Welcome back! Let’s talk more about flooring. In the last post, we talked about things to consider before purchasing flooring. Now that you’ve narrowed down the options, this next post How to Choose Flooring: Types of Flooring is all about (you guessed it) the different types of flooring available.
How to Choose Flooring: Types of Flooring
It’s a safe bet that you already know most of the general flooring categories: carpet, tile, wood, vinyl. But in this post we will take a closer look at each category along with some of their subcategories. I’ll be giving my own personal opinion on each flooring type and a general ranking based on the criteria of Water Resistance, Durability, Cost, Ease of Install, Style Selection, and Comfort.
You may need a certain type of flooring, depending on what kind of project you’re working on. So it can be helpful to compare them side by side. Each of the types of flooring will get a one fern to five fern ranking so you can compare and contrast the different flooring types to see which one works best for your flooring needs.
If you’re not sure what your flooring needs are, check out my previous post How to Choose Flooring: Where to Start.
It should also be said, that these are general rankings. As the old saying goes, “you get what you pay for.” Obviously the quality of any type of flooring will (or should) go up as the price tag gets higher. So for this post, lets just assume that we aren’t focusing on the cheapest option available but also not the top of the line either.
One more disclaimer before we start. I am not a professional contractor or licensed flooring expert. So these rankings are based exclusively on my own experience and opinion. I have done research on the subject to provide you with the most accurate information as possible. But you should always consult with your contractor or an installation expert from your local home improvement store to be sure that the specific types of flooring you choose will meet the needs you have.
A Little Explanation
I’m sure you’ve heard me say it before, but I’m gonna say it again anyway. Interior design is all about personal preference. Hopefully you’re a fan of my personal perspective on interior design and have enjoyed following along.
The same is true for flooring. Some people couldn’t imagine a house without carpet, while others would never consider it as a flooring option. The truth is neither is the wrong choice, but “it’s all about personal preference!” (yes – I just quoted myself haha) So I’ll be sharing my own personal preferences and design thoughts with you.
How Do They Rank?
It also might be helpful if I explain my ranking system. Because a scale doesn’t really help if everyone’s parameters are different. Here’s how I’m scoring the different categories.
For water resistance, I based my scale off of how I think each of the types of flooring would survive a significant water catastrophe such as a flooded sink, leaking dishwasher, faulty washing machine, etc. The assumption is that a large amount of water was present, drained, and dried in the house and you’re left with clean up. One fern would require total floor replacement, five ferns means you would never know it happened.
When it comes to durability, its all about how well it would stand up to a house full of toddlers. We are talking toys crashing, furniture scraping, every kind of object gouging endurance. Again, one fern would be requiring replacement and five ferns is floors of steel!
Cost can look different for everyone, but I’m fine admitting that I’m as cheap as they come! Haha I’m all about saving a penny wherever I can. So for this rank, my preference would be as close to one fern with the smallest cost possible. But if you’re able to go all the way to a five fern budget, I say go for it!
Installation doesn’t get any easier than having someone else do it for you! But, because of my penny pinching tendencies, I usually think about my design projects from a self installation perspective. Which means one fern is there’s no way I could handle this myself. Five ferns is hand me that hammer and let’s finish this today!
Style selection is pretty straight forward. One fern means there are several options but nothing too grandiose. Five ferns means you will never have the time or energy to process every option available.
And finally, comfort is just that. As a mom of littles, I spend a lot of time on the floor! So comfort is always something on my mind. Specifically for this post, we will be evaluating the flooring without any additions. You could always add a rug to a room design to make it a little more comfortable to walk or sit on. But here we are only considering what the floor would be in its original form. Would this mama be willing to sit or play on it?
Well, there you have it. Hopefully all of that makes sense, and gives you a better idea of how I have ranked these types of flooring.
Types of Flooring
Alright, now we are all in the same head space. So, let’s get to the good part and talk flooring types!
Tile Flooring
Who doesn’t love a beautiful tile floor?! They are a very popular choice, for several reasons. However, there are some downsides as well. Let’s discuss.
- Water Resistance
- Durability
- Cost
- Ease of Install
- Style Selection
- Comfort
*Pause*
Before we dive in to the different comparison categories, I need to explain a little about tile. In a future post, I may discuss the many different kinds of tile available, but we don’t have time for that here. Suffice to say, if you browse the tile isle of your home improvement store, you’ll be shocked by the amount available.
