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Are you in the process of selecting or redoing your floors? There are so many options out there that it can be a little overwhelming. So, let’s see if we can simplify it a bit for you.
SELECT THE TYPE:
Application: Are you restricted by any sort of existing flooring or can you just move straight into whatever you want? For example, if you have a heated floor system, your choices are either tile or engineered hardwood.
Engineered Wood: With engineered wood, you want 1/8” of real wood at the very minimum so that you can sand it down in the future and refinish. Engineered wood is stable because it has between 1/8” and 1/4” wood with plywood, therefore, it does not have the ability to warp or gap. You can also go very wide with engineered wood and typically they are available in many finishes and textures because it is done in the controlled environment of a factory for consistency.
Location: If this is for a basement, I always hesitate with hardwood or carpet. My suggestion is a VCT plank floor or tile. If tile, I always suggest putting electric or radiant heat down as the tile will be exceptionally cold installed right onto the slab. There is nothing like warm tile in the winter.
Price: Wide plank hardwood is by far the most expensive option. Anything wider than 5” is considered wide plank and the price will increase incrementally. Wood species and finish are also factors that can raise the price.
INSTALLATION:
Wood: Determining the installation of the floor is very important. With wood, you want to determine the direction that it will lay in the space if you aren’t limited by the structure. For example, with engineered wood, there is a plywood subfloor so it can be installed in either direction. The floor should lead you INTO the room, not cut you off.
Tile: Installation needs to be determined before purchasing the tile. If it is a printed tile creating a pattern, then it’s straight forward. But with a square or rectangular tile, they can be installed in many different ways. One of the very last drawings that I do on the plan set is the tile installation layout. I draw out on the plans how to install the tile in the pattern with grout and calculate square footage w/ 10% overage. Again, welcome people into your space and run the pattern from the door in.
