Types of Flooring
There are many types of flooring out there, but each has different pros and cons. Here, Eric Stromer runs down the main advantages and disadvantages of hardwood, cork, bamboo, natural linoleum, carpet and tile flooring to help you make a decision on what's best for your home.
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Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood is one of the most popular types of flooring. It's durable and easy to clean, and while it may wear over time, it can be sanded and refinished to last for decades. It's one of the most expensive options, but can add value to your home. Hardwood is versatile, but not ideal in bathrooms or kitchens.
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Cork Flooring
Treated cork is sustainable, durable and comfortable on your foot. It's also great for sound and heat insulation.
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Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo is another sustainable material that's very durable and priced well below hardwood. It comes in a variety of pre-finished stains, but can't be changed like hardwood can.
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Natural Linoleum Flooring
Natural linoleum is a biodegradable and inexpensive flooring alternative. It's easy to install, clean and maintain. Plus, it comes in a variety of colors and styles. It works great in kitchens and bathrooms.
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Tile Flooring
Tile is one of the most durable and easily maintained flooring options. Installation will cost about as much as hardwood, but will last the lifetime of your home. It's great for kitchens and bathrooms, but also a good option for high-traffic areas. However, the cons of the material are that it's hard and cold and can crack.
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Carpet
Carpet is very comfortable under your feet and comes in a variety of pile heights. It's relatively inexpensive, but the least durable flooring option. However, depending on wear and tear, the carpet only needs to be replaced about every 7-10 years.
Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood is one of the most popular types of flooring. It's durable and easy to clean, and while it may wear over time, it can be sanded and refinished to last for decades. It's one of the most expensive options, but can add value to your home. Hardwood is versatile, but not ideal in bathrooms or kitchens.
Cork Flooring
Treated cork is sustainable, durable and comfortable on your foot. It's also great for sound and heat insulation.
Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo is another sustainable material that's very durable and priced well below hardwood. It comes in a variety of pre-finished stains, but can't be changed like hardwood can.
Natural Linoleum Flooring
Natural linoleum is a biodegradable and inexpensive flooring alternative. It's easy to install, clean and maintain. Plus, it comes in a variety of colors and styles. It works great in kitchens and bathrooms.
Tile Flooring
Tile is one of the most durable and easily maintained flooring options. Installation will cost about as much as hardwood, but will last the lifetime of your home. It's great for kitchens and bathrooms, but also a good option for high-traffic areas. However, the cons of the material are that it's hard and cold and can crack.
Carpet
Carpet is very comfortable under your feet and comes in a variety of pile heights. It's relatively inexpensive, but the least durable flooring option. However, depending on wear and tear, the carpet only needs to be replaced about every 7-10 years.
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11 Comments
Why do people have to be so nasty? If you don't like it stay off his site...Didn't your mamma's teach you if you have nothing nice to say then shut your pie hole...Geez
January 05 2013 at 1:27 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyHow do I beg and plead to Eric to come and help with my ugly kitchen, blue counter tops, down to sub pine floor, no refrigerator or dish washer in kitchen and a little munchkin room I don't know what to do with. HELP I'M IN OVER MY SHORT 5"3 HEAD. Thanks so much, Margie.
August 05 2012 at 11:28 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replyshow me how to lay it
February 19 2012 at 1:28 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI don't like the videos, either. I'd rather be able to read it. I'm a fan of carpeting. It makes a room cozy, warm, and is quiet under foot. When we moved into our present house, it had all hardwood floors, but they weren't in the best condition so would have needed refinishing. We lived with those floors for a couple weeks and decided they were just too noisy and with my mother living with us who was in her 90's I was a afraid she might slip and fall on the hard floor. My son had his bedroom in the lower level and he said it sounded like a herd of elephants lived above him before we got the carpeting. Berber carpeting is the BEST. It wears well and cleans well. I love my ceramic tile floor in the kitchen, but it's slippery when wet! I have some rugs in the areas that are most likely to get wet such as by the sink and dishwasher.
January 22 2012 at 11:26 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI hate videos, too. And carpet is nasty. No way you can ever get it really clean.
January 22 2012 at 9:55 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyThis guy is full of it. Many of his recomendations are full of false truths and utter falsehoods. Find another site for this information.
January 22 2012 at 8:24 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyREALLY GMC!! Guy doesn't know what he is talking about. First piece of flooring he held up was laminate flooring. A floating floor,not hardwood. Then he held up a piece of VCT (vinyl compostion tile), claiming it was linoleum. When you are making a video to help people out please know what you are talking about first.
January 22 2012 at 7:19 PM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down Replyssnugsbug & alalsal7 I agree with you. Written articles would be extremely nice. I have slow download speed so the videos download slowly and jerkily making them very frustrating to watch, so I generally don't. In fact, I didn't finish watching this video for that very reason.
January 22 2012 at 5:54 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI just can't figure out why hardwood floors are so popular. They are cold to your feet when you step out of bed in the morning, For me there is no particular beauty like you can have with carpet, if they are scratched you have to hire someone to repair it or work really hard to try to fix it yourself, it is very expensive, can be very slippery for an infant learning to walk, etc. I much prefer linoleum, tile, and almost any other floor covering over hardwood floors. I also like a change every so often and get tired of the same old, same old appearance. I also love carpet because of the nice way it feels when I walk on it, or step out of bed onto it. I say linoleum for the kitchen, baths, or activity rooms. Carpet for the bedrooms, living rooms, offices, and anywhere that real comfort matters, plus if you get tired of it, it can be changed whenever you wish to change the atmosphere around you. Doesn't that make sense?
January 22 2012 at 5:28 PM Report abuse Permalink +4 rate up rate down ReplyI am sick of videos. I want to read an article for a change. I could watch it but will not.
January 22 2012 at 5:04 PM Report abuse Permalink +3 rate up rate down Reply