, bright color will help it feel more open. Choosing a dark color will only make it feel tighter and closed in. 

If you think you’re going to resell your home in a few years, perhaps step back from anything too bold. While it might look fun today, it could prevent a future homebuyer from wanting to step foot on it. Grey is a great neutral color for carpets and tiles and can do well over time. 

Consider the color of your walls. You can always re-paint to better match your new flooring but do you really want to? If you aren’t interested in dragging out the paint cans, be sure to find flooring that will go with your already colored walls. 

DIY Flooring Options

If you are set on a more expensive flooring option but don’t want to pay the cost of labor, consider doing it yourself. Granted, there are some you should avoid doing yourself but you do have options. It will give you great pride knowing you did the work yourself. 

Peel and stick vinyl flooring is easy and quick to install and won’t put too much of a dent in your wallet. You don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment and the tiles are easy to measure and trim. They come in a variety of colors and patterns to choose from. 

If you think you can’t install carpet, think again. Consider installing carpet tiles, which typically are cheaper than your standard rolled carpet. They are simple enough to put in and easy to switch out if you get a stain on them. 

Any type of flooring, like hardwood or tile, where you need to cut it down will prove more difficult without a contractor and the right equipment. But if you are on a tight budget and want to take a shot at a DIY project, you definitely have a few flooring types to choose from. 

Check Out Flooring Outlets For Options

If you’re adamant about high-quality floors and a good deal, check out home flooring outlets. You might find a discontinued item that fits your house and budget perfectly. Don’t hesitate to negotiate either. If you are buying flooring for a large space, you might be able to get a good deal out of it. 

Let the Creativity Begin

It’s no secret there are plenty of flooring options for you to choose from. If you can narrow down where in your house you will put it, it will help you decide what quality of the flooring you need. Remember, you don’t need the highest-end hardwood flooring in your laundry room. 

The process of picking out your flooring should be an enjoyable one. It’s a statement of who you are and what your home represents. So, sit back and enjoy gazing down at your new, beautiful floors and be proud of the flooring options you chose.