Newer homes have flooring options that weren’t available in the past. Now you can choose to use rubber flooring, as well some other newer options. Laminate and vinyl are inexpensive choices, but you’ll be surprised that rubber flooring can beat them both when you factor in durability.

What is Rubber Flooring?

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that rubber flooring is made of rubber. You can get organic or synthetic rubber. You can even find recycled rubber flooring that helps to keep rubber out of landfills.

Benefits of Rubber Flooring

You may have to spend a lot of time standing in one place. If you do, rubber flooring can reduce stress and possible injury, because it is springy. It’s a great choice for homes with crawling babies because it resists bacteria. If a child falls, the springiness helps prevent injury.

Which Type Do I Get?

Sheets of rubber flooring require the use of an adhesive. If you use tiles, they may create more joints in the floor, but adhesive isn’t necessary. Of course, if you get a designed tile, the joints may not be a problem. The choice, however, is ultimately up to you.

Say vinyl flooring and you’ll probably think linoleum. Take another look at vinyl tile flooring today, it’s not what it used to be. In fact, you might be surprised at how far vinyl floors have come.

What is Vinyl?

Vinyl tiles are composed of layers to create long-lasting floors. First comes a thick backing, then a printed design showing a realistic pattern, and a protective layer to give the tile durability. Better tiles have an additional protective wear layer made of urethane.

Choosing the Right Flooring

You can choose from many flooring materials besides vinyl: linoleum, hardwood, carpet, concrete, laminate, slate, rubber, and bamboo. But your eventual choice will be determined by how the room is used. Vinyl tiles may be installed almost anywhere in a home, including the laundry room, kitchen, or bathroom.

How Much Does It Cost?

Vinyl tiles cost from $0.29 to $4.00 / sq ft. Choosing better quality tiles, of course, will cost more depending on the thickness, printed design, and color. If you have a professional install it for you, expect to pay as much as $0.75 to $2.00 per square foot.

Can I Install It Myself?

If you’re redecorating your home, and want to put in some new floors, then you want to find a flooring material that is both beautiful and inexpensive. Of course hardwood really looks classy, but it costs more than you want to spend. Pergo flooring provides an answer to your needs. It imitates hardwood so well that it takes an expert to see the difference — and the cost is quite a bit less than real hardwood.

Pergo fooring was first introduced in Sweden more than 30 years ago, but only recently made its debut in the United States. After an initial success, Pergo made a deal with Home Depot to carry their line in all of their stores. And now the Pergo name is becoming almost synonymous with laminate flooring.

There are basically three reasons why Pergo became the best selling flooring in the world so quickly. They use only the highest quality materials, installation is simple, and the floor is easy to maintain. Pergo flooring has more design patterns than any other, and it is eco-friendly since it doesn’t use real wood — only wood by-products. And if you are worried about harmful chemicals, Pergo doesn’t use any — not even glue.

Slate tile flooring is a popular choice for homeowners because it can be used in nearly every room of the house, as well as outside. It also offers a natural slip-resistant surface in areas that are expected to get wet such as a kitchen or bathroom. Besides being a safe surface, slate tile flooring is also beautiful. It’s no wonder this medium is so popular.

What is it?

For homeowners that are ‘green’ conscious, slate is a great choice because it is a natural stone product. Since it’s made of stone, it provides a durable surface that will serve your home for many years. Usually the slate will be in its natural state, which helps reduce slippage, but you can also get it milled smooth, depending upon the look you want.

Choosing the Right Flooring

Trying to find the perfect floor can be frustrating and time-consuming. Go to your local home improvement store to look at their selections and talk to an associate to learn more about your choices. If you’re not sure which to choose, ask if you can buy samples so you can take them home and compare them with your home’s colors.