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Are you ready to transform your property with the right flooring? There’s no one best flooring for every space. Instead, each floor type has characteristics best suited for a specific use.
Read this guide to understand the pros and cons of the main floor types and make an informed decision.
Laminate is a versatile multilayer flooring. The base layer, typically plywood or high-density fiberboard, makes the flooring strong and stable. It’s then glued to a printed, high-resolution photo of real wood, stone, or other materials.
Laminate flooring is a good choice for living rooms, hallways, dining rooms, bedrooms, and entryways. You can even find speciality waterproof laminate flooring that’s usable in busy kitchens and bathrooms.
Laminate floors can be grouped based on the following:
The average cost of the best laminate flooring is £11.99 per m2. But it varies based on brand, quality, and other factors.
Vinyl is a synthetic multilayer flooring similar to laminate. However, vinyl is 100% synthetic, including the base layer, typically polyvinyl chloride (PVC), cork, or foam, while laminate’s core layer is a fibreboard made of wood byproducts.
Vinyl flooring is highly resistant to water and spills, making it suitable for high-moisture-prone areas, such as kitchens, bathrooms, and basements.
There are several variations of vinyl flooring, including:
Sheet vinyl flooring is typically the most budget-friendly option, followed by vinyl tiles and luxury vinyl planks/tiles. The average cost of vinyl flooring ranges from £2 to £10 per square foot, while fitting can be about £20 to £50 per square metre.
A carpet is a soft floor covering made from fibres. It comes in various styles, textures, colours, and pile heights. The common materials used to make carpets include nylon, polyester, wool, or a blend of these textiles.
Carpets are perfect for areas where you desire comfort and warmth, such as bedrooms, living rooms, and family rooms.
They’re versatile based on the fibres they’re made of and the piling method, but the most common types are:
The carpet cost varies widely based on factors such as quality, brand, fibre type, pile height, and style.
LVT (Luxury vinyl tile) is a type of high-quality vinyl flooring. The tiles have incredible hardwood floors, ceramic tile, or natural stone visuals. LVT differs from traditional vinyl flooring (sheet vinyl) in that it’s thicker (5 mm up to 12 mm). It’s also easier to install LVT over existing floors, unlike sheet vinyl.
LVT flooring is ideal for residential and commercial spaces, including high-traffic areas such as kitchens, bathrooms, entryways, laundry rooms, dining rooms, hair salons, and hallways. It’s suitable for areas that require durable and moisture-resistant flooring options.
Here are the types of LVT based on installation methods:
LVT flooring costs about £20 to £60 per square metre.
Lino, short for linoleum, is a sustainable, durable, and resilient flooring material made from natural ingredients. The primary natural materials in most linoleum flooring are linseed oil, wood flour or cork dust, and pine resin.
Lino flooring is ideal for almost every room, including the kitchen. However, not all lino are suitable for damp and high-traffic areas.
There are three main types of lino flooring:
Lino flooring can cost £2 to £10 per square foot.
Wood flooring is a natural, durable, and eco-friendly option. It’s made from natural timber, and it offers a timeless aesthetic to spaces.
Wood flooring is perfect for properties and rooms where you desire a classic and elegant look. It’s a popular option for living rooms, bedrooms, dining areas, offices, or retail stores.
Here are the popular categories of wood flooring:
Wood flooring costs vary widely, but solid oak wood averages £30 and £40 per square metre.
Stone flooring comes in tiles cut from natural stone blocks. The most popular stone types are granite, marble, limestone, slate, travertine, or sandstone.
Stone flooring works well in commercial and residential properties, both indoors and outdoors. You can use it for the living room, hallway, and bedroom. However, most stone flooring doesn’t work well for the kitchen and bathroom as it’s easy to slip and fall.
We categorise natural stone flooring by the source, for instance:
The stone flooring cost depends on the type of stone, tile size, and brand. You can expect to pay about £8 to £50 per square foot.
Tile flooring is a general term for hard-wearing flooring cut into tiles with grout filling the gaps between them. It’s typically made of stone, ceramic, or porcelain.
Sealed tile flooring is popular for mudrooms, bathrooms, and kitchens.
