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With dozens of flooring options to choose from it can be difficult to choose the right flooring option for each room in your home. There are a lot of things to consider before choosing the right kind of flooring, such as durability, water-resistance, and impact on the environment. Our contractors at Monumental will help guide you through the entire process to find the most eco-friendly, durable, and practical flooring for each room. Today, we'd like to share some of our thoughts on different flooring options to consider for each room.
If you’ve ever gone hiking in the mountains and worn a water-resistant jacket in a rainstorm, you probably realized there is a difference between water-resistant and waterproof. The same is true for flooring. Water-resistant means the flooring can repel water, but if saturated, the water will seep through. Waterproof means the flooring can withstand large amounts of water and cannot seep through.
When it comes to choosing between water-resistant and waterproof flooring it is best to think about the purpose of each room. For example, you most likely wouldn’t need waterproof flooring in your living room, but waterproof flooring is perfect for bathrooms.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are chemicals that are found in many building materials, but are especially common in carpet, vinyl, and linoleum. These compounds can volatize and can be released indoors, but you may or may not be able to detect them through smell.
Some examples of VOCs that are commonly found in everyday products include: benzene, ethylene glycol, formaldehyde, and methylene chloride. Side effects of exposure to VOCs include sore throat, runny nose, headaches, difficulty breathing, and skin irritation.
VOC exposure depends mostly on the type of finish used on new flooring. For example, here at Monumental we take pride in providing the highest quality building materials with the lowest number of VOCs. If VOCs area concern to you and your family, we have dozens of flooring options with zero VOC emissions.
The number one room in your house to get the highest return on investment for remodel is your kitchen. Many consumers prefer to remodel countertops first and often new flooring is an afterthought. However, new flooring is just as essential as new cabinets or countertops.
Besides natural stone, there is no other material that will give you a bigger ROI than natural hardwood. My favorite type of wood flooring is Red Oak because of its natural durability, darker tones, and clearly visible grains. Red Oak is perfect for the families that spend a lot of time in their kitchens.
Besides Red Oak, I highly recommend Hickory for the color variation and durability. Ask our contractors about the different Hickory flooring options and you’re bound to find one that will blow you away. Hickory is a little more affordable than Red Oak and can be found for as low as $6.00 per square foot vs $10 for Red Oak.
I know what you’re thinking, Cork? Like, the same stuff used in your wine bottle? Yes, it’s one and the same, but it’s processed for commercial use and finished with a polyurethane coating to protect it from stains, spills, and chips.
Cork is one of the softest and most comfortable type of flooring that you can have in your home. If your family spends hours at a time in your kitchen, cork is very forgiving on your joints and will keep your legs and back fresh. I absolutely love the springy bounce to cork that feels like a spongy surface on your feet.
Cork is also great for those midnight snackers that don’t want to wake their families up at night from creaking boards or sticky laminate. Finally, cork is perfect for those freezing winters because cork doesn’t conduct heat.This means that it will stay consistently at room temperature, regardless of the environmental conditions.
I know that I’m very biased when it comes to Parquet flooring because this is what I have in my kitchen and my wife and I love it. Parquet is very traditional and some even consider it outdated. However, even as rare as it is to find, our contractors can create a Parquet floor that will leave you speechless.
I’m not going to lie to you and tell you that this is the most affordable option because it’s one of the most expensive flooring options you can choose. At $25-$50 per square foot, a small kitchen can cost as much as $15,000-$25,000.
Parquet might be one of the most expensive flooring options you can choose, but if it’s done right, the pattern of a Cherry or Mahogany stretched throughout your floor is enough to steal the show for everyone that sees your kitchen. Its beauty won us over and even though it was more expensive than I wanted to pay, we have no regrets at all.
The most important thing to consider for your bathroom flooring is whether it’s waterproof. Personally, I would never use a water-resistant type of flooring in my bathroom because I take hot showers and I’m bound to have water spill from the tub or sink at some point. The 3 options that I prefer are all waterproof, beautiful, and durable enough for any family.
The most popular bathroom flooring is Ceramic tile due to its affordability, durability, waterproof finish, and aesthetics.
Ceramic can come in more design options than we can ever name in one blog. Depending on your budget, our contractors can hook you up with ceramic that costs as little as $0.50 per square foot. I would recommend spending at least $5 per square foot and get a premium finish to enhance the waterproof ability and get a more unique design.
I would choose ceramic because it does so well with moisture and water. Ceramic is very affordable and abundant in a very depleted marketplace.With dozens of different color and design options, there is a ceramic for everyone.
Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT) are becoming more popular by the day because you can get some incredibly beautiful and unique designs for as little as $2 per square foot. LVT is not only affordable, but you can get some designs that look exactly like wood or natural stone for a fraction of the price.
The only issue with LVT is some designs feature high VOC finishes that can cause issues for you and your family. However, if you ask our contractors, they will guide you to finding the best LVT for your needs.
LVT is great for high traffic rooms, high moisture rooms, and can give the appearance of natural hardwood or stone. I love the different options and affordability of LVT, and the groutless seems allows for easier installation and much easier cleaning.
Granite is another very popular option for bathrooms, even though some varieties aren’t waterproof. Be sure to speak with our contractors to ensure you get the proper stone for the best water and moisture protection.
Granite will cost somewhere between $40-$100 per square foot, depending on the color and grade level of the stone. Granite wouldn’t be my first choice for a bathroom because it can be porous, but any water spills can be cleaned up without damage if it’s not left on the floors for long periods of time.
If you’ve ever seen jet black granite tiles, it can be beautiful in a bathroom. Speak with our designers and ask about the contrast with black tile and paint color. I’ve seen some stunning bathrooms with incredible contrast.
When it comes to your living room, it’s important to consider something that is going to be soft on your feet, but able to withstand the pressure and movement of furniture and heavy traffic. There are so many different flooring options, but I prefer laminate, bamboo, and Rubber.
If you’re looking for a way to get a great ROI, you should take a look at our blog, Best Living Room Upgrades | 3 Living Room Remodel Ideas to Increase the Value of Your Home.
Laminate is the most popular flooring used in homes across the country for its affordability, availability, and hardwood like appearance. I Love laminate flooring because you can get a large living room done for less than $4 per square foot and have the look and feel of a hardwood that costs $10-$20 per square foot.
Yes, you read that right, Rubber is gaining a lot of traction (pun intended) in the home remodel industry. Rubber is softer on your feet, durable, and can handle heavy traffic better than almost any flooring option. Rubber may not be the most beautiful type of flooring, but you’ll never worry about slipping and falling on a rubber floor.
Rubber flooring is water-resistant, stain-resistant, offers the best traction of any flooring, and only costs about $5 per square foot for a rolled mat option. Rubber is perfect for large families with young children or elderly because of the enhanced traction, easy clean-up, and affordable pricing.
I really like bamboo as a living room flooring option because it can be one of the most eco-friendly flooring options you can find. I love the idea that I can install a new floor and still be good to the environment. You have to worry about the quality of bamboo though, because lower quality bamboo can have a high VOC level and scratch easier.
Bamboo is water-resistant, very easy to install, and even easier to maintain. Bamboo can be very durable and forgiving in a living room with the high traffic and heavy furniture, but you must make sure you get the right grade of bamboo. Our team at Monumental can help you get all the help you need.
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