How high does flooring rank in importance for your home? There are solid color vinyl floors, Herringbone patterned tiles, and a multitude of hardwoods to choose from. That’s assuming you’ve picked just one type of flooring to run with!
There are six types of flooring to consider for your home: vinyl, laminate, engineered hardwood (less expensive and more stable than solid hardwood), solid hardwood, tile, and carpet. The best Home Depot flooring for your home should be chosen after plenty of planning.
The best flooring choice from Home Depot is arguably their engineered hardwood, which offers a better price and superior level of stability when compared to traditional hardwood. However, the ideal choice for you may vary based on the overall decor of your house.
Some types of flooring are better for bathrooms and some are better for basements (no matter where, they are all better than shag carpeting). But before we go into each type of flooring, some housekeeping: below-grade means basement flooring, on-grade is ground-level flooring, and above-grade means second storey or higher. Now, here’s a look at the uses of each type of flooring.
Vinyl
Cost per Square Foot: $0.87 – $4.48
Versatile to the point of being used everywhere in the home, vinyl flooring is long-lasting, can take a beating, and is easy to install (easier if Home Depot installs it).
Whether it’s the bathroom, kitchen, or basement, vinyl flooring can be a perfect fit as it can be water-resistant or waterproof. Both are essential qualities for below-grade flooring as basements typically see more moisture than the ground-level living room.
Now that you’ve chosen where the best Home Depot flooring should go in your home, what vinyl style best suits your home? The classic wood-look flooring for the living room will impress guests, while tile-style flooring is a classic look for your kitchen. Vinyl flooring that imitates a natural stone look might be perfect for your bathroom or a tasteful accent to the natural surroundings in your neighborhood.
Laminate
Cost per Square Foot: $0.98 – $3.45
The central aspect of laminate flooring to remember is that it is not always water-resistant. However, specific styles are water-resistant, so it is best to do your research when shopping for laminate flooring.
Laminate is almost as versatile as vinyl. The scratch-resistant nature of laminate sets it apart from most flooring, especially in active and high-traffic homes or areas of your home.
There are many stylistic varieties of laminate flooring, though not many options in the natural stone look. Many of the styles mimic wood so closely that no one would know the difference by sight.
One appealing quality is the desired thickness of laminate flooring to help with sound insulation and stability, which is an excellent choice if you have basement bedrooms underneath well-trafficked areas of your house.
Engineered Hardwood
Cost per Square Foot: $3.78 – $9.98
With the lumber price boom of 2021, many people are looking for inexpensive but stylish options. Engineered hardwood is the perfect fit as it combines the affordability of non-wood flooring with the style, warmth, and feel of hardwood.
Engineered hardwood also has better temperature resistance than natural hardwood. This means that the warping caused by shrinkage and swelling (due to seasonal factors) will not be as extreme, or at all present, as with wood.
While it is not as resistant to active households (children and pets) as vinyl and laminate, it can add value to your home if you or are considering upgrading to sell.
Hardwood
Cost per Square Foot: $4.48 – $10.98
Sustainable developments in the hardwood-flooring category include not cutting down trees. Instead, this type of flooring is from bamboo and cork and harvests the outer bark of the individual tree, allowing for re-growth of the bark.
Unfortunately, that’s where the comparison to traditional hardwood flooring ends. Bamboo and cork are not as resistant to scratching, last about 50 years fewer than other hardwoods, and are susceptible to moisture just the same.
It can be argued that the best Home Depot flooring is hardwood for a classic look and feel. The price may be higher than other flooring options, but for a 30- to 100-year lifespan with sanding and refinishing once or twice, the price is worthwhile.
Take to heart that hardwood flooring should not be used in kitchens, bathrooms, and below-grade areas (basements). The moisture inherent in those areas of the home will warp the hardwood and make for a costly mistake!
When purchasing larger amounts of hardwood that won’t fit into your minivan, look into delivery options.
Tile
Cost per Square Foot: $1.11 – $41.98
Tile is perfect for those moisture-prone areas such as the laundry room, entranceways, bathrooms, and kitchens. It can withstand a lot of traffic and activity and last for decades if installed correctly. Plan your budget according to how much tiling you need.
The downside of tile flooring that removes it from the best Home Depot flooring available is the lack of comfort in areas of your home. For example, putting your feet down on cold tile when leaving your bed in the morning is never comfortable. Also, while it can take a beating, flooring your living room with tile is not the best idea if you have toddlers that like to bang things on the floor.
For the artistically inclined, tile may be a perfect outlet for designing wonderful patterns in your kitchen.
Carpet
Cost per Square Yard: $6.99 – $7.87
There are two rules for carpeting your home:
- Never carpet your kitchen
- Never carpet your bathroom
Of course, those two rules are subject to change depending on how much you love shampooing your carpets! The moisture build-up in those two rooms (and the entryway and laundry rooms, depending) will cause mould, mildew, and rot if not properly cared for. This can lead to an expensive investment in both time and materials.
With proper under-flooring, carpet is perfect for below-grade floor areas and is also highly recommended for bedrooms and living rooms. Keep your family and pets comfy and content with carpet in these areas.
Another thing to keep in mind is texture: skip online shopping and go to your local store to check out the feel of your top 5 carpet styles.
Conclusion
The variety of flooring options throughout your home can lead you to find multiple solutions to the best Home Depot flooring you can buy. Hardwood for living areas, tile for bathrooms and kitchens, carpet for the bedrooms! Let your creativity shine when tying rooms together with flooring.
For those with environmentally- and budget-friendly concerns, options are available. However, the cons may differ from traditional flooring options, so consider this article a primer for your research.