There are a lot of decisions to make when choosing a floor. Let's make sure you make the right ones and avoid the wrong ones in your search for the perfect floor!
Do: Consider your family's lifestyle. Kids, pets, and overall activity in the home will affect how your floor ages, so if you live in a high-traffic household, consider a floor that is durable, low-maintenance and won't scratch easily. Some good examples are laminate, vinyl, and ceramic tile floors.
Don't: Put an overly creative floor in a house you want to sell. We are all for expressing your own unique style through your floor, whether that be bright pink floorboards or a mosaic of your dog's face, but it may deter potential home buyers from making an offer. If you plan on selling your home with this new floor in it, we advise that you choose a more neutral floor. You can always jazz it up with some trendy area rugs!
Do: Research your flooring contractor. Check their website, see what other people have to say, and never be afraid to ask questions. Installing a floor properly can be tricky, so you want to make sure you're hiring someone with plenty of experience in the industry. Failing to do so could leave you with a novice flooring contractor and expensive mistakes.
Don't: Ignore your home's architecture. Look around at the architecture in your house. Do you notice any characteristics that give your home an innate style? Arched doorways? Crown molding? Sleek lines? These little details are a great way to pinpoint what style of flooring would look great in your home. Ignoring them may leave you with the room looking a little "off".
Do: Consider the humidity in your home. Humidity has the power to warp and damage hardwood floors, so you will either have to choose a different type of floor or ask about how to control the climate of your home.
Don't: Automatically choose the cheapest flooring materials if you're on a tight budget. You will likely end up spending more money in the long run if you try to save money where quality is concerned. There are plenty of budget-friendly options available to you that will last if you're willing to compromise a bit on the type of material.
Do: Think about how long it will be (if ever) before you replace this floor. Different floors have different lifespans, so picking a carpet for a room you don't want to remodel for another twenty years is a bad idea. Then again, if you like to change things up every ten years or so you may want to avoid the higher cost of installing a natural hardwood floor.
Don't: Install a hard floor (tile in particular) in a room where you do a lot of standing. This will not only make walking on the floor uncomfortable now, but could be dangerous for children or those who are prone to falling. If you do decide to move forward with a hard surface, be sure to get some comfortable standing mats or slippers to help cushion your joints.
Do: Be honest with yourself about how much effort you want to put into maintaining your floor. Hardwood floors and carpets require a decent amount of work, so if you want something more low-maintenance you should look into other options.
Don't: Ignore the affect your floor could have on the environment. Some vinyl floors and carpets (not all) emit high levels of chemicals known as VOCs into the air. VOCs are pollutants and should not be taken lightly.
Do: Ask questions. Ask as many questions as you need to. We want you to feel confident in your decision for your new floor, and the best way to gain confidence is to acquire knowledge on the subject at hand!
Happy Flooring!