Hardwood Flooring Versus Carpet
The decision to opt for hardwood flooring or carpet flooring in your home can be a tough call — both options have their distinct advantages and disadvantages, and what it really comes down to is determining which one more closely matches your personal preferences. Thankfully, Floor Country, Winnipeg’s top-rated flooring company, is here to help you make the best selection! In this blog, we’ll go over some of the most important characteristics of flooring and how hardwood or carpeting compare in those regards.
Appearance
Hardwood
Hardwood flooring has the advantage of being instantly eye-catching. The primary appeal of hardwood is the natural wood colours and the patterns of the wood grain, which can differ from species to species and are entirely unique. When you choose hardwood flooring, you’re choosing a bold statement that is as appealing to the eyes as it is to walk on.
Carpet
While hardwood generally limits you to wood tones, you have a much larger swath of colours to work with when you choose carpet for your flooring. You also have the advantage of being able to select your preferred texture and feel, and help to convey a softer feel, both literally and figuratively, to a room’s interior design.
Resistance to Water and Heat
Hardwood
Continuous exposure to moisture is bad news for any flooring, regardless of hardwood or carpet. However, when hardwood flooring is used in the kitchen, where spills can be quickly taken care of, it’s generally not much of an issue. It should be noted, however, that if hardwood flooring is not professionally installed or insulated from a concrete slab, it is possible for moisture to seep up from below and damage the flooring. When it comes to heat, prolonged exposure to intense heat can potentially cause scorching on hardwood floors — although it’s possible for these imperfections to be sanded and refinished.
Carpet
Modern synthetics used in most carpeting make them fairly resilient against water damage, but any amount of water can potentially be absorbed and seep into the sublayers of your flooring, causing mold. Because of this, it’s almost always recommended to not use carpeting in areas where water exposure is common, such as bathrooms and kitchens. Carpet is also highly susceptible to damage from heat, and can even create toxic fumes if ignited.
Ease of Care
Hardwood
Compared to any sort of carpeting, hardwood is exponentially easier to clean. Regular sweeping and vacuuming takes care of accumulated dirt and occasionally mopping with a quality wood cleaner quickly remove deeper set dirt and stains. Many people opt for hardwood floors for this reason alone — it is very simple to clean and maintain.
Carpet
Frequently vacuuming will generally keep your carpets clean and in good condition — however, deeper set stains are more difficult to remove because they can settle deeper into the carpet material. Thicker carpet can also more easily harbor dust and micro-bacteria, making it not an ideal flooring solution for people that suffer from common allergens. However, if you thinking of carpeting in lower-traffic areas or areas not particularly prone to spills, this shouldn’t be a common issue.
Durability and Maintenance
Hardwood
When you properly maintain a hardwood floor, it can easily last and look amazing for decades. Some higher-end hardwood floor materials can even last for several generations. Hardwood floors also have the benefit of being able to be sanded and refinished several times if damage to them ever becomes severe enough to merit such an action.
Carpet
Taking care of your carpet flooring should include frequent vacuuming and taking care of any stains the moment they take place. Professional deep cleaning services can also help prolong your carpet’s lifespan, but given the fibrous nature of carpeting, you shouldn’t expect it to last for more than a decade before needing to be replaced — especially in high-traffic areas.
Installation Methods
Hardwood
Most hardwood flooring is installed by a process of laying down individual rows of boards, one at a time, starting at the longest and most visible wall of a room. The next boards are installed by sliding them into edge grooves that have been machined into the tongues of the previous board, and then nailing the joists. Most modern hardwood flooring is pre-finished when it is manufactured, making the traditional process of sanding, staining, and varnishing uncommon. While hardwood flooring can be installed by a crafty DIY person, it is almost always installed by professionals.
Carpet
The carpet that you walk on with carpet flooring is actually just the top visible layer of flooring. Underneath your carpet, there is usually an underlayment pad that is attached to your subfloor with nails or staples, which has been stretched and attached around the borders of a room. The carpet is then trimmed to a precise fit and stretched using special installation tools. Any seams in the carpeting are joined together with a heat-activated tape below the seams so they remain invisible. Unless you’re carpeting a smaller room, this process is usually done by professionals, as it can be a complicated process to accomplish correctly.
Cost
Hardwood
Real, solid hardwood flooring starts at around $5 per square foot for more economical options, and goes up from there. The average cost per square foot for quality wood flooring is between $6 and $10 per square foot.
Carpet
By and large, carpet flooring is considerably more affordable when compared to hardwood flooring. This makes it a very popular choice for homeowners that are remodeling on a budget to help keep costs low. While the cost of materials is lower and more budget-friendly with carpeting, keep in mind that it does have a shorter expected lifespan and will need to be replaced in about 10 years.
Resale Value
Hardwood
Generally, hardwood flooring is viewed as a more luxurious, high-end flooring option, both for its aesthetics and longevity. This makes hardwood flooring a major selling point for prospective buyers when it comes to selling your home.
Carpet
While carpet flooring doesn’t typically add much to the resale value of your home, new carpeting can be a major perk for potential homebuyers. While carpet flooring does need to be replaced more often than hardwood flooring, if a buyer sees that the carpet is brand new, it can be seen as a major perk.
What’s the Conclusion?
When comparing hardwood flooring and carpet flooring, it can be easy to assume that hardwood is the better choice, both for its durability and aesthetics. However, what it all comes down to is personal preference and what the room where the flooring is to be installed is used for. Carpet flooring can easily outclass hardwood flooring when it comes to comfort and budget.
We hope these comparisons have been beneficial in helping you decide whether hardwood flooring or carpet flooring is right for your home! To explore your flooring options and learn more, contact Floor Country today and schedule your initial consultation! We look forward to serving you.