Most Popular Types of Flooring Materials for Your House Part 1

Most Popular Types of Flooring Materials

 for Your House Part 1

Furniture and fittings, you may be able to change with the time however the flooring is something there for a very long period of time. As choosing your flooring needs lots of effort and also it will cost you a fortune. Also, choosing new flooring for your new home is not an easy task. There are so many options available for flooring materials to choose from a wide range from the market. There are various types of flooring materials are available in the market, so it is bound to happen where people get confused while choosing which flooring material is best for their home.

Choosing flooring materials usually depend upon the following criteria:

·         Uses

·         Quality

·         Traffic (High, Low or Medium)

·         Difficulty of Installation

·         Required Level of Finishing

·         Maintenance i.e. Cleaning

·         Economy

Types of Flooring Materials

01. Tiles Flooring

Amongst all the type of flooring used in the house, “tile flooring” is a very common and popular. The tiles are available in varieties of colours, textures and patterns.

Tiles flooring also have types like vitrified tiles, ceramic tiles, porcelain tiles, etc. We have tried to give a brief explanation on all various types of tiles:

01(a) Ceramic Tiles Flooring

Ceramic tile is made up of mixture of clay and water only. It is used in indoor as well as outdoor areas. Ceramic tiles are ideal for wet areas like bathrooms, kitchens, etc. as these tiles are not very slippery as compared to vitrified tiles.

01(a) Vitrified Tiles Flooring

Vitrified tile is one type of ceramic tile with low porosity. Vitrified tiles are most commonly used in living room, kitchen, bedroom, etc. They have a glossy finish as compared to ceramic tiles though they are also available in Matt finish.

There are various types of vitrified tiles available in the market like;

·         Full Body Vitrified Tiles:

Full body vitrified tiles have pigment in entire thickness of the tile. Therefore, scratches are less noticeable in these types of vitrified tiles. Also, when you have to cut the tiles, borders of tiles will be of the same colour.

·         Double Charge Vitrified Tiles:

Double charge vitrified tiles are fed through a press that prints the pattern with a double layer of pigment (two kinds of colours are fed into the machine). Therefore, the upper layer becomes 3 to 4 mm thicker. So, it is a viable option where traffic is medium to heavy.

·         Soluble Salt Vitrified Tiles:

Vitrified tiles are printed with screen printing technology and then polished, therefore it is called soluble salt.

·         Glazed Vitrified Tiles:

Glazed Vitrified Tiles (GVT) has a glazed surface. This glazed surface allows any type of design, surface textures, etc. on it. It can increase the aesthetics of the area.

01 (c) Porcelain Tiles Flooring

Porcelain tiles are the type of vitrified tiles. It is not majorly used nowadays. Porcelain tiles can be used in living room, bedroom, etc. It is staining and water resistant.

02. Stone Flooring

Stone flooring is natural, beautiful, and always stylish that stands out in contrast to any synthetic or manufactured stone products. Natural stone also comes in different types such as granite, marble, limestone, slate, travertine, sandstone, etc. All the types of stone have different characteristics. The naturally cool, hard surface is ideal for warm climates.

02(a) Marble Flooring

Marble is a metamorphic rock. When properly finished it can transform the area beautifully.  Marble flooring is very common in residential and commercial buildings, temple, hotels, hospitals etc. The most popular marble available in India are Makarana Marble, Italian Marble, Ambaji Green Marble, Kesarayaji Green Marble, etc. It is a better flooring option than granite flooring as it is cheaper.

02(b) Granite Flooring

Granite is igneous rock. Granite flooring a is a type of natural stone flooring and it is most suitable for the kitchen area. It is also used in an outdoor area like pathways. Granite flooring does not feel as cold as marble does.

02(c) Limestone Flooring

The limestone has beautiful textures as they are sedimentary rocks by nature. Limestone flooring is perfect choice for bathrooms, dining rooms and hallways. Limestone flooring does not have that pattern as compared sandstone flooring.

 

02(d) Sandstone Flooring

Sandstone flooring is composed of loose grains of quartz sand that are rough in texture. The natural beauty makes sandstone flooring great for interior floors as well as exterior decoration including flooring, paving, parking, etc.

02(e) Slate Flooring

Slate flooring is a made up of metamorphic rock that was formed in layers, so it easily splits into thin sheets that are cut into tiles. Rougher surfaces of slate flooring are perfect for entryways, patios and kitchens.

02(f) Kota Stone Flooring

Kota Stone is a type of stone flooring. It is cheaper than marble flooring.  It can be used in lobby, balcony, pathways, etc. It is not attractive as compared to marble and granite flooring. Cleaning of kota stone flooring is difficult.

02(g) Travertine Flooring

Nowadays, the travertine is one of the softest floorings available in the market. It is most commonly used in kitchens and bathrooms. Travertine flooring can be more susceptible to staining than granite or marbles.

03. Wood Flooring

Wood flooring is very old type of flooring material; however, it has never been outdated. It is used under special circumstances such as in hilly areas and in damp places. With proper care and maintenance, wood flooring can last a long time. There are various types of wooden flooring which are commonly used:

03(a) Solid Wood Flooring

Solid wood flooring is made from a piece of wood which has thickness of around 20 mm. Solid wood flooring can be installed in any room of your house, except in areas where there is high moisture content such as kitchen, bathrooms and basements.

03(b) Engineered Wood Flooring

Engineered wood flooring is made with the core of plywood and a layer of solid wood attached on its top. It can be installed even in kitchen areas, apart from other rooms of your house. Engineered wood flooring gives more attractive look than laminate wood flooring.

03(c) Laminate Wood Flooring

Laminate wood flooring is obtained by placing a layer of a photographic image of wood over a fibreboard. As it is a synthetic product, it does not give look and feel of natural wood. Laminate wood flooring can be installed in any room such as living room, bedroom, and dining room except wet areas like bathroom and laundry rooms.

to be continue in next blog...............