Comparison between Laminate Flooring and Tile Flooring

There are literally hundreds of choices available when it comes to choosing a floor covering for different areas of your home. From carpet, tile, hardwood floors, vinyl floors and laminate flooring, it can be a difficult selection to make. For durability, two of the best choices are laminate flooring and tile flooring. The type of flooring that you choose will depend on your specific needs and style preferences. Below is a comparison between laminate flooring and tile flooring to help you make the right decision for your home.

Laminate Flooring

Laminate flooring is extremely durable. It resembles the rich, beautiful look of hardwood floors but it is available for a much less expensive investment. Laminate flooring is made from a variety of materials including paper, resin, and wood. Laminate floors are easier to install, and it does not require gluing and nailing. Recommended for heavy traffic areas, laminate floors can withstand a lot of wear and tear while still looking great. Laminate floors are easy to care for just by sweeping, vacuuming, and damp mopping with warm water. Laminate floors come in many different colors and styles. You can choose a light colored laminate floor to give a room a bright, airy feel and to make a space appear larger than it is. If you prefer a warm, cozy feel in a large room, you can opt for a darker color laminate floor. With so many colors and shades available, you can choose one that is just right for your d?cor preferences. Additionally, laminate floors are neutral regardless of which color or shade you choose. This means that you can change your d?cor whenever you want, but you wont have to change your laminate floors.

Tile Flooring

Tile flooring is also very versatile and durable. Tile is not as easy to install as laminate floors, but the flooring category offers more color and pattern varieties. With tile you can choose something very neutral to hide dirt or you can go for bold colors like black and white, red, blue, or just about any other color you can imagine. When choosing tile, it is important to pick one that is rated for the type of use you expect for a particular room. There are light traffic and heavy traffic choices, so be sure to get the one that suits your lifestyle.

Tile floors are also very easy to clean by just sweeping and mopping them. With tile you have the choice of using various cleaning solutions to sanitize the area, and you really dont need to worry about the chemicals damaging the floor. Unfortunately over time, the grout in between the tile can start to look dirty and dingy, so you will need to have it professionally cleaned and resealed after a couple of years to keep it looking new.

John Erickson, a carpet installation expert and resident of St. Petersburg, Florida, writes on home improvement tips, carpeting and keeping up a beautiful house.