The most common types of tile flooring include:
Depending on the type of tile flooring you opt for, you can pay £5 to £15 per square foot.
Concrete flooring is primarily made from a mixture of cement, water, and aggregates (such as sand or gravel). It’s poured, levelled, and cured to create a solid, durable surface.
Concrete flooring is common in basements, garages, patios, warehouses, retail stores, showrooms, utility areas, and modern-style homes. You can polish, stain, and texture it for different aesthetic effects in home interiors.
Here’s an overview of different concrete flooring options by finishing type:
Concrete floors, on average, cost £5 to £30 depending on the finishing.
Resin flooring is plastic and uses epoxy or polyurethane resins as the primary material. It involves applying multiple layers of liquid resin onto a prepared surface, often concrete. It then cures to form a seamless, durable, and highly resistant floor coating.
Resin flooring is ideal for industrial and commercial spaces due to its affordability and durability. You’ll find resin floors in warehouses, manufacturing facilities, showrooms, garages, healthcare facilities, and retail spaces.
You’ll often encounter three types of resin floors, including:
The resin floor costs £7 and £20 per m2.
Rubber floors are made of a flexible and elastic material extracted from certain trees or produced synthetically from petroleum-based compounds. It’s known for its resilience, durability, and ability to absorb impact and vibrations.
Rubber flooring is perfect for high-foot traffic areas that require a cushioned and resilient flooring surface. These places include gyms, fitness centres, playgrounds, sports facilities, commercial kitchens, hospitals, etc.
Types of rubber flooring include:
The best flooring for residential properties depends on various factors, such as personal preferences, lifestyle, budget, and the specific requirements of each room.
Kitchens are high-traffic areas with exposure to spills, moisture, and heat.
Here are some of the best types of flooring that suit kitchens:
Bedrooms are low-traffic spaces with a cosy and relaxing atmosphere. An excellent bedroom floor should create a warm and inviting environment.
Some of the best bedroom flooring include:
Living rooms are typically the central gathering spaces in a home, where comfort, style, and versatility are essential.
Here are some of the best types of flooring for living rooms:
Bathrooms have regular exposure to water, humidity, and potential spills. The bathrooms’ flooring should be highly moisture resistant, durable, easy to clean, and provide good traction to prevent slips and falls.
The best bathroom flooring ideas include:
Hallways are high-traffic areas that connect different rooms within a home. The ideal hallway floor should withstand heavy foot traffic and be resistant to wear and tear.
Here are a few floor types that are excellent for hallways:
Stairs are high-traffic areas with heavy foot traffic and potential impact from regular use.
Here are some of the best types of flooring for stairs:
The best flooring for commercial properties depends on various factors, such as the type of business, foot traffic levels, maintenance requirements, budget, and aesthetic preferences.
Most offices have moderate foot traffic. The flooring should contribute to a professional and productive work environment.
Here are great flooring options for offices:
Sports facilities’ flooring options should enhance performance, reduce injury risk, and provide the necessary traction and impact absorption for sports activities.
Below are great flooring options for sports facilities.
Industrial environments involve heavy machinery, chemicals, high foot traffic, and potential spills. You must consider the type of industry, specific requirements, and the nature of the work conducted in the facility to choose the best flooring for an industrial property.
Factories involve heavy machinery, production processes, high foot traffic, and potential exposure to chemicals, oils, and other contaminants.
Here are some of the best types of flooring that suit different areas in factories:
Warehouses are large industrial spaces primarily used for storage, distribution, and logistical operations.
Here are some of the best types of flooring that suit different warehouses:
There are several reputable brands in the flooring industry. The best flooring brand ultimately depends on individual preferences, specific needs, and budget. Here are a few of them.
Amtico is a reputable flooring brand specialising in luxury vinyl tiles (LVT). It offers various aesthetically pleasing designs, including wood, stone, and abstract patterns.
The price of Amtico LVT flooring varies by product collection, design, and installation method. You can expect to pay £50-£90 per square metre. It’s slightly more expensive than the budget-friendly LVT options.
