Flooring affects your life. You need a comfortable and long-lasting surface, whether cooking dinner or playing with kids. Your floor, typically the largest surface in a room, establishes the entire space's tone, texture, pattern, and colour scheme.
New flooring is a significant investment, so you want it to last years and years. Choosing it involves striking a balance between your demands and your taste. Here are some factors to help you decide.
What's your lifestyle?
When choosing a flooring solution, the number one thing to think about is the lifestyle you and your family lead, as several factors will impact your decision.
Do you have time for maintenance?
Life is getting busier and busier. Check how much time you really have to take care of the flooring, as different floor products require different amounts of attention. In your case, opting for vinyl or laminate will probably be a smarter option if you don't really have the hours needed to polish your hardwood or concrete floors.
Do you have children?
No matter how old your child is, there will always be concerns over them causing wear and tear on your flooring. Your new flooring should not only be safe but should be durable enough to withstand the tough times that they will endure.
Hybrid flooring and waterproof laminate floors combine modern appearance and reliability. They also are great options if your kids have allergies. Carpet, meanwhile, can offer better insulation and cushioning underfoot. Check the pros and cons of different flooring types for kids here.
Do you have pets?
Pets at home is another call for added durability. With carpet flooring, you won't be concerned about scratches, plus it handles the sound of pets’ claws exceptionally well! The obvious con is that carpet is a bit harder to clean. Vinyl and laminate are great options for pet owners as they are also very durable and much easier to clean while toilet training your puppy or kitten.
What's your style?
Look at the bigger picture
Everybody has a different sense of style. Unless you are going to rebuild the whole home, you probably want your new flooring to blend in. Keep in mind the age and the architecture of your house. Installing concrete floors in a 100 year old villa may not complement it and not give a cohesive feel to the space.
Also, remember the impact on the room's size perception - it can make your space look bigger or smaller.
Your personal taste vs rent out or resale
The colours and patterns you like are important when you plan to live in your home for a long time. But if you are looking to sell your home, opt for neutral colours that create a canvas and allow your home to shine.
If you going to rent out your home, read our guide to the best flooring for rental properties.
Weigh up your choices
Every flooring option has its own pros and cons, and it's better to be aware of them before you make your choice.
Pros and cons of laminate flooring
Laminate flooring is one of the most wallet-friendly options on the market. Modern, high-quality laminate planks are water-resistant or even waterproof, durable, scratch-resistant and easy to maintain.
Read Harrisons blog to choose the best flooring for your bedroom.
Pros and cons of vinyl flooring
Both sheet vinyl flooring and luxury vinyl planks (LVP) or luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) are stain-resistant, waterproof, durable and low maintenance.
On the negative side, while vinyl is incredibly durable, it's not impervious to damage. If sharp objects like knives fall, they could leave dents. As sheet vinyl can't be refinished, it means you probably will need to replace a big chunk of your floors. It's easier with planks and tiles, but if you choose to glue them down, the removal process will be tricky.
Also, unfortunately, most of the time (though not always), vinyl floors do not have an impact on the resale value of a house.
Find more about benefits of having vinyl floors here.
Pros and cons of SDN carpet flooring
When it comes to synthetic fibre flooring, Solution Dyed Nylon (SDN) is the most popular choice. While the price could be a bit higher than other manufactured options, nylon offers you many advantages and is a worthwhile investment in the long run. It is reliable, easy to clean, and resilient. On the downside, nylon carpeting produces static electricity in dry climates. Also, cushioning is not nylon's strongest attribute.
Pros and cons of wool carpet flooring
100% wool carpets are durable, have high levels of dirt resistance, are excellent insulators and are entirely renewable. They also offer unbeatable comfort underfoot. On the cons side, they usually are on the more costly side, and as any other carpets can collect dust and allergen if not maintained properly.
To know more about NZ wool made carpets read our article here.
What's your budget?
Keep in mind that in addition to the price of the flooring, you may also need to factor in the cost of delivery, underlay, removing your old floors, installing it, and perhaps moving the furniture. Here at Harrisons - we can look after all of that for you and will give you the best price, guaranteed. You can visit our best price promise page here.
What flooring is right for you?
After weighing up all the options, are you still unsure what's the right choice for you? Just book a FREE consultation with one of our local business owners. They will bring you full-sized samples so you can compare different options and choose a range within the comfort of your own home. Plus, they will offer a quote on the spot, so you won't have to sit in the dark about unexpected expenses.
Find your new perfect flooring!
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