The Best Flooring for High Traffic Areas

The Best High Traffic Flooring Options for Your Space

A homeowner’s first choice for flooring will almost always be hardwood — it’s timeless, rich in character and warm. As experienced flooring contractors, we can agree that hardwood floors have all of those attributes and more. But hardwood is not always the best and only flooring choice for high traffic areas. For instance, if you have pets (especially large breed dogs), kids or like to host gatherings at your place, then you’ll want a hard-wearing flooring that doesn’t let moisture in or wear down under duress.

So, if natural wood isn’t up to the task, what are the best floorings for high traffic areas?

Your High Traffic Flooring Options

One of the best parts about homeowners’ unanimous love for hardwood flooring is that it inspired manufacturers to create a flooring that looks and feels like wood, but can handle anything you throw at it. 

As a result, wood-look flooring alternatives have started to dominate the flooring market. So if you’ve always dreamed of hardwood, but your lifestyle doesn’t suit hardwood, don’t worry; we have plenty of alternatives for you to consider.

Laminate

One of the more common and durable flooring choices is laminate. Laminate is a photo layer that is sandwiched between fibreboard and a protective coating and can mimic any flooring like wood or stone. With laminate, your floors can withstand dents and scratches better, but once the protective coating goes, you’ll need to replace the flooring as it cannot be refinished. Also, keep in mind, laminate is water-resistant, not waterproof.

• Pro tip: To prevent your laminate floors from looking artificial, remember to stagger the different patterns so it gives your flooring the character you’d expect from hardwood.

Luxury Vinyl

If you’re looking for affordable flooring, luxury vinyl is the latest trend. Not only is vinyl made to look like any flooring type (such as hardwood or stone), it is waterproof and lasts longer than traditional vinyl flooring. In addition, vinyl is impervious to dents, scratches and sun fading, so it’s ideal for high-traffic areas like foyers.

• Pro tip: If you’re worried about slipping across a slick vinyl surface, then buy a luxury vinyl that is textured.

Tile

Tile is a sound option for busy families that require durable flooring. Tile is made from ceramic, porcelain or natural stone; all are equally strong and waterproof. Not to mention ceramic and porcelain tiles come in wood-look varieties. So, if you’ve always wanted wood in your kitchen, then wood-look tile is a trendy new way to have the look and feel of real wood, without the stress.

• Pro tip: There are lots of DIY floors out there, we recommend you call an experienced flooring contractor to install a more complex option like tile.

Prefinished Hardwood

If your version of high traffic areas doesn’t involve kids or dogs’ nails digging into the wood flooring, then opt for a prefinished hardwood floor. Prefinished wood’s top layer is treated to improve its overall hardness. Plus, with wood, you have the luxury of hiring a flooring contractor to sand and refinish the hardwood to give your floors a new lease on life! 

However, keep in mind that it’s not water-resistant and does dent, scratch and fades if in direct sunlight, so it will require consistent upkeep.

• Pro tip: Remember to buy a species of wood that scores high on the Janka Hardness Scale for added durability.

Put Your Best Foot Forward on These High Traffic Floors!

When it comes to outfitting your home with the best flooring, you don’t have to compromise design for durability, even if you have an active family — you can have both. If your ideal flooring is wood, but you have kids or pets and don’t think it wise, then the good news is that you can still have the desired look with many alternatives!

If you’re debating which wood-look flooring will best suit your lifestyle and you need a second opinion, don’t hesitate to reach out to The Brother’s Flooring for a no-obligation consultation. As experienced installers in Toronto and Southern Ontario, we’ve heard it all (there is no such thing as a bad question) so let us help you find the best flooring for your high traffic room.