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Consider These 8 Low Cost Flooring Options for Your Home

Low Cost Flooring Options
April 1, 2022

Whether you're searching for the perfect flooring or garage flooring, you should be aware of everyday materials, such as the average price per square foot, labour-intensive installation, and how long they will last.

8 Low-Cost Flooring Options

#1. Vinyl

Vinyl flooring is available in different forms like sheets, tiles, and planks and is made primarily of PVC, resulting in a durable, waterproof flooring that can be laid in any house room.

It is amongst the most cost-effective flooring solutions, requiring only regular cleaning or sweeping and odd mopping. If properly installed, you may expect it to last 25 years.

#2. Sheet Vinyl

This cut-to-length option has come a long way in terms of design, texture, and quality. Sheet vinyl is often available in 6' and 12' widths, making it weighty and challenging to work with. It is always advisable to leave the work of installation to the professionals.

The average cost per square foot (excluding installation) is $1.25, with luxury brands costing more than $5 per square foot.

#3. Plank Vinyl

Plank vinyl is the most affordable way to imitate the look of more expensive hardwood or stone flooring. Unlike sheet vinyl, planks are available in small quantities, making the installation procedure easier. Planks of vinyl can be glued down or put using a peel-and-stick or click-and-lock mechanism. Installation is usually straightforward, even for new persons to home renovation projects.

Prices may vary depending on whether you prefer an engineered vinyl plank (EVP), a waterproof vinyl plank (WVP), a luxury vinyl plank (LVP), or a stone composite variant (SVP), which is excellent for high-traffic areas. Prices start at about $1.39 per square foot without installation, depending on thickness, quality, and manufacturer guarantees.

#4. Laminate

Laminate is a mixture of materials that has a photographic image imprinted on its surface to give it the appearance of hardwood or stone. Laminate is comparable to vinyl sheets in price, but it is less robust, should not be subjected to heat, is not waterproof, and only lasts ten years. It is installing laminate in high-moisture or water-prone locations such as basements, kitchens, or bathrooms.

Laminate is installed as kind of a floating floor, which means that instead of being attached to the subfloor, the pieces click and lock together. It will take some time to prepare for the area adequately, but it will go quickly once you start putting the parts together.

The typical price of laminate flooring is $2.50 per square foot; however, this will vary depending on the materials used and the manufacturer's warranties.

#5. Cork

Cork is a soft, environmentally friendly alternative to composite flooring that is also less difficult to install than hardwood.

This sustainable resource is made from the cork oak tree and is used to manufacture floor tiles, planks, and sheets, with prices starting at roughly $2 per square foot and escalating depending on thickness, quality, and polish.

While cork has the advantage of being softer than other relatively cost flooring options, its softness can also be a disadvantage because it scratches and dents readily. It also won't hold up in humid environments like restrooms, where the material would fracture and disintegrate if the humidity level rises beyond 60%.

#6. Carpet

Carpeting is another low-cost flooring option for homeowners, with options ranging from wall-to-wall to peel-and-stick. There are many possibilities due to varying materials and quality levels. You can expect it to last ten years or longer if you vacuum routinely and promptly treats stains regardless of which carpet you choose.

While carpet is usually comfortable to walk on and effective at sound absorption, it wears out far faster than other forms of flooring. It is advisable that carpet should not be used in bathrooms or other places where moisture can cause mould to grow.

Wall-to-Wall Carpeting

While wall-to-wall carpeting is a cost-effective flooring option, installing it is not for the faint of heart. It's frequently a multi-person, multi-tool process requiring precision; otherwise, wrinkles, bumps, and weak seams would detract from the final product. Consider hiring an expert to install wall-to-wall because there is minimal room for error.

Peel-and-Stick Carpet Tiles

Peel-and-stick carpet tiles are an easier way to lay carpets. Like vinyl planks, the little pieces allow installation reasonably quick and uncomplicated. Because carpet tiles have their adhesive backing, you have to clean the floor, peel off the stickers, and adhere the tiles to the floor. In addition, you can trim portions using a box cutter as needed. Carpet tiles can be bought for less than $1 per square foot at big-box stores like Home Depot.

#7. Tile

Porcelain Tile

Porcelain tiles are a good choice when putting floors in moist places like bathrooms and kitchens. Porcelain is denser and better at repelling water than ceramic, and it wears better than traditional ceramic tile, although costing somewhat more per square foot.

Ceramic Tile

Ceramic tile is a great low-cost flooring choice, costing less than $1 per square foot. Look for manufactured tile rated at least a three on the Porcelain Enamel Institute's PEI rating, which is the industry standard. A tile with a rating of less than three will be too thin and fragile to withstand heavy foot traffic. Leave the installation to the pros if you aren't comfortable using a wet saw or tile cutter.

#8. Refinish The Floors

If rebuilding your floor isn't an option, you can constantly refresh it for a fraction of the cost. With just a little paint or varnish, wood floors may be transformed; concrete can be made to look new and fresh with specialized paint and sealer, and tile can be improved by simply refreshing the grout. Whatever your budget, you may quickly restore your look without breaking the bank.

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