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I bought a house with fairly new carpeting and was thinking of replacing the common areas with wood flooring, but the problem is I actually think carpeting is better besides being harder to keep clean. However, the carpeting is fairly new, so it hasn't accumulated a lot of dust and dirt that my vacuum can't get to. I will eventually convert to wood flooring after my carpeting ages, but I just don't see a reason to now.
I like carpeting because:
1) Its softer on my feet.
2) It absorbs more sound.
3) Its warmer on my feet.
4) It doesn't show dirt as easy and I'd rather vacuum then clean hard flooring.
I would never have carpets in my house again with the exception of area rugs. They are hard to keep clean and I think hardwood floors are beautiful.
In your case, however, for now, I would keep the carpets until they are a little worn and then replace them. Save up for the hardwood floors in the meantime.
I can't stand wood floors at all. I don't get the appeal myself, but then I also despise a lot of the popular trends that just came of age in the last 5-10 years. I LOVE carpet and white carpet at that. It's soft and warm and quiet. I hate noise, and I'm very cold-natured. You also can't get the light white colors of carpet in wood. I do not have pets and never would, so I can't speak to that.
I put tile in the wet areas. There was a time when carpet in master bathrooms was all the rage. In my experience, that's not a good idea for obvious reasons.
I would choose tile before I chose wood though. I just hate the way it looks and feels.
I bought a house with fairly new carpeting and was thinking of replacing the common areas with wood flooring, but the problem is I actually think carpeting is better besides being harder to keep clean. However, the carpeting is fairly new, so it hasn't accumulated a lot of dust and dirt that my vacuum can't get to. I will eventually convert to wood flooring after my carpeting ages, but I just don't see a reason to now.
I like carpeting because:
1) Its softer on my feet.
2) It absorbs more sound.
3) Its warmer on my feet.
4) It doesn't show dirt as easy and I'd rather vacuum then clean hard flooring.
It just depends on the room for me. Some just seem to fit better with flooring, some with carpeting. I think I'm actually going to do my library with carpet now. The ones at Lowes are just not in the right color though, like no real dark browns. I'll have to try somewhere else. My guest bedroom has carpet. My living room has flooring. I think I'm going to do flooring in the upstairs in some of the rooms at least. But I may go with carpet in some (I'm redoing all the floors b/c the previous owners like had really bad taste and the carpeting that was in some of the rooms were hideous and the hardwood floors are just all scratched up).
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jkgourmet
"Who else thinks carpeting is better than hard flooring?"
No one who has pets.
I have a cat and I'm fine with carpet in some of the rooms. (?).
[Oh and the sellers' floors were more like worn out, not really scratched up. Used the wrong word. They had dogs too. I didn't notice any damage on the floors from the dogs. They like tore up the screens in the windows though (?) Do dogs normally do that or were these people just like kind of nuts. They struck me as a little off. Anyway, I don't know. I never had any problem with any of my cats and carpet].
Last edited by Basiliximab; 01-28-2023 at 01:26 PM..
Because as everything else in Interior Designing - it was a fad, and everyone followed. Nothing has changed. People follow the trends too.
Probably due to convincing marketing, new colors and fabrics, and it makes a big change in their house appearance.
In the 1920s or so, carpet was a luxury and a sign of wealth - thick, plush and expensive.
Later on it became much cheaper, so middle class could afford it too.
The very rich decided then that carpet is not classy anymore and moved back to their elegant wooden floors and imported rugs.
Today most people who can afford real wooden floors, are installing them in their homes. Or expensive, high quality carpets, if they desire so.
The poorer folks have cheaper choices like pergo or vinyl, and builders grade carpets, still so common in apartments.
I bet that in few years, maybe decades this will also fade as soon something new and exciting gets marketed.
However, even today, lots of builders don't give buyers a choice. Carpets still rule at least in bedrooms.
Although homes with carpets now lease for less and sell for less.
