Guide to living and dining room flooring

Vying with the kitchen for the title of social hub of the home, the living room is a high-traffic area that bears the brunt of family living. Even singles or couples will give the living room a workout, being the spot guests will congregate (think muddy shoes in winter and folk flopping out on the floor when it’s hot in summer.)

So when it comes to flooring, your living space requires a durable, easy-clean solution.

Hardwood flooring

A timeless and popular option, hardwood flooring is perfect for high-traffic areas for its visual appeal, warm appearance, and longevity. Hardwood timber flooring comes in a wide range of options, including:

• Floating timber flooring – unlike floorboards, a floating timber floor does not attach to the subfloor beneath, instead individual planks or boards are attached. Boards are prefinished, so they don’t require sanding (though, unlike timber laminate, they can be)and offer a cost-effective alternative to solid hardwood floorboards.
• Structural timber flooring – timber boards are laid on bearers and joists at the time the house is built. If you’re lucky enough to peel back old carpet or vinyl and find wooden floorboards beneath, a flooring expert can repair or replace boards, or sand and polish may be all that’s required.
• Tongue and groove flooring – aptly named, this style of flooring involves laying timber boards that have a tongue on one side and a groove on the other to lock them together, and are then nailed to keep them in place.
• Parquetry – short lengths of hardwood timber laid in a variety of patterns (the most popular being basketweave, brickbond, herringbone, and square-on-square), this flooring is glued directly to the floor before being coated and stained and is very hardwearing.

Floating floors

Cost-effective on both materials and installation, floating floors are durable and come in a wide variety of materials, including:

• Laminate – multiple layers with an HDF core (high-density fibre board), laminate comes in many styles and is flexible, durable, and water resistant – however, not suitable for high-moisture areas as it contains wood components.
• Vinyl – multiple layers like laminate, but with components of PVC and fibreglass instead of wood.
• Hybrid – A combination of laminate and vinyl, comprising multiple layers. Available in many styles, 100% waterproof and highly hardwearing
• Engineered timber flooring/engineered hardwood – a more cost-effective and environmentally friendly option than ‘real’ wood flooring options, the planks are layered but feature a layer of natural wood on top of ply or pinewood with a laminate finish for protection.

While easy to clean and replace (they are installed over the existing floor), do note floating floorboards are noisier to walk on, and except for timber products, cannot be refinished. While they are considered durable, they are less so than their glue or nailed-down flooring due to shifts in temperatures and humidity.

Floating floors are promoted as DIY-able – and certainly, a confident handyman could achieve good results, spending the extra on a professional installer is recommended for the best finish.

Cork

Making a comeback, cork is a renewable and environmentally friendly flooring material that now comes in a variety of colours and finishes.

Offering many of the same styling benefits of wooden flooring – being a natural product that works with a variety of styles and decors, it’s also soft, making it ideal for families. It also has insulating properties great for temperature and noise control.

Cork comes in a wide variety of grades and manufacturing processes, with different types suiting different environments – some not suitable for DIY installation, requiring professional installation.

Tile flooring

While less forgiving than other options, tiled flooring is incredibly durable, has a long lifespan, and is easy to clean – all important factors in living room flooring. Paired with area rugs to add warmth and a little cushioning, tiling can make a lower cost choice and is well suited to open-plan kitchen/ living room spaces.

While tiling is more suited to DIY, the living room is a high-traffic area, so one you want to ensure you get right and will last forever, so a professional could well be a worthwhile investment.