Choosing new flooring for your Ottawa home

There are some key questions that you should ask yourself as you embark on the process of choosing new Ottawa flooring for your home. When you choose the right flooring, you can transform your home into a more sophisticated and practical space that better reflects your personal style. Don’t let this task seem daunting, even though a lot of consideration will go into your decisions. If you begin this process with a rough idea of what you’d like to see in the end result, things will go along more smoothly and with less frustration on your part. Taking into consideration the needs of your family and lifestyle and what demands that might make on your on your flooring is essential, but there are some questions that you can ask yourself beforehand to minimize your stress.

• What are your family’s needs of the flooring in your home? How much traffic does the floor receive? If you have any children, this is definitely something to be factored into your decision.
• Do you have any pets?
• How often will the flooring be exposed to moisture?
• How often will you likely have to clean your floors?
• What kind of durability do you hope and expect for your flooring?

Flooring for your Kitchen

Durability and ease of cleaning are top priority when it comes to the flooring in your kitchen. Linoleum and ceramic tile are both very popular options, in addition to wooden flooring.

Linoleum is rather inexpensive while providing an easy-to-clean surface for active kitchens and your family’s lifestyle.

 Ceramic tiles are also easy to maintain, but offer a greater variety in options than linoleum. Another plus side to ceramic tiling is the superior durability that it offers, as they are resistant to dings, scratches and other minor forms of damage. However, there are some downsides to consider when you contemplate using tile in your kitchen. If your home is older or there is damage to the sub-flooring, it is advisable to replace the sub-flooring before you lay the tile down. Otherwise, ceramic tiles are prone to cracking. There are different types of textures available for these tiles, and the presence of children in your home should make this an extra priority in your decision making. Smooth tiles become incredibly slick when wet, which can pose a risk to small children or those with certain disabilities that impact their mobility. Opting for textured tiles can make your floor safer for everyone in your home.

Wooden flooring adds a sense of “coziness” to any home, and aesthetically are a very popular choice. Wood is also durable and can handle even the highest volume of activity. If you opt for wooden flooring in your kitchen, do make sure to apply a good protective finish such as polyurethane. This will guard your new flooring against the inevitable moisture that is bound to make its way to the kitchen floor.

Flooring for your Bathroom

Bathrooms are obviously exposed to more moisture than any other room in your home, and because of this it is important to select a type of flooring that will stand up to these unique demands. Linoleum, ceramic tile, limestone, marble and granite are all popular, stylish and functional choices for what could easily be considered one of the most important rooms in the home. These options provide a vast array of style options as well as price tags, to suit any budget or personal taste.

Each type of flooring requires different levels of skill to install. Ceramic or vinyl tiles are pretty easy to install, easy enough for the average homeowner to do it themselves. Ceramic tiles look great and offer amazing durability, but can be a rather expensive option.

Higher-end materials such as marble are additionally difficult to work with and will require the expertise of professionals.

Flooring for your Living Areas

Flooring the common living areas of your home often boils down to being a matter of personal choice. Preferences range from tile, wood, carpets in Ottawa, or even a combination of any or all of those three options.

Tile flooring offers a vast amount of variety in terms of patterns and styles, ranging from simple and basic colors to more elaborate and exotic design work. If you want to add a creative flair to the living areas of your home, decorative tile can help you achieve this look very easily. However, tiles can feel cold and hard under your feet, which can make them less than ideal for anyone who wants a cozier feel.

Wooden flooring has a natural beauty and sophistication that will make any room look luxurious and comfortable. It is also more comfortable on your feet and back when compared to ceramic tile. You can choose between hard and soft flooring. Oak is incredibly popular, but maple, birch and pine are also very commonly used as well. These options all come with different quality grades, which allow you to be a bit more selective about the cost and appearance of the wooden flooring that you will receive. Some boards contain plenty of irregularities, which are often referred to as “character marks,” whereas other wooden flooring can show remarkably uniform consistency. The level of consistency will impact the price tag of your new flooring.

The actual width of the wooden boards will also impact the overall look. “Strip flooring” refers to narrower cuts of wood, usually no more than 2 ¾ inches in width. “Plank flooring,” on the other hand, uses wider boards that can be as wide as seven inches.

It is advisable to avoid using wooden flooring in any underground room, such as a basement. The constant humidity and presence of moisture can cause problems with the wood, such as warping. If you want the look of wooden floors without the downsides of actual wood in such areas of the home, then it is wise to select a wooden Ottawa laminate flooring. This material is made of a multi-ply core layered over with hardwood. This construction helps to resist expansion and contraction far better than solid wood.

Carpeting is the top option for anybody who considers an ambience of warmth and intimacy to be essential in their home’s living areas. If you are fond of barefoot living, carpeting can be a luxurious and pleasant choice. In addition to the wonderful aesthetic benefits, carpet also provides a fair degree of sound-proofing as well as some insulation, making it a potentially ideal option for rooms that have no heat below them. There is a wide array of options when choosing carpeting for your home, which leads to quite a drastic change in pricing from one style to the next.

The quality and thickness of the pad you use beneath the carpet is also important to factor in when making your decision to select carpeting for your living areas. The padding will impact the lifespan of your carpeting and can make it even more comfortable to stand on while you enjoy the new look of your room.

If you plan ahead, choosing the flooring for your living areas doesn’t have to be stressful. Ask yourself the important questions beforehand to go into the process with a strong idea of what your needs are. With matters like your budget, the overall look you’re going for, and how much effort you want to spend on maintaining the finished result, at the front of your mind you will be ready to pick out the perfect floor in no time.

Continental Flooring is here to help you choose the best flooring options for your home.