Looking for a new floor for the home but confused by the sheer amount of choice available? There are thousands of flooring products on the market, this can make it tough to know what’s right for you.

The good news is, there are ways to simplify your options to ensure you choose the best floor for your property. Read on to discover 5 things to consider when choosing the right floor for your home…

1. Where will the floor be installed?

The first thing you should think about is the floor’s location. Which room will it be installed in? Different areas of the home require a different type of flooring. For example, if you’re looking for a bathroom floor, it’s going to need to be 100% waterproof.

The size of the room is also an important factor to consider. Larger planks can help to make a smaller room appear larger. Similarly, smaller planks will help to create a cosier feel in larger rooms.

2. How much traffic will it be exposed to?

You need to think about how much foot traffic the floor will have to deal with. If it is going to be installed in a high traffic area, durability is going to be a priority.

If you are purchasing laminate flooring or luxury vinyl flooring, pay attention to the AC rating to see how durable each floor is. With wood flooring, you’ll get a feel for how durable each floor is by looking at the wear layer and overall thickness. The thicker they are, the more durable they are going to be.

Areas in the home that are exposed to heavy foot traffic include the hallway, lounge, and stairs. The kitchen and bathroom are exposed to moderate foot traffic, while the bedrooms generally experience the lowest amount.

3. What style of flooring do you need?

WWhile the style of flooring that is right for your home will ultimately depend upon personal preference, there are some things to consider. The floor will need to blend in with your existing decor. Concrete flooring is a great option for those looking for a modern or industrial look. A concrete floor combined with gypsum underlayments could make a durable and low-maintenance floor. Other types of flooring that can be considered include hardwood, laminate, tile, vinyl, and carpet. Each type of flooring material has different characteristics and requires different levels of maintenance.

4. How much maintenance are you willing to provide?

Some floors will require a lot more maintenance than others. If you’re looking for a floor that’s easy to maintain, luxury vinyl tiles are the better option, followed closely by laminate.

Another great choice that fits this category of easy maintenance is SPC Vinyl floors. They are unwelcoming to dust and dirt, so dusting them using a broom and mopping with a damp cloth can be sufficient to make them appear spotless. What’s more? They make for great waterproof flooring. SPC is an acronym for Stone Polymer Composite — this kind of flooring material has a core composed of limestone and plastic stabilizers. The outcome of such a combination is a thin-looking flooring plank with an extremely dense core, which makes it extremely resilient to water. SPC vinyl also has the strength of stone, so they are highly durable and can last up to 20 years.

The most difficult type of flooring to maintain is solid wood. However, it can be sanded down quite a few times, meaning it will last a lot longer than many other flooring types. Hardwood, therefore, is a popular choice for flooring, mainly due to its durability. And it doesn’t have to be that expensive. Alderfer Lumber (alderferlumber.com) and similar suppliers can provide rough-cut hardwood that won’t burn a hole in your wallet, and would provide the added benefit of having more longevity than planed wood. So, if you don’t mind the maintenance work, then you should go for it.

5. What is your budget?

How much can you afford to spend on your new floor? If you don’t have a large budget, solid wood may be unobtainable. However, you can enjoy real wood aesthetics at a budget-friendly cost with luxury vinyl or engineered wood flooring. You can also shop through leading retailers such as Leeds-based Stories Flooring, who offer up to 65% off RRP on leading brands.

These are some of the main factors to consider when choosing a new floor for the home. There is a lot to think about, but the right floor will last for over a decade.