Carpet or Hardwood Flooring? That Is the Question....
The age old question for a lot of homeowners is should you choose carpet or hardwood flooring for your home. Sometimes when you purchase a home you’ll find that you aren’t satisfied with the flooring. This is a common thing especially for people that buy homes they want to renovate. When comparing carpet or hardwood flooring you have to consider several different things. We’ve broken down the two options so you can decide which is better for your home.
What Would I Like About A Carpet Floor?
If you’re looking for a softer surface for your floor, then carpet is going to be easily the better option. It provides the warmth and comfort that a hardwood floor surface cannot provide. If you are choosing flooring for a child’s bedroom, then carpet would probably work best. You won’t have to worry about them getting seriously injured from tripping in a carpeted room. During the winter months, carpeted flooring provides a much better surface for warmth. Carpet also helps create insulation which is really helpful during those chilly months.
In the carpet or hardwood comparison carpet also wins regarding sound. The fibers of carpet are wonderful about deadening or absorbing soundwaves that would otherwise reverberate in your home. While this may not matter in many areas of your home, areas like home theaters and rec rooms can benefit a great deal. Also, kids rooms that are above your main living spaces can get a bit noisy, so carpeting would be a good choice in that type of area.
What About Carpet Flooring Would I Dislike?
Cleaning a carpet isn’t always the easiest task. If you’ve ever had carpet in your home before then you know how easily stains and spills can happen. Having a pet means you’re going to also have a lot of mess. If you’re a pet owner, then carpet might not be the best option. Over time, carpet will become stained unless you take special care to make sure it is cleaned often.
In the carpet or hardwood flooring discussion, this topic is a no-brainer. Running a Swiffer over a wood floor will always be preferable to vacuuming a carpeted floor. And spills on hardwood flooring will never be as cringe-inducing as seeing an orange soda get spilled on light-colored carpets.
Another downside of carpet is the expense of carpet installation. In the past few years the cost of installation has increased dramatically. Hardwood, on the other hand, is frequently a diy project, and that usually makes a huge difference in the total cost.
What Is The Appeal Of Hardwood Flooring?
You just can’t beat the look and feel of hardwood flooring in your home. Hardwood can give any home a sleek new look. When comparing carpet vs hardwood flooring you’ll find that hardwood usually lasts longer. You can refinish your hardwood if you want to add a brand new sheen to the surface of your floor. Hardwood flooring can also be very versatile for your home. You can choose different styles based on the specific look you’re going for. It really is a timeless design trend.
The biggest advantage of hardwood flooring is that should have the same appeal in your home 20 years from now that it has on the day of installation. Sure it will show some wear, usually in traffic areas due to abrasive wear. No stains, no crushed yarn, no wrinkles, no light spots from spilled acne cleaner. Nothing like you would experience with a carpet floor.
What Would I Not Like About Hardwood Floors?
Although hardwood flooring is a popular option it does have a few issues. If you are deciding on a flooring option for a child’s room then hardwood flooring is more likely to cause injury if they were to fall. Another small con is that sometimes hardwood can be a noisy surface to walk on.
Solid wood hardwood floors also require that you keep the relative humidity somewhat constant in your home throughout the year, as big swings in moisture can cause your floor to expand, resulting in buckling or cupping. If you think that moisture could be an issue in your home, and you want a wood floor, consider using one of our engineered wood floors from Somerset Hardwood Flooring. Made in the USA from Appalachian hardwoods, these 1/2" thick, 8 ply floors can be purchased in Hickory, Maple, Red Oak or White Oak, and will last for a generation or more, even on concrete slabs or other areas where the moisture cannot be controlled very well.
Which is The Better Flooring Option In Your Home?
The better flooring option is the one that best fits your wants and needs. We’d advise looking at the room that you are adding flooring to. If it is a room that is more likely to have spills, then carpet wouldn’t be a good option. You also should look at what your budget is for your renovation project. You can work with a manufacturer to find a flooring option that fits your budget. When your choice is between carpet and hardwood flooring, and you have done your homework, you will be sure to be satisfied with whatever you choose.
Hardwood And Carpet Both Offer Value Options in Flooring
Buying cheap hardwood flooring or carpet flooring are easily done. Cheap hardwood will usually take the form of a lower grade of wood floor whereas a cheap carpet will not have alot of yarn in it. Depending on the performance that you need a cheap product may not serve the needs that you have in your home. That is when we start comparing value instead of just price, because there is no value when we buy a cheap product that will not suffice for the job we wanted it to do. High quality hardwood does not have to be expensive due to the vagarity of the hardwood flooring market. After all, hardwood lumber is a commodity. Because of that pricing shifts are to be expected. At ReallyCheapFloors.com we have buyers that understand this concept and are constantly using our buying power and nimble presence in the flooring industry to offer our customers the best deals possible while offering the flooring companies that we partner with the fastest and most efficient outlet to move their promotional goods.
These are all things to consider when comparing carpet vs hardwood flooring. At ReallyCheapFloors.com, we have many hardwood flooring options for you to check out. Browse our engineered hardwood flooring options to find the best fit for your next home improvement project.