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When installing new flooring for your home, the type you choose will, in large part, reflect what a home means to you. Installing carpet could mean you enjoy comfort or plushness. Hardwood floors might mean you want classic, rustic elegance. The choice of Pergo might indicate that you want a home that's easy to care for.

Or you may have different flooring choices for different areas of the home. Traditionally, kitchens and bathrooms will have some sort of flooring made of tile or linoleum to repel water and other liquid spills and that is easy to keep clean. Living rooms and bedrooms are often carpeted from wall-to-wall while basement floors and those in utility areas typically are bare concrete due to its durability. However, many homeowners are looking for flooring that can provide the same qualities as the traditional materials and yet present a different appearance.

While carpeting of any kind is very rarely recommended for bathrooms or kitchens, laminate flooring is beginning to make an appearance in these areas in place of asphalt tile or linoleum. New technology that makes laminate materials more water resistant is making them more attractive in these areas of the home.

And, for many homeowners, there is little that can take the place of solid wood flooring for its beauty and durability. While carpeting can keep the feet from standing on cold floors in the winter, hardwood flooring provides a lasting beauty that is stiff competition for carpeting. One of the disadvantages of hardwood flooring is the installation can take a couple of days, depending on the size of the room, and the sanding and finishing of the wood can make a real mess in the home.

Additionally, staining the wood and applying a protective coating can be a long, smelly process and it may take up to a week before furniture can be placed on the newly finished flooring materials. Additionally, daily care of the hardwood is needed to prevent scratches to the finish and keep it looking new. Floor wax is often used as a protective coating which can be applied, in several coats in one day with minimal time needed prior to being using the room.

While asphalt tile, linoleum, and wood remain some of the most common types of flooring in use, laminate flooring is surging to the top of the list due to the ease of installation and care.