Vinyl floors with the industry’s FloorScore certification (pictured below) emit relatively low levels of volatile organic compounds-substances linked to health problems and pollution. This is a critical step to prevent buckling or unsightly gaps between boards. For less busy areas, consider one of the top engineered wood or bamboo floors, for their natural veneer and easy installation.īefore installing wood or laminate flooring, unpack it and let it sit for one to three days in the space where it will be installed so that its temperature and moisture content will find equilibrium with the levels in the room.
Our top products performed best in simulated foot-traffic tests. Consider very resilient flooring for family rooms and other areas that pets and kids frequent. Consider buying an extra box of flooring, in addition to the 7 to 10 percent extra, for future repairs or additions.Ĭommon high-traffic areas are entryways to rooms and to the house itself. (Divide an irregularly shaped room into smaller rectangles, calculate the square footage of each rectangle, and then add them together.) Then buy 7 to 10 percent extra to allow for mistakes, bad samples, and waste. To determine how much flooring you’ll need, measure the room’s square footage by multiplying its length by its width. To reduce repetition, shuffle boards from multiple packages when installing.
On the flip side, laminate floorboards within a given package may have an identical pattern that the eye can pick up if installed too close together. But variations can occur from one batch to the next, so buy all the flooring you’ll need at one time. Manufacturers try to match solid and engineered wood flooring for color and grain. Compare them side by side where they’re going to be installed, and look at them from different angles and in different light. Use our ratings to select the type that’s best for the room or rooms you’re renovating.īefore you buy, get samples of your top flooring choices.
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To help you make the best choice underfoot, we put the most common flooring types and brands-including Armstrong, Lumber Liquidators, Pergo, and Tarkett-through a series of tough tests. "It can be more profitable to ship cars and appliances than flooring, which decreases the supply available," he says. In this age of supply chain disruptions, the availability of building products like flooring is bound to fluctuate.Ī large quantity of hardwood, marble, and porcelain is produced in Europe, or sourced from Europe’s forests and quarries, explains David Steckel, a home expert at the website Thumbtack, which links consumers to providers of home-improvement and other services. But tile can be expensive and requires labor-intensive installation. The good news is that some new porcelain tile designs closely mimic the look and texture of wood. If it’s durability you’re after, porcelain tile would be a better choice. For example, some engineered woods, along with a few types of solid wood flooring, aren’t as resistant to moisture as vinyl or laminate is-a serious drawback in a bathroom or busy kitchen. Once you have your dream floor in mind, it’s time for a reality check. Installing a new floor is one of the more expensive home improvement projects you’ll undertake, so make sure you have the budget for the flooring you favor.Ĭonsider how much foot traffic, sunlight, and wear and tear your flooring will endure. Do you want to see rustic, weathered wood underfoot? Elegant imported ceramic tiles? Smooth, shiny stone? Checkerboard vinyl tiles or herringboned pine? Or something simple and unassuming to lie under your area rugs? When you’re buying new flooring for your home, your first consideration might be looks.
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