How To Pick The Right Flooring

When thinking about new flooring for your home or commercial surroundings, you need to consider the most appropriate type of flooring for that particular environment.

Some flooring options will be more suited to a specific space than others, for example, what kind of ambiance do you want the room to project? Are you aiming for cosy, relaxing, practical or sleek? It will also depend on the amount of foot traffic the flooring will be subject to, maintenance of the flooring, budget boundaries and many more options.

Keep reading below to get a better understanding of what you need to know in order to help you make a more informed choice.

Does Usage Matter When Selecting Your Flooring?

The level of time, effort, and attention to detail you put in during the planning stage of your project directly affect your chance of success. Some of the things you need to plan for include: the amount of available space, the number of people who will be using it, the frequency with which you will use it, and more.

The type of flooring you want to use should also vary based on what room it will be in and its purpose. Floors made out of hardwood or other similar materials are ideal for places with heavy foot traffic. 

For rooms that encounter a lot of moisture, such as kitchens, bathrooms, washrooms, toilets, or basements which are prone to flooding it is best to look at flooring types that are water-resistant. Some flooring might need special fitting methods to make it waterproof, like Resin adhesive, and Cape & Cove.  Others will be waterproof regardless of the installation.

For family rooms also used by young children, you may be better off looking for stain-resistant, Scratch proof flooring.

Different Types Of Flooring To Choose From

Laminate

Laminate flooring is a more affordable alternative to real wood flooring – without the extra maintenance that wood requires. With a huge array of styles and designs, laminate flooring could be your ideal option for busy family spaces or light commercial use.

Both hard-wearing and durable, it is perfect for homes that experience lots of life. Particularly good for areas that are susceptible to spillages, it can easily be cleaned and mopped up. If damage occurs it is easier to replace planks of laminate flooring compared with the repair or replacement of sheet vinyl and carpet.

Laminate, while good for stain resistance in bathrooms and kitchens, is a terrible idea on stairs. Laminate floors are slippery and increase the odds of someone falling down the stairs when they are damp. This is especially worrisome for people with large families, small children or elderly relations.

Many of our laminate flooring options are suitable for underfloor heating, keeping your family cosy during the winter months.

Engineered Wood 

The ultimate real hard flooring Luxury, Engineered Wood flooring is made up of several layers of plywood glued together, with the surface layer being crafted from superior quality wood such as oak, walnut, or teak. As a result of the multi-layers, Engineered Wood flooring is more hard-wearing and durable than solid wood flooring and can also withstand better expansion and shrinkage. It is also more user-friendly as it is easily cleaned, and over time the surface can be sanded down and re-polished several times to bring it back to its original natural form of authentic appeal and unique timeless style, offering real value for money. It also makes the fitting easy so it’s suitable for DIY users as well.

There are many different surface layers to choose from, including wood types, plank sizes, colours, and finishes of oiled, satin lacquer, or matt lacquer.

Most Engineered Wood flooring comes with a manufacturer’s warranty making it a fabulous investment for your home. Some Engineered Wood flooring can give you up to 25 years of wear!

Cushion Vinyl

Offering an endless array of colours, patterns, and designs, you will be sure to find vinyl flooring to truly enhance a room in your home.

Working well with underfloor heating, it is perfect for keeping your feet toasty warm during the winter months.

Vinyl floorings are water-resistant, and many are also slip-resistant, making them a great option for daily usage in the home particularly in areas more prone to moisture such as kitchens and bathrooms.

The cushioned effect of this flooring also brings added comfort underfoot. Easy to clean and maintain, this flooring is a very versatile and budget-friendly option.

Contract Vinyl

Contract flooring that is waterproof, tough, highly durable, and suitable for commercial areas subject to very heavy foot traffic such as shops, schools, and offices.

Contract vinyl flooring is easy to clean and maintain and has even has many slip-resistant options, making it ideal for commercial kitchens and communal WC. Contract vinyl joins will get hot welded for a permanent bond between different colour, design options, and doorways making it very safe for wheelchair or disabled environments.

Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT)

Luxury Vinyl Tiles or LVT as they’re commonly known, come in all shapes, sizes, patterns, and colours. These tiles have the versatility of vinyl options but as they come in individual pieces as opposed to large rolls, the quality is second to none and the design choices are endless…

Luxury Vinyl Tiles replicate a variety of floorings such as wood, ceramic, and stone so authentically that you and your guests would struggle to tell them apart. The tiles can be laid in an infinite number of configurations to achieve a luxurious look throughout your home. 

Luxury Vinyl Tiles are ideal to be placed throughout the home – including wet areas such as kitchens and bathrooms. Being particularly water-resistant and stain-resistant, luxury vinyl tiles are easy to clean and can be laid absolutely anywhere. From shower rooms to very high traffic areas, some will even use it for walls in classrooms against furniture indentation. Very comfortable underfoot, and an easy replacement if damaged.

Wool Carpet 

Carpeting is a popular option for bedrooms. It provides a soft, warm surface for you to stand on when you first wake up. After all, nobody likes waking up to a cold, hard floor.

If you opt for a Wool carpet, it is likely you᾿ll have a higher initial outlay. However, the soft natural fibers of a Wool carpet act as an insulator, keeping your energy bills lower by helping to keep your home cosy and warm during the winter and cool during the summer.

Easy to clean, Wool carpets resist dirt making them the perfect selection not only for family households but also for households with pets. Hard-wearing and durable, a Wool carpet will be sure to last much longer, ensuring you truly get your money᾿s worth.

Polypropylene Carpet 

Crafted from synthetic fibres, Polypropylene carpets are affordable and super durable.

Cleanable with a bleach mix if required, Polypropylene carpets are perfect for lively family households, particularly those with children and pets!

For areas of the home that you know are likely to endure high levels of footfall, it is best to choose a better quality and heavier pile Polypropylene carpet to minimise signs of wear.

Boasting a fabulous colourfastness to light, this carpet type retains its colouring over time.

Benefits of choosing a branded flooring

We host a large array of well-known brands here at Carpet City. Each brand has been carefully selected for its unique qualities and attributes.

When looking to purchase a branded product, you are buying a quality product from a name that is well known and trusted.

By offering such a broad variety of brands across categories we are able to provide you with greater choice on colour, pattern, design, comfort, material, and quality to suit your taste.

See the list below of the many household brands we sell and display:

Adam Carpets – Amtico – Abingdon Carpets – Associated Weavers – Altro – Brintons Carpet – Brockway Carpets – Beaulieu – Bolon – Burmatex – Cavalier Carpets – CFS – Distinctive Flooring – Desso – EGE – Furlong Carpets – Furlong Wood Floors – Forbo – Georgean Carpets – Gradus – Halls Interface – Jacaranda – JHS – Janser – Kingsmead – Karndean – Lano Carpets – Moduleo – Modulyss – ITC – Penthouse – Polyflor – Tarket – Ted Todd – Vorwerk – Westex – Wilton Carpets

Choosing suitable flooring for your space is essential, and making the wrong decision can be costly. For expert advice, feel free to contact Carpet City, or stop by our London Showroom to speak to a knowledgeable staff member.