Lofts tend to feature hard finishes - exposed brick, concrete and timber floors - which increase sound levels, but these can be muted by adding rugs and other resilient materials. Under-floor heating, which is enjoying a revival, is compatible with most types of flooring styles, but is particularly efficient with ceramic, stone and well-seasoned hardwood.
Textured rubber flooring is available in sheet format or tiles, natural or synthetic (or a blend of the two). Rubber flooring is extremely hardwearing and is available in an extensive range of shaped tiles and decorative patterns for modern designed living. This type of flooring is also easy to clean and offers a non-slip quality that is ideal for bathrooms and kitchens alike. The only downfall of using textured rubber flooring is that it shows up scratches very easily, but not too worry over time these tend to fade away unless the scratches are deep and heavy.
Textured vinyl has similar characteristics to textured rubber in that it is easily maintained. Sheet vinyl or PVC as it is also known is also very tough, waterproof and also has the same non-slip action as textured rubber flooring. It also comes in a large range of colours and textures to suit any application. Downfalls to using this type of flooring; it may be marked by furniture without castors (wheels) and can be stained by shoe polish and fibre pens. Vinyl tiles share all the same advantages and disadvantages as sheet vinyl except for the fact, as the name suggests comes in a tile format.
Wood has its own charm, but a soft paint wash can brighten up weathered boards or mask poor-quality timber. Wooden flooring planks are available in a large variety of thickness', widths and lengths to suit all applications. Wooden flooring can be left natural or a tint may be applied to give that extra bit of personal touch. To increase the durability of wood flooring it must be treated with the correct types of varnish. Outdoor flooring in the form of wooden decks and porches require outdoor varnish to be applied. Indoor flooring on the other hand requires indoor varnish. Wooden flooring is highly compatible with under-floor heating but does tend to amplify sound levels. Due to the high costs of certain woods, a wood laminate is your next best choice. Made from pressed, resin-impregnated papers, laminates offer an immense variety of colours, patterns and textures that resemble natural wooden flooring planks. They are more durable than natural wood planks and less easily stained, however, they are much harder and tend not to have the same soft 'walk' as natural timber does.
Assessing your flooring needs before you start renovating is extremely important. This will ensure you make the right choice for the desired area. For example, if you are planning neutral-coloured walls to create a feeling of space, a natural-coloured floor will help to add warmth. Does the luxury of walking on carpet appeal to you? If so, have you considered how much cleaning and maintenance it requires and whether it is practical in the chosen area. When in doubt, even if a light coloured flooring is chosen, always go for the textured version to hide scuff-marks and scratches.
Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Flooring
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