Gone are the days when carpet used to be the first choice of most people to install in their home. Nowadays Hardwood flooring is one of the most popular options. There are pros and cons of each type and the prices of each can vary significantly. So before you go out and install new Berber carpet in your home, learn about other more fashionable and stylish options which can also be just as affordable as carpet.

Carpet designs can go out of style in a few short years but hard wood flooring will always be in style. If you ever notice any changes to your Hardwood floor, you can apply a new finish and recoat it to restore its brilliance.

Cleaning and caring for your carpet is a much tougher job than cleaning a wood floor. Even though most carpets are stain resistant, your kids will find a way to stain it right where everyone can see it as they walk in the room.

Then you have to call a professional steam cleaner to come in to clean up the mess. This can set you back a couple hundred bucks pretty easily. These carpet maintenance costs will likely offset any savings you were looking for compared to the cost of installing Hardwood flooring in the first place.

This does not mean that wide plank or bamboo is the perfect choice all the time. If you have little ones running around the house and they slip, they can get hurt by falling on hard wood surface compared to a cushioned carpet surface. You can remedy these situations by buying an area rug and putting it in high-traffic areas where your kids are likely to run around and fall.

Carpet prices can be as low as $1 per square foot with another $.50 to $1 per square foot for padding and installation. It goes up from there depending on what extra features you want like stain resistance and water resistance.

Hardwood flooring prices can also be as low as $1 per square foot for laminate flooring and up to $5 or more for hand scraped wood. Installation can run you $1 per square foot and up. The final decision will be based on your fashion tastes and how much you like cleaning your floor. Hardwood has lower maintenance costs while carpet requires you to vacuum it at least once a week if not more.

If you plan to stay in the home for a while and like a comparable cushion when you take your socks and shoes off, then carpet may be for you. If you plan to sell your home soon, and Hardwood flooring may be your best choice as it will be the most desirable by potential buyers.

There are so many choices when it comes to flooring. I’ve given you a few tips to help you decide between carpet and hardwood. Now it’s time to learn about other types of flooring that you may not have considered.

Next, learn about Specialty Flooring for your home. Visit http://www.specialty-flooring.com/ today to compare prices on the top names in flooring including: Armstrong, Bruce, Pergo, Epoxy, Mohawk, Shaw, and Empire.