Maybe you just bought or you're planning to sell, or perhaps your current floor is just looking a little bit sad. Regardless of your reasons for updating your flooring, be sure to arm yourself with information before you commit to something brand new.
Carpet adds comfort and warmth to any room, and if you plan to sell your home, some buyers prefer it in bedrooms. It's also less expensive than hardwood floors, but between installation and maintenance costs, may be more expensive than luxury vinyl planks or laminate flooring in the long run. Professional installation usually takes a day or so at most, with no delay before you can use your new floors as usual.
Laminate flooring, which overlays images of wood, tile, or stone on top of layers of pressed composite wood or synthetic material, is a durable and low-maintenance alternative to hardwood flooring. And with better images and manufacturing innovations since its introduction in the 1970s, today's laminate floors can look extremely similar to the real things. Professional installation is affordable, but if you have the time and want to save the money, you can also do it yourself. But there are downsides: Laminate can't be sanded or refinished, for one, and it isn't moisture-proof, making it a bad choice for bathrooms or high-moisture areas.
Today's vinyl plank flooring, also called luxury vinyl, is an affordable — and sometimes very convincing — alternative to wood, ceramic, or natural stone floors, with the added bonus of high moisture resistance. Maintenance is simple, and DIY installation is common. Like laminate, vinyl planks cannot be sanded and refinished, but you may be able to conceal some damage with a vinyl repair kit.
