Carpet vs. Hardwood

Choosing between carpet or hardwood flooring for your properties may seem like a simple proposition dictated solely by cost, but nothing could be further from the truth.

“When selecting flooring for residential and commercial properties—whether it’s carpet or hardwood—it is important to consider design, comfort, price and sustainability,” says Julius Shaw, executive vice president of Shaw Industries in Dalton, Ga.

Use our checklist to help you decide which flooring material best suits your needs.

The advantages of carpet
Carpet in commercial spaces provides an opportunity for businesses to weave their own brand identity into their office space, says Shaw. Additional benefits of carpet include:

• Carpet delivers underfoot comfort important in health care, education and retail settings where staff, patients and students are on their feet all day.
• Carpet cushions slips, falls and noise pollution.
• Carpet is a natural insulator, providing additional warmth in cold seasons.

The disadvantages of carpet
A 31-year flooring industry veteran and Floor Covering Weekly columnist and faculty member of the Floor Covering Institute, Chris Ramey, points out these drawbacks for carpets:

• Patterned carpets usually have loops that can get pulled, resulting in damage to the carpet. Patterns also have to match their surroundings, which could mean you will need the input of a decorator—especially if your carpet is going to be seen by prospective tenants.
• Olefin carpet soils easily. This synthetic fiber is used in the manufacture of clothing, upholstery, wallpaper, ropes and vehicle and is also referred to as polypropylene, polyethylene or polyolefin. It soils quite easily, which could mean additional maintenance costs.

The advantages of hardwood
“Wood enhances the beauty of a room and can increase the feel of comfort in public spaces,” says New York interior designer Robin Wilson. “Also, many people feel that hardwood can be symbolic of the durability of a business.” Wilson also noted other benefits of hardwood floors:

• Damaged wood can be sanded and refinished, rather than replaced.
• Wood does not collect as much dust and allergens.

The disadvantages of hardwood
Despite their rich appearance and durability, hardwood floors do have some noteworthy disadvantages:

• Wood expands during periods of high humidity. If installed incorrectly, hardwood floors can buckle against a wall.
• Wood floors can fade, splinter, dent or break and they are highly sensitive to the moisture from hot water heaters, bathrooms or washer leaks.

Wilson also notes “the biggest thing to watch out for with hardwood flooring are some petroleum-based sealants. Try to ensure sealants are non-toxic.”

Installation
No matter what kind of floor you decide to use, you should remember that proper installation is key for a visually appealing and durable floor. Before you install any type of floor make sure that:

• The area is free of dust, dirt, oil, grease, paint, wax, moisture or any debris that could affect adhesion of the backings to the floor.
• The floor is level and smooth, and that depressions and cracks are filled with a liquid latex additive patching compound.

You can f ind qualified installers by contacting the Professional Flooring installers Association and the Certified Floorcovering Installers.

Maintaining carpeted floors
To prolong the life of your carpet and reduce maintenance, keep outside areas like sidewalks and garages clean, says Shaw. Additionally you should:

• Place mats in both exterior entrances and inside transition areas from hard surface to carpet.
• Develop a maintenance schedule, rather than a random series of infrequent cleanings.
• Tailor your maintenance schedule to the amount of traffic, type of soiling and season.

Maintaining hardwood floors
Hardwood floors may seem easy to maintain, but neglecting them can be expensive. Unlike carpets you can’t fix major damage to a hardwood floor without a significant investment. To ensure you get the most out of a hardwood floor:

• Use a damp cloth to blot up spills as soon as they happen.
• Sweep, dust and vacuum floors regularly with a hard floor attachment to prevent dirt and grit accumulation, which can scratch or dull the floor finish.
• Periodically use a hardwood floor cleaner specifically formulated for use on pre-finished hardwood floors.
• Don’t wet mop or wash the floor with soap, water, oil-soap detergent or any other liquid cleaning material. This could cause warping and swelling and void the warranty.
• Do not use steel wool, abrasive cleaners or strong ammoniated or chlorinated cleaners.
• Avoid buffing or a polishing machine on prefinished floors.
• For tough spots on hardwood floors such as oil, paint, markers, lipstick, ink or tar, use acetone or nail polish remover on a clean white cloth, then wipe the area with a damp cloth to remove any remaining residue.
• For spots such as candle wax or chewing gum, harden the spot with ice and then gently scrape with a plastic scraper, such as a credit card.