Choosing the Right Flooring for a Busy Family Room

What is the best flooring for busy family areas? We hear this question a lot at Top Carpets and Floors, especially from homeowners who want to modernise their floors within a budget. It is very important to keep all your family members, including the four-legged furry kind, in mind when you are thinking about new flooring for family areas, such as kitchens, living rooms and entertainment areas.

Considering what flooring in these areas has to endure, you are looking something that can withstand wear and tear and is easy to maintain.

A simple example of how not to do it would be to put carpets in a bathroom or kitchen. This would make little practical sense and the carpet would not last nearly as long as it is intended to. However, carpeting is ideal for a family room or other busy areas. Did you know that carpet is still one of the most popular floor coverings in the world?

Nothing makes a room feel cosier and warmer than carpet. It is also a great sound and heat insulator and is safe for the kids to play on and feels wonderfully soft underneath your feet. Of course, you will need to ensure that you choose the right carpet and correctly maintain it to enjoy the benefits for years to come. For a family room, you want to look at stain resistance, durability and comfort.

When it comes to other types of flooring …

Real Hardwood Floors

Real hardwood floors look beautiful, but have several drawbacks, including the following:

• Can be very costly.
• Are susceptible to scratching.
• Can be damaged by excessive moisture.
• Will show wear and tear quickly, especially in areas with lots of foot traffic.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is a great alternative to real hardwood because of these reasons:

• It is affordable.
• Offers good resistance to moisture.
• Is easy to clean.
• Feels comfortable underneath the feet.
• It is scratch resistant.

For a living room, laminate makes perfect sense. Drinks and food are bound to be spilled, kids will play rough and tumble games, there will be a lot of foot traffic when you have visitors, and pets will run in and out all day.

You do not want to spend hours cleaning the floor after a family get-together or party and worry that marks and stains have ruined the floor. Another reason laminate is so popular is because it is very easy to clean.

Consider this as well: if you have a lot of sunlight in your family room, real hardwood can fade and lose its aesthetic appeal, as it is a natural product. Laminate, on the other hand, has UV protection integrated into the surface.

If you are concerned that laminate will not offer the warmth of real hardwood flooring, think again. You will be amazed at how warm laminate is and how well it insulates warmth in an area. You can also invite more warmth in with well-placed area rugs.

Speak to the experts at Top Carpets and Floors about your flooring needs. We have the flooring to suit your lifestyle.