Angie's LIST Guide to
Flooring
Homeowner's have a multitude of flooring options for each room of the house, and within each type of flooring -- carpeting, hardwood, tile and vinyl/linoleum -- there are more choices, not just in cost and quality, but also in whether the materials used are from renewable, eco-friendly sources.
Homeowner's have a multitude of flooring options for each room of the house, and within each type of flooring -- carpeting, hardwood, tile and vinyl/linoleum -- there are more choices, not just in cost and quality, but also in whether the materials used are from renewable, eco-friendly sources.
Top Topics
To get pet odor out of carpeting, sprinkle on a layer of baking soda, then work the powder into the fiber with a broom. Let it sit for about 24 hours, then vacuum up the baking soda. Find more tips on carpet care.
Read more about carpeting
Bamboo has become a popular alternative for hardwood flooring, both because is less expensive and because fast-growing bamboo is a more renewable resource.
Find flooring installers Near You
Local Discounts
Daily deals up to 70% off popular home improvement projects from top-rated contractors on Angie’s List!
Answers
Ask a question on any topic covered by Angie's List and see responses from expert service providers and other homeowners with advice to share. Most popular flooring questions:
- Is hardwood floor re finishing dangerous for a family?
- Looking for pros & cons of having 39 yr. old hardwood floors refininished by sanding vs. sandless methods.
- The kitchen floor of our 1932 French Tudor appears to be painted over 1/2" pine boards, generally in good shape. Refinish or replace?
- Looking to install reclaimed wood floor from another home, is it possible?
- do you have a section for landlords or property rental companies( individuals or companies?)
Videos
Hardwood floors
Natural hardwood floors are common in older homes, but may need restoration.
Hardwoods are generally broad-leafed deciduous trees like maple, cherry, oak and walnut while softwoods are typically pines and other conifers. A true hardwood plank is solid all the way through, while "engineered" hardwood planks are plywood with a veneer of hardwood.
Hardwood floors are beautiful but are susceptible to scratching and denting. Direct sunlight can fade the finish and homeowners need to be careful when mopping not to use too much water. See more tips.
In addition to the risk of scratches and dents, real hardwood floors shrink and expand with changes in humidity. Installers need to leave a small gap to allow for swelling, but too much of a gap can result in the opposite problem.
Wood alternatives
Bamboo is one of several hardwood alternatives that have the same elegant look at less cost.
Laminate planks are similar to engineered wood planks except that the top-layer veneer is thinner and may not be made of wood at all. Laminate floors generally look very similar to real hardwoods, but are cheaper and in many ways more durable.
Bamboo flooring is created by splitting, flattening, drying and laminating bamboo and then cutting it into planks. Although hard as wood, bamboo is a form of grass and grows quickly. It is therefore considered an eco-friendly choice because it is more quickly renewable than hardwoods.
Recycled-leather flooring is made from cowhides that are byproducts of clothing, furniture, automobile upholstery and food production. Their easy to clean and comfortable to walk on, yet durable.
Carpeting
Carpeting is still a popular choice for living areas, but quality varies widely so don't decide by price alone.
Most homeowners prefer carpeting in family living areas, especially when children are small and playing on the floor.
The pile of the carpet (also called the nap or the face) is the visible surface. These can be loop pile, where both ends are anchored to the carpet back to form a loop, or cut pile, where only one end is anchored.
Installing wall-to-wall carpet is a skilled job best left to professionals. Installers need to stretch the carpet so that it does not develop bumps, and create invisible seams where two sections of carpet are joined together.
Tile flooring
Stone or ceramic tile can be the perfect flooring for bathrooms, kitchens, sunrooms and entrances.
Real tile is beautiful and is usually a good investment because it tends to increase home value. However, it is expensive and has some day-to-day drawbacks. It is a cold floor to walk on in winter and anything dropped on it will likely break.
A tile floor can be installed by a do-it-yourselfer, but there are many mistakes an amateur can make. Tile floors need a sufficiently strong subfloor to support them, and grout needs to be sealed properly to avoid staining.
Tiles are generally either made of stone or fired clay, both of which have their advantages. Ceramic tiles (such as porcelain or quarry tile) might be glazed or unglazed.
Vinyl and linoleum floors
Linoleum and vinyl floor tiles are the most common choices for bathroom and kitchen floors.
Widely used in kitchens and bathrooms throughout much of the 20th Century, linoleum is made from natural materials such as recycled wood flour, linseed oil, limestone, mineral pigments, resin and cork dust. It is making a comeback among many homeowners because it is a natural product.
Vinyl is a petroleum-based floor covering that largely supplanted linoleum in recent decades. As a synthetic, it is somewhat easier to work with and comes in more color choices than natural linoleum.
Both linoleum and vinyl are available either in large sheets or small square sections. The sectional pieces are often self-adhesive and are relatively easy to install. Skill is required, however, because the tiles must be an exact fit and may later come loose at the corners if not installed correctly.
Cement floor options
Epoxy paint is an excellent choice for cement floors in basements and garages.
If you want to be sure your basement is considered "finished" at resale, the best floor covering may be carpeting. However, carpet is not a good choice if you have any moisture problems in the basement.
Used for years in commercial settings such as retail stores, restaurants, offices and auto repair shops, epoxy floor paint is also a good option for cement floors in a basement or garage.
Available in a wide variety of materials and color schemes, modular interlocking tiles are easy for the homeowner to install and can dramatically change the appearance of a garage or basement.