Replacing Your Home's Carpeting: The Best Flooring Options

Replacing Your Home's Carpeting: The Best Flooring Options

Old or damaged carpeting makes an otherwise elegant home look dingy. If you're looking to replace your home's carpeting, consider using wood, laminate, or tile flooring. In general, these materials are more durable and much more visually appealing.

It's a big decision, though, so let's go over the pros and cons of each so you can make an informed decision about the future of your home's flooring.

Wood Flooring

Pros

Wood is timeless. It's durable and suits both modern and rustic designs. With the right finish, it's easy to clean and one of the most durable choices. According to the EPA, wood flooring doesn't trap many pollutants, meaning new wood floors can actually improve your home's air quality after you replace old carpet.

Cons

Though they're a great long-term investment, wood floors can be costly and time-consuming to install. While durable, scratches can be costly to repair. You can clean them easily week-by-week, but they should be polished every three to four years to retain their natural luster.

Laminate Flooring

Pros

Laminate flooring has come a long way since its invention in the late 1970s. Nowadays, it can faithfully mimic stone, tile, wood and any kind of design you imagine. You can buy it in planks or tiles that snap together, meaning it's a great budget-friendly addition to any DIY home renovation project. Unlike wood, laminate doesn't have to be polished.

Cons

After installing laminate flooring, you're sure to notice one thing: it's loud. That might not be a huge deal to many homeowners, but it makes laminate uncomfortable in bedrooms and living rooms. While durable, laminate is unfortunately tough to repair and is susceptible to moisture and water damage, making it unsuitable for laundry rooms and bathrooms.

Tile Flooring

Pros

According to HGTV, professional tile flooring installation costs between $7 and $14 per square foot, making it affordable to many homeowners. It can be cleaned with vacuums, mops, brooms, and most store-bought floor cleaners. Tile flooring is also one of the toughest, most water-resistant floorings you can buy.

Cons

That durability comes at a cost — tile flooring is slippery and heavy. While its water resistance makes it great for bathrooms, you'll probably want some area rugs around your bath and shower. Before installation, you'll want a home renovation professional to make sure your home is structurally sound enough to bear the weight.

Flooring: DIY or Professional Installation?

After weighing the benefits and drawbacks of different kinds of flooring, you should decide if you want to hire professionals to install it or tackle it yourself. If you're in El Paso, Texas, Casa Carpet, Tile & Wood is your best solution for both.

We offer a wide range of hardwood flooring, laminate flooring, and tile flooring that's fit for any budget with our wholesale prices. If you'd rather have a professional handle your floor replacement project, our services include everything from removing old flooring to furniture removal and flooring installation. Contact us today to learn about all of our flooring and financing options.