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edubya

POLL: What is the floor in your living room?

Emily H
8 years ago

Flooring is often where you start when decorating a living room, and is often one of the hardest choices to make. What type of floor covering do you have in your living room?

VOTE and tell us about it in the comments!


Wall to Wall Carpet
Tile
Hardwood
Laminate
Concrete
Linoleum
Other - Tell us Below!
Featured Answer
  • mullajos
    8 years ago

    As lovely as hardwood looks upon initial installation, I would never install it again. It is damaged very easily: eg. stiletto heals, fallen scissors, knives, or anything sharp, tiny pieces of gravel picked up outside causes scratches, if you need to move furniture and, by chance, there is a tiny, hard particle under the legs, more scratches, pulling back and forth of dinette chairs eventually removes the original stain, etc. Any spills, especially sticky ones, need not only to be wiped up but you need to clean in between the boards each and every time or else the miniscule space between the boards becomes black. And if you have a carpet in front of any doors in the summer you can expect that after a few years the area under the carpet will be darker than the remainder of the floor. I have yet to find a cleaner that does not leave the hardwood floors rather dull. The suggestion I have received from the manufacturer has been to have the floors re-sanded. Can you imagine having the entire first floor re-sanded (for me that is 1,500 square feet) and then to have the floors re-stained? I understand you need to move out of your home for the days it takes to re-sand, stain, and then for the chemical odor to dissipate. To say nothing of the cost???? And even with all these negatives I saw where the survey places hardwood floors in the number one choice.

    Comments (209)

    • kimbundu
      8 years ago

      Oh to have terrazzo! Lucky you! My house is 1964, but on a plain concrete slab. Are you in the southeast? My childhood home in Miami had terrazzo, but my parents carpeted over it everywhere but the bathrooms.

    • gre57gg
      8 years ago

      original cork tiles from 1953 when home was built. They look a bit too "rough" now. Trying to decide what to bring in.

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    • sppwmp
      8 years ago

      We just installed porcelain tile that looks like hardwood. Agreed with other Houzzer - no one can believe it's tile. With a small dog, hardwood and carpet were not an option. So far, this is a dream.

    • Sharon
      8 years ago

      43-year-old random length oak, 1.5 inch wide boards everywhere but kitchen & bath. We built our home, we laid every board in living, dining, hall and 3 bedrooms.

      Living and dining rooms need refinishing badly, but we are not about to do this. It also has bad squeaks and the rooms echo without area rugs. I am planning to carpet the living, dining and hall spaces with a warm coppery berber, close in color to the hardwood. Those 3 spaces run together. I will purchase a steam carpet cleaner to maintain.

      We have no kids and no pets living here. Visitors include 2 grown children and spouses, 4 grandchildren and their pets also occasionally. I did the twice-a-year cleaning and waxing on my hands and knees, and the machine buffing, for 35 years. I think I wore the finish off in the traffic areas! With the finish damaged, it must be sanded and varnished before any regular maintenance can resume.

      We would have to move out of the house while this is being done along with the living and dining room furnishings. These floors are between the kitchen and the bedrooms and bath. Cleaning up spills is pretty easy, dusting is simple and quick, but that cleaning regimen, I just cannot do that any more. Also, with the cleaning regimen, the products for hardwood floors are petroleum-distillate based and the odor bothered my husband a lot, making for some interesting (?) interactions during those efforts.

      The 3 bedroom floors are still in great shape, except for the squeaks. Even with our children growing up here, those bedroom floors didn't get the use and abuse of the other rooms.

      When we no longer have need of this home, new owners can do with it as they wish. Most do anyway, don't they?

    • PRO
      MOYA ONEILL DESIGN
      8 years ago

      Engineered hardwood

    • skyyneat
      8 years ago

      Travertine marble in a matte finish via 18x18 tiles. As practical and hygienic in baths and kitchen as it is sophisticated and elegant in living areas.


    • kimbundu
      8 years ago

      I love the idea of porcelain tile that looks like hardwood - is it expensive - anyone know where I can find out the cost/sq.ft.?

    • pdk920
      8 years ago

      Many of these flooring options are good-looking and probably durable, but just the thought of having them -- tile, marble etc -- in every room just makes my feet and ankles ache!

    • Bruce Crawford
      8 years ago

      kimbundu, porcelain that looks like hardwood runs from abt. $3.50-10.00/s.f. If you want color-body & rectified, expect to pay over $5. We researched the wood look as we were replacing oak in our LR & engineered wood in our DR. All we found that we liked and that would go w/ our cordovan-stained (close to cherry) maple K cabs were too dark for our north-facing K. But we saw some really good-looking tiles. Some come in long pieces so they really look like planks.

    • sppwmp
      8 years ago

      Kimbundu I paid $4.49/sq ft at Wayne tile in NJ. But they had ones one clearance I really liked for under $4. Of course they had beautiful ones for over $7-8, but honestly I love these so much I wouldn't trade it for more expensive ones even if they were at the same price.

