Choosing the right flooring for your house is actually very important because it can affect the whole look of a room. Different types of flooring have different properties, and these should be considered before choosing things such as colour.
You may decide to go for different types of flooring in different rooms. This is particularly true if you are a big carpet fan because although you may have most rooms carpeted, the kitchen and bathroom should not be.
Soft flooring is carpet. It is available in different qualities, from cheap nylon to expensive wool. The advantages of carpet are warmth and comfort. It is insulating, so helps keep the heat of the house in. Also, when walking on it, the warmth and comfort can be felt. Another advantage is that it cushions the feet when walking so is less stressful on them. They provide grip for the foot so you are less likely to slip, but even if you do, cushioning for the fall is provided by the carpet, particularly if it is long pile. Additionally, carpet is good at insulating noise.
The downside to carpet is that it is no good in areas where it is likely to get frequently wet such as kitchens and bathrooms. It also isn’t great on stairs if you have cats because they tend to use it as a scratching post if you are not careful. Also, allergens get trapped so they are not great if you suffer from asthma or allergies to dust mites.
Lino is perhaps between the two. It is cheap to buy and easy to clean, but still fairly soft and warm, however it doesn’t look as good as other floors.
Hard flooring covers hardwood and tiles. Hard floors are easy to clean because they can just we wipes or dusted. Spills are also easy to clean up with mopping, but mopping will need to be done as soon as possible if the floor is wooden. This makes them good for bathrooms and kitchens. Hard floors can take lots of wear and tear and should last a long time. They are also non-allergenic because allergens don’t get trapped.
Hardwood flooring looks fantastic, but it isn’t cheap. You can use lots of different types of wood such as cherry and oak. Oak flooring is very popular. Any wood flooring is considered an investment and should add value to your home and make it more desirable. It is warm underfoot and adds a cosy feel to a room.
Floor tiles are available in lots of different types. Marble tiles look plush and are very hard-wearing, and slate looks great in the home. Stone tile scan be a bit cold to walk on but slippers should easily sort that problem and in the summer, coolness underfoot is actually desirable.
Any hard floors can be softened by using rugs anyway, so in the one room you can have the benefits of both hard and soft.
In the end, your personal preference will be what leads you to choose one floor over another, but being well informed about the advantages and disadvantages of hard and soft flooring will help you make a choice that you won’t regret.
