Flooring is a key component to any room for so many different reasons, an obvious one being aesthetics—the type of flooring you install (along with your paint colour, of course) will often determine the look and feel of the room. It can also impact temperature and the way the room is used.

For all these reasons, it’s essential that you put a great deal of thought into your flooring choices before getting started. I’ve compiled an alphabetical list of the most common types of flooring along with which rooms they suit best and some other helpful tips.

living areas, bedrooms, family rooms

Though bamboo looks like hardwood, it’s actually a type of grass. Either way, it adds a contemporary look to any room. If you have the cash to spend on high-quality bamboo, you’ll be getting flooring that’s incredibly durable. But, if you’re searching for budget-friendly bamboo, be wary, as it scratches very easily.

It’s also important to note that bamboo flooring absorbs moisture and as such will be easily damaged by humid and wet environments, so skip it for your bathroom or kitchen. 

living areas, bedrooms, family rooms, finished basements, music rooms/home studios

Warm up your space with the carpeting of your choice. Carpet helps to hold in heat, which makes it ideal for cold Canadian winters. Imagine getting out of bed and not even needing slippers to feel soft and cozy. That’s what carpet was made for. It’s cost-effective and comes in thousands of different colours and patterns, so you can do whatever you want with the space from an interior design perspective. Plus, you can find water-resistant options if you’re worried about spills.

What are the cons? Well, exactly what you’d expect. Keeping carpet clean can be a bit of a nightmare, and most rooms will require a professional cleaning at least once per year to ensure the carpet stays fresh. It can also absorb odours, so it’s not ideal for families with pets.

bathrooms, kitchens, mudrooms, sunrooms, laundry rooms

It’s easy to understand why tile flooring is a staple for home designers. It’s durable and scratch-friendly, which means less worry if you’ve got pets and kids running around. Also, it doesn’t easily absorb moisture, making it the perfect choice for your kitchen, bathroom or any other room where spills happen often. The one drawback? Grout requires constant cleaning and maintenance, which can become a bit of a pain over time.

living areas, bedrooms, playrooms, music rooms, home gyms

Who says hardwood is your only option? Cork looks great, feels great, and can do the trick in almost any room. It’s soft to walk on and the same properties that allow it to preserve wine, also help it to absorb liquid adequately (although, it does need to be properly coated first). Plus, cork can help noise proof a bedroom or music room, as the material absorbs sound waves.

Though cork does seem like a bit of a magical flooring option, there are some downsides as well. Because it’s such a soft material, it’s more susceptible to scratches and dents. You’ll also likely have to replace it a bit faster than other materials and by no means do I recommend DIY cork floors if you’re new to flooring—for it to last, the base needs to be absolutely perfect. Leave it to a pro if you’re a first timer.

living areas, kitchens, bedrooms, hallways

Engineered wood happens to be my absolute favourite type of flooring. It has the same aesthetic appeal as traditional hardwood but was developed to experience less warping and bending over time. It’s also easy to maintain and made for simple DIY installing. The only con I can think of is that it can’t be refinished over time and will simply need to be replaced after it wares.

living areas, kitchens, bedrooms, hallways

From what I’ve encountered, hardwood is the most popular type of flooring in the biz, and it’s easy to see why. There are loads of benefits that come with installing hardwood. It can be warm and pleasing to the eye, is available in a variety of finishes that complement any décor, and the right type of hardwood can last for ages.

Although hardwood can work in kitchens, areas that tend to attract moisture or humidity, like laundry rooms, bathrooms and basements, should be avoided.

living areas, kitchens, bedrooms, hallways, playrooms

If you’re searching for a DIY flooring project, you might want to consider laminate. It’s easy to lay and can often be installed over existing flooring. Laminate is durable, cost-effective, and perfect for pet owners or folks with kids.

Though you can safely use laminate in your kitchen, do be careful—it can get super slippery when wet. Also, be mindful that laminate flooring is unable to be refinished, so if it’s damaged, you’ll need to reinstall.

living areas, kitchens, bedrooms, hallways, playrooms

Another DIY-friendly option, vinyl is easy to install and comes in a variety of finishes so you can get the exact look you want. It’s a bit on the softer side and feels great to walk on, while also providing durability against scratches and spills when cared for properly.

In terms of cons, there are definitely some major ones. Vinyl can be incredibly difficult to remove once it’s in, and if your home has vinyl from the ‘80s or earlier, I highly recommend you have it inspected, as old vinyl is known to contain asbestos. Though vinyl is an affordable option, sometimes you get what you pay for—you may notice inconsistencies throughout the pieces.

I hope you’ve learned a bit more about your options and are now ready and excited to go forth into the world of flooring.

With extensive experience in not only the real estate industry, but also the construction and interior designspaces, I’m well-versed in all things home renos. If you have any questions, I’m happy to chat them through with you. Staging and design are two of my favourite parts of the job, so I’m always excited to help my clients out when they need it.

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