American homes are sized at 2,400 square feet on average, and recent times have shown that this size is increasing yearly. An underlying effect of having larger homes is more area and therefore more maintenance and repair costs.

However, being an expert housekeeper directly translates into less expense. With a growing floor space and number of rooms, it is but wise to know which kinds of flooring go best with each room and what kind of activities can be done on it, so repair and maintenance can be as infrequent as possible, or even null.

The following are the most common types of flooring and their main characteristics.

• Ceramic or porcelain tiles. Tiles are undeniably the most common type of flooring in homes. They are within the affordable range, are extremely durable, and cleaning is very easy—a spilled cup of coffee is easily wiped up. Tiles are suitable both for outdoor and indoor use because of their toughness.
• Luxury vinyl tiles (LVTs). These are dense, elastic, and extremely resilient. This material expands and compresses instead of cracking in response to changes in temperature. In addition, LVTs are waterproof, are easy to install and come in a variety of colors.
• Carpets serve as insulation to retain warmth especially at colder times of the year. They also improve the quality of indoor air by trapping dander and other microscopic debris.
• Aside from being aesthetic and classy, hardwood is very durable, but installation may prove to be very challenging. However, once installation is finished, hardwood can last several years without losing its original appearance.
• This is a bit like hardwood flooring, but it is lighter in color. This natural flooring is incredibly durable as well, but cleaning and polishing are a bit difficult compared to most materials.
• Stone flooring is comparable to wine; it gets stronger and its appearance becomes bolder through time. It gives off an earthy feel in homes, but it can be very expensive and hard to install.
• Waterproof laminate. The best thing about waterproof laminate is that it is a type of “floating tile”. This means that they do not require any adhesive or nails to be installed. You can simply lay them out.

How to know what best suits your home

Wet rooms like kitchens and front and back porches should definitely use waterproof materials, like porcelain tiles. This also makes them easier to clean.

Carpets and LVTs would be best in rooms that your family most frequently gathers in. Besides their functionality, carpets and LVTs are very inviting and comfortable, and their relatively soft surfaces make them safe as they are the least susceptible to breaking objects that your kids accidentally drop on the floor.

Some homes might prefer a more natural look and use bamboo or hardwood. These materials are usually eco-friendly and make rooms feel cooler.

Meanwhile, stone can be used for spaces like the garage.

At the end of the day, thoroughly understanding what house flooring is made of will save you a lot of expense in the future.