When you choose flooring, you’re making a substantial investment in your home and increasing your home’s value. A basic understanding of the most common types of flooring will help you make the right decision for your home and budget.

Convenient and Stylish Laminate Wood

Laminate wood flooring is made from pressed wood and is surprisingly tough. It can be difficult to tell high-quality laminate wood from hardwood. Laminate wood gives you the beauty of hardwood without the price and comes in styles resembling all types of wood. It’s perfect for bedrooms and kitchens. One advantage to laminate wood over hardwood is the fact that it’s easy and inexpensive to replace one damaged laminate tile, compared to repairing and refinishing hardwood. Laminate is a great, affordable choice for families and the perfect alternative to carpet if you suffer from allergies and want flooring that’s easy to keep clean.

Vinyl Linoleum

Modern vinyl linoleum is nothing like the old style linoleum that cracked easily and didn’t wear well. Vinyl linoleum is available in patterns, solid colors and varieties which look just like real tile. With regular, proper cleaning, vinyl linoleum will keep its finish for years.

Tough and Attractive Slate

Slate looks good and is one of the most durable types of flooring on the market. It’s perfect for entry areas and isn’t damaged by constant heavy traffic. If you have large dogs in the house and want flooring that’s easy to clean and doesn’t show claw marks, choose slate for common areas.

Classic Hardwood

Hardwood is ideal for nearly every room in your home. You can lay out boards in a traditional staggered style or create patterns. Hardwood, slate and tile work well together in a home. Some softer woods are not suitable for heavy traffic areas, as they can scuff and wear if constantly underfoot.

Carpeting

Wall-to-wall carpeting is comfortable and keeps floors warm. A Richmond Hill carpet cleaning specialist from Babayan’s recommends Berber, a low-pile carpet that’s long lasting and easy to vacuum, for families with small children because it doesn’t stain as easily as softer carpet. If you prefer a carpet that’s softer than Berber but has the same qualities, consider nylon. Most modern carpets are made of nylon, so this should not be difficult to find. The main difference between Berber and nylon is the height of the pile. Low-pile carpets wear well and don’t show impressions from regular use or cleaning.

Affordable, high-quality flooring is nearly impossible to tell from tile or hardwood. Don’t settle for cheap flooring that’s just acceptable when you can have what you really want for a reasonable price.