When determining the value of your home, there?s a wide variety of factors that help determine how much you can expect. One of the best qualities for any home is the flooring; it can make or break how people see your house value-wise. However, there?s plenty of different flooring styles, so it can be a bit confusing to determine which styling adds the most value when it comes time to re-sell. While there?s no singular choice, here are four favourites among many a homebuyer.
Hardwood
Hardwood flooring is a classic home fixture and can go well with almost anything. Real estate experts have estimated that homeowners can recover around 106% of their flooring installation costs for new hardwood before selling their homes. There are actually two different types of hardwood: solid and engineered.
Solid hardwood is made from 100% solid lumber milled to specific thickness and width. This means an amazing and unique look, with no two pieces looking exactly the same. Solid hardwood is an absolutely timeless option and gives off both a great sense of charm and style; it helps that solid hardwoods also hold the ability to be repeatedly refinished. That?s why many homebuyers are actually willing to pay more if a home includes solid hardwood.
Engineered hardwood is another option. The choice between engineered and solid is often more down to personal preference than anything, as both have comparable returns on investment. Engineered hardwood differs from solid due to its construction of veneered wood layers. This cross-layering gives engineered hardwood the same classic feeling as its solid counterpart while having the bonus of being more humidity resistant. It?s also indistinguishable from solid hardwood by look, meaning it generates the same amazement to potential buyers as solid. The way engineered hardwood flooring is produced means that the top layer allows for a large variety of wood species, like cedar, giving you some great customization options.
Just be warned, as hardwood floors come with some disadvantages. Both solid and engineered hardwoods tend to scratch and dent easily. Engineered hardwood is less durable than solid, due to only allowing one to three refurbishments before you start hitting the floor?s plywood layer, while solid hardwood tends to warp if exposed to moisture over long periods and can shrink and swell with temperature changes; this means a recommended refurbishment once every ten years.
Laminate
Laminate flooring is a great alternative to hardwood since it?s able to imitate the look and ?feel? of hardwood while being cheaper to install.
Made from fiberboard materials in multiple layers held together by a melamine resin, the laminate top layer is the one that holds the image. While it can?t entirely replicate the actual feel of wood, thanks to advances in embossing technologies laminate flooring can get closer than ever.
This type of flooring is prized for its low maintenance costs and ability to stand up to heavy use, not to mention its resistance to staining and damage like indentation and scratches that affects real hardwood; this makes it a good pet-friendly option that?s sure to earn you some bonus points from the right buyers. The variety of styles laminate can come in and ability to incorporate several finishes means giving your house awesome style and charm.
Laminate isn?t all positive, however. It?s notoriously slippery when wet, with water able to leak between the material layers if left too long. It also can?t be refinished, only replaced.
Vinyl
Comparable in composition and affordability to laminate flooring, vinyl flooring holds several main differences. For one thing, vinyl planks and tiles can mimic real wood and stone amazingly well. The way the flooring is constructed, through cores with various composite materials, means more pliability and fewer subfloor imperfections.
While not as valuable as laminate home buyer-wise, vinyl is longer lasting compared to laminate and can mean the difference to those looking for long-term living situations. It?s consequently known for being one of the hardiest flooring options, with incredible durability and moisture resistance coupled with easy maintenance make it highly attractive to those looking for a more simple option with less upkeep; not to mention the varied designs vinyl can come in.
Like other flooring options, vinyl can have its problems. The major issue is the variance in quality, with the cheaper options consequently holding less customizability in look and colour alongside their more fake appearance. It?s also been found to scratch as much as any other type of flooring under the right circumstances, even with its hardy durability. Additionally, if you don?t install a proper subfloor with an underlayer, this can result in a hollow echo sound when walked on.
It?s also not very eco-friendly, with many vinyl options being full of things like PVC and plastic softeners. All of these can be dangerous to young children and might not catch the positive eye of the more eco-conscious buyers, so it can definitely be a make-or-break flooring feature.
Carpet
Carpet is a classic favourite flooring option like hardwood and is made from a variety of materials, coming in everything from wool to nylon, polyester, and polypropylene. You can?t deny carpet?s natural softness and comfort; it works great in both private spaces like bedrooms and communal areas like the living room.
Although it?s a favourite of plenty of people, it isn?t always the greatest choice. Carpet is notoriously difficult to clean with vacuums compared to harder flooring options, usually requiring a steam cleaning to fully take care of. It?s also highly susceptible to staining, which can be an issue with young kids and pets. The flooring can also be a natural harbour for allergy-inducing pollen and pet dander, which is a big no-no for allergy sufferers. That?s why it?s highly recommended to be limited to the areas mentioned earlier, where there?s less chance of staining or dirt build-up; additionally, depending on the material carpet is good for other areas like enclosed porches for polypropylene carpeting.
Author?s Bio
Rhett Desormeaux is a content writer currently working with BreezeMaxWeb. He?s a passionate writer and loves studying ancient history, especially Bronze Age civilizations.
As the editor of the blog, She curate insightful content that sparks curiosity and fosters learning. With a passion for storytelling and a keen eye for detail, she strive to bring diverse perspectives and engaging narratives to readers, ensuring every piece informs, inspires, and enriches.
