Flooring is the general term for any covering of a floor, usually complete with a felt pad or a felt cover. Flooring is a much more generic term to generally define any finished surface covering used over a flooring structure in order to give a walkway. The term can also refer to the actual physical product such as timber, concrete, stone, tile, etc. When talking about flooring, one usually refers to floor materials.
In the construction industry, flooring refers to roofing over a floor. If you are talking about a garage floor, you are referring to a floor.
PVC flooring
The most generic form of flooring is PVC from polyvinyl chloride and other polymers, which are capable of providing formidable protection against moisture, temperature, and shock. This is often the most commonly used underlayment, which is basically a combination of a thin membrane and a rubberized backing.
This provides a very good level of moisture resistance, but at the same time, it’s not waterproof. You can buy this flooring from Flooring Store in all developed countries. If you live in the USA, the best place to buy vinyl flooring is Columbus Flooring City.
Wood flooring
It is common to use either unfinished wood flooring or a prefinished one. In terms of moisture resistance, prefinished wooden flooring is by far the best option as that provides more protection than unfinished ones. Wood is an excellent choice as it is highly durable and strong. Once the floor covering has been installed it’s extremely easy to maintain it.
Hardwood flooring
Most people opt for either hardwood flooring or solid hardwood flooring. Hardwood usually is the most popular choice but is also the most expensive type of flooring. The main benefits of using hardwood are that they are highly durable, and because they contain a high level of natural sugars, they can withstand a lot of wear and tear.
The only drawback of using hardwood is that the thicker layers of wood tend to gather at corners, leading to squeakiness and hence is not recommended for children. A better choice would be a solid hardwood floor. While solid hardwood flooring can be stained, using wax or paint is not advisable because the layers of wood tend to float and damage the finish.
Bamboo flooring:
The bamboo flooring is an excellent choice for homeowners who would like to install hardwood flooring but cannot afford the expense. A bamboo floor can also be installed over a concrete slab. Which does not require the tedious installation process associated with a slab. Bamboo floors also look like natural wood, although they are much more affordable and do not buckle under extreme foot pressure.
Laminate flooring
If the floor covering will have many joists, then it’s advisable to choose a laminate type of floor covering that will provide a much higher degree of stability. You may also opt for ceramic tile flooring. This floor is made from tiny ceramic shells which are bonded onto the wooden surface. This floor provides an excellent finish, but it tends to crack. When it comes into contact with water because of its lightweight nature.
Raised flooring:
Subfloors that are exposed to water are susceptible to damage due to rot. In order to protect such subfloors, it’s advisable to use a raised floor. Raised flooring consists of a sloped wooden floor that is attached directly to a slab. This slab is usually installed directly on the ground. One significant benefit of using raised floors is that moisture and liquids will not seep through the concrete.
The thickness of the flooring depends on many factors. The first factor is the location of the floors. The subfloor must be sufficiently deep to take full advantage of the timber. So subfloor planks need to be relatively thicker than the actual layers of timber. The second factor that affects the thickness is the number of joists required for each plank.
Conclusion
With so many options on the market. It can be challenging to decide which type of flooring is best for your home. PVC floors has a lot going for it as well as some challenges. It’s durable and easy to clean with regular use. But will show wear and tear if not taken care of properly. Wood floors have a classic look that never goes out of style and can last decades without warping or buckling. But they are more expensive than other types of materials because you need to refinish them every few years. Laminate floors provide an inexpensive option that still looks great in any room from living spaces to kitchens, though you might have trouble finding one that stands up against heavy traffic areas.
