Flooring – The right choice will change more than you think
For those of us just looking to improve our homes it becomes a bit more involved. There are many materials and flooring types to choose from, but your choice of flooring has more than just financial implications. Your choice of flooring style and material depends on the aesthetic tone and function of the room (or house depending on the extent of the renovations), the room environment and any health requirements your family may have. Before making a choice there are three things you need to consider:
Do you have children, elderly relatives or pets? Your lifestyle makes a difference. Children could mean more wear and tear, thus laminate, engineered wood floors, ceramic tiles or stone tiles would be the more durable options. Elderly relatives run the risk of injury on slippery floors, while grout associated with tiles are often a hindrance to wheelchair bound family members. Pets also influence the choice since carpets tend to collect shed hair and are difficult to clean, while claws may damage wooden floors.
Do you or your family suffer from asthma, allergies or are you sensitive to chemicals that aggravate any conditions? Carpets tend to harbour more allergens, since harder floors are easier to clean. Carpeting and wooden/laminate flooring may also contain volatile organic compounds or VOCs. VOCs might contribute to ill health effects, particularly with those who are more sensitive to airborne allergens and contaminants. In these situations look for products with low VOC emissions.
The other important factor when choosing flooring is what do you want aesthetically? Which leads to the question: How much care and maintenance are you willing to put in? Solid, high quality wood floors are beautiful but require the right care and environment to ensure they maintain their surface quality and avoid warping. If you want wooden floors, but don’t have the time or money then laminate or engineered wood is an excellent option. Stone and tile are also great durable options, but their surface quality also degrades without regular sweeping.
So flooring affects every area in our homes and can make our homes look great and feel a little more comfortable without really breaking the bank. Property sellers can see it as a cost effective way to greatly improve the value of their property, while it goes a long way to making a house a home for the rest of the homeowners. With so many choices of materials and flooring types it’s hard not to feel a bit overwhelmed, but by asking yourself these three simple questions you’ll be able to make a more informed decision. There are no right and wrong answers, just the one that works best for you.