If you’re thinking about a home improvement project, you’re not alone. Google searches on home improvement in the United States are up. Searches on all types of home improvement are up 50% on last year.
Changing your flooring is a home improvement project that might leave you with questions. Do you go with carpet or hardwood flooring? Read on to learn about the benefits of each type of flooring and a carpet vs hardwood cost comparison.
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Carpet and Hardwood Flooring
The carpet or hardwood flooring choice is difficult. Each of them comes in such a variety of options.
Carpets come in a variety of fibers. Polyester, nylon, and olefin are man-made materials. Wool is a natural fiber.
There are even more styles of carpet to choose from. Examples include cut pile and level loop. Each fiber has its special characteristics and application.
Hardwood flooring also comes in a variety of options. Among the least expensive is the exotic bamboo floor. For decadence and expense, there’s nothing to beat Walnut or Cherry.
There are two main types of hardwood flooring. Solid or engineered hardwood flooring.
As the name suggests, solid hardwood flooring is made from solid planks of timber. Engineered flooring is not solid but is made of a number of layers of wood, bonded together.
There’s a thin layer of wood that is on display when the flooring is in place. This layer is bonded to other layers of wood below it that provide stability to the planks of flooring.
Benefits of Carpet
Carpet comes in a huge range of colors and textures. It easily coordinates with the decor of your room. It’s warm and comfortable to walk on and provides a dampening effect on noise.
Installation is straightforward and quick.
The disadvantages are a shorter life than hardwood. It needs regular cleaning and can contribute to asthma and skin allergies by harboring house dust mite and mold if not well maintained.
Benefits of Hardwood Floors
Hardwood also comes in a range of colors, dictated by the species of wood available. Maintenance is easy and cleaning is simple. It doesn’t pose a problem for people with allergies.
Hardwood floors are much more difficult to install than carpets but once installed they last a long time and are very durable. If the flooring does start to show wear, it can be refinished and looks as good as new.
The cheapest carpets are very inexpensive and easily beat even the cheapest hardwood flooring options. You could pay as little as a dollar a square foot. This is a third of the price of even the cheapest hardwood flooring.
Carpets can be expensive, however. Top-quality carpets can be more expensive than all but the most expensive hardwood flooring. If you factor in installation costs, the hardwood floor vs carpet comparison is clearer. Carpet is cheaper to install.
Deciding Between Carpet and Hardwood Flooring
Now you know the pros and cons of hardwood flooring and carpet, the choice is yours. It may not come down to carpet vs hardwood cost. Whatever your decision, they’re both great flooring solutions.
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