Learn About Flooring

By Brooke Davis · Updated October 2026 · 13 min read Quick AnswerChoose wood-look porcelain tile for bathrooms, laundry rooms, mudrooms, and radiant-heat floors, and real hardwood for living rooms and bedrooms. Porcelain absorbs 0.5 percent or less of its weight in water and resists scratches far better than wood. Hardwood is warmer underfoot and…

By Brooke Davis · Updated September 2026 · 14 min read Quick AnswerThe best modern farmhouse floor is a wide plank, 5 to 9 inches, in a light-to-mid neutral wood tone with a matte finish. White oak hardwood sets the benchmark. Wood-look LVP with a 20-mil wear layer carries the same look through kitchens, basements,…

By Brooke Davis · Updated September 2026 · 12 min read Quick Answer Should flooring match throughout the house? It does not have to, but it should flow. The best approach is one continuous material across open, connected spaces, and a deliberate switch to a waterproof or softer option in bathrooms, bedrooms, and basements. Keep…

By Brooke Davis · Updated September 2026 · 15 min read Quick Answer To match paint colors to your floor, match the undertone first, then set the contrast. Identify whether the floor reads warm, cool or neutral, choose a wall color in that same temperature family, and separate the two by roughly 20 to 30…

By Brooke Davis · Updated September 2026 · 11 min read Quick Answer Engineered vs solid hardwood is decided by what sits under the floor, not by which looks better. Both are real wood on the surface. Solid needs a wood subfloor and stable humidity, and refinishes 4 to 6 times. Engineered goes over concrete…

By Brooke Davis · Updated September 2026 · 11 min read Quick Answer To make a room look bigger, run the planks along the room’s longest dimension and toward the main window. Length pulls the eye through the space, and light travelling along the seams hides them instead of drawing a shadow across every joint.…

By Brooke Davis · Updated August 2026 · 11 min read Quick Answer Sometimes. Floating LVP or laminate over a sound, well bonded ceramic tile floor is the most common yes, as long as the grout joints are filled and the surface meets flatness tolerance. Carpet, cushion backed sheet vinyl, and existing floating floors always…

By Brooke Davis · Updated September 2026 · 11 min read Quick Answer Carpet vs hardwood stairs comes down to who uses the staircase. Carpet gives traction, absorbs the sound stairs amplify, and softens a fall. Hardwood and luxury vinyl plank look continuous with the floors above and below but are slick in socks. Density…

By Brooke Davis · Updated September 2026 · 13 min read Quick Answer How long flooring lasts comes down to the material, which is why the useful answer is lifespan by material. Solid hardwood leads at 50 to 100+ years, with tile close behind at 50 to 75+. Luxury vinyl plank and quality laminate fall…

By Brooke Davis · September 2026 · 14 min readQuick AnswerFor most kitchens, luxury vinyl with a 20-mil or thicker wear layer over a waterproof core is the best kitchen flooring, because it handles spills, dropped pans and long hours of standing. Porcelain and ceramic tile last 50 to 75+ years but are harder underfoot.…