Houston Remodeling Guide 2008: Trends in Flooring

There are many floor products available today for the discriminating homeowner. From sheet products, to prefinished hardwoods, carpet, laminated flooring, tile, marble and granite, and, last but not least, traditional hardwood floors. The selections can be overwhelming, but each product has a place in today’s home.

Sheet products started out as linoleum, a natural product that needs to be waxed and polished. In the 1950s, sheet vinyl became available. Most sheet vinyl available today does not need to be waxed or polished and is typically used in areas such as kitchen, laundry rooms or bathrooms whes like period homes of the ’20s and ’30s.

Prefinished hardwoods are very popular for remodeling. They are available in 3/8-inch or 1/2-inch thickness. There are a wide variety of colors and finishes available. The price range for these floors is around $11 per square foot to over $25 per square foot. Traditional hardwoods are typically red or white oak, and are 3/4-inch in thickness and placed on screeds that are typically 3/4 inch or 1 1/2 inches. This means that these floors can be 1 1/2 inches or 2 1/4 inches thick. They can be sanded and refinished multiple times. We grew up with hardwood floors that had to be waxed constantly and maintained, but today’s homeowners seal the floors with a polyurethane finish that requires no maintenance. The colors for these floors can also vary widely from a beech blonde look to a dark mahogany or ebony look. The price range for traditional hardwood floors installed can be less than the prefinished floors at around $9-$12 per square foot. The prefinished floors are used most often when the existing home has a slab foundation and the transition from a tile or carpeted area is only about 1/2 inch. Typically, traditional hardwoods are used in new homes, since transition areas can be dealt with in the slab stage. Hardwoods are not recommended in areas where there is moisture such as kitchens or bathrooms. These floors can swell and buckle when they get wet, and should not be mopped.

There has been a trend toward laminate floors instead of hardwood floors. These floors are usually less expensive than hardwoods at around $9 per square foot. It is not considered an inexpensive product, but it is very durable and can easily be replaced if there are problems in a specific area such as with a heavy stain. This product comes in wood grain or a tile look and is an ideal product for family rooms and kitchens. It is also very low maintenance. It can be mopped and is easy to clean.

Carpet is still very popular, especially in bedrooms and living rooms. The least expensive of the carpets is the olefin carpet, which runs around $22 per square yard. This is used when budget is a big consideration or if there are kids involved and the carpet only needs to last a few years. The next upgrade is nylon that tends to run between $30-$50 per square yard. This carpet tends to be more durable and the appearance has less sheen. At the high end, wool is the carpet of choice. It starts around $60 per square yard. Wool is very soft looking, is a natural product and has a very low sheen. This carpet will last a very long time. The different styles of carpets used today are the cut pile, the berber and the frieze, which is a short shag look. Yes, we are going back to that shag look!

Last but not least are tile, granite and marble floors. These floors are great in kitchens and bathrooms. But the most important aspect is the price. Ceramic tile can start at $5.50 per square foot installed. Granite and marble floors start at $12 per square foot installed.

The choices available can be overwhelming. Decide on the budget and then make a decision on what is the best floor for your application. There is no correct floor for your home.

Leslie S. King, CGR, GMB, CAPS, president of Greymark Construction Company, has been a GHBA Remodelors Council member since 1996 and serves on the board as past president.