Your flooring works hard. It goes through a lot. Whether it’s the kids charging through with their muddy boots, the dog rolling around leaving hair – and other things – everywhere, your partners smelly socks and dirty shoes left strewn everywhere and that’s before we look at the high traffic areas; the bottom of the stairs, the middle of the stairs, the hallway and well-trodden tracks from room to room…
If your flooring as seen better days and you think it’s time to update and upgrade, the amount of choice can seem overwhelming! But don’t worry, if you have a busy home and are unsure of what works best, read on for some straightforward facts and advice.
Hardwood flooring
Pros: Hardwood flooring is a beautiful option that never goes out of style, it’s very popular right now and easily accessible; you can find a huge selection just by clicking on the link. Hardwood flooring is super easy to maintain as well; vacuuming is very effective as opposed to vacuuming a carpet, and if anyone in the house suffers from allergies to dust then they’ll be a lot more comfortable with hard wood flooring. Hardwood flooring is durable too, so it’ll withstand anything you little ones can throw at it.
Cons: Hardwood flooring is a little on the pricey side, but as with anything – there are cheaper square foot options available. You’ll also need to pay to get in installed which could also bump up the price. So make sure you look around for the best deals. If you have small children running around, they might find it a little hard to land on safely.
Laminate
Pros: Laminate is usually quite cheap, with prices varying to match the quality. It’s also very durable and won’t scratch easily – so you won’t be sweating to much if your child starts running toy cars along the floor. It’s very versatile as you can get styles that look just like hardwood flooring or even tile. As well as being scratch resistant, it’s also stain resistant too! Good news if you have pets!
Cons: Laminate does not like standing water. So you need to be wary of where you install it. If it’s placed in the kitchen and your fridge breaks down and leaks all over the floor while you’re at work, then chances are you’ll need to replace the whole floor.
Carpet
Pros: Good old carpet. It makes a room warm and cosy in the winter and can look stylish all year round. Available in potentially thousands of variations, there’s a carpet style for everyone. The price usually reflects the quality, so it also won’t break the bank. If your little one takes a tumble, then the carpet will cushion their fall.
Cons: Carpet can look grubby, have visible signs of wear and tear and is a nightmare to clean and get stains out of. It also harbours dust and dust mites, so anyone with allergies in the house will be suffering!
Disclosure – this is a collaborative post.
