Underfoot and Underrated: The Best of the Rest of Flooring
One of the things that tends to overwhelm people shopping for a new floor for their home or business is the sheer number for materials available. As anyone who’s ever had a problem picking something to watch after scrolling through Netflix or Hulu can tell you, having too many options can be a bad thing, especially if you don’t know much about the subject. That doesn’t have to be a problem for residents of the Nashville and Middle Tennessee area, since they have access to the genius professionals here at Ozburn-Hessey. What we will tell you is that while yes, the popular options such as oak hardwood flooring or residential and commercial carpeting are the standbys for a reason, there are other options available, and while they might be a bit underrated, they could be the best option for your home or business. With that in mind, here is some information about the alternative flooring options, and what makes them a good fit for your life.
Lean, Mean, and Green: Cork Flooring
Since we live in a world where people recognize the impact even something as mundane as buying flooring can have on the world, going with something green friendly and eco-responsible is important. In general, most flooring materials have made great strides to improve their carbon footprint, but there are some that are clearly better than others.
One such material is cork. It might not seem like the most exciting flooring, but cork flooring is a great option. The material is harvested from the core of a cork tree, which when done properly, leaves the tree healthy and able to produce more cork for centuries to come. It also provides a cushiony compromise between the soft feeling of residential carpeting and regular hardwoods. On the flipside, cork is a bit more expensive and can suffer long term damage from furniture. Bamboo is another eco-friendly option, although recent research is bringing that into question.
The Cold Hard Truth
Another flooring option that doesn’t get a lot of love outside the bathroom and kitchen is ceramic tiling. Part of that might be due to some questions about the material’s toughness and durability, but rest assured, ceramic tiling is good enough to cover space shuttles, so any errant dishes are not going to be a problem. They’re easy to clean, and do not hold onto allergens or other pollens, so they are great in the homes of those with nasal problems. They’re also a good deal cheaper than a lot of your higher end flooring materials. The thing about ceramic tiling is that everything it is good at, vinyl plank flooring also does at a similar price point and with a few other benefits.
At the end of the day, what kind of flooring you want is entirely up to you. It helps to know that you do not have to use the same kind of flooring as everyone else though, and that there are other options available to you. Just make sure that you contact the professionals at Ozburn-Hessey when you decide, since there is no one better when it comes to flooring installation.