That part of our homes that is subjected to a lot of wear and tear is the flooring, especially if there is heavy traffic throughout the day. Unfortunately, when thinking about home improvement projects, flooring is almost always the last thing that is given attention.
Undertaking a flooring home improvement project is actually very easy and you might be surprised at how much new flooring can dramatically change the look of any room in the house.
Choosing Flooring Materials
There are several varieties of flooring materials that you can choose from and prices for these range from very affordable to a bit pricier for the high-end variety – as low as a dollar per square foot up to one hundred dollars per square foot, depending on the material.
Vinyl
Vinyl is by far the one of the cheapest flooring materials available today. This variety can withstand prolonged wear and tear, is very easy to install and comes in a variety of designs and colors so you can choose specific designs for each room in the house.
This type of flooring also requires very minimal maintenance as it is resistant to scratches and stains plus it can be easily polished for that shiny and clean look.
Prices for vinyl flooring usually start at a dollar per square foot.
Hardwood
A more elegant type of flooring is the hardwood variety. This can come in either strips or planks, and is usually made from sturdy wood taken from oak, black walnut and maple.
There are likewise more exotic varieties, usually Brazilian cherry and African pedauk.
Prices for this variety start at three dollars per square foot and can go up to fourteen dollars per square foot.
Laminated Flooring
This variety can come in many different designs: wood-like appearance, stone or tile copies. The copies are actually photographs covered with a type of plastic coating to give it a shinier finish.
This may also come in tiles as well as planks and can be directly installed on your existing flooring, making it very easy for you to put in new flooring with this type of material.
Prices for laminated flooring start at a dollar per square foot up to seven dollars per square foot.
Linoleum Flooring
There is also linoleum which can likewise be installed over existing flooring. Usually, makers of this type of flooring apply a special coating material over the linoleum to make it resistant to stains.
Price for linoleum flooring usually starts at two dollars up to five dollars per square foot.
