Carpet, Tile, and Laminate—Which Type of Flooring Should You Choose?

You’re renovating your home, about it’s about time. New kitchen counters, new paint for the walls, and new furniture. However, what type of flooring should you buy for your home? As it turns out, you have a lot of options. In this blog post, we’ll talk you through the advantages and disadvantages of carpet, tile, and laminate flooring.

We’ve chosen to discuss these three flooring types because we carry them at wholesale prices here at Superior Stone & Cabinet. If you’re interested in learning more about us, our selection, or our flooring installation process, give us a call today or contact us online.

Carpet

Who doesn’t love carpet? It’s pretty ubiquitous throughout American living rooms and bedrooms, and it can be durable, comfortable, and warming for feet in the winter. There are some other benefits that many people don’t think about, as well, including better sound absorption and softening slips and falls. Finally, carpet is one of the least expensive home flooring options, making it perfect for homeowners renovating on a budget.

However, carpeting does have its downsides. As one might expect, it’s not as spill and stain-resistant as tile or laminate flooring. Over time, it can become dirty and torn, and it will likely need to be replaced far before tile and laminate. Finally, carpet doesn’t have quite the boost to home value or home aesthetics that tile or laminate does. Although, it should be noted, that the value of carpet is always in the eye of the beholder. In other words, a buyer may love your home because you have carpet, instead of the other way around.

Tiling

Many homes have tile flooring in kitchens and bathrooms, but more and more homes are installing tile flooring throughout the home, including in living spaces. The benefits speak for themselves: tile flooring lasts a long time and is reasonably durable. If not completely indestructible, it can certainly take a lot of punishment and last for years.

Tile floors come in a wide variety of options, styles, and colors. As we detailed in our previous blog post on the subject, tile can be very affordable if you buy from the right source.

There are disadvantages to tile flooring, however. Even through Superior carries tile at relatively low prices, it’s still usually more expensive, per square foot, than carpet or laminate flooring. Tile is very hard, and it’s not pleasant to stand or lay on for any amount of time. It can be uncomfortable underfoot in the winter. Finally, it’s difficult to install, and usually requires professional installation of some kind.

When you’re considering tile flooring, be sure to distinguish between ceramic, porcelain, and other varieties of tile. Each of which have their own advantages and disadvantages. This blog post has more on ceramic tile flooring.

Laminate

Forget everything you might be picturing when you think of the word “laminate.” Today, the materials used to create laminate flooring have improved to more effectively mimic custom wood flooring, without the exorbitant cost. Laminate flooring balances affordability with durability, making it a great option for homeowners and property managers looking to break away from carpet without breaking the bank.

Laminate is less expensive per square foot than real hardwood or tile. It’s easy to install: many laminate floors feature snap-together planks that can be professionally installed in as little as one day. Laminate floors have a poor reputation for being susceptible to scratching, staining, and sunlight damage, but it’s entirely undeserved. It’s actually a really durable type of flooring.

Here’s the downside of laminate: because it has a negative reputation and because many people believe it looks inferior compared to real wood, many homeowners don’t prefer it. This means if you’re selling your home, selling it with laminate may be a tough proposition, compared to carpet or tile flooring. Or not: again, this all depends on the eye of the beholder. This blog post from Freshome describes some of the differences between hardwood and laminate in greater detail.

So, what type of flooring should I choose?

Now, we return to the “eye of the beholder” theme from earlier. The truth is that no “perfect” flooring product exists. Selecting one is something that you’ll need to do based on your home, the kind of things you do in your house, and your own personal preference. As Superior Stone & Cabinet, we help you compare flooring types objectively.

When you stop by our showroom or schedule a free, in-home estimate with us, our professional designers will help you find the type of flooring that’s best for your home and your family.