You’ve heard of resilient flooring. But you don’t actually know what it is (and you’re too embarrassed to ask anyone). Based on its name, you’ve guessed that resilient flooring is a durable flooring material. Beyond this, however, you don’t know much about it. And you certainly don’t have a clue about whether it’s the right choice for your home.
So what exactly is resilient flooring, and how do you know if it’s a floor you should consider? Keep reading below, because we’re about to break it all down.
What is resilient flooring?
Resilient flooring is a term used to describe floors that are firm but have “give.” This excludes floors like carpet (which has give but isn’t firm) and floors like hardwood, ceramic and porcelain tile, and natural stone (which are firm but don’t have give).
Here are the 6 different types of resilient flooring:
· Vinyl: Vinyl makes up most of the resilient flooring market today. It includes luxury vinyl tiles, solid vinyl tiles, and vinyl composition tiles.
· Linoleum: Made from natural materials, linoleum is manufactured by combining linseed oil, limestone, wood, cork, and resins.
· Cork: Made from thinly sliced cork, cork floors are a top environmentally friendly option.
· Rubber: Often used in gyms and yoga studios, modern rubber floors are usually made from synthetic rubber materials.
· Polymeric poured seamless floors: Used primarily in commercial spaces, these floors are made by pouring a liquid onto a surface and allowing it to harden.
· Asphalt: Although rarely used indoors these days, asphalt is considered a resilient flooring material.
What are the benefits of resilient flooring?
Durable
As its name suggests, resilient flooring is highly durable. This makes it a great option for residential and commercial spaces that get lots of traffic.
Affordable
Resilient flooring is usually made from inexpensive materials. And because it can now mimic the look of many luxury flooring materials, resilient flooring can add an elegant touch to your home at a fraction of the cost.
Soft
Because resilient flooring has give, it’s comfortable to stand on for long periods of time. In comparison to hard flooring materials, such as hardwood and natural stone, resilient flooring reduces the strain on your back, legs, and feet.
Warm
Resilient flooring isn’t just soft under your feet. It also doesn’t get icy cold the way that stone and hardwood do. This makes it much more comfortable to stand on barefoot on those cold winter mornings.
Noise insulating
Have noisy kids or a partner with a completely different work schedule? Resilient flooring can help you get the sleep you need. Because of the materials it’s made from, resilient flooring is great at insulating and reducing noise.
Limitations
Dents
Because resilient flooring has give, it is more prone to dents than harder flooring surfaces are. As a result, pressure from chair legs or appliances can cause permanent indentations.
Can’t be refinished
Unlike hardwood, resilient flooring can’t be sanded or refinished to repair damage. If you need to fix a portion of a resilient floor, you’ll need to remove and replace it. Fortunately, because resilient flooring is highly durable, you shouldn’t need to repair it often.
Doesn’t increase value
Different from many luxury flooring materials, resilient flooring doesn’t increase the value of your home. As a result, it’s not the right choice if you’re focused solely on making profitable enhancements to your home.
Consider whether resilient flooring is the right floor for you
Resilient flooring isn’t just one type of flooring material. Instead, it’s a category of materials that are firm but have give. Consider installing resilient flooring in your home if you’re looking for an affordable floor that’s durable, soft, and warm. If you don’t mind minor dents and you aren’t trying to increase the value of your home, resilient flooring may be the right choice for you.
Need a new floor for your home? We’d be happy to help you. Schedule a complimentary consultation.