Did you move into a new home and are looking to make some home improvement changes? Perhaps your existing home is running a little behind the times and you're looking to carry out a bedroom renovation? In any case, you're looking to install new flooring in your bedroom.
The question is: which flooring material should you install? There are several options out there, including the following.
Wood
The first option we're going to discuss is hardwood floors. Wood flooring offers undeniable natural beauty and is available in a variety of styles. You can find oak flooring, ash flooring, mahogany flooring, walnut flooring, and more, each of which carries its own set of aesthetic and functional characteristics.
You also have the option as to whether you finish your wood floor. Leaving it unfished will give your bedroom a rustic look. Finishing it will provide your bedroom with a luxurious aesthetic.
Functionally speaking, wood flooring varies. That said, in general, it provides excellent durability. Not only does it do a good job of withstanding scratching but denting as well.
As such, it's not uncommon for hardwood flooring to last over 100 years. In fact, many old homes still possess the original hardwood floors that were installed in them.
There are some downsides to wood flooring, however. For one, it needs a lot of maintenance. If it's not sealed regularly, it will deteriorate long before its time.
Also, it doesn't perform well in the face of moisture. However, as long as you keep your room clean, this shouldn't be much of a concern.
It can be noisy and isn't exactly the softest material around. And, during the winter months, it can get cold. Note, though, that many of these problems can be reduced with the use of a throw rug. Wood is a suitable flooring material for bedrooms but isn't necessarily the best option. For an adult's bedroom, it would be fine. For a child's bedroom, you might want to consider something softer.
Vinyl
Another option to consider is vinyl flooring. This material is not only aesthetically pleasing but functionally impressive as well.
Vinyl flooring is available in a wide variety of styles. You can find it in a range of different colors as well. In many cases, it's designed to look like wood.
As far as its benefits go, it's warm, soft, and quiet. Also, it's resistant to moisture, scratching, denting, and other forms of trauma.
In most cases, vinyl flooring lasts for between 15 and 20 years. Once it hits this point, its color starts to fade. Its functional characteristics, on the other hand, can last for years past this.
All in all, vinyl is a terrific flooring material for bedrooms. Whether it's for a child or an adult, vinyl will get the job done.
Laminate
Laminate flooring is similar to vinyl in that it's synthetic. However, generally speaking, it's regarded as a lower-end version of vinyl. This is true not only because of its aesthetics but because of its functional characteristics as well.
Laminate offers some resistance to scratching, denting, and water exposure. However, it's nowhere near as resistant as vinyl. As such, it usually gives out within 10 to 15 years.
Aesthetically speaking, it's decent but lacks the sleek appearance of vinyl. It too attempts to look like wood but presents a less believable mimic.Nonetheless, it can work as a bedroom flooring material. Not only is it soft but quiet and warm as well. This makes it a solid option for kids' bedrooms, particularly, though it's also a good option for adults.
The biggest benefit of laminate flooring is that it's easy to install. So, if you want to DIY, this wouldn't be a bad option.
Porcelain
Porcelain tiles are not used in bedrooms. However, that doesn't mean that they can't be. Scratch-resistant, water-resistant, and dent-resistant, they'll provide you with plenty of use (most last around 50 years).
The reason that porcelain isn't a great material for bedrooms is that it's hard and cold. It doesn't exactly create a cozy environment.
Sure, it will help your room to look luxurious. But if you can't be comfortable in your bedroom, where can you be comfortable? In short, only opt for porcelain if you have a special preference for it.
Carpet
The last option we'll discuss is carpet. Carpet flooring doesn't quite possess the aesthetics of the other materials on this list but offers up several functional benefits. Plus, even though it's not aesthetically luxurious, it does still come in a wide variety of styles and colors.
The biggest benefit of carpet is its softness. It has tons of cushion, making it a good option for the room of a baby or small child. It's also quite warm and can help to keep a room comfortable during the winter months.
Though it's not absurdly easy to install, it's still DIY-friendly. As such, by buying it, you might be able to save some money on installation costs.
Where carpet runs into problems is in its durability. Not only can carpet rip but stain as well. Within about 10 years of its installation, it will have taken all that it can take, at which point it will need to be replaced.
So, while carpet flooring is a great option for bedrooms of all kinds, it is problematic in some ways. You will have to work to maintain it, and, even then, it will need to be replaced fairly quickly.