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Room-by-room guide to flooring

Flooring options are seemingly endless. Need to narrow things down? The slideshow below takes a look at the typical wear-and-tear each room endures and the maintenance levels, pricing, and ease of installation for some of the best possible flooring options, room by room.

Foyer

Foyer
Who doesn't love a great first impression? Unfortunately, the guests you want to wow will sometimes have wet or muddy shoes, so in addition to having visual appeal, you'll want a floor that's durable and easy to clean.
Ceramic tile does all of that. It also comes in many styles and colors, so you're sure to find your style. They can be cleaned with a broom or damp mop, and once the grout is sealed, moisture shouldn't worry you. Pricing varies by style and size, but expect to pay $16 to $21 per square foot.
If your goal is to have a show-stopping foyer, marble tiles are a good option. Installation is similar to ceramic, but the material is more expensive. The price range for most premium selections runs about $36 to $40 per square foot, though exotic varieties generally cost more. Keep in mind that marble can be chipped and scratched fairly easily.
Ceramic tiles can often be installed by a DIYer with average skills, but you may want to hire a professional for marble.
R.S. Means Repair & Remodeling Costs 2013 Edition
R.S. Means Residential Cost Data Guidebook 2013 Edition
Living room
Does your living room say "formal and fine" or "kick back and relax"?
For showcase-style living rooms, prefinished hardwood floors add elegance. Choose from numerous styles, finishes, and varieties of wood to find the look you want. Expect to pay about $6 to $8 per square foot for prefinished oak flooring.
If your living room is a family gathering place, it's tough to beat carpet. Plush carpeting means a nice cushion for children playing on the floor and adults sprawling out to watch TV. Expect to pay $4.50 to $10.00 per square foot for nylon carpeting with a bonded urethane pad.
A prefinished hardwood floor installation can be completed by DIYers with power tool experience, but carpeting requires a contractor with special tools and skills.
R.S. Means Repair & Remodeling Costs 2013 Edition
R.S. Means Residential Cost Data Guidebook 2013 Edition
Dining room
Many home owners use their dining rooms for special meals and want the room's flooring to be special as well.
Wood parquet makes a statement, and you can pay extra for a custom installation that includes designs or patterns. A parquet floor is easy to clean, but be careful of high heels -- they could scratch or dent the material's surface. Parquet usually costs from $8.00 to $20.00 per square foot, but can be as much as $32.00 for a custom installation.
Looking for a greener option? Bamboo flooring looks just like hardwood, but it's considered a sustainable material since it grows back quickly after being harvested. Bamboo can be cleaned as easily as other wood flooring, but unfortunately can be scratched as easily as well. Expect to pay in the range of $6.00 to $7.50 per square foot for bamboo flooring. Home owners who can install hardwood flooring should be able to put in bamboo. A parquet floor installation needs either a very skilled DIYer or a professional.
R.S. Means Repair & Remodeling Costs 2013 Edition
R.S. Means Residential Cost Data Guidebook 2013 Edition
Kitchen
Between all the people, pets, and spills that wind up in the kitchen, your kitchen floor should be easy to clean and durable.
Those considerations have made ceramic a popular flooring choice – though the many colors and styles it comes in could have something to do with it, too. Pricing for kitchen ceramic should be in the $16 to $21 per square foot range.
If your family spends a lot of time cooking, laminate flooring might make preparing gourmet meals a little easier on the feet. Many types are installed with a pad underneath that acts as a cushion, which is especially nice if your kitchen subfloor is a concrete slab. Laminate floors are durable and can be wiped clean. The major downside: while laminate floors are durable, replacement is often the only option if they receive significant damage. Expect to pay in the range of $6.00 to $8.00 per square foot for laminate flooring.
Ceramic tile and laminate flooring can both be installed by DIYers with average skill levels.
R.S. Means Repair & Remodeling Costs 2013 Edition
R.S. Means Residential Cost Data Guidebook 2013 Edition
Bathroom
While ceramic tile may be a popular flooring choice for bathrooms, it isn't the only option.
Resilient vinyl flooring is a good choice available in countless colors and patterns. It's even designed to be moisture resistant. No-wax varieties can usually be kept looking new with just soap and water. Resilient sheet vinyl can be purchased for about $6.00 to $10.00 per square foot.
If you want to upgrade your flooring – a popular remodel in many master baths – consider granite tiles. With intricate colors and elegant veining, granite will give any bathroom a luxurious look. Granite tiles are durable, but they may require more upkeep than other flooring options. Expect to pay $25 to $35 per square foot for the tiles, though some rare types of granite can be priced much higher.
A resilient sheet vinyl floor can be installed by a DIYer with above-average skills, but granite floors should almost always be put in by a contractor.
R.S. Means Repair & Remodeling Costs 2013 Edition
R.S. Means Residential Cost Data Guidebook 2013 Edition
Family Room
If you want a warm look for the family room, hardwood flooring is an inviting option.
Try a sand and finish wood floor for a unique twist on a classic. It's cleaned just like other wood floors, and when it begins to show wear and tear, refinishing is usually possible. An oak sand and finish hardwood floor can be installed, stained, and finished for about $7.00 to $10.00 per square foot.
If your family room has a concrete subfloor, then look into engineered wood. It has the appearance of hardwood, but it can be glued down. This floor is typically prefinished and available in numerous colors, styles, and widths. However, be aware this material doesn't like moisture. Expect to pay in the range of $7.00 to $10.00 for most engineered hardwoods, though exotic wood varieties can be a little more.
Sand and finish hardwood floor installation should only be attempted by DIYers with a lot of experience, but installing engineered flooring can be done by homeowners with average skill levels.
R.S. Means Repair & Remodeling Costs 2013 Edition
R.S. Means Residential Cost Data Guidebook 2013 Edition
Mudroom
Even the name "mudroom" makes you aware the flooring here could take a beating.
Vinyl tile gets high grades for durability and easy clean-up. Premium grade selections last many years and can be wiped clean using just a damp mop. However, if the washer and dryer are located in your mudroom, be aware vinyl can be punctured and ripped by heavy or sharp objects. Premium grade vinyl tiles normally cost from $15.00 to $18.00 per square foot. Mid-range selections are less expensive.
If you want something that's tough but more upscale, a slate tile floor is a great choice. Slate tiles are installed like ceramic, are easy to maintain, and are stain-resistant.
However, the stone is very hard, so any items dropped on it could dent or be broken. Expect to pay in the range of $10.00 to $14.00 per square foot for a slate tile floor.Vinyl tiles are considered DIY-friendly, but slate installations may be best left to the professionals.
R.S. Means Repair & Remodeling Costs 2013 Edition
R.S. Means Residential Cost Data Guidebook 2013 Edition

Flooring

New flooring options once meant deciding what color and depth of wall-to-wall carpeting you wanted. But before buying new floors, why not consider all of today's options? Don't let lack of information limit your choices. This website provides images, articles, videos and local sources for exploring new flooring possibilities.

Want to upgrade from wall-to-wall carpet to terrazzo floors? Or are you deciding between ceramic tile and hardwood floors? The options are limitless. Do-it-yourselfers and budget shoppers will enjoy realistic-looking vinyl strips with self-adhesive tabs in wood or tile patterns, or easy-to-install wood laminates. If you're building a home, concrete floors with fascinating colors and visual textures look great with area rugs. Explore elegant berber carpets and cushiony plushes from Mohawk, Shaw, Karastan and others.

Spend some time browsing Home Improvement Center's many flooring topics and bookmark those that inspire you. Find local showrooms and meet local contractors. Learn what's afoot in the beautiful world of new floors.

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