A quick synopsis for the purposes of this post: several different materials fall under the category of tile (natural stone, porcelain, ceramic, and glass to name a few). While each different type of tile has it’s own attributes or pros and cons, the differences aren’t significant enough to go through here. For the most part, any tile option when compared with these other types of flooring will rank similarly.
*Unpause*
When it come to water resistance, tile is your best bet! Obviously, since it is a staple in most bathrooms or showers. The only time water would be an issue, is if it makes it’s way into the subflooring below the tile. Even then, it might not be a total loss or replacement issue.
Tile also comes in high for durability. Although not a perfect five fern score, because anything heavy enough will cause damage. But short of dropping a cinder block on it, daily drops shouldn’t be a problem. I will add here, though, that in my experience larger tiles have a higher tendency to crack than smaller ones. I’m pretty sure it’s a physics surface area thing, but that’s the extent of my expertise on the issue. Tile also holds up well to things being pulled back and forth across them like dining room chairs.
There are some down sides to tile, however. One of which is the cost. Tile adds up in a hurry! And typically, there are extra expenses associated like grout and the potential for wasted cuts or broken pieces during install.
Which is a great transition, because installation will probably end up being a cost. If you (or someone you know) has not installed tile before, I would suggest paying someone to handle it for you. It can be a messy, tedious, time consuming project that takes a certain level of experience. If you feel pretty handy and confident, there are plenty of YouTube tutorials out there. And I’m all about learning new skills! But be prepared to pay extra for the equipment rental and unavoidable waste while learning. (Once you’ve mastered it, I’d love to have you over some time!)
And here is why we pay the big bucks for tile, OPTIONS!!! I can’t say enough about how many design options there is with tile. Take for example a simple white rectangle tile. Depending on how it is laid, one type of tile can actually be made into several different styles: horizontal stack, horizontal offset, vertical stack, vertical offset, straight herringbone, herringbone, crosshatch, etc. With how many materials, shapes, colors, and patterns there are, the options are basically limitless. And if you’re a super creative type, you can even mix and match different tiles to create even more patterns and styles. Tile is essentially the wizard of the design world, magic happens!
I want to take a minute here and talk about a “hybrid” in the tile world. There are manufactured laminate tile options available. I wasn’t really sure where to label or list these because technically they have the appearance of tile while being laminate. So, I opted to mention them here as a style of tile available, but scroll down (or just keep reading) and use the rankings explained under the wood laminate/vinyl options for comparison.
The other downside to tile, though, is its comfort level. You would definitely never catch this mama sitting around on a tile floor for very long (Unless of course there was a comfy rug on it. Best of both worlds! But I digress.) It is pretty safe to assume that all tile is hard and cold! Which is why it ranks so high in other categories, but doesn’t leave much for comfort.
Carpeting
Carpeting may not seem like anything fancy, but it has a lot to offer too. Carpet types of flooring are popular choices for comfort areas like bedrooms or home rec areas.
- Water Resistance
- Durability
- Cost
- Ease of Install
- Style Selection
- Comfort
When it comes to spaces with potential water, I would suggest going with something other than carpet. It absorbs moisture and can be difficult to dry out. Even if it doesn’t appear to be damaged by the water, you can start to have issues with mold and other complications. So to be safe, carpet probably isn’t your best bet for areas like kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, or damp basements.
Other than water issues, it does tend to be pretty durable. Obviously it depends on the quality of carpet you purchase, but even the cheapest options are pretty resistant to things dropping or being pulled across them. You’re biggest concern would be staining. Carpet can also be somewhat difficult to clean. So that’s something to consider with durability as well.
Cost is one of it’s most tempting features. Like I said, even the cheapest options can withstand a significant amount, so it has the potential to be very budget friendly. However, it can also go the other way very quickly. If you get any padding or underlayment for comfort purposes, or if you prefer a longer shag option the price tag will go up.
I’m gonna be completely honest with you guys on this one. I would rather deal with hand tools and more intensive install processes than mess with a massive cumbersome piece of awkward carpet! But I’m pretty sure that’s a patience issue than a difficulty concern. So the ease of install on this is going to be dependent on your personal preference. If you decide to install yourself, I wish you luck! It can definitely be done fairly quickly with minimal equipment.
OR!!!! One of my favorite options are industrial carpet squares. You can pick them up at almost any home improvement store. Most of the time they are commercial remnants that are getting a second chance sold in mixed up batches, so the color and print can be pretty random. Other places (my local ReStore with Habitat for Humanity) sell them by the piece and you can try to get all the same color, but they may not have enough for your project. They are super easy to install though. Most of them have an adhesive on the back, so you just remove the film cover and plop on the floor. Okay it may be a little more detailed than that, but you get the idea.
