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Flooring gives an aesthetic appeal and improves the value of our home. Flooring is a fairly permanent component of the home decor. We cannot change flooring as we do furniture and fittings on a regular basis. Because, changing the flooring is an extensive and expensive process. Therefore, it’s important that you choose the right flooring material the first time around.
Different types of flooring materials are available in the market, each having their own pros and cons. Choosing the right type of flooring for our home is very important, and you need to do it room by room. Because, certain types of flooring materials are unsuitable for certain parts of a house.
While selecting a flooring material, you need to consider several factors. Some of them are mentioned below.
- Durability
- Appearance
- Maintenance.
- Initial Cost.
- Sound insulation.
- Slipperiness.
- Thermal insulation.
- Room of installation.
- Fire resistance.
1. Durability
As I mentioned earlier, flooring is a fairly permanent component of our home decor. We cannot change it on a regular basis. So while we select the flooring material, we need to be sure about its durability. It must offer sufficient resistance to wear and tear, temperature and chemical actions.
The floor should be strong enough to withstand the effects of foot traffic, material and furniture load traffic. It should be able to withstand the severe load abrasion, weight of furniture and equipment.
2. Appearance
Flooring plays a major role in the aesthetics of our home and it increases the resale value as well. While concrete and brick flooring gives an ordinary appearance to the house, the flooring of ceramic tiles, marble and granite or wooden flooring provide a good appearance.
However, the material we select should be able to provide the personalized aesthetic expression and satisfaction.
3. Maintenance
We always want the maintenance cost to be as low as possible. As compared to the wooden floor, ceramic tiles, marble and concrete require less maintenance. The maintenance will be less when the flooring material resists absorption of liquids and stain bleach.
Generally we can say, the maintenance cost is the sum of the costs of repair, polishing and waxing.
4. Initial Cost
While choosing a material, the cost of laying and its maintenance is very important. Both the maintenance and laying cost varies for different types of flooring materials. The most expensive type of flooring are the marble, granite and rubber tiles. Terrazzo, mosaic, vinyl and ceramic tile are considered to be moderately expensive. The concrete and brick floor, are considered to be the cheapest type of flooring.
If the flooring material is graded only on appearance and not on strength, they may wear easily if it’s not apt for your usage.
5. Sound Insulation
In accordance with the modern building concepts, a floor should neither create nor transmit noise while in use. Because of the contact with the mass of the earth, the sound vibrations in ground or basement floors are very less compared to the upper floors. In the case of buildings such as Libraries, Hospitals, Educational buildings and Theaters, rubber flooring provides excellent sound insulation.
6. Slipperiness
The smoothness of flooring should not cause slipperiness when it is wet. It can also occur when the floor material is over polished. The floor tiles for the bathrooms should be coated with an anti-slippery solution, or you can choose one that come with slip protection.
7. Thermal Insulation
Irrespective of change in the external temperature, it should be possible for a building to maintain constant temperature or heat inside the building. Or simply we could say, the flooring material should be able to offer good thermal resistance. Wooden floor, rubber and cork etc are some examples.
8. Fire Resistance
Fire resistance is an important factor in the selection of flooring material. In order to safeguard the life and goods within a building, the flooring material should offer sufficient resistance to fire. It should be made of fire-resisting or non-combustible materials.
9. Room of Installation
Every type of flooring is not an actual fit for every room of our home. Tile and laminate flooring are durable and versatile, but they might not be great for children’s room. Instead, we can select the softness of carpets. We cannot use carpets in bathrooms and kitchens. Therefore, room of installation is an important factor to be considered while selecting the flooring material.
Rooms which need careful consideration while material selection
Kitchens
Mostly, people consider the kitchen as the heart of their home. Kitchen is not just a place where we prepare meals, but it is also a space to gather and entertain. In this high-traffic space, it’s very important to choose an adequate material that is both durable and easy to clean and maintain.
Surfaces that become slippery or slick when wet might not be the right fit for kitchen. Generally we could say, good choices in the kitchen are; ceramic tiles, natural stone and treated water resistant wood.
Bathrooms
While choosing the material for bathroom, choosing a material that can stand up to daily contact with water is very important.
The popular choices in this space are; ceramic tile or natural stone tiles made from limestone, marble, or granite. Even though it is not as durable as tile or stone, vinyl tiles are also appropriate.
Living Areas
We have dozens of possibilities in the living areas of our home, like the family room, dining room, and bedrooms. The right choice depends on your personal preference largely.
Some people prefer the classic feel of carpeting while others like the warmth and durability of hardwood or tile.
Types of flooring
Now we know, there are different kinds of flooring materials available in the market. I’ll explain the types of materials, its classification and advantages and disadvantages of the same in detail as follow up articles.
In general, we can classify the flooring materials to four:
- Natural Stone Flooring
- Wooden Flooring
- Tiles
- Other flooring options
We will cover each of these different types in separate articles. For now, feel free to share your thoughts on your favorite choices in the comments section below.