Choosing our next flooring isn’t a decision that comes easy to us, and a lot of the time we end up agonising between different flooring types, colours, thicknesses and patterns.
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A flooring that is to your taste is of course very important, but you have to remember that your floor is there to stay for a while so it’s so important than you like it for a good while and it will be to you taste in 10 years’ time! Not to mention the fact that when it’s time to move on your flooring will be a worthy selling point. You also want it to be relatively neutral, so it doesn’t matter if you do decide to change your interior around. So, let’s have a look at some of the reasons…
What if I have pets?
With many of us having little furry creatures roaming around the place, the flooring world has had to keep up with making flooring pet friendly. Luckily there’s endless choices that will be more than suitable for your little critters…
There is a danger however that your pets’ sharp claws can scratch and damage this surface, particularly solid wood, so we wouldn’t recommend this as first option. Instead go for laminate or luxury vinyl tiles which are very unlikely to scratch or show wear from your pets playing on it.
However if you have fallen for solid wood, then don’t worry. The good news is that solid wood can be sanded down and refinished to remove any damages, which can often be done more than once whereas as soon as laminate or luxury vinyl tiles gets a scratch, it’s game over until you purchase a completely new floor! So even though your pets might scratch you wood floor, there is a way of eradicating it. There are solid wood options that can disguise scratches however, such as one with a brushed finish with lots of grooves can often make the scratches blend in – you’ll hardly notice! There is perhaps slightly more risk going for solid wood, but sometimes it’s gorgeous appearance can make it 100% worth it!
Create a niche look in every room
If you do decide to go for real wood flooring, then you’ll have a whole array of options that your rooms will never look the same or boring! There are so many colours, plank styles, thicknesses and wood types – every room will have its own character and personality. Herringbone wood is very in at the moment and would be ideal to give the ‘wow’ factor to your guests when they walk into your hallway, or perhaps a honey toned engineered wood for your living room when you want to get snuggly on those cold winter nights!
The good thing about engineered wood as well is that it can cope with under-floor heating, something solid wood cannot so make sure you’re aware of this when you’re looking. The kitchen would work well with a good-tempered laminate, perhaps wide planks to really complement the space (as wide planks can often make a room look bigger than it actually is) and a snazzy luxury vinyl tile for the bathroom, perhaps grey? Because after all, grey is the new black in the flooring world these days.
Consider price
Now unfortunately we had to mention it, it’s all very well getting carried away with looking at expensive and plush flooring when it’s way out of our budget. But just because you might be on a lower budget, does not mean that you have to sacrifice good looks and a good quality flooring. As much as most of us love the look of solid wood, you do pay for its luxury.
This is why we’d recommend engineered wood as a cheaper option, looking exactly the same but at a much more affordable price. This is because it is made up of man-made materials underneath, but finished with a real wood layer. As mentioned before, you can also have it with under-floor heating, and it is much easier to clean and maintain – so having a tighter budget might not be so bad after all! Next is luxury vinyl tiles, which varied massively depending on which you go for, some are really good quality and will last for years whereas some are a cheap quick fix.
The most affordable flooring type however is laminate, ideal for those first-time buyers or families who just need something cheap and cheerful. You aren’t having to sacrifice good looks either, both laminate and luxury vinyl tiles replicate natural products such as real wood and stone so perfectly, that often it’s hard to tell them apart!
We hope these little pointers have given you an idea of at least where to start. We know that choosing your dream floor isn’t always an easy ride and we wish you the best of luck!