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Flooring Choices for Your Philadelphia Lifestyle:

If you are remodeling or renovating your home, choosing a new floor can be the hardest decision. Your flooring will pull all the elements of your home together, from the decor to the cabinetry. To make the best decision it is important to know what all of your choices are and the benefits and disadvantages of each.

Your Lifestyle

Before taking a look at each flooring choice, you need to consider how you and your family live in your Philadelphia home and use your floors. Do you have pets or large dogs with nails that may scratch your floor? Do you have children or an adult who has a home office and need to consider noise reduction? Is beauty your biggest priority? Is cleaning and maintenance a factor or do you have a housekeeper? What is your budget? When you have a good idea of what priorities and needs you have for your new floor, examine each choice to see if it meets them.

Carpet

Carpet is a traditional stand by for flooring. It is comfortable, easy to install, and budget conscious. Particularly in bedrooms, people like to feel the soft, plush carpet between their toes. Carpet is also great for children’s playrooms where they will be tumbling around and sitting on the floor. An additional benefit to carpet is that it is not only a temperature insulator, but a sound insulator as well. Disadvantages to carpet include its maintenance. Stains and spills are tougher to clean up on carpet. Traffic from people and pets can quickly cause wear and tear on a carpet and cause it to look old and faded. If anyone in your household suffers from allergies, carpet can contribute to it because it traps allergens in its fibers. These are all things to consider when deciding on if and where you should lay carpet.

Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tile is popular in bathrooms, laundry rooms and kitchens, but it can be used throughout the house. Tiles come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, textures and designs. Tile can create different looks and is very easy to maintain. Ceramic tile will cost more, particularly the labor involved in laying and grouting the tile. If you are installing ceramic tile throughout a home the price can quickly add up. Another disadvantage to tile is that it can crack if you drop a large, heavy object on it. However, an individual tile can be replaced without ripping up the whole floor.

Stone

For a truly luxurious look, nothing can top stone floors. Marble and granite bring a heightened sense of style to a home. Slate, limestone and sandstone can create more natural looks. The cost of these is generally more than ceramic tile so budget is an important consideration when choosing stone flooring. Stone is more durable than ceramic tile and won’t crack as easily, however more precautions need to be taken to prevent water damage such as sealing and upkeep. Stones such as marble will also need frequent polishing to look their best, so maintenance can be an issue.

Hardwood

Hardwoods are attractive in any home. The variety of finishes and stains can meld with any décor. Hardwoods typically have a polyurethane topcoat to prevent scratches, but it is important to note that hardwoods can incur scratches from heavy pets, high heels, and rough usage. Hardwoods can generally be refinished several times over the years to remove these, but that is a big undertaking. Hardwoods are also not water resistant, and any spills or leaks should be cleaned up immediately.

Laminate

Laminate flooring is becoming a popular choice for flooring in home remodeling and renovations. Laminate flooring comes in a multitude of finishes and designs and can mimic the look of many materials; including hardwood, tile, stone, slate, etc. Laminate flooring is very durable and is scratch proof and water resistant. It is also less expensive than ceramic tile, hardwoods, or stone. For this reason, many people choose laminate flooring to achieve the look of pricier floors without the added expense and maintenance.

Vinyl

Vinyl floors are still on the market and they are the friendliest to your budget. Vinyl flooring comes in a variety of styles and designs now. It comes in rolls and also in individual pieces that are easy to install yourself. Vinyl is durable and easy to keep clean. Vinyl flooring can be cut however if you are not careful.

Specialty Materials

New technologies and products are constantly coming on the market. Rubber, cork, and bamboo flooring are some new choices out there. These eco-friendly floors are durable and can add beauty and style. In some climates painted or stained concrete floors are being used. A professional Philadelphia contractor can keep you up to date on all the latest flooring products and help you choose the right flooring for your home renovation.