Choosing the right flooring for your home is a key decision, balancing aesthetics, durability, and your budget. With a vast array of options available in the UK, understanding the characteristics of each will help you make the best choice for your unique space.
Here are the main types of flooring to consider for your home:
Hardwood Flooring
Best for: Entire home, except for wet environments
Hardwood flooring has consistently been a top choice due to its authentic beauty, durability, and potential to last for generations. It offers a genuine feel that replicas can’t quite match. Oak is the most common species, but cherry and maple are also popular, each offering unique grain patterns and colours. Hardwood can be further customised with various patterned layouts and finish options.
Approximate Cost (material only): £3 to £10 per square foot (Note: Original text uses dollars, converted to approximate GBP equivalent as of current date for general guidance).
Pros:
- Beautiful, authentic appearance
- Highly durable
- Can be refinished multiple times to restore its look
- Adds significant resale value to a home
Cons:
- Sensitive to moisture, making it unsuitable for wet areas like bathrooms (unless it’s specially treated waterproof hardwood)
- Can be expensive to purchase and install
- Can scratch or dent, though often repairable
- Does not retain heat well and can feel cold underfoot
Laminate Flooring
Best for: Bathrooms, kitchens, basements, whole home
Laminate flooring is an excellent choice if you desire the look of hardwood (or stone/tile) without the higher price point. Modern laminate often features an embossed wear layer, providing a realistic texture that enhances the imitation.
Approximate Cost (material only): £1 to £3 per square foot. Installation labour can add £2 to £7 per square foot.
Pros:
- Affordable compared to natural materials
- Durable against scratches, stains, fading, and indentations
- Wide range of realistic styles mimicking wood, stone, and ceramic
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Often water-resistant, with some options offering enhanced water resistance
Cons:
- Sensitive to excessive moisture unless specifically warranted for water resistance, and can swell if water penetrates
- Cannot be refinished; if damaged, sections must be replaced
- May delaminate over time, especially with poor quality or moisture exposure
- Offers little perceived value upon resale compared to real wood
Vinyl Flooring
Best for: Bathrooms, kitchens, basements, whole home
Vinyl flooring is known for being inexpensive, highly durable, and moisture-resistant, making it a great option for homes with children and pets. It’s often DIY-friendly to install. However, it requires a perfectly level, smooth, and flat subfloor, as it can telegraph minor imperfections.
Types:
- Luxury Vinyl Planks (LVP) and Luxury Vinyl Tiles (LVT): These mimic hardwood, stone, or ceramic with a vinyl core, printed film, and wear layer. They are rigid and durable, often waterproof, and can be installed via glue-down or click-lock methods. SPC (Stone Plastic Composite) and WPC (Wood Plastic Composite) are types of rigid core vinyl, both waterproof and highly durable.
- Vinyl Sheet: Comes in large rolls, offering a seamless look. Modern vinyl sheet has come a long way from older designs, mimicking wood, stone, and tile. It’s affordable, offers a comfortable and quiet feel underfoot, and is generally water-resistant (some are fully waterproof).
Approximate Cost (material only): LVP/LVT from £1.25 to £3.50 per square foot. Sheet vinyl is often even more affordable.
Pros:
- Water-resistant or completely waterproof (especially rigid core LVP/LVT)
- Affordable across all types
- DIY-friendly installation for many LVP/LVT products
- Resilient and softer underfoot than many hard surfaces
- Easy to clean and low maintenance
- Scratch and stain-resistant (especially with good wear layers)
Cons:
- Cannot be refinished
- Not the most eco-friendly option (though some brands are improving)
- Requires a perfectly level and smooth subfloor for best results
- Can be sensitive to extreme temperature changes
- May have shorter longevity than some other hard surface options
Tile Flooring
Best for: Kitchens, bathrooms, utility rooms, commercial use, outdoors
Tile flooring is a timeless and extremely popular option known for its supreme durability and easy maintenance. Available in ceramic (clay and shale, typically glazed) and porcelain (denser, fired at higher temperatures for enhanced durability), tiles come in a vast array of colours, textures, finishes, shapes, and sizes.
Approximate Installation Cost (per project average): £2,500 to £5,000 (Highly variable based on tile type, complexity, and area size).
Pros:
- Highly durable and long-lasting
- Inherently water-resistant or waterproof (especially porcelain)
- Low maintenance and easy to clean
- Vast array of stylish options to match any decor
- Suitable for both indoor and outdoor use (ensure it’s rated for floor use and slip-resistant)
Cons:
- DIY installation can be difficult and requires specialised tools
- Hard and unyielding underfoot, which can be uncomfortable
- Can be cold, though suitable for underfloor heating
- Grout lines can be difficult to keep clean and can stain
- Fragile items dropped on them are likely to break
Bamboo Flooring
Best for: High-traffic areas, whole home, commercial use
Bamboo flooring is a durable, low-maintenance, and eco-friendly alternative to hardwood. Though technically a grass, it shares many visual and performance characteristics with wood.
