There are several types of flooring. Often, the type you choose will depend on the room you are installing it in, your individual preferences and purposes for the floor, and your overall budget. This article will outline the many types of flooring available to the consumer, giving a general idea of what is on the market today.
- Carpet: As one of the most common types of flooring, carpet comes in a variety of colors, patterns and prices. It can be fairly easy to clean with a vacuum, but, can often require some professional cleaning services to remove trapped dirt, grime and germs. It is fairly cheap and easy to install.
- Laminate: Laminate Flooring refers to thin sheets of patterned, strips of wood that can be glued down directly onto a subfloor. It is durable, cheap and easy to install and can add instant beauty to any home.
- Cork: Simple, natural and inexpensive, cork is a relatively new flooring source. It can be purchased as rolled sheets, 1 x 3 feet planks, or square tiles. It is also available as an underlay for laminate, hardwood, ceramic and stone floors. It is a great insulator, dampens sound, does not decompose, rot, or trap dirt. It is easy to clean and all natural.
- Hardwood: A beautiful flooring choice, hardwood comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. It is durable, easy to clean and moderate to difficult to install, depending on the chosen type. Options include parquet, unfinished hardwood, pre-finished hardwood, and engineered pre-finished hardwood.
- Ceramic Tile: A relatively expensive choice, ceramic tile adds beauty to every home and is moderately difficult to install. It can be found in a variety of shapes and sizes, can be swept and mopped clean, and is very durable when properly installed.
- Vinyl: Cheap, easy to install and resilient, vinyl flooring can emulate tile without the problems of grout and the expense of having the perfect subfloor. Although not as beautiful as true tile, there is nothing that compares with vinyl flooring in terms of variety and style. It is cheap, durable, easy to clean and absorbs sound well.
- Bamboo: Natural in appearance, durable and lovely, bamboo lends itself well to kitchens, bathrooms and other high-traffic areas. It is more durable than hardwood which makes it a moderately economic choice, bamboo floors install very much the same way hardwood floors do, and are easy to clean.
- Brick: Easy to clean and maintain, a brick floor will last a lifetime. It is relatively expensive to install, very much like ceramic tile. It offers an unusual but substantial alternative in flooring.
- Leather: A unique flooring choice that compares in cost to custom carpet or wood, leather tiles come in a variety of colors and undergo a special tanning process making them durable and natural. The only maintenance required is occasional waxing. The floor will darken over time.
With many styles and types of flooring to choose from, it will be easy to find the floor that fits your lifestyle.
