Take note of these important questions to ask yourself when choosing new flooring for your home.
Choosing the right flooring for your home varies, according to the room. The decision on flooring includes your personal taste, what is most practical, as well as the ambience you wish to create in your home. Make sure you choose the right floor for you and your family, by asking yourself a few key questions.
- How often does the room get used?
A room that gets used very often, such as a lounge or family room, needs a more durable floor. Consider how often you and your family go into the room, and how much time you spend there. The more time spent in the room, the quicker the flooring will start to wear, so you’ll need something durable like tiles or wooden floors.
- Do you have pets and small children?
Consider what pets you have and how they will impact your floor – ie: a dog that may scratch the floor or a cat that has a bad habit of using the floor as its litter box. If your pets could damage the floor, perhaps tiles or wooden floors would be a better option than carpets. Alternatively, if you want carpets in the room either way, you will have to choose carpets that can be easily cleaned or not easily damaged, depending on your pet.
If your family includes children or someone with special safety needs, consider which flooring type would be most suitable and the safest option. Smooth tiles are slippery when they get wet, so tiles with a textured surface might be a better option.
- How often does the floor need cleaning?
Figure out how often you’re prepared to clean your floor, and choose something that will fall in line with this. Bear in mind that certain types of flooring require more cleaning than other types. Another thing to consider is whether you can clean it yourself, or whether you need to call in the professionals. For example: getting carpets clean usually requires a professional carpet cleaning company to get the job done.
- How long do you want it to last?
Decide whether you want to invest in floors that are longer lasting and invariably cost more, or whether you’re fine with replacing them after a few years. The amount of wear and tear on the floor will also determine how long it will last, so ask yourself what you’ll be doing in the particular area that you’re flooring. For example: linoleum is a great flooring alternative for kitchens as it is inexpensive and easy to clean, however tiles may last longer.
- Which room is it?
The particular room’s characteristics are important when choosing a floor. For example, a bathroom has a lot of moisture, which means that tiles are a good option, whereas a lounge area could have a soft carpet which would be more comfortable for warmth and will give the room a more comfortable feeling. Carpets are more comfortable for areas where you’re wanting to relax, and walk around barefoot, and tiles or wood are good for areas where comfort underfoot is not a necessity.
- How big is the area?
The size of the area where you will be putting flooring in is important, so that you can work out which options are most reasonable. Sticking to your budget will be easier once you can work out how much each flooring option will cost. Make sure to get accurate measurements of the area that you need to put flooring in.
- Which materials do you prefer?
While practicality is vital, personal preference is also a consideration. Decide which flooring type you prefer the look of – wood, tiles, linoleum – and then whether you can use this type of floor in any of the areas that you’re tiling. Don’t forget to make sure that the floor fits in with the general tone you’re trying to set in your home. For example: if you’d like a more relaxed vibe in your home, consider using a combination of wood floors and soft, neutral carpets.
Once you’ve asked yourself these questions, you should have a good idea which flooring would work best for your home and can get to work on making your home your paradise.