Are you taking on your first flooring project, updating the flooring in your house, or choosing flooring for an office and feeling a bit stressed out by the process? You are not alone.
With our vast selection of all types of flooring, we understand the number of options can be daunting, but we are here to help. One of our top priorities is making our customer's ordering process as easy, seamless, and enjoyable as possible. To get you started, we put together an overview of how to choose the best flooring for your home and questions to ask yourself when choosing flooring.
A Quick Comparison of the Different Types of Flooring
Within the last few decades, the flooring industry has been advancing rapidly, bringing forth new options such as laminate, environmentally friendly materials, hybrid flooring, luxury vinyl flooring, and more. Along with long-standing options such as timber and carpet, the choices are essentially endless.
Choosing the flooring material that will look and perform best in your home requires an in-depth understanding of each material's characteristics and technical aspects.
Installation costs, the material's expected lifespan, sources of materials, and cost of installation are all important aspects to take into consideration when choosing flooring.
Here, we'll go over the pros and cons of the different types of flooring to help give you an idea of the material that will be the best fit for your space and needs.
Pros and Cons of Luxury Vinyl Flooring
Gone are the days of your grandmother's vinyl flooring! Innovative technology has created luxury vinyl planks that mimic the look of real timber.
Pros
- Less expensive than many other flooring types
- DIY friendly installation options
- Endless variety of patterns and colours
- Low maintenance
- Warm and comfortable
- Waterproof
Cons
- Will not increase a home's resale value
- Temperature sensitive. Can grow and shrink, leaving gaps between planks unless hard stuck to the floor with adhesive.
- Cheaper brands can be susceptible to fading in excessive sunlight
Pros and Cons of Hybrid Flooring
Hybrid flooring offers the look of timber without the commitment to maintenance. With its many benefits, hybrid flooring is fast becoming the top flooring choice.
Pros
- 100% waterproof
- Intended for use in any rooms in your home or business (bathrooms, kitchen, laundries, living rooms)
- Multi-layered construction suited to extreme temperature changes, harsh sunlight, and very warm areas
- Offers the appearance of timber with less investment and maintenance
- Stands up well to wear and tear
- Beautiful range of style and colour options
- Comes with a built-in underlay
- Truly DIY-friendly installation
Cons
- Uses the same wear layer as vinyl plank flooring, so is still susceptible to scratches from moving furniture
- Many styles suffer from the same plastic look as vinyl planks due to the same picture film and wear layer being used. However, there are now several options that are embossed in register (EIR) in the same way as high-end laminate flooring, which is much more true to life.
Pros and Cons of Bamboo Flooring
Pros
- Bamboo flooring, compared to many other flooring solutions, is extremely hard-wearing. Its durability can match or surpass traditional hardwood or engineered timber flooring.
- Plus, termites also happen to hate bamboo, because it contains indigestible fibres. In addition, bamboo has a little more water-resistance than other natural flooring solutions.
- Natural, renewable resource. Bamboo is a way for you to choose a responsibly-harvested flooring.
- Cost effective.
Cons
- One major downside to bamboo flooring is that bamboo is capable of getting scratched.
- It can also crack when exposed to rapidly changing levels of humidity.
- You should also avoid certain flooring options that are constructed with the use of potentially toxic adhesives.
Pros and Cons of Engineered Timber Flooring
Engineered timber -- a pure timber veneer on top of a multilayered plywood core -- has become a go-to flooring option for homeowners seeking the look and feel of timber with increased versatility.
Pros
- Compatible with radiant heating systems
- Less susceptible to moisture and humidity damage than solid timber flooring
- Can usually be refinished three times in its lifespan
- Multiple installation methods and more DIY-friendly than solid timber
- More environmentally friendly than solid timber, as only a small portion of slow growing hard wood is used. Other layers of faster growing, purpose grown plantation timbers, are used throughout each plank.
- Can be installed in greater areas than solid timber before expansion breaks are required.
Cons
- Pricier than other flooring options
- Although it is better able to stand up to moisture than timber, it is not waterproof
- Initial colour will change after exposure to sunlight and oxygen, but will stabilise and take on its ‘true’ colour within 6-12 months
- Requires more care be taken in everyday life than other flooring options to avoid damage to the floor
Pros and Cons of Solid Timber Flooring
Timber shows no signs of slowing down as one of the top flooring choices of all time, and for good reason.
Pros
- Stunning appearance with ample character and a totally unique appeal
- Damaged planks can be sanded or refinished, sometimes as much as 7 times
- Can improve the resale value of a home
- When cared for properly, timber can last for generations
Cons
- Higher investment and installation cost
- Susceptible to wear, sun bleaching, and scratches
- Susceptible to moisture damage
Pros and Cons of Laminate Flooring
Laminate is a versatile flooring material that has been popular for years due to its many benefits.