    • kimbundu
      8 years ago

      Thank you Bruce and sppwmp! Good to know!

    • Bruce Crawford
      8 years ago
      kimbundu, best of all worlds would be if she (her handle is hidden as I write this) could find out from Wayne tile store name of manuf'r & line of tile she likes so much.
    • dennistobie69
      8 years ago


      Not withstanding all the aesthetics of hardwood floors, they aren't practical when it comes to wear and tear not to mention how cold they are in the winter.

    • Bruce Crawford
      8 years ago

      DennisTobie69, we have/had 30+-y.o. oak flooring in our LR and main hallway. Wear & tear was not a problem. We just replaced the oak in the LR b/c the front half of our house was a patchwork of flooring & we wanted something more uniform to eliminate the chopped up effect the patchwork gave, and we didn't want wood in the K. Two friends had done that and regretted the decision, so now we have tile in LR, entry, K & DR.

    • dennistobie69
      8 years ago

      Underneath carpet is oak floor. I didn't mention it, however, another reason we have carpet is due to several pets, including two large dogs. I agree that hardwood floors look great!

    • PRO
      MOYA ONEILL DESIGN
      8 years ago

      Engineered hardwood....more durable than hardwood...great for pets

    • Bruce Crawford
      8 years ago

      In our flooring patchwork in the front of the house, we had engineered hardwood in the DR. It faded from the sun coming through the patio French doors.

    • judygilpin
      8 years ago

      We had oak floors in Seattle and pine in our summer home on Whidbey Island. Loved them. Our pet didn't hurt them at all....but I must admit he was a well behaved Cocker Spaniel. They are not cold , as long as you use large area rugs in the living areas (living room, family room and bedrooms). We are now in Arizona and tile floors are the way to go. Very low maintenance. Love them too. It all depends on the area of the country you live.

    • PRO
      Barnhart Gallery
      8 years ago

      Mahogany. Been living with it for 16 years and it still makes me smile (every time I finish sweeping up the Great Pyrenees fur.)

    • KD
      8 years ago

      Hardwood floor that's original to the house, which was built in ~1930. It needs to be refinished, but it's still lovely.

    • Richard Simoneau
      8 years ago
      Real heart pine plank boards, had them milled down to 1.25 inch, tongue and grove, sanded and sealed, I love the natural yellow glow with no sheen.
    • saimz
      8 years ago

      Marble Floor

    • genealoner
      8 years ago

      Just redid the kitchen, and used Pergo laminate on the floor. I love it, and so does anybody who visits. Eventually will probably put it everywhere but the baths and laundry rooms.

    • dennistobie69
      8 years ago

      How does the Pergo stand up to large dogs?

    • Double D
      8 years ago

      I have Jarrah floors throughout, i could never go back to carpet.

    • nkahovec
      8 years ago

      Hardwood in living room. Carpet in family room-I have 4 sons and they begged to have carpet in the family room instead of hardwood when we moved and wwere replacing the flooring throughout the house. They like the warmth and coziness of it.

    • misselthwaite
      8 years ago

      Original pine strip flooring. Battered, but with young kids it's perfect - not so precious that I have to panic about spills, dirt, rocks, or paint projects, but it cleans up well enough to have other human beings visit without terror :-)

    • kayew
      8 years ago
      last modified: 8 years ago

      We love our Spanish Colonial home with saltillo pavers throughout but a carpet inlay in the living room. Yes, we have radiant floor heat.

    • ectheboss24
      8 years ago
      I believe we are going with the luxury vinyl this time. We've had hardwood and NEVER AGAIN! We've had laminate too. I would do it again. Easy care!
    • ectheboss24
      8 years ago
      I believe we are going with the luxury vinyl this time. We've had hardwood and NEVER AGAIN! We've had laminate too. I would do it again. Easy care!
    • pearlpippa
      8 years ago

      vinyl planking

    • PRO
      MOYA ONEILL DESIGN
      8 years ago
      I love my engineered hardwood
    • David Gaunt
      8 years ago
      was working toward tawny coloured barnwood, but don't have enough. so this week I stripped the original red oak and stained it with kona varathane. turned out great and withcquite a bit of patina due to the age of the floor
    • handmethathammer
      8 years ago

      I have wide plank engineered hardwood hickory in my living areas. We put it in when we bought the house 18 months ago, and haven't had the heart to put a rug over it in the living room yet. (We do have scatter rugs at the entries).

    • Bruce Crawford
      8 years ago

      handmethathammer, we had oak in our living room and engineered oak in our dining room. We only had an area rug under the coffee table in the LR & the dinner table in the DR. Didn't want to hide the beautiful grain.

    • alh1881
      8 years ago

      "Gin-yoo-ine", original Southern yellow heart pine circa 1915.

