Flooring Buying Guide

Types of Flooring

Nebraska Furniture Mart has five types of flooring to offer. Read on to discover which type of flooring suits your needs best.

Carpet

There’s nothing like experiencing your feet sink into the plushness and the soft warmth of a carpet, especially in cold winters! If you want the feeling of snugness and comfort, carpet flooring is the right pick for you.

Carpets could be in the form of tiles or a roll. Carpets muffle sounds and make a room more peaceful. With all the stunning colours and designs, carpet flooring can really elevate the aesthetics of any room. Most of today’s carpets have in-built dirt and stain-repelling technologies and can withstand pets, kids, and heavy traffic.

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Hardwood

Timeless and classy, hardwood floors are durable and instantly elevate the style quotient of a room. They offer a variety of colors and finishes, and increase the value of your house. They offer great durability as the floors can be sanded and refinished several times.

An important factor to consider when buying hardwood flooring is moisture. Engineered wood usually withstands higher levels of humidity and offers more flexibility. It can be a good choice for bathrooms and kitchens as well.

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Laminate

Do you love hardwood floors but are worried about the cost? Are you an eco-warrior who loves the classy look of wooden floors but are worried about its impact on the environment? Then, laminate flooring is your best choice.

Laminate floors bring the look and feel of a real wooden flooring to your house but with more flexibility. They can withstand scratches and discoloration from sunlight better than most wooden floors. They can be used in places that hardwood cannot, such as bathrooms and kitchens. So, if durability, flexibility, and a classy finish are on your checklist, then you should pick laminate flooring.

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Vinyl

Vinyl floors are minimal maintenance floors. If you are looking for affordable flooring which is easy to install, highly durable, waterproof, makes a room quiet, and looks great, then Vinyl flooring is for you. Vinyl is hypo-allergenic, which means that vinyl is resistant to dust mites and allergens. This makes Vinyl a great flooring option if you are worried about allergies.

Vinyl can be installed directly over most floors. They come in a wide variety of colors, designs, and can mimic either a stone finish or a wood finish.

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Tile

Tile floors are versatile and require very low maintenance. Tile floors are waterproof and are perfect for kitchens, bathrooms and basements where there is a higher possibility of moisture and wetness. Tiles work best in high-traffic rooms.

You can choose from ceramic, porcelain, stone, and mosaic tiles. Natural stone tiles add an instant touch of class and beauty to your room.

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Things to consider when shopping for flooring

How can you match your new floor to your current style?

Your new floor will have to blend in well with any existing flooring and the decor to make the transition continuous and complementary to the interior design. Bring in pictures, paint, or fabric samples from your home and we would be happy to help you pick your perfect flooring.

If you are replacing a part of old or damaged flooring, finding an exact match might not be the easiest option. A clever option is to purchase extra flooring beforehand during installation, so you have spare flooring just in case you need it later. But if you don't have any spare flooring and you purchased your original flooring from us, we can always look it up and see if it's still available.

Will you have different flooring in different rooms?

You will probably need to have a combination of at least two flooring types in your house.For example, your kitchen and bathrooms would need a sturdy flooring like tile or vinyl. Your dining and living rooms could have wooded flooring for that classy look.

With all the variety in design and choice of materials available, it is good to let your creativity run wild. However, it is important to avoid a disorganized or chaotic look. According to the 'Rule of Three' design principle, you should have not more than three different types of flooring at any given point in your home.

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Which room or space are you flooring?

Moisture influences your flooring choice greatly. If you are shopping flooring materials for rooms that are more susceptible to moisture, then tile is your best choice.

Are you looking at outdoor flooring? Consider how the weather conditions are where you reside—snow, wind, rain, extreme cold, extreme heat, etc. For example, if you stay in a place where you receive lots of sunlight, the floor could get discolored. Generally, tile is a great option for outdoor settings as it can withstand most weather conditions.

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How's the weather?

If you have to deal with chilly winters for most of the year, then consider carpets or hardwood floors.

If you want to opt for underfloor heating, say maybe for your bathroom, then tile is one of the best flooring options.

Live in the hot tropics? Tiles are again a great option as carpets are susceptible to mold and wood can warp in humid environments.

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Do you have kids, pets, or seniors in your house?

If you have pets, kids, or seniors, or if the floor needs to support a wheelchair, walker or cane, make sure the flooring material is not too smooth or slippery. Pick a flooring that allows easy, unobstructed movement, resistant to scratches and easy to clean.

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Do you have the need for an extra clean floor?

Whether you have allergies, or you are just obsessed with cleanliness (like Monica from Friends), keep in mind that the new flooring's maintenance will get added into your schedule.

Ask our flooring experts about the care necessary for each type of flooring. Factor in long-term maintenance like refinishing, steaming, and tile replacement into your decision.

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How much flooring do you need?

It is important to get your measurements right. Measure the length and the width of a room. Calculate its square footage by multiplying its length and width.

Always buy 10% more flooring than you require. This way you'll have enough flooring even after wastage. Also, you'll have a perfect match for future repairs or additions.

Preparing for Your New Floor

Whether you want to install the floor yourself or want the convenience of letting the experts handle it, ensure that:

• The floor is prepared properly before the new flooring is installed
• Faulty floors and sub-floors are identified correctly and repaired
• Old flooring is disposed of properly

Our network of delivery systems is designed to get your new merchandise to you as soon as possible, and bring it to you in great shape.

Many flooring items are available for same day purchase and Drive-Thru Pickup. Nebraska Furniture Mart also offers in-home delivery for most flooring options.

At Nebraska Furniture Mart, we offer expert flooring installation. We do more than a million yards of flooring installation every year, so you can be rest assured your flooring installation is in good hands.

If you need flooring installation, our professional installers will visit your home and measure your space. In some situations we may also offer take up, removal and haul away of existing flooring materials. Get more details on these options in store or on our flooring installation page.

Learn About Flooring Installation Services