Are you tired of staring at bland, boring flooring in your bedroom?
It's time for a change!
But with so many options out there, where do you start? Carpet or hardwood? Both have pros and cons, but which is the right fit for you?
In this post, we reveal the secrets to selecting the perfect bedroom flooring. From durability to maintenance, style to comfort, we've got you covered. Real-life examples, expert advice, and even a surprise flooring option that you may not have considered. Ready for a bedroom makeover? Let's get started!
When it comes to choosing the perfect flooring for your bedroom, it's not just a matter of picking a favorite. Carpet and hardwood floors each have their own unique set of pros and cons that you'll need to consider.
But don't worry, we've got you covered! Let's explore the benefits and disadvantages of each option, so you can make an informed decision that fits the needs of your home.
Carpeting Pros and Cons
Ahh, the soft, plush feel of carpeting underfoot. It's no wonder why many homeowners opt for carpeting in their bedrooms - it's simply more comfortable! Plus, it's often more budget-friendly than hardwood.
However, carpet can hide damage more easily than hardwood (you can't scratch fibers!) and with proper maintenance can also stay stain-free.
Hardwood Pros and Cons
Sleek, stylish, and easy to clean - hardwood floors are the epitome of sophistication. And they're built to last.
Hardwood floors are highly durable and can withstand heavy foot traffic and everyday wear and tear. But, they can be more expensive than carpeting and might not be as comfortable underfoot as a plush carpet.
Carpet vs Hardwood in the Bedroom
When it comes to flooring in the bedroom, you have many options.
You can choose to match the flooring in your bedroom with the rest of the home or opt for a different style. While bathrooms and kitchens may require specific water-resistant floors, the bedrooms can showcase a variety of options.
Carpeting and hardwood flooring are two of the most popular choices for bedroom flooring.
Both have their own unique benefits and drawbacks and making a decision can be tough. It's important to weigh the needs of your home and personal style preferences before deciding.
Keep in mind that installing new flooring can be a big commitment in terms of time and effort, so it's best to make an informed decision that you'll be happy with in the long run.
The Warm Embrace: Carpeting's Comfort and Insulation Benefits for Your Bedroom
Carpeting is like a little cushion for your feet, making it easier to walk on.
Sure, you can add an underlay to hardwood floors, but it's not the same as the fibers of a carpet.
Not only that, but you can also choose from different "piles" of carpet to increase the comfort level. A high, looped pile will give you a thick and cozy feel, while hardwood floors will always be flat and stiff.
And let's not forget about insulation. Carpeting can offer better insulation in terms of both noise and temperature.
You won't hear as many footsteps or dropped objects on a carpeted floor, and the fibers will keep your toes toasty, unlike a hardwood floor that can be a bit chilly.
So, whether you're a barefoot-at-bedtime person or not, carpeting might just be the way to go for a more comfortable, cozy, and insulated bedroom.
Do Hardwood Floors Make Your House Colder?
Specialists agree that carpets are great insulators. So, they are always ideal barriers between the coldness of the subfloor and the surface layer you actually use. The subfloor is generally made of concrete for stability, but that often absorbs the coldness beneath your home.
Your feet will thank you during the winter season, or in naturally cold climates, because carpets are able to retain warmth. When you turn up the thermostat, your carpets will make sure the heat doesn’t go anywhere.
Unfortunately, hardwood isn’t an insulator and won’t provide the same results. In that way, hardwood floors won’t keep your house as warm over time. So once again, carpets are particularly useful in a bedroom if you are likely to move around without footwear.
Is It Cheaper To Install Carpet Or Hardwood?
There are a lot of things that can change the price tag of your flooring. It might be your area, the thickness of your carpet, or the species of your hardwood. But generally speaking, buying a carpet is going to be cheaper than going with real, solid wood.
After all, hardwood needs to be retrieved from nature, while carpeting can easily be fabricated. So although one of the highlights of hardwood is its value, that is also one of its weaknesses. Carpeting will typically work for a smaller budget because the materials are cheaper to sell, and the installation isn’t as complicated.
It’s possible that you’re looking into laminate, floating floors, that only need to be installed using a simple tongue and groove system. Those involve individual pieces that lock right together and aren’t even nailed into the floor. But it isn’t purely natural wood. Actual hardwood floors have a very challenging installation process that absolutely needs to last.
Meanwhile, carpeting is available as inexpensive rolls, which just need an underlay and some tack strips. Some carpets are available with additional cushioning built right into the base.
