When it comes to flooring, carpets and hardwood in Vancouver remain the two most popular options. But how do you know what’s best for your space? To make the right decision, it’s necessary to consider the nature of the materials involved. Both possess characteristics that make them suitable for different spaces and needs.
Luxury
In terms of prestige, hardwood floors tend to be the winner when it comes to residential flooring. There’s a high-end feeling that carpeting simply can’t match. Depending on the quality and finish, wood flooring provides a luxurious finish that’s simply unbeatable.
Warmth and Physical Comfort
Carpet fans are diehard fans. For warmth and comfort, the feeling of plush carpet between the toes is the feeling of home. Carpet still has its place in rooms where homeowners want to promote a feeling of relaxation and comfort. In bedrooms designated for young or very old family members, there’s also safety to consider. Carpeting may be a better option than slippery flooring.
Cost
Part of the reason that hardwood flooring is associated with luxury is the price point. However, today there are some competitively priced engineered hardwood options that match the sophisticated styling of its pricier counterpart. In terms of hard costs, carpeting is still typically more affordable. Expect carpeting to start around less than $1.00 per square foot. Authentic hardwoods, on the other hand, begin at around $4.00 per square foot and go up from there.
Sound
Hardwood and engineered hardwood may require a thick underlay in condos and apartments. In stacked living and strata situations, there may be bylaws that expressly prohibit installing wood floors or mandate thickly padded underlays for the purposes of buffering sound. As a natural buffer and insulator, sound doesn’t pass through carpet easily, so it’s still popularly used in condos, low-rises, and stacked townhouses.
Durability
Due to a tendency to collect dust, fray, fade and other wear and tear, carpets do need to be replaced every few years. By comparison, hardwood flooring can be sanded down and restrained, leaving them almost good as new for decades. For people who champion sustainability causes, carpets are mostly petroleum based—not ideal in terms of green living or reducing your footprint.
Versatility
Installing hardwood flooring affords the opportunity to enjoy the best of both worlds. After all, flooring can be decorated with beautiful customized rugs, thereby providing colour and warmth, without compromising the elegance of the hardwood. Some families also opt to mix it up, reserving the plush warmth of carpeting for bedrooms and/or a family room while hardwood is placed in the main areas.
Ultimately, the choice between carpet and hardwood depends on multiple factors: taste, budget, circumstance, comfort, and personal preferences. Whatever you need, BC Floors in Vancouver provides all types of flooring, including carpet, laminate, hardwood, cork, and bamboo. Besides the largest selection of flooring options, we have customizable services to match the most demanding customers’ and contractors’ needs. Our in-house crew provides all types of services, such as Hardwood Floor Installation (floating, glue, or nail down), refinishing, and custom work, which extends to stairs and other areas.
To learn more about BC Floors in Vancouver or to get a quote, call 604-239-5500 or visit our showroom at 103 – 3728 North Fraser Way in Burnaby.