Choosing a Floor / Flooring Types Comparison

The type of flooring you choose for a room will depend on appearance, traffic, cost, noise, and safety. The flooring has to fit the room and blend in well with surrounding areas. The amount of traffic the flooring will be subjected to is a factor - high-traffic areas such as kitchens and bathrooms are best served with resilient or ceramic tile. The cost of the flooring will also have a significant impact. Ceramic tile, carpeting, hardwood, and laminate flooring are all moderately expensive. Less-expensive alternatives are resilient sheet flooring and parquet and vinyl tiles. If noise is a concern, softer flooring such as carpeting and cushioned vinyl will deaden sound. Hard, brittle surfaces such as ceramic tile transmit noise but can be muffled with scatter rugs or area rugs. Safety is the final factor that can affect a flooring choice. Many ceramic tiles - especially glazed tiles - can become quite slippery when wet. For an entryway, consider a textured tile instead of a smooth tile to provide better traction.

Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl flooring, also known as ?resilient flooring,? is a versatile, flexible surface that can be used almost anywhere, although it?s most often found in kitchens and bathrooms. Vinyl flooring is available in both sheets and tiles, in thicknesses ranging from 1/16? to 1/8?. Sheets come in 6-ft.-wide or 12-ft-wide rolls, with either a felt or a polyvinyl chloride (PVC) backing, depending on the type of installation. Tiles typically come in 12 squares and are available with or without self-adhesive backing.

Installation is easy. Sheet vinyl with felt backing is glued to the floor using the full-spread method, meaning the entire project area is covered with adhesive. PVC-backed sheet vinyl is glued only along the edges (perimeter-bond method). Tiles are the easiest to install, but because tile floors have a lot of seams, they?re less suitable for high- moisture areas. All vinyl flooring must be installed over a smooth underlayment.

Sheet vinyl is priced per square yard, while tile is priced per square foot. Cost for either style is comparable to carpet and less expensive than ceramic tile or hardwood. Prices vary based on the percentage of vinyl in the material, the thickness of the product, and the complexity of the pattern.

Ceramic Tile
Ceramic tile is a hard, durable, versatile material that?s available in a wide variety of sizes, patterns, shapes, and colors. This all-purpose flooring is an excellent choice for high traffic and high moisture areas. It?s commonly used in bathrooms, entry- ways, and kitchens.

Common ceramic tiles include unglazed quarry tile, glazed ceramic tile, and porcelain mosaic tile. As an alternative to ceramic tiles, natural stone tiles are available in several materials, including marble, slate, and granite. Thicknesses for most floor tiles range from 3/16? to 3/4?.

In general, ceramic tile is more expensive than other types of floor coverings, with natural stone tile ranking as the most expensive. While tile is more time-consuming to install than other materials, it offers the most flexibility of design.

Floor preparation is critical to the success of a tile installation. In high moisture areas, such as bathrooms, tile should be laid over a cementboard underlayment that?s fastened to the subfloor. All floors that support tile must be stiff and flat to prevent cracking in the tile surface. Tile is installed following a grid-pattern layout and adhered to the floor with thin-set mortar. The gaps between individual tiles are filled with grout, which should be sealed periodically to prevent staining.

Wood Flooring
Wood floors are resilient and durable, yet they still look warm and elegant. They hold up well in high- traffic areas and are popular in dining rooms, living rooms, and entryways.

Traditional solid wood planks are the most common type of wood flooring, but there?s a growing selection of plywood backed and synthetic- laminate products (also called laminated wood) that are well suited for do-it-yourself installation. Oak and maple are the most common wood species available, and size options include narrow strips, wide planks, and parquet squares. Most wood flooring has tongue-and-groove construction, which helps to provide a strong, flat surface.

In general, hardwood flooring is slightly less expensive than ceramic tile, and laminated products are typically less expensive than solid hardwood. Most types of wood flooring can be installed directly over a subfloor and sometimes over vinyl flooring. Installation of laminated wood flooring is simple. It can be glued or nailed down, or floated? on a foam cushion. Parquet squares typically are glued down. Solid hardwood planks must be nailed to the subfloor

Carpet
Carpet is a soft, flexible floor covering that?s chosen primarily for comfort rather than durability. It?s a popular choice for bedrooms, family rooms, and hallways.

Carpet is made of synthetic or natural fibers bonded to a mesh backing and usually sold in 12- ft.-wide rolls. Some types have a cushioned backing, ready for glue-down installation without pads or strips.

The two basic types of carpeting are loop-pile, which is made with uncut loops of yarn to create texture, and cut-pile, which has trimmed fibers for a more uniform appearance. Some carpets contain both types. Carpet is similar in price to vinyl flooring, but costs vary depending on density and fiber. Wool is typically more expensive than synthetics.

Installing carpet is not difficult, but it does involve some special tools and techniques. Tackless strips and padding are installed, then the carpeting is cut and seamed, and secured to the tackless strips.

Flooring Types Comparison

Type	Uses	Advantages	Disadvantages	Cost
Carpet	bedrooms, family rooms, and hallways	comfortable; available in many colors and textures	shows dirt and wear quickly; requires special installation tools	moderate to high
Ceramic Tile	high-traffic areas like bathrooms and kitchens	extremely durable; easy to clean	time-consuming to install; requires a special underlayment	high
Hardwood	high-traffics areas like dining or living rooms	requires little preparation; goes directly on subfloor	carpentry skills required; special nailing and sanding tools needed	moderate to high
Laminate	high-traffic areas like bathrooms and kitchens	easy to install with average carpentry skills; durable	requires special installation tools, especially clamps	moderate to high
Parquet	dining rooms, kitchens, and living rooms	easy to install; most types are prefinished	not as durable as hardwood flooring; uneven floors cause gaps	moderate
Resilient	most often found in kitchens and bathrooms	easy to install; very durable; cleans easily	shows underlying flaws, so floor preparation Is paramount	low to moderate
Vinyl Tile	bathrooms, kitchens, and entryways	very easy to install, especially the self-adhesive type	since there are many seams, not as durable as resilient tile	low to moderate