Carpet vs. Hardwood: A Direct Comparison For Homeowners (Pros & Cons)

It’s the age-old battle of carpet vs. hardwoods. No one ever knows what they want to have in their home or what would best serve them.

We’re trying to help you understand what’s best for you and what type of product you should install in your home. We’ll be breaking down the pros and cons as well as what’s trending in new homes and remodels.

Carpet vs Hardwood: What’s Trending?

First off, what’s really trending out there? Trends do come and go within homes, no matter the product that you’re looking into. Flooring is no different, and one of the biggest things you’ll see change is the color and style. Currently, hardwood is one of the most sought-after flooring types in every home. Homeowners have loved using hardwood throughout the entirety of their homes, especially in the past 5 years.

Here’s what’s currently trending within the flooring industry.

Hardwood Flooring Trends

Within the realm of hardwood flooring, there are many different styles and colors. You’ll have to pick a hardwood floor that matches your style and the rest of your home. But, here are the colors that have been making a statement in homes lately.

Dark and Cool Tones

Dark colors have become really popular as homeowners begin to move away from the all-white and neutral colors in their homes. Dark colors and tones add a lot to a home and can really make a bedroom or kitchen spark.

Gray and Gray Scale Colors

Grayscale colors offer neutral tones without being too light or completely washed out colors. And, there are lots of different grey tones that you can find.

Natural Wood and Light Tones

We mentioned above that many homeowners are starting to move from lighter colors back to darker colors. But in many regions, natural wood and light tones are both still very popular. If you like natural woods, then use them in your home because they can look spectacular.

Carpet Trends

There are many trends within carpet as well: from the different types and lengths of shags to colors and patterns in the carpet. There are lots of different ways that carpet can change depending on the intended aesthetic or function of the space.

Natural Colors

Natural colors are really popular for many different reasons. But, ultimately, homeowners love that these carpets look clean, are durable, and offer an easy choice. Nothing too bold or bright: just a simple and straightforward carpet.

Patterns

Bold patterns have continued to grow in popularity. This isn’t for everyone, but some homes do look beautiful with bold checkered or swirly patterns. If you like this type of style, then be sure to dig into all the options that are available to you out there.

Bright Colors

Bright colors are becoming more and more popular with homeowners that are looking for carpet. Whether you want blue, pink, or a shade between, a bright color can really liven up space and make it pop.

Carpet: Pros and Cons

There are several pros and cons to having carpet in your home. We’ll focus on some of the ones that we think are most important.

Pros or Benefits of Carpet

One of the biggest things that carpet holds over hardwood is that it’s soft. It’s always going to be soft, warm, and less cold than hard flooring. Here are some of the rest:

• Warmth – carpet is warmer. Hardwoods are cold, feel cold, and hold temperatures better.
• Comfort – soft flooring is more comfortable if you want to sit on the floor or you spend a lot of time walking around.
• Safety – if you have young children who often fall or hit the floor hard, then having a soft floor is much much safer.
• Styles and Colors – there are 100s of 1,000s of colors and styles that you can choose throughout the carpet market.
• Quieter or Less Noise – a softer flooring is going to cushion your step and thus be much quieter as you walk throughout the home.

Cons or Disadvantages of Carpet

• Maintenance – carpets need to be cleaned with high-quality machines that are used to remove all the dirt and potentially stains from the carpet.
• Allergies – carpets store all types of allergens in the fabric. It’s not always a problem, but it can cause problems.
• Sensitivity – carpets can be very easily stained and thus are very difficult to keep clean. Watch out for liquids and other similar items that can ruin your carpet easily.
• Life-span – the general lifespan of carpets is much shorter, especially when they’re in high-traffic areas in your home.

Hardwood: Pros and Cons

Here are some of the pros and cons of hardwood.

Pros of Hardwood Flooring

• Life-span – hardwood floors last a long, long time. Especially if you’re using real wood, real wood can be refinished essentially as many times as you want to.
• Variety – there are many different types of wood and stain options, giving you many different choices for hardwood flooring.
• High-quality – hardwood flooring is one of the highest-quality and most desired flooring types in homes.
• Easy Maintenance – wood flooring is easy to take care of, simple to clean, and mostly maintenance-free.
• Better Air Quality – because allergens and dust can’t be stored on wood flooring, you’ll notice a better air quality throughout your home.

Cons of Hardwood Flooring

• Cost – hardwood flooring is expensive. Both the material cost and the cost to install is very high.
• Prone to Termites – termites love wood and will love your hardwood floors if they’re given a chance. There are many ways to protect your floors from termites, but it is good to know.
• Scratching – wood floors can scratch over time, and removing the scratches is sometimes impossible.
• Cupping Structure Changing – as hardwood ages, it will change both shape and size. There’s not a lot you can do about this.

 

If you’re looking to remodel or redesign the layout of your home and need help, we’d love to be part of your process. Thomas Buckborough & Associates is a premier design and build contractor that brings excellence and quality to every project. You can learn more about our living room remodeling services by clicking this link.