Your stress-free guide to choosing the perfect flooring

While it’s fun to imagine what your new floor will look like, there are some basic considerations that will guide you, practically, in the right direction. For example, if you have kids, pets or a rental property, there will be certain products that will be more appropriate than others. Here are some questions to ponder when choosing flooring.

• Who will use this space?
• What will it be used for?
• Do you have a set budget in mind?
• Do you have kids or pets?
• Is the property a rental or holiday home?
• What “look” are you drawn to?

You might be wondering what all of the questions are for, but these will help point you into a product direction. Some products, for example, are more resilient than others (such as vinyl flooring, laminate flooring, solution-dyed nylon carpets etc.) so if you have a busy family home they will be great options to explore.

There’s a great deal of inspiration available to everyone these days. Magazines, books and brochures are great for those who like to hold something in their hands. Pinterest, blogs, Instagram and websites (as well as our look book!) are also fast ways to seek and define a look we like. You will start to see clues, similarities and common elements throughout your “likes” and post-it-notes. What is it? Is it a colour? A style? This will be helpful when making your first showroom visit.

When you are on the inspiration-hunt, you might start to notice that you are drawn to similar elements. Perhaps it’s a wool loop carpet style that appeals or maybe you love herringbone flooring details.

Now you have some inspiration in your mind and a clear indication of the practicalities, pop into one of the Flooring Xtra stores to explore your options. The staff will be able to guide you in the direction of suitable products, keeping in mind look, budget and usage. Each showroom has a wide range of carpets, vinyl flooring, laminate flooring, hybrid flooring and engineered timber floor samples to peruse.

Each Flooring Xtra store is not only full of inspiration, samples and expert advice, they also have professional flooring installation teams. Flooring installation and carpet installation requires a specific set of skill and not to mention tools! Let them help you for a completely stress-free experience.

There’s nothing better than seeing your potential flooring in the actual space it’s intended. Light, materials and their surrounds change according to light and time of day. Observe how the samples look at different points of the day and evening. Place other materials around that you are also using (such as paint, tiles or fabric).

At this point, you should be able to refine your selections. Some may be out of the budget (goodbye!), some might be higher maintenance than you were wanting (ciao!) or some might not be appropriate for your home at all. With what remains, ask yourself what you think you might love tomorrow, but also in ten years. After all, flooring is a big investment and you want to love it for years to come! Remember, the helpful Flooring Xtra teams are always here to help you with your decision making too. Make the most of their expertise!

Our latest look book explores all stages of the flooring journey, from inspiration through to product information. There’s heaps of real-life examples, projects and tools to help you feel informed and ready to embark on the flooring selection process.

What are the pros and cons of vinyl flooring?

Vinyl flooring is a popular option for Australian homes for good reason! It’s resilient, durable, easy to maintain, pet-friendly and available in lots of colours and styles. It does still require some maintenance though to ensure it looks like new for longer- this is the case however for all flooring! Read our blog post for more information about the pros and cons of vinyl flooring.

What is waterproof laminate flooring?

Flooring Xtra have a range of water-resistant laminate flooring that makes busy family living a dream. These styles are perfect for the kitchen where mess happens! Learn more about laminate flooring here.

What flooring is easy to maintain?

All flooring requires some level of maintenance to ensure scratches and stains remain at bay however some are less demanding than others. Hard flooring styles like laminate and vinyl are excellent while polypropylene, nylon and triexta yarn carpets do some heavy lifting in busy homes!