Flooring: What is the best option for your home?

Flooring is a huge decision you need to make when building or renovating your dream home and there are dozens of options to choose from. How do you know you’re making the right decision?! There are a few different factors to take into consideration including price, durability, color, material, and the size of the area you’re covering! For the sake of this article, we’re going to break it down into two main categories: carpet and hard flooring.

Carpet

Believe it or not, all carpet isn’t created equally. There are multiple fibers and other materials that can be used to create different types of carpets. The most common carpet choices are: 

  • Loop Pile which, as the name suggests, is made of many fibers formed into loops that help fight off stains and adds durability. This does decrease the amount of cushion and is best used in high traffic areas like entryways and hallways! Loop pile rugs and carpeting are perfect low cost options that provide many years of continued use!
  • Cut Pile offers more cushion and a higher profile perfect for the rooms that you want to feel extra cozy like bedrooms and family rooms! Cut Pile comes in many varieties including plush, saxony which offers a more smooth finish, textured, frieze (think shag carpet), and cable. Each of these varieties have their time and place. 
  • Cut Loop is a hybrid of the two creating the best of both worlds. You get the durability of a loop carpet and the comfort of a cut carpet! 

Carpet can be a fantastic affordable choice for your home in the areas that you want to keep extra comfortable! We suggest using carpet in your family room, bedrooms, and even your basement! The types of fibers used can include:

  • Nylon is an affordable synthetic fiber that is extremely popular, but it’s not the best at fighting stains. 
  • Olefin is most commonly used for basements and outdoor rugs. It is durable and resistant to mold and mildew making it best for these high moisture areas. 
  • Wool is the only natural fiber that is used for carpets making it the only eco friendly option available. It is durable, stain resistant, and incredibly soft making it a favorite for premium carpet, but that premium comes at a much higher price.
  • Acrylic is used as an alternative to wool that still fights stains and other damages, while maintaining a softer feel. Acrylic has many of the benefits of wool without the price tag.

Hard Flooring

Hard flooring is best for bathrooms and kitchens, but is often used throughout the entire house. There are a variety of natural and synthetic hard flooring options available. Hard flooring can be made out of:

  • Hardwood can be almost any wood and can accent any home aesthetic. Hardwood is absolutely beautiful, but comes with a higher price tag and more maintenance. The biggest advantage of hardwood is that it can be easily resurfaced and stained to remove surface damages and stains. 
  • Engineered Hardwood features a lot of the advantages of hardwood, but made to withstand more temperature changes and moisture. Even though it is made from a natural wood, engineered hardwood cannot be resurfaced like hardwood can. 
  • Laminate flooring is layers of fiberboard stacked up and then printed with the image of timber or tile. Laminate is durable, extremely affordable, and comes in a variety of choices. It is best to avoid moist areas like a bathroom when picking laminate flooring. 
  • Stone flooring is stylish and effective long term flooring for any room of your home. If laid correctly, stone flooring should last forever and even bring up the property value of your home! This can include granite, marble, and sandstone. These are often used in bathrooms! 
  • Vinyl flooring is durable, water and stain resistant, great for every room in your home, and can be very cost effective! Vinyl comes in a variety of colors and patterns and can look like tile, stone, or even wood!
  • Tile is one of the best choices for your bathroom or kitchen. Tile comes in countless different patterns, textures, and colors to match any style! When installed correctly, tile is water resistant, long lasting, and extremely durable.
  • Linoleum is inexpensive, easy to install, and comes in a variety of colors and styles, but it isn’t a very durable solution. Linoleum is easy to cut, dent, and stain. It also shouldn’t be used in moisture prone areas like bathrooms and basements as it can lift and peel.

The best way to determine the best flooring for your home is to talk with professionals! At Redleaf Homes, we will walk you through every decision and help you choose the perfect finishing touches for your home! Flooring, shower tiles, fixtures, and even paint colors are what makes you house a home! We start with an in depth consultation to get to know you and your style then create the perfect design for your home. After you approve your dream home on paper, our master craftsmen get started bringing that vision to life! 

If you’re ready to let our professional home contractors get started building your custom dream home, give Redleaf Homes a call today to schedule a consultation with our design team!

Thinking about building new in SE Wisconsin? Give us a call to discuss your options!