Pros
- Low maintenance
- Eco-friendly nature
- Wide range of colours and styles to choose from
- Relatively low investment price
- Wood fibers combined with resins in several layers come together to make laminate planks flexible and strong
- The most scratch, stain and burn resistant floor covering type
- DIY friendly
- Can mimic the look of timber without the maintenance and investment
Cons
- Unlike timber, damaged planks cannot be sanded or refinished
- Most laminate flooring is not waterproof, making it imperative to wipe up any spills immediately. There are, however, many highly water resistant options available.
- Can have a ‘click clack’ sound when walked on with hard shoes
Pros and Cons of Carpet
Carpets have long been a staple in apartment buildings, bedrooms, living rooms, and playrooms.
Pros
- Imparts an inviting, cosy atmosphere
- Comfortable
- Wide range of price options
- Available in endless colour options, patterns, designs, and styles
- Installation typically costs less than other types of flooring materials
- Easier and faster to install than most other flooring options
- Great acoustic properties
- With carpet tiles, damaged tiles can easily be replaced
Cons
- Can show signs of wear and tear, especially in high traffic areas
- Although it generally just needs regular vacuuming to stay clean, carpet does occasionally need to be professionally cleaned
- Some argue that carpet traps dirt and allergens, making it a poor choice for individuals with allergy issues. However, this may be a good thing as the allergens stay trapped in the carpet fibers until you vacuum them up.
- Needs to be replaced more frequently than other types of flooring
Once you decide on your preferred flooring material, now is the time to decide on a colour, design, and style! The flooring you select will have a significant impact on the atmosphere and appearance of your home, making it important to select a style that is an expression of your home and personality.
Sometimes, customers can get overwhelmed by the seemingly endless options, so here are some questions we like to ask to help guide our customers:
- Do you have a particular design style you are going for (i.e. contemporary, rustic, nautical, classic, farmhouse, etc.)?
- What room is it going on (this helps us determine the amount of traffic and sun and moisture exposure the flooring will see)
- Do you gravitate toward any certain flooring types (i.e. darker, lighter, reclaimed, worn, whitewashed, wood, etc.)
- What are your furniture, paint, and accent colours?
- Is there a particular feeling you would like the room to evoke (i.e. cosy, inviting, relaxing, calming, tropical, airy, bold, etc.)
As you consider and answer these questions, you might find that your ideas really come alive and give you a better direction as to what type of style and design you want your flooring to have.
For more design inspiration, feel free to browse the Design and Decor section of our blogs, browse our favourite Pinterest accounts, or check out our guide to understanding the different design styles.
Once you decide on the type of flooring material you want and choose a colour and style, it is time to order. Knowing the following information will help speed up the ordering process.
1. Square Footage
Knowing the square footage of your project is a key piece of information for the ordering process and helps us calculate how many boxes your project will require.
Remember to add approximately 5 to 10% to account for any mistakes.
Need help calculating your square footage prior to ordering? We'd be happy to help!
2. Sub-Floor Type
To determine the type of underlayment your project needs, we need to know if your flooring will be installed over a wood or concrete subfloor.
To determine your subfloor, pull up a section of tile, carpet, or other flooring and see what is underneath. Generally, most above-ground floors are wood and below-grade floors are concrete.
3. Transition Mouldings
This can be a tricky question to answer, and it has two parts:
- Which transition mouldings do you need?
- What is the linear footage for the transition mouldings you need?
For the first question, you need to know what kind of floor you will be transitioning to: different height floors, same height floors, steps, or carpet. Each of these circumstances require different mouldings.
For the second question, the majority of mouldings come in 96″ linear feet pieces. You will need to measure out the total linear feet needed to cover the transition areas.
Please do not hesitate to contact us for further help with either of these questions.
We understand you probably still have some questions when it comes to choosing and ordering flooring and our team is here to help. It is one of our goals to help our customers make informed decisions about their flooring so they can feel confident in their choices.
Contact us today with any and all of your flooring questions and we'll be sure to help you on your way to choosing the perfect flooring for your space.
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Online Flooring Store are a family operated business that is wholly Australian owned and operated. We provide industry leading service and the highest quality products.
Email: info@onlineflooringstore.com.au
Phone: 1300 702 201
ABN: 68625139068
Address:
7/41 Township Dr
Burleigh Heads
QLD 4220
We're a Certified Installer (Carpet & Resilient & Timber) with the Floor Covering Institute of Australia.
We're a member of the Australasian Timber Flooring Association (ATFA).