BEST FLOORING OPTIONS FOR YOUR NYC APARTMENT

The floors in your apartment bear the brunt of the wear and tear they receive. Day by day, they are put to the test of handling everything from spills and furniture scratches to dirty shoes and pet claws. And, unfortunately, they aren’t meant to last forever. If your floor looks like it has seen better days, the time may be right to consider an update. But how do you know that you have chosen the right flooring option? Is there such a thing as the “right” option in the first place? If you’re on the fence about what kind of flooring you should choose, here’s a lowdown of the best flooring options for your NYC apartment.

The floors in your apartment bear the brunt of the wear and tear they receive. Day by day, they are put to the test of handling everything from spills and furniture scratches to dirty shoes and pet claws. And, unfortunately, they aren’t meant to last forever. If your floor looks like it has seen better days, the time may be right to consider an update. But how do you know that you have chosen the right flooring option? Is there such a thing as the “right” option in the first place? If you’re on the fence about what kind of flooring you should choose, here’s a lowdown of the best flooring options for your NYC apartment.

The factors your choice hinges on:

When you are deciding what kind of flooring is best to put in your space in NYC, your primary considerations should be your:

● Budget

● Lifestyle

● Personal taste

● Also, each room’s needs and location

For instance, if you aren’t particularly big on cleaning, dust and heat-resistant floor materials make cleaning less of a hassle. Next, some types of flooring will suit your bathroom more than it would your living room, and vice versa, in terms of style. Finally, all kinds of renovation are a specialist’s task, flooring included. This will significantly boost your odds of installing the perfect match for your place – both functionally and aesthetically. However, you will need to account for the cost of professional help when devising your budget.

Tile flooring – $2.50 to $10 per square foot

The three basic types are porcelain, ceramic, and glass. Still, tiles for flooring possess a great variety of sizes, designs, and finish quality. Provided it is moisture resistant, extremely durable, long-lasting, and easy to clean, tile flooring works well in moisture-prone areas like kitchens and bathrooms. Nevertheless, they aren’t limited to only those areas, as tiles can give your floor a luxurious feel.

But, before you decide this may be the option that is perfect for your New York apartment, you must be aware of some disadvantages. For starters, tiles can be very expensive, though the cost of the installation typically depends on the material you choose; for example, porcelain tile is usually more costly than glazed ceramic. Moreover, they are pretty hard to install and require a lot of prep work before installation. Finally, if you were going for that luxurious feel and high-end look in your living area, tiles may be one of the best flooring options for your NYC apartment. But if you tend to lean towards a somewhat cozier vibe, some of our picks below may be a much better fit.

Carpeting – $2.50 to $10 per square foot

Yup, wall-to-wall carpeting is making a strong comeback. Sure, it has had a bit of a bad rap over the last few years. Yet, carpeting remains one of the front-runners as far as luxury flooring goes. Homeowners can hardly resist that soft-plush textured feel underfoot they cannot get with hard floors. Talk about a cozier feel, right? But, besides the fact that they can visually warm up the space, they’ve also got a greater insulating value. This means that they’ll keep your floor and room warm. That said, they might be the perfect choice for your bedroom or living room. Concerning design, carpet comes in various materials, colors, and textures and will be a perfect addition to your home interior. What’s more, given that carpet technology has gotten significantly better in recent years, you’ll have no trouble finding stain-resistant varieties. However, keep in mind that carpet isn’t the best fit for those who suffer from allergies. Although you can easily clean them with a vacuum cleaner, they attract dust more than other floorings. In terms of the cost, carpets are relatively low-cost and easy to replace.

Hardwoods – $5 to $10 per square foot

Though not quite as warm as carpets, hardwood flooring still maintains an edge over other types of flooring for their insulating value but also their elegance and appeal. What also makes it a desirable option for many homeowners is its versatility and excellent quality. Nevertheless, hardwood floors fall into the category of more expensive materials on the market (although they increase the home value).

On top of that, they can incur multiple scratches, scrapes, and dents – especially in high-traffic areas. Thus, it takes regular maintenance to keep them looking great. For this same reason, you must find someplace different to temporarily store your furniture until installers have completed the work, instead of moving them around the apartment. This way, you’ll avoid damaging your brand-new floor from the start. Storage units, for instance, are perfect for the safe-keeping of your valuables. They offer a secure place for your furniture because they’re not only constantly monitored and secured with a padlock but also climate-controlled and fire-protected.

Laminate flooring – $3 to $7 per square foot

Laminate flooring is an excellent alternative to carpets in terms of affordability. They are also a popular choice for those who wish their floors to appear like wood without having to pay the price of actual hardwood. The synthetic materials that laminate is made to make it light, durable, and scratch-resistant. Thus, maintaining the laminate flooring is not at all difficult. Another advantage of this type of flooring is that it is DIY-friendly – it is relatively simple to install. Though keep in mind that poorly laid laminate can be quite easily pulled up.

Vinyl flooring – $1.50 (sheet vinyl) to $6 or more (LVP and LVT) per square foot

These days, vinyl or resilient flooring offers more strength and durability than it used to. They have proven to be exceptionally water-resistant. In fact, they will not suffer damage despite the amount of time the water has been sitting on the surface. This makes it one of the best flooring options for your NYC apartment kitchen, bathroom, and laundry room. Composed of a mix of natural and synthetic materials, it is available in tile and sheet form. Luxury vinyl tile (LVT) and luxury vinyl plank (LVP) have been growing in popularity lately. This is primarily due to their durability and diversity in terms of styles available.

Photos used: https://www.pexels.com/photo/turned-off-flat-screen-tv-276724/ https://unsplash.com/photos/iKvcOaETrV8 https://pixabay.com/photos/kitchen-dining-room-dining-table-1336160/ https://unsplash.com/photos/XAHSexPxSus