The Pros and Cons of 6 Types of Flooring Options
There are so many different details to consider when designing or renovating your home—and that includes plenty of different flooring options. Choosing the right floors is an important part of bringing together the entire look of your space, and they should provide you with the right functionality as well. It’s not enough for flooring options to just look great; they need to meet the needs of your home and your family as well.
So where should you start? In this article, we’ll cover some of the different types of floors that are available, plus the various factors that you’ll want to keep in mind as you do your research on flooring options.
6 Popular Types of Flooring Options
You’ve got a lot to choose from when it comes to picking out flooring for your home. Here are six common types of flooring options used in today’s homes.
- Hardwood
Let’s start with the classic. Hardwood has been one of the most popular flooring options around for decades, thanks in no small part to its stunning effect and the timeless quality that it can bring to your home.If you’ve watched any HGTV renovation shows, then you know that finding hardwood in a home is tantamount to striking gold. That’s because it’s rather expensive to put in, and it’s not always in a renovator’s budget to install hardwood throughout a house. If you love the look of hardwood but don’t want to overspend, consider just using it in your main living space. You can also opt for flooring options that can look like hardwood but aren’t, like laminate or vinyl.Cost: The average price for hardwood flooring is between $6 and $22 per square foot, with most homeowners spending between $2,498 and $6,745 to have it installed.Pros: Hardwood has a beautiful appearance, and also helps add value to your home.Cons: On top of its high expense, hardwood also isn’t very durable. It’s prone to scratches, dents, and water damage, and may have to be refinished as often as every three to five years at a cost of about $1,685. - Laminate
Laminate flooring is becoming increasingly popular as a hardwood alternative, since it offers an almost identical look at a cheaper price and with more durability. To make it, manufacturers take plywood or compressed fiber and then add a thin veneer to seal it. And it’s not just wood that laminate can emulate. Manufacturers are able to achieve a wide range of looks with this flooring option, including tile and stone.Cost: Expect to spend about $3 to $8 per square foot for laminate flooring, with a total average cost of about $2,352.Pros: Laminate is relatively inexpensive to purchase and have professionally installed, and can be adapted to give the appearance of a wide range of flooring options. It’s also quite durable, and is more resistant than many other materials to things like pets, kids, and shoes.Cons: The plywood or fiber board used to make laminate flooring is prone to water damage, and since it can be hard to repair, you’ll almost certainly have to completely replace the laminate in an area where there’s been any sort of standing water. - Engineered Wood
For another flooring option that looks like hardwood but offers more durability at a lower cost, consider engineered wood. This type of flooring is used by creating a thick base layer of plywood and then adding a thin veneer of real wood on top. Because it’s not hardwood all the way through, it’s not susceptible to the same degree of damage risks that hardwood is, and it’s also not as expensive to make or install.Cost: It depends on what type of wood makes up the veneer layer, with the average price per square foot for engineered wood coming in at anywhere from $3 to $13.Pros: Engineered wood is more stable than hardwood while offering the exact same appearance. A lot of times, it can also be purchased in clickable boards that, if you’ve got some DIY know-how, you can install on your own to save even more money.Cons: While it’s more resistant to damage in the first place than hardwood, engineered wood can still take a beating over time. Unfortunately though, it can only be refinished a couple of times since that top layer is so thin, which eventually means you’ll have to replace it if and when damage occurs. - Vinyl
There are multiple types of vinyl flooring, and each of them offer something a little bit different. There’s the sheet vinyl that comes in a roll and is glued into place (and is perhaps not the most ideal way to go), thicker vinyl flooring with peel-and-stick backings, and then clickable vinyl planks that can give off the appearance of more expensive flooring options.If you want to go with vinyl, we recommend opting for the planks, since in addition to looking nicer, they have a cushioned layer beneath them that makes them quite comfortable to walk on. Thicker vinyl flooring—so either clickable planks or peel-and-stick—also feature textured surfaces that don’t give off the shiny look you get from vinyl that comes in a roll.Cost: The average cost for vinyl flooring is between $800 and $1,000.Pros: You’ve got a variety of options when it comes to vinyl, which allows you to work this option into a lot of budgets. And with today’s luxury vinyl, you get a much more expensive-looking result for a relatively cheap price, at least as far as flooring options go.Cons: All flooring options have a lifespan, with vinyl’s being a bit lower than that of wood and tile. It’s also produced with petroleum, which means it’s not as sustainable or environmentally-friendly as other types of flooring. - Ceramic Tile
Ceramic tile has long been a top pick for bathrooms and kitchens since it’s quite effective when it comes to moisture resistance. It’s also available in a rainbow of colors and patterns, meaning you can adapt tile to any design aesthetic, no matter how bold.There are four primary types of ceramic tile: terracotta, porcelain, glazed, and quarry. Each type offers a different look and texture, with differences in durability as well. Keep in mind that if you’re installing ceramic tile in a high traffic area of your home, you’ll need to make sure the tile you choose is strong enough to hold up to heavy use.Cost: Tile comes in at an average price of $15 to $20 per square foot, with the average homeowner spending $1,774 to have it installed.Pros: Ceramic tile is incredibly versatile in appearance. It’s also easy to clean and quite durable—two things that matter a lot when you’re choosing flooring.Cons: Some types of ceramic tile require regular sealing and/or other maintenance treatments to keep them looking their best, and it’s also a hard material so it’s not quite as comfortable to walk on as other flooring options. - Carpet
It’s pretty hard to come across a home that doesn’t have carpet in at least some of its rooms. That’s because carpet is available in a ton of different textures, styles, and colors, and more notably, because it’s super comfortable to walk on, especially if you invest in some good padding underneath. As for durability, that depends on the density of the material that you choose. More dense carpets will be more durable, and will stand up to use for longer.Cost: The average price for carpet flooring is $3.50 to $11 per square foot, for a total average price of $1,620.Pros: Carpet is cozy, warm, and slip-resistant. It’s also easy to install and can last for a long time if you take proper care of it.Cons: Carpet requires quite a bit of maintenance, since unlike with other flooring options, things like dirt and debris can get trapped in its fibers and build up over time. Regular deep cleanings are especially important if you have allergies, since carpet has a way of grabbing and holding on to allergens floating in the air.
How to Choose Your Flooring
Appearance will play a big role in what flooring options are most appealing to you, but it shouldn’t be the only thing that you consider. Keep in mind the following factors when choosing flooring for your home so that you can make the smartest decision:
- Budget
- Whether you have kids or pets
- Whether the flooring will be installed in a high-moisture area
- Whether you’ll be installing the flooring on your own or will have a professional doing the install
- How much regular maintenance the flooring will require, as well as what degree of maintenance over time
We recommend working with a flooring professional to narrow down your options, even if you intend on installing the flooring yourself.
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