Carpet floors won’t show damage
Hardwood can absolutely look gorgeous, but not when it gets damaged. It is very easy to notice when hardwood floors take a scrape or two because of the flat and neutral surface. The slightest dent will be a permanent fixture until you put in the money and effort to repair the damage.
However, fibers on a carpet won’t show any kind of damage. If you have children or pets running around the bedrooms, there’s likely to be some sort of noticeable accident. Or, your bedroom might double as a workspace for DIY projects and artwork. In these situations, it’s best to remember that hardwood is vulnerable and showcases dings.
Which Is Healthier In The Bedroom: Carpet Or Hardwood?
This is a big area where hardwood has a serious advantage over carpeting. Hardwood has a smooth surface that won’t collect much of anything, making it much easier to clean. Some light sweeping can take care of any dust. And there are plenty of commercial cleaners that will quickly remove stains.
Click here to see this Bona hardwood floor cleaner on Amazon.
Unfortunately, carpeting comes with big drawbacks because the fibers will naturally absorb anything. Stains are notoriously difficult to remove from carpeting, even when you have a low and cut pile carpet.
This can have a large impact on the health of the room. An expert group of international home inspectors, InterNACHI, also advise that carpeting has a high risk for mold growth.
Mold is a fungus that develops from stored moisture over time. This can lead to severe respiratory issues. Carpets will also collect and retain dust mites, which are terrible for people with allergies. Even when you vacuum the carpet, plenty of dust is simply kicked into the air.
The only places where hardwood can develop mold and mildew fungi are in areas with frequent water damage, such as kitchens and bathrooms. And hardwood does not let dust cling to the surface. So overall, hardwood floors are often considered healthier than carpeting. If you already have carpeting, you can read the post How Often Should You Wash Your Carpet? to help prevent some natural health issues.
Wooden flooring is highly durable
Yes, wooden floors are a big investment. But that’s because hardwood is also unusually durable. The typical lifespan of a hardwood floor can easily stretch for decades. You can often subject hardwood floors to constant foot traffic without having to worry about wearing them down. Some species of wood are actually more resistant to scratches, and adding the right finish can protect them for ages.
Carpeting doesn’t have equivalent surface protection. So carpet fibers will always flatten over time, and the cushioning will start to feel less comfortable. In fact, the fibers will also likely lose their color sooner than they actually wear out.
Hardwood floors have a flexible style
It may not seem like it, but hardwood flooring can be more versatile than carpets. True, the wooden look won’t work with as many interior design styles as carpets can. But wooden floors still agree with plenty of designs, and they are much easier to restyle.
Carpets will have to be replaced if you decide to change the color of your floor. But hardwood can simply be buffed down so you can apply a brand new stain. Without much trouble, your floor can be transformed from a cozy dark walnut into a bright white oak. You can read this post, How To Change Hardwood Floor Color [3 Quick Steps To Follow], to find out how easy this process really is.
Click here to find this wood stain on Amazon.
Also, you’ll have the freedom to add any kind of area rug you could imagine. Area rugs can easily be moved or replaced, to better suit new bedroom ideas. Meanwhile, carpeting would have to be removed altogether, every time.
And don’t forget that hardwood floors are so smooth, they can often make the room feel more spacious. Unless you use a darker shade of wood, the flat surface of hardwood floors can really open up the room.
Can You Put Different Floorings In A Bedroom?
Most of the time, it isn’t a good idea to use different floorings between bedrooms. Instead, all of the bedrooms in a home should probably match. As mentioned above, it’s best to limit your home’s different floorings to a maximum of three. This keeps the home from feeling too busy.
But keep in mind that your kitchens and bathrooms are highly likely to demand special, tiled floors. This will help prevent water damage from warping wood or causing mold to grow in carpets.
This means that you’ve probably already used up two different floors just to accommodate the kitchens and bathrooms. Even if the kitchen shares an open floor plan with the living room and dining room, the bathroom usually has its own flooring.
However, so long as your bedrooms remain consistent with each other, and do not exceed the rule of three, it is possible to give them a different flooring from the rest of the home.
Summary
There are a vast number of differences between carpets and hardwood. But not all of them are immediately noticeable, even if they have a large impact on the health and style of your bedroom. Now that you can successfully weigh the advantages of each floor type against each other, you’ll be able to create a perfectly comfortable bedroom no matter what your conditions are.