Flooring options are no longer limited to humdrum tiles and carpeting. You can now select the perfect shade from vast ranges of cork flooring, bamboo flooring, laminates, engineered hardwood and stone, each with its unique benefits and qualities. Discover how you can bring out the best in your home with a flooring make-over.



Cork Flooring Puts A Spring In Your Step

Cork is one of the oldest surface solutions on the market. Portugal is known as one of the main suppliers. The raw material is hand harvested from the cork oak tree under strict regulations. Cork floors are suitable for residential and office areas, and even performs well in bathrooms. This environmentally friendly covering is comfortable underfoot, with a well-cushioned surface. Cork retains warmth well, is highly moisture resistant, and has anti-static properties. If you dislike the hollow sound of laminates, cork may be a viable option for you. It is equated with robustness and durability.

If you enjoy individualistic decor, you will relish the distinct patterning of each cork floor. With whorls and speckles, the floor surface makes an exclusive fashion statement rich in subtle color variations. Cork is a renewable and biodegradable resource, making it a popular choice among 'green' designers. This material is resistant to a wide range of microbes, molds and insects. This characteristic makes it ideal for a home where allergies and asthma abound. You should see an improvement in health when you replace existing carpeting with cork flooring.

Bamboo Flooring Banishes Cleaning Hassles

Another 'green' option is bamboo. This is a further example of a renewable resource, with harvesting doing no damage to the plant. In fact, harvesting can be repeated every six to eight years. This floor covering is often a more robust option than real hardwood. A diverse range of styles and shades are available. Make sure that you purchase from a supplier that supports ecologically monitored sources.

Choose between the wider strips of a horizontally cut style, or the narrow look of vertical cut bamboo. With the horizontal style you will also get the growth ring of the stalk, adding an extra, subtle decorative touch as well as improved durability. Another possibility is strand-woven bamboo. The coloring is determined by the manufacturing process, but is now enhanced with staining. Due to its moisture resistance, warping isn't a major concern with bamboo. These ranges are easy-care and low-maintenance.

Laminate Flooring For Low-Maintenance Living

If you have pets or kids, you will love the versatility of low-maintenance laminate flooring. This product has a firm grip on its position on the best-seller list in the home remodeling industry. Coming with warranties of between 15 and 30 years, these lines are robust and cost-effective. Almost any real wood is now simulated realistically in a laminate range, without the expense and upkeep. Laminates are a great substitute for carpeting if allergies are an issues.

The wear layer is manufactured to be scratch-resistant and moisture-resistant, and isn't prone to fading. The most popular brands are now designed to be a glueless product. The tongue and groove planks simply click together for a gratifying, fast-paced home improvement project. It can be installed in virtually any interior area. Laminates aren't limited to residential use. The more robust ranges are effective in high traffic commercial spaces.

Engineered Hardwood Flooring For Low-Cost Real Wood Looks

Similar to laminates, engineered hardwood flooring also emulates real wood without the high cost and drawbacks. These ranges can be installed in a variety of otherwise 'difficult' areas. It comes as a glue-down product, or a floating surface. Engineered hardwood is excellent for use where high humidity or moisture is a problem, as well as on below grade surfaces or over concrete.

This affordable floor covering brings the beauty of wood into your home, with added versatility. The top layer is any of a variety of hardwood species. You therefore get the color, finish and texture of real wood. The core layer is medium or high density fiberboard. As in the case of laminates, the planks have the ability to expand and contract according to temperature and humidity changes. Heat underneath will also not present a problem.

Stone Tile Flooring Features Slip-Resistant Slate

With stone tiling your selection can include granite, marble, limestone, slate, travertine and a variety of other tiling options. Here durability and robustness are the mainstay. With exotic patterning and a virtually unlimited shading choice, you are sure to find the perfect stone tile to complement your decor.

While stone tiles are fairly hard underfoot, they still remain one of the most popular interior design choices. The tiles serve remarkably well as kitchen backsplashes and on countertops. Granite creates a unique ambience in a kitchen or bathroom. Slate is a terrific down-to-earth option and has slip-resistant qualities. If your home is styled with a classical look, investigate marble or travertine. These tiles are all practical, with rich visual appeal.

Why not arrange for painless plastic surgery on your home with the help of cork, bamboo or laminate flooring?