When it comes to choosing a floor, things are not always easy. You are usually on a budget and perhaps the floor is not the only thing you are buying, so if you are putting a considerable amount of money into it, you want to make sure the investment is worth it. You want something that looks stunning and, if possible, not too expensive, but you also want a floor that doesn’t become a headache for you - something you don’t need to be constantly caring about. In other words, you need something comfortable. In this post, we show you some of the options you have.

Solid Wood Floor

Solid wood is quite a traditional floor and therefore a favourite. It makes rooms look warmer and more welcoming and gives sophistication to the home. A great feature of wood floors is their life span - if you maintain them properly, you will have a floor that will last more than a life time. Of course you will need to sand it and refinish it from time to time to make it look fresh and hide those scratches that can show up, but this doesn’t need to be done for the first 15-20 years or so. However, as hardwearing as solid wood is, it is a natural material, which means that it can’t handle moisture, humidity and temperature fluctuations. This is not always practical as it means you can’t install it with underfloor heating or in places with a high degree of moisture. A great alternative is engineered wood flooring, which looks like wood as it uses solid wood as a top layer, but the rest is totally synthetic which makes it more resistant than its hardwood counterpart.

Laminate Flooring

 If you like the idea of engineered wood but you are less enthusiastic about the price, a cheaper alternative is laminate flooring. It is totally synthetic and looks like wood, but why do we think this floor is comfortable? Well, it is incredibly hardwearing and like engineered wood, it handles temperature fluctuations well. It is also waterproof, which will simplify cleaning, as you can mop it with a warm and damp cloth. It also means that the floor is more versatile as it can go in more humid rooms such as kitchen or bathrooms and you don’t need to worry about spillages. Another way in which it compares to engineered wood is its scratch resistance, so if you have pets, fear not as this floor won’t suffer.

Vinyl Tiles

 Luxury vinyl tiles (LVT) are the cheapest floor you can find on the market, and they still look great since they replicate the wood and stone effect really well. They are also very durable, as since they are made of plastic they are totally impervious to water. Vinyl tiles are so durable that they are perfect not only for humid places but also for rooms with heavy footfall and homes with pets that may cause scratches thanks to their scratch resistance. This floor is also very hygienic since it doesn’t collect dust or other allergens, which is highly useful if someone in your house suffers from allergies. Finally, like laminate, it is very simple to clean LVT, as you only need to sweep and mop to keep the floor fresh.

As you can see there are many different alternatives, you just need to know which is most appropriate so it doesn’t become damaged by heavy traffic or spillages, and of course it has to suit the looks you have and budget you have. But ultimately the choice is yours!

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