Your home deserves attractive flooring fit for your needs. Whether you’ve recently purchased a sliding barn door or are contemplating the options, you may also consider upgrading your flooring at the same time.

New flooring has high impact, with designs that take the floor space from bland and old-fashioned to modern and eye-catching. Read on for our guide to choosing the ideal flooring for your home.

To identify your personal style, think about the types of colors and patterns you gravitate toward. What designs and textures bring you joy to look at or touch when you enter a room?

We recommend starting with your favorite style of interior design. You might love the simplicity of Scandinavian, the glam of Hollywood Regency, or the eclectic charm of Bohemian. Design styles often use certain types of flooring and color palettes, which can be useful for identifying your preferred materials.

Don’t forget to think about your lifestyle needs. Pets can scratch flooring, and children will be children! You likely want to focus on flooring durability. If you live in a more humid climate, you need to factor in moisture and mold potential, as well as the potential for warping.

Our final tip is to think about your hobbies. For example, if you spend time painting or doing woodworking, you might not appreciate all the time needed to clean creative messes off carpeting or tile flooring.

You might love a certain design style, but does it work with your budget? Keep in mind that you can still achieve your favorite look by choosing similar flooring at a lower price point. Apart from the cost of the materials, your budget should include costs for delivery and installation, if you aren’t taking the DIY approach.

We love how varied flooring materials can be. Of course, all this variability means you have some decisions to make. We’ve outlined the major types to help make your decision a bit easier.

Hardwood

Hardwood floors are a classic choice. The solid planks of wood have good durability, although the stain and finish wear down with use. Expect the material to cost from $5 to $13 per square foot, with installation an additional $3 to $5 per square foot.

Engineered Hardwood

This type of material features several layers of plywood glued or pressed together, with a veneer of hardwood on top. It is as durable as traditional hardwood, more moisture resistant, and often less expensive. Expect to pay anywhere from $4 to $9 per square foot, plus installation.

Carpet

Carpeting ranges from standard to plush in thickness. The type of fibers used will also influence the look and feel of the carpet. Of all the material types, carpeting is the cheapest but can be difficult to keep clean. Carpeting averages $2 to $5 per square foot, with padding an extra cost. Installation averages $1 to $3 per square foot.

Vinyl

Vinyl is synthetic flooring that resembles natural materials. It can have a slight sheen, but it is waterproof, less expensive, and easier to maintain than hardwood or tile. Sheet vinyl costs about $0.50 to $2 per square foot, while luxury vinyl planks and tiles average $2 to $5 per square foot. Installation is extra.

Porcelain or Ceramic Tile

Tiles are highly versatile, durable flooring materials. Porcelain is more water resistant than ceramic tile, but both are well suited to high-moisture areas. While tiles can develop chips from heavy dropped items, they are easy to replace. Expect to pay $1 to $7 per square foot for ceramic and $3 to $10 per square foot for porcelain. Installation costs range from $4 to $15 per square foot.

Sliding barn doors complement many flooring types, so use your decor as a starting point and start dreaming up those plans. If you need assistance choosing the ideal door, just give us a call. Barndoorz is here to help you bring joy to your home space.