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Flooring 101: Carpet or Hardwood?

May 29, 2020

Flooring is all the same no matter the room, but what type of flooring you chose for your personal home versus your rental property are two different ball games. Rental properties are bound to endure more wear and tear than a personal home due to the number of families occupying the space over a course of years. These occupants may not take care of the flooring as much as they would their own personal property. The goal of owning a rental property is to help you make money. If you plan to be successful in making money through your rental property that means the cost of new flooring needs to be justified. How do you determine which flooring type fits in best with your rental property? 

Plush and Warm Carpet 

In most rental properties you will notice carpet flooring is the choice flooring type throughout the apartments. Carpeting is soft and usually easy to clean. It’s recommended that carpet be vacuumed at least twice a week and steamed professionally once a year. However, carpet is not the most sustainable flooring type. Carpets are made from synthetic fibers, which can be harmful to the environment but are easy to stain. Even more, carpet flooring can hold onto a lot of dust, dander, and debris. Because of the hindrances that come with carpet, many rental properties will tend to replace the carpeting whenever a tenant moves out. Over time, this type of flooring can cause more financial hindrance than becoming an affordable option for flooring. In the short term, carpet is the way to go if the carpet can be taken care of. If it cannot, carpet may not be so affordable in the long run.

Sleek and Chic Hardwood

Hardwood, similar to carpeting, is a favorite among rental and personal properties. This flooring type is especially a popular choice among young homeowners for good reason. Hardwood floors are more eco-friendly than carpeting because hardwood can be refinished and can potentially last up to 50 years! This flooring doesn’t hang onto dirt, dander, and debris the same way the fibers in carpet flooring does. It’s recommended to vacuum floors at least once a week. If you are wanting a cleaner surface to live on, you can sweep or vacuum multiple times a week. Hardwood floors tend to be more durable than carpet due to the fact they can be refinished, even if the flooring looks really damaged from a nick or scratch. Liquid won’t stain hardwood as long as it is cleaned up quickly. However, like carpet, hardwood has some downsides when it comes to installing them into rental properties. Some tenants, unfortunately, will cause more damage to the hardwood than others and you can only refurbish the same hardwood so many times. Some tenants may not be aware of the specific rules of taking care of hardwoods, such as: do not mop the flooring because it can eventually cause water damage. Despite the small drawbacks that come with hardwood, it is still the preferred flooring among many property owners. 

Eco-Friendly Bamboo

If apartment property owners prefer hardwoods, bamboo flooring is the way to go. Why? Bamboo flooring has all the ease of maintenance that comes with hardwood flooring but with added durability. Strand woven bamboo flooring is up to three times stronger than oak flooring, which makes bamboo less likely to be nicked or scratched. Bamboo flooring is also far more eco-friendly than hardwood floors. As we know, hardwood is more eco-friendly than carpet, but hardwood flooring still uses trees that can take up to 60 years to mature. Bamboo is a natural vegetation that only takes five years to mature, making it a highly renewable resource for many different materials that wood is traditionally used for. This flooring also comes in a wide variety of colors. With bamboo you are getting all the durability, style and being eco-friendly to the environment! That being said, if you are still trying to decide whether or not to install carpet flooring, hardwood flooring, or bamboo flooring, consider installing bamboo flooring. As we’ve mentioned, this option is durable, affordable and likely to last you through several rounds of tenants through your rental property.

Learn more about additional types of faux hardwood floors in this blog.

Interested in renovating the flooring in your apartment property? We are happy to help you renovate your space! Contact Alterra Construction Services through our website or by calling 615-438-5734.