Upgrading your flooring
The flooring in your house doesn’t have it easy. They are the ones that have dirty shoes walking over them all day, people dripping things, moving furniture, and pets scratching them with their claws. With all of these, it’s understandable that there comes a time when they need to be replaced. But the question is how long they can endure before that replacement time arrives.
Carpet floors usually carry on about 10 years, while flooring kinds like tile, wood, and laminate can last from 25 to 30 years. It all depends on how much damage they handle over the years.
Here are some warnings to look out for to tell when your floors need to be upgraded or replaced.
Carpet
If you’ve had your carpet cleaned and still you just can’t get it back to its former glory, it’s probably time to replace it. And it’s even more pressing when smells have entered the carpet padding and simply won’t go away. Usually, the ones to blame for the carpets fall into disgrace are staining from bleach, wine, and pets.
Scratches and holes are major signs that the carpet needs to go. The discoloring, too; and washing might only make both of these issues even worse as the rough chemicals from the cleaners could cause damages to the material.
If you see any of these signs, I’m sorry to say your carpet needs to go.
Tile
In contrast with carpeting, ceramic tile can last a lifetime. The reparations are not difficult at all, shattered tiles can be substituted, and stained cement can be washed and closed.
The dimensions, color, and design of the tile can swiftly make a home look old-fashioned. Some “vintage” tile like subway and hex tile is ageless, but the tile that you installed in the 70s should have stayed there – in the 70s. No matter how good that old tile is in condition, it’s time for a replacement.
And on another note, if your tile floor appears to be cracking frequently, you might need to switch it and fit-out your new floor with a separating membrane, which will help you scatter the weight of the floor squarely and improve tractability between the floor and the subfloor, in that way decreasing the chance of cracking.
Laminate/Vinyl
Thin laminate or vinyl tile is easier to determine when it has already surpassed the peak of its resistance and useful life. Whether the floor has seen water damage or just simple wear and tear, if it’s peeling up then it is officially time to replace it, because it means the adhesive is starting to fail.
Wood
If you have a solid hardwood floor, then you’re in the exceptional stance to sand and refinish it when it’s looking beaten up. It costs between $3 and $7 per square foot. Yet, it could cost less to entirely replace the floors with an alternative material like laminate or engineered hardwood.