Flooring not only helps set the mood of a house, it can dramatically impact a home’s resale value. In order to make the best choice for your house, it’s important to get informed. Here are the finer points of shopping for new flooring:
Types of Flooring
Before you get started or, worse, set your heart on a certain style, study the details of different types of flooring. Then you can make an informed decision based on your lifestyle and taste.
Hardwood
Pretty much everyone loves wood flooring — it’s a huge selling point in a home, it’s time-tested and it looks beautiful. Thanks to modern technology, finishes are stronger than ever. Talon, American-made hardwood flooring, is four times as durable as other floors on the market, making it right for nearly any room, including the kitchen. More and more often, modern kitchens feature hardwood flooring. The beauty of Talon? If you get sick of the finish you can sand it down and refinish it. It’s not easy, but it’s less expensive than starting from scratch, and it has a 100-year transferable warranty.
Vinyl Flooring
Spills happen in a kitchen, even to the most experienced home cook. The best part about XRP is that it’s waterproof, and so as long as it’s installed properly, the floors won’t warp or buckle. It has a slightly different feel and tread than hardwood, but the printing technology is so impressive now that the pattern mimics the look and grain of natural wood. Some versions are DIY-friendly as well, allowing homeowners to install them with very simple tools, sometimes right on top of the existing floor.
Tile
Technology helps out again, because modern designs mean that you can get tile flooring in seemingly infinite designs, including intricate patterns or options that resemble wood. Like vinyl, tile — especially porcelain — is ideal for rooms that are susceptible to spills. And stone tiles can add a natural element to your décor. Still, tile can be chilly on bare feet and uncomfortable to stand on if you like to spend hours cooking.
Questions To Ask Before Choosing
How closely should everything match?
Compare samples of your favorite floors with your cabinet finishes to be sure that everything looks the way you’d like it to in your kitchen.
What is the room for?
Stay with us here because, yes, it’s a kitchen. But how much do you use your kitchen? If it is the regular gathering spot in your home, budget accordingly for durable flooring, and be willing to cut costs in another area of the house where you don’t spend as much time.
Do your floors get soaked?
Do kids track in water on rainy days? Do overzealous dishwashing sessions lead to regular spills? It’s important to know your floors will last, so if your pipes are prone to freezing, or if you live in a rainy climate, plan for the worst in advance to save future headaches.
Pro Advice To Keep In Mind
Don't tread on experience.
It’s OK to get expert opinions. If you’re inexperienced when it comes to DIY, flooring isn’t the best place to earn that merit badge. Choose a knowledgeable contractor who will easily clear any hurdles that pop up. It’s worth getting it right the first time, so pay for a professional install.
Plan to order takeout.
The tough part about replacing flooring is that the room is off-limits until the floors are in. Professionals should be able to get the job done faster than newbies if your priority is time over cost.
Measure accurately.
Before you start shopping for flooring, measure the width and length of the room and then multiply them to get the square footage. Different styles of floor planks are different lengths and widths — ask a professional to ensure you’re ordering enough. Order a little more than you think you need; a ten-percent overage is normal and will help ensure that you don’t come up short.
Even if you’re not redoing your entire kitchen, you can still upgrade your flooring. So research your options and consider what will work best based on your needs and budget to give you the look you love.