Flooring
How to Install Kitchen Floor Tile
How to Install a Prefinished Hardwood Floor
How to Install Wall-to-Wall Carpeting
Flooring Pros & Cons
When choosing your flooring, the experts at Designer Kitchen & Bath can work with you during the selection process.
CARPETING
Pros - Carpeting provides a warm, cozy feel to your home. It comes in a wide variety of piles, patterns, textures and colors. It feels great on your bare feet and provides a great cushiony effect if you have small children running around.
Cons – carpeting retains odors, dust mites, pollen, animal dander and dirt and can further aggravate current allergies. It shows signs of wear fairly quickly since it does stain and stretch. In 10 to 15 years, your new carpeting will probably be hauled off to the nearest landfill, causing you to have to reinvest in new flooring.
VINYL
Pros – Vinyl, if you purchase a better grade, can last a very long time. It is available in a vast array of colors, styles and patterns. Vinyl can provide some “bounce-ability” underfoot and is fairly easy to install yourself.
Cons – all vinyl is man-made, and while it is available in dozens of styles and patterns, be careful not to choose a current style trend that may not look good in a few years. Stay away from low-priced vinyl – as the old saying goes, “you get what you pay for”. Vinyl tile may be handsome, but the edges almost always eventually peel up.
CERAMIC TILE
Pros – ceramic tile is very durable and will last you for many years to come. Ceramic tiles are available in dozens of colors, patterns, styles and designs which make it easier to customize to your tastes.
Cons – ceramic tile is very hard and your feet, legs and back may get tired from standing on it for a long time. It is man-made and very trendy, so its look may not be appropriate in just a few years. If you drop a glass or plate on ceramic tile, it will break – guaranteed!
NATURAL STONE
Pros – Natural stone has the same benefits as ceramic tile without the man-made look. It provides you with timeless beauty that will almost certainly add value to your home. In fact it is one of the best financial decisions you can make because a natural stone floor should never need replacing. Just seal it every 10 to 15 years.
Cons – Natural stone is expensive and more difficult to install. You may need to hire a professional to get the look just right. Natural stone may also be a little brittle so keep extra materials on hand in case you need to replace a broken piece in the future.
REAL HARDWOOD
Pros – real hardwood can add a rich, luxurious foundation to your home décor. There are modern, premium finishes available now that are very scratch resistant. Hardwood floors last forever with proper maintenance. Many 100 year old houses still have their original hardwood floors!
Cons – real hardwood floors are expensive – not only do you figure the cost of the wood, the prices of which vary greatly – but you need to figure in the cost of trim wood, accessories and installation. In our area this can add up to anywhere from $6 to $15 per square foot or more! Hardwood can be dented or gouged, but this can be repaired quite easily.
ALTERNATIVE FLOORING CHOICES
Simulated hardwoods and plastic laminates, cork and other “green” materials like bamboo…your choices are multiplying every year.
Pros – simulated hardwoods and laminates result in a new floor in just a few hours with no sanding and no odor from sealants and finishes. Bamboo, cork and natural linoleum which is made from linseed, cork, limestone and jute, are all considered “green” flooring materials. They are sustainable, beautiful and durable.
Cons – simulated hardwoods and plastic laminates’ finish layer is essentially countertop material, and very thin. These floors echo with an empty, “tinny” sound, and may be susceptible to installation gaps that water could enter. “Green materials like bamboo and cork are just as expensive if not more so than traditional hardwoods.