Best Type of Flooring

Choosing the Right Flooring for Your Home

Not sure what type of flooring you need for your home? You have come to the right place. Start your flooring research with this helpful guide to the most popular types and where they work best.

Use our flooring type quiz to quickly find the best flooring for your home.

Find the Best Flooring for Your Needs

If you already know what your household needs, jump to the flooring options that work best for your situation:

• Best Flooring for Homes With Kids or Pets
• Best Flooring for Bathrooms and Kitchens
• Best Budget-Friendly Flooring Options
• Best Flooring for Long-Term Value

Which Types of Flooring Are Most Popular?

Durability, sustainability, and a focus on long-term value are a few of the factors influencing today’s flooring decisions. Here is a glimpse of the trending flooring types among homeowners, with the most popular at the top:

• Luxury vinyl plank
• Engineered and solid hardwood
• Large-format tile
• Cork or reclaimed hardwood

Keep in mind that homeowners replace floors every five to 15 years. Because of flooring’s long lifespan, coupled with its high upfront costs, it is important to think beyond trends. What is universally popular may not be the best choice for your needs and style. The right flooring is the one you love now and five years from now.

What Are the Best Types of Flooring?

The “best” type of flooring is the flooring that works best for you, your lifestyle, and household. It is less about chasing trends and more about selecting the flooring that accommodates your home — its style, each room’s function, and the people who live there.

Key flooring considerations or questions to address:

1. Do you have kids or pets?
2. Where will the flooring be installed?
3. Is noise a concern?
4. Is it for a bathroom or other high-moisture room?

Your answers to these questions, along with your flooring quiz results, can start you on the path toward deciding the best flooring for your home.

Popular Types of Flooring

Flooring is a major functional element in a home’s interior design and can set the tone or mood of each room. Selecting and buying flooring may feel overwhelming at first, but it can be fun once you are familiar with the materials and their pros and cons. Let’s take a closer look at each popular flooring type, its strengths, where it works best, and budget considerations.

Carpet

Textural and soft underfoot, carpet is still a heavy flooring favorite, even if it doesn’t rank among the top five flooring types.

Best For: Bedrooms, living rooms, dens, lofts, home offices, basements

Why Choose It: The warmth and comfort of carpet are hard to beat. It is a great choice for low-traffic areas in the home where insulation and noise reduction is a priority. Carpet is also highly versatile — it comes in a variety of styles, materials, and colors, making it adaptable to different design preferences and budget needs.

Things to Consider: Carpet can show significant wear and tear after a few years, especially in high traffic areas. It is also known to trap allergens, dirt, and dander, which could be challenging for people with compromised immune systems. It is also more susceptible to stains and tears compared to other types of flooring. Carpet requires regular vacuuming and shampooing to keep it clean and looking optimally.

Hardwood

The natural beauty and warmth of hardwood floors balance aesthetics with strength and durability.

Best For: Living rooms, dining rooms, hallways, stairs

Why Choose It: Known for its timeless beauty and versatility, hardwood flooring is a great choice for high-traffic areas. Various wood species and stains work with nearly every design style and consideration. It can also be refinished and offers a decades-long lifespan if properly maintained.

You can read more about the types of hardwood you can choose from.

Things to Consider: Wood flooring often comes with a hefty price tag for materials and installation. If you’re on a tighter budget but love the wood look, consider engineered wood as a lower-cost alternative.

Wood is also more susceptible to scratches, dents, and stains. Water and moisture damage are also a concern — wood flooring should stay out of bathrooms and other wet areas, and any liquids should be wiped up immediately to prevent warping and buckling.

Explore our list of the Best Hardwood Flooring Brands here!

Tile

Tile flooring is durable, scratch-resistant, and low-maintenance, with numerous colors, shapes, and textures from which to choose. 

Best For: Bathrooms, kitchens, entryways, outdoor living areas

Why Choose It: Tile’s design versatility, varied type options, and water resistance make it an attractive choice for areas that are prone to moisture and in homes with kids or pets. Porcelain, ceramic, or natural stone tile offer nearly limitless styles, colors, and patterns. Porcelain is the strongest and least porous of the three, offering superior stain resistance. Ceramic is the most budget-friendly, while natural stone can make a home look uniquely one of a kind.

Things to Consider: Depending on the material, tile can be significantly more expensive than other flooring options. Cleaning and maintenance are simple, and annual sealing will maintain tile’s stain resistance and lifespan. Tile may feel uncomfortable to some, as it is cold underfoot, especially in colder climates. It can also get slippery when wet, so slip-resistant tiles are a must if installed in bathrooms or kitchens.

