If you are in the process of rejuvenating your home, no doubt this question has already crossed your mind: what to do with your floors. There are a lot of options to choose from, each with their own perks and drawbacks. Some are practical drawbacks; others are simply a matter of taste.
So, to help you choose, we’re going to run through all the choices and see which one fits your style best.
Carpet
The immediate thing you think about with carpet is warmth. If you’re in a home that is lacking in that department, either due to being in a cottage with little insulation or a rented property with single glazed windows, if you are seeing your heating bills go up, you’ll want to think about carpets. Even if you just like the idea of making your home style as cosy as possible, carpets have value. Plus, unlike wood, it can come in every colour of the rainbow to add a big statement to the room.
The added perk if you are in close quarters with neighbours, say in a flat, is that carpets will make you a lot quieter. The material will absorb some of the noise, and also won’t create the snapping clumps your neighbours will hear if you feel like wearing heels.
Compared to other flooring options, like laminate and real wood flooring, it can also be a lot more affordable. However, it will need regular hoovering and will soak up stains like a sponge. Using a carpet cleaning service is one way to extend the life of your carpet, restoring former glory, removing dirt, dust, and stains.
Laminate
Laminate is the affordable option between the two wood choices. It imitates real wood floors, and for that reason comes in an amazing range of tones. It is also easy to lay down, to the point that you could do it yourself, and therefore can be placed in lots of different patterns.
However, it has a short shelf-life. Unlike hardwood, you can’t refinish it to bring it back to its original state, and when it starts getting too stained, scratched, or warped, it will have to be ripped up and replaced.
Real wood flooring
Real wood flooring has a lot of important perks that makes the extra funds you are putting into it well worth it, but it isn’t without its drawbacks. The hefty price to put down real wood floors and is considered an investment, since it will raise the value of your home with good maintenance.
It offers an authentic and beautiful finish to floors that simply cannot be beaten by a lot of laminate flooring options and is maintained in the same way as laminate flooring. Plus, unlike laminate, it can be refinished with a sanding and a protective varnish. This also means it can be upgraded, if you fancy a change of colour, you can darken or lighten your varnish.
However, it will be expensive to lay, as it isn’t DIY friendly, and like laminate, will warp with moisture, temperature, and age. However, unlike laminate, a refinishing will restore it to brand new.
