Right up there with designer painted walls and furnishings, flooring choices can have a dramatic effect on the ambience of any room. Flooring can communicate warmth, elegance, cheerfulness, sophistication, playfulness–it makes a significant difference!  Here are some flooring options to consider for your flooring project:

• Engineered wood. This is real hardwood on a plywood backing. It is more dimensionally stable than full hardwood and can resist moisture a little better, and, it’s easier to install. The top hardwood layer can be less than 1/16″ to just over 1/8″. Those with thicker top layers can be sanded to make repairs if needed. The product comes prefinished and looks like solid wood.
• Laminates. This is made of a melamine resin infused paper on a wood particle core and often a protective layer containing aluminum oxide for wear resistance. The paper provides the pattern simulating many varieties of wood or even stone. The quality of the core material varies greatly as does to some degree the thickness of the top layer. The best indication of value level is warranty length and price. Products with a 5 year “warranty” and priced at $2 or less may not last two years before considerable nicks and scratches signal replacement time. Products in the $4 to $5 range can have warranties up to 25 years. Laminates are highly dent resistant, and need no refinishing, but require regular removal of dust/grit/dirt which may scratch the surface. Installation and pad are not in these prices.
• Solid wood. Long considered the classic investment of quality, solid wood allows refinishing as needed, thereby extending the floors life to that of the home. Base prices for unfinished oak can be in the range of lower end laminates, but this doesn’t include the costs of turning it into a finished product, usually making it  more expensive than the higher end engineered products. You have to decide whether its higher cost is offset by having no limits on refinishing.
• Cork flooring. Cork is much more durable than one might think, especially if finished with the proper urethanes. It is soft, warm and quiet underfeet. It’s easy on your body, looks great, and is easy to maintain.
• Vinyl flooring. Long the standard for kitchens and baths, vinyl resists moisture and makes cleanup easy. It is best not to buy the cheapest products as they may tear easier. In addition to sheet products, tiles are available. The nicer ones can look like ceramic tile.
• Carpet. At issue for carpet quality is the material it’s made from. Nylon is resilient, and abrasion and stain resistant and is made in two quality levels. Polypropelene is not as resilient as nylon,  and has less abrasion resistance, but has better stain resistance, and is more colorfast. It is also less expensive. Polyester, ranks similar to polypropelene on the above four characteristics, but offers more colors and textures. Wool is excellent but can have mold, mildew and moth problems and can fade in sunlight. Translation: wool is for those who can afford it’s upkeep and replacement when necessary vs. being a “lifetime” carpet.
• Ceramic tile. Tile announces a high level of quality in any room. The range of design styles are almost endless through variations of tile size, color, texture, grout options, and intermixing different tiles in a repeated pattern or custom design. It is highly water, scratch, and stain resistant, and has a long life. Downsides can include being slippery when wet, difficulties in keeping grout clean, dishes or glasses breaking when dropped, and overall lack of sound absorption. Still, I love a timeless Italian black and white kitchen floor or a large sized Mexican tile living room.
• Concrete. When building a new home or addition, the popularity of concrete floors are growing. Due to its thickness, framing needs to be built appropriately lower (and stronger!), so this isn’t an option for an existing room without significant reconstruction. If concrete will work, options include stamping to mimic stone, brick, or tiles, or even wood, and exposed aggragate or smooth trowel. Coloring can be a single color added to the mix, one or more colors applied after concrete is poured and stamped, but while wet, or staining after it has cured. Urethane sealant will protect the surface and keep it from shedding concrete dust.

Flooring installation is not for every DIY’er – and of course you’ll want your investment to last.  As such you may want to find a recommended flooring professional to help with selection and installation.