Should I choose hardwood or carpet?

Trish has a small child and wants to know if it would be best to choose a hardwood floor or carpet to replace her laminate. Read on to see our response.

Trish writes:

"We are getting ready to redo our floors throughout our house and I'm having a hard time deciding between hardwood and carpet!! We have laminate now in the kitchen/dining /entryway which joins the living room which has carpet along with the rest of the house except bathrooms & laundry. We were going to go with hardwood in kitchen/dining/living/hallway-tile in laundry & baths & carpet in bedrooms-but then we've recently thought about just doing tile in kitchen/dining/entry/laundry/both baths & putting new carpet throughout rest of house again-just like it is now. The reason I'm having a hard time is because I have a 3 year old little boy who loves playing on the floor & carpet just seems more comfortable!! I love the look of hardwood on all of the HGTV shows & it seems like everyone's going to that but I just don't know if I want looks over comfort?? Is carpet out of style now? What do you think we should do-I would really appreciate any advice you have for me. Thank You!!"

Hi, and thank-you for posting your question. Your quandary is a common one as there are so many floor finishes to choose from these days, some would say too many. The inclusion of a carpeted area in the living space of any house is a good idea as it adds comfort warmth to a living space. Yes, hardwood/smooth floors can be convenient and stylish in dining areas and hallways, but carpet in the lounge/living area does feel more comfortable underfoot and a safer warmer place for a 3 year old to play.

Spills and stains can be more of a worry on carpeted floors, however. So choose a carpet made from a man-made fibre such as polypropylene, as the removal of drink spills and children's paints/pens etc., can often be easily removed with a bleach solution. I would advise that you spend most of your budget on the hardwood/smooth flooring in your home as with good care, a good quality product should last a lifetime, and less of your budget for the carpeted area, bearing in mind your 3 year old son.

A good quality underlay would be money well spent as this could serve a number of carpets over the years if chosen wisely. I do hope this is helpful and good luck with your project.

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