Floors To Suit Your Lifestyle and Budget - Part 1

There are many things to consider when choosing a floor. You will want to consider appearance, cost, and installation techniques.

Laminate is multi-layered. The top layer is urethane, next is a layer of photographed material that looks like wood or stone, the bottom is panel core. Laminate is laid over thin foam sheeting and can be installed over any flat, smooth surface including cement. Originally the floor planks were glued together but the most popular and cleaner and easier method used today is a snap together design. Laminate is easy to clean and a good quality material will stand up to a lot of abuse. It is a very good choice if you have pets. You must be careful that large liquid spills are cleaned up immediately because liquid can seep under the flooring causing it to buckle.

Bamboo is a plant but has many of the same characteristics as wood. It can be glued down, nailed down and as a floating floor with a core backing. It is strong but has more markings than wood that is quite different in appearance. Bamboo is fast growing and easily replaced so is available to use quicker than wood.

Flexible Flooring is thin material that is glued to the sub floor. These floors can also be glued to a plank or tile sized panel and installed like a floating floor. Varieties of this material are:

Vinyl Tile is relatively soft underfoot. High priced vinyl is durable, colorfast, attractive and much cheaper than other flooring materials. Avoid using rubber- backed rugs or mats as the backing can stain vinyl. Go on the internet or library and study methods of installing flooring. You may not be installing it yourself but you will know enough to question the installer if his method of installing doesn't follow what you learned. We had vinyl sheeting installed in our kitchen and the installer said it only had to be glued on the outer edges. Now 5 years after installation, the glue is no longer holding the flooring and it is pulling away from the wall and seams. The store went out of business.

Linoleum has made a comeback. The color goes through the entire sheet. It’s quiet, hypoallergenic, and soft underfoot. It is more expensive than vinyl and an expert is needed to install it.

In the next installment, I'll explain about some other popular flooring products.

Barbara Smith has a passion for writing informative articles. Her recent work inspired a site on Laminate Flooring and Bamboo Flooring.