Carpet versus Hardwood

There are many ways to address the debate between filling your home with carpet or hardwood floors. Largely it’s based on aesthetics, but there are underlying reasons that can sway you one way or another.  At American Flooring, we provide both (with additional options in Ceramic and Laminate, too). It’s not fair to establish a bias towards any of these, since we love them all, so we’re breaking it down into three simple categories: costs, upkeep and saving the environment (or being “eco-friendly”).

Costs:

Hardwood floor, both with the installation and material, most of the time will turn out to be a couple bucks more expensive than carpet. There are certain woods that do run closer to carpeting costs (ex. Bamboo, Cork, Brazilian Cherry), but in general you’ll find the carpet, padding and installation about $10 dollars cheaper. Wherever you do go, it’s advised you look for the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) stamp, noting your product was made with eco-friendly practices.

(Advantage: Carpet)

Upkeep:

Both hardwood and carpet need to be replaced, the difference is at what point in time.  Wood needs to be refinished around 15 – 20 years, whereas carpet has to be (or should be) completely replaced 12 – 15 years.

In terms of cleaning, hardwood floors make it easier to clean with either a broom, dusting or vacuuming, however you will find a quicker accumulation of dust bunnies, which you won’t find on carpet. Hardwood floors won’t stain, though, so if you have children (or a klutzy partner), anything spilled onto carpet will require immediate cleaning, and carpet is more likely to hold a stain.

(Advantage: Hardwood)

Eco-Friendly:

As mentioned above, checking for the FSC stamp will inform you whether or whether not your hardwood floors are produced under eco-friendly standards. There are also hardwood floors such as bamboo and cork, which are other popular eco-friendly flooring options.

There are also sustainable carpeting options, and be sure to look for both carpets that are made with natural fibers, and less toxic-adhesives. Since the padding for the carpet is made of renewable resources, look for a carpet that won’t require one to take a step in the eco-friendly direction.

(Advantage: Tie, both Carpet and Hardwood)

If you’re still torn between the two, you can always opt for both: hardwood flooring with a large area rug in the center!