Parquet FlooringA brief overview:
Parquet Flooring is made up from individual wooden blocks that are positioned into a certain pattern to create a zig-zag effect. Parquet flooring can go well with almost any room you decide to use it in. Advantages of Parquet Flooring Parquet wood floors are wooden blocks in three layers at a 90-degree angle to each other, this allows for very little movement between the wooden blocks meaning it is very stable. Top Layer: The top layer is made from very carefully selected wood which is called the “wear layer”. It is normally between 2.5-7mm in thickness and is commonly sanded down. Middle Layer: Beneath the top layer is what you’d call an “advanced body”, its purpose is to absorb impacts and guarantee high stability in the floor. Bottom Layer: The bottom layer of wood is “ecologically certified wood” that gives each board above it perfect balance. Due to the fact the bottom board isn’t visible, it can be made from cheap wood, therefore making it very inexpensive. Disadvantages of Parquet Flooring Parquet floors require a lot of maintenance as they are easily scratched, they are also highly susceptible to moisture and humidity. The tiles will need re-sealing every now and then, they’ll also need to be sanded and polished to keep them looking their best. Due to the susceptibility of parquet floors to moisture and humidity, it’s important that you’re able to either control or keep the humidity in your house to a minimum. You should also aim to keep parquet floors as dry as possible. Try to reduce the number of sharp objects that get dropped onto your parquet floor as they’re vulnerable against scratches, once this happens it’s difficult to restore the parquet floor to its original look. For this reason, you’re not advised to wear high heels or any kind of shoe with a sharp heel on these floors.[1] Solid Wood Flooring A brief overview Solid wood floorslook great in old, traditional homes, they go very well with art deco style rooms, they also make your home feel warm and welcoming. The solid wood style floor has been popular for hundreds of years as it’s reliable, long-lasting and stylish! Advantages of solid wood flooring Solid wood floors can give your home a rich interior Solid wood floors are known to last a very long time, even lifetimes in some cases. They are hard and not prone to damage as much as other floors. Comfortable for young children and babies to play on Laying this type of wood in your house is a relatively easy DIY task Disadvantages of solid wood flooring Due to it’s polished finish, solid wood floors must be maintained by adding a fresh coat of polishing every 3-4 years, the cost of this may vary depending on how big of an area you have to polish. Before getting solid wood flooring, you may want to consider the possibility of termite attacks, check if the area you’re located in is prone to termite attacks. In the event of any water leaks, your solid wood flooring may be damaged, regular mopping is okay, but make sure your mop isn’t too wet or it may seep into the cracks of the wood and begin to rot it.[2] Natural Stone Flooring A brief overview Stone flooring of any kind is more popular in kitchens, hallways and bathrooms. The design possibilities with stone flooring are truly endless, they suit both modern homes and traditional old style homes very well! Advantages of Natural Stone Flooring Stone naturally is a very robust material, meaning it doesn’t crack easily, use this to your advantage when choosing a stone floor or considering it. It adds value to your property, stone flooring is considered “timeless” and isn’t really affected by fashion trends that come and go. Just like solid wood flooring, natural stone flooring has been used for hundreds if not thousands of years and isn’t likely to become unpopular anytime soon! Natural stone floors are possibly one of if not the lowest maintenance flooring options in this list, very easy to clean, mop and hover without having to worry about damaging flooring panels etc. If you live in quite a warm country, stone floors can actually help with keeping the overall temperature of your home down! Disadvantages of Natural Stone Flooring One major drawback of stone flooring is the cost involved with prices upwards of £30/m2[3] Some types of stone can be more brittle than others, this means that if something heavy is dropped on there, you may have a chance of cracking your flooring. If you live in a cold country, you may want to look at getting a different type of flooring as stone floors are notoriously cold. Natural stone, when wet is very slippery, we’d advise against using it in bathrooms unless. Alternatively, you could buy a bottle of stone floor sealer. Stone floor sealer does a wide variety of things for your stone floor, including, making them less slippery! Due to the strength of Stone floors, kids and older people, who are more at risk of falling over may suffer more serious injuries due to the fortitude of the materials used.[4] Ceramic Tiles A brief overview Tiles look stylish on both floors and walls alike. It’s a concept that has been popular for many generations, even as far back as the 4th-millennium b.c, where egyptians used them to decorate their homes![5] Advantages of Ceramic Tile flooring Ceramic Tile flooring is a very practical option, if used on floors, it can massively reduce the chances of water damage should you spill a large amount of water on the floor. As stated in the overview, Ceramic Tiles have been used in both walls and floors since around 1,500BC[6], showing that this type of material, if cared for will last a lifetime (literally!). Many people prefer tiles to carpet due to the fact that dust gathers in carpet, so for those with allergies and asthma, this can help combat outbreaks of large amounts of dust in your home! Choosing the right or pattern for your home will either make or break a room, but with careful selection, it may even add value to your property. Ceramic flooring would be great in a warm climate as it doesn’t hold heat very well, meaning you always have a cold surface to stand on which would cool your body temperature on a very warm day. Disadvantages of Ceramic Tile flooring With this type of tile flooring, you have similar drawbacks as you would with natural stone flooring, being the hardness would also make it uncomfortable to stand or walk on for long periods of time. Again, ceramic tile flooring doesn’t hold heat very well and people in colder climates may feel this more than others. Fitting ceramic tiles require a skilled labourer which doesn’t always come cheap, if your tiles are not seated correctly, it may cause unevenness or crack in some more extreme cases. Tile floors do not handle heavy loads on their surface, doing so will result in cracking, over time the crack would develop and continue to get worse.[7] CarpetA brief overview Carpets have been used and become very popular worldwide, as they have been for hundreds, if not thousands of years! It’s a safe bet for any home, it’s comfortable, durable if looked after and can also look very nice. Advantages of using carpets Carpets have very good decor value, correct carpeting can create any image you’d like it to. Decoration possibilities with carpets are quite literally endless, there are so many different patterns, colours, heights, materials at your disposal when you’re thinking about laying carpet down in a certain room! Carpets are a great insulator for when it’s cold outside, people living in colder climates might want to consider that when choosing which flooring they’d like. Standing barefoot on a smooth, silky and soft carpet is one of the most satisfying things about owning a carpet, they support your feet for maximum comfort. If you have children that are likely to tumble every now and then, carpets are a safe bet that they aren’t going to hurt themselves. The same goes with elderly people too, the chances of hurting yourself during a fall, no matter age are hugely reduced upon installation of a carpet. Disadvantages of using carpets Carpets rely on being cleaned a lot, from regular vacuuming to deeply cleaning them Spillages on carpets are an absolute nightmare to get rid of, in some cases permanently staining your carpet Carpets are very susceptible to dust and any other particles with allergens in them, they are likely to get trapped and when the floor is disturbed, i.e walked on, the dust is thrown up into the air and can cause people with asthma and allergies a lot of problems if not contained. Carpets of any kind are not likely to go out of fashion anytime soon, so buying a carpet is a safe bet that your home will stay up to date with fashion trends for quite some time to come![8] Good luck choosing the right flooring for your home, we hope this helps shed some light on the topic.
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