The Best Hardwearing Floors for Family Homes

When looking for flooring in a family home, durability is one of the first concerns. Many consider wooden flooring as an option because of its long lifetime but its prohibitive cost and susceptibility to scuffs and scratches means that it can be less than ideal in busy settings, especially those with children and pets.

However, you can still get that hardwood flooring look and feel with laminate wood flooring, at a fraction of the expense and with the added advantage of resistance to scratches, dents, and stains. Not necessarily the best choice for kitchen flooring ideas or other areas where spills and moisture are likely to occur, if you wanted something that were a little more resistant, vinyl flooring would be a great alternative.

In this blog post, we’ll look at the best hardwearing floors for family homes and where they’d be best suited around the home.

How Durable is Laminate Flooring?

Laminate flooring is extremely durable (and we’ve spoken about its advantages over wood flooring here) because of its tough external layer and coating. Also, affordable, and easy to care for, the upkeep of this hardy material is incredibly simple because of its scratch and scuff resistance. It can be simply swept or vacuumed with minimal fuss or hassle to make light work of dust and dirt. If you get a stain, laminate does not discolour easily, and a damp mop will more than likely do the job for messes and spills (although you don’t want to put too much moisture on the surface).

The wear layer is long-lasting and protects against UV light so it can be placed almost anywhere around the home. Easily accessorised with rugs, it’s simple to create your ideal look with laminate as you can get stone and wood effects to provide the essence of luxury in your home.

How Long Do Vinyl Floors Last?

Vinyl floor is quite possibly one of the sturdiest flooring options around, lasting between 10 and 20 years, with the right care. This is especially true of Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT), which typically lasts 15 to 20 years. This largely depends on the thickness of its wear layer and how well maintained it is but it’s a great solution for areas like bathrooms and kitchens where moisture is likely to occur, and spills may happen, due to its water resistance.

Where hygiene is a priority, vinyl really comes into its own because it can be mopped, swept vacuumed, and disinfected rapidly. Whilst already a cost-effective choice, this ease of maintenance adds to its affordability over its lifetime. Also available in a range of styles that mimic other flooring you can get options like tile, marble, stone, wood plank, herringbone and more.

The Best Carpet Types for High Traffic Areas

If you were looking for a warmer flooring choice with a soft underfoot feel, carpet may be your favoured way to go. But getting one suited to high-traffic areas needs careful consideration, as you don’t want worn, tired looking carpets happening. Berber Loop carpets are known for being hard-wearing, making them ideal choices for hallways and stairs, where footfall is likely to be prevalent. Their enchanting texture frequently produces a speckled appearance, featuring various collared fibres within each loop. This delightful overall effect can conceal flaws, household marks, and dirt.

Twist Pile carpets also offer a great level of durability. This preferred carpet option for many is characterised by its dense pile, providing a solid and comforting feel underfoot. As one of the most popular carpet types, it offers a wide range of colours and patterns, allowing you to effortlessly express your unique style, making it ideal for living or entertaining spaces.