Most Popular Types of Flooring Materials for Your House

Civil Engineer
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Furniture and fittings, you may be able to change with the time however the flooring is something there for a very long period of time. As choosing your flooring needs lots of effort and also it will cost you a fortune. Also, choosing new flooring for your new home is not an easy task. There are so many options available for flooring materials to choose from a wide range from the market. There are various types of flooring materials are available in the market, so it is bound to happen where people get confused while choosing which flooring material is best for their home.
Choosing flooring materials usually depend upon the following criteria:
- Choices
- Uses
- Quality
- Traffic (High, Low or Medium)
- Difficulty of Installation
- Required Level of Finishing
- Maintenance i.e. Cleaning
- Economy
Also Read: Floor Components: All You Like to Know!
Here we have tried to defined various types of flooring materials which are most popular nowadays:
Types of Flooring Materials
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!
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.
02(b) Granite Flooring
Granite is igneous rock. Granite flooring a is a type of natural stone flooring and it is most suitable for the kitchen area. It is also used in an outdoor area like pathways. Granite flooring does not feel as cold as marble does.
Also Read: Granite Flooring: All You Need to Know
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.
03(c) Laminate Wood Flooring
Laminate wood flooring is obtained by placing a layer of a photographic image of wood over a fiberboard. As it is a synthetic product, it does not give look and feel of natural wood. Laminate wood flooring can be installed in any room such as living room, bedroom, and dining room except wet areas like bathroom and laundry rooms.
04. PVC or Vinyl Flooring
PVC flooring is also known as vinyl flooring. These types of flooring material have a very smooth top surface and a rough lower surface. Vinyl flooring is a good choice for areas that are prone to spills and moisture such as kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, also for offices, etc.
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.
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.
09. Glass Flooring
Glass flooring is not very common, but can be used in aristocratic buildings both residential and public particularly to have smooth and pleasing surface. Glass flooring is generally bacteria and dirt-resistant.
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
12. Carpet Flooring
In carpet flooring, the carpet is made from wool or from synthetic fibers, such as polypropylene, nylon, or polyester. It is the most versatile of all flooring options, featuring more colours and textures than any other types of flooring material. It is a kid’s friendly flooring option used in the kid’s bedroom and also in living room, bedroom, etc. However, cleaning can be issue.
Also Read: Rugs & Carpet Cleaning Tips for Your Home
13. Cork Flooring
Cork is a natural material obtained from the outer bark of cork oak tree. It is available in the form of coloured tiles or sheets. Cork flooring is mostly used in the kitchen, dining areas, etc. This type of flooring material is environmentally friendly. Cork flooring is considered a renewable and sustainable natural resource.
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.
The choices of flooring materials are forever growing and a wide range is available to suit your needs. You can choose different types of flooring materials that are hard or soft and pick from a wide range of variety of styles and colours. Don’t forget, you are going to use your flooring every minute in your house, so choose well and carefully. Without great flooring, a house can never be great.
Also Read:
Ceramic Tiles vs Vitrified Tiles – Select the Best Tiles for Your Home
Granite vs Marble: Make a Right Choice
Vitrified Tiles vs Laminate Wood Flooring: Make the Right Choice
Image Courtesy: Image 10, Image 11, Image 13, Image 15, Image 16, Image 17, Image 18, Image 31
Learned some new stuff with very detailed information.
If the floors are not concrete already is concrete flooring impossible
I love what you said about tile flooring. I feel like sandstone is a durable material when it comes to new flooring. If I were to need new flooring, I would contact the best flooring company in my area. https://www.stoneandtile.com.au/products/Sandstone-in-Melbourne-c27141060