Flooring options explained

Choosing flooring for your home can be a difficult task. Deciding between practicality, style and cost can be a daunting process. There is a huge variety of products and materials available on the market, each with its own pros and cons. We take a look at all the options to help set you on the right path.

Concrete is one of the hottest flooring options available today. With the wide range of sealers and specialty stains currently on the market, concrete can be a great option. Recognised as being one of the most hard wearing flooring choices, concrete also has a high thermal mass and can be used to provide additional heating or cooling to your home.

Cost
If you want to polish your standard foundation floor, it’s similar in price to an expensive carpet or a mid-range solid-timber overlay – adding in a grind and polish will cost extra.

Pros
• Concrete floors can be constructed quickly.
• Resistant to damp and mould.
• Low maintenance.
• Fire-resistant.

Cons
• Defects are not easy to rectify.
• Concrete flooring cannot be satisfactorily repaired by patching.
• It does not offer great sound insulation and can increase noise.

Ideal for
High-traffic areas, bathrooms, laundries and kitchens.

Nothing compares to the soft, luxurious feeling of a nice quality carpet. Carpeting provides additional warmth as well as a safe spot for kids to play. Sure, carpet requires a bit of extra maintenance compared to other flooring options, but there’s simply no substitute in terms of sound absorption, warmth and overall comfort.

Cost
Carpet is an investment and, like all investment pieces, your budget will dictate the quality you can afford.

Pros
• Soft, insulating, comfortable, luxurious.
• Helps to absorb noise

Cons
• Regular maintenance required (vacuuming) plus professional steam cleans.
• More affected by stains and wear than hard flooring options.

Ideal for
Living/lounge areas and bedrooms.

Engineered wooden flooring is a two layered flooring type composed of a thin hardwood as a surface layer and a solid plywood core at the bottom. It was developed as a cost-efficient answer to the usual problems of solid wood flooring, all without sacrificing durability and appearance.

Pros
• Authentic look and feel – looks just like solid timber
• Sustainable production
• More affordable than solid hardwood
• Can be sanded back and recoated
• Individual plans can be replaced if necessary

Cons
• Can be expensive
• As it’s real timber it can scratch

Ideal for
Living areas, hallways, stairs

Porcelain tiles (which are more dense than ceramic tiles and very hard-wearing) are a popular choice. When selecting tiles on a budget, porcelain is more cost-effective than materials such as terracotta, marble, granite or slate. Glazed porcelain tiles are durable enough to handle heavy-traffic areas and are available in a wide range of hues, textures and finishes.

Cost
Tiles are not necessarily expensive themselves, but can be costly to install.

Pros
• Very durable – dent- and stain-resistant.
• Huge selection of colours, shapes and sizes.
• Very easy to clean.
• Fantastic for indoor-to-outdoor environments, allowing you to maintain a consistent look across your living spaces.
• Tiles can provide an incredibly upmarket, polished look, which is easy to maintain.

Cons
• Grouting can discolour, so sealing is recommended.
• It’s not forgiving if you drop your coffee cup!

Ideal for
Indoor/outdoor living, wet areas such as kitchens, bathrooms and laundries

It Instead of a genuine wood face, the face is a printed copy of wood, overlaid with a very strong resin. Laminate flooring has improved dramatically in the last few years, and you can get some nice laminates these days which do look reasonably close to the real thing, with the added convenience of being virtually indestructible.

Pros
• Extremely hardwearing
• Cost effective
• Easy to clean
• Quick to install
• Some laminates are water resistant

Cons
• Not as visually appealing
• Doesn’t feel like timber to walk on
• Chemicals can be present

Ideal for
Living areas, hallways, kitchens