Many people update the flooring in their homes each year. Recently, a pressing question has come to bear: Which material is the better choice, timber or carpet? There are a variety of reasons for undertaking this important renovation and factors that will impact your choice, which we’ll cover in detail.
A Sound Basis: Timber Ups and Downs
Let’s take a look at timber flooring, and examine its positive and negative aspects that can help you decide if timber flooring is right for your home.
The Benefits of Timber Floors
Today’s homebuyers are typically looking for timber floors in their next home. Current trends support the notion that people like the appearance and durability of timber over that of carpet. Timber offers a beautiful finish to every room, and can be selected in a variety of shades and stain colours to suit any design scheme. Timber floors have amazing benefits in addition to being fashionable and elegant.
Sustainably sourced timber floors are more eco-friendly, are easy to clean, and have a long lifespan compared to carpet. When well cared for, they retain their beauty far longer than carpet, and a great benefit of timber floors is that they can be very simply repaired by floor sanding and polishing down the line, while carpet must be completely replaced.
The Drawbacks of Timber Floors
Timber tends to be chilly, so if you live in a cooler climate be prepared for rooms that aren’t as insulated. It can be a slipping or tripping hazard for the very young and elderly, and dropped objects are also more likely to break. These factors can be enough to delay installing a timber floor until your children are old enough not to hurt themselves. As well, some timbers do mark more easily than others; so if you have several pets, keep that in mind when selecting your material. There are more durable options available.
Timber is more expensive up front, so if you don’t have the initial capital, you may want to wait. Experts estimate that you’ll shell out between $8-$25 per square foot, including installation and disposal of your former flooring. That being said, because of timber’s durability, it may actually prove more cost effective in the long run.
Playing it Soft: Carpet Pros and Cons
We’ve seen the highlights and drawbacks of a timber option for your floors, now let’s go over what carpet has to offer with a fine-toothed comb. First, we’ll look at the general advantages and drawbacks of carpeting in general before getting down to the nitty-gritty of pricing and placement.
What’s Great About Carpet?
Carpet offers a number of advantages over a wood floor for people with specific requirements. First, it’s a soft surface. This is great for people with small children still apt to stumble or for the elderly who might fall unexpectedly. It also cushions fragile objects that may be dropped. As well, if you spend most of your time on your feet, it helps to cushion your joints and reduces fatigue. It retains heat far better than timber flooring, so it’s ideal for colder climates.
As far as cost is concerned, carpet is undeniably less expensive initially. Experts report that when investing in new carpet for your home you can expect to pay anywhere from $6-$20 along the quality spectrum per square foot. That estimate includes installation costs, which are less onerous owing to the ease of installation. Most projects can be completed in one day.
What Isn’t?
The drawbacks of carpet are both inherent to material and subject to the whims of the housing market. The first problem is that carpet dates itself fairly reliably—anyone remember shag? You’ll have to replace your carpet fairly regularly, which is probably a good thing, since carpet tends to wear out almost as quickly as it falls out of fashion. This is where expense hides—long-term upkeep and replacement. While it’s cheaper initially, it requires more frequent replacement to keep it looking its best. In addition, currently, house hunters favor the look and benefits of timber flooring, so even new carpet may lose their interest.
It’s also a dust and allergen trap. If you have pets, small children, or are alive—your carpet will accumulate dirt and environmental pollutants that you can’t see, but will still have an impact on the quality of your health. Unless you own a steam cleaner, carpet may not be the best option for you.
Considerations
No matter which option you choose, you’ll want to evaluate your home. What spaces get the most wear and tear, where are the major traffic paths through your rooms, how space is allocated in your home, how much should you spend, and maintenance over time are all important factors. As well, where you live and who’s living with you will impact which option you choose.
Daniel Johns is an interior design professional. Her recommends Webb Floor Surfacing as the leading Timber Floor Sanding Contractor in Perth, WA.