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If you’re ready to install new floors in your home -- or replace old flooring -- you’re probably wondering where to start. After all, there are many options to choose from: hardwood, vinyl, tile, laminate, linoleum and the list goes on. If you’re stuck on which type of flooring you should choose, start with learning the pros and cons of several popular options.

Engineered vs. Solid Wood Flooring:

Typically, engineered wood flooring is better than hardwood when it comes to humidity -- it’s less likely to expand. It’s also easier to install engineered wood, and it can be more moisture-resistant when compared to solid wood. Solid wood, on the other hand, can be more durable. Plus, you can refinish and sand it multiple times. If you have engineered wood, you’ll only be able to sand it maybe once or twice.

Hardwood vs. Laminate Wood Flooring:

Solid hardwood flooring is an authentic product — full-thickness, high-grade wood with all of its textures and imperfections. Wood floors add considerably more value to your home, with a 70% to 80% return on investment, according to Realtor.com. Unlike laminate floors, they can be repaired by sanding and refinishing. 

Laminate wood flooring is much more affordable than hardwood, as it is made from composite wood, an image of hardwood’s texture and a clear protective layer. It's resistant to both sunlight and moisture. While it’s harder to repair, hardwood laminate better resists scratches. 

Laminate vs. Vinyl Plank Flooring:

Laminate and vinyl floors are both synthetic products that imitate high-quality flooring materials like wood, stone and tile. Vinyl floors are made entirely from PVC plastic and may come as planks, tiles or sheets. They are inexpensive and waterproof. Vinyl plank flooring is a great choice for moist areas like bathrooms, kitchens and entryways, while laminate flooring is a good choice for living rooms, bedrooms and other non-wet areas. Vinyl flooring is also a bit easier to clean and maintain.

Laminate consists of a fiberboard core, a printed image layer and a clear protective film on top. Laminate floors are susceptible to damage if there is excess moisture. However, laminate flooring is superior to vinyl flooring in terms of its aesthetic quality, so you’ll have an easier time making your floor look like real stone, wood or ceramic. Laminate flooring is also more environmentally friendly than vinyl. 

If you need more help choosing flooring for your home, reach out to the top flooring companies near you.

When installing flooring in your home, keep in mind that some materials are better suited for certain rooms while others are not. Use this guide to help you make the best decision for your home.

Best Flooring for Basements

Basement flooring should be highly resistant to moisture, as many basements are below grade. Choosing the best flooring for basement spaces depends on what they’ll be used for. For example: 

• An epoxy basement floor is a durable finish for concrete.
• Vinyl basement flooring is generally waterproof or water-resistant. 
• Laminate floors can be an affordable option, but they’re often not 100% waterproof.
• Ceramic tile floors are also water-resistant. 

If your basement isn’t moist, carpet tiles are also an option — just make sure to use a moisture barrier.

Best Flooring for Kitchens

Kitchen flooring does more work than almost any floor in the house, so you’ll want to choose a durable floor. The following are among the best flooring types for kitchens:

• Porcelain tiles can be fashionable, moisture-resistant, and cost less than stone or wood to install.
• Vinyl flooring can withstand dents, is generally inexpensive and it’s easy to install.
• Linoleum flooring can be durable, easy to maintain and affordable. 
• Wood flooring could be damaged by dropped pots and pans, furniture and pets. However, hardwood and engineered wood floors in kitchen spaces are still popular among homeowners.

Best Flooring for Bathrooms

Bathroom flooring must withstand high moisture levels while also being comfortable on bare feet. Here are some of the best flooring options for bathrooms: 

• Porcelain tiles are generally comfortable, waterproof, stylish and less costly than stone or wood. 
• Vinyl flooring is waterproof, cost-effective and can imitate wood convincingly.
• Natural stone can be expensive, but it’s typically hard and durable.

Reach out to a flooring installation and repair professional near you to see which type you should install in your home.

Installing oak hardwood floors can add value and beauty to your home. The cost of hardwood floors is typically based on the overall square footage of your new floor, the type of oak you select, any repair work your subfloor requires prior to installation, and any demolition costs to remove your old flooring. Other factors that will affect your total cost can include the regional cost of labor and business overhead of your flooring company.

A flooring installation company may charge $3 per square foot for standard installation. For hand-scraped (higher-end) ¾-inch oak planks, the cost is approximately $7 per square foot, for a total cost per square foot of about $10 as long as no repair work is required. Standard oak planks are available from big-box stores for as low as $3 per square foot, so the quality of oak you want will affect your total project cost.

