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When it comes to choosing flooring for your home, it can feel like such a huge decision, and that's mostly because it is! Once flooring is down, it generally doesn't get changed for years and years. Not only because it's costly to lay initially, but because once you get all of your furniture in the rooms it can be a huge job to take it all out and start again. When I moved into my home last year, I was so indecisive about what flooring to get and I weighed up the pros and cons of the different types for ages and ages. I was forced to make my final decision quite quickly as my house was floorless and I needed to get some down so that I could move in. I thought that I would write a post with some of the thoughts I had about different types of flooring incase anyone else has a new home and is feeling really torn about what to go for. Hopefully this helps you come to a decision if you're currently feeling as indecisive as I was!
Carpet
Carpet is usually the most common choice in a home and I can see why. It's soft to walk on and just makes a house instantly feel like a home with the cosiness and warmth. Whilst I do love carpets (especially good quality, soft ones!) they do have their cons. In my first rented home, I spent hours upon hours scrubbing out stains due to having a baby. Just from the everyday things like spilt drinks, splattered baby food, leaking milk bottles, nappy leaks/explosions. It wasn't fun! They can also be a pain if you have pets as pet hairs can get jammed in the fibres and if your dog comes in with muddy paws, again you'll have to scrub the stains out. They are so lovely and can be a really affordable option but ultimately just very high maintenance when it comes to keeping them clean. If you have no children and no pets then it's a no brainer!
Laminate
Laminate flooring can also be a really affordable option to go for when it comes to flooring for large rooms. You can pick up laminate in places like B&M or B&Q for super cheap, or there are plenty of places to shop online like Flooring365 with a huge variety of different styles to choose from. Not only can it be really affordable, but it's also quite simple to lay and is doable yourself if you have the tools. The biggest pro for me about laminate, and why I opted for laminate in all of my main rooms, is because it's so easy to clean. If my toddler spills a drink? It's mopped up within seconds. If I spill paint on it when I'm redecorating? Not a problem as it just wipes off. When we eventually potty train? No concerns over any accidents that will likely happen as there will be no carpets to stain. It's just ideal for family life in my opinion and you really can't go wrong. It's easy to make cosy by throwing down huge rugs too, and the best part is that they can be swapped or moved whenever it's necessary. As you can tell I'm a big advocate for laminate flooring. One of the negative aspects that I was worried about was that a few people told me it was 'noisy' and I can confirm with the right underlay, it definitely isn't. The only time it's noisy is when my three year old decides to throw toys on the floor, admittedly it makes a loud crash - but we can't fully blame the flooring for that one 😉
Vinyl
Vinyl is great for kitchens and bathrooms as it's durable and waterproof but it can also be a great choice for other spaces in your home. It's comfortable to walk on, it's really quite affordable compared to other flooring options (probably the cheapest!) and it's also really quiet so there's little noise when walking or dropping things on it. You can get vinyl that imitates the look of tiles or wood flooring too so you can end up with the best of both worlds. I think personally for me, why I wouldn't choose to have this in my lounge or bedroom is because it does tend to get damaged quite easily say from heels, or from things dropping on it. I also think it can stain quite easily too, but this is just from personal experience as I have it in my hallway. If none of the above would be an issue for you then it's a great choice, especially on a low budget.
Wood
Wood flooring has got to be my favourite type of flooring by far. I dream of owning an old victorian property with real wooden floorboards that I can strip and paint. So gorgeous! You can also get wood flooring put down or buy it in tiles but it's definitely the most expensive flooring to buy. If you have the budget for it and you own a home that you want to invest in for the long term, then wood flooring is an amazing option to consider, plus it can be sanded, waxed, stained or painted really easily so it's easy to mix things up if you get bored! I think the only negatives to wood flooring is that if it's not got the right finish on then any liquid, moisture or even the temperature can make the wood rot or expand. So make sure you bare that in mind, particularly if you don't buy it pre-made.
What's your favourite type of flooring in a home?
