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How Should You Choose Flooring for Your Remodel? Here’s 4 Helpful Hints
If you haven’t given your flooring much thought over the years, choosing what to replace it with can be a daunting task. However, remodeling your floors gives you an opportunity to choose styles and materials that better suit your lifestyle and personal taste. Are you ready to pick out the perfect floors for your home makeover? Here are four helpful hints you can bring to the showroom.
Waterproof in Kitchens and Bathrooms
Don’t make the same mistake your grandmother did when she decided to install carpet in the bathrooms. Splash-prone spaces demand waterproof flooring to protect the subfloor underneath from mold, mildew and rot. Tile and linoleum are the most popular options, but you can also get the look of hardwood in your kitchen or bath if you have a waterproof coating added or go with waterproof laminate.
Choose Durable Options for Pets and Kids
Whether you have babies or fur babies, your small, rambunctious family members can wreak havoc on your floors. Choose durable options that can stand up to heavy traffic, art supplies, spills, claws and accidents. Man-made materials like preference engineered flooring tend to endure rough treatment better than natural options. You can also have special protective coatings applied to some types of flooring or cover your floors with large area rugs.
Don’t Cheap Out
It might be tempting to go with the cheapest flooring in the showroom or even resort to discount store bargains like self-stick tiles. However, cheap flooring can be more expensive in the long run because it doesn’t last, and flimsy floors can also decrease your home’s value. Make an investment in a quality flooring material that will last many years. Hardwood flooring is particularly good at standing up to the decades because you can refinish it when it gets worn.
Photo by Kingston Flooring LLC
Consider Going Green
Are you concerned about the environment? You don’t have to compromise your principles for beautiful floors because there are many sustainable, environmentally friendly options. Bamboo can give you sleek wood floors without destroying forests because it’s one of the fastest growing and most sustainable crops in the world. If you want to top your new bamboo floors with a cozy rug, consider one made from hand-woven jute or recycled carpet.
Photo by The ReDevelopment Group
Is your remodel budget dwindling? Don’t worry. You can still get quality flooring at a great price if you shop smart. Look for discounts in factory closeouts, going-out-of-business sales or consider buying leftover or unwanted flooring from someone else’s remodel.
Author Bio
Lizzie Weakley is a freelance writer from Columbus, Ohio. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors and walks in the park with her three-year-old husky, Snowball.
