The cost of flooring isn't cheap. Real hardwood flooring might be one of the more expensive options, but it's an example of how expensive flooring can
The cost of flooring isn’t cheap. Real hardwood flooring might be one of the more expensive options, but it’s an example of how expensive flooring can be. There are cheaper options to explore, but it’s still essential to consider which option is the best for your needs before giving flooring the green light. Let’s explore four of the best flooring options on the market.
Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring is currently one of the most popular on the market because it’s relatively cheap, sturdy, easy to source, and comes in a variety of colors and styles to suit the needs of every buyer. Plus, the average installation cost of laminate flooring is between $850 – $2,300, making it one of the cheaper options on the market. Laminate flooring is widely regarded as highly resilient, easy to maintain, beautiful in appearance, and easy to install.
One thing to consider for laminate flooring is its resilience and durability. Although it’s thought to be highly resilient and thus has a long lifespan, it can’t be refinished. What you see is what you get, so maintenance and the correct care are needed to keep it in pristine condition.
Wood Flooring
Wood flooring is one of the most expensive options, but the finish is unbeatable. Although many flooring options like luxury vinyl try to replicate the finish, nothing can compare to a natural wood like oak or ebony – but you definitely pay for what you get. Depending on the type of wood, the installation costs lead many buyers to explore other options, like laminate, parquet, or vinyl.
Anyone with the budget, however, should look at materials like bamboo, live oak, cherry, or ebony. Those are the most popular real wood flooring materials, but there are rare wood floor materials like tigerwood or Australian Cypress that some buyers might have the budget to buy.
Vinyl Flooring
There are two types of vinyl flooring – standard and luxury. Standard vinyl flooring is thinner, has a shorter lifespan, and doesn’t have the same luxurious finish as vinyl flooring. The standard vinyl flooring is sold in thin, flexible sheets, whereas luxury vinyl flooring comes in multi-ply planks or tiles. The latter is the better option for durability and finish – most vinyl flooring options will replicate the desirable laminate floor finish.
Vinyl flooring is relatively inexpensive, both in standard and luxury forms. Obviously, a luxury vinyl floor finish is the better option, but standard vinyl flooring can be just as good if installed and maintained correctly.
Picking the right flooring for your needs can feel confusing. But balancing cost with quality is essential. Flooring is very much an investment, with better investments lasting far longer than some cheaper options. What flooring you choose depends on budget, desired finish, where the flooring will go, and how willing you are to maintain it.
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