Vinyl
Vinyl flooring is often referred to as "resilient flooring," and it includes both vinyl sheet and vinyl tile in a wide variety of printed designs that can duplicate the look and texture of natural materials, such as stone and hardwoods. Not only does vinyl offer more color and design options than any other flooring, there are other good reasons to choose vinyl, too:

• It's comfortable underfoot, so it's a good choice if you'll have to stand on it for long periods of time.
• It's resilience may cut down on breakage when you drop things.
• It's water resistant, so it's ideal for bathrooms and kitchens.
• The inner core absorbs sound and also insulates against both heat and cold.
• It's low-maintenance.

Cost: Sheet vinyl can run from around 50 cents to several dollars per square foot, depending on the thickness, construction, and the quality of the printed design, texture and embossing. Urethane or enhanced urethane in the wear layer also increases the cost, as does the backing material. Installation costs vary similarly, with the full-spread installation method being the most expensive.

More to consider...
Unlike hardwoods, vinyl flooring does not tend to add to your home's value.

Learn more about Installation and Care of Vinyl Flooring...

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Laminate
When you think of laminates, countertops most often come to mind. But today, laminates are among the most affordable flooring alternatives on the market, offering a broad spectrum of styles with the look of hardwood or natural stone - plus the benefits of increased durability and reduced maintenance.

Widely used in Europe for decades, laminate flooring options have been available in the U. S. since the 1990s. An outgrowth of laminate countertop manufacturing - where layers of plain and decorative paper are bonded together to create a hard, patterned or colored surfacing material - laminate flooring products are 20 to 30 times harder wearing underfoot than most wood and natural stone floors, making them particularly pet- and kid-friendly, and good in high-traffic areas.

• Learn more about Installation and Care of Laminate Flooring...