Tile vs. Carpet vs. Wood

[Leah]

We are getting ready to replace our flooring in the house and I am still so undecided about what to get. I know carpet in the bedrooms and tile/wood in the hallway but the big family room, kitchen and front living are the three that I can't decide about. I can't decide whether to do wood all throughout them or tile in the kitchen/front room and wood in the back or ARGHHH!

I would love to hear your opinions....the front family room is hardly used except as a pathway, the back family room is where we are always at and everyone congregates for parties...and of course, I never leave the kitchen unless Chili tells me I can...

Also-does anyone work at a flooring place or can get a great deal? Probably looking to do this by May.

Thanks!

(Oh, and we are also going to be replacing the kitchen countertops if anyone has a hookup on that, too) kthxbai!

[talisman]

Wood. Isn't as cold as tile for the one month of winter we get a year, looks better, easier to clean(no grout!), easier to install. I'd go with something lighter than what was in our house. Check out Geds on 360 and 20.

[mstng86]

I would say Tile for the kitchen and wood for front room. Talisman brings up a good points but I feel like I have to baby our wood. It is so easy to scratch or damage IMO. I am paranoid about moving furniture or walking in the house when I have come in from a rainy day. That could just be the type that is in my house though. I hate having wood in my living room. I like to walk on carpet barefoot, not wood.

[ELVIS]

i put the laminate wood in our entry, entry hall, and living room. other than the dogs nails clicking on it CONSTANTLY its the best decision ive made. i have also tiled the kitchen and all the bathrooms. the wood should be much cheaper, easier to do.

god bless.

[ceyko]

I'm a tile/carpet fan.

Tile where ya can, seal the grout and done.

We've avoided wood for some of the reasons mentioned. Also, to me family rooms feel more cozy with carpet. Plus, carpet does not echo sound like wood does.

It's all personal preference but where water is...tile, otherwise we're doing carpet. There are great deals on stain resistant/proof carpet.

I think an advantage of wood would be the ability to refinish it as opposed to having to replace it completely. Which to me has the appeal of paint, as styles/tastes change you can just updated. Carpet is like wallpaper, if it gets worn out or things change you have to completely replace it.

Either way, prep and install will determine if it lasts 5 years or 30+ w/o having to be replaced.

[Mysticcobrakilla]

I say tile... Well, natural stone of some sort. I had slate through out my house and it frigging rocked. A stone sealer will prevent any grout issues.

[ceyko]

I say tile... Well, natural stone of some sort. I had slate through out my house and it frigging rocked. A stone sealer will prevent any grout issues.

Slate is the bomb IMO, got quite a bit of that stuff already stockpiled for the next house. Heavy as hell though.

[AdamLX]

I just ripped up about 1000sqft of carpet in the living room, dining room and office and replaced with wood a few months ago. Best decision ever. I kept carpet in the master bedroom downstairs and tile in the kitchen.

[red95gts]

If you go solid surface in a large room, consider an area rug or else the echo can be very bad. Our family room/kitchen/breakfast area is one big open area and we have a combo of tile and engineered hardwood.

[clevelandkid]

I would go with laminate. When I lived at a friends house and it was party central, that floor took an absolute beating every day (tons of foot traffic, spilled beers, dropped cigarettes, dog hair/nails/piss, snow, etc) and always cleaned up very easily and looked very good.

[mstng86]

I would go with laminate. When I lived at a friends house and it was party central, that floor took an absolute beating every day (tons of foot traffic, spilled beers, dropped cigarettes, dog hair/nails/piss, snow, etc) and always cleaned up very easily and looked very good.

So you think they live like animals, or in a frat house? I am sure the kids will put some hurt on the floors though. I hate laminate, fyi.

[Counterfiend]

We are in the process of building our house and we just went through the same thing. We did tile in all of the for sure wet areas, bathrooms, and utility room. And we did carpet in all of the bedrooms, the media room and the study/kids room (when we have them) and the family room.
And did hardwood for all halways, formal dining, kitchen and breakfast area. We were worried about the dogs nails and all that stuff but we just did a 3/4" hand scrapped wood floor. Hides anything that may happen, and looks amazing anyway.

[mustang_revival]

I am in the same boat. I was sold on wood until the cheapest quote I got was 8.50 sq ft.

That was for nail down, sanded, stained, and hand scraped.

I know it is worth it, but damn the bill for carpet would be so much nicer.

[Leah]

Well, we also have 2 dogs and 2 cats so I am worried about the scratches on wood. I am of the same opinion about carpet in our main family room just because of the coziness and lack of echos with the surround sound and such, but just HATE how much dog and cat hair gets into it, plus the stains from parties, kids, dogs, etc. *sigh*

[JimD]

Ive ripped up all carpet except bedrooms and installed laminate. Super easy to do, i used a table saw for all cuts. We have 4 dogs, don't worry about them scratching it, its moving furniture on it that will scratch the shit out of it. You must install the little foam pads under all the feet and be careful they don't come off. Easy to keep clean with a steam mop. I believe it was .79 sq ft.+ padding.

Edit: It can't get wet either, now if you spill something and wipe it up right away no problem, but if the dog wizzes in the corner and you don't see/wipe up...it will swell it up.