Our subtropical climate and your household’s daily rhythm are two important factors when choosing flooring options for a central Florida home.
The former requires the installation of moisture-resistant products and materials, while the latter helps us determine which type of flooring meets your family’s needs now and into the future.
Top 5 Flooring Choices For a Central Florida Home
Contemporary flooring innovations have changed the flooring industry in dramatic ways. The options are seemingly endless, and there is a flooring style – including synthetic wood or stone imitations that look like the real thing – for every lifestyle and style preference.
Visiting a brick-and-mortar showroom and speaking with flooring design specialists is the best way to view samples you can experiment with in your living spaces, ensuring you make the best flooring choice. In the meantime, here are five of the best flooring choices for homes in our region.
1. Engineered hardwood
Engineered hardwood floors offer multiple benefits to Florida homeowners. First, they look and feel like hardwood, with the addition of being more durable than solid hardwood in the presence of water and humidity.
The product includes “real” hardwood in its topmost layer, available in various wood species. However, the plank sections comprise five to seven layers of engineered and compressed wood in a cross-ply formation. This production method makes them very durable.
Florida-friendly features include:
- The ability to withstand direct water contact longer than solid natural wood planks.
- Showcases the natural beauty of hardwood with no “pattern repeat” as it is a natural hardwood.
Also, engineered hardwood products don’t need to be sanded and finished repeatedly through the years. Once we install them, a well-maintained engineered hardwood floor lasts a lifetime.
2. Laminate
Laminate flooring is another popular option for homeowners who desire the look of hardwood but aren’t interested in maintenance, moisture vulnerability, or the heftier price tag associated with natural, engineered hardwood options. This durable flooring surface is designed to replicate virtually any hardwood flooring surface on the market, including a multitude of finishes from very light blond or gray finishes to deep, rich chocolate browns or reddish cherry hues.
Laminate flooring is made from fiberboard held together using strong resin bonds. The final layers are then finished with a special glue that resists moisture. The high-definition technology used to recreate the look of natural woodgrains is so successful that clients say houseguests often get down on their hands and knees to inspect it because they can’t believe the floors aren’t hardwood.
Florida homes fare best when high-pressure laminate options are installed, as this process optimizes the product’s moisture-resistant properties. Other benefits of laminate include:
- They can be mopped using a little PH-neutral and warm water if you aren’t interested in purchasing laminate-specific cleaners
- Stain-resistance
- Superb resistance to scratching or impact damage (it’s by far one of the best choices for homes with kids and pets)
3. Luxury vinyl tile or plank
Vinyl floors faded into the background for a bit, but advances in flooring technology are bringing luxury vinyl tiles and planks into the spotlight again. Today, we’re seeing an increase in vinyl flooring installations – including in the high-end and luxury vacation home sectors.
Our luxury vinyl flooring lines are considered “hurricane-proof” – and we’re not just talking about weather patterns. Like laminate, high-definition graphic design combined with textural enhancements make luxury vinyl “tiles” and “planks” look just like the surface they’re meant to replicate – including natural wood and stone.
Waterproof vinyl flooring is:
- Effortless to clean and maintain
- An excellent choice for heavy traffic areas – particularly when pets are part of the household equation
- Ideal for bonus rooms, or other areas where you host parties and larger gatherings
- Ultra-stain resistant
Again, this is one of those products that looks so realistic it’ll have you on your hands and needs, running your fingers across the “grains” to prove they’re not natural wood.
4. Ceramic & porcelain tile
Tile has long been a favorite flooring choice in Florida homes. However, tile flooring has come a long way in recent decades. What once was primarily a matter of choosing your favorite solid color (or colors), now homeowners browse various tile patterns, many of which look identical to natural stone – like granite, marble, or slate – not to mention hardwood replicas in plank-like dimensions.
Some of the benefits of floor tiles are:
- Water and stain resistance
- A cool surface for a warm climate
- Most durable flooring for any home but especially a Florida home
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Best choice for an active household with kids, pets and swimming pools
Endless style options, from patterned tiles to artisan tile layouts (herringbone, chevron, checkerboard, diamond, windmill, etc.) using solid-colored tiles. Tiles are the hardest floor surfaces and are the least forgiving on impact from breakable objects.
During your design consultation, we’ll talk to you about ceramic and porcelain options – including the pros and cons of each.
5. Carpet
Surprised to see carpet on the Top 5 list? Many people are since the popularity of hard surface flooring makes it seem like carpet moved to the back burner. However, there are several reasons why carpet – especially the right carpet for your lifestyle – is still a desirable option in a Florida home. We’ve even had clients shop for area-specific carpets or area rugs to ease their plantar fasciitis or chronic joint pain because softer surfaces ease their discomfort.
First, hard surface flooring is exactly as described – hard – and many people prefer the softer look and feel of carpet – particularly in formal living rooms and bedrooms. Also, just as technological innovations have improved the look of manufactured hard flooring options, carpet innovations yield more durable, stain- and water-resistant properties than ever before.
There are carpets for every Florida home design, from those who like the look of a high-profiled retro shag in the right location to carpets that boast an indoor/outdoor level of durability and ease of maintenance.
Get Started With a Design Consultation at Creative Floors
Scheduling a design consultation at Creative Floors is the best way to determine which flooring options are the best for your Florida home. If you can’t get to our store in person, schedule a Shop At Home appointment instead. Either way, you’ll have the opportunity to see, touch, and interact with real flooring samples while discussing your preferences and lifestyle with our flooring experts.
We guarantee you’ll find a flooring option you love and that looks amazing while simultaneously standing up to Florida’s generous helpings of water, sand, and sun. Contact us online or call us at the location nearest you at either our Casselberry location at (407) 265-9566 or our South location by the Florida Mall at (407)856-0994 to get started.
