Thinking of remodeling and adding new flooring to your home? Before you start looking, spend some time debunking the most common flooring myths that homeowners still believe.

Myth: Laminate floors are inferior and look cheap

There once was a time when Pergo dominated the laminate flooring market. It came with its classic clicking, hollow sounds.

No more. Technology has advanced to make laminates so closely related to solid hardwood, it’s often difficult to tell the difference.

Laminate is created from a particle board wood base topped by a realistic image layer, sealed with a wear layer to provide strength and durability. The result is a beautiful flooring option.

Because of technological advancements, they look and act more realistically than ever before. The image quality gives a realistic look and feel, while the scratch-resistant surface area makes it suitable for homes with busy lifestyles. Plus, its low cost gives it an added bonus to families concerned with sticking to a budget.

Myth: Hardwood flooring is too expensive

What’s the most expensive flooring on the market today? Don’t fall for the myth that hardwood tops the list.

In reality, hardwood flooring is a perfect solution for any homeowner on any budget. There’s an option perfect to suit your needs.

When you visit a flooring showroom floor, you’ll find hardwood is one of the most popular options, and as such, many different manufacturers are competing at many different levels.

The key is knowing your budget ahead of time, then considering your options carefully. Many homeowners like the fact that hardwood can be refinished multiple times, giving them more remodeling options in the future.

Myth: Carpet won’t work for anyone with allergies

Do you believe the myth that carpet harbors dust bunnies, dirt, and other debris? If you are prone to allergies, you may be shying away from installing carpet.

Carpet remains one of the top flooring options for good reason. It’s soft. It reduces noise. It makes a space feel warmer.

Manufacturers know this, and work hard at creating better products. They make carpet with better fiber technology to capture allergens and hold them in to keep them from getting into the air inside your home. Simply vacuum the carpet with a vacuum with HEPA filters in place, and your carpeted room can often be just as clean as other flooring options you may be considering.

Myth: Engineered hardwood is inferior to solid hardwood

Nothing is better than solid hardwood flooring. Or is there?

Engineered hardwood actually provides several advantages over traditional solid hardwood.

First, engineered hardwood works in places where solid hardwood won’t. Want to install hardwood in your basement? Give engineered hardwood another look. That’s because it’s designed with moisture-resistant qualities making it a better choice in basement situations.

Next, engineered hardwood can offer you more choices than solid hardwood. Because it’s built in layers, it can offer strength and durability that traditional hardwood can’t compete with. Pay attention to brands to find the right choices to suit your needs.

Also, engineered flooring offers you the aesthetics of solid hardwood in a more sustainable option. That’s because solid hardwood is created from the core of a tree, while engineered flooring uses a top layer of real veneer wood. That means more hardwood planks from fewer tree resources.

Myth: Vinyl flooring is obsolete 

When many people hear “vinyl”, they think of their grandmother’s vinyl floors. You have a vision of cheap flooring in obnoxious colors that simply won’t work in your home.

That’s not today’s vinyl. Instead, vinyl today is designed to give you the very best look with other benefits you can’t refuse.

Luxury vinyl planks are dominating the market as they mimic solid hardwood. Yet these planks have the added benefits of being durable, and in some cases, waterproof. That means you can have your hardwood in areas where it wasn’t possible before – bathrooms, laundry rooms, and your basement remodel.

Of course, it’s not just hardwood – luxury vinyl can mimic just about any look you desire. Want marble floors? Consider luxury vinyl tile.

You also get the added benefit of finding colors that are harder to reproduce in nature. And if you do, it’s almost always at a cost. Luxury vinyl gives you a wide array of colors and patterns, all at affordable pricing.

Even if you wish to stay with traditional vinyl choices, either in sheet or tile format, you’ll be amazed at the colors and patterns, and how well they appeal to your design senses.

And you won’t be able to resist the affordability.

Myth: Carpet is outdated

Who installs carpet anymore? If you believe this myth, it’ll surprise you to learn that carpet is everywhere.

While we would never suggest putting carpet in the bathrooms or kitchen, it still makes a wonderful choice where comfort and warmth are important.

Bedrooms are perfect places for carpet. Nothing feels better than wiggling your toes into the fibers on a cold winter morning.

How about a media room? The insulation from carpet works well to help insulate the room.

All you have to do is take one look at the wide variety of colors, patterns, and styles to put your mind at ease that carpet is still in style.

What’s most important when adding carpet is to ensure you buy padding to give it proper support, and transition it well to other flooring choices in your home.

Myth: Solid hardwood is hard to maintain 

Nope. It’s simply not true.

Solid hardwood is designed to provide one of the best flooring choices suitable for almost any home.

There are hundreds of varieties to give you a chance to let your personality shine. How about:

• Red oak
• White oak
• Maple
• Bamboo
• Walnut
• Cherry

You’ll find the possibilities are endless once you start taking a look.

Stop believing the most common flooring myths circulating online. When in fact, it’s up to you to decide the best flooring choice to suit your needs.

With so many options, you’ll find the perfect flooring to love for many years to come.