    • 12345jd
      8 years ago

      September 1st I said we were waiting for our porcelain floor to be installed!! It ended up being delayed and us changing it to another one, so it was after Thanksgiving it was put in. It is on our whole main level!! I LOVE IT so much. It looks like wood but has the durability of tile. It certainly was hard to live without a main level with two dogs (one being a puppy) and a family, but that is all behind us now and it is exactly what I was looking for. (it also cost %100 more than we thought, but, again, so worth it!!) If I am able to download a picture, I will.

    • PRO
      Georgette Marise Interiors
      8 years ago

      I have hardwood. It's easy to clean, warm in tone, and durable!

    • Bev
      8 years ago

      Our house was built in 1945 and underneath the wall to wall carpet we have hardwood. I've seen a little bit of the hardwood in our entryway closet and if we ever do decide to get rid of the carpet, we will just have to spend time and money on making the original hardwood look beautiful!

      Since we are having sub zero temps right now due to Arctic air blasts coming down from Canada, I have noticed how cold our entryway closet is due to not being carpeted. I am now rethinking whether or not I want to have bare, hardwood floors since the wall to wall carpeting makes my floors (and rooms) so much warmer!

    • handmethathammer
      8 years ago

      sewsmore, we also get subzero temperatures here. I have noticed that the basement family room (which is carpeted) has been pretty warm this winter. The main level is all hardwood, and although it is not cold on the feet, it probably doesn't help hold the heat in the room. Neither do the vaulted ceilings.



    • eightpondfarm
      8 years ago

      brick.

    • cappiello12
      8 years ago

      I have bamboo flooring throughout most of my home. It was here when I purchased the home, it is light in color and not a big fan, the downfall is that it is really difficult to clean. It leaves streaks and shows every dog print, shoe print or smudge. I know it is expensive but still prefer real hardwood.

    • bonniecollette
      7 years ago

      Stained concrete works for me in the Texas hill country. Would do it again in a heart beat! Easy, peazy to take care of.

    • Peggy Duerr
      7 years ago

      I have a very cheap type of laminate flooring in the living and dining rooms and when I moved into this house 13 years ago, I planned to replace it with hardwood. Other home repairs became a priority and 13 years later, the laminate is still there looking exactly the same as it did when I bought the house. I now have a 4 year old grandson who uses the two rooms as a race track for his Hot Wheels cars and other toys and the laminate seems to be indestructible and shows no wear or tear from his racing. I have decided to wait and replace the laminate with hardwood until he outgrows this stage of play. If the laminate was a prettier color and style, I might leave it forever. It's a lighter color and I have learned with 3 cats and constant traffic through those rooms, I will not choose a darker stain when I replace it because the color I have now does not show pet hair and dust as much as a dark floor.

    • Peggy Duerr
      7 years ago

      I have a very cheap type of laminate flooring in the living and dining rooms and when I moved into this house 13 years ago, I planned to replace it with hardwood. Other home repairs became a priority and 13 years later, the laminate is still there looking exactly the same as it did when I bought the house. I now have a 4 year old grandson who uses the two rooms as a race track for his Hot Wheels cars and other toys and the laminate seems to be indestructible and shows no wear or tear from his racing. I have decided to wait and replace the laminate with hardwood until he outgrows this stage of play. If the laminate was a prettier color and style, I might leave it forever. It's a lighter color and I have learned with 3 cats and constant traffic through those rooms, I will not choose a darker stain when I replace it because the color I have now does not show pet hair and dust as much as a dark floor.

    • l_curd
      3 years ago

      Peggy Duerr,

      Do you know the maker of your laminate flooring? Also the color you have, because I too worry about pet hair. Thank you.

      Lauretta

    • Peggy Duerr
      3 years ago

      I do not know the maker of the floor, but it is now 17 years old and looks the same as when I moved in 17 years ago. I know it wasn't a top of the line floor because the flipper wasn't a big spender - lol. I would describe the color as a medium wood grain oak look - sort of the color of a Werther's caramel if that helps. There are some very nice looking laminate floors these days, but I do love the warmth of real wood. 2 more years, and it will be replaced with a real wood floor.

    • territheresa
      3 years ago

      Southern yellow heart pine throughout.

      my stuff · More Info

    • SueBee
      3 years ago

      We have original hardwood in our living room. Very pretty, especially when the fireplace reflects on it. This fall I bought an area rug for the living room and I can't believe how much warmer it is. Just my husband and I, retired, no pets so it's easy to maintain.

    • Robbin Capers
      3 years ago

      I'm quite surprised to have chosen a slate-look porcelain tile. We're doing cork upstairs for comfort and sound dampening, but the downstairs will have a double-sided woodstove in the center, and so instead of a hearth we're doing the whole floor in material. It will be continuous out into the sunroom as well. Tile is an unusual choice in Alaska, but it's the best choice for us and works very well with radiant floor heat.

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