Looking to Remodel Your Home? Try Tile Floors

When remodeling your home, the floors are often the hardest thing to decide on. You want something that looks good, that is functional, and will hold up over the years. Many go with wood and carpet because they provide and warm and inviting atmosphere, but there are many pros and cons to each option that you should know about before making your decision.

Wood:

Although attractive, wood floors can be expensive and highly susceptible to scratches and other warping damages. And unless you have several grand a year to spend on refinishing, you're stuck with dull, damaged wood floors. They are also a bit tricky to clean, as you can't use the standard water and mop method to clean. Water is especially damaging to wood, so you need to invest in special cleaning solutions which can get quite pricey.

Carpet:

Although warm and inviting, carpet can be a mess in itself, especially for houses with children and pets. If you are allergy prone, carpet fibers can be the ideal place for microbes and harmful allergens to hide, no matter how much you vacuum. If they're stained, it's first thing you're eyes go to in a room. To keep the carpets looking good, you often need to hire a professional cleaning service on a regular basis. Carpet cleaning companies can charge you an obscene amount of money to do even the most basic cleaning jobs, and if you have any extra stains, it may end up costing you a small fortune.

Ceramic Tile:

With these options ruled out, it leaves tile flooring. Tile, although commonly used in kitchens and bathrooms, comes in a huge variety of colors and styles that could fit nearly any room in your home. Ceramic tile is one of the more common tile choices in residential areas. Ceramic tile is not only beautiful and tasteful, it's durable. It can take years of high traffic and daily abuse that other floors just can't top. Its hardness can also be considered a drawback as it's prone to chips and cracks, so one should be especially careful if installing in an area like a kitchen.

Ceramic Tile is also easy to install, and many jobs can be done in a short period of time. For houses prone to messes, Ceramic tile is the ideal option in terms of ease of clean ups. It's non-porous, so it is resistant to mold, mildew and other allergens that you'd accumulate if you had material like carpet installed. It is moisture and stain resistant. With just a mop and bucket, even the most daunting spill can be cleaned and the floor will be good as new. Ceramic tile is also one of the most affordable flooring options on the market. Luckily, the low cost is not a reflection of the quality level of the product. So all in all, it's an incredible value. Ceramic tile also keeps the room cooler, so if you're in a warmer climate, this could be a great advantage. But if you're in a cooler environment, the coldness can be alleviated with the use of some stylish throw rugs.

Remodeling your home shouldn't be all stress. Just realistically think about what options would work best with you and your family's lifestyle and you're sure to choose the option that fits you and your budget.