Laminate

Laminate is a more budget-friendly alternative to hardwood flooring, requires minimal upkeep, and is scratch and dent resistant.

Best For: Living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, kitchens

Why Choose It: Laminate flooring is a cost-effective choice, simulating the look of hardwood or stone without the high price. Quality laminate flooring (10 mm or 12mm thickness or AC4+ rating) offer superior scratch and stain resistance, making it an appealing choice for families with kids or pets. Some types also include a protective coating to increase water resistance. With many brands featuring a floating, click-lock assembly, laminate flooring is also relatively easy to install.

Things to Consider: Laminate cannot be sanded and refinished like regular hardwood, so damages areas need a full replacement. Laminate is also prone to warping if water infiltrates plank cores or if the flooring is not installed properly. Scratches, dents and the like can be difficult and expensive to repair.

Explore our list of the Best Laminate Flooring Brands here!

Vinyl

Vinyl flooring has gained massive popularity in recent years due to its wood-like appearance, waterproof properties, and affordability.

Best For: Bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, basements

Why Choose It: This type of resilient flooring is highly durable, making it ideal for homes with kids and pets. It is one of the most affordable flooring types on the market and offers many different styles and colors to mimic the look of wood and stone. Its water-resistant construction is what also makes vinyl flooring popular — it doesn’t warp or buckle from moisture or mild flooding and is resistant to mold or mildew growth.

Things to Consider: There is a wide range of quality in the vinyl flooring category. Basic or entry-level products can be prone to scratches and dents that mar their appearance. Lower-quality vinyl can also emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and be constructed from non-biodegradable materials, raising environmental concerns. Texture may also be an issue for some homeowners, as lower-end vinyl planks and tiles don’t offer the similar feel and appearance of hardwood or stone.

Explore our list of the Best Vinyl Flooring Brands here!

Linoleum

Budget-friendly and relatively simple to install, linoleum flooring comes in sheets or tiles that are glued down to the subfloor with a spread adhesive.

Best For: Playrooms, kitchens, commercial spaces

Why Choose It: Constructed from renewable materials, linoleum is eco-friendly and offers a 20- to 40-year lifespan. Sheets or tiles are inexpensive and come in a variety of colors and patterns. Linoleum is durable and easy to clean, and its antimicrobial properties inhibit bacterial, germ, and fungal growth.

Things to Consider: Visual appeal is a common drawback to linoleum flooring. It lacks the higher-end look of other flooring types, and lower-quality products fade in direct sunlight. Linoleum also dents easily from drop impacts and, if not installed properly, will bubble, wrinkle, or curl.

Bamboo

Bamboo is a unique, highly renewable, and cost-effective flooring material for homeowners who enjoy the look and feel of hardwood.

Best For: Living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, hallways

Why Choose It: Bamboo is a fast-growing plant and can grow without chemical pesticides, making it a more sustainable and environmentally flooring option. It has the warm look of wood and is a stylish alternative to more expensive hardwood floors. High-quality, solid bamboo flooring has a lifespan of more than 25 years and can be refinished multiple times to remove scratches and stains to maintain its beauty.

Things to Consider: Although it is a renewable resource, bamboo quality can be inconsistent depending on the manufacturer and the age of the bamboo harvested. Similar to wood, it is susceptible to moisture damage and may warp or become discolored if exposed to prolonged humidity.

Cork

Cork is an eco-friendly and sustainable flooring material that increases cushioning and comfort underfoot.

Best For: Bedrooms, dens, living rooms, home offices, libraries

Why Choose It: With its millions of tiny, air-filled pockets, cork offers a warm, soft, and cushion-like feel that offers more comfort while walking and standing. It has natural sound insulation properties, so it is ideal for rooms where peace and quiet are a priority. It also has natural antimicrobial and hypoallergenic properties that maintains or improves a home’s air quality. Cork is a renewable resource, making it a more earth-friendly option compared to other flooring materials.

Things to Consider: Cork’s soft, cushiony construction makes it more susceptible to scratches and dents, especially from heavy furnishings or high heels. Prolonged exposure to direct sunlight that can cause fading and discoloration. And while cork has some moisture resistance, it offers little protection against standing water or even mild flooding that leads to swelling, warping, or buckling.

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Flooring Types Comparison Chart

Each flooring type has its own advantages and disadvantages. Here is a quick glance at the specific flooring characteristics to help you determine the best type to meet your needs. And if you haven’t already, our helpful flooring quiz can point you in the right direction.

Flooring Based on Your Needs

Certain flooring types perform better than others in specific applications. Different flooring materials are more appropriate depending on your household makeup, lifestyle, or budget. Here are a few common household situations to consider, and if you’re still unsure what type of flooring is right for you, take our quiz to help you narrow down your options.

