The floor is the largest surface in the home, and picking the best type of flooring for your space depends on your budget, lifestyle, and personal tastes. Each type has its unique benefits, and determining which flooring is best depends on each room’s needs and location.

Popular flooring options include wood, engineered flooring materials, SPC, LVT, tile, and carpet. Learn more about the most common flooring types, the materials’ best attributes, and the best usage of each one, as well as overall flooring costs.

Hardwood Flooring

Hardwood flooring comes from a solid piece of milled wood and contains solid wood all throughout. Popular hardwood varieties include maple, oak, walnut and cherry. Its versatility and quality make it a desirable flooring option for many home buyers.

However, it’s one of the more expensive flooring materials on the market and does take regular maintenance, such as using a specialty hardwood floor cleaner once a month and applying a fresh coat of finish every three to five years, to keep them looking great. 

Pros

• Increases home value
• Can be refinished multiple times
• Many options available
• Strong and durable

Cons

• Expensive
• Can incur scrapes, scratches, and dents in high-traffic areas
• Susceptible to moisture damage
• Not suitable for bathrooms, laundry rooms, and basements

Engineered Wood Flooring

Engineered wood flooring offers the look of real wood at a more affordable price than solid wood. The floor features a thin layer of hardwood bonded over a high-quality plywood substrate. It’s as durable as solid hardwood flooring and can last as long with proper care.

Engineered wood flooring is a good choice for DIYers to install, which will save you money on installation costs. 

Pros

• DIY-friendly
• Has real hardwood top layer
• Greater resistance to moisture and water than real wood
• Less likely to warp
• Multiple installation methods

Cons

• Can’t be refinished more than once
• Not fade-resistant
• Wide variation in quality
• Can sound hollow underfoot
• Emits VOCs

Laminate Flooring

Laminate is an affordable flooring option for homeowners who prefer an alternative to carpet but want to avoid the cost of hardwood or tiles.

The floors consist of a particleboard wood base topped by wood or tile photo beneath a clear plastic protective layer. This flooring is very DIY-friendly, and laminate offers a multitude of texture and color options.

Pros

• Inexpensive compared to wood
• Easy to clean
• Scratch-resistant
• DIY-friendly
• Many styles and colors are available

Cons

• Susceptible to moisture damage
• Chips easily
• Does not look and feel like wood
• Has a hollow sound underfoot

Luxury Vinyl Flooring

Luxury Vinyl flooring is extremely water-resistant and won’t sustain damage even if the water sits on the surface for an extended amount of time. Composed of plastic, it’s available in plank, tile and sheet form.

Luxury vinyl plank (LVP) and luxury vinyl tile (LVT) are two forms that have gained popularity recently because of their durability and the variety of styles available. 

Pros

• Good for kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms and basements
• Durable
• Water- and fade-resistant
• DIY-friendly
• Many design choices available
• Easy to maintain

Cons

• LVP and LVT is more expensive than laminate
• Lower ROI than wood

Tile

Tile flooring is a popular choice for moisture-prone areas like bathrooms and kitchens. The most common tile materials are ceramic or porcelain. The tile is water-resistant, durable, and comes in a variety of styles and colors.

The installation cost varies depending on the material; for instance, glazed ceramic is less expensive than porcelain tile. 

Pros

• Waterproof
• Durable
• Long-lasting

Cons

• Expensive
• Hard to install
• Lot of prep work is needed before installation
• Cold and slippery

Bottom Line

Choosing the best flooring for your home isn’t as simple as selecting the best-looking or the one that’s on sale. Several factors such as moisture, durability, ease of maintenance, and budget greatly influence the decision. A new floor can be an investment, so your floor choice should balance your needs with your style. Make sure to discuss your ideas with your chosen flooring contractor at length to ensure the project is done to your standards. We recommend looking through the best flooring installation companies to ensure your job is done correctly.