It’s important to take into account the different types of flooring by room. Particularly for areas prone to water damage such as the kitchen and bathroom. Keep reading to learn what materials hold up best in the kitchen, bathroom and high traffic areas of your home.
Best Flooring for High Traffic Areas
Many homeowners prefer wood for its aesthetic beauty. However, as Consumer Reports tests revealed, wood floors dent easily and don’t withstand foot traffic particularly well. So, what’s the best choice for flooring in the mudroom, hallways and entryway? Consumer Reports suggest porcelain tile (top choice) or vinyl (close runner up).
Porcelain Tile
Yeager Flooring in Tampa has a large variety of durable tiles, including gorgeous porcelain tiles that stand the test of time, retaining their upscale look over the years. These tiles fit well in high-traffic areas, making a big impact and outperforming other flooring materials for scratch resistance and dents. Check out our wide selection of colors and sizes to match porcelain tiles to your home’s unique style. Some homeowners choose smaller tiles in uniform or mixed sizes, while others pick traditional square tiles in small or large sizes to fit the space where they are laid. Matching or contrasting grout can serve as an additional design element. As a perk, tile is one of the lowest maintenance types of flooring. Vacuum and mop them to keep them clean and you’re all set.
Vinyl
Vinyl, CR’s second choice for high traffic areas, has been around since the 1950s, with good reason. This affordable material can cover large areas without breaking the bank. Additionally, vinyl planks and tiles are much cheaper than porcelain and install easily so you don’t have to give up the use of your room for extended periods.
Best Flooring for Kitchen
Bob Vila lists durability, water-resistance, clean up qualities and design compatibility as the most important factors in choosing the best flooring for your kitchen.
- Durability: Choose flooring, such as laminate, that stands up well to frequent spills and resists staining. Can your kitchen flooring withstand a dropped skillet or knife with denting or ripping? You need to select wisely to ensure it can handle your lifestyle.
- Water-resistance: A lot of moisture collects in the kitchen between washing dishes and preparing meals. Also, you need flooring that won’t notice if you occasionally spill the wine or juice.
- Easy Clean-Up: The last thing you need in your kitchen is high-maintenance flooring. Choose materials that stand up well to frequent cleaning to reduce your after-dinner stress.
- Design-friendly: You want a kitchen that looks as good as the rest of your house. Fortunately, you don’t have to compromise on good taste or durability. With the wide selection of tiles, planks and other products at Yeager Flooring, you can make your kitchen as beautiful as the rest of your home. Create a resilient, gorgeous space from the ground up.
Vinyl
Vinyl is a popular choice for kitchen flooring. It’s water-resistant, easy to clean and feels good under your bare feet. Heavy appliances may leave dents in the material, so use coasters to prevent damaging your vinyl floors. Yeager Flooring also installs flooring, including this decades-old favorite. Vinyl flooring leaves no seams for water to infiltrate and damage the subflooring. Let our installers lay down wall-to-wall protection and beauty in one of the busiest rooms in your home.
Tiles
Porcelain and other tiles form a waterproof barrier that is durable and stain-resistant to even the worst spills and accidents. Seal the grout to further protect the subflooring and retain the beauty of your chosen design. It’s difficult to find a hardier material than porcelain tiles. They cost more than other alternatives, but it may be worth it to keep your kitchen flooring in great condition for years to come. Though porcelain resembles ceramic, manufacturers make it at higher temperatures. This tempers the porcelain, making it stronger and resistant to dents and dings. Yeager Flooring has a variety of porcelain flooring to choose from to enhance your home’s elegance.
Best Flooring for Bathroom
Porcelain, ceramic tile and vinyl can all work to protect one of the wettest environments in your home.
Porcelain or Ceramic Tile
Porcelain is the best flooring for bathrooms. It’s stylish, cost-effective and waterproof. Porcelain achieves a rich texture and solid feeling underfoot. Although it costs more, it looks great and many homeowners opt to budget for this gorgeous material. How do you choose between ceramic and porcelain? Porcelain have an extremely low water absorption rate. This can save your home from structural damage in the case of a leak or flood. If you have a half bath, you might want to use ceramic to save on costs since there’s less of a risk of leaking. We have a huge selection of ceramic and porcelain tiles, and our friendly, knowledgeable staff can help you create the look you’re dreaming of in your bathroom flooring.
Vinyl Flooring: Sheet, Plank, or Tile
Appealing and practical, vinyl is the third most popular bathroom flooring. It won’t last as long as tiles, but some homeowners use the same vinyl flooring for decades with great results. It’s also much cheaper than most other flooring options in Florida. Use vinyl in the bathroom and in low-traffic areas such as the laundry room to save money and achieve great looking results.
Contact Yeager Flooring in Tampa Today
Contact the experts at Yeager Flooring for great ideas on how to complete your flooring projects. We sell and install wood, vinyl and ceramic materials in the latest trends, colors and styles. We can help you create a custom look that will withstand wear and tear in the tropical heat and still look good under your feet. We aim to keep our customers happy and improve their homes with quality flooring solutions.
About the Author: Jim Yeager, Owner