Carpet may not seem very “stylish” but there are definitely plenty of options! You can choose from prints or solids and everywhere in between. There are also different thread and weave options. Some even have “patterns” woven in. Definitely check out what’s available before you cross it off the list.
Comfort, comfort, comfort! This is the selling point of carpet (in my opinion). No one likes stepping out of bed onto a cold floor. And there’s nothing like walking across a thick padded soft carpet floor. So if you’re priority is comfort, give carpet options some serious consideration.
Wood Flooring
You know how parent’s say they don’t have a favorite child? Well, if the types of flooring were children, wood would be my favorite! Don’t tell.
Do you also remember when I mentioned there were different types of tile, but the differences weren’t extreme enough to go over in this post? Well, wood floors are the exception. The subcategories of wood floor that we will discuss today are hardwood, laminate, and vinyl and in my opinion the differences between them are worth mentioning as well as ranking individually.
Do they all look like wood…survey says, yes. Which is true, but ultimately they are all manufactured to some degree. So a few notes before we get started. You will pay more for a more natural look no matter what subcategory you choose. And each kind of subcategory was developed to meet a specific need, which will be reflected in the scores they receive.
HARDWOOD
This is as real as it gets. Now, it’s not quite as “natural” as someone chopping down a tree, sawing it up, sanding it down, and laying it in your house. But it’s pretty darn close. In fact, it goes through those processes just in large batches done mostly by machines.
- Water Resistance
- Durability
- Cost
- Ease of Install
- Style Selection
- Comfort
Out of all the flooring options we will discuss today, hardwood floors are most affected by water. Any significant amount will be absorbed by the floor which will result in swelling and the floors warping and bulging. Even small amounts can cause problems if not wiped up immediately. You can apply strong sealers to try and combat this. But if you’re designing a room with any water potential at all, you may want to consider a different option.
However, other than the water concerns, hardwood is pretty darn durable. The benefit of a hardwood floor is that, if it has damage to the surface, it can be sanded and resurfaced! There’s a reason all those hundred year old homes still have their original hardwood flooring.
Like I mentioned earlier, hardwood floors are REAL wood. So they run a little pricier than other wood options. In the long run, you may be able to avoid replacement costs when other flooring would wear out. Which is something to consider.
As far as installation goes, it’s not too terrible. You may have a couple extra expenses but nothing outlandish. And many of the hardwood floors they offer at home improvement stores have tongue and groove installation, to make it even easier. You can purchase hardwood flooring either unfinished or finished, depending on how much sweat equity you’re willing to put in. If you go the unfinished route, there will be extra steps as well.
The options for hardwood can be somewhat limited. Obviously, you can go to a contractor who specializes in wood flooring, and they will have more customization options. But that would also raise the cost significantly. A contractor would also be able to offer different installation options such as patterns like herringbone, diamond, etc.
Hardwood floors, while “softer” than tile, are still pretty hard….hence the name. So if you’re looking for something cozy to curl up on, I’d consider one of the other types of flooring we’ve looked at.
LAMINATE
Earlier I mentioned that each subcategory of wood flooring was developed to meet a need. Laminate wood flooring is a manufactured product which means it has a varying price range and can also be manufactured with a higher water tolerance.
- Water Resistance
- Durability
- Cost
- Ease of Install
- Style Selection
- Comfort
Because it is ultimately still a wood flooring, water will always be a concern. There are many laminate options available. Some are water resistant, others are advertised as water proof. Each manufacturer and style will have a difference water rating. But for the purposes of this post I gave it a median score because cheaper options will handle water worse than more expensive options. But over all, water isn’t always a devastating incident.
For durability, there are better options out there but there are also worse options. For general purpose areas, laminate wood flooring functions well and can even handle higher traffic depending on the quality you purchase. Furniture is also not a major concern for laminate but it wouldn’t be a bad idea to purchase felt foot adhesives just to be cautious. It’s also not impossible to replace sections of the floor rather than the whole room if something happens and you’re able to purchase matching pieces.
As I mentioned above. manufactured laminate allows for fluctuations in cost. There are many decent options on the cheapest end of the spectrum. I will say, the more water resistant it is, typically the more it costs. But if you’re looking for a budget friendly option that is also beautiful to look at, laminate wood flooring is the way to go.
Laminate happens to be one of the easiest installs available. There may be different or more extensive installation processes depending on what types of flooring you purchase, so be sure you’re aware of the specific install directions for the flooring you select. But as a general rule, if you’re even somewhat handy (which if you’re considering a self install, I would suspect you are) I’m pretty confident you could handle it.
