What Are the Considerations when Choosing Flooring?
Friday, November 21st, 2008There are various things which need to be taken into consideration when selecting what kind of
href="http://www.yourfloors.co.uk">flooring
can breathe new life into it and can be a great way to improve your living environment. It may not
be as expensive as you think either.
A big consideration on what flooring to choose is the function of the room it will go in. Flooring
which makes sense for the dining room may not be appropriate for the bathroom or kitchen for
example. Some of the most widely used types of flooring are carpet, vinyl, wood, and
laminate.
Laminate flooring can be a fantastic alternative to solid wood floors if you are looking for a wood
effect floor for a fraction of the price. Laminate flooring consists of a sheet of MDF with a wood-
effect plastic surface attached to it. One pitfall of laminate flooring is that whilst it is scratch
resistant once it is scratched it is not possible to repair. Apart from that it can still be a
perfect choice for a kitchen, where the plastic coating provides an easy to wipe clean surface.
Conversely solid wood flooring would not be appropriate in a bathroom, or in fact any room which is
likely to get very wet. Some woods are particularly sensitive to moisture such as beech.
If you are looking to fit a wooden floor, its important you have the right surface to fit it on.
Ideally your existing floor needs to be flat, and dry. There are options however to counter uneven
flooring problems, such as laying ply throughout, or employing an underlay to create a floating
floor.
More often than not laminate flooring is sold as a product you can assemble yourself which is a
great way of keeping costs down. Solid wood flooring requires however a higher degree of DIY skills,
so it can sometimes be advisable to get solid wooden floors fitted professionally which can add a
considerable cost.
Something many people do not realise when they measure their room to work out how much flooring they
will need to buy ” is that it is important to include a 10mm gap around the edge of the room for the
wooden flooring to expand and contract.
As an integral part of any interior design scheme, it is vital to select the correct flooring.
Whilst wooden or laminate floors can be ideal ” often for a more chic minimalist look; carpet can be
a better option if you are trying to achieve a more traditional home feel. The important thing is
you take into account the various factors you need to consider before ordering new flooring.
