A home remodeling project presents the opportunity to add new flooring.  Whether you are considering a kitchen remodel, a bathroom remodels or an entire home remodels, you will have your pick of new flooring options. Let’s take a look at the many different types of flooring including their unique merits and also some of their flaws.

1. Tile Floors

Tile is the perfect new flooring option for kitchens and bathrooms.  In particular, stone, porcelain, and ceramic tile are optimal for new kitchen floors.  Tile flooring is available in a litany of different colors and sizes.  You can also choose between different patterns for your new tile floor to suit your home’s unique design theme.  Another reason to choose tile is its durability.  Though tile grout might require releasing to prevent staining, it will prove long-lasting, retaining its beauty for decades to come.

2. Hardwood Floors

Hardwood is a traditional floor option.  Though hardwood floors are not waterproof, solid hardwood with the optimal finish is resistant to water.  As long as you clean up spills in a timely manner, your hardwood floor will look amazing for decades.  You can even revamp the aesthetic of your hardwood floor as it ages with refinishing.  Similar to tile, wood can be installed with unique patterns that create a distinctive aesthetic for your unique kitchen.

3. Laminate Flooring

Laminate is a comparably low-cost alternative to wood floors.  Similar to vinyl, laminate flooring replicates the aesthetic of wood yet proves much more affordable.  In contrast with vinyl, laminate flooring does not always prove waterproof.  However, if you are willing to pay a premium, you can find waterproof laminate.  Laminate flooring can even be added atop uneven subflooring already in place.

4. Cork Flooring

Cork isn’t the most popular or affordable kitchen flooring option yet it is worth your consideration.  Cork is available in the form of snap-together, glue-down, or peel/stick assembly, ultimately replicating the aesthetic of planks or tiles.  Part of the appeal of cork is that it does not feel cold when you touch it.  Rather, cork has a spring-like feel, meaning it has plenty of giving when pressure is applied.  If your primary concern is sufficient to support sound absorption, cork flooring is definitely worth your consideration.

For the most part, cork floors are either brown or grey in hue.  Though cork flooring is not waterproof, it will prove resistant to stains.  If spills end up soaking into your cork floor, don’t fret.  Your cork floor can be sanded, stained, and subsequently sealed to regain its beauty.  Furthermore, it must also be noted that there is the potential for sunlight to move into the kitchen through windows, causing the cork floorboards to fade in color.

5. Concrete Flooring

Concrete might not seem like the optimal material for your new kitchen or another part of your home yet it is worth your consideration.  Choose concrete for your new floor and it will prove durable across the years and decades ahead.  Stained concrete is especially intriguing as it has the potential to be styled similar to wood, tile, and stone.  Concrete floors can even be sealed to prevent water from seeping in.  If you are leaning toward this material, consider the addition of mats to areas that are most likely to have an abundance of moisture such as the dishwasher and sink.

Above all, concrete is gradually gaining in popularity as it is affordable.  Add in the fact that concrete is somewhat malleable in the sense that it can be altered to resemble other materials and there is all the more reason to consider choosing it for your remodel.

6. Vinyl Flooring

Vinyl flooring is en vogue as it has been enhanced through modern upgrades.  In particular, engineered vinyl flooring in the form of planks and tiles that replicates the aesthetic of stone and wood is especially popular.  Vinyl flooring is waterproof, provides considerable support, and proves easy to clean.  However, vinyl flooring is comparably soft, meaning there is the potential for appliances or other large items to leave indentations or scratches unless carefully lifted when being repositioned.