Quick-Step is a top flooring brand owned by Unilin. It offers high-quality laminate, luxury vinyl, and engineered wood flooring. But Quick-Step’s most popular flooring is laminate which has a hydro seal surface, making it a great option for bathrooms and kitchens.
Quick-Step is one of the most affordable laminate and vinyl flooring brands, with prices as low as £20-70 per square metre.
Ted Todd is a renowned brand specialising in high-quality hardwood flooring. It provides a wide selection of options for solid wood, engineered wood, reclaimed wood, and parquet flooring.
Ted Todd is also known for using responsibly sourced timber and implementing environmentally friendly production processes.
It’s a luxury brand, and pricing varies by the type of wood, grade, finish, antique, and plank size. The average cost of solid wood is £70-£90.
Moduleo is one of the best vinyl flooring brands in the UK. It offers a versatile collection of luxury vinyl flooring options, including realistic wood and stone designs. It’s known for its high-quality, water-resistant, and practical flooring solutions.
Moduleo offers some of the lowest prices in the UK for luxury vinyl tiles ranging from £20-£60 per square metre.
Kährs is a pioneer of wood flooring. Its history dates back to 1857, making it one of the most well-established, high-quality hardwood flooring brands.
Kährs is particularly popular for its selection of engineered wood, finishes, and designs that suit various interior styles. The brand is known for its commitment to sustainable practices in sourcing its materials.
Its engineered wood floors can cost £80- £105 on average.
The best colour for flooring is subjective. It depends on personal preferences, the overall design concept, and the specific environment.
The best way to maintain flooring depends on the specific type of flooring. But here are general floor maintenance tips that work for all:
Every floor type has its cleaning requirements. Below are floor cleaning tips that typically work for all.
The best floor cleaning products vary depending on the specific flooring type, but the commonly used options include:
Here’s the average cost per square metre of some of the best priced flooring:
Sheet vinyl is one of the most budget-friendly flooring options, costing £2 to £10 per square metre.
The best luxury flooring is exotic hardwood flooring and natural stone flooring.
The best flooring for kids depends on age, activities, and maintenance considerations. Carpet, LVT/LVP, laminate, cork, and rubber flooring are all suitable options.
Carpet provides a soft, comfortable surface for kids to play and crawl on. Choose a carpet with stain-resistant properties and durable fibres because kids can be prone to spills, accidents, and messes.
LVT and laminate flooring offer the look of hardwood but are more resistant to scratches and dents.
When selecting flooring for homes with pets, consider factors such as the type of pets, their size, and activity level.
LVT/LVP, laminate, tile, stone, and engineered hardwood are generally good flooring options for homes with pets. Stain-resistant carpets are also suitable, but they require diligent cleaning and maintenance.
The best flooring options for homes with dogs include scratch-resistant choices such as LVT, laminate, tile or stone, bamboo, and engineered hardwood flooring.
The best flooring for high-traffic areas is typically durable and resistant to wear and tear. Options such as luxury vinyl tile (LVT), laminate, ceramic tile, or concrete are well-suited for high-traffic environments due to their strength, longevity, and ease of maintenance.
The best flooring for areas prone to water exposure is typically waterproof or water-resistant options. These include luxury vinyl tile (LVT), ceramic or porcelain tile, concrete, or waterproof laminate flooring.
The best insulated flooring options include materials with inherent insulation properties, such as cork or certain types of carpets with padding. Underfloor heating systems can also enhance insulation.
The best flooring for retaining heat includes options with good thermal conductivity, such as tile, stone, or concrete. These materials can absorb and retain heat effectively.
The best flooring underlay depends on the specific flooring type and desired performance. Common options include foam, rubber, or cork underlays. They offer sound insulation, moisture protection, and added cushioning. It’s essential to choose an underlay that’s compatible with the flooring and meets specific needs.
The best floor coverings depend on individual preferences and specific needs. Common options include carpet for comfort, hardwood for elegance, tile for durability, and vinyl for versatility. Each has its own advantages and suitability for different environments and design preferences.
Do you have a better idea of which floor type will suit your residential or commercial property? If you’re leaning towards wood or laminate flooring, take the next step and contact us for a free quote.
Our flooring experts will organise a free site visit to assess your space and provide tailored recommendations.
