How You Can Choose the Best Flooring For Your Lifestyle

There are countless options when it comes to flooring. We at Advanced Flooring in Waterloo know this very well! Whether it’s laminate, tile, hardwood, carpet, or vinyl, there is something for everyone. Your perfect flooring will be unique to your needs. Here is your complete guide to everything you need to know to make informed choices for your home. Flooring 101, if you will. 

Let’s get started.

For Your Home: Splurge on What You Love

• Now is the time to invest in flooring that will last a lifetime.
• Choose a style that complements your furniture and home design.
• Consider durability—pets and children may require more resilient flooring.
• We’ll dive deeper into these considerations in the next section.

For a Rental Property: Durable & Cost-Effective

• Opt for a low-maintenance, durable flooring option that still attracts renters.
• Luxury vinyl plank (LVP)is a top choice:
  • Scratch-resistant & waterproof
  • Realistic wood and stone visuals
  • Handles heavy foot traffic, pets, spills, and furniture
  • Budget-friendly and cost-effective

Easy Repairs: Loose Lay Vinyl vs. Click Vinyl

• Loose lay vinyl allows for quick and easy repairs —simply remove and replace a single damaged plank.
• Click vinyl , on the other hand, requires removing multiple planks from the nearest wall to reach the damaged section, making repairs more time-consuming.

By choosing the right flooring based on your needs, you can ensure a beautiful and practical space—whether it’s your forever home or a rental property.

Undoubtedly, durability is an important quality in any case. Still, homeowners with pets or children will find this to be an even greater concern. In this case, focus on flooring with strong wear layers. If you’re unsure where to start, keep reading.

LUXURY VINYL PLANK is a durable, budget-friendly, solution that’ll still get you stylish floors. Vinyl will stand up to spills (have we mentioned it’s waterproof yet?), scratches, and everyday wear-and-tear. This makes it the key to creating a chic family home.

High-end LAMINATE brands like Woden, Next Floor, NAF, and Fuzion, promise tough floors that are waterproof or water-resistant. So long as you clean spills within half an hour or so, your floors should be fine. Laminate makes for another strong candidate.

ENGINEERED HARDWOOD is ideal if you have your heart set on hardwood floors but are worried about the durability. Engineered is more resilient than solid hardwood, yet still adds about the same resale value as classic hardwood (which is to say, a lot). Even price-wise, solid and engineered hardwood are on the same level. 

For CARPET, nylon and polyester are the most durable. Nylon is resistant to colour fading and generally last longer than polyester, however, polyester is more spill-resistant. The choice will come down to whichever quality you value higher.

Each room in your home serves a different purpose. That being so, flooring which is suitable for a bedroom, often won’t be for a bathroom.

KITCHENS are at the heart of the home. Here, spills are inevitable, so opting for a waterproof option is best. Being scratch resistant and waterproof, luxury vinyl fits the criteria. What’s more, vinyl is soft underfoot, meaning it’s easier on your feet if you’re going to be standing for long periods of time. Tile could be considered as well. It isn’t 100% waterproof but so long as you don’t leave puddles of water for long stretches of time, tile is a fine choice. 

BATHROOMS are similar to kitchens in that they greatly benefit from waterproof flooring. Again, we recommend luxury vinyl plank or tile. Tile is the classic option for bathrooms, though it tends to be pricier. However, individual products do vary.

BEDROOMS are a place of rest and relaxation. Comfortable, soundproof floors are highly sought after in this area of the home. Carpet is a good option, but really, vinyl, laminate, and hardwood are fantastic as well.

LIVING ROOM options are flexible too. There’s no general formula for choosing flooring for the living room. Really, it depends on the individual. Want soft comfort? Carpet or vinyl. Timeless elegance? Hardwood or high-end laminate. Durability? Vinyl.