Floor finder
The right floor for the room.
Carpet in a kitchen, laminate in a bathroom and lacquered oak with a Labrador are the three floors we are asked to replace most. Choose the room, tick the dog and the children, and see what we would put down and why.
The room and the household
Living room · pets · children
Luxury vinyl tile
Our pickHard-wearing and warm, good in a through lounge that opens into the kitchen.
Pets: claws do not mark a commercial wear layer, and accidents wipe up without soaking in.
Children: spills and felt-tip wipe off, and it is warmer and softer than tile.
Carpet
Works wellWarm and quiet, and the right underlay makes a mid-range carpet feel like an expensive one.
With a dog or a cat, a loop pile snags on claws; choose a twist or a saxony in polypropylene, which you can clean with bleach.
Children: soft to fall on; choose a stain-resistant polypropylene for the room where the juice is.
Laminate
Works wellA wood look at a third of the price, and hard to damage at AC4.
Pets: AC4 shrugs off claws, but a puddle left all day can get into the joints.
Children: tough, but noisy with toy cars: an acoustic underlay helps.
Engineered wood
Think twiceThe floor people keep for twenty years: an engineered oak can be sanded and relacquered twice.
Pets: claws scratch lacquered oak; an oiled finish hides it better and can be touched up.
Children: dents from dropped toys show in oak; you can sand it in ten years, but you will notice them now.
Sheet vinyl
Not for this roomA living-room floor in vinyl looks like a kitchen floor in the living room.
Pets: no joints for accidents to get into, and the cheapest floor to replace if a puppy chews a corner.
Children: soft, warm, and cheap enough not to mind.
At a glance
Every floor, every room.
Before pets and children: three squares is our pick, none is a floor we will not fit there.
| Room | Carpet | Luxury vinyl tile | Laminate | Engineered wood | Sheet vinyl |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen | |||||
| Bathroom | |||||
| Hall and stairs | |||||
| Bedroom | |||||
| Living room |
Questions about choosing a floor
What is the best floor with a dog?
Luxury vinyl tile: claws do not mark a commercial wear layer and accidents wipe up. For carpet, a twist or saxony in polypropylene, never a loop, which claws pull.
Can I have one floor right through downstairs?
Yes, and it looks better. LVT or a water-resistant laminate goes from the hall through the kitchen to the lounge with no thresholds, and a rug makes the living room soft.
What goes over underfloor heating?
LVT and engineered oak are the best; laminate and carpet work with the right underlay and a tog rating under 1.5. We check the system at the measure.
Why will you not fit carpet in a bathroom?
Because it holds water and smells within a year, and we would rather lose the job than fit it. Sheet vinyl is warmer than it looks and cheaper than anything else.
Start with the home measure. It is free.
Rhian or Lewis measures every room with a laser, checks the floor underneath and every door, leaves the samples with you, and writes the quote before they leave. Usually within three working days.