When you are buying a new home or fixing up your current one there are numerous things to consider. Just one of them is flooring, but this is a biggie. You have to consider price, how long it will last, how easy it will be to install, and how easy it will be to clean and maintain.
Hardwood floors are the desire of many because they look so good and they last so long. They are also quite pricey though. Vinyl is pretty cheap but how long until someone scuffs it up or tears it? It is also ugly. Carpet is not too expensive but it is a major pain to keep clean.
What do you do with all these choices?? You look at all the options and you weigh the pros and cons until you come up with something you can live with. The chart below with home flooring options from DirectBuy has all of the most common choices and how they stack up in regards to cost, durability, installation, and cleaning. I would also add sustainability and toxicants to the criteria personally. In general the cheaper options are going to be more toxic to produce and more toxic to the owner (like vinyl and carpet). The natural options of stone, bamboo, and hardwood will be safer, more sustainable for the planet and yet more expensive. There may be some that fall in the middle of the spectrum, like ceramic tile. So it comes down to more than just cost, quality, install, and cleaning. It comes down to your values as well and what you are willing or able to pay. If your current flooring doesn’t align with your desires and values or money is the determining factor…you can use this handy chart to plan for next time.
Presented by DirectBuy.com