Best Flooring for Homes With Kids or Pets

Homes with young children or pets need floors to withstand everything life throws at them, from spills and hijinks to high traffic and claws.

Vinyl

Why It’s Best: Vinyl is highly durable, strong, and waterproof, making it a natural choice in busy, high-energy households. Spaghetti, spills, and wayward snacks don’t stand a chance against this resilient flooring.

Laminate

Why It’s Best: Laminate flooring comes in at a close second place, as it offers many of the same benefits as vinyl while more authentically mimicking the look and feel of wood or stone. Keep in mind that laminate is less water resistant than vinyl and will require more prompt cleanup of spills and standing water.

Best Flooring for Moisture-Prone Rooms

Nothing can ruin a floor like water, so your choice of flooring material for bathrooms, kitchens, and entryways should include moisture protection.

Vinyl 

Why It’s Best: Vinyl plank or vinyl tile flooring is waterproof and easy to install and maintain. It also costs less per square foot on average, making it a more budget-friendly alternative to tile.

Tile

Why It’s Best: Porcelain or ceramic tile offer superior water resistance and hundreds of colors, shapes, and patterns to create a look that reflects your style.

Best Budget-Friendly Flooring Options

If you are on a tighter budget, here are a couple of options that allow you to give your floors an upgrade at a lower cost.

Carpet

Why It’s Best: Carpet has a huge range of options, from entry-level to luxury, and starts at a lower price point than other flooring types. It is a great option for bedrooms, living rooms, and any other room where you want to feel warm and comfortable.

Laminate

Why It’s Best: Laminate is a great choice if you love hardwood or stone but don’t want to pay a premium for them. Laminate quality has come a long way, and higher-end brands offer products with colors and textures that mimic those of natural materials.

Best Flooring for Long-Term Value

Depending on your budget and how long you plan to live in your home, here are a couple of flooring options that will retain their beauty and performance for years to come.

Hardwood 

Why It’s Best: If you have the money and plan to stay in your home for years, the beauty and warmth of hardwood flooring is hard to beat. If it is cleaned and refinished regularly, wood flooring can last for generations.

Bamboo

Why It’s Best: Bamboo flooring offers many of the same benefits of hardwood flooring for a fraction of the cost. While there are fewer design and style options with bamboo, it is durable and sustainable, and can last for many years when properly maintained.

Factors to Consider When Choosing New Floors

Now that you’re familiar with the most popular flooring types, the next step is narrowing your options. Here are the most important things to consider when researching and shopping for new flooring.

1. Cost

Cost is usually the most important factor when making a flooring choice. Some materials are more expensive and require more labor to install. Hardwood and some tiles usually occupy the more expensive end of the spectrum, while laminate and vinyl flooring are more economical. How much flooring you need compared to installed costs is also something to keep in mind. Splurging on luxury tile in a small bathroom may be doable, but it might not be economically feasible for the entire house.

2. Style

This is the fun part of the flooring selection process-finding the right material look, feel, and performance that reflects your style. Certain types of flooring will match or complement your home’s design and decor better than others. Consider consulting with a design professional to help you select beautiful and timeless flooring that you’ll be happy with today and for years to come.

3. Location

Along with flooring’s style and visual appeal, it is also important to consider the room’s location in the home, its purpose, and activity level. Some rooms lend themselves to certain types of flooring. High-traffic areas like entryways, family rooms, and kitchens are better suited for stronger and more resilient flooring types, while bedrooms, studies, and home offices will feel warm and comfortable with carpet.

4. Maintenance

How much time do you want to spend cleaning and maintaining your floors? Your answer to this question can help you narrow down your options. Consider how often you want to mop and vacuum your new floors (or not).

5. Durability

Do you have kids or pets? Both can be hard on flooring, as can large, busy households. If strength, durability, and scratch and stain resistance are a must, vinyl and tile are good options. Keep your family’s lifestyle and needs in mind – including potential issues and mishaps – before choosing new flooring.

6. Return on Investment

Are you living in your forever home or planning to move in a few years? Solid hardwood or engineered wood floors offer visual appeal, a long lifespan with regular maintenance, and are attractive to potential buyers. If you are planning to sell your home soon, vinyl or laminate flooring are a less expensive refresh.

The Bottom Line on Flooring Options

The right flooring choice depends on a few key factors, including the room’s function and your lifestyle, budget, and style preferences. Hopefully this flooring quick guide has helped you narrow down your choices to help you make an informed decision. If you’re still debating options or want to take the next step in your flooring project, Modernize can match you with local flooring professionals who can offer guidance, create a custom flooring solution, and provide cost estimates.

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