Hardwood is a timeless choice for American homes and a great choice for busy, well-viewed areas like hallways and dining rooms. The incredible diversity of hardwood species and the different types of wood they provide open up a tremendous variety of options for customers.

Today’s laminate floors are a great alternative to real hardwoods and feature realistic color, patterning, and grain variation for the perfect wood floor effect. Laminate is more resistant than real wood to both moisture and scratching (although it should not be placed in wet areas) and will not easily fade under direct sunlight. Laminate is a cheaper option, but cannot be refinished like a true hardwood.

If you’re in the market for a softer flooring material that’s easy to stand on for long periods and doesn’t feel so cold on your bare feet in the morning, vinyl flooring is a flexible and affordable option to consider. Vinyl is phenomenally waterproof, resists wear, and can be installed quickly and easily directly on top of a subfloor, or over a previous vinyl installation with no demo required.

Colorful, warm, and cozy, carpet has a number of surprising advantages against other hard and soft floor options. Carpet provides greater traction for the elderly and those who don’t have as much stability, softens and quiets noise, saves heating and cooling costs by insulating your floor, and is more comfortable for guests to sit on during overflow events.