Whether you’re replacing your home’s flooring or building a custom home, you’re going to have to make decision on what flooring is best suited for your home. Cost, look, upkeep and longevity are all important factors to keep in mind, as well as taking into consideration that not every flooring option works for every room in your home. We’re here to give you the scoop on the five most common flooring materials you can choose:

1.    Hardwood: Hardwood looks classy and expensive and ups the resale value on your home. It’s typically easy to care for, requiring minimum effort to clean and maintain. The largest drawback to this flooring is that it is among the most expensive. They can also be loud to walk on, so if there’s a house full of children, it may get noisy. Rugs can be used to minimize the noise, however. Water and flooding can also stain hardwoods. The best place for hardwood flooring is in high-traffic areas like living room and foyers.

2.    Tile: Tile is very durable and resistant to damage, including water. One of the most appealing traits of tile is the wide variety it comes in- any pattern and material can be found to suit your home’s personality. Tile is also easily cleaned and stains are unlikely. Tile can run a bit pricey, and often tile is consistently cold, and heating systems for tile flooring can get expensive. Cracks or other big damages to tile are difficult to repair. The best rooms for tile include kitchen and bathrooms- anywhere drinks may be spilled or water could hit the floor.

3.    Carpet: Carpet provides a home-y feel and is soft and quiet to walk on. The price of carpet varies greatly with quality, but there is an affordable option for everyone. Carpet is typically noise-free and is quick and simple to install. However, carpet has to be cleaned frequently and is prone to stains and underlying dirt. Carpet is best in low-traffic areas such as bedrooms or office spaces.

4.    Laminate: Laminate ranges in prices and installation fees, but it doesn’t easily scratch and can be made to look almost identical to wood or tile. Standing water, however, can ruin laminate flooring and it will have to be replaced. High-traffic areas are perfect for laminate as it is a sturdy flooring that won’t be scratched, however rooms like the bathroom and kitchen are not ideal because of the amount of water that could damage the floor.

5.    Vinyl: Vinyl is cheap and quiet under feet as flooring. It is also fairly durable and can be made to look like tile or wood- though not quite as well as laminate. Vinyl does tear easily, however and can be difficult to clean. Vinyl does add warmth to rooms, however and would do best in a laundry room, kitchen or bathroom.

Whatever flooring you choose, Nalle Custom Homes can make sure its installed correctly and professionally. Contact us today to get started on building your new home.