Flooring is a foundational element of your home's design. It impacts the look, feel, and functionality of a room more than almost any other feature. Choosing the right material requires balancing style, durability, and budget. This guide breaks down the most popular options.

Hardwood: The Timeless Classic

Cost (Installed): $9 - $25 per square foot.
Best For: Living areas, dining rooms, bedrooms. Adds significant resale value.
Solid hardwood is milled from a single piece of wood and can be sanded and refinished multiple times, giving it incredible longevity. Engineered hardwood has a real wood veneer over a plywood core, which makes it more stable in humid environments. Both are beautiful but can be scratched and are not ideal for wet areas.

Luxury Vinyl Plank (LVP): The Durable Champion

Cost (Installed): $5 - $12 per square foot.
Best For: Kitchens, bathrooms, basements, high-traffic areas, homes with pets/kids.
LVP is the fastest-growing category in flooring for a reason. It's 100% waterproof, highly resistant to scratches and dents, and modern versions have incredibly realistic wood and stone looks. It's also comfortable and quiet underfoot.

Laminate: The Budget-Friendly Lookalike

Cost (Installed): $4 - $10 per square foot.
Best For: Living areas, bedrooms, and high-traffic zones on a budget.
Laminate flooring is constructed with a particleboard core topped with a high-resolution image layer. This allows it to mimic more expensive materials like hardwood for a fraction of the price. It's very durable and scratch-resistant, but its core is susceptible to water damage, so it's not the best choice for full bathrooms or basements.

Carpet: The Comfort King

Cost (Installed): $4 - $12 per square foot (including pad).
Best For: Bedrooms, low-traffic living rooms, playrooms.
Nothing beats the soft, warm, and quiet feel of carpet. It's available in an endless variety of colors, piles, and textures. However, it can stain easily and trap dust and allergens, requiring more frequent and intensive cleaning than hard surfaces.

Porcelain & Ceramic Tile: The Wet-Area Workhorse

Cost (Installed): $8 - $30+ per square foot.
Best For: Bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, mudrooms.
Tile is unbeatable in terms of durability and water resistance. It's easy to clean and will last a lifetime. The downsides are that it's a hard, cold surface, and the installation is more labor-intensive than other options. Grout lines also require regular cleaning and sealing.

Don't Forget Installation Costs

The prices above include installation, but remember that this can be a significant part of the budget. Factors that affect installation cost include the need to tear out old flooring, leveling the subfloor, and any intricate patterns or layouts.

Estimate Your New Flooring Costs

Ready to see how new flooring fits into your budget? Use our free estimator to compare the costs of different materials for your specific room size. It's a great way to start planning your project.

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