I noticed that most wealthy people don't have carpets anymore. They appreciate the look of the natural wood. Lots of poorer people happily put carpet everywhere, because its cheaper and insulates their poorly built homes too. It's also preferred flooring in cheaper apartments because it muffles noise, it's cheap and very fast to install.
I thought that in cold regions of US and Canada carpets would be preferred, but I see a lot of real wood floors there.(Realtors websites). Real wood could be warm, with a right underlayment.... It looks warmer too.
I read somewhere that over 90% of worldwide carpet production is done in Georgia, US.
Just wonder why heated floors (radiant heating) aren't popular in colder US climates. It's not expensive. Actually much cheaper and way more efficient than forced heat air.
I have it in my house overseas. It warms the bath and kitchen tiles really nicely, and wooden planks feel very comfortable too.
It's pretty popular in Europe.
The whole house (that's located directly at the beach) feels warm and cozy in Winter.
People are now interested in hydronic floor heating that is even cheaper on the long run.
More people than not in this country aren't "wealthy" and fall under your term of "poorer". You can fairly well income wise and still feel paying many thousands of dollars for flooring unaffordable. It depends on the size of the house and amount of square feet. Even the "cheap" floor coverings you name can be several thousands of dollars and that is not something to scoff at. Pergo has different grades/price levels that can rival wood flooring, btw.
I'd rather not assign income levels to flooring choices because there are many who purchase laminate, carpet, LVP, whatever for reasons other than affordability. And those who choose other flooring choices for affordability reasons shouldn't be made to be, for lack of better words, looked down upon.
Additionally, a thin/cheap wood isn't any better than other types of flooring. The adage "you get what you pay for" can hold up with flooring across the board. Same with 1/sq ft carpet/tile/laminate.
I've owned both laminate and wood floors, and clearly can afford them both, but today's LVP and laminates look very good, are durable, and are great alternatives to wood.
I don't get these kids and their laminate flooring.
I dog-sat for friends with it this weekend...I have to say I'm a fan. It was quieter and softer than hardwood. It looked great. Is it what I'd put in a million dollar home? Maybe not. But for a 1994 3/2 it looked really nice and so far has worn well.
Hard surface floors are bad for your feet and back. I did flooring for over 40 years. I have seen people crippled up by walking on hardwood and ceramic for years.
Dogs are pack animals and you are their leader. Leaving a dog outside, tied up or chained is cruel. If they aren't family why have them?
I don't consider a pet to be my family - but I have certainly had cats - had them most of my life. Why? Because I think kittens are cute and fun, and I like that cats are not so needy, and I could go away for a weekend without worrying about them. Can't do that with a dog. Lots of people in my neighborhood have cats that wander - they much prefer to be outside. I have a lot of farmers in my family and their dogs do not live in the house. They stay in the barn, or a heated outbuilding. Farm cats absolutely do not come inside. They have a job to do, and that job is outside. But cat urine is the worst thing to deal with on a floor. In carpet, you can forget about it. Anyone with a cat that pees everywhere, better not have carpet.
I don't think anyone is saying to leave your dog chained/tied up.
Hard surface floors are bad for your feet and back. I did flooring for over 40 years. I have seen people crippled up by walking on hardwood and ceramic for years.
Only bad for people who happen to have other issues that are magnified by standing/walking on hard surfaces. I have to wonder, do these people stomp around barefoot or what? Don't they own any comfortable, ergonomic indoor shoes? Perhaps they weigh 300 lbs as well?
Hardwood rules! I have original quarter-sawn oak floors in all public rooms of my 1920 craftsman bungalow (maple in the hallway, bedrooms, and kitchen and I wouldn't trade them for anything else or cover them up. Absolutely beautiful. Great-looking area rugs made of 100% wool (with pad underneath) placed under the dining table/chairs and under the sofa/chairs/ottoman in the living room provide the warmth and comfort (and protection of the floors) and they are long-lasting and resilient. Small wool rug in front of the sink provides comfort underfoot in the kitchen.
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