The best flooring for a bedroom will depend on a variety of factors unique to your own personal preferences. Carpet is a very popular bedroom flooring choice due to its high levels of comfort, cozy aesthetics, and sound-reducing properties. However, it’s not always the most suitable flooring option for a bedroom space. For example, a young child’s bedroom may be more at risk of spills or stains, so a hard flooring material that’s easy to clean may be preferred. Households with pets may follow a similar decision path.
Laminate is a great option for bedroom flooring. With plenty of colors and patterns to choose from, it can suit a wide variety of interior designs and has the benefit of being durable and easy to clean.
Carpet vs laminate in living rooms
Carpet vs laminate on stairs
Carpet can be an attractive option for stairs and hallways, especially when other areas of the home are carpeted, giving a consistent and seamless finish across the home. Durability can be a concern for carpeted stairs and hallways, so opt for a more durable fiber like nylon or polypropylene, which can both withstand heavy foot traffic without risk of deformation. Carpet does have the benefit of reducing noise from footsteps, contributing to a quieter environment when people are moving around the home.
Laminate is well suited to stair and hallway applications, offering a sleek and attractive finish. One thing to note is that unlike carpet, laminate can be slippery underfoot, especially for young children wearing socks, so this may be a consideration when choosing the best flooring for stairs.
Carpet vs laminate in basements
Due to the high levels of moisture often found in basements, carpet is not advisable for these spaces. Carpet can provide an ideal environment for mold growth, and combating mold in carpet can be difficult and costly. If a basement is used for storage, carpeted floors may present a reduced lifespan due to constant crushing under stored objects, so this is another concern to bear in mind.
For the purpose of this comparison, laminate is the better option for basement flooring. However, that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily a good option. Despite offering some level of water resistance, prolonged exposure to moisture can cause laminate boards to swell and warp, and this damage is irreversible. For these reasons, neither carpet nor laminate is recommended for moisture-rich applications like basements, kitchens, and bathrooms.
Offering a similar aesthetic appeal to laminate, vinyl is a water-resistant alternative that is better suited for basement, kitchen, and bathroom applications.
Cost of laminate vs carpet
Laminate flooring can cost around $1 – $3.50 per square foot. This can be a more affordable option than carpet, which can range from as low as $1 per square foot, with more luxurious carpet types scaling up to over $20 per square foot.
Remember to also factor in the cost of having the chosen flooring installed. Professional installation is usually cheaper for carpet than laminate, so this may balance the costs between the two materials.
Always have your flooring installed by a professional to increase longevity and ensure maximum safety.