My house has a bunch of different flooring types, with multiple styles of hardwood, tile, and carpet. Each solution serves its purpose. Along with vinyl flooring, each has its strengths, and weaknesses and your best bet are having a combination of a few different solutions in your home. This is true because every room in your house serves a different purpose. Below, we will dive into each major flooring solution, and where and why it can work in your home.



Hardwood

Hardwood is probably the most common type of flooring you will see, especially in older homes. In my home, we have it in one of our hallways, most of our bedrooms, and our living room. I like hardwood because it lasts a long time, can be refinished in different ways as the years go on, and is very durable. Modern hardwood is especially durable, with many scratch-resistant and waterproof models on the market. On the downside, hardwood can get creaky with age. Add in its hard surface and it can make for a not-so-quiet floor. 

But where is hardwood appropriate in your home? Well, almost everywhere! It’s firm but has a little give, so it’s perfect for places with high foot traffic. It’s not as hard as tile, so it is a fine surface for kids to play on. If you want a room to be as comfortable or quiet as possible, but don’t want to install a huge carpet, you can always throw a rug on top of the wood. Hardwood floors are visually the best pairing with area rugs, and create a great dynamic. The only places you should think twice about having hardwood are high moisture areas like bathrooms and kitchens. Moisture can get into the cracks between panels and cause them to warp a bit. Not the best for those particular areas, but you can’t go wrong with hardwood in the rest of your home!




Carpet

Carpet is pretty self-explanatory, most people have had it in their home at some point. In my home, we have area carpets and rugs of various sizes in our bedrooms with hardwood floors, and our home office, guest bedroom, and basement have carpet. The great thing about carpet is that it is one of the most comfortable options. Warm, soft, and quiet, it is a great flooring solution for places anywhere that people will be spending time with their shoes off. As long as there are no moisture sources in the room, you will be happy with carpet.   

You wouldn’t install carpet in a bathroom, or a kitchen. You should probably avoid high traffic areas too. Carpets are hard to clean well - from vacuuming to carpet shampooing, and if you spill something on it? It can be tough to get out unless you use a stain-resistant option. If the room isn’t primarily used for eating, drinking, or entering your house, carpet is a solid choice all around for your home.




Tile

Tile is not a flooring solution you would likely cover your entire home with, but it’s a great option for smaller areas. We have tile in our kitchen, family room, bathrooms, and mudroom. Because it is almost always stone, it is less porous and easier to clean than hardwood. It also requires much less maintenance than other options and comes in a variety of looks and styles. Tile is typically more expensive than other options, depending on the materials you choose. Sometimes tile can crack with age, and it becomes unsightly if the crack is in a noticeable part of the room. 

But where should I place my tile? I have found through having tile in my home that it is the best flooring option for high-moisture areas like bathrooms and kitchens since it is so easy to wipe away messes. If installed properly, moisture should always stay where it was spilled and makes cleaning up painless. If your basement is prone to water damage or moisture getting in, tile could be right for you as well, depending on the look you are going for.

A great way to warm up (literally) the tile in your home is to add underfloor radiant heat. We have radiant heat in our home, and our dog loves to sit in the hot spots since the tile is a great heat conductor. It’s great for bathroom floors (no more being cold when you get out of the shower!) and kitchen floors for when you’re constantly on your feet. Radiant heat can be added under many flooring types, but tile is definitely the most popular.




Vinyl

The only flooring solution on this list not in my home is vinyl plank, but it’s a solid choice for any home when you’re looking for durability, low-maintenance, and moisture-resistant flooring. It tends to be the most affordable, and the most customizable with looks that mimic any other floor type. The perks of a vinyl floor include many different ways of installation, finishes, and flexibility. Some lines of vinyl flooring mimic tile or hardwood so well that it’s hard to tell the difference!

Like I said before, due to the nature of the product it can go just about anywhere and is probably the most functional of all the flooring solutions. If you want a great floor without breaking the bank, then you should seriously think about going vinyl.

I hope this article has helped you somewhat make your minds up regarding your upcoming renovation. Remember - always think about what you will be doing in each room, and even think about who will be using it. Once you decide on a solution, then comes the time to narrow down your style choices. As long as you do take your time throughout the process, the result will be everything you wished for, and more!