What Type of Flooring Should I Get?
You’ve got choices to make; we’ve got the advice you need.
Choosing flooring is a big decision — that’s a big surface area you’re trying to cover and what you choose will have a major impact on the look, feel and use of each room in your house. For more information consult with our flooring experts.
To get you going, here’s an at-a-glance quick guide to the many types of flooring.
Laminate Flooring
Pros: Sturdy laminate construction resists warping; tough plastic wear layer shrugs off scuffs and scratches; can mimic almost any other type of flooring (wood, ceramic tile); can be installed over some existing floorings, in short time; installation is DIY-friendly.
Cons: Super-hard surface feels artificial; can be slippery when wet (products may vary); can’t be refinished.
Best for: living areas; kitchens; playrooms. For more information consult with our flooring experts.
Cost: $1 to $7 per square foot.
Hardwood Flooring
Pros: It’s beautiful, warm, easy to clean, long-lasting flooring goes with any décor. Solid wood flooring can be refinished multiple times. Installation usually takes longer time than any other types of hard surface flooring, depending on the area of the room.
Cons: Hardwood flooring is susceptible to moisture — it’s not for bathrooms, laundry rooms and basements. It requires constant maintenance to retain its looks.
Best for: main living areas; hallways; kitchens
Cost: $2.5 to $8 per square foot; exotics run as high as $14 per square foot.
Vinyl Flooring
Pros: Tough vinyl flooring is impervious to water and its resilient construction feels good underfoot. It’s relatively inexpensive. Vinyl plank flooring can mimic real wood and tile. Easy installation and less dusty.
Cons: Vinyl can’t quite shake that synthetic look. Vinyl flooring manufacturing is not eco-friendly.
Best for: kitchens; bathrooms; basements; hobby rooms
Cost: $1 to $5 per square foot.
Ceramic Tile Flooring
Pros: Ceramic tile flooring comes in an enormous array of colors and styles — it’s a designer’s favorite medium. Glazed ceramic tile flooring is durable, impervious to moisture and resists stains and scratches.
Cons: The hardness of ceramic tile underfoot isn’t to everyone’s liking. Grout lines require constant maintenance.
Best for: kitchens, bathrooms, sunrooms
Cost: $1 to $20 per square foot
Cork Flooring
Pros: It’s a renewable resource that’s harvested from trees, so cork is an eco-friendly flooring. It has a warm, vibrant look and is naturally resilient, so it feels good underfoot. It comes as tiles or planks for DIY installation.
Cons: Sharp objects can tear it and high heels may dent it, and it needs to be refinished with sealers on a regular basis. It’s susceptible to moisture, so keep it out of bathrooms and laundry rooms.
Best for: living areas, kitchens, bedrooms, playrooms
Cost: $2 to $6 per square foot
Linoleum Flooring
Pros: Linoleum flooring is made with biodegradable materials including cork powder and linseed oil. It produces no harmful VOCs and is an eco-friendly choice. It’s a tough flooring that resists stains and wear, and it comes in many vibrant colors.
Cons: It can be dented by high heels and furniture legs, and it can turn yellowish if repeatedly exposed to sunlight. It’s susceptible to excessive moisture, so it’s not recommended for laundry rooms and bathrooms.
Best for: playrooms, family rooms, kitchens
Cost: $2 to $5 per square foot
Rubber Flooring
Pros: Rubber flooring comes in many styles and colors. It’s made in sheets and DIY-friendly tiles that fit together with interlocking edges. It blocks sound, is moisture-proof and it’s comfortable underfoot.
Cons: It’s not a high-end look, and some people are sensitive to the smell of rubber.
Best for: bathrooms, kitchens, playrooms, basements, garages
Cost: $2 to $12 per square foot
Engineered Wood Flooring
Pros: The laminate construction of engineered wood flooring provides good stability. The top veneer is real wood and so has all of wood’s natural warmth and beauty. It can be installed in basements, and the click-together type is DIY-friendly. Varieties include parquet flooring tiles.
Cons: The real wood surface of engineered wood flooring may scratch and dent, and it can’t be refinished more than once.
Best for: living areas, hallways, kitchens
Cost: $2 to $7 per square foot
