Most Popular Types of Flooring Materials for Your House

01. Tiles Flooring

Amongst all the type of flooring used in the house, “tile flooring” is a very common and popular. The tiles are available in varieties of colours, textures and patterns.

Tiles flooring also have types like vitrified tiles, ceramic tiles, porcelain tiles, etc. We have tried to give a brief explanation on all various types of tiles:

01(a) Ceramic Tiles Flooring

Ceramic tile is made up of mixture of clay and water only. It is used in indoor as well as outdoor areas. Ceramic tiles are ideal for wet areas like bathrooms, kitchens, etc. as these tiles are not very slippery as compared to vitrified tiles.

Also Read: Basic Things to Know about Ceramic Tile

01(b) Vitrified Tiles Flooring

Vitrified tile is one type of ceramic tile with low porosity. Vitrified tiles are most commonly used in living room, kitchen, bedroom, etc. They have a glossy finish as compared to ceramic tiles though they are also available in matt finish.

There are various types of vitrified tiles available in the market like;

• Full Body Vitrified Tiles:

Full body vitrified tiles have pigment in entire thickness of the tile. Therefore, scratches are less noticeable in these types of vitrified tiles. Also, when you have to cut the tiles, borders of tiles will be of the same colour.

• Double Charge Vitrified Tiles:

Double charge vitrified tiles are fed through a press that prints the pattern with a double layer of pigment (two kinds of colours are fed into the machine). Therefore, the upper layer becomes 3 to 4 mm thicker. So, it is a viable option where traffic is medium to heavy.

• Soluble Salt Vitrified Tiles:

Vitrified tiles are printed with screen printing technology and then polished, therefore it is called soluble salt.

• Glazed Vitrified Tiles:

Glazed Vitrified Tiles (GVT) has a glazed surface. This glazed surface allows any type of design, surface textures, etc. on it. It can increase the aesthetics of the area.

Also Read: Vitrified Floor Tiles: Properties You should Know Before Buying it!

01 (c) Porcelain Tiles Flooring

Porcelain tiles are the type of vitrified tiles. It is not majorly used nowadays. Porcelain tiles can be used in living room, bedroom, etc. It is staining and water resistant.

02. Stone Flooring

Stone flooring is natural, beautiful, and always stylish that stands out in contrast to any synthetic or manufactured stone products. Natural stone also comes in different types such as granite, marble, limestone, slate, travertine, sandstone, etc. All the types of stone have different characteristics. The naturally cool, hard surface is ideal for warm climates.

02(a) Marble Flooring

Marble is a metamorphic rock. When properly finished it can transform the area beautifully.  Marble flooring is very common in residential and commercial buildings, temple, hotels, hospitals etc. The most popular marble available in India are Makarana Marble, Italian Marble, Ambaji Green Marble, Kesarayaji Green Marble, etc. It is a better flooring option than granite flooring as it is cheaper.

Also Read: Properties of Marble Stone: All you Need to Know

02(d) Sandstone Flooring

Sandstone flooring is composed of loose grains of quartz sand that are rough in texture. The natural beauty makes sandstone flooring great for interior floors as well as exterior decoration including flooring, paving, parking, etc.

02(e) Slate Flooring

Slate flooring is a made up of metamorphic rock that was formed in layers, so it easily splits into thin sheets that are cut into tiles. Rougher surfaces of slate flooring are perfect for entryways, patios and kitchens.

02(f) Kota Stone Flooring

Kota Stone is a type of stone flooring. It is cheaper than marble flooring.  It can be used in lobby, balcony, pathways, etc. It is not attractive as compared to marble and granite flooring. Cleaning of kota stone flooring is difficult.

02(g) Travertine Flooring

Nowadays, the travertine is one of the softest floorings available in the market. It is most commonly used in kitchens and bathrooms. Travertine flooring can be more susceptible to staining than granite or marbles.

03. Wood Flooring

Wood flooring is very old type of flooring material; however, it has never been outdated. It is used under special circumstances such as in hilly areas and in damp places. With proper care and maintenance, wood flooring can last a long time. There are various types of wooden flooring which are commonly used:

03(a) Solid Wood Flooring

Solid wood flooring is made from a piece of wood which has thickness of around 20 mm. Solid wood flooring can be installed in any room of your house, except in areas where there is high moisture content such as kitchen, bathrooms and basements.

03(b) Engineered Wood Flooring

Engineered wood flooring is made with the core of plywood and a layer of solid wood attached on its top. It can be installed even in kitchen areas, apart from other rooms of your house. Engineered wood flooring gives more attractive look than laminate wood flooring.

05. China Mosaic Flooring

China mosaic flooring is very old type of flooring. Mosaics are made from small round pieces of stones. They form nice pattern and give a beautiful look. It is popularly used in the terrace area.

06. Concrete Flooring

Concrete flooring is one of the oldest types of flooring. It is commonly used throughout the world for almost all types of buildings. Concrete flooring is extremely strong and is able to withstand the pressure from very heavy equipment such as cars, trucks, etc.

07. Terrazzo Flooring

Terrazzo flooring is a concrete surface with special type of marble chips embedded in it. Terrazzo flooring is commonly recommended for bathrooms, dining rooms, offices, hospitals, etc.

08. Mosaic Tiles Flooring

Mosaic tiles are created by assembling tiny pieces of glass, tiles or natural stones. You can use them in the kitchen, bathroom or bedroom floors. The use of mosaic will give decorative look to your house.

Also Read: Way to Check the Quality of Mosaic Tiles at the Site!

10. Mud Flooring

Mud flooring is most suitable for Indian conditions and climates. It is commonly used in village areas. Mud flooring is very cheap and hard. It is fairly impervious, easy to construct. However, it is difficult to maintain.

11. Brick Flooring

Brick flooring is one of the oldest types of flooring materials. It is majorly used in courtyards, stores, godowns, etc. Brick flooring is durable and provides sufficiently hard floor surface. It provides a non-slippery and fire-resistant surface.

Also Read: 10 Qualities of a Good Clay Bricks

14. Linoleum Flooring

Linoleum flooring is made of linseed oil, wood or cork powder, and ground stone. It is recyclable material and available in different colours, styles and patterns and resists water easily. It is most commonly used in kitchen, bathroom and laundry rooms.

15. Rubber Flooring

Rubber flooring is most popular in Asian Countries. This type of flooring is noiseless, comfortable in walking, and very durable. The initial cost of rubber flooring is a little bit high. It gives excellent wearing surface.

17. Magnesite Flooring

Magnesite flooring consists of calcined magnesite, magnesium chloride, wood dust, ground quartz or silica and fine powdered wood waste. It is used as finishing surface on concrete floor slabs.  It is also known as the composition of a “jointless floor”. These types of flooring, though not very common, is cheap, gives a smooth surface and can be laid jointless on the rough surface as the material is flexible.