In homes, floors often get the brunt of the wear and tear. Besides the heavy foot traffic, you’ll find scratches from furniture, pet claws, and more as well as stains from spills. No matter what type of flooring you have, it’s likely only a matter of time before replacement is required, but in a condo, things are a bit different. In many cases, condo owners don’t even know when the last flooring was installed, and simply letting it sit means the property itself loses value. Add that to the fact that replacing condo flooring may mean getting permission from the condo board, and you have a frustrating problem on your hands – which means many owners choose to do nothing. That’s unfortunate. A condo is a significant investment, and when you invest in replacing the condo flooring, you invest in your own returns on that condo. When should you replace the flooring in your condo? If it meets any of these criteria, updating your condo flooring is an absolute must.
- The Flooring is Outdated: Find out when your flooring was installed. If it’s been a decade or more, it’s time to upgrade. Only a few flooring materials last for more than a decade, and they include hardwood, marble, and stone. Carpet, vinyl, and tile will look run down, discolored, or faded within 10 years.
- You Begin to See Damage: As the flooring material ages, it begins to show signs of serious damage. Cracks, scuffs, and stains never create the appearance you want in your condo. It reflects badly on you and the property as a whole. Replacing it, then, is the best option.
- Your Flooring Has Created an Accident: A loose floorboard or carpet edge can cause anyone who comes into your condo to trip. You may even be liable for the injuries if you knew you had a problem and didn’t fix it. You don’t want anyone to be injured on your property, so replacing the flooring will prevent that issue entirely.
- You Notice Mold or Mildew Issues: If you’ve ever had a water issue in your home, note that the moisture can easily get under your flooring choice, leading to both mold and mildew. In cases like these, the flooring needs to be replaced before it creates a health issue. In some cases, that mold and mildew may have seeped into the subfloor, and additional work will have to be done.
Updating Condo Flooring – Which Flooring Choice is Right for You?
Once you decide it’s time to update your flooring, the next step is to decide which choice might be right to meet your needs. Carpeting is a great choice, but it will usually only last a decade. After that, you’ll begin to see serious wear and tear. While it’s fairly easy to keep clean, it may need to be deep cleaned once a year to prevent any serious stains from settling in.
Tiles tend to have a longer lifespan than carpet, and unlike carpet, professional cleaning once a year typically isn’t necessary. What’s more, though, is that you won’t experience the wear and tear carpet frequently does.
Hardwood is a great choice. It has one of the longest lifespans in the flooring market today. If well maintained, hardwood can easily last 2-3 decades with ease. While initially more expensive than other flooring materials, hardwood has many great features including beautiful aesthetics, ease of cleaning and maintenance, and durability. The downside is that in a place like Florida where it is constantly warm and humid, hardwood does not fare well as it is not moisture resistant. All spills need to be cleaned up quickly and the home has to be kept on the dry side.
Laminate flooring offers you the look of hardwood, but it’s not quite as durable. It has a lifespan of about 10-14 years. It does tend to fade and discolor with time and is not moisture resistant unless there is a protective surface coating. Laminate can also crack and tear if heavy objects fall on it. Unfortunately, laminate flooring cannot be repaired but needs replacement.
Vinyl is another good choice, especially in areas that experience a lot of moisture like the bathroom or kitchen. Vinyl flooring is easy to clean and maintain, but it is prone to fading, thinning out, and discoloration. Vinyl flooring can be repaired in many cases. If you want your vinyl flooring to last, it is important to select luxury vinyl.
When Replacing Your Condo Flooring Becomes the Right Choice, Call Us
Ready to replace your condo flooring? Give us a call. We’ll not only help you select the right flooring to meet your needs, but we also offer fast professional installation services. Learn more about how we can help when you contact us today.
