You and your spouse have moved into a new home. Everything looks great, but the place does need a few renovations. Your plan is to start with the floors.
Hardwood flooring vs. carpet. You have a serious decision to make between the two, and there is no right or wrong answer.
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Hardwood is easy to clean and can add an elegant touch to any home. The carpet isn’t as easy to clean, but it’s more comfortable to walk on, and you have a ton of color choices.
These aren’t the only factors that you need to think about when you’re weighing your options. Keep reading to learn more.
Hardwood Flooring Vs. Carpet: Maintenance
Is hardwood flooring better? It is in terms of maintenance. All you have to do to keep it looking great is sweep it and go over it with a damp mop.
You will need to jump on spills as soon as they happen. If you don’t, it may set into the wood and do some serious damage. As long as you’re diligent though, you should be fine.
Cleaning the carpet gets a little more complicated. You’ll have to vacuum at least a few times a week to keep allergens to a minimum. If you don’t clean up spills quickly, they will set into the carpet and cause a stain that’s impossible to get out.
Every year or so, it’s a good idea to hire professional carpet cleaners to come in and go over your floor. You can also rent a shampooer from the store and do it yourself.
Hardwood Flooring Vs. Carpet: Price
If you’re working with a tight budget, hardwood flooring isn’t the best option for you. It can cost up to 30 dollars per square foot if you want premium wood.
Labor costs can also drive the hardwood flooring cost up. It takes a lot of work and experience to get the job done right. You can look up how to install hardwood floors to save money with a DIY job, but you may end up making costly errors.
You can click for more information on the price of hardwood. For now, let’s move on to the carpet cost. You may spend about 8 dollars per square foot before labor.
Like wood, you can look up how to install carpet on Google. Without the right experience, you may make errors that only a professional can fix, though.
Hardwood Flooring Vs. Carpet: Resale Value
Rest assured, whatever money you spend on installing your hardwood floors, you’ll make up for when it’s time to sell your home. Buyers are willing to pay more for it because it’s seen as a luxurious option.
It tends to last longer than carpet so, they know as long as they keep up with it, they won’t have to replace it for a long time. That ticks one thing off their moving to-do list.
Carpet is considered a much cheaper floor option. It doesn’t last as long, so homebuyers don’t get too excited over it. You’ll need to invest in a high-quality carpet if you don’t want it to affect the sale.
Hardwood Flooring Vs. Carpet: Durability
We sort of covered this in our last point, but hardwood wins in this category. As long as the installation is well done and you take care of the flooring, it will stick by you for well over 50 years.
The carpet will only last for 15 years and that’s if you spring for the high-quality stuff. If you get basic materials, you can expect to replace them in 5 to 10 years.
Hardwood Flooring Vs. Carpet: Comfort
One thing that carpet does have over hardwood is comfort. It’s much more pleasant to walk on. It makes it a welcome addition in rooms where the goal is to relax.
On a cold winter’s morning, carpet is much more welcoming to put your feet on because it doesn’t get as chilly as wood. We will say that it’s not as much of a comfort if you have allergies. Carpet traps in dust mites and other organisms that can set a runny nose into overdrive.
Hardwood Flooring Vs. Carpet: Sound
Carpet provides a little more padding than hardwood flooring. This makes it safer for senior citizens who are prone to falling, and it has the ability to dampen sound.
If you have hardwood installed on the upper levels of your home, you’ll know when people are walking around. Every little footstep will make noise downstairs.
Hardwood Flooring Vs. Carpet: Appearance
This category is all a matter of personal taste. Many people enjoy the natural look that wood provides. The grain can make for some pretty cool patterns.
We will say that you’ll have a little bit more variety when it comes to carpet. It comes in a wide array of colors and textures that will work in any home.
Hardwood Flooring Vs. Carpet: Pet-Friendly
Both can be a bit of a pain when it comes to pets. Scrubbing urine stains out of a carpet isn’t how anyone wants to spend a Saturday night.
Hardwood is easier to clean when it comes to urine stains, but pets can still damage it in other ways. If you don’t keep their little nails trimmed, expect scratches galore.
Which Flooring Type is Best for Your Home?
One of the hardest decisions that you’ll have to make when renovating your home is hardwood flooring vs. carpet. They both have their share of pros and cons.
If you have enough time and energy to put into cleaning your carpets, they provide color and texture versatility. Hardwood adds resale value and luxury. As you can see, at the end of the day, it’s all up to personal taste.
Are you looking for more ways to give your home a facelift? Check out our blog daily for all the latest decor and renovation tips.
