Picking a new floor is one of the most fun but most difficult things to do. There are so many options out there, it can be overwhelming. There’s everything from floor tile materials to carpet designs or wood floor textures. Trying to decide between them can be difficult. That’s why this article is being written. Take a look at the following tips and let them help you make your decision, or at least narrow it down. That’s the point of all of these tips- they are there to help narrow down your decision and help you make an informed choice when it comes to your floor coverings.
Ask the Right Questions
Here are several examples of questions that you will need to determine the answer to before you go any further:
- What kind of cleaning am I okay with? (vacuuming, scrubbing, sweeping, mopping, steaming.)
- Am I allergic to any floor tile materials? (including grout and tile cleaning chemicals.)
- How do I feel about cold floors in the winter? (this will help you determine between carpet or not.)
- How much maintenance do I want? (for example, am I willing to buff wood floors or replace carpet padding periodically?)
- Who and what is going to be on them? (do you have pets, family members that track work boots in, etc.)
Determine Your Budget
This is probably one of the most important factors in your decision. Once you determine how much you can afford then you’ll know what type of carpet or floor tile materials that you can look into. If you are looking online or going through a contractor you can set filters or ask to only be shown floor types that are within your budget range. It can be very frustrating to see all of the flooring that you can not afford. Instead of putting yourself through the disappointment and then possibly spending more than you should, don’t even look at items that are outside of your budget. Determine your budget before looking at flooring types and then stick it to it. Otherwise you will find yourself in deep regret every time you step into your house.
Ask Your Contractor
Contractors are not just there for the building or installation process. They have been doing this a long time, usually and there are a lot of things that they know about. You can bring some of your questions to them for answer and ask them to show you floor samples that are within your budget. They will also be able to take a look at the foundation or base of your house and determine what kinds of flooring would be a good fit there. Sometimes, there might be problems with the floor underneath that would prohibit certain things. For example, if you decide on wood floors but you have divots in the cement underneath, you will either have to pay to have the floor evened out or pick another type of flooring. Carpet should have padding built up in those areas but wood floors will warp to the shape of the base underneath. Even floor tile materials could be shapes into the divots but wood just doesn’t work like that.
Take Your Time
Don’t be in a rush to make a decision. The floor is one of the most important parts of your house. If you make a rash decision and then regret it, you’ll remember all day every day as you walk around your home. If you are redoing your home then you probably already have some sort of floor installed so it’s not like you are walking around on the dirt inside. You don’t have to decide today- take your time and really think through your decision before you make your final choice. You’ll be glad that you did.
Talk to Your Family
Get your family’s opinion. See what kinds of floors that they want and like for their rooms and then see how you can make it all work together. It might help you to make a better decision if it turns out that almost the whole family is in agreement regarding the type of flooring that they like. It’s important that everyone is included in the decision. Find more.