There are many factors that come into play when considering apartment flooring design options. Each apartment building is going to have its own regulations in regards to soundproofing, and each floor is going to have its own requirements. To further complicate matters is Florida’s weather, which makes flooring decisions extremely important. Floors are affected by sand, sunlight, and lots of moisture and humidity.
Like fashion and home décor, apartment flooring design options tend to follow trends. Hardwood, engineered wood, laminate wood, large format tile, bamboo, cork and carpet continue to trend in the South Florida condo market and are worth considering.
Hardwood’s biggest advantage is its durability. In Florida, exotic species – Brazilian cherry, purpleheart and African pedauk – continue to sell well. Solid hardwood floors can fade from direct sunlight and are affected by humidity, which can cause expansion or rotting of the wood. To help protect against damage from scratches and moisture, which can lead to mold, flooring installers top hardwood floors with three to 10 coats of finish.
Engineered wood is more stable than solid wood and less likely to warp in Florida’s humidity and moisture. This flooring material can be used just about anywhere in the apartment. The wood is extremely hard more resistant to scratching and moisture. Popular styles include oak, cherry, maple, hickory, walnut and Brazilian hickory.
Most Floridians opt for laminate flooring. It is less susceptible to damage from moisture, humidity, sand and sunlight. Its ease of maintenance and durability are attractive to many apartment owners. However, laminate is less durable than tile or hardwood flooring, and if not properly maintained, or if you or tenants have pets, you may need to replace it every few years. Laminate floors are made of resin, wood fiber and paper pressed together under extreme pressure, allowing for it to “float” on top of the subfloor. Laminate flooring does have some key benefits: easy to install, protects against scratching and is more versatile because the flooring can be applied over most surfaces. Plus, the flooring does not require polishing or waxing and there is less damage from moisture, humidity and sunlight.
Bamboo and cork are also popular apartment flooring design options for Florida. Newer products called strand-woven bamboo offer a highly engineered product that uses the inner fibers, making the material twice as hard as traditional bamboo flooring. Bamboo is available in wide-plank styles and in a variety of colors and patterns, including classic hardwoods.
Cork flooring is popular because of its acoustic-insulating qualities. Plus, cork is much more comfortable to walk on than traditional hardwood and tile. And thanks to new factory finishes, it is more durable than it was previously and available in a wide variety of colors. One thing to keep in mind: cork is susceptible to moisture damage and will fade when exposed to sunlight.
Tile is also a very popular flooring material. Particularly popular are large-format tiles in 24×48, 32×32, 36×36 and larger formats. Large format tiles can open up a small area and bring proportionality to large spaces. Plus, they provide a larger design “canvas,” and the opportunity for glaze patterns and designs to be big, detailed and continuous. Recycled glass tile, subway tile, stone tile, tile with lights, pebble tile and glass tile mosaics with semi-precious stones are continue to trend in bathrooms.
Marble and granite are some of the more expensive apartment flooring design options, but also the most durable. Consider marble, travertine, granite, limestone and slate. The key to long-lasting stone flooring is in the installation. The ability of stone to resist moisture and staining depends on its hardness. Softer stones like sandstone and limestone must be finished every few years with a stone sealer. Harder stones, such as granite and marble, should be sealed every four to five years. Polished stone tile can be slippery when wet, so choose a stone that has a textured, skid-resistant surface for kitchens and master bath applications.
Carpet remains a popular choice for apartment flooring design options. Carpet fibers have dramatically improved over the past few years to become more durable, with built in products to include enzyme treatments that act as a moisture barrier between the carpet surface and the padding below. Today there is a wide selection of textures, patterns and colors available.
With a wide variety of apartment flooring design options, it is recommended that you work with a flooring designer and installer to choose the right material for your apartment.