Today I'd like to share with you this insightful article written especially for DIYbyDesign by Anna Hicks. Enjoy!
Flooring options: Carpet, hardwood and tiles
There are many flooring options and choosing the right one for your home can be rather daunting. Carpet, hardwood and tile are just a few of the choices available and the option chosen often depends on the room where it will be installed.
Carpets
Living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms are good choices for carpet. They are made of different fibers, pile and loops.Nylon, acrylic, polyester, olefin and wool are popular carpet styles. Nylon fibers are strong and flexible. They are resistant to wear and do not easily absorb moisture. Acrylic fibers are stain, moth and fade resistant. It dries easily and is flexible.
Polyester fibers are strong and easy to clean. It resists chemicals, mold and wear. Olefin fibers are hard wearing and resist chemicals, mold, stains and fading, and are less likely to create static. Wool fibers are durable, easy to clean and resist wear. It feels warm resists wear and fire.
Cut pile is when the loops are cut, resulting in a flat finish. The quality of the pile is determined by the fiber, density and amount of twist.
Level loops are all the same height. Multilevel loops have different heights and create an interesting pattern in the carpet. Textured carpet forms a pattern from the cut and twist in the pile. It is hardwearing and is also known as Frieze carpet.
Hardwood
Hardwood floors come with different styles and finishes. Solid wood flooring is a solid piece of wood. The benefits of solid hard wood are that it can be sanded and refinished. Engineered wood floors use layers of different wood veneers. Its advantages are that the wood will expand and contract less than solid wood flooring.
Bedrooms are a good choice for hard wood flooring. Place a decorative area rug on the floor for color and warmth.
Laminate
Laminate flooring is made of layers of synthetic flooring products that are fused together. It is easier to install and maintain than wood flooring. This is a good project for the do-it-yourselfer. Hallways and stairs are good places to install laminate flooring.
Tile
There are two main types of tile flooring, ceramic and natural stone. Both are installed the same however the natural stones will need more care. Ceramic tiles are made of different types of clay. Natural stone tiles are made from granite, marble or slate. Kitchens and bathrooms benefit from tiles flooring.
Vinyl
Vinyl flooring comes in a 6-12 foot wide sheet or as tiles. Sheet vinyl is popular and covers large areas with few seams. Vinyl tiles or planks take longer to install yet are an easy home project. The tiles come in many patterns and colors. Kitchens and bathrooms are great places to use vinyl.
Flooring options are many and the choice depends on the room and whether it will be a do-it-yourself project. A little research will help you choose the perfect flooring for your home.
Thanks Anna!
-Judy