Choices in Flooring
The home market is flooded with different flooring materials today. Wasn't it just a few thousand years ago when every home had dirt floors? Kidding aside, there are still houses in some parts of the world where a patch of ground is still their best (if not only) option.
Stone was the first flooring material used by the Ancient Egyptians. The Ancient Greeks and Romans introduced tiles and bricks for flooring materials. The first wood flooring was most likely first seen in the homes of noblemen during the Middle Ages. Today, the same materials are still being used but innovations in technology have made it possible for us to have varied choices in residential flooring materials.
Wood Flooring
Solid wood floors have been used for centuries. No other flooring material can have the versatility of wood in terms of its functional and aesthetic aspects. The most sought after wood floor materials are walnut, maple, pecan, beech, cherry, oak, pine, birch and more. Solid flooring is classified into either softwood or hardwood with the later preferred by most homeowners.
For a greener earth, engineered solid wood is preferred. This type of wood flooring is scraps of woods engineered to adhere and form structurally sound and aesthetically pleasing wood flooring. It is made up of three layers of wood with the top layer made of true wood, the middle core of wood made up of shavings as filling materials and the third layer for balance. The top layer being true wood gives the engineered wood its character.
Solid wood flooring comes in three types: planks, strips and parquet. Planks are from 3 inches to 6 inches in width with lengths available in 6, 8, 10, and 12 feet. Strips are 1 ½ or 2 ¼ or 3 ¼ inches in width with length available from 4 feet to 6 feet. Parquet is 1 inch by 6 inches wood strips arranged in such designs as herringbone, basket bond and other geometrical designs.
Though wood and engineered wood are prone to scratches and dents, they can be refinished multiple times that they would probably last a lifetime. Solid wood and engineered wood flooring will add value to your home.
Laminate Flooring
Laminates are not wood but HDF core boards with photographic image of wood. The image is then glued to the board and coated with melamine. Laminate flooring is a far cry from real wood but it is a cheaper option. It is also durable and highly resistant to burns, scratches, UV rays, stains and dents. It is best used in high traffic areas of the house. It is easy to install but is susceptible to water damage. Since laminated flooring is merely wood imitation it does not add value to your home.
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl flooring is inexpensive, easy to install, easy to clean and comes in a variety of colours, styles and texture. A damaged tile can easily be replaced. Vinyl tiles are not likely to fade and though they are not absorbent, their surface is still very easy to clean. The downside is, vinyl flooring is not very elegant and would not bode well for a sophisticated look. Vinyl tiles are perfect though for bathrooms, kitchens, utility rooms and even children's playroom or bedroom.
Stone Flooring
Marble, granite and travertine are under stone flooring. Stone flooring are elegant, durable, and does not fade. They are available in a variety of colours and sizes. There are stone flooring that come in big blocks and there are those that come in precut tile sizes of which the smallest is 12 inches by 12 inches. Marble is not as durable as granite as the former has the tendency to develop little cracks that could ruin the marble's surface. Granite is a very beautiful and elegant stone and comes in varied colours too. However, these stones could be cold and even slippery. They are not easy to install as you need a professional tiler to install them. But then again, stone flooring adds value to your home.
Tile Flooring
Tiles can be as elegant as stone flooring but can be rightly installed by a regular DIY-er. Floor tiles can be made of clay, mixture of stones, porcelain or ceramic. There are tiles that are low cost and there are tiles that are even more expensive than lower grade granite. Tiles are practical to use as they are mostly inexpensive, easy enough to install, are elegant, beautiful and come in a variety of colours, prints and sizes. Tiles are non-absorbent so they are best used in wet areas such as bathrooms, kitchens, utility and laundry rooms. Installing tiles for flooring will definitely add value to your home.
Green Flooring
When green flooring is considered for flooring materials, what comes to mind are bamboo flooring, cork flooring and linoleum. All three come from renewable resources. Bamboo is a fast growing tree (or grass). Cork is harvested from its tree without killing it. Linoleum is a mixture of pine resins, cork dust, saw dust and limestone glued to a jute backing. Cork and linoleum are not good choices as they are not durable. The best option is bamboo even when compared to solid wood as bamboo only takes 3 to 6 years to mature.
Choice of Flooring Summary
Unfortunately there is no right choice for flooring and you will simply have to decide which is best for your needs, whether it is stone, laminate, vinyl or tile flooring!
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