With the wide variety of flooring options available today, choosing the right one for your home can feel overwhelming. Every brand is pushing its products, making it hard to find reliable information for your decision-making.
That’s why we’ve created this comprehensive guide to flooring types. Dive in and discover everything you need to know to choose the perfect floor for your home in the DFW metroplex. Let Dallas Flooring Warehouse help make your decision easier!
Wood Flooring: Original Hardwood vs Engineered Wood Planks
Hardwood flooring is a product that often adds long-term value to a home. The original wood flooring is genuine Maple, Oak, Pine, Elm or other favorite. Since it can be stained, it may be one type of wood made to look like another.
Engineered wood is highly recommended for homeowners in areas like Grand Prairie and McKinney due to the stability it offers against North Texas’s common shifting foundations and seasonal humidity swings.
Whatever the case, hardwood is long-lasting. It needs sanding and varnishing every ten to twenty years. This depends on how much foot traffic is in the house and related factors.
Engineered hardwood planks are made from real wood, too. However the wood pulp has been combined into layers.
Style, Maintenance, Durability and Cost Considerations
If the engineered wood plank is a quality product, it is often made to be stain resistant and water resistant. It is often hard enough to resist wear and tear, even from pets.
This product is popular because it is a less expensive product that looks just as good as true hardwood. Basically you spend less without sacrificing the style you want. Hardwood is much more expensive to buy and takes much longer to install.
Quality engineered planks are very durable and have a top layer that is extra thick to withstand wear. Plus there are new engineered wood products that can even be refinished, extending their lifespan even more. Potentially a hardwood floor could last for centuries. However, it also can become warped from water or otherwise damaged by heavy use.
As for style, there are even more color and pattern choices for engineered wood than there are with real wood. For instance, shoppers can find an exotic wood look that isn’t even available as a regular hardwood floor.
When it comes to daily care, hardwood and engineered wood floors are similar. You just need a broom to sweep away the dirt. It’s okay to mop engineered wood floors regularly while hardwood floors should be mopped sparingly to preserve the finish.
Learn more about wood.
Luxury Vinyl Flooring: LVT vs LVP
Another choice is luxury vinyl flooring. LVT — luxury vinyl tiles — are often used in place of traditional tile flooring. That makes it good for kitchens, bathrooms, and entryways. It really can be used in any room in the house.
LVP — or luxury vinyl planks — are similarly sturdy and versatile. These planks can be laid very easily, creating a sealed floor. This product is so beautiful and affordable that homeowners choose it over engineered wood, laminate or expensive hardwood.
For residences in Grapevine or Southlake with active families, pets, or high-traffic mudrooms, waterproof LVP provides the ultimate combination of style, durability, and easy maintenance. You’ll appreciate the extra protection when the DFW metroplex is coping with heavy rains.
Style, Maintenance, Durability and Cost Considerations
There are two kinds of vinyl flooring. SPC is stiffer because it is made from stone plastic composite. WPC is made from wood plastic composite plus it has a foaming agent. This makes WPC more comfortable to walk on. Of the two, it is considered more resilient.
Luxury vinyl flooring was designed to be easy to install. This helps reduce the cost of installation. Since it can be used anywhere, you can do the entire house with one product if you wish. That also makes installation easier and faster.
Our knowledgeable staff can help you learn about the cost of luxury vinyl. LVT and LVP prices vary widely by brand and quality.
Learn more about luxury vinyl planks.
Wall-to-Wall Carpeting vs Carpet Tiles
There is no flooring choice that is more comfortable or more welcoming than carpeting. Shorter piles have been developed that resist wear and tear from foot traffic. Longer piles are the most luxurious to the touch, and they make bedrooms and living rooms feel more welcoming.
Carpet tiles are a favorite of businesses, hotels, and rental properties. Compared to wall-to-wall carpeting, carpet tiles aren’t quite as good at insulation. Generally you can use either product and enjoy their sound-proofing qualities.
Style, Maintenance, Durability and Cost Considerations
The key to carpeting is to get a high quality product and have it installed correctly by an experienced team. Padding must be laid first. Without that layer, the carpet will wear out much more quickly. It also won’t be as soft to walk on.
Carpeting lasts longer than ever with stain-resistant, odor-resistant and even pet friendly products. It’s still important to wipe up spills as soon as possible, but it is less of a chore.
Tiles vary widely in quality, and that is generally reflected in the cost. Professionals find them easy to install. Generally the products are stain-resistant and can be maintained as easy as with regular carpet.
Regular vacuuming keeps it clean, and an occasional deep cleaning will help extend its life. You just need to use cleaning products recommended by the manufacturer to ensure the best results.
In some cases, carpet tiles are moved around to prevent too much wear at the entry. If you retain some extra tiles, it’s possible to replace a tile if it has gotten torn or stained.
Learn more about carpet quality, patterns and styles.
Tile Flooring
The classic look and cooling properties of stone, porcelain, and ceramic tile make them a popular, luxury choice for kitchens and entryways across Colleyville and Keller. Barefeet love to touch this flooring during the worst of our Texas heat waves.
Installation for these products is generally time intensive. However, the final result is generally long lasting.
Porcelain tiles are known for their luxury look and are often used in the bathroom. Ceramic tiles are tougher and often used in the kitchen or entryway. Providing the style at a lower cost, there are newer products made of crushed stone in a similar way that engineered wood is made of pulp.
Style, Maintenance, Durability and Cost Considerations
Daily maintenance is quite easy with these products. You can sweep or mop as often as needed. However, since grout is used to hold the tiles to the floor, you may need to deep clean the grout every six months to a year.
Often these products add value to a home because they are considered long-lasting, high quality floors. Porcelain and ceramic tiles are so hard that anything that drops is sure to break, and that can be a deal breaker for families. Furthermore, individual tiles can break if something very heavy drops on them.
With luxury vinyl offered in patterns that imitate stone and ceramics, many shoppers will opt for water-resistant LVT or LVP. These products are less expensive to purchase and don’t require the intensive installation of traditional tile.
Learn more about tiles.
Laminate Flooring
Today’s laminate is made with a much higher quality standard, and the patterns look much more natural. These can be substituted in any room of the house. They can look like marble in the bathroom, stone in the kitchen, and hardwood in the living room if that’s your preference.
Style, Maintenance, Durability and Cost Considerations
If you have seen very old laminate flooring, you know that it was once extremely thin and not particularly sturdy. Today’s quality laminate flooring is thick and extremely durable. It’s made to resist tears that are caused by dragging furniture or by dropping heavy sharp objects.
Daily sweeping and regular mopping will keep most laminates looking good for a long time. It isn’t soft like carpet or sturdy like the other modern choices. If laid on top of cement, it won’t provide any cushioning nor does it provide much in the way of sound or temperature regulation.
Generally laminate flooring is the least expensive option. This is even more true due to the simplicity of its installation. For a rental property or house flip in DeSoto or Duncanville, today’s high-quality laminate is a durable choice that delivers excellent style on a budget. However, many homeowners look to LVP or engineered hardwood planks because these choices are higher quality and generally more natural to the eye.
Learn more about laminate.
Get Honest Answers from Our Experts
With what you’ve learned, you may be ready to order. However, if you are like most of us, you would enjoy having an expert on your side.
Ready to begin your project? Visit one of our showrooms in Grapevine, Granbury, or our main Dallas location to see why we are the top-rated flooring source in the entire DFW Metroplex.
We can help direct you to the type of product that best suits your style and budget. There’s so much to choose from. It’s really a blast to take your time and discover the possibilities.
Schedule a Free In-Home Consultation.