As a landlord, you need rental home flooring that checks multiple boxes. It should be durable, low-maintenance, and attractive enough that you can attract higher-paying tenants.
The great news for you is that Creative Floors excels at helping landlords find just the right flooring to protect their investment while still providing a luxurious look for prospective tenants.
Top 5 Rental Home Flooring Options
Installing flooring options that protect your rental investment from excessive wear and tear and water damage has never been easier. Here are the top five products we recommend to save money while providing beautiful flooring for those “For Rent” post photos.
All five of our recommendations offer three essential landlord (and tenant) benefits:
- They’re waterproof or highly water resistant
Every landlord understands the risk of tenants who either don’t notice—or don’t report—plumbing and appliance leaks. Both can do considerable damage to existing flooring materials, not to mention the building’s structural integrity. Our water-resistant flooring options can tolerate longer-term water exposure more than other options, making them a landlord favorite. Flooring that boasts water-resistant attributes is usually considered a family- and pet-friendly option, too. - Ease of maintenance
You never know how good a tenant will be regarding general cleaning or maintenance. Even the most diligent tenant can change directions in their cleaning flooring, which has long been considered an easy maintenance flooring option, and that hasn’t changed. When tenants move out, your cleaning crew will appreciate how easy it is to clean built-up debris or the gunk that accumulates behind and alongside stoves and refrigerators. - Durability
Repainting a rental home or unit between tenants is one thing. Having to replace flooring is another. By investing in durable flooring now, you may never have to replace it again for another 15 to 20 years or more*. When you visit our showroom or schedule an on-site consultation, we’ll talk to you about rental home flooring products with the most extended lifetimes and warranty benefits. - Accessibility
Rental properties fill faster when they are as accessible as possible to a range of prospective tenants. The five options listed below are all considered accessible flooring, making them safe and easy to navigate regardless of age or mobility.
If you don’t have time to visit one of our two in-person showrooms, we recommend scheduling a free, in-home consultation at your rental property instead. There, we can show you samples of these flooring options so you can get a realistic feel for what they’ll look like after installation.
1. Vinyl Plank (In Wood or Stone Options)
Our vinyl plank flooring is a cost-effective way to get the best aesthetic bang for your buck. In addition to replicating some of the most popular wood floor species on the market, vinyl flooring is also available in patterns that replicate natural stone.
Rather than being rolled out in sheet form like their predecessor, vinyl planks are installed individually, laid out, and cut to fit the room. In addition to ease of installation, vinyl planks are far more affordable to “repair” or “replace” because you only need to tear out and reinstall the affected planks.
2. Laminate Flooring
Laminate flooring is another popular option. It is also warmer on bare feet than tile flooring. Tenants appreciate that laminate flooring looks just like elegant hardwood floors without any high-maintenance responsibilities. Make sure you look for waterproof laminate options to optimize its durability.
3. Tile Options
Flooring tiles used to be more of a square concept, but then porcelain “wood” tile planks entered the market. These tiles do an exceptional job of replicating the natural look and textured feel of natural wood or stone, depending on your preference.
Installing tile planks is an immediate rental upgrade, providing a luxurious and stylish look. And, of course, we also have all of your favorite ceramic and porcelain tile options in various patterns and colors.
*High-quality tiles yield the greatest return on investment (ROI), as they are ultra-easy to maintain and can last 75 to 100 years or longer!
4. Engineered Hardwood
Engineered hardwood is more affordable than natural wood floors, but it’s more expensive than some of these other options. Also designed to look like real hardwood, engineered planks have a special protective coating to enhance durability, ease of routine maintenance, and water resistance. That said, they can’t be sanded and finished, so a severely scratched or damaged plank requires replacement.
This option is best suited for higher-end rentals rather than moderate—or more affordably-priced rentals with higher turnover rates.
5. Carpet
Yes, hard surface flooring makes the most sense for many landlords, but that doesn’t mean you must rule out carpet. Today’s low-pile carpets are designed to be water- and stain-resistant. If accessibility is a concern, we can show you carpet options that work well with walkers and wheelchairs.
You may also decide to install carpets in bedrooms or formal living areas, using hard surface flooring options in higher-traffic areas.
Creative Floors Can Help You Choose the Best Rental Home Flooring Options
Are you ready to replace the flooring in one of your rental properties? Schedule an on-site flooring consultation with a professional flooring designer at Creative Floors. We’ll ensure that your units look absolutely stunning and that the rental home flooring has the durability and longevity to match.