Start by reading reviews of flooring companies and contractors in your area. Customer reviews tend to offer useful feedback. But, be wary of reviews that lack details or specific feedback. Next, look at photos of past projects and observe the quality of craftsmanship, including the quality of wood, consistency of the finish, and gaps or cracks. Compare prices and get multiple quotes for the same job if possible. Finally, ask your contractor or the company if they have the proper licenses and certifications.

For more tips on how to choose the best flooring installation service, visit Thumbtack’s Smart Hiring Guide.

Carpenters are skilled craftsmen who build things out of wood. Depending on what the carpenter builds, they may be referred to by various names. A framer is a carpenter who puts up the framing on a house. A trim or finish carpenter installs the finishing touches of prefabricated or custom trim and detail work once a house has been built and the walls are up. A furniture maker or woodworker builds furniture — such as tables, beds and dressers — out of wood. A cabinetmaker is a carpenter who builds custom and semi-custom wood cabinets. If you’re having a home built or remodeled, your general contractor will either provide or subcontract the carpentry work for the framing, cabinets and trim. You can hire a carpenter directly to update the trim in your home, build you a piece of custom furniture, or repair or replace your wood cabinets.

Waterproof or scratch-resistant flooring is typically the best flooring for dogs. This includes: 

• Vinyl: Vinyl may not add much to the value of your home, but it is resistant to scratching, stains, dents and accidents. Plus, it’s an affordable option.
• Tile: Tile is generally water-resistant and scratch-proof, and more affordable than hardwood or stone.
• Laminate: Laminate is not truly waterproof, but it is tough and often more scratch-resistant than other wood floorings. 

Remember that solid hardwood is susceptible to damage, including dents, scratching, licking and accidents. But if you want to install wood floors, the best hardwood floors for dogs are typically made out of maple, Brazilian walnut or bamboo.

For more tips on choosing the best flooring for dogs, talk to one of the best flooring installation professionals near you.

The national average cost to install flooring is $5,500, with prices ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 . Your cost can be much lower or higher depending on the type of flooring you select, the square footage of the project, and other important variables like demolition and repair work needed.

Here are some examples of floor installation costs, depending on the material:

• Laminate flooring: $300 - $4,000
• Vinyl flooring: $1,000 - $4,500
• Radiant floor heating: $1,000 - $10,000
• Wood flooring: $1,500 - $10,000
• Bamboo flooring: $3,500 - $9,000

Reach out to the top flooring installation specialists near you to get an accurate, free estimate of how much it will cost to install flooring in your home.

The disadvantages of vinyl flooring are worth considering for homeowners. Vinyl flooring is difficult to repair if it tears or scratches because you cannot refinish it. And while it imitates more expensive products, it is still usually easy to spot vinyl flooring. This means it might not add to the value of a house, as most buyers would prefer to remove vinyl flooring and replace it with something of a higher quality. Low-quality vinyl flooring is also susceptible to fading and discoloration from sunlight.

For more information on the disadvantages -- and advantages -- of vinyl flooring, reach out to a flooring installation company near you.

Carpenters are trained to work with wood. That means that any part of your home that is built of wood is very likely to involve a carpenter. Framing carpenters will put up the wood that makes up the bones of your home. If you’re having a wood floor installed, it may be done by a carpenter — although being a carpenter is not a requirement to install flooring. Trim, baseboards, wainscoting and any other detail work is typically installed by a finish carpenter. The wood boxes of custom cabinets will be built and installed by a carpenter.

Although all of these components in your new or remodeled home are built by carpenters who specialize in building things with wood, a general contractor typically oversees construction of the entire house. If the general contractor is also a carpenter skilled in all these areas, they may well construct your entire home. More often, the general contractor subcontracts out the various building stages to different individuals, including carpenters.

Unless you have plenty of experience installing the type of floor you want, it is worth it to hire a professional flooring specialist. 

The first reason is tools — pros have them, and they know how to use them. Without the proper experience, there is a high risk of injury with nail guns and power saws. A good pro also works quickly, saving you time that you could spend doing other things. 

Finally, a pro gets you past options paralysis by helping you decide the best flooring for different rooms and areas of the home.

To get started on your flooring project, contact the best flooring contractors near you today.