Which flooring to choose for your house?

You need to install or renovate the flooring in your house but you don’t know which one to choose? Are you hesitating between a comfortable carpet, a beautiful hard-wearing tile, natural wood flooring or a flexible flooring that is easy to install and economical?

There are so many possible choices that it is very difficult to choose, but each solution depends on the room in the house and your budget. So what are the advantages and disadvantages of each type of flooring? How to choose the right one for each room in your house?

A floor for each room?

Be aware that all floor coverings are not suitable for every room. Some face technical constraints, such as the bathroom, where laying wood flooring is not advised due to moisture and water splashes. It is preferable to choose tiles or PVC flooring, which are water-resistant. In the kitchen, you should prioritise a floor that is resistant to falling or movement of heavy objects; the same applies for rooms with regular passage. Finding the right flooring for each room and each use may seem difficult, but in reality it is very simple: you just need to follow the UPEC classification (U = wear, P = indentation, E = water, C = chemistry). For example, for a kitchen, you will need to choose a floor with a high value for U, which represents better wear resistance, and for a bathroom it will be E, for better water resistance.

A must-have: wood flooring

Although it is quite expensive, it creates a warm environment and gives each room a distinctive character. Wood flooring remains a timeless floor covering.

Two types of wood flooring exist. Solid wood flooring, made from a single wood, and engineered wood flooring consisting of a solid wear layer and a lower part in birch. The quality does not really change, but you need to know how to choose them: the thicker the wear layer of the flooring, the higher the quality.

You can use wood flooring in all rooms of your house, except for the bathroom, where you will need to choose exotic wood or bamboo flooring. If your house has underfloor heating, you should not install solid wood flooring, which will expand or change colour, but engineered wood flooring, which will be less affected thanks to its multiple layers.

Don’t forget to maintain your wood flooring: varnishing or oiling it every 2 or 3 years is essential.

A great illusionist: laminate flooring

Laminate flooring is made of wood powder covered with a decor that perfectly mimics the look of wood, stone, concrete, cement… The realism is stunning, as is the feel and resistance of this flooring, which comes at very attractive prices. But you need to choose quality laminate flooring, by looking at its thickness and what level of use it corresponds to – the more the room requires a resistant floor, the higher the usage class will be (it will be higher for a kitchen than a bedroom, for example). If some laminate flooring prices are too attractive, it is probably because they will not last long. Prioritise quality, which remains at very affordable prices nonetheless.

A very big advantage of laminate flooring is its ease of installation; you simply clip the planks together. But remember to prepare your floor with an underlay or choose a model with integrated underlay, as this type of flooring tends to echo a little.

When it mimics wood, you will not get the look of solid wood flooring, but it is a very good alternative to engineered wood flooring, and it requires no maintenance.

A classic: tiles

No question about it, it is THE flooring for all rooms in the house. It is hard-wearing and easy to maintain, so perfect for all uses. It has become extremely modern in recent years, it can even perfectly mimic the look of wood or stone. It is available in several sizes: 30 x 30cm or 40 x 40cm, or in large tile format, very trendy, 60 x 60cm or 90 x 90cm.

Marble-effect tiles or cement tile imitations are very trendy. But for quality tiles, you need porcelain stoneware tiles, which are resistant to impacts and time. Like wood flooring, refer to the UPEC classification.

A safe bet: vinyl / PVC flooring

You can find it in rolls, planks or click tiles. For quality flooring, do not choose rolls, although their prices are very attractive. Click flooring is very simple to install, perfectly mimics stone and wood, is water-resistant and easy to maintain, thanks to its PVC manufacture. They are becoming very trendy, and their designs are becoming more and more modern.

They are a little more expensive, but unlike laminate flooring, they do not echo, and you can lay them directly on the old floor if it is smooth. However, be careful not to use them in a conservatory, as they can deform under the effect of heat.

A re-invention: carpet

Carpet, often considered old-fashioned, is slowly coming back into fashion, thanks to major improvements. It is natural or synthetic, with its advantages: insulation and comfort.

An eco-friendly option: linoleum

Not to be confused with vinyl. It looks similar because both are flexible, both are resistant to water, stains and time, and available in rolls or planks but linoleum is made only from natural materials and is more rigid than PVC flooring. To tell them apart: the marbled effect of linoleum.

Underfloor heating: heated flooring

In October, the cold is fast approaching, and we are getting quickly closer to winter. But there is no question of being cold at home! And what could be more pleasant than placing your feet on a warm floor when you have just woken up? This is possible, thanks to underfloor heating. So is it a myth or really reality?

– What is it?

Underfloor heating is a very low-temperature underfloor heating system. It is a hot water heating system renowned for its reliability, efficiency and comfort. It can also work with electricity, but this is less economical. Water is heated to 40 degrees, and distributed in the floor at a maximum of 28 degrees as well as in the air in a homogeneous way, unlike a radiator.

During your house works, a heating engineer installs polystyrene insulation and clips and places polyethylene pipes between these clips, in all rooms. You then just need to pour concrete and cover it with the covering you have chosen.

All tiles, terracotta tiles and marble are compatible with underfloor heating. But regarding floating wood flooring and carpet, you need to check with the manufacturer, as they cannot all be placed on a heat zone.

– What are its advantages?

Its main advantage: comfort, very pleasant if you like walking barefoot.

All rooms are heated in the same way and at the same temperature, so they are all pleasant in winter.

It is unnoticeable and invisible, there is no water noise like in radiator pipes, or the noise of a boiler. The radiators no longer clutter you, you can furnish your room as you wish.

It adapts to the seasons: in summer, it becomes an air conditioner, the water circulating is no longer hot but cold, which allows the house temperature to be lowered.

And even though at the time of the works it will cost more than having electric radiators installed, it will become the most cost-effective heating system.

– What are its disadvantages?

Although it is discreet, it needs to be maintained, by having a complete flush and full cleaning done every 3 years maximum, by a heating engineer. A VERY important step, as poorly maintained heating can quickly become a nightmare… If it breaks down or leaks, to access the pipes you will only be able to break everything…

In the context of a construction, you need to take into account the height of the installation, as it raises the floor and requires adjustments to doors, external accesses…

Its biggest disadvantage remains its cost, you need to budget around one hundred euros per square metre to have it installed. This is a very large investment, which will only be amortised after several years of use.

Whether you prefer wood flooring, tiles or carpet, opt for a floor to your taste and above all suited to the use of the room in question.