The Most Popular Flooring Options For Homes
So, you’re looking for a floor that is time-tested, on-trend, and a fellow homeowner’s favorite. But you’re still a bit lost on what the most popular flooring options for homes are. Sound familiar?
If so, you’re in luck.
To help you navigate the most popular flooring options available on the market today, we created a handy guide.
Continue reading below to find out:
- The three most popular flooring options for homes
- The pros and cons of each flooring option
- The importance of selecting the right floor for your needs
Top Three Most Popular Flooring Options for Homes
#1 – Hardwood Flooring
Coming in at number one, it’s no surprise that hardwood flooring ranks at the top of this list – it’s a versatile and durable flooring option that’s loved by homeowners and design enthusiasts alike.
With countless options to pick from, there is a color, texture, finish, and hardwood species for everyone. It’s also eco-friendly to manufacture, nearly effortless to revamp by refinishing once installed, and recyclable (at certain facilities) after it is removed.
Even better, hardwood flooring helps move homes off the market faster as well as increases home values!
One study found that 87% of home buyers with a budget of over $100,000 want hardwood flooring – a percentage that goes up as home values increase. Meanwhile, another study found that a majority of homebuyers were willing to pay more for a home with hardwood flooring.
So, what are the cons?
For one, hardwood and water do not get along. This means that rooms with high humidity or the potential for water accumulation may not be the best fit for hardwood.
The same can be said for households unwilling to take the small, but necessary preventive measures to prevent scratches and other damage. These include using felt pads on furniture legs, not walking on the floor in high heels, and making sure excessive sand or other debris stays outside where it belongs (rather than on your floor where it can scrape and scratch the surface).
In addition, hardwood flooring can also have a slightly higher upfront investment. However, as mentioned above, that initial investment is likely to be regained.
#2 – Vinyl Flooring
Coming in at number two, vinyl flooring is as flexible as manufactured flooring can be. It is typically more resistant to water than the other most popular flooring options for homes and comes in countless colors and patterns.
There are two main varieties of vinyl flooring – WPC and SPC.
- WPC stands for Wood Plastic Composite and is mainly composed of – you guessed it, wood.
- SPC stands for Stone Plastic (or Polymer) Composite and is mostly constructed with limestone.
To read more about the in-depth differences between these WPC and SPC, click here.
The key benefit of installing vinyl flooring has to do with its resilience. As mentioned before, it is more water-resistant than most other flooring options available on the market. It is also typically harder to scratch or dent than the others as well.
The ease of maintenance is another reason many flock to vinyl flooring. Unlike hardwood, vinyl does not need to be refinished.
So, what are the cons of vinyl flooring?
Well, the lack of ability to refinish vinyl flooring is also a con. While damaged hardwood planks are just a sanding away from looking brand new, damaged vinyl planks need to be replaced.
Vinyl also does not increase home resale values as hardwood can do; however, homes with vinyl tend to receive higher valuations than those with carpet.
#3 – Laminate Flooring
Ranking at number three, laminate flooring deserves far more than just a bronze award medal. In fact, it deserves a closer look at why it has become so popular so quickly.
Developed in the 1970s as the first man-made hardwood flooring alternative, laminate still reigns supreme among the manufactured options with its incredibly realistic appearance. Today, many still believe laminate to be unmatched due to its realistic embossing and texture.
For one, its realism is believed by many to be unmatched by anything other than actual hardwood.
So, what are the cons of laminate?
Well, perhaps the largest is its durability when compared to the previous two options. Just as with vinyl flooring, laminate is unable to be refinished. This means damaged boards must be replaced, rather than sanded down and refinished like with hardwood.
Laminate flooring is also less water-resistant than vinyl and excessive exposure to liquids should be avoided.
In addition, laminate flooring does little to impact home values; however, it still ranks better on increasing valuations than carpet does.
Why It’s Important to Select the Right Floor for Your Needs
Flooring is an investment and something that the majority of homeowners only want to purchase once. Which is also why it is so important to get it right the first time around.
By identifying what cons each flooring option has, homeowners can easily figure out what will (and will not) work for their lifestyle.
So, while your high-humidity household may love hardwood, a vinyl floor may be the way to go, if preventative measures and maintenance are not taken. The same can be said for households that may want a lower upfront investment, but are expecting to sell their home in the next few years – hardwood may be the best bet since it’s likely that a majority of the initial cost can be recouped due to the jump in a home’s value.
But overall, your personal preferences are the deciding factor. Go with what you love and you won’t regret it.
We hope this handy flooring option cheat sheet helped you navigate the three most popular flooring options for homes.
And if you are still a bit lost on what flooring works best for your household’s needs, don’t forget to reach out. We are always around to help with your flooring journey.