Pros:
- Eco-friendly and highly renewable resource
- Low maintenance
- Durable, especially strand-woven bamboo
- Attractive, natural appearance
Cons:
- Can scratch or dent, particularly softer varieties
- Sensitive to moisture and humidity changes, similar to hardwood
- Some older or cheaper products may contain harmful adhesives (look for low-VOC options)
- Not all bamboo is of equal quality; durability varies significantly by manufacturing process
Carpet
Best for: Bedrooms, hallways, playrooms, living rooms (less common in dining areas now)
Carpet remains a popular flooring choice for its warmth, softness, and comfort. It adds acoustic sound absorption and provides thermal insulation, especially with quality underlay. Area rugs can also bring the appeal of soft flooring to homes with hard surfaces.
Approximate Installation Cost (per project average): £700 to £2,500 (Highly variable based on carpet type and area size).
Pros:
- Comfortable and soft underfoot
- Excellent sound dampening properties
- Adds warmth and insulation
- Wide range of colours, styles, and textures
- Generally affordable material cost
Cons:
- Attracts and retains allergens, dust, and pet dander
- Can be difficult and expensive to clean, especially tricky spills
- Prone to staining
- Absorbs moisture, which can lead to mould if not dried properly
- High-traffic areas will show wear quicker
Stone Flooring
Best for: High-traffic areas, kitchens, bathrooms, outdoors, entryways
Natural stone flooring is one of the most luxurious flooring options available, creating a significant style impact. Varieties include marble, travertine, slate, and limestone.
Pros:
- Extremely durable and long-lasting
- Offers a luxurious and unique appearance
- Excellent for both indoor and outdoor applications
- Naturally deters allergens
- Adds significant property value
Cons:
- Very expensive to purchase and install
- Can be cold underfoot (though suitable for underfloor heating)
- Hard and unforgiving, prone to breaking dropped items
- Some varieties can be porous and stain easily if not properly sealed and maintained
- Requires professional sealing periodically
Concrete Flooring
Best for: High-traffic areas, whole home (modern aesthetic), commercial use, basements, ground floors
Concrete floors are exceptionally low maintenance and incredibly durable, making them ideal for high-traffic areas. While they offer a specific aesthetic, concrete can be manipulated with paints, stains, or polishes to achieve various looks, and can be softened with rugs and furnishings.
Pros:
- Extremely durable and long-lasting
- Very low maintenance and easy to clean
- Affordable, especially if an existing concrete slab can be finished
- Versatile in appearance through staining, polishing, or painting
- Good thermal mass for radiant heating
Cons:
- Can be cold underfoot if not heated
- Very hard underfoot, which can be uncomfortable
- Can stain if not properly sealed
- Requires professional installation for best aesthetic results
- Can be prone to cracking if sub-base is unstable
Cork Flooring
Best for: Bathrooms, kitchens, bedrooms, living rooms
Cork flooring, while less common, offers unique qualities. It’s naturally pest-resistant, provides a soft and comfortable underfoot feeling, and has excellent insulative properties that dampen sound.
Pros:
- Naturally pest-resistant (due to suberin)
- Comfortable and resilient underfoot
- Excellent sound dampening and insulation qualities
- Eco-friendly and renewable
- Warm to the touch
Cons:
- Tends to fade over time with direct sunlight exposure
- Requires periodic sealing to maintain water resistance and durability
- Can be susceptible to scratches, dents, or gouges
- Not as durable as hardwood or tile, and longevity can be shorter
Linoleum Flooring
Best for: Bathrooms, kitchens, utility rooms
Often mistaken for vinyl, linoleum is a distinct material known for its durability, budget-friendliness, and eco-friendly properties. It’s available in sheets and tiles with a wide range of styles.
Pros:
- Durable and long-lasting (when properly maintained)
- Available in many colours and patterns
- Eco-friendly, made from natural materials (linseed oil, cork dust, wood flour)
- Naturally anti-static and antibacterial
- Generally affordable
Cons:
- May dent easily from heavy furniture
- Lighter colours can yellow over time with exposure to light (called “ambering”)
- Prone to water damage if seams are not properly sealed or if exposed to standing water for prolonged periods
- Can be stiff and difficult for DIY installation in sheet form
Choosing a Flooring Type
To determine the best flooring for your home, start by establishing your budget and then identify your key needs for each space:
- Moisture-Prone Areas (Kitchens, Bathrooms, Utility Rooms, Basements): Prioritise flooring that can handle moisture and water exposure, such as waterproof hardwood, luxury vinyl (SPC/WPC), ceramic or porcelain tile, stone, or specifically warranted waterproof sheet vinyl/linoleum.
- Comfort and Warmth (Bedrooms, Living Rooms, Playrooms): Carpet, cork, or engineered hardwood can provide a cozier feel.
- High-Traffic Areas (Hallways, Entryways, Living Rooms): Opt for durable options like hardwood, engineered hardwood, luxury vinyl, tile, stone, bamboo, or concrete.
- Budget-Friendly Options: Laminate, vinyl (especially sheet vinyl), or carpet often provide good value for money.
By matching the flooring material to the specific needs and desired aesthetic of each room, you can make a choice that performs well and complements your home’s style for years to come.