Solid Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood flooring is a long-lasting and stylish choice that adds value to your home.
Advantages of Hardwood Flooring
- Wood flooring can be sanded and refinished more than once to give them new life.
- One of the most desired types of flooring and may help boost your home’s resale value.
- There are mainly two types of hardwood floors: solid hardwood floors or engineered hardwood floors. Solid hardwood flooring is made from a single piece of solid wood, while engineered hardwood flooring is made of a composite of wood and resin with a wood surface.
- Wood floors are hypoallergenic and easy to clean.
- Finish wood flooring in a variety of colors and finishes. Oak, maple, hickory, walnut and more tree species are used for solid hardwood flooring.
Things to Consider Before Buying Hardwood Floors
- Wood floors are typically more expensive than other types of flooring.
- Most times wood flooring requires professional installation or a very experienced DIYer.
- While solid wood flooring is very durable, in a home that’s full of kids, pets or both, scratches or deep lines are bound to happen. It’s recommended to refinish your wood floors about every ten years to keep them in the best condition possible.
Engineered Hardwood Flooring
Ideal if you love the look of solid hardwood flooring but need more durability.
Advantages of Engineered Hardwood Flooring
- Engineered hardwood flooring can cost less than solid hardwood.
- Gives the look of wood flooring with more durability to heat, moisture, scuffs and scratches depending on the finish.
- Easier to DIY install than solid wood flooring.
- Engineered hardwood flooring can be used with radiant heat or installed over a concrete slab.
Things to Consider Before Buying Engineered Hardwood Flooring
- Buy engineered hardwood flooring from a high-quality manufacturer, it impacts durability, and look for flooring made with low or no VOCs (volatile organic compounds).
- Unlike solid hardwood flooring, engineered wood flooring can’t be refinished multiple times. It’s due to the thickness of wood layer on top.
- Engineered wood floors can fade in the sun.
Laminate Wood Flooring
Laminte wood flooring has multiple layers and mimics the look of wood through the use of a photographic applique.
Advantages of Laminate Wood Flooring
- Laminate wooden flooring is scratch-resistant and durable.
- It’s quick and easy for DIYers to install with click-together installation.
- Laminate wood flooring typically costs less than solid hardwood flooring.
- Laminate flooring is low maintenance, easy to clean and stain-resistant.
- It can be installed over most existing floors.
- Laminate wooden flooring is resistant to fading from UV light.
- Laminate wood floors at Lowe’s are readily available and can help you complete a DIY project fast without placing a special order.
Things to Consider Before Buying Laminate Wood Flooring
- Laminate wooden flooring is considered less desirable than wood floors.
- They’re still sensitive to moisture and can buckle if exposed to excess moisture seeping beneath the underlayment.
- The texture and pattern of laminate wooden flooring is good, it’s not like the real wood, stone or ceramic surfaces it’s trying to mimic.
Luxury Vinyl Plank and Luxury Vinyl Tile
Available in tile or planks, these top-of-the-line vinyl flooring options mimic the look of nautral materials like wood or vinyl.
Advantages of Luxury Vinyl Plank and Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT)
- Vinyl flooring is affordable.
- Available in a variety of colors as well as realistic patterns and textures.
- Luxury vinyl plank and luxury vinyl tile is easy to clean, stain resistant and water-resistant.
- It can be waterproof, so it’s great for any room, including bathrooms and kitchens.
- LVP flooring is durable, making it an ideal choice for homes with pets or kids.
- Luxury vinyl plank and luxury vinyl tile is installable over most floors.
- Luxury vinyl is available in sheet vinyl that’s pre-cut or cut to length or LVT flooring that is peel-and-stick floor tile or locks together.
Things to Consider Before Buying Luxury Vinyl Plank and Luxury Vinyl Tile
- Some vinyl flooring is challenging to repair, once the adhesive is applied it can be very hard to remove and any new sections look obvious. LVT flooring makes removing damaged tiles easier though.
- If you’re considering resale value, vinyl flooring is not always desirable.
- Since vinyl flooring is manmade it can off-gas VOCs.
- Peel-and-stick LVT flooring isn’t as durable.
Ceramic Tile, Porcelain Tile and Stone Tile
Tile is a durable and classic choice that can add color and pattern to your flooring.
Advantages of Ceramic Tile, Porcelain Tile and Stone Tile
- Ceramic tile, porcelain tile and stone tile can be used in kitchens, bathrooms and basements because it’s waterproof.
- These floor tiles require little maintenance.
- Ceramic tiles, porcelain tile and stone tile offer consistent color throughout the tile, not just on the surface.
- It’s relatively easy to repair tiled flooring by replacing damaged tiles instead of the entire floor. Depending on your DIY experience, tile is easy to install on your own.
- Ceramic tiles, porcelain tile and stone tile can be installed outdoors on patios, around pools and in direct sunlight.
Things to Consider Before Buying Ceramic Tile, Porcelain Tile and Stone Tile
- Tiled flooring can be cracked if something heavy is dropped on it and depending on the tile material, can be more susceptible to stains.
- Ceramic tiles, porcelain tile and stone tile can be expensive depending on the square footage of the room you’re tiling and if you need a professional to install it for you.
- Think about the climate when choosing tile, tile offers a cool feel in a warmer climate.
- Unlike carpet, tile doesn’t muffle sound.
Carpet Flooring
If you're looking for softness underfoot, you can't go wrong with carpet flooring. Control the level of plush through different length pile.
Advantages of Carpet Flooring
- Carpet can help you create more soundproof spaces because it absorbs sound.
- It feels comfortable for bare feet and works well in bedrooms.
- Carpet flooring offers design flexibility thanks to the many available colors, styles and pile heights.
- Carpet flooring is affordable.
- It covers uneven subfloors and adjusts to uneven walls easily.
Things to Consider Before Buying Carpet
- Carpet flooring can need professional installation and could be tricky to DIY.
- Carpet holds on to odors and stains, creating a real cleaning challenge.
- It can be a challenge in homes with pets if they create pulls with their claws.
FAQs Before You Choose Flooring for Your Home
- Consider the location of your new floor. Is it below, on or above grade? Basements are susceptible to ground moisture, so your flooring choice there may be different from what you’d choose for a bedroom on the second or third floor.
- Likewise, kitchen flooring and bathroom flooring are prone to water damage from humid conditions, which should be a factor in your decision-making process.
- Note whether the area where you’re placing the flooring has (or will have) radiant heat. Some flooring materials aren’t radiant-heat compatible, so consider this during the shopping process.
- Be sure to observe the space throughout the day. Does it get a lot of direct sun? UV light can fade or darken certain flooring, so look for UV-resistant products.
- Take detailed measurements and create a drawing — to scale if possible — including doorways, fireplaces, built-ins or other structures that change the floor’s flow.
- To calculate your room’s square footage, multiply length by width. If you have an irregularly shaped room, divide the area into smaller squares and rectangles, calculate the square footage of each one, and then add the square footage of each area together for the room’s total square footage.
- Don’t rely completely on your square-footage calculation. It’s always smart to buy 10% more flooring than you’ll need. This allows for mistakes. Plus, having extra flooring on hand is great for future repairs. Keep a few cartons of your product in a place where the temperature and moisture won’t damage the flooring, like under the bed or in the top of a closet. This keeps the product readily acclimated and available if you need it.
- Whichever flooring options you choose, buy coordinating moulding, transitions and accessories to complete your project. Look for quarter rounds, T-moulding, thresholds, reducers, wall base, four-in-one moulding, underlayment, and care and maintenance accessories.
Good to Know
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