The Best Flooring Solutions for a Busy Family Home

flooring

Every family home needs to withstand a wide variety of wear and tear through the rigours of everyday life, and if you have children and pets, the abuse it has to put up with rises exponentially. The area that has to work hardest is the floor, yet this is often the part that gets the least attention when it comes to redecorating and home upgrades.

Here, we turn our eyes downwards, and give the area beneath our feet the attention it deserves, by examining some of the best home flooring options that are available at everyday prices from specialist retailers such as Discount Flooring Depot. Let’s take a look at some hard wearing alternatives to the traditional carpet.

Solid wood floors

Solid wood is the material of choice if you want a floor surface that will provide a lifetime of service and will exude quality and class. It is the most traditional option, and is often found in older homes.

A variety of materials are available, with oak being the most popular choice. And once it is installed, it can be periodically maintained, sanded and varnished to keep it looking its best.

Solid wood does need to be looked after, however. It does not take well to being covered in water, so should be cleaned carefully using a vacuum cleaner and a damp cloth.

Laminate flooring

For a modern, stylish look at a competitive price, a laminate floor is hard to beat. It is also extremely hard wearing and forgiving, meaning it can withstand pretty much anything that your family can throw at it. Muddy dogs, spilt drinks and skating kids, it will take them all in its stride.

Laminate is very simple to keep clean, too. Have a mop and bucket to hand, and it will look as good as new in no time, meaning it really is the perfect solution in a busy house.

It looks great in any room, providing a light, airy and contemporary feel, and best of all, it is easy to install with just some basic tools and a little bit of DIY acumen.

Parquet flooring

A parquet floor will, in some respects, bring you the best of both worlds. It uses engineered wood with a hardwood surface, to give you a wide variety of solid wood finishes, at a fraction of the cost. You can also choose from a broad range of styles, to create a bespoke finish that will look very special indeed. It is particularly impressive in living rooms and hallways.

However, if you have young children and a menagerie of pets, bear in mind that parquet is not quite as resilient to staining and damage as laminate, and needs to be cared for in the same way as solid wood if you want to keep it looking at its best. Also, parquet is not as simple to install, and DIY enthusiasts are recommended to call in the professionals, unless they really know what they are doing.