You might consider getting flooring that can withstand dog nails, stains, scratches, and more. If you’re unsure where to start, here are some great flooring options for high-traffic areas in your home that are not only durable but long-lasting.
Luxury vinyl
When it comes to luxury vinyl flooring, it’s one of the most durable materials you can choose for high-traffic areas. But don’t confuse it for laminate flooring; both are very different, and luxury vinyl is much more durable. Not only does luxury vinyl mimic the look and feel of other materials, such as hardwood, but is less expensive than other options and can withstand a lot of wear and tear over the years. This makes luxury vinyl a great option for heavy-traffic areas, such as the kitchen, hallways, and entryways. While a hardwood floor on its own is durable, when you install luxury vinyl that resembles wood flooring, you’re actually getting floors that are more durable than hardwood. Unlike hardwood, vinyl is 100% waterproof, which makes it great for kitchens where spills are likely to happen. Luxury vinyl is also scratch, scuff, and stain-resistant.
Carpet
While carpet may not be the first material to come to mind when you’re looking for durable flooring for high-traffic areas, it has come a long way and developed into a great material for these types of areas. Many brands now manufacture carpet that is pet-proof, stain-proof, and spill-proof, making it extremely durable for areas where accidents are bound to happen. Carpet can also be treated with chemicals to make it more stain-resistant for your home. Not only can carpet withstand accidents and pets, but it can hold up in high-traffic areas for years to come.
Tile
Another great option for high-traffic areas is tile flooring. Much like luxury vinyl, tile is waterproof and stain-resistant. Due to the way tile is manufactured, it makes it scratch-proof and extremely durable for high-traffic areas. It’s an extremely popular flooring to use in areas like kitchens and bathrooms due to its durability. If you’re looking for something similar to tile in looks and durability, you might consider laminate flooring as well, which provides you with a cheaper alternative.
How to maintain durable flooring
While maintaining your floors may seem like it will be a lot of work, it can actually be simple and easy, even in high-traffic areas of your home. To keep your home’s flooring in its best shape, here are a few tips to follow.
Regularly clean your floors
It’s important to keep a regular cleaning schedule for your floors, especially in high-traffic areas such as the kitchen and entryway. Depending on your flooring material, make sure to regularly sweep, vacuum, or mop the area to keep it in its best shape.
Use rugs and mats
You can also use rugs and mats to help protect flooring in high-traffic areas. You can place a rug in the entryway of your home to protect your floors from any water, mud, dirt, and anything else that is brought in from outside.
Deep clean your floors annually
Deep cleaning your floors once a year can also help keep them in their best shape while cleaning out any dirt or dust that has built up in hard-to-reach places. You can deep clean yourself or hire a professional service. This will help extend the life of your flooring and restore it to like-new conditions.
When you’re deciding on your new flooring material for the high-traffic areas of your home, be sure to consider all the properties of the material. Like luxury vinyl and tile, it’s important to have water-resistant material in your kitchen and bathroom. While carpet may not be completely water-resistant, there are still some great options today that are stain- and pet-proof. If you need more help picking out durable materials for your home, reach out to GS Flooring for more information. At GS Flooring, we can not only help you decide the best material, but we can install it as well.
