Hardwood Flooring and Carpets Comparison

Choosing the perfect type of floor for your home can be quite difficult because you are presented with a lot of choice on the matter. So many options, so much information and so different opinions. How to make the right choice for you? The key here is to know what kind of qualities you seek and value the most. What is it you really want a floor to offer your home? In this article, we are going to take a look at both hardwood and carpet flooring, evaluate the cons and pros of each and eventually reach a conclusion.

The Cons and Pros of Hardwood Flooring

Style. Hardwood is most popular flooring choice today and one of the main reasons why is simply because it is a natural product. It is one of those home aspects that appeal to pretty much everyone, so a wooden floor in a good condition will result in a higher resale value for a property. Wood is stylish, elegant and trendy. If you want to impress this is what you want in your home.

Comfort. Some people find the constant sound of footsteps to be annoying. There is also the creaking and squeaking but those are only problems of older or badly fitted installations which, depending on the floor’s condition, are not that complicated to fix. Others dislike the hard to the touch surface and prefer more cushioning. The majority, however, find timber to be beautiful, atmospheric and desirable. It is up to the person to decide what they really like best.

Price and Cost-Effectiveness. There is no question that hardwood is among the most expensive flooring alternatives on the market but compared to carpets it will provide better value for your money. The increased durability and the possibility of refinishing will allow the wood to last much longer and still look better. Carpets will be a lot cheaper but every few years you have to rip and replace them.

Cleaning and Maintenance. Everything that gets neglected will eventually wear down. Hardwood is no exception. Timber requires much less attention, it is a lot easier to clean and is much more resistant to stains and spills. The best part is that if it gets dented or scratched, a simple floor sanding service and refinish will fix it up, instead of replacing the whole thing. Its thickness allows it to be re-coated multiple times and still look as good as new.

Health. There is no denying the fact that some adhesives and floor finishes used for wooden surfaces also emit VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds) but they can be replaced by other, better alternatives while the wood itself is completely natural and harmless.

Where to Use? If you go for solid wood, you must avoid moisture at all costs. Solid, however, is an excellent choice for high traffic areas. Its thickness allows it to be re-coated multiple times and looking as good as new! With engineered flooring, on the other hand, you have absolutely no restrictions. Above or below grade, in bedroom or living room and arguably, even in kitchens or bathrooms! Engineered floors hold to moisture well and as long as you apply a durable polyurethane lacquer on top, you can use them almost everywhere.

The Good and the Bad About Carpets

Style. Fashion trends are something inconsistent. What was popular once, often won’t be the next year. Carpets are cheap and easy to replace. If you like to keep with certain fashion tendencies constantly, you now have that option because this type of flooring wear and tears relatively fast. As far as property resale value goes, they are more or less ignored. Most new owners will probably see it as an additional expense and change it to something better suiting their taste.

Comfort. The thing that defines carpets as a whole is the fact that they are both soft and warm to the touch. Beneath bare feet, especially in a cold winter, they feel great. In a children’s room, this may be particularly desirable. It’s a pleasure to walk on such floor since it has cushioning and unlike hardwood it doesn’t make much, if any, sound. This type of flooring can improve the insulation and help prevent the warmth from leaving the room.

Price and Cost-effectiveness. We are often restricted by a tight budget and carpets are indeed far cheaper flooring solution than hardwood. However, you also have the include the longevity of the material in the price factor. A wooden floor will simply last more and be the better long-term option. In the end, wood will simply provide better value for your money.

Cleaning and Maintenance. Carpets require extensive cleaning since they tend to hold a lot of dust, fur, pollen and mould. For this reason, they are a particularly bad choice if you have pets. Vacuuming usually doesn’t do enough so steaming at least once a year is advisable. In addition, stains can be incredibly hard to remove. The above-mentioned issues can make people wonder if it’s even possible to completely and thoroughly clean this type of flooring.

Health. It is much, much harder to slip on a carpet compared to polished, mirror-like wooden floor and even if you do, the soft surface will prevent any serious damage. Naturally, the same applies for objects which will be less likely to break.

On the other hand, due to the ability to hold various particles and the cleaning difficulties, it is not recommended to have such flooring if you or a family member suffers from allergies. Dust mites thrive on them. Recently, there have been arguments that they actually trap the allergies and prevent them from spreading in the air but why trap something you can clean instead? Wood is simply the better alternative, at least in this regard.

As far as overall health goes, many manufacturers nowadays use synthetic materials (mostly petroleum) which can sometimes emit harmful fumes. More natural and eco-friendly options do exist but the price will go up as well.

Where to use? Carpet flooring is not very durable so it’s not a good idea to use it in high traffic areas. It doesn’t hold well to water or dampness so bathrooms and kitchens are also a bad choice. A good place would be living room or bedrooms.

So, Hardwood Floor or Carpet?

If you are limited by budget and you don’t mind doing additional cleaning as well as fitting new floors relatively often – carpet is for you. If you can afford to get the more expensive alternative, you will have more durable product overall as well as much easier time maintaining it. Add an extra style point for getting a timeless flooring which will never really become outdated and we have a winner!

If you need more information before making your choice you can find it on the following references:
Benefits from real wood flooring
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