What are the types of flooring for your new home?
Choosing the right type of flooring for your home is a major decision. Although your flooring choices are endless, Henley is here to help you choose by taking you through five of the most popular types and the benefits of each. These include:
- Tiles
- Laminate
- Vinyl
- Carpet
- Engineered timber
Tiles
Tiles are the go-to choice for the wet areas in your home including your ensuite, bathroom and laundry. They also make an excellent option for the high-traffic areas of your home such as the kitchen, living area and entry. Tiles are known for their hardy composition – they are difficult to scratch and dent, making them particularly durable. They’re also very low maintenance and easy to keep clean, which is why many customers select them for the busy areas in their homes.
When it comes to design, there is a world of exciting colours, patterns and shapes to unlock. Minimalistic, matte tiles in neutral tones such as light greys or beiges are currently a popular choice due to their contemporary look and feel.
Pro tip: Matte tiles are easier to keep clean due to their non-reflective surface.
Best for: all rooms (especially wet areas)
Laminate
If you’re a fan of the chic look of timber flooring but cannot – or simply don’t want to – invest your budget in that higher-end solution, laminate flooring may be the option for you.
Laminate floors are composed of an image printed onto a particle board. This technology has come a long way in recent years, with many laminate floors now comparable to the look and feel of real hardwood floors. Working with this option, customers are looking for durability and resilience, as well as aesthetically-pleasing designs. Regarding design, look for irregular knots and variations in the grain which mimic the look of natural hardwood. From an acoustic perspective, laminate floors can even perform better than timber flooring and some types are even water-resistant. Laminate is the most budget-friendly option available.
Pro tip: A flap spray mop with a micro fibre end is the recommended cleaning solution for laminate flooring. Do not use steam or saturated mops or any form of scrubbing machine.
Best for: low-moisture areas in the house (living area and bedrooms)
Vinyl
Vinyl is growing in popularity as a flooring solution for wet areas including bathrooms, powder rooms and toilets due to its water resistance and general resilience. Vinyl’s durable plastic composition makes it a superb choice for high-moisture and high-traffic areas and it can be installed anywhere in your home. Vinyl is very low maintenance with no grout needed. It also provides a softer, more cushioned feel to the touch, making it a particularly comfortable option for families.
Best for: high-moisture and high-traffic areas
Carpet
One feature that distinguishes carpet from almost all other flooring options is that it dampens and reduces noise pollution throughout the house and especially in intimate spaces that need peace and quiet. It is an especially popular choice for double storey homes, bedrooms, theatre and study areas.
The unlimited variety of colours, patterns and fibres provides something for every style and taste. Currently on trend are lighter, warm grey carpets with the looped pile. Customers also love selecting solution dyed nylon carpets for their stain and fade resistance and overall low maintenance requirements.
Carpet underlay
It’s a joy to get caught up in selecting the colours, styles and fibres of your new carpets, but don’t forget to choose a quality underlay. This hidden but crucial protective barrier will determine the feel and longevity of your carpets. Benefits to look out for here are extra cushioning, carpet protection, mould barriers, thermal properties and acoustic qualities.
Pro tip: When working from home on a carpet area, invest in a good quality floor mat suitable for carpets to prevent damage from your office chair to carpets.
Best for: bedrooms, theatre, leisure and study areas
Engineered timber
If you’re drawn to the feel and appearance of solid hardwood floors, engineered timber is an excellent option. It evokes a warm, classic look to any home which never goes out of style, and it is available in a wide range of widths, shades and designs for every taste.
With the appearance of solid hardwood floors, engineered timber consists of a thinner (1-4mm) top layer of hardwood timber glued on top of a more affordable plywood board and is laid directly over the concrete and a thin, moisture barrier underlay. Engineered timber is a higher cost option and requires regular maintenance, but it can raise the value of your home significantly. Some factors to consider with engineered timber include the size and composition of the family who will be using the floors – and whether or not it includes pets with claws!
Pro tip: Protect your engineered timber floors by throwing in some rugs for added comfort and protection.
Best for: all rooms excluding high-moisture areas