While tile may be the king of options (only because it can be installed in different layouts, where laminate has to follow the tongue and groove pattern), laminate wood floor is definitely the queen. There are literally thousands of variations to choose from. Different textures, grains, colors, and even materials (mostly for water resistance) are available. Even a stone tile appearance like I mentioned earlier.
If you’ve selected wood laminate as your flooring of choice but aren’t sure what wood flooring works best for your design, stay tuned for a future post to help you decide between all the options!
Last on our list is comfort, which gets another median mark. I would definitely not refer to laminate as “soft” but it is a softer choice than tile or even hardwood. I think of it this way. If one of my boys slipped and fell to the floor, they would be happier to land on laminate floor than tile or hardwood.
VINYL
When it comes to wood flooring, vinyl was developed to help with the water problem. Many people love a wood floor, and want to incorporate it in every room. But it hasn’t always been conducive with kitchens or bathrooms. Enter, vinyl wood flooring!
- Water Resistance
- Durability
- Cost
- Ease of Install
- Style Selection
- Comfort
If you keep reading to the end, you’ll notice another vinyl flooring category. So, why do I have it in two different places? Great question, let me explain. It is my opinion that the primary characteristic of vinyl wood flooring is to appear as much like hardwood flooring as possible. Because of this, if you look at other vinyl flooring, the wood tongue and groove vinyl looks drastically different than the other vinyl options. So for those who only read through the wood flooring section of this post, I wanted it listed as an option for their water resistant options.
Which leads me to say that vinyl is higher on the water resistance scale. You can’t go lining your shower with it, but it works well for wet areas like kitchens, laundry rooms, or bathroom floors.
For durability, it’s not as resilient as a traditional laminate floor. If sharper objects like picture frames or furniture pieces are dropped on it, they have been known to tear or rip. But it should handle things like foot traffic pretty well depending on the quality you purchase.
If falls about the same as laminate for cost. It’s not the cheapest out there, but it can be a budget friendly water resistant option.
Another great choice for ease of install. It may get complicated if you choose a style that requires a separate underlayment step. But even with that, you shouldn’t have any issues.
When it comes to selection, there aren’t as many options as laminate, but still plenty to choose from. So choosing a vinyl wood flooring won’t impede you’re design much, if at all.
Because most have an underlayment attached or part of the installation process, vinyl wood floors are pretty “cushy” to walk on. They’re no carpet, but you could sneak away from a sleeping baby no problem!
Vinyl Flooring
From a design standpoint, there is nothing fancy about Vinyl types of flooring. I still think they are a great option depending on the space you’re working with. Vinyl types of flooring are an extremely budget friendly and quick/easy to install.
- Water Resistance
- Durability
- Cost
- Ease of Install
- Style Selection
- Comfort
In the vinyl category, water resistance is somewhat dependent on the style you choose. Large single pieces are pretty water tight. But the peel and stick tile options may struggle with sizable amounts of water.
Every day wear and tear shouldn’t be an issue for vinyl, but you will want to watch out for unusual accidents that may tear or damage the thin vinyl. Dragging large furniture is a risky venture in that regard.
If you’re working on a project and you need the cheapest option available that still looks like flooring, vinyl will most likely be your go to option. It is incredibly budget friendly and still has a lot to offer for the cost.
There are a couple different installation methods for laminate. Like I mentioned a minute ago, you can get large pieces (like carpet but much lighter!), or tile applications, or even the wood style we talked about earlier. Each has a different installation process, but for the most part are very DIY friendly.
Since the wood vinyl is being included in this category, I gave it a median style selection ranking. There aren’t a smorgasbord of options, but enough to find something you like.
Vinyl is not the most comfortable of the types of flooring, for sure. But depending on what’s underneath it, it may be better than some of the other flooring options. I will say, it’s not usually selected for its comfort.
You’ve reached the end!
Congratulations, you are well on your way to being a flooring expert! Hopefully this post (although long) was helpful as you plan your next home renovation project!
Like I mentioned at the beginning (an eternity ago, I know) I’m not the final authority on types of flooring. If you have any questions about what we talked about, let me know in the comments and I’ll see if I can track down more specific info for you! Otherwise, you can also talk to the flooring expert at you’re local home improvement store.
But I really enjoyed diving into the flooring world a little deeper with you, and can’t wait to share more with you soon!
Here are part one and three of my flooring series:
How to Choose Flooring: Where to Start
How to Choose Flooring: Wood Flooring
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