The flooring could be the most important decision with regards to improve or renovate your house. However, not all of the homeowners know what is available, the pros and the cons for each of the flooring material, especially since this is their first time when it comes to flooring. Therefore, I’ve outlined the 6 common choices of flooring material in Singapore.
1. Vinyl Flooring
Pros:
Affordable
Versatile, water-resistant, comfortable underfoot
DIY installation possible, easy to maintain
Cons:
Dents, stains, and scratches easily
Vinyl flooring could be the most value for money choice because it is cheap, durable, reasonably water-resistant, easy to maintain, meanwhile it also can effectively imitate wood, ceramic, and marble when it comes to appearance. Although its durabilities not as long as tiles or marble, it can still last at least 10 to 15 years in most cases.
Vinyl comes in two forms, which are sheet and tile. Sometimes its composition includes glass fibre to enhance its toughness and strength, but still, it is soft and comfortable to walk on, because it is made of PVC.
On the other hand, because the vinyl can easily dent, stains and scratches, it would be much suitable to adapt vinyl at a place that is less traffic and will not be moving furniture around, for example, bedroom’s floor instead of the living room.
2. Laminate flooring
Pros:
Cheaper than hardwood, durable
Fewer skills require to install
Variety of colours and styles, like natural wood
Good for high-traffic areas, scratch-resistant
Cons:
Prone to moisture damage, might chip easily
Difficult to repair
Not ideal for kitchens or bathrooms
The pricing for Laminate flooring could be similar to vinyl, sometimes cheaper or more expensive. It has the advantage such as reasonably durable, requiring fewer skills to install, and scratch-resistant.
It is a multi-layer synthetic flooring product, usually fibreboard, and has a protective layer, which is then fused through a laminate process. One of the reasons it has grown dramatically in popularity is because it has a variety of colors and styles, which simulate and looks like natural wood, marble, and other grained stones.
Unlike vinyl, although laminate flooring has better toughness and can withstand high traffic, it is prone to water damage and thus leads to swelling especially when it is not sealed properly. Therefore it would be a bad idea to adapt laminate flooring at a place that has much spillage occurs, such as a kitchen or near a bathroom.
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3. Floor Tiles (Porcelain & Ceramic)
Pros:
Variety of looks and designs
Durable, non-porous, waterproof
Affordable, easy to repair
Suitable for kitchens, bathrooms, and entryways
Cons:
Could be expensive
difficult to install
Might chip and scratch if heavy use
Tile grout stains easily, hard underfoot
Floor tiles (porcelain and ceramic) are affordable and ideal options for areas with heavy traffic and damp-prone in the house. Its prices depend on the material and size, but usually, it comes in the size of 600x600mm. It is extremely durable, easy to clean, and is available in an array of colours, designs, patterns, shapes, and sizes.
Despite porcelain and ceramic are two different tiles, both have a great advantage for no need to re-do the entire floor if tiles are damaged because they can be replaced easily and cheaply. On the other hand, although it is easy to clean the tiles, dirt and grime will still accumulate in the tile grout, which is quite difficult to clean up, not to mention its colour will fade over time regardless of whether it remains clean or not.
Because of its non-porous or waterproof characteristics, both porcelain and ceramic floor tiles are suitable and best use for kitchens, baths, basements, laundry rooms, and other moisture-prone areas.
4. Cement Screed Flooring
Pros
Industrial look
Cons
Hassle to repair, require expensive and high-quality coating
Eventually crack
Stain if not properly sealed against liquids
The outstanding point of cement screed is that it has the advantage of the industrial aesthetic and look. It is usually polished and sealed and is what the grey floor we see at the void deck. It is a relatively smoother mixture of cement, aggregates, and water.
In most cases, cement screed is used as a subfloor that levels out the surface and preps it for the topmost flooring like vinyl or tiles. It needs to be coated by a protective layer to make them water-resistant and will not be powdery.
Unlike tiles, cement screed is filled in one whole piece, hence cracks and porous are almost guaranteed to occur. Fixing this sort of floor can be troublesome because must pour the new floor on the old one to fix the damage. Meanwhile, it would be prone to moisture if the protective coating is not high in quality.
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5. Hardwood Flooring
Pros:
Variety of colours and styles
Can refinish to remove imperfections
Looks good, long lifespan
Cons:
Could be expensive
Scrapes, scratches, and dents over time
Could incur moisture damage, moderately hard to maintain
For centuries, one of the most popular choices of flooring is hardwood flooring. That is because of its adaptability of design and function, just as an inherent natural charm that gives every installation a unique and special character.
Its price varies depending on the wood and design, but still, it is one of the expensive choices for flooring. Hardwood flooring, just like most hardwood, has moderately warm, warmer than natural stone, but not as comfy as carpet.
Because it is real wood, it can sand the surface to remove any imperfections, thus it is relatively durable, but might be difficult to maintain cause it can easily chip or get scratched. Also, liquid spillage could be a problem when it is not properly sealed.
6. Natural Stone Flooring
Pros:
Durable
Insulated for warmth
Variety styles, colors, and shapes
Eco friendly, looks good
Cons:
Expensive
Some types are porous,
Could chip or scratch easily
Stains easily (permanent)
Hard underfoot
A natural stone tile is a classic option for flooring which also delivers a symbol of luxury and opulence. it refers to a variety range of mineral substances from the earth for flooring purposes. Slate, marble, limestone, travertine, granite, and sandstone are common examples of natural stone flooring.
Every natural stone tile such as marble is special and attractive with its authentic look. It has its unique marking and grains. However, the pricing of the natural stone tile is super expensive, it varies depends on its type and size, meanwhile also costly to install.
Generally, it is hard and very durable, but it could be easily stains, sealants wear out over time, and discolours depends on the type of natural stone.
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