The Flooring Decision

The practicalities

Choosing the right floor has more involved than the finished look and style it must also be right for your lifestyle needs. The location of the room within your home and the frequency of use are good considerations to review when looking at options.

Here are some practical elements we recommend to review:

• What rooms/areas will children mainly use (yours and visitors!)?
• Do you have pets that will spend time inside?
• Room by room what are the flooring needs, what is important in the kitchen vs. the living area?
• Is surface slipperiness a concern?
• Different options have different maintenance requirements,
• Do any of your family suffer from allergens?
• Short term vs. long term choices, such as refurbishments once children have grown up, Return on investment potential.

Timber, tiles or carpet?

Spectra Showroom Manager, Tamara Spencer shares her advice on the pros and cons of your flooring options.

Hardwood, bamboo and timber look options

The beauty of real wood and engineered timber flooring is the individuality of each board with distinct knots and grain variations to create a truly unique look. In different applications timber can have a warmer surface feel than tiles which can be kind to little toes in the colder months. Timber used in kitchen zones is practical as it can be a bit more forgiving when items such as crockery and glassware are dropped.

In homes with kids and pets, timber laminate is a popular choice due to its durability and fade, stain and wear resistance. However, contact with excess moisture must be avoided. New kid on the block, recognized for its hardness and durability, is the renewable source of bamboo flooring, a very popular choice of our clients.

To keep timber, bamboo and laminate floors looking their best Godfrey Hirst recommend frequent sweeping to remove dust and debris and dry-mopping with soap free cleaners and specialist floor kits. Sabco and Vileda mop kits using microfiber or disposable cloth heads are available from the supermarket or local hardware outlet. For more information on maintaining timber floors click here.

Choose wide or narrow board widths, dark or light colours and specific timber variety as well as matte or gloss surface finishes to create your ideal look.

The tiled alternative…

For a cooler and timeless style, ceramic and porcelain tiles can create a stunning complement to your new home décor. A bonus with tiling is that this substrate can actual help keep your home both warmer in winter and cooler in summer! As tiles are laid directly onto the concrete slab which sits directly on the ground, the earth’s constant temperature can radiate through the floor to your home.

Tiles, possibly are the worst performers for sound attenuation, kitchen droppages and shoe heels will definitely be heard! However, this flooring option is the preferred choice for those with allergies as bare floors with small, washable area rugs are much easier to keep free of dust mites which aggravate asthma and hayfever sufferers. Another alternative is Karndean luxury vinyl tiles, achieving the look of timber or tiles with a soft underfoot feel, very hardwearing. This new product is great for homes with young children and pets as individual tiles are easily replaced by simply peeling off and re-applied.

Without a doubt tiled floors definitely are more versatile when it comes to maintenance with spills easily cleaned and mopped up. Regular sweeping or vacuuming combined with simple mopping is recommended by tile supplier Beaumont Tiles.

Carpet underfoot…

Carpet is a very popular choice in bedrooms and lounge rooms for a warm feel under foot due its soft feel and insulating properties. For rooms without much furniture, carpet performs well to absorb echoing sounds and improve acoustics which is great for home theatres and play rooms. Carpet is available in a wide array of colours and textures to suit all décors with different underlays available to increase comfort factor.

A beneficial feature of carpet choice is that it is reasonably easy to replace if it gets worn or damaged. Many Carlisle Homes clients initially choose a standard carpet option with a view to replace with an upgrade option in the longer term once the children have grown up and their lifestyle changes. Whilst carpet doesn’t crack or scratch with use it does have the potential to stain with general wear and tear.

Protection from long periods of UV rays and regular vacuuming are the key maintenance tasks for carpeted floors. For more carpet maintenance tips click here.