This is a guest post from Jason Hoyle of The Hardwood Floor Store, who are based in the UK and have a range of wide board Oak engineered wood floors suitable for use with underfloor heating.
You know you want to redo your room and you know you want to update your floors, but should you go with carpet or hard floor?
Carpet
One of the key advantages of carpet is warmth; especially in cold-weather climates. And, even if the room isn’t physically cold, a carpeted room gives a greater illusion of warmth than a non-carpeted one. Another advantage is insulation. Carpeted rooms don’t carry sound like rooms with hard floors.
Then there is the cosiness factor; walking, sitting, and/or playing on a carpeted floor is just nicer. And, carpets are less inclined to cause slipping and, if you do fall, much softer (and generally safer) to land on that their hard counterparts.
Finally, carpets can be lower maintenance in both effort and cost. With some hard floors requiring regular dusting followed by mopping and regularly-scheduled stripping and re-surfacing, even if you vacuum daily, the labour required can feel less intensive.
Hard Floors
The above being said, many people choose hard floors because they consider them easier to maintain. Hard floors accumulate less dust and dirt than carpets do, and spills are easier to clean and stains are easier to remove.
Hard floors are also more durable; they withstand high traffic and heavy use much better than carpet. They are also considered to be a better choice for people with allergies
Some hard floors – hardwoods in particular – give a room a timeless feel. And, they can increase the value of your home.