Start from the Ground Up: Tips for Picking the Perfect Floor
Home remodeling tasks can seem like daunting decisions. They’re not always cheap. And they’re decisions that you’ll be stuck with for a while. It’s tough to avoid your kitchen just because you’re not happy with the new cabinets. Well, remodeling doesn’t have to be stressful. In fact, it should be fun. Remodeling provides you with the opportunity to make your house a home. You get to add your personal touch to the place.
As a homeowner, one of the bigger remodeling projects you’ll face is flooring. Picking the right floor combines your personal taste with the need for practicality. After all, they’re a surface that everyone is going to notice. Family and friends walk, stand, and sit on them. Children play and spill stuff on them. And pets sleep on them.
First, you’re going to want to consider a few things. Obviously, if you have children, that’s going to make a big difference. So will pets. You should consider how frequently people use a room and how often that floor will need cleaning. Also, how long do you expect this floor to last?
Next, you’ll want to consider the room you’re flooring.
Kitchens
Kitchens, more than any other room, are where practicality should take precedence. Durability and ease of cleaning are two important factors to keep in mind when looking at a new kitchen floor. Let’s just say carpet doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.
Typically, for kitchens, linoleum, ceramic tile, and wood are good choices. Among these three options, you’re bound to find a practical and aesthetically pleasing floor. Linoleum is inexpensive. And both linoleum and ceramic tiles come in an infinite amount of designs. Wood flooring, on the other hand, is becoming more and more popular in kitchens. Hardwood flooring can provide a more “homey” feeling to your house. However, if you do choose to go with a hardwood floor, make sure you apply a protective finish, such as polyurethane, to guard against the many kinds of moisture that inevitably make their way onto the kitchen floor.
Bathrooms
Naturally, your bathroom is going to see the most moisture out of any floor surface in your house. The whole room is based around water. So, you’re going to also want think practically when selecting a bathroom floor.
However, practicality doesn’t have to limit you. Linoleum, ceramic tile, limestone, marble, and granite are all popular options for bathroom flooring. Now, while all these materials are durable, you’re also going to want to consider the price and the installation process. Linoleum is simple to install and inexpensive. But, higher-end materials like ceramic tiles, limestone, marble, and granite are going to cost you a little bit more. Ceramic tiles aren’t too difficult to install by yourself, but if you bump it up to any other higher-quality material, you’ll want to call in a bathroom remodeling contractor.
Living Rooms
Aside from your kitchen and bathroom, the rest of you house’s flooring is primarily left up to your personal taste. That being said, there aren’t too many tips one can offer since, after all, it’s up to your personal choice. However, there are a few things you might want to keep in mind.
Tiling can be nice for living areas because of the different types of patterns you can choose from. Additionally, it’s durable. However, tiles can feel cold against the barefoot and aren’t exactly cozy. If you’re seeking coziness, warmth, and intimacy, carpets are a great option. Carpets, like tiling, leave you with a lot of freedom as far as designs go. They’re great for bedrooms and any place where you think you’ll spend a lot of time barefoot.
And, of course, you always have the option of hardwood flooring. Wood is a nice compromise between tile and carpet. A hardwood floor provides beauty and elegance, and isn’t quite as cool as tiling. However, you should remember that wood flooring isn’t always a great idea below ground level. Humidity and wood don’t get along very well. But, again, when it comes to flooring, remember that practicality and personal taste are all that really matter. And, also, remodeling should be fun!