Things to Know Before You Buy Flooring

Types of Flooring

• Solid wood flooring is a natural material that is 100 percent hardwood milled from lumber. Engineered wood consists of layers, known as plies, that are glued over structural plywood. Plastic laminate consists of four layers with a design layer of a photographic image of stone or wood. Like laminate, vinyl also consists of four layers and a printed design layer with colors and patterns. A natural material, linoleum is made of solidified linseed oil and wood products. Slices of shaped and dried clay are fired in a kiln at high temperatures to produce ceramic tiles. Changing one or more of the elements in this process, such as using different kinds of clay or adding materials to the clay before heating, creates different varieties of tile. Quarried blocks of rocks are turned into natural stone tiles, and engineered stone tiles are comprised of rock and resin.

Size of Room

• Measuring the size of your room will give you an idea of how much flooring is needed, which can also help you to get an idea on how much the flooring that you like costs. Measure the room's length and width, and multiply both numbers to calculate the room's square footage. Calculate for the square footage of an irregularly-shaped room by dividing it into smaller rectangles, calculating the square footage of each rectangle and then adding them together.

Durability

• Some types of flooring are more durable than others. Determine whether a specific kind of flooring is resistant to wear, scratches, dents, stains and sunlight. For example, although solid wood has impressive wear resistance, it may become discolored from sunlight. Likewise, although most laminates resist scratches, dents and discoloration, spills can damage laminate flooring. Ceramic tiles resist wear, moisture, scratches, dents and stains, but can crack. Additionally the grout in ceramic tiles is susceptible to stain, and, sand, grit and dirt can damage natural stone tiles.

Ease of Maintenance

• Some flooring types are more difficult to maintain than others. Hardwood floors and laminate floors, for example, need to regularly be free of dirt, dust and other abrasive particles. Likewise, abrasive cleaners may damage hardwood and laminate floors. Sometimes, special cleaners are needed to clean stone floors. On the other hand, cleaning glazed ceramic tiles can be accomplished using a damp mop or common household cleaners.

Usage

• Knowing where specific types of flooring may or may not be used is important. For example, solid wood flooring should not be installed in the basement and other damp spaces, such as in the bathroom. However, engineered wood can be used for finished basements. Ceramic tiles are best used as flooring in the bathroom because they're not difficult to clean. Vinyl works well in the kitchen because it provides enough cushion for standing on your feet for long periods. The durability of vinyl flooring, as well as it's stain resistance, makes it a good choice for households with kids and pets.